An international organisation for osteopaths, and for those wanting to understand osteopathic health services for women and children
WHOMBS Osteopathy
Women's Health Services
Osteopaths' scope of practice covers providing services for women in such areas as antenatal support, post partum recovery, menopause guidance and support and for supporting women with gynaecological or urogenital pain and dysfunction, and pelvic floor problems, plus much more.
Women's Health Services by Osteopaths - some examples
Antenatal and pregnancy services
Movement and posture changes significantly during pregnancy and many women experience pain, discomfort or movement/function challenges as part of their pregnancy journey. These are often able to help helped by advice, hands on work , exercise suggestions and general antenatal support education woman about how their body changes so they are more comfortable and confident as they look forwards to the birth ad their new family. In the UK, in England, the NHS recognises osteopaths as allied health professionals who can contribute to the antenatal care pathway, and many osteopaths care frequently for pregnant women.
Post partum support
Post partum recovery can be complex for some women, who may have had a variety of birth experiences, or tissue injury or complications for surgical, assisted or challenging birth journeys.
Apart from the actual tissue damage there are often many challenges about sense of self, about how women feel about their bodies, how they experience their pelvic function and how the pain and symptoms they experience complicate their retainership with their baby and their family.
An osteopathic post partum service can include pelvic floor rehabilitation, scar management, pain management and tissue recovery. But it can also include embodied support and using hands on to help a woman gain greater confidence, understanding and healing of her pregnancy and birth journey, from an embodied and somatic perspective.
Sensitivity and experience in hands on care can help women on many levels, and osteopaths are sensitive to complex histories and when women may need the support of other health professionals.
Breast health across the lifespan
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Pelvic floor function, external and vaginal or rectal assessments of function
Osteopaths with women's health training have extensive knowledge of the pelvic floor muscles, the pelvic joints, and the pelvic organ soft tissues and function. Having a global and three dimensional understanding of pelvic function is very important when offering service to support women with a variety of pelvic dysfunctions and pain. Many pelvic pathologies or surgeries such as laparoscopy or bladder suspension can cause ongoing problems that can be helped with hands on care, self help advise and exercise advise and guidance. Sometimes, the muscles and tissues of the pelvis may need to be assed internally through the vagina or rectum, and osteopaths with advanced training have the scope and competence to perform these assessments sensitively and carefully. Osteopaths can add to your body awareness, self knowledge and confidence by identifying an individual strategy of treatment, advice and education to aid and support your recovery and / or ongoing function.
Menopause support
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Breast cancer and lymphoedaema support
Breast cancer affects many women and the surgery offered can sometimes lead to complications such as axillary cording, chest, neck, arm and back pain, and also tissue swelling / lymphoedema. Scar tissue can lead to localised pain and movement challenges and the tissue effects of radiotherapy can also lead to additional movement problems and symptoms. Hands on care, applied carefully is not contradicted as part of your cancer journey, and osteopaths can offer many approaches to help improve movement, reduce tension and help ease symptoms. Osteopathic training at undergraduate and post graduate levels includes working with scars and fluid circulation, including lymphatic care, and this is a normal part of an osteopaths scope of practice, and osteopaths are aware of the risks and complications associated with cancer and work accordingly.
Bone health, movement and musculoskeletal system support for older women
Osteopaths are well placed to help support older women with advise and education about bone health, and how to manage the movement challenges as we get older and lose muscle mass. Hands on care can help with function, with musculoskeletal pains and symptoms, and
Many osteopaths also have extra training in nutrition and self help strategies and can advise on additional support for your body framework across the lifespan. Osteopaths can also have experience with imaging and scans for bone health and can help you understand the implications of many bony pathologies that are common in older age. Pre-habitation and post surgical rehabilitation services can also be offered by osteopaths.
Urogenital, bladder, bowel and gynaecological support service for pain and other problems
Osteopaths with women's health training have extensive knowledge of the pelvic floor muscles, the pelvic joints, and the pelvic organ soft tissues and function. Having a global and three dimensional understanding of pelvic function is very important when offering service to support women with a variety of pelvic dysfunctions and pain. Many pelvic pathologies or surgeries such as laparoscopy or bladder suspension can cause ongoing problems that can be helped with hands on care, self help advise and exercise advise and guidance. Sometimes, the muscles and tissues of the pelvis may need to be assed internally through the vagina or rectum, and osteopaths with advanced training have the scope and competence to perform these assessments sensitively and carefully. Osteopaths can add to your body awareness, self knowledge and confidence by identifying an individual strategy of treatment, advice and education to aid and support your recovery and / or ongoing function.
Research and evidence
Osteopathic support services for women draw on a wide range of manual therapy, biopsychosocial, self-help, rehabilitation, neuroscience, physiology and medical evidence and knowledge bases.
The osteopathic support services consultation will determine what education support can be offered so you better understand your condition., a screening service to determine if onward referral is required, an assessment for manual and movement factors that may be relevant in your situation, a review of your self-help strategies, and advice and support to enhance these where possible, and your osteopath can give you time and focus to help understand what osteopathy can offer you, or where its limits may be. Each practitioner has different skill sets and knowledge, o if one osteopath is unable to offer the support of service you need a different osteopath may, and all practitioners will help you find the best support for you.