What is the difference between an osteopath and a physiotherapist?

If you suffer from physical complaints, it is important to know which type of care is best for you. Both osteopathy and physiotherapy can help, but they approach your complaints in different ways.

Osteopathy: the body as a whole

An osteopath looks at you as a whole. They examine not only the painful area, but also how other parts of your body are functioning. An osteopath asks themselves: “Why does it hurt there?” For example, a problem in your abdomen or skull can manifest itself as pain in your back or shoulder. Osteopathy focuses on three systems:

• The musculoskeletal system: bones, muscles, joints
• The organ system: organs, blood vessels, lymph vessels
• The nervous system: nerves, skull, spine

Working with their hands, osteopaths look for blockages or reduced mobility in these systems. The aim is to stimulate your body’s self-healing capacity.

Physiotherapy: focused on recovery and movement

A physiotherapist focuses primarily on the recovery of specific physical functions, such as movement, strength and coordination, often after an injury or surgery. Treatment techniques may include:

• Exercise therapy
• Massage techniques
• Equipment such as electrotherapy
• Medical taping

Physiotherapy often focuses on alleviating symptoms and improving mobility and strength in the affected area.

Comparison at a glance

To quickly understand the difference between osteopathy and physiotherapy, we have listed the most important aspects below:

Working together for optimal results

Although osteopathy and physiotherapy have different approaches, they can complement each other well. For example, an osteopath can help restore balance in your body by restoring the mobility (flexibility) of the connective tissue (muscles, tendons, fascia, bones and joints). He loosens what needs to be loosened. Whereas a physiotherapist focuses primarily on the balance between load and load capacity. This often involves training, posture advice and taping.

If you are unsure which treatment is right for you, it is always a good idea to discuss this with your GP or with us. We can advise you based on your specific situation.

For more information, see the page What is osteopathy? »