What is an Osteopath?
An osteopath is a professional whose title is legally protected. This means that anyone who calls themselves an osteopath is a member of the General Osteopathic Council, has completed a recognised qualification, and annually maintains their professional insurance and knowledge.
A simple explanation of osteopathy is that it’s a therapy focused on the musculoskeletal system, and its diagnosis and treatment without medicines. Osteopaths use your case history and observation of movement to understand the problem and its causes. Treatment itself is usually hands on, using massage techniques and joint movements to improve the body’s function.
What can an Osteopath Treat?
You’re welcome to book in with any aches and pains that you think could be related to muscles, joints, or nerves. We can also help with chronic pain, where the cause can be harder to identify. The ASA allows us to claim to treat the following conditions (click on one to read more):
- Arthritic pain
- Circulatory problems
- Cramp & muscle spasms
- Digestion problems
- Fibromyalgia
- Frozen shoulder
- Shoulder and elbow pain
- Tennis elbow (lateral epicondylitis)
- Headache arising from the neck (cervicogenic)
- Joint pains
- Hip and knee pain from osteoarthritis as an adjunct to core OA treatments and exercise
- General, acute & chronic backache, back pain (not arising from injury or accident)
- Migraine prevention
- Minor sports injuries
- Neuralgia
- Tension and inability to relax
- Rheumatic pain
- Sciatica
- Uncomplicated mechanical neck pain (as opposed to neck pain following injury i.e. whiplash)
We may also be able to help with problems that are not listed, you’re welcome to get in contact if you are unsure whether we can help.
Osteo, Physio, and Chiro
We are often asked about the difference between what we do, and what a physiotherapist or chiropractor would do. Our training is all quite similar in terms of knowledge and techniques, although it could be argued that chiropractors have the most emphasis on joint manipulation (clicking). Physiotherapists are typically not taught this at undergraduate level, but may learn it in postgraduate training. Most osteopaths are likely somewhere between the other two professions in terms of treatment style and manipulation- but it is important to understand that we all fall on a spectrum. The question should maybe focus less on which profession you need to see, and rather which individual suits you.
What to Expect at your Appointment
Your osteopath may send you some forms to fill in ahead of time, so check your email after booking. When you arrive, you can expect to be treated sensitively and professionally: your treatment and its contents is confidential. Your osteopath will take an extensive case history to help identify any possible factors in your presenting complaint. After this, they will have a few ideas of what might be going on, and they may ask you to remove some clothing. You might prefer to wear a vest and shorts for comfort, but you will not be required to dress down further than you are happy to. We can work through clothing where necessary.
You will be examined, with the osteopath asking you to perform movements and maybe repeating them for you when you are sitting or laying down. Other tests may be appropriate too to get to the root cause of your symptoms. When they are happy with a diagnosis, they can begin treatment. As mentioned above, this is usually a combination of work to muscles and joints, and your consent will be required throughout.
At the end of your session, you can expect to have a diagnosis and explanation for your symptoms, an idea of how long it will take to manage, and often a few exercises to do at home. Some conditions can be resolved quickly, and others are expected to take longer or to come and go. You don’t need a referral from your GP to see an osteopath, so if you’ve been on the fence about making your appointment, you can click the link below.
Make an osteopathy appointment in Leicestershire or Rutland here
Avin usually needs to see and feel the area being treated, so you may be asked to undress down to your underwear. Please wear underwear you feel comfortable in. If you would prefer, you can bring loose shorts or a vest top. You will never be asked to do anything you are not comfortable with.
Yes. You are welcome to bring a friend or family member with you. Children under 16 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian.
Most people find treatment comfortable. If an area is already sore, you may feel some tenderness whilst it is being treated, but Avin will check in with you and change his approach if anything feels like too much. Many of the techniques he uses are very gentle.
No. Avin is a registered osteopath and medical acupuncturist, not a medical doctor. He is registered with the General Osteopathic Council (registration number 6152) and has over 20 years’ clinical experience. If he thinks you need to see your GP or have tests, he will tell you.
No. You can book directly with Avin, in the same way you would book a dentist or optician. Some private health insurers ask for a GP referral before they will pay for treatment, so check with your insurer first if you are planning to claim.
Osteopathy is only occasionally available on the NHS and waiting lists can be long. Avin’s clinics are private, so you can book an appointment directly, often within a few days, and emergency appointments are available for sudden pain.
By law, anyone calling themselves an osteopath in the UK must be registered with the General Osteopathic Council (GOsC). You can check the register on the GOsC website. Avin Patel qualified in 2006 from the British College of Osteopathic Medicine and his GOsC registration number is 6152.
Avin will start by asking about your problem, your general health and your medical history. He will then look at how you move and examine the area that is bothering you, as well as other areas that may be contributing. He will explain what he thinks is going on and, if it is appropriate, start treatment in the same session. You will usually leave with advice or simple exercises to do at home.
The Scraptoft and Wigston clinics both have plenty of parking, and The Two Steeples Medical Centre in Wigston has full disabled access. There is no parking at the Oakham clinic itself, but you can park on the street nearby or in the council car park on Church Street.
