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What is physiotherapy and osteopathy?

What is physiotherapy?

A physiotherapist is a healthcare practitioner who works to restore movement and function to the body. Physiotherapists work in a wide variety of settings that include:

• Intensive care
• Stroke rehabilitation
• Care of the elderly
• Paediatrics
• Neurological patients

What is osteopathy?

An osteopath is a primary care practitioner who treats the human body in a structural and functional way. An osteopath looks at the body holistically, this means that an osteopath does not just treat a back problem, they will look at the entire body and the full medical history of the patient.

An osteopath will use the holistic approach to treat a variety of musculoskeletal conditions including:
• Back pain
• Neck pain
• Whiplash
• Anything that involves the bones and joints

What do physiotherapists and osteopaths treat?

Osteopaths and Physiotherapists mainly treat any musculoskeletal pain, this is pain in the muscles and the bones and the ligaments. Osteopathy and physiotherapy will treat any part of the body which has a bone, tendon, muscular, or ligament aspect to it, such as lower back pain, neck pains, elbows, wrists, knees, jaws, and ankles.

Who should not be treated by a physiotherapist?

Physiotherapy can help relieve the symptoms of many conditions. However, there are certain patients who are not suitable for physiotherapy. Patients with so-called 'red flags' are not suitable for treatment with a physiotherapist. A physiotherapist will most likely 'red flag' a patient when they identify symptoms that are more serious that a bone, muscle, or ligament problem. For example, a patient complaining of pain travelling down their arm from their shoulder may be suffering with a heart condition, which is not treatable with physiotherapy. Similarly, any severe numbness or weakness, or any change in the body’s normal function, such as loss of bowel or bladder control, is not appropriate for physiotherapy.

Tim Allardyce, D.O., M.C.S.P., S.R.P. T
Osteopath and physiotherapist at the Osteopathy and Physiotherapy Clinic in Croydon

 

10059 December 2011