What Is Osteopathy?

[croydonosteo]

Osteopathy focuses on the musculoskeletal framework of the body to detect, treat, and prevent health problems. The term ‘musculoskeletal’ includes the bones, muscles, tendons, ligaments and soft tissues. DOs (Doctors of Osteopathy) assess the mobility of a patient’s muscles and joints through various manual techniques. Osteopathic manipulative treatment (OMT) uses a combination of gentle movements and stretching. 


With a holistic approach, osteopathic clinic in Croydon aims to restore your whole body’s function to a state of balance. It considers the body’s structural and mechanical dysfunctions to improve overall health and wellness. As licensed doctors, osteopaths treat the person’s entire body and not just an injury or condition they might have. Osteopathy is based on four core principles that make up the philosophy behind the practice of osteopathic medicine:

1. 1. The body is a unit.

Each part of the body is interconnected to the other, and no single part of the body functions independently. The function of one aspect of the body affects all the others as well. Osteopath in Croydon consider the entire body when they are treating a person. They do not isolate a section since they consider all body functions to be synchronized.

1. 2. The body is capable of self-healing.

The emphasis on self-healing is an integral part of osteopathic medicine. Health is considered to be the body’s natural state. Any aspect that performs sub-optimally causes other parts of the body to come out of their state of health to compensate. Osteopathy improves musculoskeletal function and overall health to restore the body’s self-regulating capacity. 

1. 3. Structure and function are reciprocally interrelated.

If the body’s structure is sub-optimal, it hinders its function and self-healing capacity. Any changes in the musculoskeletal system can reflect in other body systems as well. Osteopaths have a thorough knowledge of the body’s anatomy (structure) and physiology (function). They use this knowledge for the practice of osteopathic manipulative treatment. 

1. 4. The Rule of Artery is supreme.

When the bodily fluids flow freely, the tissues can perform their functions without any interference. Physical or emotional trauma causes these tissues to contract, twist and compress, obstructing fluid flow. For optimal body operation, the flow of bodily fluids should not be compromised. Osteopathic manipulative techniques restore the fluid flow in the body. This results in inherent physiological functioning (healing).