Can’t go wrong either way… Sometimes it is finding the professional not just the profession…
Education
Osteo is a masters and above level education with a strong focus on thoroughly diagnosis and treating musculoskeletal and neuromuscular conditions
Physios can have bachelor, masters and above education and get a broad education on many aspects of health as well in hospitals
Both rely on good evidence based medicine
Advanced Practice
Both Osteos and Physios have advance education pathways such as sports, pain management, paediatrics, exercise prescription and more.
Hands on Treatment
Osteos are generally more hands on due to being the main treatment used.
Both Physios and Osteos use various hands on techniques
Other Treatments
Osteos and Physios commonly use other treatment tools including exercise prescription, dry needling, taping and shockwave therapy.
Physio tend to use ultrasound and TENS more than Osteos.
Full Body Approach
Osteos generally have a more full body approach to examining and diagnosing as this is highly emphasised during their education.
Hospitals and Community Health
Physios are highly integrated into hospitals, age care, and other rehab centres.
Osteos are not currently in hospitals in Australia.
TECHNIQUES USED BY OSTEOPATHS
Osteopaths use techniques including:
- Deep and soft tissue massage
- muscle energy technique (relaxing the nerves to the muscles)
- joint & visceral mobilisation (improves mobility)
- myofascial release
- exercise prescription
- taping
- dry needling
- spinal manipulation/adjustment (technique done to a restricted point of the spine where the practitioner puts a fast minimal force to the joint to realign it, a pop or click can often be heard or felt, this repositioning allows the joint to improve its movement therefore also helping the local muscles that surround the joint move which further improves mobility of the spinal area).
Please note that spinal manipulations are only ever done if absolutely necessary and with the patient’s full consent. There are many other forms of treatment that can improve joint mobility just as well.
Find out more about what is involved in an appointment by visiting our “All About Osteopathy Appointments” page.
