Registered Osteopaths • North London
Osteopathy
Individual osteopathic care for adults, children and babies
At Sutherland House in North London, our registered osteopaths provide individual assessment, treatment and management for a range of musculoskeletal problems.
Osteopathy considers how the muscles, joints and other structures of the body work together. Rather than using the same treatment for everyone with a particular symptom, your osteopath will assess your medical history, movement and physical presentation before recommending an approach appropriate to you.
Treatment may include gentle joint mobilisation and articulation, soft-tissue techniques, stretching, exercise and movement advice and, where appropriate, manipulation.
Our osteopaths work with adults, children and babies and offer both structural osteopathy and cranial osteopathy, with techniques adapted to each patient’s age, health and individual circumstances.
Clinical assessment first
Your osteopath will assess whether treatment is appropriate before recommending an individual approach.
Understanding Osteopathy
What is Osteopathy?
Osteopathy is a regulated healthcare profession focused particularly on the musculoskeletal system – the muscles, joints and associated tissues that support movement and physical function.
Osteopaths use clinical assessment and hands-on techniques alongside advice about movement, exercise and self-management.
An appointment does not begin with a predetermined treatment. Your osteopath first considers why you have come to the clinic, your medical history and the findings from an appropriate physical examination.
This helps determine:
- whether osteopathic treatment is appropriate
- which areas may be contributing to your symptoms
- which treatment techniques may be suitable
- whether exercise or self-management advice could be beneficial
- whether referral to a GP or another healthcare professional should be considered.
Osteopathic care can therefore include hands-on treatment, advice, exercise and, where appropriate, onward referral rather than treatment alone.
Common Reasons for Attending
What Can Osteopathy Help With?
People commonly visit an osteopath because pain, stiffness or restricted movement is affecting their work, sport, sleep or everyday activities.
ASA/CAP currently accepts that registered osteopaths can advertise treatment for a defined range of conditions and symptoms. These include:
Back and neck pain
- general, acute and chronic backache and back pain
- lumbago
- uncomplicated mechanical neck pain
- headaches arising from the neck
Joint and muscle problems
- joint pains
- generalised aches and pains
- muscle spasms
- cramp
- arthritic and rheumatic pain
- frozen shoulder
- certain shoulder and elbow pain
- hip and knee pain arising from osteoarthritis, as an adjunct to core osteoarthritis treatment and exercise
Other presentations
- minor sports injuries
- sciatica
- neuralgia
- fibromyalgia
- migraine prevention
- tension and inability to relax.
Individual Care
Our Approach to Osteopathy
There is no single osteopathic technique suitable for everybody.
At Sutherland House, treatment is selected according to the individual rather than simply according to the name of the condition.
Depending on your assessment, an osteopath may use:
- soft-tissue techniques
- joint mobilisation
- joint articulation
- stretching
- muscle-energy techniques
- manipulation where appropriate
- gentle cranial techniques
- movement and exercise advice
- postural or lifestyle advice.
Some patients may benefit from a predominantly structural approach; others may be treated using gentler cranial techniques. In some cases an osteopath may combine different approaches within the same treatment plan.
Assessment and treatment focused on muscles, joints and movement
Structural Osteopathy
Structural osteopathy places particular emphasis on the musculoskeletal system and the way different areas of the body move and function together.
Your osteopath may assess posture, mobility, muscle and joint function and relevant movement patterns before deciding on an appropriate treatment approach.
Treatment may include techniques such as soft-tissue work, mobilisation, articulation, stretching and, where clinically appropriate, manipulation.
Structural osteopathy does not mean every patient receives forceful manipulation. Techniques are selected and adapted according to the individual.
Structural osteopathy at Sutherland House
Our structural osteopathy service is available for adults, children and babies, with assessment and treatment adapted appropriately for age and presentation.
A particularly gentle approach to osteopathic treatment
Cranial Osteopathy
Cranial osteopathy describes a gentle approach used by some osteopaths as part of osteopathic assessment and treatment.
