Wellness
Manual osteopathy in Calgary, for the things that never quite settled.
Hands-on treatment that looks at how the whole body is moving, not only at the spot that hurts. It is the fastest growing side of the wellness practice here, usually because people arrive having already tried the obvious.
Manual Osteopath
Olga Stevenson, MOT
Book directly
Check referral rules with your insurer
60, 75 or 90 minutes
Packages available
Wednesday to Sunday
10:30am to 7:00pm, closed Mon & Tue
What people come in for
Often the thing that has been going on the longest.
People tend to book osteopathy after something has not resolved on its own. A shoulder that has been stiff for a year. A back that goes every few months. A hip that changed the way they walk and never changed back. The first appointment is about working out why, not just where.
- Neck and shoulder restriction
- Low back pain
- Hip and pelvis
- Jaw tension
- Old injuries that never settled
- Limited range of motion
- Desk and posture strain
- Sleep and stress
- Getting back to sport
- Recovery after an accident
- Emotional and nervous system reset
- Craniosacral therapy
- Visceral therapy
- Pediatric osteopathy, including newborns
Who you will see
Olga Stevenson, MOT
Manual osteopathic therapy at Panda is delivered by Olga, who also holds a rehabilitation qualification. That combination is why treatment here tends to come with something to do between visits rather than only something done to you on the table.
- Manual Osteopath (MOT)
- Certified Rehabilitation Therapist
- NMOS member
Manual osteopathy is not a regulated health profession in Alberta. Practitioners work under professional association standards rather than a provincial college, which is also what determines whether your insurer will cover it. Olga is a member of NMOS, the association with the fewest insurer exclusions for osteopathy.
How it works
What a session involves
1
Assessment
The first appointment starts with history and movement. What you can do, what you cannot, what changed and when. Expect to be asked about things that seem unrelated to the area that hurts, because often they are not.
2
Treatment
Hands-on work at a pace you can follow. Wear something loose and comfortable. Say if anything is uncomfortable and it gets adjusted there and then.
3
Between visits
You will usually leave with one or two things to do at home. Treatment is normally planned across several appointments rather than one, and the plan gets revisited as things change.
4
At the desk
Give the front desk your plan details on the first visit. Coverage for manual osteopathy varies more between insurers than it does for massage, so please check your coverage and eligibility with your insurer or insurance app before you book a series.
Rates
Sessions and packages
Single session rates for 60, 75 and 90 minutes are shown when you book online, or ask at the desk. There is also a 45 minute session dedicated to TMJ treatment. Most people treating something long standing end up on a package, because osteopathy is usually planned across several visits.
Buy 6, get 1 free
$791
Seven sixty-minute sessions. The ninety-minute version is $980.
Buy 10, get 2 free
$1,320
Twelve sixty-minute sessions. The ninety-minute version is $1,635. Shareable with family and friends, with no expiry date.
Prices exclude GST. Packages are paid up front and used session by session. Packages are not direct billed, because insurers only accept a claim once a treatment has actually been delivered. You get a receipt at each session and submit it to your insurer yourself. The ten plus two packages can be shared with family and friends and do not expire.
Questions
Before you book
Is manual osteopathy covered by my insurance?
Coverage depends on your insurer and on the association your osteopath belongs to. Olga is a member of NMOS, which has the fewest exclusions of any osteopathy association, and all the major insurers are included.
Not covered: Industrial Alliance (IA), RWAM and Veterans Affairs.
Covered, but no direct billing: Alberta Blue Cross, Medavie Blue Cross, Pacific Blue Cross and Empire Life. You pay at the clinic and submit the claim yourself.
Direct billing: the clinic direct bills all other insurers for osteopathy.
Insurers are steadily adding osteopathy, so this list may change. Please check your own coverage and eligibility with your insurance provider or through your insurance app before your appointment. The clinic can submit the claim for you, but does not verify coverage, balances or reimbursement amounts, because that information is private between you and your insurer.
Do I need a referral?
You can book directly. Some insurers ask for a doctor’s referral or prescription before they will reimburse a claim, so please confirm with your insurer whether yours does before your appointment.
How is it different from massage?
Massage works on soft tissue. Manual osteopathy looks at how joints, muscle and connective tissue are working together, and treats the pattern rather than the sore spot. Plenty of people here book both.
Will it hurt?
You should not have to brace through it. Some techniques create pressure or a stretch that feels odd rather than painful. Say so at the time and it is adjusted.
How many appointments will I need?
That depends on how long the problem has been there. Olga will give you a view after the first assessment rather than before it, which is why the packages are optional rather than sold up front.
What should I wear?
Something loose and comfortable that you can move in.
Visit us
Book a first assessment, or call and describe it.
- Address
1861 17 Avenue SW, Calgary, AB T2T 5W3
View on Google Maps - Phone
(587) 353-6698 - Hours
Wednesday to Sunday, 10:30am to 7:00pm - Parking
Free street parking on the surrounding streets, two hours or more
