Osteopathy and Pilates: Complementary Paths to Health and Well-being

Osteopathy and Pilates: Complementary Paths to Health and Well-being

Osteopathy and Pilates are two distinct approaches to health and wellness that share a common philosophy: the belief that the body functions best when its systems are in balance and alignment. Both focus on improving posture, promoting flexibility, and enhancing overall body mechanics. However, they differ in methodology and practice, which makes their combination especially beneficial for physical rehabilitation, injury prevention, and holistic well-being.

This article explores the similarities and unique benefits of osteopathy and Pilates, and how they can work together to promote optimal health.

Osteopathy: A Holistic Approach to Health

Osteopathy is a branch of manual medicine that focuses on diagnosing, treating, and preventing health issues by manipulating and strengthening the musculoskeletal framework. Founded in the late 19th century by Dr. Andrew Taylor Still, osteopathy emphasizes the relationship between the body’s structure and its function. It operates on the principle that the body has an inherent ability to heal itself when its systems—musculoskeletal, circulatory, and nervous—are in balance.

Key Concepts of Osteopathy:

1. Holistic Treatment: Osteopathy treats the body as an integrated whole rather than focusing on specific symptoms. Osteopaths aim to identify and address the root causes of pain or dysfunction, whether they originate from muscular, skeletal, or even organ-related issues.

2. Manual Therapy: Osteopaths use hands-on techniques to assess and treat the body. These include soft tissue massage, stretching, joint mobilization, and manipulation to promote circulation, reduce tension, and restore normal body mechanics.

3. Self-Healing Philosophy: Osteopaths believe that the body is naturally capable of healing itself if given the right conditions. Their interventions focus on removing barriers to self-healing, such as poor posture, muscle tightness, or misalignment in the spine or joints.

4. Prevention and Maintenance: Beyond treating symptoms, osteopathy emphasizes preventive care. It encourages patients to maintain healthy body mechanics and avoid lifestyle habits that could lead to further issues, such as poor posture, prolonged sitting, or repetitive strain.

Pilates: Strength and Control through Movement

Pilates, developed in the early 20th century by Joseph Pilates, is a physical fitness system that focuses on strengthening the body’s core muscles, improving flexibility, and enhancing overall body control. Initially designed for rehabilitation, Pilates has evolved into a mainstream exercise method practiced by individuals of all fitness levels.

Key Concepts of Pilates:

1. Core Strength: At the heart of Pilates is the concept of building core strength, which includes the muscles of the abdomen, lower back, hips, and pelvis. These muscles, often referred to as the “powerhouse,” are crucial for stabilizing the body during movement and maintaining good posture.

2. Controlled Movement: Pilates emphasizes slow, controlled movements that require mental focus and precision. It’s less about the number of repetitions and more about performing each exercise with proper alignment and muscle engagement.

3. Flexibility and Mobility: Pilates incorporates a range of exercises designed to improve joint mobility and flexibility, particularly in the spine. Stretching is integrated with strengthening to maintain a healthy range of motion.

4. Body Awareness: Pilates encourages mindfulness and an acute awareness of how the body moves. This heightened body awareness helps individuals recognize imbalances, poor movement patterns, or misalignments that could contribute to discomfort or injury.

Similarities Between Osteopathy and Pilates

Though distinct in their approach—osteopathy being a medical treatment and Pilates a fitness method—there are several shared principles between the two:

1. Focus on Alignment and Posture: Both osteopathy and Pilates emphasize the importance of correct alignment and posture for overall health. In osteopathy, poor posture is often the underlying cause of musculoskeletal pain or dysfunction. Similarly, Pilates trains the body to maintain good posture through core strength and proper movement patterns.

2. Holistic Approach to the Body: Osteopathy and Pilates view the body as an interconnected system. Osteopathy treats the entire body, understanding that dysfunction in one area can affect other parts. Pilates, too, works on improving coordination and balance across the body, emphasizing that every movement should come from a strong and stable center.

