Published in the Khaleej Times
One therapy that has sure gained popularity among locals across age-groups is osteopathy, a form of drug-free non-invasive manual medicine that focuses on total body health.
Recently the first ‘Emirates Osteopathic Conference’ in the region was hosted in Dubai titled, “Osteopathy across the Life Span” which reflected the wide scope of osteopathic practice in helping people of all age groups, beginning from care of infants to the care of the elderly.
The conference that was hosted in Dubai, under the patronage of the Emirates Osteopathic Society (Emirates Medical Association), saw participation of international experts from 14 countries.
The Dubai Healthcare City Authority awarded the conference 17 CPD (Continuing Professional Development) credits. The keynote address was delivered by Sheikh Saqr bin Humaid Al Qasimi, who has been instrumental in encouraging the need to bring osteopathic education to the region.
Different subjects discussed at the conference were regulation in the field of osteopathy, challenges and opportunities, treating premature newborns, overcoming barriers for effective rehabilitation of patients using new techniques in pain management, osteopathic management of women’s health issues in various life stages and multimodal geriatric care. Taking into account the phases of human development from conception to old age and how human adaptation changes over time, the presenters brought forth a multi-dimensional intervention strategy which can promote health and wellbeing of individuals.
“Osteopathy has been practised in the UAE for over 30 years, and it is rapidly gaining popularity as an important healthcare profession. The UAE is a fast-developing hub for medical tourism in the region, and osteopathy can play a very important role in patient care if we provide the right guidance and training to budding talents. The first Emirates Osteopathic Conference is testimony to the increasing potential of osteopathy in the region, and we hope to sustain our efforts to raise the level of expertise in the field.” said Malcolm Gregory, president of Emirates Osteopathic Society.
Attendees included osteopaths, physiotherapists and other healthcare practitioners involved in patient care.
“Recovering from a health condition is often a difficult experience, and osteopaths help people overcome these challenges, while facilitating recovery using a natural and holistic approach. Scientific review and evidence-informed outcomes have a high priority in patient treatment and case management. Healthcare professionals are increasingly recognising that traditional medicine and osteopathy can go hand in hand to garner long term positive health outcomes for patients,” said Jorge Esteves, osteopath, associate professor and chair of the Emirates Osteopathic Conference Scientific Committee.