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Why We Don’t Just Treat Where It Hurts

  • 2 days ago
  • 3 min read
By OSteopath CArien Boshoff

If you’ve ever been to an osteopath and thought, “Why are they working on my hips when my neck hurts?”, you’re not alone.


It might seem unusual at first, but there’s a reason for it.


The osteopathic approach looks beyond the pain

Osteopathy is based on the idea that the body functions as a connected system, rather than a series of isolated parts.


Osteopaths are trained to assess how your muscles, joints, nerves, and lifestyle factors may interact, rather than focusing only on the area where you feel symptoms.That’s why treatment doesn’t always happen exactly where the pain is. Because often, the area of discomfort is only one part of the overall picture.


Pain vs. contributing factors

Let’s take a common example:

You might feel pain in your neck, but contributing factors can include:

  • Desk posture

  • Reduced upper back movement

  • Shoulder tension

  • Breathing patterns or stress

  • Sleeping patterns


The body adapts over time. When one area isn’t moving well, other areas may compensate, which may lead to increased strain elsewhere.

Osteopathic assessment aims to identify these contributing factors and their potential relationship to your symptoms.


The principles behind osteopathy

This whole-body approach is guided by well-established osteopathic principles:

  1. The body is a unit = body, mind, and environment all interact

  2. The body has the ability to adapt and regulate

  3. Structure and function are interrelated

  4. Treatment is guided by these principles and the individual presentation

These ideas help shape both hands-on care and management strategies.


What osteopathic treatment may include

Osteopathy involves a range of techniques tailored to the individual. Depending on your needs, this may include:

  • Soft tissue techniques (muscles and fascia)

  • Joint mobilisation or manipulation

  • Stretching and movement-based techniques

  • Exercise prescription

  • Postural and ergonomic advice

  • Lifestyle and load management strategies

The aim is to support improved movement and help manage symptoms over time.


Some common myths.......

“Why didn’t you just treat where it hurts?”


Myth 1: Pain always equals the problem

Not always. Pain can be influenced by multiple factors.

Myth 2: Treatment should only be local

Local treatment can be helpful, but addressing contributing factors may also play a role in longer-term management.

Myth 3: Osteopathy is only passive treatment

Osteopathy often combines hands-on care with movement, exercise, and education.

Myth 4: It’s not evidence-informed

Osteopaths in Australia are university-trained and regulated allied health professionals who aim to base care on current evidence, clinical experience, and individual patient needs.


So what does this mean for you?

When we assess and treat, we’re considering questions like:

  • What factors may be contributing to this?

  • How is your body adapting or compensating?

  • What changes might support your movement and function?


That’s why your treatment may involve areas that don’t seem directly related to your symptoms.

The goal is to better understand your presentation and support your overall function, not just focus on one area in isolation.

References

Adams, J., Sibbritt, D., Steel, A., Peng, W., et al. (2018). A workforce survey of Australian

osteopathy: Analysis of a nationally representative sample of osteopaths from the

Osteopathy Research and Innovation Network (ORION) project.


BMC Health Services Research, 18, 352. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12913-018-3158-y

Cerritelli, F., van Dun, P. L. S., Esteves, J. E., Consorti, G., & Licciardone, J. C. (2021).


Osteopathic empirical research: A bibliometric analysis. BMC Complementary Medicine


Leach, M. J., Sundberg, T., Fryer, G., Austin, P., Thomson, O. P., & Adams, J. (2019). An

investigation of Australian osteopaths’ attitudes, skills and utilisation of evidence-based

practice: A national cross-sectional survey. BMC Health Services Research, 19, 498.


Vaucher, P., Macdonald, R. J. D., & Carnes, D. (2018). The role of osteopathy in the Swiss

primary health care system: A practice review. BMJ Open, 8(8), e023770. https://doi.org/

10.1136/bmjopen-2018-023770


Osteopathy Australia. (n.d.). What is osteopathy? https://osteopathy.org.au/Web/about-

us/What-is-Osteopathy.aspx


World Health Organization. (2010). Benchmarks for training in osteopathy. World Health

Organization.


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