Dr Oliver Thomson PhD is a leading London osteopath. Using the latest research, he provides effective treatment for back pain and sciatica, incorporating osteopathy, manual therapy, exercise advice and education. He has extensive experience in helping patients with acute, recurrent or chronic back pain, where other treatments and 'quick fix' approaches have not been successful.
Based in Belsize Park, his extensive clinical expertise and evidence-based approach will meet all your musculoskeletal healthcare needs, no matter how complex.
Choose us for effective relief for your back pain and sciatica:
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Leading London osteopath
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Persistent chronic back pain and acute episodes
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Detailed clinical examination, explanation and diagnosis
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Modern approach using the latest research
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Exercise and rehabilitation
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Professional, friendly and supportive approach
CLINICIAN
A leading London osteopath, Dr Thomson has extensive expertise and experience in treating and managing a range of musculoskeletal conditions, particularly back pain and sciatica. Using the latest research he puts the individual patient at the heart of any treatment plan so that you'll be involved in all the decisions regarding your care.
RESEARCHER
Dr Thomson is an experienced researcher and academic. He collaborates with researchers worldwide and has published extensively in the areas of clinical reasoning, biopsychosocial model of back pain, qualitative research and grounded theory.
EDUCATOR
Dr Thomson is currently an Associate Professor at the University College of Osteopathy in London, and he has held several teaching and lecturing positions at educational institutions in the UK and Scandinavia. He regularly holds seminars, workshops and CPD courses for osteopaths, manual therapists, healthcare professionals.
Leading London Osteopath
Extensive clinical experience & training
Comprehensive clinical examination
Clear diagnosis & explanation
Modern approach using the latest research
Effective pain relief
Self-managment & pain education
Exercise & rehabilitation advice
Professional, friendly & supportive approach
Book your appointment
If you're experiencing back pain, sciatica or another musculoskeletal problem or have been failed by 'quick fix' treatments and promises, Dr Oliver Thomson can provide effective evidence-based treatment and advice. He is based at BodyMatters Clinic, located at 1 McCrone Mews, Belsize Park, London, NW3. With free on-site parking, it is easily accessible via car or public transport (Jubilee and Northern tube lines) from central London, Camden, Hampstead, Golders Green, St John’s Wood, Primrose Hill, Swiss Cottage, West Hampstead and Chalk Farm.
Appointments can be booked online or calling 0207 419 7900.
Recent Blog Posts
NEWS FLASH! (Great) expectations of recovery from back pain are associated with recovery from back pain
Osteopathy and evidence-based practice- getting there, but challenges still ahead
WE TALKED evidence, WE SHARED ideas and experiences, WE QUESTIONED practice knowledge, WE PRESSURE-TESTED our own beliefs, HECK we even ATE Mrs Crimble’s macaroons…
CPD Course on Effective language and communication when managing low back pain- how to help and not harm
Your back IS strong…even if you (or someone else) doesn’t think that it is
Evidence-based practice in osteopathy- results from a UK national survey (and clearing things up!)
Protect your sleep to protect your back
Re-grounding biopsychosocial back pain research- Introducing Grounded Theory Method
“I should be glowing not aching!”- The facts about low back pain during pregnancy
Low back pain: To scan, or not to scan? That is the question
Counting down the days until Words Matter hits Melbourne 🇦🇺📅 . Super excited to team up with good buddy and osteo/movement wiz Ben from @balanceosteopathy to incorporate therapeutic movement and exercise into the successful Words Matters sessions at @victoriauniversity. . Together Ben and I will help develop musculoskeletal therapists’ skills and knowledge in language and communication as they relate to all areas of the clinical interaction with people with low back pain. . The full day workshop will help orientate your clinical reasoning frameworks to utilise contemporary biopsychosocial approaches to back pain. . Drawing upon the latest research evidence, we’ll discuss strategies for effective and therapeutic communication with patients experiencing back pain, in conjunction with matched movement and rehabilitation strategies. . For tickets and full details of the program search Eventbrite (Australia). . #osteopathy #physiotherapy #chiropractic #movementismedicine #movementislife #movementtherapy #myotherapy #physiotherapyaustralia #osteopathyaustralia #chiropracticaustralia @osteopathyau @myotherapyassociationau #biopsychosocial #evidencebasedpractice #lowbackpain
