Did you know that Osteopathic treatment looks at the whole body – not just the area of pain!

Osteopaths work on the foundation that our body works as a functional and dynamic unit. This drives our approach and hands on treatment to treat globally and holistically – to make change to your whole body, not just the isolated, painful region. This is to assist the self-healing and regulation mechanism each of us possesses, so the body can in turn heal itself.

Osteopath’s approach to treatment, including hands on manual therapy, rehabilitation, education and advice on posture, diet, exercise and psychological influences on pain is focused on the whole of the body. This includes the actual structure of your body and how it influences its function, and vice versa. By assisting to improve the structure and biomechanics of your body, such as loosening tight muscles, strengthening weak muscles or mobilizing stiff joints, your function or ability to move will be positively affected. This will help you return to doing the things you like most, like running, swimming or rock climbing – or just being in minimal to no pain!

Osteopaths see a large collection of different complaints including:

• Back pain,
• Bulging disc or “slipped disc” related complaints,
• Sciatica or nerve pain,
• Postural and ergonomic related complaints,
• Pregnancy related changes and pelvic girdle instability,
• Sports injuries – such as ankle sprains, rotator cuff tears, knee injuries and more,
• Headaches and migraines,
• Bursitis pain,
• RSI and more!!

Your Osteopath may use many different techniques that suit YOUR body and YOUR condition. We will treat each of person and their ailments individually, but incorporating the same underlying principles to improve YOUR overall health, functional movement and understand YOUR complaint. These principles include:

• Structure and function of the body are inherently related,
• The body acts and works a unit,
• The body is capable of self-healing and regulating.

A proactive approach with osteopathic treatment, management and education on your condition can help YOUR pain, tightness, stiffness, muscle spasm and cramping, as well as underlying injury. This may help prevent chronic pain and compensations arising.

For example, if you’re experiencing tightness in your shoulders and neck after a long day sitting at your desk, addressing these concerns early will mean you avoid further strains or complaints such as elbow or wrist pain, neck and shoulder pain, headaches and back stiffness. A proactive approach to your health is a more successful journey than a reactive approach. By having a more efficiently working muscle system, your fatigue levels may be less, your stress levels may be improved, your ability to concentrate can be greater and you can perform exercise at an improved standard or ability.

At St Kilda Osteopathy, our focus is on improving your functional movement and in turn creating optimal health. You might sometimes think that your Osteopath has magic hands, but your body and it’s self-healing mechanism can take the credit too!