3. Rehabilitation and Injury Prevention: Osteopathy is widely used in rehabilitation to treat injuries and chronic pain conditions. Pilates was initially developed as a rehabilitative exercise for injured soldiers and dancers. Both focus on restoring normal function to the body, with Pilates providing an ongoing method of strengthening and conditioning after osteopathic treatment.

4. Mind-Body Connection: Both disciplines encourage a mindful approach to the body. Osteopaths may help patients develop better body awareness to identify problematic movement patterns, while Pilates promotes mindfulness through breathing and concentration, ensuring that each movement is performed with intent and control.

Benefits of Combining Osteopathy and Pilates

The integration of osteopathy and Pilates can provide comprehensive health benefits, particularly for individuals dealing with chronic pain, poor posture, or injury recovery. By working together, these practices offer a well-rounded approach to restoring and maintaining physical health.

1. Enhanced Posture and Alignment

Pilates is an excellent complement to osteopathy’s focus on alignment. While osteopaths can manually correct misalignments and restrictions in the body, Pilates helps individuals maintain these corrections by strengthening the muscles that support the skeletal system. By engaging in regular Pilates exercises, patients can build strength in key areas like the core, shoulders, and back, which helps prevent future misalignments.

2. Improved Mobility and Flexibility

Osteopathic treatment can release restrictions in the joints and soft tissues, restoring movement where it may have been limited. Pilates helps to maintain and further enhance this flexibility through controlled stretching and mobility exercises. This combination is particularly beneficial for those recovering from injuries or suffering from chronic conditions like arthritis or lower back pain.

3. Injury Prevention

One of the goals of osteopathy is to identify and address areas of the body that are prone to injury due to poor movement patterns or imbalances. Pilates, by reinforcing core stability and body awareness, helps individuals move in ways that are safer and more efficient. This reduces the likelihood of re-injury, particularly in individuals who are prone to overuse injuries or those recovering from surgery.

4. Pain Relief and Long-Term Recovery

Osteopathy provides immediate pain relief by addressing the physical causes of discomfort, whether through spinal manipulation, joint mobilization, or soft tissue massage. Pilates helps in the long-term recovery process by encouraging a healthy movement routine that strengthens the body, improves flexibility, and reduces the chance of pain recurring. It is particularly helpful for those with chronic conditions like scoliosis or sciatica, as Pilates can be adapted to their specific needs.

5. Holistic Health and Well-Being

Osteopathy’s holistic approach extends beyond musculoskeletal health, considering the impact of lifestyle factors such as stress, sleep, and diet. Pilates adds to this by promoting mental well-being through mindful movement and breath control. The combination of both practices supports physical, mental, and emotional health.

Conclusion

Osteopathy and Pilates are complementary therapies that, when combined, provide a comprehensive approach to health, rehabilitation, and injury prevention. Osteopathy’s medical foundation in manual therapy, alignment, and holistic care pairs seamlessly with Pilates’ focus on core strength, posture, and mindful movement. Together, they empower individuals to not only recover from injuries but also maintain long-term physical health and well-being. Whether seeking relief from chronic pain, recovering from an injury, or looking to enhance physical fitness, the integration of osteopathy and Pilates offers a well-rounded path to a healthier, more balanced life.

Understanding and Managing Low Back Pain

Overview:

Low Back Pain. The name itself is pretty self-explanatory. It is pain that arises at the lower part of the back that can include all of the structures in the surrounding area. Unfortunately, over 80% of Australians will suffer from back pain at some point in their lifetime, making it by far the most common musculoskeletal complaint. As low back pain is so predominant in our society, along with it comes many myths on diagnosing and managing it. Who hasn’t heard the old ‘slipped disc’ or ‘my back’s out’ analogy before? And for those who suffer from back pain – who hasn’t received advice from their family, their friends and their expert-on-everything-neighbour on what they should be doing to ‘fix’ it? Fortunately, here in Australia we have many fantastic University trained professionals who have their area of expertise to help treat and manage back pain from Surgeons and Doctors to Allied Health professionals such as Osteo’s, Physio’s and Exercise Physiologists and not to mention those who compliment the above such as Pilates instructors, Personal trainers, strength and conditioning trainers and Massage therapist (there are many more that I haven’t listed).

