Osteopathy is a form of manual therapy based on four principles:

• The body is a unit
• Structure and function are interrelated
• The body is self-healing and self-regulating
• Treatment is based upon the above three principles.

Now, what does this mean exactly? Let's think about it through an analogy. If your car has one tire that's unbalanced, it doesn't just affect that one tire. It's attached to other tires through the axle, which means the entire car is sitting on a base that's not working properly causing abnormal wear and stress on the engine, frame, and everything else.

Our body works much the same way. The body being "a unit" simply refers to the fact that no one part is separate from the rest. If you injured your knee, or shoulder, or anything else - the rest of you will change as it begins to compensate for this injury. This goes from your superficial fascia right down to the bones and ligaments that support all other tissues. 

Changes to this knee are going to affect how it functions, and how all the joints above and below (your hip, ankle etc) are going to similarly be affected, having to work harder to make up for the abnormal knee. Your body is self regulating, and so it will make the changes needed to help support this new 'normal', even if it's at the detriment of other parts. 

Your osteopathic manual practitioner works to look beyond what hurts and dives into WHY this hurts. We do this by looking at where motion has been lost. Following the relationships of anatomical structures helps us paint a picture of what is happening and why so that we can work to restore motion, allowing your body to heal itself. 

At your first visit, you can expect a review of your health history, so we can understand what is happening, and what your goals are for treatment.

The initial treatment will cover the whole body, as we try and work through some of the larger patterns present. This allows for us to clear more superficial layers to gain a better understanding of what is happening underneath.

You may be asked to move yourself, or we may just have you relax while we assess movement through the layers of your body. We use joint mobilization and soft tissue manipulations to improve mobility and reduce restrictions. Treatment can be modified at any time to fit your personal limitations.

Treatment is done fully dressed, and so you should wear clothing that is comfortable to move in and does not restrict your movement.

This is a safe space, and the focus is on treatment, not what you are wearing.

Osteopathy is covered by many extended health benefits. As members of OSTCAN, and the Ontario Osteopathic Association, we are recognized by all major insurance companies.

To find out of your benefits cover manual osteopathy, you will need to speak with your healthcare provider.

At this time, we do not offer direct billing.

Please note, it would not be listed as a D.O. or Doctor of Osteopathy.

We do not recommend exercising or strenuous work for 24 hours as your body needs this time to take on the changes which were made during treatment. Go for a walk, drink some water and enjoy your day.

You may notice that you are sore for a day or two, or you may not feel much at all. It may even be that things feel a little worse at first, as your body adapts. Every person responds differently, and we will check in at your follow up so that we can match treatment appropriately.

How many treatments will be needed varies from person to person.

An acute problem may resolve itself quicker than one which is chronic. Generally we ask for 4 treatments to see change as each one will build on what had been done the one before.

While the issue may not be resolved in this time, it allows for us to see how your body is responding, and for treatment to move from a more global approach (in your first visit), to more specific assessments and treatment.