There’s something about self-efficacy. . Developing a patient’s self efficacy puts them on the right track. . High self efficacy includes self-confidence, accurate self- evaluation, willingness to take risks, and sense of accomplishment. . Self efficacy is related to self-management (physical exercise) and treatment adherence. . Higher levels of self-efficacy are associated with lower levels of pain and disability in patients with chronic pain. . In contrast, low SE includes fear of risks and uncertainty, low aspirations, feelings of fear of failure, and impression management (aware of peoples’ perceptions). . Low SE associated with worse outcomes from LBP. . Clinicians’ language and communication strategies can influence a patient’s self efficacy. So move from saying “Be careful exercising”, or “I think that’s took much for you” or “your back is just not made to do those types of exercises” ❌ . To . “This exercise is hard, but you’ve done hard things before- I believe in you” or “It’s ok, you’re safe, you’re strong” or “your back is strong and stable, just a little sore/sensitive” ✅💪🏼 . #selfefficacy #backpain #biopsychosocial #lowbackpain #confidence #osteopath #physiotherapist #chiropractor
In normal day-to-day life we constantly assume meaning of each other’s language for ease and efficiency sake. . For example, when your partner says “honey please switch of the light”, it would be odd to reply “yes but darling, what do you mean by ‘switch‘ or ‘light’”?🧐 . However, when working with people in pain, we cannot afford to assume that they hold the same meaning as us of the common terms, words and phrases we use to describe/explain the facets associated with back pain. . We should be aware of the multiple interpretations of language and the emotional impacts that words can have for different people. . There is not a one size fits all script that carries universal meaning for all. One person may interpret the term ‘degeneration’ quite differently to another and we should be sensitive to this fact, and be prepared to explore patients meanings, interpretations and beliefs and tailor our language in accordance with these. . Genuine quote from a study participant with LBP from the paper below 👇🏻 . Thomson, O.P. and Collyer, K., 2017. ‘Talking a different language’: a qualitative study of chronic low back pain patients' interpretation of the language used by student osteopaths. International Journal of Osteopathic Medicine, 24, pp.3-11. . Check out my Words Matter workshops on Eventbrite- providing evidence based and practical strategies to utilise language to optimise the recovery of patients with back pain. . London with @physioedmedical Dubai with @emiratesosteopathicsociety Portugal with @osteo_form Melbourne with @balanceosteopathy . #physiotherapy #phsyiotherapist #osteopathy #osteopath #spondylosis #scoliosis #arthritis #chiropractor #wordsmatter #lowbackpain #backpain #cpd #physiotherapyindubai #chiropracticdubai
What’s in a name? . ‘Osteoarthritis’ is unlikely to strike fear in the heart of most MSK health professionals- it’s a common ‘humdrum’ term that is etched in the cortex of students during their professional training. . However, a term that appears to be benign, boring and everyday, can have quite a different interpretation by people experiencing pain and whose life and experience of that life, is intertwined with the distress, helplessness and fear that is part of persistent back pain. . Our words matter. . Genuine quote from a study participant with LBP from the paper below 👇🏻 . Thomson, O.P. and Collyer, K., 2017. ‘Talking a different language’: a qualitative study of chronic low back pain patients' interpretation of the language used by student osteopaths. International Journal of Osteopathic Medicine, 24, pp.3-11. . Check out my Words Matter workshops on Eventbrite- providing evidence based and practical strategies to utilise language to optimise the recovery of patients with back pain. . #physiotherapy #phsyiotherapist #osteopathy #osteopath #spondylosis #scoliosis #arthritis #chiropractor #wordsmatter #lowbackpain #backpain #cpd #chronicpain
The numbing familiarity of common clinical terms means we’re often totally blind as to the emotional, psychological and behavioural impacts that our day-to-day language can have on people with back pain. . Clinicians, therapists and physicians cannot afford for one second to be clumsy, lazy and uncaring with our language when interacting with people in pain and might be distressed, anxious or scared. . “Words are like toothpaste; once out of the tube, they are impossible to put back in” (Stewart & Loftus, 2018). . Genuine quote from a study participant with LBP from the paper below 👇🏻 . Thomson, O.P. and Collyer, K., 2017. ‘Talking a different language’: a qualitative study of chronic low back pain patients' interpretation of the language used by student osteopaths. International Journal of Osteopathic Medicine, 24, pp.3-11. . Check out my Words Matter workshops on Eventbrite- providing evidence based and practical strategies to utilise language to optimise the recovery of patients with back pain. . #physiotherapy #phsyiotherapist #osteopathy #osteopath #spondylosis #scoliosis #arthritis #chiropractor #wordsmatter #lowbackpain #backpain #cpd
Telling people with back that they’re weak, vulnerable or fragile can have a dramatic impact on their lives, as exemplified by this interview quote from Darlow et al (2013) study exploring the enduring impact of what clinicians say to people with low back pain. . Musculoskeletal clinicians and therapists often use words and phrases with the best intentions, however we’re frequently unaware of the unintended consequences of these terms (which are often part of common professional language). . The wrong word, at the wrong time, said in the wrong way, to the wrong patient can have a profoundly negative impact on recovery from low back pain. For example, “you’re spine is weak”, “your body can’t handle that”, “be careful with your back” 🤕 . The right words, said at the right time, in the right way, to the right patient can have a liberating, reassuring and positive impact on them. For example, “you can do this”, “you’re strong, you’re safe”, “it’s difficult, but you’ve done hard things before”. 💪🏼 . Words Matter workshops running in London, Portugal, Dubai and Melbourne. See bio for link. . #wordsmatter #physicaltherapy #physiotherapy #osteopath #chiropractor #biopsychosocial #backpain #evidencebasedmedicine #qualitativeresearch #cpd #coreworkout #corestrength
