Osteopathy is a system of diagnosis and treatment for a wide range of medical conditions. It works with the structure and function of the body, and is based on the principle that the well-being of an individual depends on the skeleton, muscles, ligaments and connective tissues functioning smoothly together.To an osteopath, for your body to work well, its structure must also work well. So osteopaths work to restore your body to a state of balance, where possible without the use of drugs or surgery. Osteopaths use touch, physical manipulation, stretching and massage to increase the mobility of joints, to relieve muscle tension, to enhance the blood and nerve supply to tissues, and to help your body's own healing mechanisms. They may also provide advice on posture and exercise to aid recovery, promote health and prevent symptoms recurring.'

Osteopathy for children

I worked from 1993 to 2004 at the Osteopathic Centre for Children ( now the Foundation for Paediatric Osteopathy). This clinic was founded in 1991 to promote the use of osteopathic treatment for children. To begin with everyone worked as volunteers with a huge workload. After a few years money became available to employ clinical tutors and develop a two year postgraduate course in Paediatric Osteopathy. From 1996 I worked as a tutor a couple of days a week. The clinic was the most exciting environment having a single large treatment room ten or so children being treated by the team of osteopaths (often with siblings running around the place).

People often remark that 'surely children don't get bad backs'. In 2001 I did an audit of the diagnosis of all the patients on one day.Patient snapshot. The clinic also offers treatment of children within Neonatal Intensive Care (NICU) and Special Care Baby Units (SCBU) within two London hospitals and treatment of children in the acute paediatric ward.