Scott's Osteopathic Journey
I wanted to study Osteopathy for a number of reasons and my interest goes right back to childhood. I have great memories of family outings to watch football (soccer!) and was intrigued by the trainer who would run on to the pitch with the ‘magic sponge’-, a water-filled sponge that he’d use to treat injuries on the field. I was fascinated and early on I decided that I wanted to work in health care.
My first experience with Osteopathy came indirectly through my brother; as a young child he suffered from migraines and nose bleeds that were stress-related. (He also had a pretty high temper.) My family saw first-hand the amazing results - thanks to the Osteopaths who treated him and completely alleviated his symptoms. The benefits weren’t just physical either because he achieved his potential in school. It was observed that his high temper was still present however, so these guys weren’t completely magic! Although he definitely is a lot more laid back these days!
Like many kids, my brothers and I grew up playing rugby. It’s a very physical contact sport and injuries were a routine part of the game. Visits to our Osteopath helped us to stay healthy and ensured that we made the team. I was convinced of the effectiveness of Osteopathy to treat many conditions and illnesses as well as actual injuries. It’s not surprising that I was influenced by our collective experiences and I knew eventually that I wanted to study to be an Osteopath. The proof that this approach to helping with injuries and health could improve the quality of life in so many people really sparked my passion.
I graduated with a master’s degree in Osteopathy from the British School of Osteopathy in 2010. I decided to move to Vancouver, initially for what I expected to be one year but the outdoor Canadian lifestyle kept me! While working at the Vancouver Osteopathy Centre, I served as acting secretary on the board of the BC Osteopathic Organization. Among other duties, I also organized educational courses, bringing over instructors from the UK to share their knowledge on Osteopathy. In 2012 I moved to Calgary and have been fortunate to continue to have many more opportunities to learn from other Osteopaths and medical professionals of various disciplines.
I love the fact that I can ski when I have a free day or weekend, something which certainly wasn’t available to me when I lived in England. I play soccer in a recreation league and I also enjoy golf. I’m interested in the mechanics of golf and I completed a course jointly run by the Gray Institute and Nike that analyzed the golf swing. (Identifying areas of potential weakness or restriction within the swing enables us to treat clients more functionally. It also reduces the need to reach for Advil by the 12th hole…) While the course was extremely beneficial and has helped me to work with many golf enthusiasts, I’m still looking to tidy up my own game!
Recognizing the importance of functional movement in the restoration and improvement of health, I became a MovNat certified instructor in 2016. The concept that we can all benefit from ‘moving naturally’ is worth more exploration. I integrate elements of this training with my clients and I practice it too.
Dr. A.T. Still (the founder of Osteopathy) was pictured climbing trees in his 70’s! It goes to show that we’re never too old…
I currently serve as secretary on the board of the AAOMT (Alberta Association of Osteopathic Manual Therapists) and previously held the same position with the Canadian Federation of Osteopathy.