- About Us
- Who We Are
- FAQ
- History of the Practice
In this section we aim to give you some background information about each of the osteopaths who work here.
Though we are all individuals and may seem very different we hope to tell you about how the common threads of training, philosophy and our enthusiasm and commitment to osteopathy unite us.
There is also a history of the practice.
Martyn
Martyn Morgan
BSc (Hons) Psychology 1978
DO Diploma in Osteopathy BCNO (Now BCOM) 1988
What is your background?
Paradoxically, considering how fascinated I now am with the functioning of the human body, my first degree was in psychology.
Psychology is a subject which I enjoyed studying immensely and continue to maintain an interest in. During the course I realised just how little we understood about the human mind and body, and I also began to realise that the division between the two is artificial. Human beings should function as a healthy mind in a healthy body.
After working in market research for a number of years, I decided to train as an osteopath, as I realised that I wanted to work directly with people. I chose osteopathy as the training was the most extensive and thorough of all the complementary medicine courses and the only full time (four year) course.
I certainly found the osteopathy course to be very thorough and demanding compared with the psychology degree. There was a lot less speculation and more learning of scientific facts.
My undergraduate research was a study of palpatory (touch) perception used by osteopaths. I compared 1st year students, 4th year students and experienced osteopaths. It was very exciting to find just how much the skill of palpation developed with time.
What do you like about osteopathy?
The diversity of the people I meet as an osteopath is the one thing that I most enjoy. Almost everyone is so interesting to talk to and get to know. Sometimes I wish my appointments were longer. There can be few jobs that give as much job satisfaction as practicing as an osteopath. Before I started my training I had some osteopathic treatment. I went to the student clinic at the BCOM (British College of Osteopathic Medicine) where I trained. After the treatment I felt so much better I wondered why they were trying to keep it a secret!
After a few months in practice I felt very grateful to the college as I realised just how useful and effective the training had been.
I want to help let the secret out!
What do you think are the benefits of osteopathy?
Osteopathic assessment and treatment are useful after things have gone wrong but are just as useful as a preventative measure. I am just as happy to see people who are not aware of anything wrong with them, as those in pain. Checking spinal and cranial movement or the slight after-effects of old injuries can, I believe, prevent future problems and improve present quality of life.
What other interests do you have?
I love exercise, especially tennis. I enjoy weekly circuit training, and have come to appreciate the benefits of yoga even more as I have got older. Playing the saxophone is a new love, and I have recently started a saxophone quartet.
Patrick
Patrick Doherty
BSc (Hons) Ost, Biochem
What is your background?
Graduated from Bath University in 1984 with a Biochemistry Degree, followed by three years of biochemical research. Financial Services Industry from 1987 to 1997, more latterly as an independent financial adviser delivering investment seminars throughout the South West. Five year Osteopathy course at The London School of Osteopathy graduating in 2001 with a BSc (Hons) in Osteopathy.
Suffered from back problems from the age of 13 when first saw an osteopath. I was amazed at walking in almost crippled with pain and walking out straight and pain free.
What do you like about osteopathy?
The ability to treat a wide range of conditions and good speed of recovery in most cases, sometimes instant which is always nice. However, if all cases were as simple as that there would be no challenge. I like the challenge of taking on patients who have tried conventional medical approaches and other therapies with little success. Although not always successful, the majority of cases are rewarding in terms of success (often relative) and in terms of quality of life of the patient.
What do you think are the benefits of osteopathy?
One of the first benefits is accessibility. Patients can normally be seen within a week. Delays in receiving treatments with other therapies can result in an acute problem becoming chronic and being more difficult to treat. The ‘holistic’ nature of osteopathy looks wider than the area of pain and treats the cause of the problem which may be remote from the site of pain. It also treats related areas so the body is working more as a unit.
What other interests do you have?
Motorcycling – recently passed test. Ride a Honda Firestorm. First trackday at Cadwell Park on 11th June 2005
Kung Fu – regular classes and one to one instruction. Started Kung Fu at the age of 40 as I was feeling old and stiff beyond my years. Also have a growing son who at the age of 15 is bigger than me. Kung Fu helps me to stay fit and flexible and is great for reducing my back problems
Guitar – have been in a couple of bands (of no significance) including the one at my 40th birthday celebration. At least I can entertain myself.
Golf- started playing golf to compete at the Western Counties Society of Osteopaths Golf Competition, held on the day before the annual convention in Saunton. Needless to say I came last on my first attempt.
Gabrielle
Gabrielle Waldron
BSc (Ost) - graduated British School of Osteopathy 1992
MSc in Anatomy by research - graduated Bristol University 1996
What is your background?
