All three types of practitioner have one thing in common, they use non-invasive, drug-free, manual techniques, which aim to improve physical health and wellbeing.
But scratch at the surface and you'll find there are some key differences between the three. In order to clear up some confusion, we thought we'd outline the details of each approach and highlight their similarities and differences…
Physiotherapy
The primary aim of physiotherapy is to enable function and movement in the body, often after an operation, illness, or other form of trauma. A strong focus on exercise is used to restore muscular function and strength, improving their physical ability and preventing further damage/progression.
Perhaps the main difference between osteopathy and physiotherapy is the way we diagnose problems. Physiotherapists follow traditional medical approaches of compartmentalising illness and pain. Osteopaths concern themselves with the immediate problem as well, but also look widely to detect factors that helped cause it. This is what we term a holistic approach.
It’s important to remember that physiotherapy is mostly an exercise prescription with minimal hands-on treatment, so if you are looking for a more hands-on therapy you might be disappointed, especially with those long NHS wait times thrown into the mix.
Chiropractic
The chiropractic profession specialises in diagnosing and treating conditions which affect the joints, ligaments, tendons and nerves, always focussing on the spine. In its most basic form, treatment involves the manipulation of specific areas in order to free joints in the spine. While most chiropractors specifically treat conditions related to the spine and neck, they do provide treatment for a number of related conditions as well.
There are similarities between osteopaths and chiropractors but there are many differences too. Osteopaths apply their own methods of diagnosis, and therefore treatment, to each case. We tend to use some gentler, slower stretching techniques, as well as some more direct methods. The biggest difference that a patient would notice is the length of time during the treatment and the techniques used. As chiropractors mainly manipulate joints (clicking) the treatment time can be significantly less at approximately 10 minutes rather than 30 minutes for a follow up appointment for an osteopath.
Osteopathy
Osteopaths work to ensure that the joints, muscles, ligaments and connective tissues in the body are able to function smoothly together in order to treat conditions, which affect these areas of the body. A combination of physical manipulation, massage and stretching is used to increase patient mobility while also restoring balance and optimal function within the body. This works to relieve muscle tension, improve blood supply, and promote healing, providing the patient with improved health and relief from pain.
As you can see from these descriptions, these treatment methods have many things in common, primarily the approach to improving overall bodily function alongside the treatment of a specific concern. That said, they are also very different, and you should always seek out the best course of treatment for your problem.
If you would like to find out more about our treatments and how we may be able to help you with your condition, please call on 01722 512043.