Manual Osteopathy
Osteopathy is a natural manual therapy which aims to restore function in the body by treating the causes of pain and imbalance as opposed to the symptoms. To achieve this goal the Osteopathic Manual Practitioner relies on the finesse of her palpation and assessment and works with the position, mobility and quality of all of the tissues in the body. This approach can be used to support not only the musculoskeletal system but the nervous and visceral systems as well. As such manual osteopathy can function as an effective holistic support for individuals suffering from pain and discomfort as well as various medical conditions.
Athletic Therapy
Athletic therapists do not just treat high level athletes. They are experts in the area of orthopaedic injuries. This includes both acute and chronic injuries (sprains, strains, spine injuries, tendinopathies etc.) as well as postural problems, post-surgical conditions including joint replacements, and pain conditions the source of which is unknown.​
One common question our clients ask is what the difference is between an athletic therapist and a physiotherapist....​
Athletic therapists are specialists in assessing, treating, and rehabilitating patients with various orthopaedic conditions. This is done through a combination of manual treatment and rehabilitative exercise.
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Before being certified by the Canadian Athletic Therapists Association, athletic therapists must complete a four year degree in Athletic and Exercise Therapy with a minimum of 1200 hours of field and clinical placement work completed. This degree is entirely focused on orthopedics, which is the study of the musculoskeletal system. This system consists of muscles, bones, joints, ligaments, and tendons.
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After certification athletic therapists generally choose to work in one of two, or a combination of both, of the following realms - either in the field with sports teams and athletes, or in a clinical setting working with the general public.
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So what is the difference between athletic therapy and physiotherapy? Unless you work in a hospital or other medical centre you likely don't know that physiotherapists work in respiratory, cancer, and cardiac wards, among others. The education and scope of practice of a physiotherapist is much broader than just orthopaedics and just like athletic therapists, physiotherapists choose which realm they work in, and many of them choose to treat orthopaedic conditions in private clinics around our communities just like athletic therapists do.