Philosophy of Osteopathy

The 4 Principles of Osteopathy

Where there is life, there is motion. Osteopathy appreciates the significance of even the smallest motion within all the tissues and cells of the body, and applies this understanding in it’s unique form of medical care. Simply put, when the body’s motion is in balance, a state of health exists. When this motion is disturbed, health is affected and a state of disease can arise. It is the Osteopathic physician’s highly developed sense of touch that allows the physician to palpate (feel) this motion and, through skilled hands, to administer Osteopathic manipulative treatments. These treatments can relieve disturbances of motion and enhance the vitality and function of the patient.

Although Osteopathy employs the practice of manual medicine, it is not just a set of techniques. It is a philosophy and a science based on the application of sound principles. Initially conceived during the late nineteenth century by Dr Andrew Taylor Still, the founder of Osteopathy, these principles have been consistently validated by scientific research.

The philosophy and science of Osteopathy is based upon the following four principles: