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If you have never visited an osteopath before, you may have questions about what an osteopath actually does. Are they university trained? Are osteopaths registered health professionals in Australia? What do they treat? And how is an osteopath different from a physiotherapist or chiropractor?
Yes, Australian osteopaths are university trained health professionals. To practise as an osteopath in Australia, a person must complete an approved osteopathy program and meet the requirements for registration with the Osteopathy Board of Australia.
Osteopaths commonly work with people experiencing pain, injuries and movement problems. They use clinical assessment, hands-on treatment, exercise and movement advice to help people understand and manage their physical health.
Yes. Osteopaths in Australia are university trained.
An osteopath must complete an approved program of study that meets the education standards required for registration. Osteopathy education programs are assessed and accredited by the Australian Osteopathic Accreditation Council (AOAC), and the Osteopathy Board of Australia approves programs that can lead to registration.
All of the Osteopaths at our clinical have completed a 5 year university course in Osteopathy.
University osteopathy courses include study in areas such as anatomy, physiology, health science, clinical assessment and osteopathic practice.
Students also develop practical hands-on clinical skills and are educated in rehabilitation as part of their training.
The exact structure and qualification can vary between universities and can change over time. What matters is that the program must meet the requirements for registration as an osteopath in Australia.
Yes. Osteopathy is a registered health profession in Australia.
The Osteopathy Board of Australia is responsible for registering osteopaths and students. The Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency, commonly known as AHPRA, supports the Board with the registration process.
This means Australian osteopaths work within a national regulatory framework.
You can use the AHPRA register to check whether an individual osteopath is registered.
Registration also comes with ongoing professional requirements. Registered osteopaths must meet the Board’s registration standards, including continuing professional development requirements.
An osteopath assesses the body and treats musculoskeletal problems such as pain, stiffness, injuries and movement difficulties.
An osteopathic appointment usually starts with questions about your symptoms, health history and what you are finding difficult.
Your osteopath may then assess your movement, joints, muscles and other areas of the body that could be contributing to your symptoms.
Treatment may involve hands-on techniques, movement exercises and advice about activities that may help you manage your problem.
The aim is not simply to look at where you feel pain but to also assess where your problem may have begun.
For example, if you have shoulder pain, your osteopath may also assess your neck, upper back, ribs and how your shoulder moves.
The assessment helps your osteopath decide what areas may need attention and whether osteopathic treatment is appropriate for you.
Osteopaths commonly work with musculoskeletal pain, injuries and movement problems.
People may see an osteopath for problems such as:
Back pain
Neck pain
Shoulder pain
Hip pain
Knee pain
Joint pain
Work-related injuries
Muscle pain and stiffness
Healthdirect also lists back pain, neck pain, headaches, joint pain and sports injuries among conditions for which people may seek osteopathic care.
Your osteopath should also consider whether another health professional is more appropriate for your particular problem.
No.
An osteopath ususally assesses areas of the body that are connected to the painful area.
Pain can sometimes be influenced by how other parts of the body are moving or functioning.
For example, someone with lower back pain may also have changes in hip, pelvis, foot or thoracic spine movement.
This does not mean that every painful area has a problem somewhere else.
Instead, an osteopathic assessment looks at the person as a whole and considers how different areas may be interacting.
This is one reason an osteopath may assess more than the area you initially came in complaining about.
Your first appointment will usually involve a conversation, physical assessment and discussion about treatment.
Your osteopath may ask:
When did the problem start?
What makes it better or worse?
Have you had this problem before?
Have you had any previous injuries?
What activities are you currently doing?
How is the problem affecting your everyday life?
Are you taking any medications?
Have you seen another health professional about it?
Your osteopath may then assess your posture, movement, muscles and joints.
Depending on your presentation, they may also recommend that you see another health professional or have further investigation.
Osteopaths use a range of hands-on and movement-based treatment techniques.
The techniques used can vary between osteopaths and depend on the individual patient.
Treatment may include:
Soft tissue techniques
Massage
Joint mobilisation
Stretching
Articulation
Manipulation
Dry needling, where appropriately trained
Exercise prescription
Movement retraining
Advice about activities and everyday movement
Not every technique is appropriate for every person.
Your osteopath should explain what they are doing and why it may be useful for your particular problem.
Healthdirect describes osteopathic manual therapy as including techniques such as massage, stretching, mobilisation, manipulation and dry needling.
No.
Although hands-on treatment is an important part of osteopathic practice, osteopathy is not simply massage.
An osteopath uses clinical reasoning and physical assessment to work out what may be contributing to your symptoms.
Your appointment may include hands-on treatment, but it can also include movement exercises, rehabilitation advice and strategies you can use between appointments.
The goal is to help you understand what is happening and give you practical ways to manage your body outside the treatment room.
No, you do not need a referral to see an osteopath in Australia.
You can make an appointment directly with an osteopath.
You can also be referred by your GP or another health professional if they believe osteopathic care may be useful.
