The following areas:

All our Osteopaths have a keen interest in sporting activities so they understand the stress and strains that your body can go through.  Here at Moorhouse Osteopathic Centre we have treated International competitors as well as children representing their school teams.  We are confident in managing the goals of athletes and are equip to treat your injury and help you return to your chosen sport so you can keep doing what you love. 

We devise treatment and rehabilitation to minimise re-injury and to allow a quicker return to physical activity.  Osteopathy addresses the underlying causes of the injury not just alleviating the symptoms and therefore helping to prevent recurrence.  

We see people regularly at the frequency that they need. Some patients come to us pre-season, some halfway thought for a check-up and others want to have a few pre-season sessions to help avoid injuries.  

We are ACC accredited and can register your new injury claim without a GP referral.  

“I have always loved working with Martial Artists and Yoga practitioners who I feel have an affinity for the core concepts behind Osteopathy.” Stephen McCann Osteopath  

“I love working with sporting people. Whether they are doing it at a social level or in a more competitive environment, it is a real pleasure helping people reach their goals and to continue participating in their passions.” Catlin Graves Osteopath 

“I took up skiing at fifty and have never looked back.  I love working with fellow enthusiasts and sharing information on how to stay healthy and strong on the slopes.  Together at Moorhouse Osteopathic Centre we have kept a large contingent of Cantabrians on the ski slopes enjoying their winter season.”  Stephen McCann Osteopath 

The work related injuries that we treat depends on your profession but we can divide this topic between acute and chronic injuries. While we do see many sudden acute injuries there is a continuing growth in chronic repetitive style conditions. From poor posture and the repetitiveness of some jobs/professions there is a need to support people to better health with Osteopathy.  We live busy lives and need quick efficient solutions to our problems where possible and this is what we provide, along with the relevant/specific advice to tackle your particular issues. Often simple changes can yield great results.  

If you have had a work place injury due to an accident we can register your new claim with ACC without a GP referral. 

Maintenance:

As an example we treat a lot of people in the building industry. They come with an acute problem and end up having a “Warrant of Fitness” with us regularly throughout the year.  Rather than waiting for an injury to occur they are proactive in keeping themselves well.  

“We support many patients who have high-stress jobs with multiple responsibilities for both people and deadlines. They say Osteopathic Treatment is part of their overall approach to a busy successful life.”  Stephen McCann Osteopath 

“I enjoy working alongside individuals, assisting them in feeling 100%, so they can continue to thrive in their daily working lives.”  Caitlin Graves Osteopath 

Osteopathic care during and after pregnancy: 

• Easing some of the physical discomforts of pregnancy 
• Acupuncture for nausea/morning sickness 
• Assisting the new mother to recover after birth 

How can Osteopathy help: 

A pregnant body undergoes some amazing physical and hormonal changes.  These changes can cause aches and pains in the back, abdomen, pelvis and thighs.  Hormones will start to relax muscles and loosen ligaments and joints to accommodate your growing baby and prepare your body for labour.  As your baby grows and becomes heavier your centre of gravity and posture changes, this can lead to problems with your balance and strain on your back. 

Your osteopath aims to support these natural changes in your body whilst helping to alleviate any pain and discomfort.  Osteopathic treatment is gentle and safe for you and your growing baby.  Treatment can include massage of the soft tissues and stretches as well as other gentle Osteopathic techniques. We can provide advice on posture and your treatment will be tailored to your individual needs and concerns. 

Here at Moorhouse Osteopathic Centre we also offer Acupuncture which is a safe, drug free and very effective in the treatment of Morning sickness.   

We can also help new mothers during their recovery from labour and adapting to the demands of your growing family.  Carrying your new born and breast feeding can put strain on your back and neck all whilst your body is still recovering from giving birth.  As well as specific targeted treatment we can provide advice on posture, how to lift your baby and strengthening exercises. 

At Moorhouse Osteopathic Centre we encourage parents/caregivers to bring their babies along for an Osteopathic check-up.  This treatment may involve soft tissue, cranial and visceral techniques, which is gentle, non-invasive, a hand-on treatment that is commonly used on babies.