Low back pain comes in many different forms (all of which are discussed below) and will present in many different ways. Some people will have mild pain that doesn’t require treatment, and some will be at the other end of the scale where their back pain is so extreme, they can’t even get out of bed.

Back pain requires a broad approach from health professionals beyond just identifying and treating the symptoms. Often, low back pain is the result of faulty mechanics from above or below the area, hence why it is very important to recognise the causes (not just the symptoms) behind each individuals back pain to appropriately manage their treatment/medication/surgical intervention and exercise/movement/stretching plan.

Symptoms:

Type of Pain: Symptoms of back pain can present in many different ways and can be direct pain at the source or even result in certain types of pain that refer to other parts of the body, such as run down the leg (even as far as the foot). In a consultation, your practitioner will spend time talking to you about your symptoms as it’s very important to understand exactly what you are feeling. The ability to narrow down the symptoms you are feeling goes a long way in helping us form a diagnosis. Below is a list of symptoms commonly used to describe the type of pain occurring to the low back region.

• Dull ache

• Acute pain that limits your ability to move

• Worse on one side or centralised

• Short or long term pain

• Numbness and tingling down the leg

• Pain into the buttocks

• Grabbing pain

• Muscle spasm

• Throbbing

• Stabbing pain

• Burning pain

• Shooting pain

• Small area of pain

• Large area of pain

• Select area of pain but unable to reproduce it with touch

Aggravating movements / activities: People suffering from back pain can find themselves unable to perform everyday activities to the level they are used to. Some may find that quite simple tasks can bring on pain. For example, if leaning down to tie up your shoelaces causes pain in your back and results in numbness/tingling down your leg - the chances you’ve injured an intervertebral disc becomes more likely. Often, patient’s will omit this type of information when filling out new intake forms, or when first describing the nature of their back pain as they don’t think it’s important. Well let me tell you - it is very important! Being able to identify and understand which daily activities exacerbates your symptoms will ‘add another piece to the puzzle’ and help us in forming a diagnosis.

Below is a brief list of common everyday activities that that can aggravate low back pain:

• Getting up out of a chair

• Tying your shoelaces up

• Standing in one place for long periods

• Waking up sore after sleep

• Long drives in the car

• Leaning over in the garden for long periods

• Lifting an item and twisting at the same time

• Sitting at an office / computer for long periods

• Squatting or deadlifts at the gym

• Post exercise soreness

• Washing the dishes

• Walking

• Running

• Lifting heavy loads

• Twisting quickly (with or without load)

• Increased strain over time – eg. Repetitive poor posture

• Sudden impact to the low back area

• Starting a new activity or sport

• Walking down stairs

• Sitting on a hard surface

Red flags:

Red flags relate to the possibility that something appearing quite simple could in fact be quite serious.

Below are some examples of Red Flags for low back pain:

• Numbness and loss of control of bowel and / or bladder (Cauda Equina Syndrome)

• Diffuse low back pain that feels ‘deep’ or spreads to the abdomen (Aortic Aneurism)

• Sudden back injury that results in the loss of feeling either into the legs or feet (Neurological Impairment)

• Ongoing low back pain combined with unexplained weight loss, night sweats, history of cancer (Tumour / Bone cancer)

Conditions of the Low Back:

There are many conditions that can lead to low back pain. Some conditions that result in damage to soft tissue / structures of the low back include but is not limited to the following:

• Lumbar Disc bulge (also known as a ‘slipped disc’)

• Disc tear

• Disc herniation

• Disc sequestration

• Facet joint restriction / sprain

• Muscle spasm / tightness

• Muscle strain

• Ligament sprain

• Vertebral fracture

• Pelvic fracture

• Sacroiliac (SIJ) sprain

• Sciatica

• Lower rib fracture

• Lower rib sprain (costo-vertebral)

• Arthritis / degenerative changes / spondylosis

• Spinal canal stenosis

• Lateral spinal stenosis / foraminal stenosis

• Degenerative disc disease

• Spondylolisthesis

• Spondylolysis

• Ankylosing spondylitis

Who gets Back Pain?

