Lifestyle
Anisha Joshi, Osteopath at Euromed Clinic Dubai, explains how recalibrating your body will help you go into 2023 with renewed strength.
Talk us through your career.
With my parents collectively working four different jobs to partly fund my journey through private school, this work ethic was something I carry through my life now. My sister and I both decided to go down the osteopathy route, so determination and hard work is something that runs in my family. After graduating in 2010 from the British College of Osteopathic Medicine in London, I decided to travel across the globe to Australia where I cut my teeth in osteopathy, gaining a wealth of experience before deciding to open my clinic at the age of 23. With support from my parents – they remortgaged their house twice to put the initial deposit down – I managed to open her own clinic. Fast-forward 13 years; the clinic’s growth has been impressive; hiring multiple practitioners has seen it grow from 1 treatment room to 6 across two different locations. Since then, I have won Principal Osteopath of the Year, appeared on This Morning TV show and have been sought out by many magazines and national papers for expert commentary. My patient list includes many professional athletes as well as A-list celebrities such as Rita Ora, who seek out my advice and treatment. After the global pandemic and its subsequent lockdown, I decided to merge with my sister to form Osteo Allies; where we are keen to continue expanding our brand and creating opportunities to nurture fellow osteopaths.
What inspired you to enter the healthcare space?
I’ve always been inspired by how amazing the human body is and how it doesn’t take much in order for it to adapt and get better.
What does your role as an osteopath entail?
People still assume that osteopaths just help bones or back pain, but most aches and pains have multiple factors that contribute to them. Osteopaths conduct a detailed case history and ensure that they take all elements of your lifestyle into consideration. This includes nutrition, your mental health, and exercises. Combining advice in all these areas helps to support your complaint. The main difference between a treatment with an osteopath and a sports masseuse is the in-depth assessment an osteopath will provide you. Osteopathy is a complete system of diagnosis, treatment and overall management.
When it comes to aches and pains, what do you find is the biggest cause?
In a world where most of us spend half of our time at a desk, experiencing shoulder and neck pain is very common, and is something that often develops into headaches. Usually, this occurs when someone has been doing something in the same position for too long; working on a computer, for example. The majority of pain is due to a lack of movement.
“I’ve always been inspired by how amazing the human body is and how it doesn’t take much in order for it to adapt and improve.”
What is the biggest issue people come to see you to help with?
The biggest issue people come to see me to help with is back pain. In fact, 84 percent of people will experience back pain at some point in their life. There is a lot of fear around back pain, but the truth is that it occurs in varying degrees. Those who experience persistent pain come to me for a diagnosis and treatment plan so that we can work together to strengthen their body.
In terms of your career, you’re a female working in a male-dominated space. What’s this like and how do you hope to change the narrative for women in this space?
As a young woman of colour I had to work doubly hard in a white male medical world but far from deterring me; if anything it spurred me on. I hope that my career thus far stands as an example that women can not only succeed in this space, but also become one of the leading in their field.
How have you harnessed the use of social media to share your tips and tricks?
I have found social media to be a great tool for sharing my expert tips and tricks with a wider audience. I frequently post Reels on my Instagram (@osteoanisha) giving advice on a variety of topics and educating my audience on the best ways to easily relieve certain muscle stresses and pains. It’s amazing to be able to share my passion for osteopathy with lots of people all at the same time.
What advice do you wish you had received at the start of your journey?
I guess the advice I wish I had got was that you may at times feel like you’re undeserving of your success. However, the impact you will have on other peoples’ lives is beyond what you feel about yourself.
Looking back over your career, can you tell us some major hurdles you’ve had to overcome?
I’ve had to overcome the fact that many people don’t know what osteopaths do. I’ve also had to overcome the pandemic when unfortunately my business didn’t receive any government help and I was on the verge of filing for bankruptcy. It was a really tough time and I had to make some tough decisions to make the business work. I never thought that a year after the pandemic I’d have expanded my business into three clinics in the UK and now a clinic in Dubai.
On the opposite end of the spectrum, what are your top milestones from your career so far?
I am lucky to say that there are various milestones in my career which I am very proud of. Being awarded Principal Osteopath of the Year by the prestigious Institute of Osteopathy was a huge achievement for me and solidified my position as one of Britain’s leading osteopaths. Appearing on ITV’s This Morning, to discuss the benefits of treatment and tips to keep moving, is another notable milestone. Finally, I have recently spent some time in Dubai after partnering with Euromed Clinic. This has been an amazing experience for me and has not only allowed me to experience a new place but also to meet a variety of amazing people and patients.
Your top tips for taking care of aches and pains at home?
To take care of aches and pains at home, it is important to make an effort to do strengthening exercises to alleviate muscle stiffness and get an early night’s sleep. Movement and sleep are both research-driven practices that can help ease body soreness. As well as this, nutrition plays a big role in muscle and joint repair. To stay energised, it is crucial to stay hydrated and eat a well-balanced, protein-heavy diet. Daily supplements of omega-3, magnesium and iron, all also help to promote better energy levels. Omega 3 is found in oily fish like salmon and is really important for muscles, joints, skin and hair. Also, relaxing in a warm bath is a great way to restore the body, acting as a way to switch off and relax.
Going into 2023, what is your advice for living a more pain-free and healthy life?
Recognise that pain isn’t a reflection of damage and that we need to move more than we think we do. In a world where we stay stationary more than ever, this is key. If you’re experiencing any aches or pains, then it’s good to chat to an osteopath.
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