People with back often hold the belief that back pain is ‘special’- it’s ‘complex’ ‘easy to injure’, ‘hard to heal’ and is ‘different’ from hurting/injuring other areas of the body. . These negative thoughts, expectations and misrepresentations about the back can adversely impact recovery from back pain. . Therefore, it’s crucial that the language we use with our patients can address these misrepresentations, and help construct more helpful and positive to facilitate recovery. . Words Matter CPD workshops in London with @physioedmedical , Dubai with @emiratesosteopathicsociety , Lisbon with @osteo_form and Melbourne with @balanceosteopathy. . Quote from: Darlow et al (2015). Easy to harm, hard to heal: patient views about the back. Spine, 40(11), pp.842-850. . #wordsmatter #lowbackpain #osteopath #physiotherapist #chiropracticdubai #chiropracticdubai #osteopathyworks #cpd #musculoskeletal #manualtherapy #evidnencebasedpractice
People experiencing back pain often have misconceptions, misrepresentations and inaccurate beliefs about their back. . Health professionals have a pivotal role in shaping patients’ beliefs, and we’re centrally places to construct helpful 👍🏼 or unhelpful 👎🏼representations of the back through the words, language, phrases and metaphors we use during our interaction. . Like any clinical skill (eg manual therapy technique, examining cranial nerves or a cardiac exam), it takes practice. . This can be challenging, when much of undergraduate training tends to focus on the ‘hard technical’ skills and less on the ‘softer inter-personal’ skills. 🤝 . A good place to start is just having a critical awareness of the language that we do use to describe all the elements around back pain; and that this language will have emotional, psychological and behavioural CONSEQUENCES which can profoundly impact recovery. . If you’d like to learn more, then check out my Words Matter workshops in London (with @physioedmedical), Lisbon (with @osteo_form ) and Melbourne (with @balanceosteopathy). . Search ‘Words Matter’ in Eventbrite or see link in my bio. . Quote from: Darlow et al., (2015) Easy to harm, hard to heal: patient views about the back. Spine, 40(11), pp.842-850. . #wordsmatter #manualtherapy #physiotherapy #osteopathy #chiropractic #chiropractor #physiotherapist #physicaltherapist #osteopath #osteopathyworks #evidencebasedpractice #cpd
*CPD for manual & musculoskeletal therapists* . Saying the right things, at the right time in the right way to patients with back pain can have a profound impact on their recovery. . It can be a real challenge to communicate to patients the evidence for back pain, it’s causes and effective treatments in a meaningful and biopsychosocial way. . This can made more challenging when patients’ (and practitioners’) expectations and beliefs of back pain are often structurally and biomechanically orientated. . If you’ve struggled to use the latest evidence and biopsychosocial model to shape your explanations and communication with patients with back pain, then check out my Words Matter CPD. . This workshop will review the evidence around back pain and offer practical strategies to communicate diagnosis, examination and imaging findings in a way that empowers, reassures, facilitates physical activity and recovery from back pain. . Search ‘Words Matter’ in eventbrite or see bio for more info. . #backpain #evidencebasedpractice #physiotherapist #osteopath #chiropractor #cpd #osteopathyworks #eventbrite #biopsychosocial #sciatica #manualtherapist
Applying or teaching outdated, implausible, bio-centred, un-evidenced theories and models comes at a cost. . You often hear (especially in manual therapy education) justifications for this in forms such as “I known model X is untrue but it’s a good way to start”, or “teaching model Y gives students the opportunity to develop and explore their own approaches” or “despite model Z being incorrect it’s part of our professional history and identity”. . What is common amongst the above justifications is the ASSUMPTION that applying such ideas to practice, while may not be entirely effective, doesn’t carry any risk of HARM. A zero-sum game. . However, using such inadequate models in practice IS harmful in the following ways: . ❌ They focus our gaze onto areas which are shown to be less important in patients’ recovery. . ❌ The patho-biomechanical language tied to these models, when used with patients can create an unhelpful framework of their pain and disability. . ❌ We seems time developing skills which support the implementation of these models (eg palpating, movement/posture analysis, manual techniques). We fail to develop other skills (eg communication, relational understanding, listening). . ❌ They perpetuate, spread and keep alive outdated beliefs 🦠 . So why use them⁉️ . Primum non nocere - "first, do no harm” . Catch the Words Matter sessions: . 🇬🇧 October in London with @physioedmedical . 🇦🇪 October in Dubai with @emiratesosteopathicsociety . 🇵🇹 November in Portugal with @osteo_form . 🇦🇺 December in Melbourne with @balanceosteopathy . #wordsmatter #manualtherapy #osteopath #physiotherapist #chiropractor #biopsychosocial #osteopatiaportugal #chiropracticdubai #physiotherapydubai #osteopathydubai #lowbackpain #evidencebasedpractice