As mentioned in our intro - many people suffer from, or will suffer from, low back pain. But who is more likely?

• Age - Back pain can affect any one from teenagers onwards, however the older you are the more likely you will be to suffer from low back pain.

• Postural issues - Having poor posture doesn’t necessarily equate to back pain, however faulty compensatory patterns that develop around certain types of posture can lead to pain.

• Pregnancy - Some women will suffer from back pain relating to their pregnancy. Others will not. And some women can suffer from back pain in one pregnancy and not in another. There are many factors involved.

• Occupation heavy lifting - heavy lifting when not performed properly can lead to acute back injuries, or when faulty mechanics are used over a long period can result in earlier onset of degenerative changes to the spine and associated structures.

• Occupation office worker - long periods of sitting down at a desk tends to follow a similar pattern:

  • elevated shoulders

  • forward carriage of shoulders/arms

  • rounded posture through the mid-upper back

  • tight hip flexors / upper thighs

• Faulty Movement patterns: Repetitive faulty movements that result in micro-trauma to the low back. A great example of this is having poor lifting techniques that increase the load to the low back, which over time can lead to increased wear and tear (degenerative changes)

• Previous back injuries: A history of back pain/injuries increases your chance of suffering future back related pain.

• High impact sports: Certain sports can contribute directly to back pain as a result from injury, or indirectly via prolonged stress to the low back from sports such as tennis or golf.

Assessment & diagnosis

When you present to a Health Practitioner such as an Osteopath or Physiotherapist with low back pain, they will take you through a full patient/medical history and a physical assessment in order to narrow down the possibilities to the most likely diagnosis.

• Patient History: Thorough patient history where your practitioner will cover all aspects of your low back pain presentation such as when the pain occurred, the location of pain, how it happened, what makes it worse, what makes it better, level of pain, associated symptoms, impacted activities of daily living, lifestyle prior to onset of pain and occupation impact.

• Orthopaedic testing: Specific joint testing designed to provoke pain which indicates a certain condition.

• Palpation: The use of palpation is subjective but can give the practitioner more information to help form a differential diagnosis. Palpation can help identify tissue texture changes, tightness, stiffness, temperature changes, differences between left and right, lumps, knots and swelling.

• Range of motion: Movements of the spine can be broken down into 3 basic plains:

  • Side-bending (bending to one side)

  • Rotation (turning around)

  • Felxion/extension (leaning forwards or backwards)

    One of the questions we will always ask is ‘what movement makes the pain worse’. Usually one of these movements will aggravate the pain, therefore giving us a clearer path forward towards a diagnosis. For example – if your pain becomes worse or even shoots pain down the leg when bending forwards the likelihood of a disc injury being the source of pain increases. Whereas if your pain increases when leaning backwards then it is more likely to be a facet joint as the cause of pain.

• Diagnostic imaging: X-Ray for fractures, alignment, spacing, inflammation; MRI for all structures including connective tissue such as ligaments/tendons/discs/muscle; Ultrasound for superficial soft tissue such as muscles and tendons.

Treatment - What We Do

The simplest way do look at what we do here at Bay City Health Group is to think about the 2 sides of a coin. On one side of the coin we provide manual therapy services such as Osteopathy or Physiotherapy to help decrease pain, release tight joints and tissue, and increase range of motion. This is achieved using hands on techniques on treatment tables such as massage, PNF stretching, joint manipulation or adjustments, joint articulation and mobilisation, and myofascial release. On the other side of that coin is Exercise Rehabilitation such as Pilates & Physiotherapy which is performed in a highly specific clinical setting. With Pilates & rehab we aim to retrain faulty movement patterns, educate the patient with correct form, and build strength and mobility to areas of the body where needed. Pilates is a particular focus of Bay City Health Group and is a fantastic option for managing Low Back Pain.