During a natural birth and delivery a lot of pressure is exerted on the babies’ skull, thus creating a moulding effect.  Following delivery the head returns to its natural shape – crying and sucking greatly assist this process.  However in some babies this re-moulding never fully occurs.

Osteopathic research has found a tension pattern remains within the membrane system of the cranium (bones enclosing the brain).  Traumatic births (forceps, caesarean sections, fast or prolonged labour) greatly increase chances of this occurring.  If a tension pattern is formed and not corrected it can become established and remain for life.  Cranial therapy removes the tension and helps to normalise the shape of the cranium.  Colic, reflux, latching and sucking difficulties, preference to turning head in one direction and infant irritability can be improved.

Osteopathy in itself is not a cure for conditions such as colic; however, when physical strains are found in a baby, especially though the back and neck, osteopathic treatment often seems to make the baby more comfortable and significantly reduces their irritability and prolonged crying.  Babies that are unable to turn their head in both directions often have difficulties breastfeeding because of their discomfort in certain positions, which can lead to increased windiness and colic-like symptoms. They are often uncomfortable lying down and prefer to be carried, and when asleep on their back can develop flat head on their preferred side.

The Osteopath looks for tension patterns in the babies body and using a variety of gentle techniques, tries to resolve this, usually leaving a more settled and happy baby.  We recommend that all newborns are checked after birth.

If you have any questions about Osteopathic treatment for your baby please call and an Osteopath will be happy to speak with you.

It is a particular pleasure in this practice, because of its longevity, to treat several generations of the same family.  As a result we see a lot of children/teens. We treat them for falls from monkey bars to growing pains/posture issues (a huge problem in this smartphone age) we look to support children to lead healthy active lives.  

We often hear parents saying “I nag my child about their posture all the time” however we are able to advise the young person by helping them understand why their posture is so important and give clear evidence as to how this will benefit them.   We are here to assist parents in managing the changing needs and demands of their children’s growing bodies.  We understand that developing good habits in our children is very important in leading a healthy, active and pain free life. 

Children’s Sports

We treat acute injuries when a child/teen has been injured from playing sports; we also see a lot of overuse injuries caused by repetitive actions.  These repetitive actions put too much stress on the bones and muscles which is more problematic in young athletes because they can affect bone growth. 

All children who play sports can develop an overuse injury.  These types of injuries can be aggravated by growth spurts, an imbalance between strength and flexibility, inadequate warm-up, excessive activity, improper technique, and unsuitable equipment. 

It’s important to get overuse injuries diagnosed and treated to prevent them from turning into larger, chronic problems.  We devise treatment and rehabilitation to minimise re-injury.  Osteopathy addresses the underlying causes of the injury not just alleviating the symptoms and therefore helping to prevent recurrence.  

Osteopathy is safe, effective and drug free.  If your child’s pain is a result of an accident we can register a new ACC injury claim without a GP referral. 

“I love watching our younger patients grow and thrive.  It is one of the highlights of my job that by improving young people’s posture I am setting them up for a healthier and easier life without pain.”  Stephen McCann Osteopath  

“I enjoy working with children, and seeing them ‘come out of their shell’ over the course of the treatment. I love hearing about what they’re interested in and sometimes even what they’re struggling with. I can appreciate that being a kid in these times can sometimes be tough!” Catlin Graves Osteopath

A lot of people who have not had an Osteopathic treatment before might be surprised by the calming relaxing effects of Osteopathy.  It is hard to relax with pain or muscle tension. Often with this comes poor breathing and poor posture.  Osteopathy helps significantly with all these things by its holistic approach to the body and general well-being. 

Osteopathy is used by many of our current patients as a part of their health lifestyle and to de-stress.  Rather than waiting for an injury to occur you can be proactive in keeping yourself well with regular maintenance treatments. 

