Osteopathy

Osteopathy is a hands on treatment that helps get people out of pain. Although commonly thought of as being a treatment for back pain, we see patients with a wide range of issues, and we look to restore health through helping the body work more effectively.

This all starts with a detailed investigation, we spend time listening to you, and understanding not just where it hurts, but why it hurts and how this impacts your life. We then examine you to see how you move, and function as well as performing clinical tests to clarify our diagnosis.

Helping you understand what we’ve found, why you’re in pain and what you can do to help speed your recovery is an important part of the process too.

Treatment involves gentle and focused body work to optimise the way you move and your system works. We give lifestyle, ergonomic and exercise advice to help get you going again as fast as possible.

Osteopathy for you…

Osteopathy at Summertown Clinic has a proud heritage dating back 45 years

We are acknowledged as being a leading centre of Osteopathic excellence in the UK, having won awards in recognition of our work. As leaders our osteopaths are involved in teaching, up to date research and evidence informed practice, and helping our community develop.

What is Osteopathy?

Osteopathy is a hands on therapy aimed at helping optimise your bodies function through massage, stretch, joint movements, and other techniques. As osteopaths we listen to you, and offer a unique holistic plan to improving your health.

Who can benefit from it?

We treat patients from a few weeks old, to over 100. Because we offer patient focused treatment interested in promoting health, everyone can benefit. Most people start seeing us as they have pain, often in their backs, or neck which can be successfully resolved.

What research is there?

There is a building body of evidence supporting our work which we support.
This is reflected in the NHS Musculoskeletal Guidelines referring regularly to osteopaths, and NICE guidelines including us.

Why us?

As one of the UK’s leading osteopathic centres we offer a high level of osteopathic care with evidence informed treatment, but with our core family values of caring and support at the centre of your treatment. 

Osteopathy at Summertown Clinic

As leaders in Osteopathy we take pride in the quality and professionalism of our work. Most of our osteopaths have taught at academic institutions, been involved in postgraduate qualifications, and continue to strive to be leaders in the area of osteopathic care they’ve chosen.

Your appointment

As an osteopathic patient we hope you’ll experience this first hand, you’ll be welcomed into the clinic room by your osteopath, you’ll feel you’ve really been listened to, and that throughout the process you’ve been involved in key decisions, and had options explained to you. You will have been able to ask whatever questions you needed to really understand our opinion of what’s happening and how we want to help you get better. You may well be asked if you mind undressing for the examination and treatment, and you’ll be offered a gown to protect your modesty (if you choose to wear it) and the practitioner will leave the room while you were changing. 

During treatment we’ll explain what we’re doing, and why it’s important which will tie together with our earlier conversations, and you’ll feel relaxed and at ease as you know that we are fully focused on you, and treating you as well as possible. 

After the treatment we will we discuss what expectations we have for you, and what can happen (i.e. some post treatment soreness isn’t uncommon), and importantly what you can do before your next treatment to help. This will often include exercises that we will demonstrate and go through with you (a reminder sheet will usually be emailed to you), and lifestyle advice including ergonomics, basic nutrition, and a prognosis, so you know what to expect.

We are always here to support you and help you through your journey so we encourage our patients to talk to us if things aren’t going according to plan, or if you’re not sure how to do something, or even you’ve been thinking and would like to discuss what we said. Just contact us either by phone or by email, and we’ll get back to you as fast as we can.

Our Osteopathic Team

We've got a lovely community of like-minded professionals, and our Osteopathic team are at the heart our clinic.

Our diverse group of osteopaths offer the Oxford community one of the UK's leading groups of osteopaths. As a group with have experience teaching the next generation of osteopaths, are fellows of distinct osteopathic groups, and have been involved with elite sports medical teams. We cover the scope of populations you might expect osteopaths to deal with from paediatrics, sports injuries, care of the elderly, to rehabilitation and antenatal care, we have an osteopath who has experience treating patients like you.

James Ruddick

Principal Osteopath

James Ruddick enjoys helping people out of pain, and back to optimum health. Having taught at the UCO, and been involved in elite sports he has a wide variety of experience.

Joanna Ruddick

Principal Osteopath

Jo has lots of experience treating babies, children & pregnant women. She is a fellow of the SCCO and uses cranial & other gentle & effective techniques to restore health & rebalance the body.

Duncan Cameron Mitchell

Osteopath

Duncan has over thirty years experience.
He remains inquisitive & keeps learning. He practices a patient centred approach.

Gitte Pedersen

Osteopath

Gitte's particular interest is in treating older patients & women during pregnancy & treating babies & children.
She has also taught osteopathy & worked at the Osteopathic Centre for Children.

Joel Redman

Osteopath

Joel is an award winning Osteopath (iO Associate of the Year in 2015) and has worked in an NHS and elite sport setting. He is currently undertaking an MSc in Sports Medicine at the ISEH (UCL).

Atlanta Kyte

Osteopath

Atlanta is an all rounder, she enjoys treating the elderly & pregnant ladies but is also happy treating sports injuries. She uses medical acupuncture too.

Andrew Nicholettos

Osteopath

Andy has additional qualifications and clinical expertise in Strength & Conditioning and Sports Medicine practice. He uses a blend of hands on techniques with personalised exercise prescription.

Treatment Pricing

Treatment is on a per appointment basis as below.
These prices are correct up at time of publication – for any information about concessions, please contact us.

Initial Osteopathic Consultation

Your first treatment usually is an hour long, during which we take a thorough case histroy, examine you, and explain what we think is happening and why. We will also present other options of investigation or treatment as appropriate. With your consent we start your treatment plan.

Follow Up Osteopathic Treatment

Osteopathic treatment is more often process of improvement, and on average our patients see us for just over 4 treatments. 

Follow up appointments take 30 minutes, and we reassess you before continuing with your treatment plan as appropriate.

How many appointments will I need?

This is difficult to answer, we have given some approximate indications on the conditions pages but there are many variables in predicting recovery times. After your first consultation your osteopath will have more information to make a more accurate prognosis and explain why more treatments may be necessary.

At every appointment we discuss your improvement, and expectations to ensure you’re happy with your osteopathic management, and we give you an idea of how long it might take, and how many appointments maybe needed.

We are happy to communicate with other healthcare professionals and may ask you if we can contact your GP, or other therapist to ensure we’re all working together for your best health.

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