3rd Jan 2016 | Article

Osteopathy in Spring

Spring has arrived, and the gorgeous weather makes you want to shake off the winter blues and have a good old clear out. In Chinese medicine, spring is paired with the Wood element as plants and trees start showing signs of new life and regeneration.

At this time of year, Wood exemplifies the energy of growth, change, and pushing through obstacles and we may have more energy to get moving on projects and enhance the classic “spring cleaning”. It is also the energy of frustration, anger and stress. Spring is a really good time to work with these blockages, and get things moving.

As people start getting more active, this is a busy time of year for osteopaths. Osteopathy is a holistic system of healthcare, which means it considers the effect of emotional, environmental and physical factors on people’s health status and ability to heal.

Surveys show osteopathy’s huge popularity in the UK with over 3,000 osteopaths providing six million patient consultations a year.

Osteopathy is usually perceived as a method of treating musculo-skeletal problems (especially low back pain) using physical techniques such as manipulation and muscle work but it is originally a complete system of health care. The therapy employs a wide range of techniques such as manipulative techniques, muscle energy techniques, stretching exercises, myofascial release and cranial osteopathy. This diversity of methods allows the practitioner to have access to all structures of the body and therefore treat a large variety of conditions, both acute and chronic. Osteopaths often deal with complaints such as sinusitis, asthma, neck and shoulder stiffness, headache, back pain, digestive disorders and many others.

Alexia Lescure BSc Ost (Hons) practises at the Brackenbury Clinic on Thursdays. She has a special interest in pregnancy and baby care, as well as sports performance and injuries.