It involves subtle manual techniques and light contact. Despite the name, cranial osteopathy is not necessarily limited to treatment of the head; an osteopath considers the patient as a whole and selects techniques according to the findings of the assessment.
Cranial techniques may be used alone or alongside other osteopathic approaches.
They can be particularly suitable where an osteopath determines that a gentler approach is appropriate.
Cranial osteopathy at Sutherland House
Sutherland House provides cranial osteopathic care for adults, children and babies.
Age-appropriate osteopathic assessment and care
Osteopathy for Children and Babies
Our registered osteopaths also see children and babies.
Osteopaths are trained to adapt their approach for different ages. An appointment for a child or baby therefore differs from an adult osteopathy appointment.
For babies and younger children, the osteopath will take a detailed history from the parent or guardian and carry out an examination appropriate to the child’s age and reason for attending.
Any hands-on techniques used are adapted accordingly and may involve very gentle contact.
For older children and teenagers, assessment may also consider relevant areas such as posture, movement, muscles, joints, physical activity and sporting demands.
Parents or guardians are involved in the consultation and consent process as appropriate.
What does osteopathy treat in babies and children?
It is important to make a distinction between osteopaths being able to treat babies and children as patients and claiming that osteopathy treats particular paediatric conditions.
Current ASA/CAP guidance allows osteopaths to refer to treating babies and children. However, evidence for osteopathy in relation to many conditions specific to babies and children is limited, so claims to treat conditions such as colic, reflux, feeding difficulties or sleep problems should not be made without an appropriate robust evidence base.
At Sutherland House, we therefore provide individual osteopathic assessment and care rather than making unsupported claims about the treatment of specific childhood or infant conditions.
Where something identified during an assessment requires medical investigation or care outside the scope of osteopathy, your osteopath will advise you to consult the appropriate healthcare professional.
Your First Appointment
What Happens at Your First Osteopathy Appointment?
1. Consultation
Your osteopath will begin by asking about the reason for your appointment.
They may discuss:
- your current symptoms
- when and how they began
- your medical history
- previous injuries or surgery
- medication
- relevant investigations or diagnoses
- work and everyday activities
- exercise and sport
- other factors relevant to your health.
This information helps the osteopath build an appropriate clinical picture before examining or treating you.
2. Osteopathic assessment
An appropriate physical examination will then usually be carried out.
Depending on your presentation, your osteopath may assess areas such as:
- posture
- movement
- joint mobility
- muscle function
- areas of tenderness or restriction
- relevant neurological or orthopaedic signs.
Not every assessment requires every type of examination.
3. Explanation and treatment plan
Your osteopath will discuss their findings with you and explain whether they believe osteopathic care is appropriate.
If treatment is recommended, they will explain the proposed approach so that you can make an informed decision about your care.
GOsC standards require osteopaths to provide patients with information about their options, expected benefits and material risks and to obtain valid consent before examination and treatment.
4. Treatment
Treatment will depend upon your individual assessment and may incorporate one or several osteopathic techniques.
You may also be given exercises, movement strategies or other self-management advice where appropriate.
Understanding Your Options
Do I Need Cranial or Structural Osteopathy?
You do not necessarily need to decide this yourself.
Both cranial and structural techniques sit within osteopathic practice, and an osteopath may use different techniques according to the person they are treating.
As a general guide:
Structural Osteopathy
Greater emphasis on joints, muscles and movement
May include mobilisation, soft-tissue treatment and manipulation
Often associated with musculoskeletal presentations
Can be adapted for different ages
Cranial Osteopathy
Particularly gentle manual approach
Usually involves light contact and subtle techniques
May be chosen where a gentler approach is appropriate
Can be adapted for adults, children and babies
Meet the Team
Your Osteopaths at Sutherland House
Our osteopathic team provides assessment and treatment from Sutherland House in NW11, North London.
Registered Osteopath
Bsc (Hons) Osteopathy Med ND DPO
Cranial Osteopathy
FSM Practitioner
View Sarojni’s Profile
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