Every year on June 22nd, practitioners and patients around the world mark World Osteopathy Day — a moment to reflect on how far this discipline has come and how many lives it continues to change. At Best Osteopathy, it is one of our favourite days of the year.
How Osteopathy Began
Osteopathy was founded in 1874 by Dr. Andrew Taylor Still, an American physician who became disillusioned with the limitations of conventional medicine after losing three of his children to spinal meningitis. He began developing a new approach to health — one that treated the body as an integrated unit and believed that structure and function were inseparably linked.
Dr. Still observed that when the body’s structural integrity was maintained, it had a remarkable capacity to heal itself. He called this new discipline osteopathy, from the Greek roots for bone (“osteon”) and suffering (“pathos”), reflecting his belief that many diseases could be traced to mechanical problems in the musculoskeletal system.
In 1892, he founded the American School of Osteopathy in Kirksville, Missouri — the world’s first osteopathic school — and the profession has been growing ever since.
Osteopathy Comes to Canada
Manual osteopathy arrived in Canada through a generation of practitioners who trained abroad and brought the discipline home. Today, the profession is regulated in several provinces and growing rapidly across the country.
In British Columbia, manual osteopaths are registered with the College of Registered Manual Osteopaths (CRMO), which sets standards of practice, education, and ethics to protect the public. Best Osteopathy founder Mehrbod Atshani is a registered CRMO member and a supervisor in the National Academy of Osteopathy Bridge Program — training the next generation of practitioners in Canada.
Why World Osteopathy Day Matters
World Osteopathy Day was established by Dr. Shawn Pourgol, founder of the National Academy of Osteopathy, who designated June 22nd as an annual occasion to raise awareness about the benefits of manual osteopathic treatment. For a profession that has quietly helped millions of people manage chronic pain, recover from injury, and improve their quality of life, having a dedicated day of recognition is long overdue.
Despite being one of the most effective non-pharmacological approaches to musculoskeletal pain, manual osteopathy remains unknown to a significant proportion of the population. Many people spend years trying medications, cortisone injections, or repeated physiotherapy without lasting results — never having heard of osteopathy.
World Osteopathy Day is an opportunity to change that.
What Manual Osteopathy Can Do
Manual osteopathic treatment uses hands-on techniques — soft tissue work, joint mobilization, myofascial release, craniosacral therapy, and visceral manipulation — to identify and address the root structural causes of pain and dysfunction. Unlike treatments that manage symptoms, osteopathy works to restore the body’s natural balance.
At Best Osteopathy, we treat a wide range of conditions including chronic back and neck pain, sciatica, headaches and migraines, TMJ disorder, pregnancy-related pain, sports injuries, stress and anxiety, and more. No referral is required. Most extended health plans in BC cover treatment.
Celebrating 130+ Years of Osteopathy
More than 130 years after Dr. Still opened his first school, osteopathy is practised in over 40 countries. Research continues to build on its effectiveness for musculoskeletal pain, and interest in non-pharmacological approaches to health is growing faster than ever. The future of this profession is bright.
To every patient who has trusted us with their care, and to every practitioner who has dedicated their career to this work — happy World Osteopathy Day.
Book an Appointment at Best Osteopathy
No referral needed. Most extended health plans cover treatment. Four locations across Metro Vancouver:
- Downtown Vancouver, 658 Homer St, Suite 410
- Brentwood Burnaby, 1920 Willingdon Ave
- New Westminster, 661 Columbia St
- Richmond, 3891 Chatham St
Call (604) 445-1456 or email info@bestosteopathy.ca. Learn more about what osteopathy is and meet our team of registered practitioners.
Best Osteopathy celebrates and practises manual osteopathy at our Downtown Vancouver, New Westminster, Brentwood Burnaby, and Richmond clinics.
