History of Osteopathy
Dr. Andrew Taylor Still (August 6, 1828 – December 12, 1917)
Osteopathy was founded by Dr. Andrew Taylor Still, MD, DO in 1874.
He was an American physician and Civil War surgeon who sought alternatives to the ineffective and often harmful medical practices of the 19th century. Still believed that the body possesses an innate ability to heal itself and that illness often stemmed from musculoskeletal restrictions impeding on fluid circulation and nerve function. He developed manual techniques to restore structural balance, establishing the American School of Osteopathy in Kirksville, Missouri, in 1892 to formalize his teachings.
Today, Osteopathy has spread worldwide and continues to encompass the principles that Dr. Still put forth:
- The body is one dynamic unit
- The body is self-regulating and self-healing
- Structure and function are interrelated
- Rational treatment is based on these principles