Yes. Avin offers emergency home visits across Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland for people who are in too much pain to travel. Call 07739 828 664 to arrange one. Fees for home visits are available on request.
Yes. Avin treats patients of all ages, from newborn babies to older adults, and adapts his techniques to suit each person. A parent or guardian must come along to appointments for anyone under 16.
Not necessarily. The ‘click’ some people associate with osteopaths is just one technique, and many patients are treated without it. Avin will only use joint manipulation if he thinks it is suitable for you and you are happy for him to do so.
This is a common misunderstanding. Joints rarely ‘pop out’ of place. More often a joint becomes stiff or restricted, along with the muscles around it. Treatment aims to help that area move more freely again, rather than physically putting anything back.
Some people feel a little tired or achy for a day or two afterwards, a bit like after exercise you are not used to. This usually settles quickly. If you are worried about how you feel after treatment, call Avin on 07739 828 664.
It depends on the problem, how long you have had it and your general health. Avin will talk you through a plan at your first appointment. His approach is ‘Find it, Fix it, Leave it’, which means he aims to see you only for as long as you need, rather than booking you in for a long course of treatment by default.
It is Avin’s simple approach to treatment. ‘Find it’ means working out what is really causing your problem, which may not be where it hurts. ‘Fix it’ means treating that cause as directly as possible. ‘Leave it’ means not over-treating, and giving you the advice you need to help prevent the problem coming back.
An initial osteopathy or medical acupuncture appointment costs £75 and follow-up appointments cost £60. Cranial osteopathy costs £80 for an initial appointment and £70 for a follow-up. Emergency and out-of-hours appointments cost £100. Home visit fees are available on request by calling 07739 828 664.
Yes, in most cases. Avin is registered with the major UK health insurers, including AXA, Cigna, Exeter, WPA, HSA and Standard Life. You pay the clinic at your appointment and then claim the cost back from your insurer. Check your policy first, as some insurers need a GP referral or an authorisation code before your appointment.
You can pay by card, cash or bank transfer at the end of your appointment.
Please give at least 24 hours’ notice if you need to cancel or move your appointment, so the slot can be offered to another patient. Cancellations with less than 24 hours’ notice, and missed appointments, are charged at the full cost of the appointment.
We understand that cancellations sometimes can’t be helped because of illness or an emergency, and we will take genuine circumstances into account.
You can book online through the Appointments page on this website, or call or WhatsApp Avin on 07739 828 664. Not every appointment slot is released online, so if you cannot see a time that suits you, it is worth getting in touch directly. You will receive a confirmation email after booking and a reminder two days before.
Avin runs regular clinics in Oakham (6 Church Street, Oakham, LE15 6AA), Scraptoft (11 Long Close, Scraptoft, LE7 9XS) and Wigston (The Two Steeples Medical Centre, Wigston, LE18 2EW). He sees patients from across Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland, and offers emergency home visits.
Oakham: Monday and Thursday, 7am to 5pm.
Scraptoft: Monday 5.40pm to 7pm, Tuesday 8.40am to 7pm, Thursday 5.40pm to 7pm, Friday 8.40am to 5pm and Saturday 7am to 11am.
Wigston: Wednesday, 7am to 5.20pm.
Emergency appointments are available on Saturday afternoons and Sundays.
Osteopathy may help with a range of muscle and joint problems, including back pain, neck pain, sciatica, joint pain, arthritic pain, muscle spasms, headaches arising from the neck, shoulder pain linked to the neck or upper back and minor sports injuries. If Avin thinks your problem needs a different kind of care, he will tell you and suggest who to see.
Avin will always be honest with you. If your symptoms suggest something that needs medical investigation, or that osteopathy is unlikely to help, he will explain why and advise you to see your GP or another appropriate professional.
Yes, if you have them. Please bring a list of any medication you are currently taking, as well as any recent X-ray, MRI or blood test results related to your problem. This helps Avin build a complete picture of your health.
Please call or WhatsApp Avin on 07739 828 664 as soon as possible. He will do his best to accommodate you, but your appointment may need to be shortened to avoid delaying the next patient.
Osteopathy can be suitable for many people with thinning bones or osteoporosis. Avin takes a full medical history first and uses gentle, low-impact techniques, such as soft tissue massage and gentle joint movement, and avoids strong joint manipulation.
If your joints are unusually flexible (hypermobile), they can sometimes lack stability, leading to muscle fatigue and aching. Osteopathy may help with these aches. Avin focuses on safe, gentle movement and targeted strengthening advice rather than over-stretching your joints.
An osteopath is a regulated healthcare professional who looks at how your muscles, joints and ligaments are working together. Avin Patel uses his hands to assess and treat, with techniques such as massage, stretching, gentle joint movement and, where appropriate, manipulation. He also gives advice on posture and exercises so you can help yourself between appointments.
All three work with muscle and joint problems, and there is a lot of overlap. Osteopaths tend to look at the whole body rather than just the sore spot, and use a wide range of hands-on techniques alongside exercise advice. Physiotherapists often focus more on exercise-based rehab, and chiropractors often focus more on the spine. The best choice is usually the practitioner you feel comfortable with who is properly registered.
