What are the opening hours?

Monday 8:30am - 5:30pm Tuesday 8:30am - 5:30pm Wednesday 8:30am - 5:30pm Thursday 8:30am - 5:30pm

Craig Dalton Osteopathy, 2 Manners Street (level 9), Te Aro, Wellington (2026)

08/04/2026

🫁 The power of your breath 🫁

Breath isn’t just for survival - it’s a tool for relaxation, recovery, and overall wellbeing.

Many of us (including me) hold tension in our shoulders, neck, or back without even realising it. Learning to breathe properly can help:

✨ Release tension: Deep, slow breaths relax muscles and calm your nervous system.

✨ Support spinal health: Engaging your diaphragm strengthens your core and eases neck and back strain.

✨ Boost energy & focus: Oxygen fuels your body and brain for better performance.

Try this simple exercise...

1) Sit or lie comfortably.
2) Inhale deeply through your nose for 4 counts, feeling your belly expand.
3) Hold for 2 counts.
4) Exhale slowly through your mouth for 6 counts.
5) Repeat 5 times and notice your body soften with each breath.

Incorporating conscious breathwork into your day can make a big difference to how you feel and move.

💡 Want more tips for using breath to reduce pain, tension, and stress? Book a session and let’s get you breathing better.

02/04/2026

Tips to rest and recover over the easter break 🐣

Feeling the need for some down time this Easter?

Here are 3 simple activities to help you relax your body and mind:

1) Go for a nature walk: Fresh air and greenery can calm your nervous system and lift your mood. 🌳

2) Practice 4-6-8 breathwork: Inhale for 4 seconds, hold for 6, exhale slowly for 8. Repeat a few times to instantly reduce stress. 🌬️

3) Enjoy a mindful nap or quiet reading time: Give your body and mind a chance to recharge fully. 📖

Small moments of rest and recovery make a big difference for your body and mind. 🌿

30/03/2026

Are you a runner dealing with plantar fasciitis? 👣🏃‍♂️

That sharp heel pain first thing in the morning or during your runs can be incredibly frustrating, but the right exercises can make a huge difference.

Try these 3 simple, effective exercises to help you get back on track.

💡 Consistency is key: These aren’t quick fixes, but done regularly, they can reduce symptoms and improve your running capacity over time.

If you’re not improving, it might be time to look deeper at your load, biomechanics, and overall recovery.

⚠️ Disclaimer: This is general advice only and not a substitute for individual assessment.

Feel free to reach out if you need help getting back to pain-free running.

29/03/2026

Exciting news!

From Monday 13th April, I’ll be opening an additional clinic day at 🙌

🕣 Mondays | 8:30am – 5:30pm

If you’ve been meaning to book in, this is a great chance to grab a spot at the start of the week and stay on top of your recovery, movement, and performance.

Feel free to reach out or book online.

I look forward to seeing you there!

24/03/2026

Why I love wearing barefoot shoes (and why you might too) 👣

As an osteopath, I look at everything from the ground up and your feet are your primary interface to walking.

One of the biggest shifts I’ve made (personally and with patients) is moving toward barefoot-style footwear.

The problem with modern shoes:
🙈 Narrow toe boxes → restrict natural toe spread
🙈 Cushioning → reduces feedback from the ground
🙈 Stiff soles → limit movement
🙈 Raised heels → shift your centre of gravity

Over time, this can lead to weaker and less capable feet.

What barefoot shoes do differently:
• Let your toes spread
• Keep you flat and grounded
• Allow natural movement mechanics
• Improve connection and awareness with the ground

Why it matters:

💛 Stronger feet – use it or lose it
💛 Better balance – more movement = more stability
💛 Better movement – your nervous system gets clearer feedback
💛 Whole-body benefits – feet influence everything upstream

Oush - but don’t rush the process ⚠️

If you’ve worn supportive shoes for years, your feet may be:
• Weak
• Stiff
• Sensitive to load

Switch too fast → calf, Achilles, or plantar fascia issues may arise

Think of it like the gym: Start light. Build gradually.