“As well as treating acute injuries I want to help prevent them.  I want to share my knowledge of Osteopathy by developing a wellness plan for my patients.” Stephen BSc Osteopath 

“I understand how much stress can impact the way you feel physically, and I understand the relationship between the two. Osteopathy can benefit not only how you physically feel, but also helps to manage the nervous system’s response to stress” Caitlin Graves 

Gone are the days when “old” people retire, they now start a new phase of life which can be just as active as their working life.  We have often heard our older patients say “I don’t know when I found the time to work”.  With exercise classes, tramping, study, gardening and special interest groups our mature patients are an active group of people.  We are here to assist in keeping our patients mobile so they can continue to reap the rewards of all their hard work.  

As your body ages we know that it is even more important for you to keep moving and we can support you to stay active.  Osteopathy is safe, gentle and effective.  We aim to help you to maintain your health, increase mobility, improve balance and blood flow, prevent further joint wear and tear, and therefore reduce the risk of debilitating falls, keeping you pain free and independent so you can get on with enjoying your life. 

Osteopathy can help with: 

• Symptoms of general stiffness 
• Back, neck, hip or knee pain  
• Relieving pain from some arthritic conditions 
• Assist with recovery after surgery 

“Our mature patients are an active group of people who are often an inspiration to work with.” Stephen McCann Osteopath. 

Where a musculoskeletal problem is the main cause of Headache or Migraines osteopathy is an ideal choice for treatment.  Using Osteopathic Techniques structural and cranial we can reduce stress and tension.  We can improve alignment while working with posture of the head and spine which can greatly reduce the pain and discomfort of headaches and migraines.   

Your osteopath can: 

• Improve your general mobility 
• Improve the mobility of your ribs, thoracic and cervical spine 
• Reduce muscular tension, nerve compression and inflammation 
• Advise on posture, exercise and stretching to help prevent a recurrence of symptoms 
• Advise on improving the ergonomics of your home or workplace 
• Differentiate between headaches with common causes and those due to something more serious and refer you to another health professional if necessary 

“After suffering with headaches throughout the course of my study, I am very keen to help alleviate other people’s headaches and better manage their pain.” Caitlin Graves 

“The subtlety of Osteopathy has always been a factor in my success while working with headaches, migraines and head injuries.” Russell Johns Osteopath

This is what Osteopaths are renowned for – treating pain in the back and neck and also the alignment of the spine.  With back pain affecting 8 out of 10 people at some point in their life – Osteopathy is a powerful tool in aiding the body to work at its best and with speeding the healing process.  We use soft tissue massage, spinal manipulation and the more gentle cranial techniques. 

We can develop an effective personalised treatment plan to help you reduce pain and discomfort.  

Your Osteopath can: 

• improve joint mobility  
• reduce muscular tension, inflammation and nerve irritation  
• offer advice on posture, exercises and stretches  
• advise on ergonomics at home or the workplace  
• refer you for x-rays or Ultrasounds when required  
• help you lodge an ACC claim if your pain is the result of an accident 

Osteopaths are trained to differentiate between uncomplicated back pain and pain that requires referral to a specialist.  We have long established referral relationships with doctors and other health practitioners we are happy to refer patients on to them where appropriate.  This holistic patient centred approach puts you first at all times. 

We can help you in making smart lifestyle choices to avoid pain in the future. 

One of the misconceptions of Osteopathy is when people ask “Do you only treat backs?”  Osteopathy is among other things a concept of how to approach the body and pain. This concept is equally applied to an elbow, knee or diaphragm as it is to the spine/back. So the answer is most differently No!  We treat the shoulder, elbow, wrist, hip, knee and ankles. 

From repetitive strain injuries like tennis elbow to shoulder issues and ankle sprains – we can improve movement patterns, reduce pain and lessen the risk of injury in the future. 

Our team at Moorhouse Osteopathic Centre will: 

• find the cause of your problem and provide you with a treatment and management plan tailored to your specific needs. 
• perform any relevant tests and examination to provide a diagnosis 
• hands on treatment which may include massage, stretching, joint mobilisation or ligament work. 
• offer advice on posture, rehabilitation exercises and stretches  
• advise on ergonomics at home or the workplace  
• refer you for x-rays, other scans or to other medical specialist  when required  
• help you lodge an ACC claim if your injury is the result of an accident