This year, International Osteopathy Healthcare Week is 14 – 20 April. It’s an opportunity for osteopaths to highlight the many benefits of osteopathy and how it contributes to global health care.
This seems like the perfect opportunity to share evidence for the safety and effectiveness of osteopathy. In 2017, research was conducted by the National Council for Osteopathic Research, (NCOR). The findings were very interesting. They showed that: “89% of patients reported an improvement in their symptoms one week after osteopathic treatment and 93% reported an improvement in symptoms at six weeks post-treatment.”
Data from the study showed that one week after treatment:
- 8% of patients reported being completely recovered
- 55% were much improved
- 26% were slightly improved
- 11% reported no change
At six weeks post-treatment:
- 13% reported being completely recovered
- 65% were much improved
- 15% were slightly improved
- Only 7% reported no change
NHS Recognition
Osteopathy is one of only 14 Allied Health Professions. It is recognised by the NHS as being able to: “Help manage patients’ care throughout the life course from birth to palliative care.” The NHS continues: “Their focus is on prevention and improvement of health and wellbeing to maximise the potential for individuals to live full and active lives within their family circles, social networks, education/training and the workplace.”
This recognition sums up how we osteopaths work – looking at the bigger picture… the whole body, wellbeing and lifestyle rather than simply treating the immediate pain. This means that we help with advice such as exercise, diet, and sleep as well as alleviating pain and optimising movement. Your health is important to us.
You’re in Safe Hands
Do you know that Osteopaths must pass a degree course lasting four or five years, plus complete 1,000 hours of osteopathic work in order to graduate? We also practice our treatments on each other before treating patients. It’s part of our training to experience the treatments we use so that we know what they feel like.
In fact, the NCOR research confirms: “Osteopathy is very safe, particularly when compared to many other interventions.” Importantly, Osteopaths have a very high level of training in therapeutic techniques, anatomy and medicine. We must continue to study throughout our career in order to maintain our professional status. This is something that the entire team at Shefford Osteopathic Clinic takes very seriously. You’re definitely in safe hands!