• Begin barefoot at home
• Add short walks in the garden
• Slowly increase load

Discomfort = normal
Pain = ease off

The long-term payoff?

🔥 Stronger feet
🔥 Better movement
🔥 More resilience

Key takeaway:
Barefoot shoes aren’t a quick fix -
they’re a way to restore what your body already has.

Curious about making the switch?
I'm happy to guide you 👣

23/03/2026

The 4 P’s of managing chronic pain 💡

Think of managing pain like learning to drive in traffic 🚗

At first, everything feels overwhelming -you might stall, take wrong turns, or feel like you’re not going anywhere.

Pacing 🐢: is like not flooring the accelerator. You ease into it, learning control before speed.

Persistence 🔄: is sticking with it, even after a rough drive. Progress isn’t perfect and you should improve over time.

Passion ❤️: is remembering why you’re driving in the first place - freedom, independence, getting to the places that matter most.

Praise 👏: is giving yourself credit for every small win - your first smooth turn, your first confident trip.

Over time, what once felt stressful becomes second nature.

Managing pain works the same way -steady, imperfect progress gets you there.

18/03/2026

Why you might feel super relaxed or wiped out after treatment 😴✨

Ever left a treatment feeling unusually calm, sleepy, or a bit “out of it”? That’s often something we call "parasympathetic rebound" 🧘‍♂️💆‍♀️.

Your body has two main modes:
- Fight, flight, freeze ⚡
- Rest, digest, recover 🛌

Many people walk into treatment stuck in a high-level stress state - busy mind, tight muscles, shallow breathing. Treatment helps shift the body out of that and back into a calmer, regulated state 🌿.

That shift can feel like:
– Deep relaxation 😌
– Sleepiness or fatigue 💤
– Slower thoughts 🧠
– Even mild emotional release 😢

It’s not a bad thing - it’s your nervous system finally getting a chance to down-regulate 🌸.

What should you do?
Lean into it. Hydrate 💧, take it easy 🛋️, and if your body wants rest, give it rest 💤.

This is often where healing actually starts 🌟.

Osteopathy isn’t just about joints and muscles - it’s about helping your whole system reset 👐.

18/03/2026

The tiny gland that affects your whole body 🤲

You’ve probably never thought about your pituitary gland…

But it plays a huge role in how you feel day to day.

It’s a small gland at the base of your brain, often called the “master gland” because it controls many of your hormones.

💫 What does that mean for you?

Your pituitary helps regulate things like:

✅ Energy levels
✅ Stress response
✅ Sleep
✅ Growth and recovery
✅ Reproductive health
✅ Hydration

A few key hormones it controls

Growth hormone → helps your body repair and recover

Energy hormone (via cortisol) → how you handle stress day to day

Thyroid signals → your metabolism and energy levels

Reproductive hormones → cycles, fertility, libido

Oxytocin → connection, bonding, and even how safe you feel

Why this matters...

This system is very sensitive to your lifestyle.

Things like:

🔥 Stress
🔥 Poor sleep
🔥 Overtraining
🔥 Emotional load

…can all affect how well your body regulates itself.

💥 Where osteopathy fits in 💥

Osteopathy isn’t about “fixing hormones” directly.

But it can help support the systems that influence them:

✅ Nervous system regulation
✅ Reducing physical tension
✅ Supporting better sleep and recovery

Because your body works as one connected system - not separate parts.

The takeaway

If you’ve been feeling:

❌ Constantly tired
❌ Stressed or wired
❌ Not recovering well
❌ Out of whack

…it’s not just in your head. Your body might be trying to tell you something.

17/03/2026

The question we don’t ask enough💡

As health practitioners, we often ask: “What caused your pain or flare-up?”

But rarely do we ask: “What was happening when you felt better?”

That’s where the real clues can lie! 🔎

The pilates class that slowly disappeared. The home-cooked batch meals that became convenient takeouts. The coffee catch-ups that slipped away. These small pieces of everyday life keep the cracks in your wellbeing open and often go unnoticed.

