Osteopathy—as distinct from osteopathic medicine—is a type of alternative medicine that emphasizes the physical manipulation of the body's muscle tissue and bones. Its name derives from Ancient Greek "bone" (ὀστέον) and "disease of" (-πάθεια),

Osteopathy as practised in Europe and other countries around the world differs greatly in scope and approach from osteopathic medicine in the United States, where a branch of the medical profession called osteopathic physicians is trained and certified to practice all modern medicine. Elsewhere osteopaths are trained only in manual osteopathic treatment, generally to relieve muscular and skeletal conditions. In the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Australia and New Zealand osteopaths are registered and regulated by law as therapists but may not practice medicine (although Germany, like Canada, allows US-trained osteopathic physicians to practice). The two branches of osteopathic profession are distinct and function as separate professions.