Dr Luke Rickards, Osteopath

Luke commenced his career in allied health as an acupuncture and Chinese medicine practitioner after graduating from the Sydney Institute of TCM in 1998, followed by a clinical internship at the Guangzhou University TCM Hospital in China.

Luke's early practice immediately led to a strong interest in the management of neuromusculoskeletal pain and he subsequently completed a Bachelor of Applied Science and a Masters degree in Osteopathy at the University of Western Sydney.

Osteopathy is a 'whole body' system of physical diagnosis and manual therapy that uses a broad range of manual and movement techniques to treat neuromusculoskeletal pain and other functional problems. Osteopaths view the body from an integrated systems perspective rather than focusing only at the area of a complaint.

Although most people decide to consult with a certain health practitioner because of a positive story from a friend, colleague, or family member, there are specific laws in Australia that prohibit registered health professionals from publishing such feedback from patients.

The main reason for this is to avoid circumstances where someone may develop an unrealistic expectation about the treatment results they might receive: just because one person got a particular result, doesn't mean everyone can expect the same result.However, the law doesn't stop people talking or writing about how a practitioner may or may not have helped them.

Learning more about your body is one of the most effective ways to start overcoming a persistent pain issue. Pain often makes us feel like our body is breaking. Learning about how your body actually works gives us a different message. Pain research has been showing us that how we think about pain can change the way it feels; and that understanding is important because it changes the way that you respond to pain.

The clinic is 50 meters from the Bondi Junction train station, opposite the rear entrance to David Jones in the Westfield shopping centre. You will receive a comprehensive examination, a clear diagnosis, and a realistic recovery plan to achieve your health goals.

If at any time during your care you feel that you have not received a clear explanation of your health issue and the steps required for recovery I will arrange to spend any necessary additional time discussing this with you at no further cost.