Where Did Osteopathy Come From? A 151-Year Legacy of Curiosity and Care

As osteopathy becomes more well-known and established as a go-to form of treatment for many common ailments, some may wonder if this modality is newer to the health and wellness scene. In actuality, osteopathy has been around since the late 1800’s, and is still practiced today using the principles and ideas of its original founder, Dr. Andrew Taylor Still. 

Osteopathic Beginnings- Dr. Still, Missouri, And a New Way of Thinking

Dr A.T Still was born in Virginia in 1828. From an early age, he was immersed in both the scientific and spiritual realms, often accompanying his father in his work as a minister and a physician. After he became a medical doctor himself, Still grew increasingly frustrated with the limited treatments available at the time. He felt that allopathic medicine only served to temporarily mask symptoms without dealing with the root cause of disease and dysfunction in the body.

In his quest to find a different way forward, he turned to nature, noting its perfection of design and eternal rhythm.

He began to see that disease was preceded by anatomical discord, and noted that when the anatomy was adjusted back to “normal”, patients tended to recover. Dr A.T Still was born in Virginia in 1828. From an early age, he was immersed in both the scientific and spiritual realms, often accompanying his father in his work as a minister and a physician. After he became a medical doctor himself, Still grew increasingly frustrated with the limited treatments available at the time. He felt that allopathic medicine only served to temporarily mask symptoms without dealing with the root cause of disease and dysfunction in the body. In his quest to find a different way forward, he turned to nature, noting its perfection of design and eternal rhythm. He began to see that disease was preceded by anatomical discord, and noted that when the anatomy was adjusted back to “normal”, patients tended to recover.

In 1874, he gave the name Osteopathy to his discoveries- not as an inventor of this type of treatment, but as a way to put words to what he saw as already existing in the natural world. He knew that the body was immensely capable of healing itself under the right conditions, and osteopathy offered a way to help create a favourable condition in the body. As he said,

“The osteopath has his own symptomatology. He seeks the cause, removes the obstruction and lets Nature’s Remedy- arterial blood- be the doctor.” (Osteopathy Research and Practice).

Dr. Still soon opened a school in Kirksville, Missouri, in order to train up more osteopathic physicians, as well as offer a treatment space for those seeking care. While Still was met with great opposition from the medical community, his results in treatment proved irrefutable. Soon people were travelling to Kirksville from all over the United States in order to receive treatment.

A.T. Still University (ATSU)

A Tradition of Inclusion and Progressive Thinking

In many ways. Dr Still was ahead of his time in his thinking and in his actions. He understood the inter-connectedness of body, mind and spirit, and that the whole person must be considered if osteopathic treatment is to be successful. He also stressed the importance of good nutrition, adequate rest, and connection with nature in the healing process. In a time when mental health was poorly understood and often stigmatized, Still and his colleagues opened a Sanitorium and treated patients suffering with many forms of mental illness osteopathically, humanely, and with great success.

In his school, he not only allowed women and people of colour to attend and become osteopathic doctors in a time when these groups were not afforded many opportunities, but he also gave them discounted or free tuition. Similarly, he never turned away a patient who could not afford treatment, and had deep love for all of his patients. At one point, a local pastor, who had previously accused Dr Still of doing “devil’s work”, came to him desperate for help for his critically ill daughter. Instead of sending him away, Dr. Still treated the girl, and she returned to full health. This generosity of spirit attracted many to both the profession and his treatment clinic. 

Dr. Still married science and nature together; students at his school were fully trained in anatomy and physiology, as well as surgery and obstetrics. Dr. Still was not opposed to surgery when necessary, but found many patients could be cured without it; in a time before antibiotics, this was especially important. He often described the osteopath as a mechanic, an engineer and a philosopher, skilled in critical thinking, knowledge of form and function, and technical abilities. This comprehensive education continues to inform osteopathic training in the US, where Doctors of Osteopathy (DOs) have the same training as MDs, with the addition of hands-on skills. 

After Dr. Still - Osteopathy Today

Dr. Still was very aware that there was much to be developed in osteopathic thinking, encouraging all his students to “dig on” and develop their skills. Graduates of his school went on to open schools of their own across the continent, and many wrote books about osteopathy and their recollections of studying with Still. 

Drs Magoun and Sutherland advanced Still’s teachings with explorations into cranial osteopathy, and Sutherland went on to develop a fluid-based approach called Biodynamics. Biodynamic osteopathy was then furthered by James Jealous, DO. into the 2020’s. While the US continues to train DOs, in Canada the process is different. Osteopathy does not have one central regulatory body here, but different governing organizations exist in each province. Education varies, but the gold standard, in order to receive a billing number under insurance plans, is a 4-5 year graduate program that covers anatomy, physiology & pathophysiology, osteopathic history and theory, hands-on skills, and professional ethics. Canadian students complete supervised clinical hours and must pass both written and oral practical exams. Osteopathy is not included under universal healthcare, but is covered by most extended health benefit plans. 

In the tradition of Dr. Still’s endless quest for knowledge and better patient care, osteopathic research expands around the world as more and more people seek out treatment. Osteopathic practitioners today continue to rely on Dr. Still’s principles and teachings, as well as those of the osteopaths who came after him, as a cornerstone of their education and development. Osteopathy is an art and a science steeped in a tradition of open-mindedness, empathy and a deep understanding of the human body.