Have you received osteopathic treatment?
Did you worry about how it may feel?
Don’t worry – we can explain how your treatment will feel!
Whilst recently treating a patient, registered osteopath and clinic founder Karen Robinson realised that most patients don’t know an important fact about osteopaths and osteopathy: we know what it feels like!
Karen explains: “I saw a patient who was experiencing sharp, shooting pain in their ankle. They were unsure what kind of movement would cause it to occur. Understandably, they were a little anxious about receiving treatment as they anticipated feeling more pain!”
She continues: “After examination, I explained that the ankle and foot bones were not moving as easily as they should be, how this may have occurred and how it may be contributing to the symptom. I said that I would like to articulate and encourage the movement.”
Karen adds: “As the patient had expressed concern about having their ankle worked on, I suggested that I carry out the moments of the treatment on their other side before treating their painful ankle. That way, they could know what I would be doing, and they could then say “yay” or “nay” as to whether they would like me to proceed. This meant that I was able to treat their ankle and foot. I told the patient that the treatment could feel quite uncomfortable, unpleasant, weird, and more than likely painful when mobilising the bones in the foot.”
She says: “My patient thanked me for telling them what to expect in advance of doing the treatment. They said that this was “reassuring – especially when the technique is not comfortable”. They said that they were able to relax and trust in what I was doing because I had explained what they should expect to feel. This was especially important when the treatment was uncomfortable.”
Karen explains: “Myself and all the practitioners at the clinic know how all our various techniques feel. We always practice on each other before we treat patients. It’s part of our training to experience the treatments we use so that we know what they feel like. Now there are not many therapies who can say that!”
The team at Shefford Osteopathic Clinic works with you to alleviate your pain – with full explanations of how the treatments used will feel, (plus you can read our ‘What To Expect’ guide. Karen Robinson founded the clinic in 2000, supporting local people to live life fully.