Return to Good Thinking About…
What is Osteopathy?
Osteopaths offer a manual therapy involving a range of techniques, particularly mobilization of soft tissues, bones and joints. The American Andrew Taylor Still founded osteopathy in 1874 – around the time when chiropractic therapy was created by D. D. Palmer. Osteopathy and chiropractic therapy have much in common, but there are also important differences. Osteopaths tend to use gentler techniques and often employ massage-like treatments. They also place less emphasis on the spine than chiropractors, and they rarely move the vertebral joints beyond their physical range of motion, as chiropractors tend to do. Therefore osteopathic interventions are burdened with less risk of injury.
In the US, doctors of osteopathy (DOs) are entirely mainstream and only rarely practise manual therapies. In the UK, osteopaths are regulated by statute but considered to be complementary/alternative practitioners. British osteopaths treat mostly musculoskeletal problems, but many also claim to treat other conditions such as asthma, ear infection and colic.
What is the Evidence?
There is reasonably good evidence that the osteopathic approach of mobilization is as effective (or ineffective) as conventional treatments for back pain. For all other indications, the data are not conclusive. In particular, the overall conclusion from several clinical trials is that there is no good evidence to support the use of osteopathy in non-musculoskeletal conditions.
Because their techniques are generally much gentler than those of chiropractors, osteopaths cause adverse effects much less frequently. Nevertheless, people with severe osteoporosis, bone cancer, infections of the bone or bleeding problems should confirm with the osteopath that they will not receive forceful manual treatments.
The evidence that the osteopathic approach is effective for treating back pain is reasonably sound. If, however, you receive no significant benefit then be prepared to switch to physiotherapeutic exercise, which is backed by similar evidence and which can be done in groups and therefore is more cost-effective.
This extract is taken from "Trick or Treatment?" (Transworld), a book that contains a series of 1-page summaries looking at the evidence for and against a range of alternative therapies. The authors of the book are Simon Singh (founder of the Good Thinking Society) and Edzard Ernst (the world's first professor of complementary medicine
Good Thinking About… Good Thinking About…
Alexander Technique Good Thinking About…
Alternative Diagnostic Techniques Good Thinking About…
Alternative Exercise Therapies Good Thinking About…
Alternative Gadgets Good Thinking About…
Anthroposophic Medicine Good Thinking About…
Aromatherapy Good Thinking About…
Ayurvedic Tradition Good Thinking About…
Bach Flower Remedies Good Thinking About…
Cellular Therapy Good Thinking About…
Chelation Therapy Good Thinking About…
Colonic Irrigation Good Thinking About…
Craniosacral Therapy (or Cranial Osteopathy) Good Thinking About…
Crystal Therapy Good Thinking About…
Cupping Good Thinking About…
Detoxification Good Thinking About…
Ear Candles Good Thinking About…
Feldenkrais Method Good Thinking About…
Feng Shui Good Thinking About…
Gerson Therapy Good Thinking About…
Homeopathy Good Thinking About…
Hypnotherapy Good Thinking About…
Leech Therapy Good Thinking About…
Magnet Therapy Good Thinking About…
Massage Therapy Good Thinking About…
Meditation Good Thinking About…
Naturopathy Good Thinking About…
Neural Therapy Good Thinking About…
Orthomolecular Medicine Good Thinking About…
Osteopathy Good Thinking About…
Oxygen Therapy Good Thinking About…
Reflexology Good Thinking About…
Reiki Good Thinking About…
Relaxation Therapies Good Thinking About…
Shiatsu Good Thinking About…
Spiritual Healing Good Thinking About…
The Cancer Act (1939) Good Thinking About…
Traditional Chinese Medicine Good Thinking About…
Alternative Diets Good Thinking About…
Good Thinking welcomes new Standards from the Professional Standards Authority, and the withdrawal of the Society of Homeopaths
The Good Magic Award Winner 2021 announced
The Good Magic Awards – 2021
Professional Standards Authority suspends the Society of Homeopaths
Our complaint against Omnia "Radiation Balancer" informally resolved by the ASA