What is the difference between Physiotherapists, Osteopaths and Chiropractors?

By Robbie Smith - Edinburgh Physiotherapy Centre Osteopath

Truth be told there are as many similarities between the professions as there are differences. Each therapy has their own philosophy, politics, history and public perception, but in reality all 3 are trying to achieve pretty much the same thing - to take your pain away.

To make things more confusing, each professional continues to do postgraduate courses once they have graduated from University and it is commonplace to choose to specialise in aspects that another professional is better know for. Physios are doing Chiropractic courses, Osteopaths are doing Physio courses, many of us do Acupuncture, and this merges the professions even closer. Each therapist is on the lookout for new techniques to add to the toolbox so we can treat more effectively and get faster results.

Some of the main differences in approach are:
• Osteopaths and Chiropractors tend to manipulate (crack bones) more than Physios
• Physios assess the nerves as a separate system and usually give more exercises and self help than Osteopaths & Chiropractors
• Physios and Osteopaths do more acupuncture than Chiropractors
• Osteopaths and Physios usually give longer sessions and do more work with the muscles than Chiropractors

Similarities:
• All therapists manipulate
• The most common problems seen by all therapists- Osteopaths, Physios and Chiropractors- are back and neck pain
Chiropractors don’t tend to treat as many people with muscle strains or limb problems (knees, ankles, shoulders, elbow, hand)
• All three are trained to degree level and will diagnose your problem before deciding what treatments to give you
• All three have statutory regulation. This means they have a government controlled regulator which maintains the best possible standards and training for each profession.

Of course, there are many, many exceptions to these rules!

Each practitioner will treat using the selection of their techniques that is likely to be most effective for an individual patient, based on a sound understanding of anatomy, physiology and repair processes. But there is more than one way to skin a cat! The difference between practitioners will be their choice of treatments which is influenced by the experience, skills and training of the practitioner.

The end goal is the same, the difference is how they get there.

So the best advice is to try it out, if it works for you keep with that practitioner, if not try another one. Here at The Physiotherapy Centre we have a range of practitioners and you may end up seeing more than one therapist- it’s all about getting you better faster and sometimes a combination of two therapists works better than just sticking with one. Remember, we’re here to guide you on what will work best for you.

Don't Risk Injury on the Golf Course

The summer weather continues to be glorious and The Open Championship is just around the corner, so it’s the perfect time to grab your clubs and take to the fairways.

But anyone planning a quick 18 holes should remember to limber up and stretch properly before hitting the golf course – or risk coming back with a serious injury.

Pain affects thousands of golfers across the UK every day, and more than 60 per cent of golfers suffer injuries that can result in the loss of at least five weeks of the season. But this pain can be easily avoided if golfers take bit of preparation before and during their rounds.

Many golfers don’t realise that they can cut their chances of becoming injured by taking simple precautions. Advice and treatment from a chartered physiotherapist specialising in golfing performance - such as those at the Edinburgh and Glasgow Physio Centres - will help you loosen your muscles and joints to improve your golfing potential, as well as identifying and treating any pre-existing conditions that affect your swing and leave you at risk of injury.

Your body compensates for bad habits, which puts more strain through joints which are not designed for the added stresses of a poor swing path. You may believe that practice makes perfect, but constant repetition of a poor swing will create muscle imbalances which strongly affect your ability to play well – and put extra pressure on your body.

By following a few easy exercises before and during your round, you‘ll be able to rotate and move more freely, thus avoiding the added strain caused by your bad habits. Combined with advice from a seasoned golf pro, this will not only prevent injuries but will help you improve your power and accuracy.

Try using the following exercises before your round and while you are on the course, to get the best results:

• Upper Back Stretches – to increase power, reduce lower back injury and reduce slicing/topping
• Buttock squeezing- this improves your ‘core control’ and makes it easier to improve your ability to develop wind up and recoil
• Buttock Stretches – to reduce slicing/hooking, reduce lower back pain and improve power
• Neck Muscle Stretches – improves shoulder control and reduces slicing/topping
• Forearm Stretches – improves forearm control, reduces slicing and reduces ‘tennis elbow’ pain
• Neck & Shoulder Massages – reduces chances of slicing/topping, increases control and power and reduces neck and upper back stress

Some of these exercises are designed to help prevent lower back pain, which is the most common golfing injury that we treat. By loosening the spine around your shoulder blades, increasing your pelvis muscle control and tightening your buttocks regularly, you will improve your power potential and reduce your chances of injury. It’s actually really easy!

Our Golf Swingbuster exercises will set any golfer on the right path to a pain-free game (regardless of their age), but remember if anyone experiences discomfort during or after they play, they may have an underlying problem which requires further examination.

Your body tells you what you need and any aches and pains are often an indication that you are developing problems which will ultimately affect your game and your handicap. Best advice is to get these sorted sooner than later to prevent them from becoming an issue.

Call the Edinburgh Physio Centre on 0131 556 1116 or the Glasgow Physio Centre on 0141 332 6000 to make your appointment or chat with one of our Chartered Physiotherapists about how we can help you to avoid pain on the course, swing better and start cutting your handicap down to size.