Matt Blackburn Osteopathy

Services offered:

Osteopathy

Osteopathy is a wholistic Allied Health profession that is based on a manual therapy approach. It involves hands on treatment for the whole-body affecting joints, muscles, bones, and other tissues such as nerves, organs and blood and lymph vessels. 

The osteopathic approach is different in that it looks at the human body as a single unit. It not only focusses on the area of pain that a person comes in with but looks for where in the body the problem may actually started from. This is known as a whole-body approach.

In Australia Osteopaths have five years of training at university attaining a Bachelor of Applied Science and Masters in Osteopathy.

Osteopaths are trained to treat people of all ages including children, adults, seniors and the elderly.

Conditions commonly treated :

Manual Lymphatic Drainage

Manual Lymphatic Drainage (MLD) is a specialized massage technique aimed at stimulating the lymphatic system.
This system is responsible for maintaining fluid balance, supporting immune function, and removing waste products from the body.
MLD involves gentle, rhythmic strokes that encourage the movement of lymph fluid, which can help reduce swelling, improve circulation, and enhance overall health. It is a way of positively affecting the physiology of the body. 

How is MLD applied and how can it help?

​MLD is a slow, rhythmical touch applied by the therapist in the form of a light massage. It is incredibly relaxing;  patients have fallen asleep during treatment.

It has a calming, anti-stress effect which can facilitate the easing of  pain and the reduction of blood pressure. By enhancing function of the lymph system it can also stimulate the immune defence system within the body.

It brings about a change in the autonomic nervous system, lowering the "Sympathetic" nervous system (daytime / flight nerves) and accentuating the night / rest nerves of the "Parasympathetic" nervous system.

MLD reduces pain by exciting the "touch receptors" in the skin which produce an inhibitory or blocking signal to the brain, with the correct application.

How can Manual Lymphatic Drainage be incorporated in an Osteopathy treatment to support healing?

Manual Lymphatic Drainage  complements osteopathic principles by supporting the body’s natural healing processes, through lymphatic stimulation, enhancing detoxification, and promoting fluid balance. Many painful conditions such as frozen shoulder and chronic joint pain contain inflammation which may be assisted by lymphatic techniques through reducing surrounding inflammation.  

Lymphatic drainage massage can be included as part of the osteopathy session or a stand-alone treatment to improve general health and well-being.

Here are some conditions and presenting complaints that may benefit from the use of MLD in an osteopathic treatment: 

• Acute injuries and bruising - speeds up tissue recovery, gently reduce swelling and improve local circulation.
• Post-Joint replacement surgery - reduces excessive swelling and may  improve healing and recovery
• Chronic conditions like osteo and rheumatoid arthritis – helps remove inflammatory mediators, relaxes the nervous system, relaxes tight muscles and promotes fluid movement.
• Headaches and Migraines - relieves tension in the neck, reduces inflammation, and promote drainage of sinus and other fluids from the head and neck.
• Fibromyalgia: MLD may help manage the widespread pain and tenderness associated with fibromyalgia by reducing inflammation and relaxing the nervous system.
• Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: MLD may assist with sluggish lymphatic flow and poor immune function often present in people with chronic fatigue sufferers.
• Back Pain and Sciatica through reducing inflammation around the spinal muscles and nerves, improving circulation and reducing pain.

About Matt Blackburn 

In my mid 20’s Matt had pain and stiffness in my lower back and neck that was serious for someone of his age and limited his ability to do sports, run and do manual work. These problems led Matt to pursue studies in the human body and health leading later on to complete studies in Osteopathy as a mature aged student.

Matt graduated from RMIT University with a Bachelor of Applied Science and Masters of Osteopath in 2010.

He has worked in Hobart (Derwent Park) and Sorell for 13 years and  regularly sees patients with back and neck pain, shoulder, knee, hip and other joint pain, fibromyalgia, migraine headaches and neurological conditions.

He believes it is also important to consider a patient’s medical history including thyroid problems, diabetes, asthma, mental health and lifestyle issues that may all relate to the presenting complaint.

His inspiration for his work lies in the principles of osteopathy. These are the body is a unit, structure and function are inter-related and that the body has self- healing capabilities.

Matt believes that treatment is an interactive relationship between patient and practitioner, involving working together to get better. He spends time to find the cause of the problem and not just treat their symptoms. He uses carefull observation and assessment to form a diagnosis and his treatment is individualised based on his findings and according to what is needed.

He is keen to help patients manage many painful conditions through advice on posture and walking, teaching specific exercises and to improve their health by making positive changes in their lifestyles.  

Matt is a keen student of health and the human body and has completed training in several areas including: 

Cranial and structural osteopathy, Neural and visceral manipulation, Pain management and Manual Lymphatic Drainage. (MLD)

Prices 

Sorell Doctors: 

Initial or extended treatment                                          1 hour   $115.00

Subsquent treatment                                                      40 min   $95.00

Your Path to Health Derwent Park /Bellerive        30-55 minutes  $140/120 Pension

Derwent Park/Bellerive                                     up to 30 minutes  $120/100 Pension holder