There are also circumstances where osteopathy may form part of a broader healthcare plan involving your GP or other practitioners, such as:
An osteopath is trained to assess musculoskeletal problems and make clinical decisions about osteopathic care.
During an appointment, your osteopath will take a history and perform an examination to understand your symptoms.
They will also consider whether your symptoms may require investigation or management outside the scope of osteopathic care.
For example, your osteopath may recommend that you see your GP or another health professional if your symptoms suggest that further assessment is needed.
This is an important part of being a registered health professional.
No. Osteopaths and physiotherapists are different registered health professions, although there can be some overlap in the conditions they treat and the techniques they use.
Both may work with people experiencing musculoskeletal pain, injuries and movement problems.
Both may use hands-on treatment and exercise.
The training, professional history and approaches used within each profession are different.
Rather than thinking of one profession as automatically better than another, it is more useful to consider the type of assessment and treatment that suits your particular problem.
In some cases, osteopaths and physiotherapists may also work alongside each other.
No. Osteopathy and chiropractic are separate registered health professions in Australia.
There can be similarities between the professions because both may use hands-on treatment and work with musculoskeletal problems.
However, osteopathy has its own university education, professional standards and registration requirements.
Both osteopaths and chiropractors are registered through the Australian health practitioner regulatory system, with separate National Boards overseeing each profession.
Look for an osteopath who is currently registered with the Osteopathy Board of Australia.
You can check an osteopath’s registration through the AHPRA register.
You may also want to ask about:
Their university qualification
Their clinical experience
The types of problems they commonly see
The treatment approaches they use
Whether they work with other health professionals
What you can expect during your first appointment
It is reasonable to ask questions before booking.
A good practitioner should be able to explain their approach in straightforward language.
Australian osteopaths are regulated under the National Registration and Accreditation Scheme.
The Osteopathy Board of Australia is responsible for the profession’s registration and regulatory standards.
The Australian Osteopathic Accreditation Council assesses and accredits osteopathy education programs. The Osteopathy Board then approves programs for registration purposes.
This means there is a national system covering education, registration and professional standards for osteopaths practising in Australia.
An osteopath and a massage therapist have different training and professional roles.
Massage therapy generally focuses on soft tissues such as muscles and may be used for relaxation, recovery or physical wellbeing.
Osteopaths undertake university education and are registered health practitioners. Their training includes clinical assessment and the management of musculoskeletal problems.
An osteopath often uses massage as one part of a broader treatment plan.
Osteopaths may work with people who have had pain for weeks, months or even years.
Long-term pain can involve more than one factor.
Your osteopath may consider your movement, previous injuries, physical activity, work habits, sleep, stress and other factors that may influence how you experience pain.
Treatment may involve a combination of hands-on care, exercise and practical changes to help you manage your symptoms.
If your pain is persistent or complex, your osteopath may also work alongside your GP or other healthcare professionals.
Yes. Exercise and movement advice can be part of osteopathic care.
The exercises recommended will depend on your symptoms, physical capacity and goals.
You might be given exercises to improve strength, mobility, balance, coordination or confidence with movement.
The aim is to give you something practical that you can use between appointments.
Your osteopath may change your exercises as your symptoms and movement improve.
No. An osteopath is not a medical doctor, however the do have a “Dr” title just like a dentist or chiropractor would.
An osteopath is an allied health professional and a registered health practitioner.
Osteopaths and medical doctors have different university training, professional roles and scopes of practice.
An osteopath may work alongside your GP and other healthcare professionals when this is appropriate.
Yes. You can generally make an appointment with an osteopath directly.
You do not need a GP referral to book an osteopathic consultation.
However, there are times when seeing your GP first is appropriate, particularly if you have new, severe or unexplained symptoms, or would like to use the Chronic Disease Management Plan (CDM).
Your osteopath can also recommend medical review if your presentation suggests that another type of assessment is needed.
You can check an osteopath’s registration through the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA).
The online register allows members of the public to check registered health practitioners, including osteopaths.
This is a useful step if you are unsure whether someone is registered to practise as an osteopath in Australia.
Yes. Australian osteopaths are university trained and must meet the requirements for registration with the Osteopathy Board of Australia.
Their education covers health science, anatomy, physiology, clinical assessment and osteopathic practice.
Osteopaths commonly help people with pain, injuries and movement problems using a combination of assessment, hands-on treatment, exercise and practical advice.
If you have been wondering whether an osteopath is a properly qualified health professional, the answer is yes.
The Australian osteopathy profession has a national education, accreditation and registration system.
At Boroondara Osteopathy in Balwyn North, we take the time to understand your individual symptoms, your history and how your body is moving. We look beyond the obvious painful area when this is relevant and create a treatment approach based on what we find during your assessment.
If you have a question about whether osteopathy may be appropriate for your particular problem, contact our Balwyn North clinic and speak with our team about making an appointment.
Fill in the contact form below and we will reply ASAP.