07/08/2025
Quite honestly - not a lot!
There are far more similarities than differences, all three aiming for the same outcome, hence the understandable confusion! All want to help people get better, help bodies work better, but they use slightly different techniques to get you there.
So how do you choose which one? Often, it’s simply personal preference after a good experience with one of them, rather than picking the type of manual therapy they practice.
But that doesn’t help if you’ve never seen any of them. So, to give you a clue we need to delve a little into the some of the key differences between them.
What would treatment be like?
Osteopaths focus strongly on manual therapy, with a hands-on approach. They first assess movement, strength and flexibility along with medical history, lifestyle patterns and hobbies, then use a combination of treatment techniques including massage, stretching, joint mobilisation and joint manipulation or ’cracking’. Some also perform medical acupuncture.
Chiropractors focus on the alignment of joints, suggesting that the correct alignment of joints will influence the surrounding muscles and nerves. They look at physical movement and flexibility but also take and interpret x-rays. Their main treatment technique is joint manipulation (cracking), though some also add to this repertoire with other techniques such as acupuncture or electrotherapy.
Physiotherapists also assess people in the same way as osteopaths and chiropractors, looking at movement, strength and flexibility. Their assessment is biomechanically focused and, within the NHS, working with a doctor’s diagnosis. Treatment is usually less hands on, instead prescribing exercises. Physiotherapists often use electrotherapy, ultrasound, and shockwave therapy alongside exercises to aid healing.
Conclusion
Essentially the small differences between these professions don’t mean much, it’s the individual care you receive that really matters. So, if you have tried one and didn’t like it, try another, it might suit you better.
To book an appointment with James/Osteopath, Ceri/Physio or Alice/Chiropractor
call Swanage Therapy Centre on 01929 426 506.
