Osteopathy, physiotherapy and chiropractic treatments all use manipulations and soft tissue work to help treat pain and improve mobility.
Even though all three treatments work to provide similar results, they work in their own unique ways to achieve the desired result, which can vary greatly from patient to patient.
Differences between osteopathy, physiotherapy and chiropractic treatment
All three methods make use of manual medicine to treat patients, where a ‘hands-on technique’ is used to provide relief from pain and discomfort.
Chiropractors, for example, will use a quick thrust or ‘short and choppy’ spinal manipulation techniques to perform an “adjustment”, which requires placing their hands on a specific spot where mobility needs to be restored – and then “clicking” it into place. These low force spinal manipulation techniques work to unlock key pressure points in the back, neck and shoulders, providing almost instant relief.
Physiotherapists will use their hands to do soft tissue work to manipulate the tendons, ligaments and muscles using a variety of techniques, such as muscle trigger points. They may also use electrical physiotherapy treatment tools like ultrasound, all of which can help loosen up stiff muscles, joints and tendons, and promote healing in the target site.
Osteopaths tend to use long lever techniques and also use a method called cranial osteopathy where they may be able to treat a variety of conditions by manipulating the cranial joints. In addition, they will use several techniques like stretching, movement, soft tissue manipulation and deep tissue massage, depending on the outcome the patient desires.
Some examples of what each treatment can do
In osteopathy, for example, your practitioner may use different techniques in order to mobilise the soft tissues. These techniques are applied directly to the muscles, ligaments, tendons, and connective tissue around joints and fascia to improve mobility and provide relief from pain. This may include frictions, acupressure, lymphatic drainage, elbow technique, cupping, percussion, and effleurage, to name a few.
In physiotherapy, your practitioner will treat local areas which are directly responsible for pain and dysfunction – for example, a bad knee, sprained ankle or lower back injury – making them the “go-to” guys for a variety of sports injuries. Through a variety of mobilisation and massage techniques as well as dry needling, ice/heat packs, ultrasound or TENS (Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation), healing can be promoted in the main muscles and joints which are causing pain and restricting movement.
In osteopathy, many techniques such as stretching, massage, soft tissue manipulation and gentle balancing may be used to boost mobility and decrease pain as well as inflammation. Your practitioner may use these techniques to treat both local injuries and postural problems. In addition, they may advise you to pursue gentle rehabilitation exercises at home to help stabilise and strengthen not just the problem site but also the entire body. As such, osteopathy helps promote healing and physical wellbeing in the entire body as a ‘system’.
Closing thoughts
The above is simply a brief overview of how the various manipulations and soft tissue techniques work in each treatment, and how they may help with physical and even mental and emotional healing. They are just as popular with regular folks as they are with sportspeople and athletes. To learn more about how you can benefit from each treatment, get in touch with us now.
