My path into osteopathy was not a linear one.
I began my professional career as a physiotherapist, with training focused on rehabilitation and a practical, hands-on approach to the body and its treatment
My path towards osteopathy was not a linear one.
Osteopathy emerged in the late 19th century in the United States through the work and observations of Andrew Taylor Still, who sought to understand the human body from a global and integrated perspective.
At a time when many medical answers were still limited, his approach was rooted in the in-depth study of anatomy, physiology, and above all in the direct observation of people and their ADAPTIVE CAPACITIES.
More than an isolated technique, osteopathy was conceived from the outset as a way of understanding the body as a whole, with attention to its balances, compensations, and inherent capacity for self-regulation when the right conditions are present.”
Beyond its historical origins, osteopathy is now understood as a hands-on approach focused on the body as a whole. It is not simply about treating one area or applying a technique automatically, but about understanding why the body, at a given moment, is struggling to adapt, move, or function freely.
From this perspective, each intervention begins with an overall assessment of the body: how it moves, how it adapts, and how it responds to the demands of daily life.”
My experience in elite sport does not define a practice reserved for professional athletes. On the contrary, it brings greater depth and rigour to an approach designed for everyone.
Just as innovations developed in Formula 1 eventually benefit everyday vehicles, the work carried out in high-performance sport provides tools, precision and analytical insight that are equally valuable in everyday clinical practice.
From an osteopathic perspective, there are no “different” bodies. A high-level athlete is still a human being, with the same systems, the same adaptive capacities, and the same vulnerabilities as anyone else.
What changes is the context: workload, intensity, the competitive environment, and in professional cycling, often a nomadic setting shaped by the urgency of competition. In clinical practice, the environment is different. There is more time, more stability, and proper follow-up, allowing the same level of precision to be adapted to each individual.
Running and trail running are among the most fundamental expressions of human movement. They place demands on foot and ankle mobility, overall coordination, load absorption, and movement efficiency. Osteopathic care supports these demands by improving mobility, optimising biomechanics, and helping reduce the risk of overuse and injury.
Cycling is a demanding sport characterised by specific and repetitive movement patterns. Falls, injuries, and prolonged strain can leave lasting effects on the body. Osteopathic care addresses both the consequences of trauma and the imbalances associated with the pedalling motion, promoting better adaptation and more effective recovery.
Endurance sports place the body under considerable physical and physiological stress. They affect not only the musculoskeletal system, but also the digestive system, the autonomic nervous system, and recovery mechanisms. Osteopathic support aims to preserve the body’s ability to adapt to these repeated demands.
Injury prevention is a central focus, with particular
attention given to strength, proprioception and
physical conditioning. Together with mobility, these
elements are essential for improving movement efficiency
and performance, while also supporting long-term
physical activity.
Beyond sport itself, physical activity helps develop four
fundamental capacities for adaptation throughout life:
mobility, strength, balance and
cardiorespiratory fitness.
Preserving and maintaining these capacities is essential,
at any age, in order to remain independent and able to
adapt to the demands of daily life.
A session begins long before the meeting on the table. It starts the moment the person decides to book an appointment. That decision already reflects a specific situation, a discomfort, a limitation or a question, and above all a willingness to change something.
The first goal is to understand the real reason for the consultation: what has brought the person here, how they experience their problem, and what they expect from this accompaniment.
This exchange phase is essential because it allows us to place the request within a global and human context, not only from the symptom, but also from the person's history, their current life stage, and the way their body is organizing itself.
The first consultation is not fundamentally different from the following ones, beyond administrative aspects. Clinical work is based from the start on a complete assessment of the person.
Based on this global evaluation, the goal is to release as many biomechanical restrictions as possible that interfere with the proper functioning of the body.
It is not only about looking at an isolated area, but understanding how the whole system tries to adapt.
The session includes observation and detailed analysis: standing posture, lying posture, global movements, and finer movements.
This progressive process makes it possible to identify areas of restriction and understand how they are organized within the body as a whole.
Manual work is then oriented towards releasing these restrictions and restoring more coherent mobility, adapted to the person and not to a closed protocol.
From the very first session, simple and adapted exercises can be suggested to integrate the work done.
These can be strength, balance, mobility, stretching, breathing or relaxation exercises, always tailored to the reality of each person.
The intention is that they can be realistically incorporated into daily life, without adding an extra demand, but rather offering useful tools to support change.
Follow-up is not an obligation, but a possibility. When necessary, it allows reassessment of the situation, observation of the evolution after the first session and adjustment of the work according to what has emerged. Each new session is built on what has already been done, with the aim of continuing to improve functionality and the body’s capacity to adapt.
A fundamental element of the process is the identification of so-called red flags or contraindications. From the outset, it is essential to recognise situations that fall outside the scope of osteopathy and require referral to other healthcare professionals. This evaluation is an integral part of the global approach and ensures a safe and responsible process.
Osteopathic work is exclusively manual. Alongside this, a dimension of body education plays a central role in my practice. Stretching, mobility, strength work, balance and breathing are part of the tools proposed. The aim is to provide practical and tailored resources to support autonomy and the continuity of the work over time.
From the very first session, simple and adapted exercises may be proposed to integrate the work carried out. Always tailored to the reality of each individual and designed to be naturally incorporated into daily life.
