Who am I?
After working for more than 27 years as a physiotherapist (graduated in 1989), 21 of which as an orthopaedic manual therapist (OOMT), I decided in 2016 to continue studying to be able to dive "deeper" into the human body.
In 2020 I received my Osteopathy Msc. Ost. Med.- D.O. degree at the International Academy of Osteopathy (IAO). This training is connected to Buckinghamshire New University (Buck's University) in England.
I came to the decision to change career because after all these years I still could not understand and therefore could not explain the causes, consequences and recurrence of many complaints.
This is in spite of the fact that I have taken almost all the courses available in the field of physiotherapy and manual therapy.
I came to realize that I was missing holistic thinking, looking at the human being as a whole. An aspect that in my mind often does not happen in mainstream medicine. The linking of the different systems that each consists of (musculoskeletal system, organ system, nervous system, etc., etc.)
A cardiologist understands the heart, a neurologist the nervous system, the orthopedist the bones and a physiotherapist the muscles and joints.
But actually there is no one within the regular health care system who combines all these different systems.
And this while all these systems together should make human functioning possible.
In addition, I lacked the time to be able to explain to people the possible cause and thus the most effective solution to their problem.
In short, I could not make my understanding of problems clear.
Within osteopathy I have found this holistic thinking.
Recurring back problems that people have been having for decades, who have been to different therapists and doctors, whereby photos, scans and blood tests have shown no abnormalities....
But what is interesting to know is that complaints such as constipation or acid burn, for example, can be a possible cause of back pain through the attachment of organs to the spinal column. In this case, treatment of the back will not be of much use; the complaint will remain or recur within some time. Mobilisation of the organs in this case will reduce the traction on the spinal column, which will make the back pain and most probably the organ related complaint of the patient disappear.
This is just a very simple example of thinking and clinical reasoning that I have missed in my time as a physio- and manual therapist.
Through my years of experience as a physio- and orthopaedic manual therapist and my experience in guiding (top) athletes, I believe I can treat patients well during their recovery and rehabilitation.
The fact that I have developed various specialisations in those years contributes to a wide range of treatment techniques.
Specialisations include:
- Orthopaedic Manual Therapy (OOMT)
- Dry Needling
- various courses in the field of neurodynamics
- various courses on the spinal column
- Medical taping (Cure-tape)
- various courses in the field of sports rehabilitation
Experiences:
2020 - present
Working as an osteopath in own practice Odijk Osteopathy
2016 - 2020
International Academy of Osteopathy (Ghent); Buckinghamshire New University
1991 - 2020
Working as Physiotherapist - Orthopaedic Manual Therapist at Fysio Benoordenhout, Weissenbruchstraat 81, The Hague (owner)
1992 – 1996
Physiotherapist Ladies 1 volleyball club TONEGIDO (Voorburg) 1st division
1999 – 2002
Physiotherapist ProPatria (Ladies top gymnastics department, KNGB support point)