Why Osteopathy?

Living with pain whether sharp and intense, or unabating low-grade discomfort, affects sleep, your ability to manage day-to-day, and drains you of energy. At Greenlane Osteopathy we are committed to getting you comfortable as quickly as we can.

Back Pain/Sciatica

Lower back pain will affect up to 80% of people at some stage of life. Sciatica, caused by pressure on the sciatic nerve (which originates in the lower back and pelvis), can cause intense and debilitating pain radiating down into the leg. Not all back pain is the same: different causes require different treatment. Dr Google or standardised sheets of exercises and stretches often do not provide the most effective course of treatment and recovery. At times inappropriate stretches/exercises may have little effect, or may further annoy an already grumpy back. Proper examination and appropriate treatment makes the difference and gets you functioning comfortably sooner!

Neck Pain

The origins of neck pain are also multi-factorial. Recent or historical injury, whiplash or cumulative strain from poor posture or incorrect exercise form, can result in tightness, spasming, or a “pinched” nerve. Gently mobilising joints, easing tight muscles and balancing structures of the neck can go a long way to reducing pain and discomfort. You may have been told you have neck degeneration and that you will need to live with restriction and pain. We beg to differ! Cranial osteopathy can be a safe and gentle support where direct manual therapy is contra-indicated. Our thorough case history and examination enables us to understand your presentation. We develop an individualised treatment plan taking into account personal and lifestyle factors that may be contributing to, or maintaining, your neck pain.

Osteopaths don’t only treat backs and necks!

We treat a wide variety of other joints too: shoulders, elbows, hips, knees and ankles – even fingers, toes and jaws!

If you have had a recent injury (yes, we lodge ACC claims), or a long-standing niggle, we’re here to help. In addition to treatment, we provide education and advice on changes you may wish to make at work, or in your exercise programme to support your recovery and avoid future strain or injury. If we are not able to get the change we would expect after 3-4 treatments, osteopaths are able to refer for X-rays and Ultrasounds.

During pregnancy a woman’s body undergoes some dramatic changes under hormonal influences that relax and prepare the body for birth. Maternal posture will also change in response to the weight of a growing baby. For some women this can result in back pain, sciatica and pelvic pain. Reflux and shortness of breath may also be experienced as the growing baby pushes up against the stomach and lungs. This is not “normal” and doesn’t need to be endured during pregnancy. Osteopathic treatment can be very helpful in relieving these discomforts, preparing the body for birth, and assisting in recovery from strains and birth trauma post-partum. Treatment is safe for both mother and child.

After the birth of their child, mothers may notice upper back and neck issues from lifting and feeding their baby, with additional strains from lugging around heavy baby capsules! We can help to get you comfortable and give advice to avoid these strains – your baby is only going to get bigger and heavier!

Why mums come to see us:

• Back and pelvic pain

• Sciatica

• Hip pain

• Heartburn/reflux

• Rib pain

• Breathing issues

• Carpal tunnel issues

Cranial osteopathy is a very gentle and effective treatment for a range of issues your baby may experience after birth. Your baby may be born with a mishappen head as a result of compressive forces in the womb, or during the birth process, especially if interventions like ventouse or forceps are needed. You may notice that your baby has trouble turning their head to one side, or feeds better on one breast than the other. Your baby may struggle to bring up wind, have reflux, colic, or constipation causing them to be unsettled. In order to help your baby we take a detailed case history, asking about any issues during pregnancy and delivery, about your baby’s feeding, sleeping, bowel motions or other concerns you may have. We then gently examine joint movements, reflexes, eye-tracking and conduct other osteopathic assessments. Cranial osteopathy is very gentle and can be done with your baby lying down or while you feed them.

Conditions we commonly see babies for:

• Feeding issues

• Neck/head held to one side

• Misshapen heads

• Birth complications

• Colic

• Reflux

• Constipation

• Ear infections

• Sleep disruptions

Childhood may involve a lot of rough and tumble, falls in the playground, and sports injuries which are gently and effectively addressed with osteopathic treatment.

As children move into adolescents, this is often a time of rapid growth resulting in growing pains. Bones grow more quickly than muscles and can result in pain where the muscle tendon joins onto bones. Competitive sport can result in sprains, concussions, and strains associated with over-training. Osteopathy can help in injury recovery and keep children active and involved in sport.

With the move to device-based learning in schools, children spend a great part of their day on electronic devices. Recent research reports that this increased screentime is associated with more children experiencing headaches. We understand and are experienced in treating many of the issues associated with growing up and are able to offer advice on how to manage and mitigate the demands on developing bodies.

• Growing pains

• Severs and Osgood-Schlatters disease

• Sports injuries

• Concussion

• Postural issues

• Headaches

We are often so busy looking after our children that our own health is dropped to the bottom of the list. Yes, we do have minor strains and injuries from time to time and most of the time our amazing bodies do a great job of healing and repairing themselves. If after 2 or 3 days things are not improving, you may need a little help to aid recovery and avoid secondary issues arising from compensations your body is having to make to accommodate your strain/injury. Interestingly, a number of people will put up with increasing levels of pain but only when their strain or injury stops them from being able to perform an activity (usually not being able to exercise to manage stress levels), will they seek treatment. Treating an injury early on is quicker and more effective than treating both the injury and compensations later down the track.

