Osteopath climbed on top of me

[LukeSkywalkerNooooooooo]

This has been playing on my mind.

I’d never been to an osteopath before so maybe this is totally normal. Feel free to tell me if it is.

Osteopath was working on my body and then without warning he got on top of me (I was lying on my back) and he rolled me back and forth. He was literally on top of me like we were having sex.

Is this a thing?!

No

Hard to tell from your description. It is quite physical and ‘involved’ from my experience

He lay on top of you?
Or he was astride you?

Yes I’ve had that with a chiropractor.

Which bones were youn worried about if you were lying on your back

Sounds horrendous.

If any medical professional was going to do that, surely they would warn you first, explain the reason and get your permission.

What are you being treated for? Maybe an osteopath will come along and be able to tell you whether this is even part of conventional treatment.

The osteopath ought to be thinking about your dignity/feelings and trying to make you feel comfortable. So he should have said "I would like to do X but need place my weight on your shoulders" or whatever it was, and then he should do it in the way that is going to cause least discomfort or embarassment to you. It doesn't sound like he did that. I would make a complaint to the relevant council.

I just saw ... you were lying on your back

I've had treatment lying on my back. I've also had the osteopath roll my pants down a bit and touch my arse through clothes. But they always explain and get my permission and do it in a professional way. Doesn't sound like your guy did this.

I’ve had an osteopath do something similar to that but I was lying on my side with my knee bent. They leaned very heavily/laid on me and did the rocking thing. But they warned me they were going to do it before it happened and they were female which helped. I might have said no if the practitioner had been male- just my own personal boundary.

I did have a male massage therapist massage my buttocks once which made me REALLY uncomfortable and as a result I didn’t enjoy the massage very much. Again, I think it was a normal part of his practice (and I do get very tight in the glutes so they needed it) but I didn’t like it.

I haven't been to an osteopath but I would have assumed he'd explain things to you and ask if it's ok. Even my optician tells me what they're doing before going near my eyes and that's the only reason I'm there.

@blueshoes

Sounds horrendous.

If any medical professional was going to do that, surely they would warn you first, explain the reason and get your permission.

What are you being treated for? Maybe an osteopath will come along and be able to tell you whether this is even part of conventional treatment.

Absolutely.

There are many people who wouldn’t consent to this even if they were asked first. He sounds completely unprofessional, and dodgy.

Sorry he put you through that

What I meant was that he was astride me, face to face. I was mortified!

He should have explained

Yes, it's not out of the ordinary. I expect he'd have stopped the adjustment if you were not comfortable.

NO.

Inform police.

Make immediate formal complaint to the body that licensed him.

He should definitely have warned you/sought permission!

Why not phone a college that provides osteopathy training or another osteopath and ask if this is a recognised adjustment position, or even ask the clinic you went to and see what they say.

I've certainly had chiropractors laying heavily on my side etc when adjusting my back, to the point I'm struggling to breathe but several have done the same thing and I know where my injury is and it makes sense so it's never bothered me.

Mine always tells me what he's about to do. But some of the positions can indeed seem a bit odd

My least favourite position is when the osteo puts his hand under my back and throws himself on top of me to dislodge my thoracic vertebrae. I'm usually holding my shoulders at that point. Second least favourite is having him put his arms around from behind and yank me like a ragdoll because the first movement hadn't worked.

Never had the chap sit astride, but I'm hefty and take up most of the couch. It sounds like a lack of continued informed consent.

It sounds like something within the parameters of osteopathy but also that he was massively taking advantage.

I wouldn’t want to go to someone who would do that.

The osteopath I take my dd to, gets her consent every time he touches her and explains why. And I’m in the room too.

This is not normal at all. In my experience, leaning over from the side and using their weight to "pop" joints is common. But my osteo always explains exactly what she's doing, she gives me a pillow to hold, and checks if I'm ready every time.

My chiropractor does similar. One of his is to get me on my back with his fist between my shoulder blades and then basically body slam me. It's like being in a cage match with him sometimes. I've known him years though and he isn't the slightest bit dodgy.

Sounds like it could be a normal part of it (I've not had osteopathy but seen a chiropractor loads). But he definitely should have asked / warned you!
My chiropractor used to say things like "Is it ok if I feel inside your hip bone"... "is it ok if I undo your bra strap" (lying on my front)

The maneouvre sounds somewhat familiar*. The lack of discussion doesn't.

Is he part of a practice? You could call the manager/owner and explain how this has left you feeling, that maybe he need to brush up on his communication skills before a woman makes a more serious allegation. That way you wouldn't have to make that allegation yourself but would alert them to what is happening.

Or contact www.osteopathy.org.uk/forms/concerns-enquiry-form/

You can do it without naming him if that makes you feel easier.

*Though I've never been straddled when on my back I have been body slammed a few times.