Looking for treatment in Hong Kong? What kind of therapy should you choose? Read our quick guide to physiotherapy, chiropractic and osteopathy. Here, we look at their unique approaches, and what each can offer.

Physiotherapy

Also known as ‘physical therapy’, physiotherapy can treat a wide range of conditions from sports injuries to asthma. You’ll find physiotherapists working in hospitals and health care settings, as well as in private practice. 

Physiotherapists train in different specialties. They may treat mainly respiratory, neurological or musculoskeletal conditions. Ask your physiotherapist about their areas of expertise.

The goal of physiotherapy is to maximise a patient’s function and independence. In clinic, physios will often make use of TENS, ultrasound or Shockwave machines to achieve these goals. They’ll also assess and advise on rehabilitative exercise.

A key element of physiotherapy is to involve the patient in their own care – expect to have homework exercises!

Hong Kong physiotherapists are all registered with Physiotherapists Board, where you can find a list of practitioners.

Chiropractic

Chiropractors work in private clinics. Their training enables them to diagnose pain and injury. They’ll use physical examination, such as strength and mobility testing, and sometimes X-ray.

Perhaps the unique feature of chiropractic is that they focus treatment on the spine. All parts of the body are innervated from the spine. Chiropractors work on the principle that the health of all body tissues can therefore be influenced through spinal manipulation. 

Chiropractors are holistic practitioners. That means they will look at the influence of the whole body on the problem they are treating. They will offer lifestyle guidance to help prevent your problem recurring. You can find a list of registered chiropractors in Hong Kong here.

Osteopathy

Osteopaths also work in private practice. They are qualified to diagnose and treat a wide range of body pain and injuries. And they also treat conditions such as sciatica, headache, arthritis, postural issues and pain related to pregnancy. 

Osteopaths will look at a person’s whole function to determine why a problem has arisen. They then use a combination of techniques to allow the body to correct and heal. These might include soft tissue massage, joint mobilisation and manipulation, and stimulation of the blood and nervous systems.

In most cases, osteopaths will work at the site of pain or injury. But they’ll also work on other parts of the body. This is to make sure any contributing or compensating factors are dealt with, thereby providing a long-lasting resolution to your problem. All osteopaths in Hong Kong are registered with the Hong Kong Osteopathic Association, which ensures high professional standards.

Osteopathy in Central Hong Kong

Whatever therapy you decide on, make sure your practitioner is fully qualified and registered with their professional organisation. At the Osteopathic Centre Hong Kong, you can rest assured that all our practitioners are registered, insured and experienced. Book today!