Osteopathy is a system of healthcare that stresses the importance of the structure and function of the musculoskeletal system in both health and disease. It is a way of detecting and treating damaged parts of the body such as muscles, ligaments and joints manually.
During the examination, the Osteopath will assess the state of the tissues of the body through observation and the use of touch (a technique termed palpation), and then lead the patient through a series of movements in order to assess the mobility of the body. Specific tests termed orthopaedic tests may be employed in order to see which tissues are implicated in the cause of the patient’s problem. At this point a diagnosis is formulated followed by treatment.
Biomechanical problems in the feet can cause painful conditions elsewhere in the body to develop. In such cases the patient may not only need foot treatment, but treatment in the respective areas of the body. The most common parts of the body that can be affected by foot problems are mentioned below.
Foot and Ankle Pain
To state the obvious, foot problems can cause pain in the feet. Pain can occur in the foot and ankles for a number of reasons.
The foot and ankle is made up of a number of small bones interconnected by ligaments, muscles and fascia all working together to give the strength, stability and flexibility the foot and ankle needs to function properly.
Knee Pain
The knee is the largest joint in the body. It is a major weight-bearing joint and is one of the most frequently injured joints in the human body.
Knee pain can have a number of different causes and can be painful and debilitating and although some conditions may require surgery many can be helped with the right advice, exercise and treatment.
Hip Pain
There are a number or reasons for hip pain some of which can be helped by visiting an osteopath.
Pain can come from a tight, strained or overused muscle in the hip or from the joint itself. Pain in the hip can sometimes be the result of an injury, it can be referred from the back or related to the way you move, stand and/or use your hip.
Back Pain
Back pain is a very common problem, with reports suggesting as many as eight out of ten of us will suffer from it at some point during our lives. Around 5.6 million working days in the UK are lost each year due to back pain, second only to stress.