What Can Your Osteo Do For You?
What Can Your Osteo Do For You?
Ten years ago, the most common question we heard was, “What is an osteo?” Thankfully, public awareness has come a long way. These days, most people know what osteopathy is — but many still don’t realise how much osteopaths can actually help with.
More often now, we’re asked, “What’s the difference between an osteo, physio, chiro and myotherapist?” While there are some similarities, each profession has its own philosophy and focus. Osteopathy takes a holistic approach to the body — assessing how your joints, muscles, ligaments, and nervous system all work together to influence movement, pain, and overall function.
What Conditions Can an Osteopath Treat?
You can see an osteopath for almost any physical ache, pain, or restriction — from headaches and jaw pain to lower back or foot pain. We primarily treat musculoskeletal issues (pain originating from muscles, joints, ligaments, tendons, or discs), but osteopaths are also trained to identify when pain might be referred from another system and can refer you to the appropriate healthcare professional if needed.
Hands-On Treatment Techniques
When we say we “treat” pain, we use a variety of hands-on manual therapy techniques such as:
Soft tissue massage and stretching
Joint mobilisation and manipulation
Dry needling
Myofascial cupping
Muscle energy and counterstrain techniques
These treatments aim to restore natural movement, relieve tension, and improve circulation — all of which help the body heal and function optimally.
Beyond Hands-On Care
Osteopathy isn’t just about what happens on the table. At Osteopathic Movement South Yarra, we also help you understand the lifestyle factors that contribute to your pain. This might include:
Poor posture and workplace ergonomics
Repetitive strain from daily activities
Training errors or lack of movement variety
Stress or poor sleep affecting recovery
By making small but meaningful changes to how you move and recover, you can significantly reduce strain on your body and prevent recurring pain.
The Role of Rehabilitation in Osteopathy
Rehabilitation isn’t just for athletes or post-surgical recovery. We use individualised exercise programs to restore movement quality, joint range, and muscular balance — all essential for long-term wellbeing.
Moving well is fundamental to health. When one area of your body becomes restricted, others must compensate, creating a chain reaction of imbalances that can eventually lead to pain, wear and tear, or injury.
Over time, these compensations can cause degenerative changes or sudden pain “for no reason” — like waking up with a stiff neck or throwing your back out while bending to put on socks. These aren’t random accidents; they’re signs of accumulated movement dysfunction that finally reached a tipping point.
How Your Osteo Helps You Recover
In these moments of acute pain or restriction, your osteopath can:
Provide gentle treatment to relieve pain and restore mobility
Explain what’s happening and why it occurred
Give you targeted home exercises to speed recovery
Develop a plan to prevent future flare-ups
This is where osteopathy’s holistic philosophy shines. We look at your body from head to toe, consider your lifestyle, stress, sleep, and movement habits, and integrate all these factors into your treatment plan. Our goal is not just to get you out of pain — but to keep you moving well for life.
Book Your Appointment
If you’re ready to discover what osteopathy can do for you, our experienced practitioners are here to help you move and feel your best.
• Meet our South Yarra osteopaths here
• Explore our Osteopathic Movement wellness centre
• Book your appointment online here
Written By Dr. Ashby Smith (B.HSc, B.HSc + B.ApSc (Osteopathic Medicine)) - Associate Osteopath, Osteopathic Movement, South Yarra.