Management and treatment of back pain is highly dependent on the type of symptoms, level of pain, onset of pain, limitations, and assessment findings, and is therefore very specific to the patient on that day. One thing to keep in mind with treatment is there’s no recipe. In other words, the type of treatment will vary from patient to patient depending on what their presentation is. For example, if someone comes into the clinic with acute low back pain and barely able to walk or even sit down, our treatment will be completely different to that of a patient who is a bit sore after a round of golf on the weekend.

Management

What things YOU can do to help back pain when it comes on

Things you can do: Keep moving. It is so important keep your body/spine moving when you 1) currently have low back pain or 2) feel it coming on. It doesn’t have to be your regular everyday type activities, but even movements such as gently allowing your knees to go from side to side whilst lying on your back can help maintain range of motion in the facet joints of the spine. Here is a couple of very basic and general tips (please see a health professional for more specific exercises and stretches catered for your body and type of injury/pain):

• Squeeze your buttocks when moving from a sit to stand posture.

• Pull your belly button in and try and activate your abdominal muscle group prior to any movement

Nothing replaces the knowledge and experience of Health professionals. This blog is for general educational purposes only and is aimed at the general public. If you have back pain and you think it needs to be looked at then please visit or talk a Health Professional.

To make a booking with one of the Health Professionals here at Bay City Health Group please call our friendly receptionists on 03 5229 3220 or head to our online bookings page to book your appointment online.

TAC Covered Treatments

As Bay City Health Group grows we are seeing more and more people coming into our clinic following a road accident. We are consistently refining our systems and treatment procedures in order to deliver the best outcomes for any client presenting to our clinic following a car/bike/motorcycle/truck accident.

Those that find themselves involved in road accidents every year can unfortunately suffer from things including: pain; injuries; movement limitations; reduced joint range of motion; and fear avoidance. Many aren’t sure what to do following an accident, or what they could potentially be entitled to. We have addressed a few of the more common questions we get when someone rings up following a road accident. Please keep in mind, the below questions and answers are a brief summary based on actual questions we receive at Bay City Health Group. For an extensive list head over to the official TAC website.

What is the TAC and how do they help?

TAC stands for Accident Transport Commission. It’s purpose is to help people who are injured or have been involved in any form of road trauma. Providing you have a TAC claim number, they will help pay for part of the cost of Allied Health services.

How do I get a TAC claim number?

If you have been in a road based accident, whether it’s in a car, truck, bus, motorbike or even cycling, you can apply for a TAC claim number. The TAC doesn’t just hand out a claim number will-nilly though. The more details you can provide about the road accident the better your chances are.

What health services can I access?

If you have been provided with a TAC claim number, you can access the following TAC registered Allied Health services (for a comprehensive list of all health services please visit the TAC website):

• Osteopathy

• Physiotherapy

• Exercise Physiology

• Chiropractic

• Podiatry

• Acupuncture (not dry needling)

Do I have to pay anything?

Unfortunately the rate TAC pays for Allied Health services is under the standard industry rate, therefore there will be a small gap to pay for each service.

How long will TAC cover me for?

That is entirely dependent on the severity of your injuries and how quickly your recovery takes. Your treating practitioner will be in constant contact with the TAC regarding reports, management/treatment plans and updates on your progress. The TAC will take all of this into account and provide you with a reasonable and fair amount of services based on the information they have.

What if I have some questions?

You are more than welcome to call our friendly team here at Bay City Health Group and ask any questions you may have. We should be able to answer most questions - but if we can’t, we’ll redirect you to the right source who can.

How do I make a booking?

The best way to make a booking if you have a TAC claim number is to phone reception at Bay City Health on 03 5229 3220 and let the receptionist know you are covered by TAC due to an accident. You will be asked for your individual claim number and other related details about yourself so that everything is good-to-go on the day of your first session.