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A system of manual treatment used to remove restrictions in the musculo-skeletal system and realign the healthy working of the body. In the late 19th century Dr Andrew Taylor Still, a country doctor in Midwest America, observed that the body's structure was reciprocally related to the way it functioned. He found that freedom of motion of all parts of the body - ensuring that fluids can interchange freely through every tissue and organ - was fundamental to its health. His particular interest was in the spine, as the ‘junction box’ for the neural control of the organs, muscles, circulation and all tissues. Dr Still used his understanding of how the body worked, together with a highly developed hands-on awareness, to understand the root cause of the patient's problem. These same skills would then be used in his system of manual treatment, to realign the spinal and peripheral joints and the fascial compartments enveloping each organ, nerve, muscle and bone, restoring and integrating healthy motion of the body as a whole. In the USA, osteopathy is part of the mainstream medical system: DOs, like MDs, are trained within the hospital system. The majority of osteopathic physicians (DOs) enter family practice, and you can use them the same way you'd use any other family physician. It is then a matter of choice as to how much or how little the DO chooses to use palpatory skills in diagnosis and treatment. As a result, osteopathic manipulation per se is now considered useful primarily for musculoskeletal disorders such as back and neck pain, joint pain, sciatica, sports injuries, repetitive stress injuries, and some types of headache. In Canada, the UK, Europe, Australia and New Zealand, osteopaths are not part of the medical system, but the length of study may be comparable. Throughout the world there is a huge range in how osteopathy is applied. Some osteopaths see their treatment as complementary to orthodox medicine, and may limit themselves to treating musculo-skeletal disorders. Others adhere to the original teachings of A T Still, and believe that osteopathy can be used to assist the body's ability to heal itself, whatever the condition. There are many ways of applying osteopathic principles and a number of approaches have been developed, including Cranial Osteopathy:

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