Osteopathy

All Osteopaths at Melbourne Osteopathy Sports Injury Centre are closely aligned with the Clinic’s vision that puts patients first. All practitioners apply a case management approach to their treatment that incorporates all the available services (Pilates, Remedial Massage, Exercise Rehabilitation) in order to get the best outcome. Our Osteopaths are dedicated to continual learning and development meaning they are always able to apply the latest and most useful techniques to your condition or complaint.

Osteopathy is a unique system of diagnosis and treatment which lays its main emphasis on the structural integrity of the body.

When the body is balanced and efficient, just like a well tuned engine, it will function with the minimum amount of wear and tear, leaving more energy for living.

An Osteopath uses many of the conventional medical assessments and tools for diagnosis. The main strength of Osteopathic practice lies in the unique way the patient is assessed from a mechanical, functional and postural standpoint and the manual methods of treatment applied to suit the needs of the individual patient. Osteopaths can help improve everyday human movement and function by using hands-on techniques such as soft tissue massage, manipulation, stretching of joints and muscles, articulation, mobilisation of joints and muscle energy techniques.

• Holistic approach to history taking, assessment, treatment and management of injuries and function
• Accurate diagnosis of patients injury through a range of orthopaedic testing
• Identifying the causative factor of patients injuries, not just treating symptoms
• Tailored management plan for each individual specific to their own bodies and function
• Broad range of treatment techniques including soft tissue, manipulation, articulation, MET, stretching and functional movement

As part of the whole person approach to health, Osteopaths may use appropriate exercise programs, diet and nutrition advice, and postural and lifestyle changes to maximise your recovery, treatment and management.

Functional Movement principles are another key element of Osteopathy and are based on the premise that how we move very much affects the structures of the body. When treating the body as a whole chain, an Osteopath can quickly recognise deficits in one area that are detrimentally affecting others. You can read more about Functional Movement here.

• Osteopathy searches for and treats the cause of pain and dysfunction of the system. This is different to many other forms of therapy that focus only on alleviating the symptoms. By eliminating the cause of the problem, reoccurrence is prevented.
• Osteopathic manual treatment reduces pain and can help improve function of the body by decreasing tensions and restrictions in your muscles, joints and organs.
• The body has an ability to heal itself and auto-regulate when faced with illness. Osteopathy assists the body to activate this mechanism when it is unable due to the nature of the injury or other factors.
• Osteopathic treatment is extremely efficient, which helps to minimise the number of treatment visits needed.

At your first visit to our Melbourne Osteopathy Clinic, a detailed history will be taken, including medical history. All information will be taken in the strictest of confidence. You may be asked to remove some clothing so that a postural assessment can be made.

This will include a static evaluation and simple mobility testing to assess how your whole body relates mechanically to your complaint. The examination will then focus on the region, which appears to be causing the problem.

Where and when necessary, we can arrange specialist investigations such as X-ray’s or M.R.I. scans quickly, and obtain necessary reports before discussing them with you. These investigations may assist the diagnosis, enabling a suitable treatment plan to be developed with you.

Osteopathy is patient-centered, which means our treatments are based on each individual and their complaints.

• Lower back pain, disc injuries, sciatica
• Neck pain, headaches, trapped nerves
• Sports injuries
• Arthritis, osteoarthritis, stiffness in joints, muscle weakness
• Shoulder pain, frozen shoulder
• Knee and hip joint pain
• Ankle and wrist pain
• Tendonitis, bursitis
• Pregnancy related conditions – pelvic, lower back problems
• RSI
• Carpal tunnel syndrome
• Golfer’s and tennis elbow
• Sinus congestion and pain
• Postural and computer related problems
• Whiplash

We treat all age groups (1 – 100 years and beyond)

HEAD

• Headaches: many headaches stem from problems in the neck either from trauma, motor vehicle accident (MVA )or from wear and tear
• Jaw problems: may arise after a visit to the dentist or due to grinding the teeth.
• Sinusitis
• Glue Ear

NECK

• Neck and shoulder pain – you may wake up with neck pain one morning or it may develop over time
• Arm pain referring from neck, due to entrapment of nerves
• Whiplash: car accidents or major falls are often associated with neck pain radiating out to the shoulders causing head aches and even lower back pain.
• Appropriate treatment can help.

SHOULDER

• Rotator cuff injury: injury to the small muscles and tendons that surround the shoulder and are responsible for the stability of the joint.
• Frozen Shoulder: constant severe limitation of the range of motion of the shoulder due to scarring around the shoulder joint, also known as adhesive capsulitis.

