The Origins of Osteopathic Medicine

The core philosophy of Osteopathy was developed in the 1870’s by a visionary American physician Dr Andrew Taylor Still . He founded the first school of Osteopathy in Kirksville Missouri in 1892.

Dr Still formulated ‘Osteopathy’ as a form of ‘manual medicine’ that didn’t rely on drugs or surgery.

The name comes from the Greek roots ‘osteon’ which means bone and ‘pathos’ from which we derive ’empathy’.

Dr Still revived and placed great emphasis on the ability to use the hands to treat and heal the body by restoring structural integrity .

Modern day Osteopaths train for 5 years at university and receive a thorough grounding in contemporary medical science, combining this knowledge with classical Osteopathic technique which has continued to develop since it’s inception by Dr Still.