At Stride Red Deer and Stride Blackfalds, recovery is most effective when care is collaborative and integrated. Our manual osteopaths, chiropractors, and physiotherapists each bring unique training and techniques, but they share a common goal: helping you move with greater ease and confidence. Our team collaborates to deliver comprehensive care, leveraging years of shared clinical expertise and a commitment to patient-centred care.
When these practitioners collaborate, they can address not only symptoms but also the underlying causes of pain, imbalance, and limited mobility. This integrated model helps ensure cohesive, high-quality care at Stride Blackfalds, making our approach distinctive within the community.
Understanding the Similarities: Manual Osteopathy, Chiropractic, and Physiotherapy
At first glance, manual osteopathy, chiropractic care, and physiotherapy may seem similar, each focusing on improving movement, alignment, and overall function. At Stride Blackfalds, we recognize the unique contributions of each discipline to the recovery process.
Our short video How Are Manual Osteopathy and Chiropractic Care the Same? explains how these two approaches align and complement one another within collaborative care.
Manual osteopathy emphasizes the interconnectedness of the body’s systems, employing gentle, rhythmic techniques to release restrictions, enhance circulation, and promote overall balance throughout the muscles, joints, and fascia.
Chiropractic care focuses on spinal alignment and the relationship between the spine and the nervous system. Through specific adjustments, chiropractors work to restore joint motion and support healthy communication between the body and brain.
Physiotherapy builds these foundations by helping clients strengthen, stabilize, and retrain movement patterns. Physiotherapists guide active rehabilitation, ensuring that improved mobility translates into long-term strength and confidence in daily movement.
How Physiotherapy and Chiropractic Work Together with Manual Osteopathy
At Stride Blackfalds, physiotherapy provides a movement-based foundation that complements our manual therapies. Our physiotherapists don’t just prescribe exercises; they use skilled hands-on techniques to release muscular restrictions, improve mobility, and reduce tension. This works in harmony with our manual osteopaths, who can address other structural and fascial restrictions, and our chiropractors, who enhance joint alignment and nervous system function. Together, these approaches restore movement, relieve pain, and help you maintain lasting results through guided exercise and functional retraining. Research supports this integrative approach, as manual therapy professions, such as chiropractic, manual osteopathy, and physiotherapy, each play a role in supporting musculoskeletal health and prevention (Draper-Rodi et al., 2024).
Watch our short video How Do Physiotherapy and Chiropractic Work Together with a Manual Osteopath? to see how these approaches integrate in practice.
The Benefits of Collaborative Care at Stride Blackfalds
At Stride Blackfalds, our practitioners share notes, treatment goals, and insights to ensure every client receives cohesive and efficient care. This collaborative approach supports active lifestyles, helping clients stay engaged in their work, sports, and daily activities with greater comfort and confidence.
Evidence shows that when physiotherapists, chiropractors, and manual osteopaths work together in the same clinic, meaningful collaboration can develop, reducing professional tension and enhancing team-based care (Toloui-Wallace, Forbes, Thomson, Setchell, 2022).
Collaborative care at Stride Blackfalds focuses on:
• Addressing complex or long-standing musculoskeletal concerns
• Supporting recovery through coordinated, individualized treatment plans
• Encouraging mobility and strength across all stages of rehabilitation
• Promoting overall wellness through an integrated, whole-body perspective
Whether you start with physiotherapy, chiropractic care, or manual osteopathy, our team collaborates to ensure you receive the right combination of treatments.
Why Choose Stride Blackfalds for Integrated Care
At Stride Blackfalds, collaboration isn’t just encouraged; it’s part of how we practice. Our teams work side by side to create personalized treatment plans that reflect your goals and lifestyle, always prioritizing a patient-centred approach that values your active participation in care.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Why combine manual osteopathy, chiropractic, and physiotherapy?
Each profession offers a unique perspective. Manual osteopathy focuses on balance, chiropractic on alignment, and physiotherapy on movement and strength. Together, they provide comprehensive support for musculoskeletal health through an integrated approach.
How do practitioners at Stride Blackfalds coordinate care?
Our team works collaboratively within the same clinic, sharing treatment notes and goals to ensure your care plan is consistent and effective.
Can I see more than one practitioner at the same time?
Yes. Many people alternate sessions between physiotherapy, chiropractic care, and manual osteopathy to support progress and maintain their results.
Is collaborative care right for me?
If you’ve experienced recurring discomfort, limited mobility, or incomplete recovery from previous injuries, a combined approach may help address your needs more comprehensively.
Do I need a referral to book multiple services?
No referral is required. Contact Stride Red Deer or Stride Blackfalds to book your initial assessment. Our team will guide you through the following steps.
Take the First Step Toward Complete Care at Stride Blackfalds
Discover how manual osteopathy, chiropractic, and physiotherapy work together to support your movement and well-being.
Book your appointment today and experience the benefits of collaborative, patient-centered care.
Book at Stride Red Deer
Book at Stride Blackfalds
References
Draper-Rodi, J., Delion, T., MacMillan, A., Storey, A. I., Spadaccini, J., Jebi, W., Thomson, O. P., & Hohenschurz-Schmidt, D. (2024). Primary and secondary prevention of musculoskeletal pain and disability in chiropractic, osteopathy, and physiotherapy: A scoping review. International Journal of Osteopathic Medicine, 53, 100725. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S174606892400018X
Toloui-Wallace, J., Forbes, R., Thomson, O. P., & Setchell, J. (2022). When worlds collide: Experiences of physiotherapists, chiropractors, and osteopaths working together. Musculoskeletal Science and Practice, 60, 102509. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S2468781222000637
