Osteopath vs Physio

When looking at osteopathy vs physiotherapy, it’s important to understand the differences to find the right treatment for you. Generally speaking, an osteopath may use a more hands-on treatment that takes into consideration your entire body and lifestyle. On the other hand, a physiotherapist may focus on the specific area of your injury and use rehabilitation with a focus on exercise.

At Align Health Collective, we are dedicated to improving your general health with the most effective methods possible. Read on to learn more about the differences between physiotherapy and osteopathy.

Key Takeaways

• Osteopathy focuses on the entire body, while physiotherapy focuses on a specific area of injury and rehabilitation.
• Osteopaths generally use manual techniques, while physiotherapists combine exercises and modalities with manual therapy.
• Both treatments can improve mobility and offer pain relief.
• Physiotherapy usually costs $50 to $200, while osteopathy costs around $130 to $160.

What is Osteopathy?

Osteopathy is a holistic approach to health. It’s a form of manual therapy and medicine that focuses on the interconnectivity of your body systems. Osteopaths use mobilisation, stretching, manipulation, and massage to help you heal and relieve your pain.

If you see an osteopath, you’ll likely receive helpful exercise therapy and even lifestyle advice. Osteopathy generally covers a wide variety of issues, from musculoskeletal system issues to emotional wellness.

Osteopathic medicine focuses on your body as a whole, rather than just treating the symptoms. For example, if you have a chronic headache, an osteopath could apply manipulation techniques to your cervical soft tissue. This can relieve tension in your neck as connective tissue, and thus ease your head pain.

Benefits of Osteopathy

There are many benefits to trying an osteopathic healthcare practitioner. Here are a few key advantages to look forward to with osteopathic treatment and management:

• Reduced joint and muscle pain
• Improved joint mobility
• Non-invasive and drug-free assessment and treatment
• Improved range of motion
• Optimised bodily function and movement
• Improved blood supply to tissues
• Effective management and treatment for issues related to pregnancy, sports injuries, and chronic pain

What is Physiotherapy?

Physios focus on rehabilitation of your injury through more physical methods. These can include exercise, manual therapy, and modalities such as an ultrasound or electrical stimulation. For example, a physiotherapist might be skilled in using spinal manipulation to treat lower back pain.

If you’re weighing up an osteopath vs physiotherapist, it’s important to understand how physiotherapy helps your body heal. You might want to see a physiotherapist if you’d like a focus on a specific injury or condition. If you’ve recently had surgery, you should be considering physiotherapy.

Benefits of Physiotherapy

There are many advantages to physiotherapy, whether you have chronic conditions or pain and stiffness from a sports injury. Here are a selection of benefits of using a physiotherapist:

• Restore movement and function
• Reduce pain
• Prevent injuries
• Recover from injuries
• Improve mobility, strength, and flexibility
• Get advice on posture and ergonomics
• Improve overall physical health

Similarities Between Osteopaths and Physiotherapists

When looking at physio vs osteopath, there are quite a few similarities. A physiotherapist and osteopath are both dedicated to improving the functioning of the body and use a combination of techniques to alleviate pain and help you heal. Here are a few similarities between the two professions:

• Both professions can diagnose and treat musculoskeletal conditions, including back and neck pain, as well as sports injuries affecting part of the body.
• Osteopaths and physiotherapists both use manual techniques as part of their treatment.
• Both practitioners can assist with tendon and muscular problems, postural correction, and headache or migraine therapy.

Key Differences Between Osteopathy and Physiotherapy

So, what’s the difference between a physiotherapist and an osteopath and their treatment methods? While neither an osteopath nor a physiotherapist can offer pain-free treatment, we’ve outlined the key differences in the table below:

When to Choose Osteopathy or Physiotherapy

Now that we’ve weighed up the differences between osteopathy and physiotherapy, let’s get into the right decision for you.

While both professions are equally qualified and trained and can treat and manage many conditions, they are different disciplines. Osteopaths predominantly work with the application of spinal and joint manipulation, so people affected by injury to the spine or musculoskeletal pain should see an osteopath.

However, if you want to recover from pain due to a sports injury or surgery, you should see a physiotherapist. They are more focused on the rehabilitation of a wide variety of specific conditions and will focus on treating your injury.

What to Expect in Initial Appointments

Whether you plan to see an osteopath or a physiotherapist, it’s important to understand what’s going to happen in your initial appointment. From the first conversation to planning your treatment, here’s what to expect:

What to Expect When Seeing an Osteopath

1. Medical History: Your osteopath will ask about your symptoms, general health, lifestyle, and if you have any previous injuries or conditions. This will assist them in finding the root cause of your problem.
2. Examination: You will undergo a physical examination where your osteopath will observe your posture, mobility, and areas of discomfort and pain.
3. Diagnosis: Based on your medical history and examination, the osteopath can diagnose you at this point. They will explain possible root causes of your symptoms and how they can help.
4. Treatment: In some cases, you can begin treatment during the first appointment. This could be soft tissue massage, joint manipulation, and more.
5. Customised Treatment Plan: Your osteopath will create a personalised treatment plan for you, and you’ll find out how many sessions you’ll need, along with advice for managing your symptoms at home.

What to Expect When Seeing a Physiotherapist

1. Injury assessment: Your physio will go through your medical history and symptoms and how your injury affects your daily life.
2. Examination: You will be examined for movement, strength, pain, and flexibility. A physio may also conduct specific functional tests to find the specific root of the problem, like strength or gait tests.
3. Diagnosis: Your physio will diagnose your injury and set some realistic goals for your recovery.
4. Exercises: In some cases, you can begin treatment in the first appointment. These can be exercise, manual therapy, or modalities like an ultrasound. Your physio will likely give you exercises to do at home, too.
5. Personalised Treatment Plan: Your physio will create a custom treatment plan for you, and you will find out how many sessions you’ll need, your expected progress, and more.

Cost and Accessibility

It’s important to understand the cost and accessibility of physio and osteopathy before deciding on treatment. In terms of accessibility, physios are a lot more spread out than osteopaths. This is because physiotherapists also work in hospitals, while osteopaths mainly work in private practice.

The average cost of a physiotherapy session is usually between $50 to $200. On the other hand, the general cost of osteopathic treatment is around $130 to $160, while specialised treatment can be more expensive.

Choosing the Right Care for You

While they are similar professions, physios generally focus on specific injuries and rehabilitation, while osteopaths have a holistic approach to health and focus on the entire body. For example, a physio might help with shoulder pain, while an osteopath can help with musculoskeletal problems.

At Align HC, we have dedicated physiotherapists in Kew, Oakleigh, Indooroopilly, and South Brisbane. If you want to get a head start before your session, try our home exercise videos!

Osteopath vs Physio FAQs

Can a physio fix a trapped nerve?

Yes, a physio can fix a trapped nerve. Physiotherapists can relieve pain associated with trapped nerves, find the cause, and treat it. Physios could use manipulation and mobilisation to treat the trapped nerve, depending on where in your body the issue is.

What is the difference between an osteopath and a chiropractor?

The main difference is that chiropractors focus on back, neck, and head pain, while osteopaths can treat conditions throughout the body. Also, chiropractic practitioners are not primary care providers, while some osteopaths are. That means that some osteopaths can prescribe medication.

Who should you see for post-operative or even preoperative rehabilitation?

You should see a physiotherapist for post-operative and preoperative rehabilitation. Physios are skilled in creating rehabilitation programs to help you restore your range of motion, improve your strength and mobility, and offer pain relief before and after surgery.

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