Low-back pain is a common disorder. The lumbar region is the most stressed part of the spine, as it supports a significant proportion of the body's weight and is at the heart of many everyday movements. Low back pain can take many forms: acute, chronic or even incapacitating. It can be caused by sudden, intense or prolonged effort. It is the most common form of back pain, affecting almost 80% of people of all ages. Osteopathy and manual therapy play an essential role in the treatment and prevention of low back pain. 

Cervicalgia, which literally means “neck pain”, is not a specific pathology, but a symptom that may correspond to several different problems. It can take different forms: acute, chronic, sudden onset or progressive... In most cases, it's a benign problem, but its impact on daily life is no less significant. The osteopath treats so-called common neck pain, which includes the well-known torticollis (stiff neck). In young adults, this pain is often caused by prolonged poor posture. Cervical osteoarthritis is another possible cause of neck pain, and is mostly found in older people, from the age of 40 or 50.  

Osteopathy and manual therapy play an essential role in supporting both amateur and professional athletes. It helps improve performance, prevent injuries and optimize recovery after intense effort. 

Using appropriate techniques, osteopathy is perfectly integrated into a health and performance approach for athletes, at every stage of their practice.

Indications: Muscle or joint pain, postural disorders, recovery from injury (sprains, tendonitis, etc.).

Tendonitis, often caused by repetitive movements and ageing, can limit daily activities and sports. Osteopathy and manual therapy can reduce inflammation, improve mobility of the structures concerned and stimulate natural healing mechanisms.

This treatment must be combined with an exercise program carried out by the physiotherapist. These exercises aim to progressively strengthen muscles and tendons and restore harmonious movement, while preventing recurrence.

Osteopathy plays a key role in assessing and improving posture, particularly in the case of postural disorders such as scoliosis. It identifies and, if necessary, manages muscular and articular imbalances and adaptations that can disrupt balance and cause pain.

The osteopath will carry out a full assessment, which will enable the patient to be redirected if they are in need to other health professionals involved in postural care.

Temporomandibular disorders, commonly known as “TMJ disorders”, are a group of conditions that cause pain and dysfunction of the jaw joint and muscles. The osteopath, in collaboration with a specialized dentist, will play a major role in reducing pain, relaxing the jaw muscles and maintaining a functional range of movement of the joint.

During pregnancy, a woman's body undergoes major changes in a relatively short space of time. If your body has difficulty adapting to these changes, excessive strain can be placed on the spine, pelvis and neck, causing pain and discomfort. Osteopathic treatment during and after pregnancy is safe and beneficial. It relieves mechanical joint and muscle pain and prepares joints and muscles for the demands of labour. It also helps the mother to recover after birth.

Tension headache is the most common type of headache. It is a diffuse, mild to moderate, bilateral head pain, often described as a feeling of tension around the head. This is the type of tension headache that responds best to osteopathic and manual therapy. The osteopath will play a major role in reducing pain by relaxing the muscles of the neck, head and jaw. Studies have shown that relaxation and muscle-stretching techniques are beneficial in the management of migraines. 

Chronic pain is permanent pain, experienced for at least 3 consecutive months, with significant physical, moral and social consequences. It then becomes an illness in its own, permanently altering patients' quality of life. Pain treatments are often insufficient to treat these patients. Multidisciplinary care is important, and osteopathy is an integral part of this approach. 

Charbel Kortbawi is a qualified osteopath specialized in chronic pain management. 

Examples: fibromyalgia, functional colopathy, etc.