Osteopathy is a system of diagnosis and manual treatment focusing on the structural integrity of the body. That is, the skeleton, but also the muscles, tendons, ligaments and other soft tissues that are intimately related; pain so often being caused by the protective reaction of a muscle to misalignment and restriction in the small facet joints of the spine or to the minor displacement of other joints in the upper and lower limbs.

 

Misalignment in one part of the skeleton will often affect and place undue stress on other parts. For example, a restricted/misaligned pelvis may cause apposition problems in the hip joints, tracking problems through the knees, uneven weight bearing through the lower limbs, apparent leg length discrepancy as well as a lateral curvature of the spine. The result can be pain and other symptoms arising from joint compensation, muscle spasm, tension or nerve root irritation.