Osteopathy (Osteopathic Medicine) was started during the later half of the Nineteenth century by Dr. Andrew Taylor Still, a medical doctor practising in America. He was one of the first physicians to fully appreciate the body to be an intelligent structure capable, under the right conditions, to maintain health. In fact it was only when the internal mechanism was disturbed too far outside of the normal that a pathology arose.

After the loss of his own two children to the conventional medicine of that time, Dr. Still devoted his life to the science of the practise he called "Osteopathy" (Osteo - meaning bone & pathology - meaning disease (taking this form more literally to mean dis-'ease'))

He was said, by his friend and even patients, to be a very studious, initiative and deeply religious man and this can be seen in his work and in the way he respected the body.

Owing to the success and benefits of Osteopathy at that time, within 10 years of the first "Osteopathic School" opening there was recorded over 50,000 practitioners and about 100 Osteopathic Schools.

Today in America around 25 - 35% of all mainstream Medical Practitioners are qualified Osteopaths.

When Osteopathy originated it was used as a complete medicine for all illnesses. However, today it is better known for its effects in the non-surgical treatment of the spine, muscle and joints. Infact, often being used to compliment, avoid or even to negate surgery.