James Ruddick
“I help get people out of pain. By really listening to you, and appreciating why you’ve developed the issue, I know what to look out for, and love finding and resolving the obstacles preventing you from returning to your natural healthy symptom-free state.”
James Ruddick - Osteopath and Clinic Director
James is a registered Osteopath and member of the Institute of Osteopathy (iO), who qualified from the British School of Osteopathy in 2004. He uses a variety of different techniques, in a broadly structural style of Osteopathy. He joined Summertown Clinic following several years working at Kendal House Clinic, Clitheroe, Lancashire and working with Dr Anne Redgrave (at the time Chief Medical officer for GB Olympic Team) in Bourne End.
Beyond general practice his special interests are sports injuries, ‘Classical Osteopathy’, and ‘visceral’ techniques. He particularly enjoys helping patients struggling with chronic pain, and complex clinical pictures.
Classical Osteopathy first caught James’ attention whilst at university, when considering the scope of conditions Osteopaths used to treat. With a strong background in sports, including a P.E. and Sports Science joint honours degree from Loughborough University (where he was Athletic Union President 99-00) James’ favourite sport is Rugby Union and played for England Schools. While in Clitheroe he managed to combine his passions and was the team osteopath to Wharfedale RUFC and Clitheroe Football Club as well as being on the committee for the Osteopathic Sports Care Association (OSCA).
James moved to Oxford as an osteopath in 2006, and now works at Summertown Clinic 4 days a week. In the past he enjoyed teaching which he started in 2006 at Oxford Brookes, and progressed to becoming a faculty member at the London College of Osteopathic Medicine – where he helped train medics to become osteopaths. More recently he took on the role of Unit Leader of Professional and Clinical Competence at the University College of Osteopathy (previously known as the British School of Osteopathy (BSO)) leading the 4th and 5th year part time under graduates. James has also been very active in his local group of osteopaths which he helped establish called the Oxfordshire Osteopathic Network that aims to develop, support and promote osteopathy around Oxfordshire.
James has travelled widely and spent a year in New Zealand before going to Loughborough. He also speaks conversational French (un peu), enjoys golf, the guitar and looking after his son Daniel.
Practitioner Summary
Academic:
- PGCE (ACE) – Academic and Clinical Education – British School of Osteopathy (BSO) (2014)
- Degree in Osteopathy – BSO (2004)
- Applied Kinesiology (2005), Dry Needling Course (2006)
- Degree in P.E. & Sports Science with Chemistry – (Loughborough University 1999)
Teaching posts:
- Oxford Brookes University (Clinical Educator & Technique) (2006 – 2014),
- UCO Unit Leader (2015-18) in Professional and Clinical Competence.
Sports Roles:
- Clitheroe Football Club (2004-6),
- Wharfdale Rugby Club (2005-6),
- Worked with Dr Ann Redgrave (Chief Medical Officer of Great Britain) (2006-9)
- Neuropathic pain – sciatica, nerve compressions, ‘trapped nerves’, headaches, migraines, complex cases
- Sports Injuries – a range of sports experience, Rugby, running, squash, golf, rowing, and football especially
- Visceral Conditions – IBS, lethargy, chronic fatigue syndrome (Perrin Technique)
- Geriatric Conditions – balance issues and arthritic pain
I’ll meet you in reception and introduce myself, before bringing into the treatment room. I like to think I have a relaxed manner, and hope to make my patient’s feel comfortable and relaxed. The general structure of all my appointments is:
Case History – I take a detailed case history to get a clear picture of what’s happened, what I’ll need to assess, and to ensure the patient is appropriate for treatment. If I’ve seen you before, I’ll be asking how you’ve got on and what sort of changes you’ve experienced since last treatment.
Examination – you will often be asked to undress down to your underwear (gowns provided) and if this is an issue I will do my best to work around your clothes. Some patients bring specific clothing to their appointments, like shorts or leggings. Then we assess you in a variety of ways depending on what’s happened to you. The tests are to narrow down what might be happening and can include a range of different things from movements, taking your blood pressure, to testing your reflexes and more.
Explanation – After the examination I’ll explain what’s going on, why it’s happening and the different treatment options available, and what I plan to do to help. This is often a great opportunity to ask all the questions you might have and I really enjoy helping my patients understand what is happening. It’s also a chance to let me know if there’s anything you’re worried about or don’t want to have done (there are always alternatives!).
Treatment – there’s a wide variety of different techniques we use in osteopathy, but they may be familar to you, like massage, articulation or mobilisation (moving joints), stretching, and joint manipulation. I occasionally use adjunctive treatments including acupuncture needles (dry needling), ultrasound, and TENS.
I have additional techniques I use from Applied Kinesiology which help get to deeper more complex problems, this involves testing the strength of specific muscles and looking at things that affect their strength on a neurological level. This helps provide an indication of where treatment can be further focused to improve health (not just get rid of symptoms)
Homework – I often give my patients exercises and advice or tasks to perform between treatments. Exercise-wise this would usually be about 3 exercises to do a couple of times a day to maintain the improvement we’ve made.
None at the moment…we will be updating this part of our site soon, in the meantime if you’ve got a question, please ask: jamesruddick@summertownclinic.co.uk
Our Osteopathic Team
We’ve got a lovely community of like-minded professionals, and our Osteopathic team are at the heart our clinic.
Our diverse group of osteopaths offer the Oxford community one of the UK’s leading groups of osteopaths. As a group with have experience teaching the next generation of osteopaths, are fellows of distinct osteopathic groups, and have been involved with elite sports medical teams. We cover the scope of populations you might expect osteopaths to deal with from paediatrics, sports injuries, care of the elderly, to rehabilitation and antenatal care, we have an osteopath who has experience treating patients like you.
Joanna Ruddick
Principal Osteopath
Jo has lots of experience treating babies, children & pregnant women. She is a fellow of the SCCO and uses cranial & other gentle & effective techniques to restore health & rebalance the body.
Claire Cullen
Osteopath & Pilates Teacher
Claire combines her osteopathy & Pilates training in her treatments. By using osteopathy to restore health & patient focused Pilates exercises & advice to fully rehabilitate her patients.
Duncan Cameron Mitchell
Osteopath
Duncan has over thirty years experience.
He remains inquisitive & keeps learning. He practices a patient centred approach.
Gitte Pedersen
Osteopath
Gitte’s particular interest is in treating older patients & women during pregnancy & treating babies & children.
She has also taught osteopathy & worked at the Osteopathic Centre for Children.
Joel Redman
Osteopath
Joel is an award winning Osteopath (iO Associate of the Year in 2015) and has worked in an NHS and elite sport setting. He is currently undertaking an MSc in Sports Medicine at the ISEH (UCL).
Atlanta Kyte
Osteopath
Atlanta is an all rounder, she enjoys treating the elderly & pregnant ladies but is also happy treating sports injuries. She uses medical acupuncture too.
Andrew Nicholettos
Osteopath
Andy has additional qualifications and clinical expertise in Strength & Conditioning and Sports Medicine practice. He uses a blend of hands on techniques with personalised exercise prescription.
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