Looking for osteopaths in London? Whether you’re a Londoner with back pain, neck pain or anything in between here’s the best osteopaths in the city — from a Londoner.
Disclaimer: This post is in no way sponsored. All opinions are my own.
There comes a time in every Londoners life where pain is inevitable — in my case, incredibly painful back pain (which seems to be partnered with the life of a writer). Although I originally went to the NHS, eventually I realised I’d need to see a specialist if I truly wanted a diagnosis outside of taking a paracetamol.
I had heard about osteopathy before, but never considered it. Five weeks later I’m proud to say my back pain is completely gone, which is exactly why I’m beyond excited to share where to find the best Osteopath in London for you too. But first…
What is Osteopathy?
Osteopathy is a drug-free therapy focusing on the joints, muscles and spine. Taking a holistic approach, osteopaths believe you can’t give a proper diagnosis without taking the whole body into account — which is why all treatments consist of a manual therapy.
This includes various muscle tests and bespoke techniques to correct any pain points in your body over the course of your sessions.
I was really intrigued by it due to the non-invasive nature of the treatments. I also know it usually gets bunched in with chiropractic and physiotherapy, but after my treatments, I can tell that’s doing it a massive disservice.
What Can Osteopaths in London Treat?
Essentially any pain that affects your joints, muscles or spine. This can include:
• Back pain
• Neck pain
• Sleeping issues
• Headaches
• Foot and ankle pain
• Arthritis
• Sports related injuries
• Shoulder, hip, knee pain
• Ankle and foot pain
• Postural problems
And the list goes on!
How Did I Find my Osteopath? Finding the Best Osteopath in London
To start I just did a generic Google search for ‘back pain osteopathy treatment london’.
After looking through several osteopaths in London I stumbled on the Aston Clinic.
After reading through dozens of five star reviews and learning that it was a family run business (my favourite) with Osteopathy running for three generations, I called up to book first appointment.
Osteopaths in London: What to Expect From Your First Appointment
Once I rung reception I was told I could book with Laurie (on Tues, Wed, Fri) or David (on Mon-Thurs), the father-son duo behind the clinic.
I opted for the Tuesday with Laurie and came in the following week. The osteopath clinic I went to was in New Malden, about 30 minutes from Waterloo.
I was greeted as soon as I arrived, filled out a few forms and after about five minutes of wait time it was off to my appointment!
First things first I met with the practitioner Laurie in his patient room and he took my case history. I told him about the pain I’d been having, mainly near upper right back. He asked me when the pain first occurred, and a few background health questions.
Every osteopath treatment in the Aston Clinic is entirely bespoke so they can make a healing plan perfectly tailored to your issue; so I was asked a lot of questions to start. But at least I knew it was for good reason.
The observation for my first appointment mainly consisted of muscle testing, a unique series of reflex tests used to determine what muscles are “switched on or off” on each side of your body (we tested about 40!). Throughout the test I shared some small talk with practitioner Laurie which helped ease a lot of the anxiety I had about my first appointment.
By the end we’d identified the exact spot in my upper back that was causing me the issues, and I could already feel significant improvements. But as any osteopath in London will tell you (including my practitioner) there’s no “quick fix” to healing pain. So I trusted the process, and came back the following week for my next appointment. All in all it took about 60 minutes.
He also told me after the first appointment that I may feel a bit stiff or achy after — but it was nothing to worry about, just the body responding to the re-alignment of the muscles.
My Second Osteopathy Treatment
I did feel quite achy 1-2 days after my first appointment, but it had subsided by the next week.
During my osteopathy appointment Laurie checked on my improvements, retesting the weak muscles in my back and working with my organs (every muscle is linked to an organ) to correct the vertebrae in my spine.
Since we didn’t have to go over my case history again this appointment was a lot shorter (around 30 minutes or so?) but Laurie ensured me from the start of the appointment we could go over time if needed. By the time I left my back pain had reduced by around 70% from the first time I came to see an osteopath.
My Last Osteopathy Appointment
By the time I got to my last appointment (around a week after my second one) my back pain had really transformed. But I knew it I still needed to see Laurie once more for a final check-up.
We did some final check-ups and muscle testing to monitor progress but my back pain was near non-existent by the time we neared the end of my appointment.
However my biggest concern (and probably yours too) about seeing an osteopath in London is getting fully healed only for the issue to return again a few weeks later.
I asked my practitioner about this and he said once a problem is sorted the body is actually quite resilient. On average, most patients come in 3-5 times with significant improvements (i.e enough to not have to make any follow-up appointments).
If you have a more chronic condition, 6 treatments on more may be needed – but the goal of an osteopath is to get you in a state where you don’t have to come back.
As we finished my appointment, Laurie said I could get in touch if anything else happens and he’ll book me in right away. But in general, I shouldn’t have to see him for some time.
Thoughts on the Aston Osteopath Clinic in London
Although I don’t have many to compare it to, based on my personal experience and the dozens of glowing reviews — I’m confident the Aston Clinic is one of the best osteopath clinics in London.
I didn’t get a chance to work with David during my visit, but Laurie was incredibly professional, friendly and truly did work miracles on my writer’s back. The only downside for me would be the location, being 30 minutes outside of Central London. But they do have a location in Central London as I learned per my visit.
How Much Does an Osteopath in London Cost?
A good Osteopath will cost you anywhere between £55-£100+. If you wanted to go to a similar practitioner you can check the Aston Clinic’s latest rates here.
Tips for Visiting Osteopaths in London
• Make sure to wear underwear that you’re comfortable with to the appointment (for example, a sports bra and gym shorts) as you’ll likely be asked to dress down to your underwear to make it easier for the osteopath to examine you (so they’re not working in the dark)
• It’s best to show up around 10 minutes early for your first appointment as there’ll be a few forms to fill in
• Make sure to bring any relevant scans you have (if any) to your appointment
P.S – Once you’re done with your osteopathic appointment, why not read my blog to do some more exploring across London?