ELBOW

• Golfers elbow: pain is centred around the inside of the elbow and is especially associated with gripping.
• Tennis elbow: can be associated with neck problems or overloading with DIY or carrying heavy loads

HAND / WRIST

• Arthritis
• Carpal tunnel: pain and pins and needles in the wrist and into the hand and fingers can be distressing but often responds to Osteopathy if caught early

ABDOMEN

• Digestive disorders: can be treated through lifestyle changes and dietary advice

GROIN

• Strains are a common football injury but can be seen in many other sportspeople or gym enthusiasts and may be related to the pelvis alignment or mobility.

LOWER BACK

• Disc Problems: injury to the vertebral disc is a common cause of lower back pain
• Lumbago: vague term meaning lower back pain
• Sciatic Pain: Neuralgia (nerve pain) along the course of the sciatic nerve, most often pain radiating down the leg from the buttocks to the toes, most commonly due to a disc problem.

HAMSTRING

• Hamstring tears or pain: may be due to a muscle injury or referred pain from the lower back

KNEE

• Aching knees
• Osgood Schlatters disease
• Locking knees
• Post surgery rehabilitation for PCL and ACL injuries
• Instability

ANKLE

• Sprained ankle: a ligament injury that causes a lot of pain and stiffness that can persist for months. With treatment you will be back to activity faster and can also prevent re-injury
• Achilles tendonitis: inflammation and thickening of the Achilles tendon and shortening and stiffness in the calf

FOOT

• Plantar fasciitis
• Toe and foot pain
• Morton’s neuroma
• Dropped metatarsal / dropped arch

OSTEOARTHRITIS (OA)

• Also known as degenerative arthritis, it is a joint disease caused by the breakdown and loss of the cartilage of one or more joints.
• With repetitive use, pain, swelling, warmth, and creaking may be noticed in the affected joint.
• There are a variety of treatments, exercise and lifestyle changes that can be made to minimize stress on the joint affected which will reduce joint pain and inflammation.
• Treatment: The Osteopaths at Melbourne Osteopathy Sports Injury Centre have performed extensive research into the effects of osteoarthritis, particularly to the hip and knee and how it affects the function of the body. They will ensure that you receive appropriate treatment with an aim to increase range of motion, decrease pain, improve proprioception and balance, and increase or maintain strength. You will also be given an individualised exercise program which has been shown to be beneficial to arthritis sufferers and can help improve overall wellbeing.
• If you would like further information on Osteopathy or how we treat arthritis or to book an appointment then please call Melbourne Osteopathy Sports Injury Centre reception on (03) 9663 6202 or email:
  • info@melbourneosteopathycentre.com.au

Repetitive Strain Injury (RSI): a term that describes a range of over 20 musculoskeletal conditions. Treatment has to be undertaken in the context of changing your working and leisure environment

Pregnancy: aches and pains during pregnancy, preparation for natural birth, pelvic alignment, overdue babies and caesarian recovery, post natal strengthening of pelvic floor and abdominal muscles

A combination of techniques will be used in your treatment to achieve an optimal result. If you have reacted to a treatment technique or would prefer if a particular treatment technique is not used, please speak to your Osteopath.

MOBILISATION

Mobilisation is a term used to describe soft tissue massage, active and passive joint movements and muscle stretches. This is used to assist restoration of normal function by reducing pain and / or increasing range of movement. This technique helps to reduce pain, increase range of movement, improve circulation and prevent muscle tightening and pressure areas.

MANIPULATION (THRUST TECHNIQUE)

This technique involves the practitioner applying a high velocity, low amplitude thrust movement to a joint, usually the spine but may be to the arms or legs. It is most commonly used for segments of the spine that have become stiff. By releasing the stiffness temporarily the patient is able to commence exercises to prevent recurrence of their symptoms.

SOFT TISSUE

This procedure is commonly applied to muscles, and consists of rhythmic stretching, deep pressure and traction. Its purpose is to move excess tissue fluids (oedema) and relax tight muscles and other connective tissues, fascia, tendons, ligaments.

MUSCLE ENERGY TECHNIQUE

For this technique the patient is directed to use his or her muscles to provide resistance in a specific direction. The purpose is to restore motion, decrease muscle/tissue tightness and restore symmetry to muscles.

FASCIAL RELEASE

A treatment technique designed to act in a similar way to acupuncture but without needles. Small wooden sticks are used to apply pressure along the skin to treat areas of tightness. Our clinical experience has found this technique to be both gentle and effective.

ACUPRESSURE

A treatment technique designed to act in a similar way to acupuncture but without needles. Small wooden sticks are used to apply pressure along the skin to treat areas of tightness. Our clinical experience has found this technique to be both gentle and effective.

PROPRIORECEPTIVE NEUROMUSCULAR FACILITATION (PNF)

PNF involves stimulation of the neuromuscular mechanism to either activate or relax muscles along specific pathways. This is an important part of rehabilitation and our osteopaths are qualified to use these techniques to help your recovery and prevent re-injury.