Supporting Hip & Knee Health: How Osteopathy Helps You Move for Life
As an Osteopathic Manual Practitioner, one of the most common things I help people with is joint longevity, particularly knees and hips. These major joints carry us through life, and they’re often the first to show signs of wear and tear. Whether you're trying to stay active and avoid surgery, preparing for a joint replacement, or recovering afterward, osteopathy has a valuable role to play in keeping you moving well and feeling strong.
Working Toward Longevity, Before Surgery Is Ever on the Table
When I work with patients early, before major joint degeneration sets in, we focus on creating space, reducing strain, and restoring function. This means releasing tight muscles that compress the joint, improving the way forces are absorbed and distributed through the legs and pelvis, and optimizing movement patterns like walking, standing, and bending.
Small restrictions in the ankle, lower back, or pelvis can affect how your knees and hips move. Over time, these compensations create uneven wear. Gentle hands-on osteopathic treatment can restore balance to these areas, protecting your joints and possibly delaying the need for surgery.
Preparing the Body for Hip or Knee Surgery
If surgery is on the horizon, osteopathic treatment can help prepare your body for the best possible outcome. Pre-op sessions are aimed at:
Improving circulation and drainage in the leg
Supporting alignment of the pelvis and spine
Releasing surrounding soft tissue to reduce post-op compensation patterns
Helping you move into surgery from a place of strength, not dysfunction
We also look at your breathing patterns and posture, which influence your healing and mobility in ways people often overlook.
Post-Operative Care: Integrating the New Joint
After joint replacement surgery, the body has to re-learn how to move efficiently and safely. Osteopathy is a gentle way to support that transition.
I work alongside your physiotherapy plan, helping reduce swelling and stiffness, improving circulation, and treating any compensations in the back, opposite hip or leg, or even the neck and shoulders. These compensations often happen when your body has been moving differently for a long time before surgery.
Osteopathy post-op can help with:
Pain management without over-relying on medications
Restoring gait patterns
Reducing strain on other joints
Helping the nervous system recalibrate to a new way of moving
This whole-body approach respects your body’s history and helps it adapt to change more smoothly.
Whether your goal is to stay active and independent, recover from surgery, or simply move with less pain, osteopathic care offers a hands-on, individualized way to support your body at any stage.
If you’re wondering whether osteopathy might be right for you, whether you’ve had a joint replacement or want to avoid one, please feel free to reach out. I'm always happy to answer questions and work with your care team to keep you moving well for years to come.
— Leah Garrett, OMP
Leah Garrett Osteopathy