Osteopathy is a regulated, manual therapy discipline that assesses and treats the body as an integrated whole. At LPAW, our Senior Osteopath Francesca (Max) Destefanis BOst, a First-Class Honours graduate of the London School of Osteopathy, combines classical osteopathic techniques with modern evidence-based practice to address pain and dysfunction across a wide range of musculoskeletal and functional conditions.
Osteopathy is practised in two East London locations: our Bow flagship clinic and our Stratford East Village site inside The Gym Group.
LPAW’s clinical team includes 19 practitioners, many holding postgraduate qualifications from UCL, King’s College London, and Guy’s and St Thomas’. Lead clinician Mr Arjun Viswanath MSc, MCSP, MPPA – Co-Founder and Consultant Physiotherapist – brings 25+ years of NHS and private experience including BMI London Independent Hospital and Harley Street.
Every clinician joining LPAW completes a mandatory intensive shadowing placement with our Consultant Physiotherapist before seeing patients independently. This is not a standard practice at most clinics – it’s our way of maintaining clinical consistency across the team.
Your first appointment begins with a detailed case history — your main complaint, relevant medical history, any imaging or investigations, and your daily activities. Max will then carry out a standing and seated postural assessment, observing how you move as well as the area of pain.
The physical examination uses both orthopaedic tests (the same assessment tools used in physiotherapy) and osteopathic structural assessment — palpating for joint restrictions, muscle tension, and movement asymmetries throughout the body, not just at the site of pain.
Treatment usually begins in the first session. Max will explain each technique before applying it and will always work within your comfort level. You are in control — if any technique is not right for you, simply say so.
Follow-up sessions (30–45 minutes)
Subsequent sessions progress the treatment plan based on your response. Many conditions resolve significantly within 3–6 sessions. Some patients choose to continue with maintenance treatment, particularly for chronic conditions or high-load occupations.
At LPAW, our Senior Osteopath is Francesca (Max) Destefanis BOst a First-Class Honours graduate of the London School of Osteopathy.
Max holds a First-Class BOst from the London School of Osteopathy, ITEC qualifications in sports massage and dry needling, training in Barral visceral therapy, and is currently completing diplomas in paediatric osteopathy and women’s health. This breadth of training means she can adapt her approach to a wide variety of presentations.
Your first appointment begins with a detailed case history — your main complaint, relevant medical history, any imaging or investigations, and your daily activities. Max will then carry out a standing and seated postural assessment, observing how you move as well as the area of pain.
The physical examination uses both orthopaedic tests (the same assessment tools used in physiotherapy) and osteopathic structural assessment — palpating for joint restrictions, muscle tension, and movement asymmetries throughout the body, not just at the site of pain.
Treatment usually begins in the first session. Max will explain each technique before applying it and will always work within your comfort level. You are in control — if any technique is not right for you, simply say so.
Follow-up sessions (30–45 minutes) Subsequent sessions progress the treatment plan based on your response. Many conditions resolve significantly within 3–6 sessions. Some patients choose to continue with maintenance treatment, particularly for chronic conditions or high-load occupations.
At LPAW, our Senior Osteopath is Francesca (Max) Destefanis BOst a First-Class Honours graduate of the London School of Osteopathy.
Max holds a First-Class BOst from the London School of Osteopathy, ITEC qualifications in sports massage and dry needling, training in Barral visceral therapy, and is currently completing diplomas in paediatric osteopathy and women’s health. This breadth of training means she can adapt her approach to a wide variety of presentations.
