Osteopathy is a "whole body" system of manual therapy, based on unique biomechanical principles, which uses a wide range of techniques to treat musculo-skeletal problems and other functional disorders of the body.
Osteopaths are government registered practitioners and complete a minimum of five years’ university training in anatomy, physiology, pathology, general medical diagnosis and osteopathic techniques.

Osteopaths are primary healthcare practitioners specialising in manual medicine with the philosophy that a healthy body relies on a structurally sound musculo-skeletal system.
Only when the framework of the body ie bones, joints and muscles are working smoothly and harmoniously can the other systems of the body function at their best.

Osteopathy best known for the treatment of a wide variety of musculo-skeletal problems.
Also has a role to play in the management of a number of other conditions and when used in conjunction with medical treatment can be of value in reducing the severity of symptoms in conditions such as asthma, gynaecological dysfunction and chronic fatigue.

Many mothers-to-be find Osteopathic treatment very beneficial both to reduce back pain during pregnancy and also to help prepare the body for birth.
In addition, there is a wide variety of gentle non-manipulative techniques for use on infants and small children. These can be used in the management of problems such as forceps trauma, infant colic and "glue ear."

Central to osteopathy is the study of ‘biomechanics’ – how each part of the musculo-skeletal system interacts with and influences every other part.
Any joint or muscle injury must therefore be treated in the context of the whole body, since other parts of the musculo-skeletal system will also be affected.
For instance, an ankle injury may mean that the patient limps and favours the other foot. Over time, this imbalance can lead to secondary injuries, such as soreness in the other ankle, knee or hip, or perhaps back pain.

Osteopaths will devise a strategy of treatment that takes into account the entire musculo-skeletal system.
Attention is also given to other systems of the body – such as the circulatory, nervous and lymphatic systems – since these all play significant roles in the healing process.

Osteopathy and osteopathic medicine are often used inter-changeably[1] for the philosophy and system of alternative medical practice first proposed by A. T. Still MD, DO in 1874. It emphasizes the interrelationship between structure and function of the body and recognizes the body's ability to heal itself; it is the role of the osteopathic practitioner to facilitate that process.[2] The American Osteopathic Association recommends using osteopathic physician and osteopathic medicine to describe 'American Osteopathy', practiced by full scope of practice physicians, and using osteopath and osteopathy to describe the restricted-scope form of practice in many other jurisdictions.[3][4][5] Despite this, many osteopathic physicians in the US still use the term osteopath.[6] reference Wikipedia