Osteopathy is a gentle, hands-on approach to healthcare that focuses on how your muscles, joints, ligaments, and tissues work together. When your body moves freely and stays balanced, it’s better able to heal itself and function at its best.

Osteopaths use a range of techniques — including soft tissue massage, stretching, joint mobilisation, and spinal adjustments — to release tension, improve movement, and restore proper alignment. By easing restrictions and improving posture, osteopathy helps reduce strain on your body, allowing it to recover more naturally and maintain long-term health.

If you don’t feel comfortable with spinal adjustments, that’s completely fine — treatment can still be just as effective using other gentle methods tailored to you.

People often come to see an Osteopath for all sorts of aches, pains, and stiffness — especially in the back, neck, shoulders, and joints. Osteopathy can also help with sciatica, muscle tension, sports injuries, and postural problems caused by work, driving, or stress.

Because osteopathy looks at the body as a whole, treatment doesn’t just focus on the area that hurts. By improving how your body moves and balances, it can also ease strain in other areas, support recovery from injuries, and help prevent problems from coming back.

Many patients notice that, over time, osteopathy helps them move more freely, feel stronger, and maintain better posture in everyday life.

Your first visit is all about understanding you and what’s been going on. We’ll start with a friendly chat about your symptoms, medical history, lifestyle, and any previous injuries. This helps us get a clear picture of what might be causing your discomfort.

Next, your osteopath will carry out a gentle physical assessment — looking at how you move, your posture, and areas of tension. During this stage, a spinal examination is often included to assess how your back and surrounding muscles function. It’s fine to wear shorts or comfortable trousers for this part. Like every other stage of your appointment, it only happens if you’re happy to go ahead.

If treatment is suitable, we’ll usually begin right away with techniques such as soft-tissue massage, stretching, joint mobilisation, or spinal adjustments (if appropriate). You’ll be covered with a large towel during treatment, so only the area being worked on is visible — helping you stay warm, relaxed, and comfortable at all times.

You’ll leave with a clear understanding of what’s happening, what’s causing your symptoms, and a plan to help you start feeling better.

No, you don’t need a GP referral to see an osteopath. You can book an appointment with us whenever you need help.

That said, some people like to let their GP know they’re having osteopathic treatment, especially if they’re receiving care for an ongoing condition or taking medication. With your permission, we’re always happy to share information with your GP to help make sure your care stays joined up and consistent.

If you’re unsure whether osteopathy is right for you, you’re always welcome to get in touch first for a quick chat — we’ll happily answer any questions before you book.

Osteopathy is a hands-on treatment, so your osteopath may need to see and feel how certain areas of your body move — for example, your back, shoulders, or hips. To do this effectively, you may need to remove some clothing from the upper body so the area can be adequately assessed and treated. You’ll always be given privacy to change, and the rest of your body will be covered with a large towel so that only the area being worked on is visible.

During the examination stage of your first visit, a spinal examination is often carried out to assess your spine’s alignment and movement. It’s fine to wear shorts or comfortable trousers for this part. Like every other stage of your appointment, it only happens if you’re happy to go ahead.

If you’d prefer to remain clothed, that’s completely fine — we can adapt your assessment and treatment to suit your comfort. The most important thing is that you feel relaxed, safe, and in control at all times.

Most people find osteopathic treatment comfortable and often quite relaxing. The techniques we use, such as soft tissue massage, stretching, joint mobilisation, and gentle spinal adjustments, are designed to relieve tension and improve movement, not to cause pain.

You might feel mild soreness or tenderness in the treated area for a day or two afterwards, similar to how you might feel after gentle exercise. This is a normal response as your body adjusts and begins to heal.

If at any point during treatment you feel uncomfortable, just let your osteopath know — we’ll always adapt what we’re doing to suit your comfort level. Your treatment should never be painful, and your feedback helps us make sure it feels right for you.

That really depends on your individual situation. Everyone responds to treatment at a different pace. The severity of the injury, your posture, and any aggravating factors all play a part. Some people feel a noticeable improvement after just one or two sessions, while others with longer-term or recurring problems may benefit from a short course of treatment. Most injuries are corrected within three to five weekly sessions.

At your first appointment, you’ll be given a clear diagnosis and prognosis so you know what to expect. The goal is always to get you feeling better as quickly and sustainably as possible, with as few sessions as you need.

We’ll also give you tailored advice and exercises to help you manage your symptoms between treatments and reduce the chances of the problem returning.

Yes — osteopathy is very safe when carried out by a qualified professional. In the UK, all practising Osteopaths must complete extensive training and are regulated by the General Osteopathic Council (GOsC), which ensures the highest standards of safety, skill, and professional conduct. You can visit the General Osteopathic Council website to view the public register and training standards. Mark’s registration number is 7003.

Osteopathic treatment is always tailored to you and your specific condition. Before any treatment begins, your osteopath will take a full case history and perform a careful examination to make sure the approach is suitable and safe. Some techniques aren’t appropriate for certain diagnoses — whenever that’s the case, it will always be discussed with you beforehand, with a full explanation as to why.

If at any point something doesn’t feel right, just let your osteopath know. We’ll always adapt the treatment to your comfort — your wellbeing is our top priority.

It’s best to wear comfortable clothing that allows you to move freely — for example, leggings, joggers, or shorts and a loose top. This makes it easier for your osteopath to assess your posture and movement, and to treat you effectively.

If we need to examine or treat a specific area, such as your back or shoulder, we may ask you to remove some clothing from the upper body. You’ll always be given privacy to change, and the rest of your body will be covered with a large towel so only the area being worked on is visible.

During the examination stage, a spinal assessment is often carried out to check how your back and surrounding muscles are functioning. It’s absolutely fine to wear shorts or comfortable trousers for this part — the most important thing is that you feel relaxed and at ease throughout your appointment.

Booking an appointment is easy. You can call us directly or use our online booking system to choose a time that suits you. If you’re not sure whether osteopathy is right for you, you’re always welcome to get in touch first — we’ll happily answer any questions before you decide to book.

Our clinic is based in Stretford, Manchester, with flexible appointment times available throughout the week. We aim to offer appointments as soon as possible, especially if you’re in pain or discomfort.