Osteopathy is recognised as an allied health profession in the UK, alongside physiotherapy, some Osteopaths are employed within the NHS, though most of us choose to work in private practice. Like Physiotherapists, some Osteopaths now work in First Contact Roles within the NHS, meaning instead of seeing a Doctor for a musculoskeletal issue, you will see one of us first. Some doctors stick to recommending/referring to physiotherapy as this is the most common thing thats always been done, and it may be what is available/systematically used for the NHS trust that they work for. It is quite common for colleagues in the healthcare industry to not understand fully what we do or how highly we are trained, compared to physiotherapy where everyone knows exactly what to expect. Doctors who do understand what Osteopaths do often speak very highly of us and actively encourage or refer patients on to us.

All study to university level; Osteopathy tends to be taught to a Masters degree level and take at least 4 years, whereas Chiropractic and Physiotherapy are typically bachelors degrees with a full time study of 3 years. We are all experts in musculoskeletal issues (bones, joints, soft tissue), but our approach is what varies. Osteopathy typically spends more time learning about all of the other systems outside of the musculoskeletal system, and how all of the systems of the body interact with one another.

Osteopathy: Osteopathy & Specialist TMD (Jaw) Appointments include a full assessment to understand what the problem is, why it is happening, and how to prevent it reoccurring. We mobilse joints, work on strengthening, activating and releasing muscles as needed. Massage: Advanced Soft Tissue Release, Pregnancy/Post-partum Massage & Buccal Massage focuses on releasing muscles. If unsure, you can email/call, or we can adjust the appointment to what suits you best at the time.

The massage appointments are not designed for in-depth assessment. They have been created in recognition that some clients may simply need release of muscular tension, and to maximise our time and ability in doing so. For example, a client who is a massage therapist themselves may have repeated muscular tension accumulate in their forearms/upper body and may wish to have regular release work done without the need to investigate/rehabilitate the issue.

Despite being very highly trained in all other areas of the human body, Physiotheapists, Osteopaths and Chiropractors alike receive comparatively very limited training on the jaw and facial muscles during our degree training, despite jaw pain being an incredibly widespread problem. A lot of people with chronic teeth grinding, mouth/jaw/facial pain or tension, and other jaw dysfunctions find great difficulty discovering a therapist who can help them fully resolve their issues. At Posture Positive, we have a keen interest in this area and a firm belief that everyone deserves access to proper care. We have undertaken extensive post-graduate training in this area, and therefore wish to offer a unique appointment that is fully focused on tackling these issues. We combine Osteopathy with Oromyofunctional therapy to provide long-lasting results.