Education
A cold-blooded look at Osteopathy
Osteopathy is often referred to as a science and an art. Nowhere is this more relevant than when applied to the treatment of reptiles. This branch of the animal kingdom presents many unique, and at first glance baffling aspects that can easily put off the manual therapist.
Reptiles come in many shapes and sizes. Some are easy to handle whilst others are not. They all require specific knowledge to care for them properly, and many make excellent pets. However they are a world away from your average soft, furry friends when it comes to assessing and treating.
Before I get ahead of myself now is probably a good time to look at some of the problems reptiles can get and how osteopathy may help. To do this we also need to understand the different aspects of their anatomy, physiology, and locomotor systems when compared to the mammalian model.
Anatomy
All reptiles are vertebrates and all have a central nervous system that is recognisable to our own. Their vascular systems differ slightly, in that they are very energy efficient in using environmental help to assist with their core temperature. They are not truly cold blooded but rather more solar powered. They all have the senses and ability to thermoregulate in order to maintain a healthy core temperature, however if they get…
