Why see an osteopath? What can they fix?
Osteopaths are ACC registered, physical therapists that treat a wide range of aches and pains. Treatment is holistic, meaning they treat the whole body rather than just the ‘sore area’. The reason behind the holistic approach is the osteopathic philosophy that the ‘body is a unit’ not a collection of parts. So for the body to be working and functioning well, all areas of the body must be working correcting. Also that the area of pain can be largely influenced by other areas not working well. For example shoulder pain, Sarah will assess your shoulder but also your neck, spine, arms, pelvis, leg length to check all areas are working well. If your neck and spine muscles are tight and joints restricted this is going to add further strain to the injured shoulder and slow its recovery.
The case history is about the area of concern but also a full medical case history and questions about lifestyle that could be related to your pain. For example work station setup, stress, sleep, posture, car, shoes and so on.
Treatment techniques osteopaths use include; soft tissue massage, joint articulation (moving your joint around), joint manipulation (joint clicking), muscle stretching and muscle energy technique (muscle stretch using the strength of the muscle to further stretch the muscle) and so on.
Tailored advice is given to every patient. This may include; stretches, exercises, life style changes - getting up more frequently at work, avoid certain exercises, reducing stress and so on.
What osteopaths treat:
Neck pain
Headaches, migraines
TMJ/Jaw pain
Dizziness, vertigo
Shoulder pain & injuries
Frozen shoulder
Bursitis
Tennis, golfers elbow
Wrist sprains
Carpal tunnel syndrome
Hand & finger pain
Back pain
Rib pain, breathing issues
Lower back pain
Pelvic pain
Hip pain
Arthritis
Running & sports injuries
Muscle strains
Ligament sprains
Knee pain
Ankle sprains
No referral required. ACC registered. Eligible to claim treatment cost on your health insurance if your policy covers osteopathy
Sarah Boughtwood is a North Shore, Auckland, based osteopath. Available by appointment only. Book online today!