I was brought up with Osteopathy, as my Father was one of very few Osteopaths working in Bristol in the 60s and 70s. I used to earn my pocket money opening the door to patients on Saturday mornings!
I attended the British School of Osteopathy, which is the largest and oldest college of Osteopathy in the country, and graduated in 1992 as the medal winner for that year. I returned to Bristol to work with my Father, Dr Dennis Waldron, and also quickly began working in Fishponds with Martyn Morgan and developing the practice here.
At the same time, feeling there were more questions about Osteopathy to be answered, I embarked on a Master's Degree in Anatomy by research at Bristol University. My thesis, "The Functional Anatomy of the Thoracolumbar Fascia" allowed me thoroughly to explore the detail and function of the low back and hugely influenced the way I practice Osteopathy today.
I am particularly interested in helping patients who have had long-standing or recurrent back pain. I combine the findings from my own research with prescribed exercises, usually Pilates exercises, to improve the balance in strength and co-ordination of the low back muscles.
What do you like about Osteopathy?
I like people. Practising Osteopathy and meeting such a variety of people is a privilege. Osteopathy is a particularly direct approach - one meets an individual, does one's very best to help them and, in a relatively short time, sees the results. It is never boring - every patient has unique problems. It is both challenging and rewarding to use one's theoretical knowledge, combined with the experience and palpatory skills one has developed over the years, to achieve the most help for each patient.
What do you think are the benefits of Osteopathy?
Osteopathy helps counteract the burdens of life. Everything from the pull of gravity, through the posture required for our work, to the emotional stresses placed upon us, have the effect of compressing and tightening our bodies. Osteopathy, quite gently - it is usually a pleasant experience - stretches out the skeleton and allows the muscle tension to relax. In so doing, it also allows nerve conduction and blood circulation to flow more freely. This will reduce musculoskeletal pain, but may also improve health generally.
What other interests do you have?
I am unapologetically a home-bird. I enjoy DIY and sewing projects. Our son is now studying Art at University and I am looking forward to some more free time. Come the summer, I love to be in the garden, or walking - we are lucky enough to have some beautiful countryside on our doorstep.
Nina
Nina Hurrell
BSc(Hons) M.Ost
What is your background?
I have always been interested in the natural world, the human body as well as health and wellbeing. I initially studied Biological Science at Birmingham University. I loved the broad nature of the degree and enjoyed the microscopic as much as ecosystem biology. After a while travelling and working in finance I realised I wanted to do something more meaningful and in line with my beliefs. Osteopathy seemed to combine many elements that were important to me, particularly my love of science with my love of people. I qualified from the British School of Osteopathy, the largest and oldest osteopathy school in the UK, after 5 years of studying. I aim to keep studying throughout my osteopathic career and in April 2017 completed a postgraduate qualification in Osteopathy in the Cranial field.
What do you like about osteopathy?
The people! It's great to get to know such a range of people. The diversity of people and why they have come to see an osteopath means that the job is never boring but is challenging and rewarding. I enjoy the time I have to explore the individual nature of each patient's issue and tailor treatment to them specially. It is always interesting to see what other beneficial side effects osteopathic treatment may have, for example many patients say they sleep very well the day of treatment.
What do you think are the benefits of osteopathy?
It is a direct and natural way to alleviate pain and promote wellbeing. Because appointments are usually available within a few days, the initial problem can be resolved as quickly as possible without secondary problems or compensations occurring. Also appointments are often longer than usual with healthcare practitioners; patients have time and space to discus anything that may be concerning them. Osteopathy is as useful for an acute injury as it is for a gradual build up of life's stresses and strains. Over the longer term I think it provides patients with an improved sense of well being and more awareness of their body. Patients more in tune with their bodies are better able to care for themselves and know when 'something is not quite right'.
What other interests do you have?
For me an ideal weekend would be either hiking, being by the sea or exploring a new place! I also love being in Bristol and when here I enjoy yoga, cycling, dancing and food - whether that's cooking it or trying one of the many new places opening in Bristol. When the weather is not so great, I enjoy reading (any and everything) or trying out a new craft.
<<< Click the magnifying glass to search these FAQ's
We hope that, by browsing through this website, you will find out a great deal about Osteopathy – where it has come from, what it can treat, and what it’s like to visit an Osteopath.
However, from talking to numerous patients over many years, we have found that a number of questions arise again and again – we have tried to answer these below, but if you find your particular query is not dealt with, please give us a ring.
Does Osteopathy work?
This is the million-dollar question. Every day we discharge many patients from our care who are free from pain and able to return to full activity following treatment. Many others find considerable improvemt and some choose to continue with treatment on a regular basis, say every month or so, because it enables them to keep going.