Caring for yourself in the quiet ways that actually keep you well. Osteopathy can help support this so you can maintain healthy habits and stay your best self!

10/03/2026

🪑 Busting posture myths!

Think slouching is always bad? Or that sitting straight will magically fix back pain? Let’s clear the air:

Myth 1: There’s one perfect posture. ❌
Your body moves for a reason! Staying in one rigid position can actually stress your muscles and joints. Utilise those positions you don't use much "arms to the sky".

Myth 2: Slouching causes pain. ❌
Pain isn’t just about angles-it’s about strength, diversifying movement habits, and how often you change positions.

Myth 3: Posture alone fixes back or neck pain. ❌
Good posture helps, but mobility, strength, ergonomics, and movement variety are equally important.

✅ Takeaway: Move often, vary your positions, and listen to your body. Perfect posture doesn’t exist, however, functional, comfortable movement does.

💡 Tip: Try micro-breaks every 30-45 mins to stretch and reset your posture.

06/03/2026

Why do some pains hurt more than others? 🤔

Have you ever noticed that two injuries can feel completely different even when one seems worse on paper?

Pain isn’t just about tissue damage. Our brain also weighs up context, emotions, and perceived threat.

Here’s a scenario...

Imagine someone out mountain biking on a trail. They misjudge a corner, slide out, and hit the deck fairly hard. Their knee and elbow get bashed, they feel a bit shaken, but after a moment they stand up, dust themselves off, and keep riding.

Did it hurt? A little.
Did they bruise? Probably.
Was there any serious injury? No.

Despite the fall, the moment feels more exciting and adrenaline-filled than painful.

Now consider a different situation...

Later that week, the same person accidentally stubs their big toe. It’s a very small injury and nothing broken, no real damage, but the pain is immediate and gnarly.

Why does it hurt so much?

Part of it is the surprise and perceived threat. There’s no adrenaline, no distraction, and the nervous system suddenly focuses all its attention on that toe. The brain turns the pain volume up, even though the injury itself is minor.

Two experiences.

One involved a bigger physical impact.
But the smaller injury hurt more.
This illustrates something important: pain isn’t purely physical.

Our nervous system also considers things like:
• Stress and anxiety
• Fear of injury
• Context and environment
• Past experiences

These factors can turn the volume of pain up or down.

This is why, as osteopaths, we look at the whole person, not just the sore body part.

Understanding the emotional and environmental context of pain can be just as important as treating the physical structures.

Pain is real, but it is also complex, protective, and influenced by our experiences.

And the good news? When we understand how pain works, we can start to manage it better and support recovery more effectively. 💡

03/03/2026

How often should you get osteopathic treatment? 🤔

It’s one of the most common questions I get asked and the honest answer is:

It depends on you...

Osteopathy isn’t a “once-a-week forever” type of medicine. It’s about supporting your body at the right time, for the right reason.

🤕 If you’re in acute pain:
Recent injury, flare-up, or sudden back/neck pain? You might need a few closer-together sessions to calm things down, restore movement, and get you functioning confidently again.

⏳ If you’re dealing with a persistent issue:
Long-standing problems often benefit from spaced, structured care while we work on strength, movement habits, load management, and recovery.

😍 If you’re feeling good:
Some people choose occasional check-ins. Not because they’re broken, but because they value how they move, train, work, and sleep when their body feels balanced.

⛳ The goal isn’t dependency. The goal is resilience, autonomy, and understanding your body.

As an osteopath, I’ll always aim to:
✔ Reduce pain
✔ Improve movement
✔ Give you tools to self-manage
✔ Space appointments appropriately

Craig Dalton Osteopathy

08/04/2026

02/04/2026

30/03/2026

29/03/2026

24/03/2026

23/03/2026

18/03/2026

18/03/2026

17/03/2026

10/03/2026

06/03/2026

03/03/2026

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Monday	8:30am - 5:30pm
Tuesday	8:30am - 5:30pm
Wednesday	8:30am - 5:30pm
Thursday	8:30am - 5:30pm