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What is the difference between osteopaths, physiotherapists and chiropractors?
Osteopathy is the original modern day manual medicine from which most other forms
have evolved from. Osteopaths pride themselves on their ability to treat each person
as a whole, and not just the presenting symptoms . An example is that if you go to
an Osteopath with knee pain, the Osteopath will not only examine and treat your knee
symptoms, but they will also want to know how the injury occurred, were any others
areas involved which have a biomechanical relationship to the knee such as the ankle,
low back or pelvis, and any associated soft tissue injuries. Each part of the person’s
detailed case history will help the Osteopath piece together your individual case
and therefore determine the appropriate treatment, exercise and rehab.
Osteopaths
also analyse all of the possible secondary effects due to your injury. For instance,
you may be favouring the injured knee and therefore putting more weight on the other
side. Over time these mechanical changes may lead to problems developing in the ankles,
hips, low back, pelvis or even the opposite knee. The Osteopath then uses all of
the collected information to develop a treatment and rehab plan that helps addresses
not just the initial knee injury, but all of the other areas of the body and associated
tissues that may be affected as a result of this trauma.
Physiotherapists often treat using some similar techniques to osteopaths however the major difference is that physiotherapists often
use mechanical equipment to treat a specific area and complaint while concentrating on exercise and rehab.
Chiropractors most commonly concentrate on the spine and frequently use X-
patients. Chiropractors also often treat their patients by manipulating or adjusting the spine, and like to
treat patients multiple times a week over long periods.
Osteopaths however less frequently use X-
as a diagnostic tool, tend to
provide longer treatment appointments and restore function to a joint by extending the range of movement the joint using a wide
range of gentle techniques.
“Osteopaths work with a patient's whole body, not just the spinal system and joints. An
osteopath will conduct a thorough exam of a patient's entire body to diagnose the
patient's problem. He is usually contacted in a patient's effort to reduce pain
or heal from an injury, but he helps patients with a variety of other problems as
well. His methods of treatment involve physical therapy, adjustments to the body
and massage.
Following is an extract from “The Difference between Chiropractors and Osteopaths” by Andrew Mitchell,
Chiropractors and Osteopaths employ therapy that involves a patient moving his body in
ways that he is not used to moving. Chiropractors accomplish this by moving the patient
themselves, with swift "cracking" motion. Osteopaths' therapy is gentler, using a smooth
technique to stretch the muscles of a patient to increase their range of motion.
Another major difference between Chiropractors and Osteopaths is the way that they
get their patients to move. Chiropractors move the patients themselves. Osteopaths
teach their patients how to move and stretch so that they can incorporate their rehabilitation
routine at home.
One of the reasons that people get chiropractics and osteopathy
confused is that Chiropractics is a derivative form of osteopathy. The person who
invented chiropractics (Daniel David Palmer) studied under the person who invented
osteopathy (Dr. Andrew Taylor Still).
The major difference between an Osteopath and
a Chiropractor is that while the Chiropractor is primarily focused on the spine and
joints, an Osteopath is also concerned with the rest of the body. He or she might
treat patients with respiratory problems, digestive problems or any other number
of problems that might not seem related to the spine or joints.”
Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/health-