In 1996 - 98 our practice took part, with 27 others around the country, in a research project undertaken by the Medical Research Unit of the University of Sheffield. As a part of this, a survey of a sample of referred patients was undertaken in order to measure satisfaction with treatment and perceived health gain following treatment. The research team reported that “the majority of patients referred reported a significant change in health status, particularly pain reduction, following treatment”.
Osteopathy is not, of course, a panacea. From surveys we have done within our practice we know that, if a patient is going to benefit from Osteopathy, they will do so quite rapidly (see “How many times will I need to come?” below). We will not keep you hanging on if you are not making any progress, but will discuss other avenues of help for your case.
How many times will I need to come?
This, obviously, depends very much on the diagnosis of your particular problem. Some problems are very painful, but actually quite simple to resolve, and the patient may only need one or two sessions. Other people find they feel very much better within a few sessions, but, because of the nature of the problem or, perhaps, the job that they do, they need regular treatment to help them make the best of their lives.
From their experience, your Osteopath should be able to give you some idea of how much treatment is likely to be needed at the time of your first assessment, or, in some cases, a week later when they have been able to see your response to your first treatment. Audit-research we have undertaken within our practice has shown that benefit from Osteopathy is gained quite rapidly. This means that, even in complex cases that have been going on for a long time, you will have a good idea whether treatment will help you within about 4 treatment sessions. You are not committing yourself to something never-ending without perceiving real benefit.
Why do I need to wait between treatment sessions – wouldn’t one long session be just as good?
Essentially the body heals itself – Osteopathy is like a helping hand in this process, or sometimes like a catalyst when the healing process has stalled. There must be a time interval between treatment sessions to allow the body to make its response, and then take it on a further step.
A treatment session can be regarded a bit like a dose of medicine. Each session takes the process on a bit at a time – to try to make too great a change all at once can shock the body and set the healing process back.
Your Osteopath will advise on the correct time interval and number of treatment sessions likely to be required. You, however, remain in control. You can discuss this advice at any stage and, if you feel you are not making adequate progress, you can curtail treatment and ask your Osteopath about other possible approaches to your problem.
How much will it cost?
We charge £48 for the initial assessment and treatment, and £43 for any subsequent half-hourly treatment sessions. The overall cost obviously depends on the number of sessions required – see above.
Am I too old to see an Osteopath?
Certainly not. We have treated many patients in their 90s very successfully. Our own research found that the over-60 age group fared equally well with Osteopathy as the younger patients, and researchers from the University of Sheffield wrote “Patients of all ages and both sexes reported benefiting from the service”.
Is Osteopathy suitable for children?
Yes, definitely. Very gentle techniques can be used, and these are explained thoroughly in the section “Cranial for Babies and Children” elsewhere on this web-site.
I am ill in other ways. Can I still see an Osteopath?
The first thing that happens when you visit an Osteopath is that he/she will take a full case-history about you. This will include asking you about any other health problems that you may have at present, any illnesses requiring medication, and any problems or accidents you may have had in the past. This will enable the Osteopath to assess whether or not you are suitable for treatment and what techniques would be the most appropriate.
There are numerous osteopathic techniques available, ranging from the most gentle and sensitive massage or cranial techniques, to the more robust manipulations. Your Osteopath will choose suitable techniques depending on your overall state of health.
Our own research found that, where patients had significant other problems, such as advanced Diabetes, Cancer or Obstructive Lung Disease, not such a big proportion benefited from Osteopathy as in the population overall, but over 50% were still helped with their musculoskeletal problems. If you have any concerns about trying Osteopathy, you should discuss these with your GP. Those who have had cancer in the past may be reassured by requesting their doctor for a bone scan prior to osteopathic treatment.
Please be assured that if, after thorough examination, the Osteopath does not think your pain is arising from a musculoskeletal problem, or is unlikely to be helped by osteopathic treatment, he/she will refer you straight back to your GP
Can I see an Osteopath whilst I am pregnant?
Yes – Osteopathy is probably the treatment of choice for musculoskeletal pain during pregnancy, because both medication and bed-rest are contra-indicated.
It is hardly surprising that low back and pelvic pain in particular are very common in pregnant women, given the increased weight and postural changes that occur. In addition, hormones are released in pregnancy which slacken the ligaments binding the joints together – this is to enable the pelvic joints to loosen and the birth canal to widen so that the baby can pass through more easily. These hormones are released surprisingly early in pregnancy, so that joint strains of all kinds are much more common than at other times, and should respond quite readily to Osteopathic treatment.
There is no evidence to suggest that osteopathic treatment is in any way dangerous to the unborn child, nor that it can bring on a miscarriage.
