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Osteopathy in Singapore

17 August 2011 No Comment

It was pretty common when I worked in Sydney that people would ask me to explain the difference between an Osteopath and a Physio/Chiro, but it’s a whole other level here in Singapore. Most people here have never even heard of an Osteopath, so I thought I’d write a quick spiel for all the new patients curious to find out more about what we do.

Osteopathy originated in the US in the late 19th century. The first school teaching Osteopathy opened in 1891. Originally it was a genuine alternative to medicine and people consulted Osteopaths for everyday medical problems – ‘osteo’ meaning bone and ‘pathy’ meaning disease, the term implied the connection between the structure of the body and it’s impact on your health. These days it is much more of a specialty, and it’s primary concern in the musculoskeletal system.

Osteopaths are manual practitioners, that is to say, we use our hands. The kinds of conditions we are commonly treated for include back pain, neck pain, headaches, sports injuries, nerve impingements, RSI, pregnancy related pain, and postural assessments. People also find improvement after treatment for things like sleeping disturbances and digestion, and thus people often bring their newborns and children in to be treated as well and find that very effective.

Osteopaths are trained to perform a full orthopaedic and neurological examination and can screen for serious conditions. The treatment involves a combination of techniques, from soft tissue massage and myofascial release, to lymphatic drainage, joint mobilisation and manipulation, depending on the presenting condition. Advice on posture, ergonomics, and exercise may be given, as well as a stretching and strengthening/rehabilitation program.

It’s this combinatin that differentiates Osteopaths from other practitioners who commonly do either focus on joint mobilisation/manipulation without much soft tissue work or rehab, or those who are rehab specialists. Osteopaths look at the body as a whole and it’s this acknowledgement of the interrelationship of different body parts that makes it unique and effective.

If you have any questions by all means email me at chrisjonesosteo@gmail.com or have a look around my website for more information.

Chris Jones

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