Meet our osteopaths
Get to know our team of osteopaths and find out how osteopathy looks at the connection between your body’s structure and how it works.
Meet Us
Our Passionate Team
We are here to treat pain, improve fitness, support better health and more. We will do our utmost to help you and provide the professional support required to aid you. We understand how much of an impact pain, physical or emotional, can have on your life, and that it may be difficult to discuss these problems, so we have created a comfortable, relaxing and open environment for all.
Yasmine Aouane (Yoko)
M.Ost, Osteopath
Hey there, I'm Yasmine Aouane, but you can call me Yoko. While my professional journey began in the biomedical and pharmaceutical scene, I soon realised that true health and wellbeing is about way more than just fixing one part or taking tablets. That's where osteopathy came into play for me with a holistic approach tailored to each individual. It's all about looking at the big picture when it comes to keeping people healthy. Inspired by my sister Nina, who embarked on her own osteopathic journey, I decided to pursue the same path for a more fulfilling career. In 2020, I proudly got my master’s degree in osteopathy, and ever since, I've had the pleasure of helping a wide range of people, addressing a whole spectrum of health concerns. Beyond the common back pain, I enjoy helping people with long-term issues, acute injuries, and anything stress or posture related. Outside of the clinic, you'll often find me going out for walks with my dog and my family, cooking all sorts of cuisines, or looking after my precious plant collection. Travelling is a big passion too. I’ve been fortunate to explore around 15 countries so far, but there's a whole lot more on my list. I speak a couple of different languages, so feel free to get in touch if you wanna practise your French! If there is anything else you’d like to know, feel free to get in touch and I’m more than happy to chat!
Registered Osteopaths
Qualification and Recognition
Osteopathy is a protected title, meaning all practitioners must be registered with the General Osteopathic Council (GOsC) to practise. At A1 Bodyworks Clinic, our osteopaths hold a Master’s in Osteopathy, supported by four years of university-level training. As part of our commitment to high standards of care, we complete a minimum of 30 hours of continuing professional development (CPD) annually. This not only ensures we deliver high quality care but also keeps us up to date with the latest evidence.
About Osteopathy
What is Osteopathy?
Osteopathy is a method of detecting, treating, and preventing musculoskeletal problems by manipulating, stretching, and massaging the muscles and joints. At the heart of osteopathic practice is the belief that a person’s health depends on how the bones, muscles, ligaments, and internal systems of the body work together. Osteopaths are required to be registered with the General Osteopathic Council (GOsC) and must complete a four-year degree to practise. Since 2017, osteopaths have been recognised as Allied Health Professionals (AHPs) by NHS England, similar to physiotherapists.
How Do Osteopaths Treat?
Osteopaths use a wide range of manual techniques to restore the normal function and stability of joints and muscles. These techniques can include soft tissue work, joint manipulation (adjustments), neuromuscular techniques, myofascial release, and positional release, among others. Osteopaths aim to ease discomfort and improve mobility. Osteopaths take a patient-centred approach, considering an individual's medical history, symptoms, job, and lifestyle to create a personalised treatment plan.
Does Osteopathy Help?
Osteopaths commonly help people with joint and muscle aches and pains. For low back pain, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) recommends manual therapy, such as osteopathy, alongside exercise. Osteopaths also provide guidance on posture, exercises, and lifestyle modifications to aid recovery, improve flexibility, and reduce the chance of symptoms coming back. By spending more time with each patient, osteopaths can take a whole-person approach to your care.
Acupuncture and Dry Needling
Alongside osteopathy, we offer acupuncture and dry needling when we think it’s suitable and you’d like to try it. Both involve placing very fine, single-use, sterile needles into the skin and underlying muscles: acupuncture at specific points on the body, and dry needling at tight or tender spots within a muscle. Yoko and Nina have both trained in medical acupuncture and dry needling with Breeze Academy. For some problems, such as chronic low back pain, neck pain and tension-type headaches, acupuncture may provide short-term pain relief, and we usually use it alongside hands-on treatment and exercise. It’s included in your appointment at no extra cost. It’s always your choice. We’ll explain what’s involved before we start, and if you’d rather not have needles, we’re happy to use other techniques instead.