Please do not hesitate to give us a ring to discuss any concerns you may have.
Do Osteopaths treat feet and other parts of the body?
Certainly we do. Osteopathy can treat any problem arising from the musculoskeletal system – the joints, ligament and muscles of the body. It is strange that so many people still think we are only interested in low back pain. We can help pain occurring in any part of the body, and also other related problems such as headaches/migraine.
It is also strange that people are often troubled by foot pain, but regard feet as beneath consideration. There are 26 small bones in each foot, with numerous joints between them and a complexity of muscles within the sole and tendons passing through to reach the toes. The feet are expected to carry the full body weight and many people spend much of their day standing. It is little wonder that the feet suffer all sorts of problems. Joint strains and restricted movement within the foot can often be solved quickly and successfully by Osteopathy.
What is the difference between an Osteopath and a Chiropractor?
Osteopathy and Chiropractic have very similar origins in 19 th century North America, and treat patients with similar conditions, using hands-on techniques. There may be very little distinction between individual Osteopaths and Chiropractors. However, generally speaking , there is a difference in the style of practice. Osteopaths usually see each patient for a longer period. This enables us to spend time using highly developed palpatory (sense of touch) skills to diagnose a patient’s problem and give the gentlest treatment we can to relieve their pain. Although, like Chiropractors, we do use the more robust “thrust” techniques where appropriate, this is in a context of slow joint articulation and soft tissue massage to change neural pathways and alter muscle chemistry.
At the Fishponds Practice we never leave patients by themselves for periods linked up to heat or vibratory pads, nor do we use any mechanical manipulation devices.
Pateints are often confused by the use of the title “Dr” by Chiropractors. This is a courtesy title only. It does not necessarily denote previous medical qualification, nor the holding of a higher degree and its use may be very misleading. Any doubts concerning exact qualifications should be addressed to the individual practitioner.
What is the difference between an Osteopath and a Physiotherapist.
There are probably more differences between Osteopaths and Physiotherapists than between Osteopaths and Chiropractors. Although many Physiotherapists work outside the hospital field in private practice, their training tends to focus on hospital-based work, giving them a greater expertise in the areas of rehabilitation following severe trauma or after surgery. Osteopaths excel where problems have arisen for no apparent reason, as far as the patient is concerned, but probably stem from an individual’s posture or daily life-style.
At the risk of generalising, it is probably true to say that physiotherapy treatment tends to focus on the locality of the pain only, rather than looking at what an Osteopath would see as its underlying cause. For example, tendonitis at the shoulder could be treated locally by a Physiotherapist, whereas an Osteopath would be interested in the curvature of the spine which had produced a faulty position of the shoulder joint and its consequent dysfunction. Certainly Physiotherapists make considerable use of ultrasound and heat therapy in their treatment, where Osteopaths rely on the heightened sensitivity of their hands in easing muscle tensions, stretching out scarred tissue and altering neural feedback.
Some Physiotherapists go on to learn spinal thrust techniques at postgraduate level, whereas Osteopaths begin to learn these techniques from day one of their undergraduate training, enabling them to carry out these manipulations with minimal force.
In the Bristol area, largely due to lack of funding within the NHS, Outpatient Physiotherapy focuses largely on the teaching of remedial exercises to patients. These have a very useful part to play, but many patients are in so much pain and are so immobile that they really cannot undertake exercises until they have received some hands on work Osteopaths also believe that targeted exercise can help in restoring full function, but will ensure that their patients’ pain is eased and their mobility improved first, so that they are in a position to cope with any exercises given.
Please note that the answers to the questions given above are the opinion of the author alone.
G Waldron – updated March 2018
Originally the practice started in the mid 1960s, when Dr Dennis Waldron, who some older patients still remember as a General Practitioner in Winterbourne, Frampton Cotterell and Oldbury Court, developed an interest in osteopathic techniques. He re-trained with a leading Harley Street specialist, Guy Beauchamp, and set up in practice with him in London, and also in his own practice in the centre of Bristol. Later he moved to the Cotham Road Surgery, where he was joined by his daughter Gabrielle Waldron, when she graduated from the British School of Osteopathy in 1992.
Meanwhile Martyn Morgan, who had graduated in 1988, had started practicing in Bristol with John Leah. This developed rapidly at the Natural Health Clinic on Cotham Hill. When Martyn and John realised that very large numbers of their patients were coming across town from east Bristol, they began to practice on the Fishponds Road and moved to larger premises at
834 Fishponds Road in the early 90’s. Gabrielle Waldron (aka Gaby) joined them in 1994, giving patients the option to see a female practitioner.