Lockdowns and working from home on poorly set-up work stations have caused many upper back pain, neck pain and headaches! We offer treatment to ease your discomfort, as well as advice on work station set up, postural adjustments, alongside strengthening and stretching exercises to keep you comfortable.

• Postural strains

• Sports and other injuries

• Neck pain and whiplash

• Headaches and migraines

• Dizziness and vertigo

• Upper back stiffness and pain

• Rib issues

• Shoulder, elbow and hand issues

• Muscle spasms

• Back pain

• Sciatica

• Hip, groin and thigh pain

• Knee and foot issues

• Archilles tendonitis and plantar fasciitis

Have you been told that because of your age there is nothing that can be done, and you are just going to have to learn to live with pain and restriction? Osteopaths take a different view!

It is true that as we age our bodies undergo physical wear and tear. Fortunately, many of the problems experienced by our older patients, can be treated with good results.

We understand that for some lying flat on a treatment table is not possible and many of our maturer patients we will treat in a half-upright position. We also know that sore, long-lived bodies don’t like vigorous treatment, making cranial osteopathy a perfect approach. With us you are in safe and gentle hands.

Osteopathic treatment can help with many issues: reduce discomfort, improve mobility, aid circulation, and reduce swelling. Osteopathy can also help you recovery after a fall or accident, and can aid your recovery following surgery. Treatment may also be able to help with issues such as abdominal discomfort, constipation, and recurrent chest infections, to name a few. Feel free to call us to discuss if osteopathic treatment might help you.

How many treatments will you need? This will depend on the severity of your problem and how long it has been around. In general, we would expect to see improvement in 2-4 treatments. We will also help you identify aggravating activities, give advice on how to adapt these to avoid further injury, and some general tips on things you might be able to do at home to help yourself. Some people chose to come for a few treatments until they are feeling more comfortable and able to manage daily activities. Others have chosen to come back for “maintenance treatment” because they feel so much better! You will never be pressured into returning. If/when to come in is totally up to you.

How we can help:

• Stiffness and restriction

• Arthritic and degenerative conditions (Don’t believe that nothing can be done for until you have tried osteopathic treatment!!)

• Falls and accidents

• Concussions and head injuries

• Pre- and post-surgical support

• Abdominal discomfort, constipation

• Recurrent chest infections

Struggling with a sports injury or feeling that restriction is limiting your performance? Whether you participate in school sport, are a weekend warrior, or a high-performance athlete, osteopathy may be the answer you have been looking for.

Running, golf, tennis, rugby, netball, dance, swimming and mountain biking are just a few of the fun ways to improve your health and fitness. When activities don’t go as planned, we’re here to help. We are ACC registered so we can lodge your claim and treat your injury in the same visit – no referral from your GP is required.

Following a sporting injury, there may be swelling, bruising and pain. To avoid pain we might limit our movement so that even once the injury is healed, stiffness and restriction may linger. In a sprain, bone alignment, ligaments, muscles, cartilage and blood vessels may all be affected. Often adjacent joints and structures will also be impacted. Osteopathic treatment addresses all of these by working to rebalance joints, gently maintaining mobility, and aiding drainage, circulation and blood flow to assist healing.

A dance student needing to increase her range of movement, the Nationals hurdler whose performance was being impaired by archilles pain, and the Masters footballer that needed help to manage his injury to continue playing till the end of the season, are just some of the sports people we have been able to help.

We undertake a thorough case history and examination. If appropriate, we use tests conducted by other physical specialists and sports physicians alongside our special osteopathic examinations. If appropriate, we are able to refer for X-rays and ultrasounds, or advise on the clinical pathway for more serious injuries.

To support treatment gains we provide expert advice and suggestions on ways to aid your recovery. Osteopathy offers a safe, effective alternative to physiotherapy.

Sporting conditions we commonly treat:

• Sprained ankles, knees (including meniscus and ACL irritations/strains)

• Sprained backs and other joints

• Hamstring, groin and other muscle strains

• Compartment syndrome

• Severs and Osgood-Schlatters disease

• Tennis/golfer’s elbow, and other racquet-sport related strains

• Whiplash

• Rib injuries

• Rotator cuff injuries, including tendonitis, bursitis and labrum injuries

• Plantar fasciitis and Archilles tendonitis.

How we use our bodies on a regular basis has an impact, especially if repetitive movements are required. We notice that common postural strains and injuries are associated with certain jobs and sports.

We will often see builders for sore lower backs (heavy, incorrect lifting), electricians with sore necks (looking up to wire lights), carpet-layers with knee and elbow issues (extended periods kneeling and pulling carpet to tension it), hairdressers and painters with shoulder and hand issues (working with arms elevated for long periods, repetitive thumb cutting action), desk-based office workers with neck, upper back and forearm issues.

Cyclists and rowers who spend extended times in forward-bent positions will often consult us for help with back and hip issues, runners for hips and knees, archers for shoulder and neck issues, golfers and tennis players often come in with back spasms (the torque involved in that great drive or serve!) and the proverbial golfers’ and tennis elbow.

If you need help to recover from your postural or repetitive strain and want advice to avoid ‘going back there’, jump online and book an appointment to see us, book now