Any variation from the health has a cause, and the cause has a location. It is the business of the osteopath to locate and remove it (the cause), doing away with disease and getting health instead.
A.T. Still MD, DO, Founder of Osteopathy
There are 4 principles central to the philosophy of Osteopathy:
- The structure of the tissue governs the function of the tissue
- Freedom of the body’s vessels to flow unobstructed is imperative to the proper functioning of the system
- Everything in the body is connected and inter-dependent. A compromise or compensation in any part of the body will affect the whole.
- The body has the inherent ability to heal itself. The goal of Osteopathy is to remove any barriers that will allow the body to express its maximal potential for self-healing.
Osteopathy is focused on finding dysfunction in the body and removing it using precise and intentional manual techniques. The role of the Osteopathic Manual Therapist is to conduct a holistic assessment of the entire body – all systems – and determine the root cause of the dysfunction. By addressing the root cause of a dysfunction, the body’s own natural healing mechanisms are able to express themselves and a patient can gain reach and maintain their maximal level of recovery.