The English Osteopath

Rachael Dickens is The English Osteopath and she has run a clinic in Antibes since 2001, treating over 3,500 expat patients as well as giving free weekly classes in Pilates... 

DH: For the few people on the Cote d’Azur that you haven’t treated, tell us what you do.

Rachael: Osteopaths treat muscular-skeletal disorder and dysfunction, which means most aches and pains. I also treat children including newborns. Because it’s not common to treat young babies in France, I found that I wasn’t getting many in my clinic, so I set up O.S.T.E.O. an association where babies and children are treated free of charge. We now have six osteopaths in this association and we all work for free. We have a clinic every Tuesday at Kidooland in Antibes.

DH: Where are you from?

Rachael: Near Oxford.

DH: What brought you down here?

Rachael: Easyjet! Ha ha, no I used to work in Paris, then went back to London, but really wanted to return to France. But this time I wanted that little corner that they promised would have 300 days of sunshine and to be close to the ski fields.

DH: What’s the best thing about living in France?

Rachael: Being part of a good-hearted strong community.

DH: And the worst?

Rachael: The plumbing in my house; when I flush the loo the bath plug hole bubbles!

DH: What are your likes & dislikes?

Rachael: I like my job. I get to go on Super yachts and Mega yachts and the little boat that takes you out to them. It’s so nice in the summer heat and mayhem to arrive at an air-conditioned-to-within-an-inch-of-its-life sanctuary of peace, calm & luxury... then I have to go home.

I like the fact that all my patients are so clean and arrive on time, the worst thing they do is come to me straight from the beach and drop sand everywhere, but that’s nothing compared to what I had to deal with occasionally in London! I love the fact that one of my patients comes on his private jet for his appointment and he’s a dog!

My dislikes include going in helicopters – it’s much less fun than it looks and patients sometimes send them for me if they live too far away. I really get scared of crashing because you can’t jump out of them without getting your head chopped off. I also dislike that I still can’t park at Kiss & Fly in Terminal 2, it’s been far too long now.

DH: What’s your favourite food?

Rachael: Home-made chilli burgers at other people’s bbqs, especially if they have fabulous pools.

DH: Do you miss anything from the UK?

Rachael: My old friends, going to the theatre, seeing houses without any cracks. It amazes me how Oxford looks so solid and well built.

DH: Have you got a favourite gadget, object or thing?

Rachael: My associate osteos Jason (& Ben starting Sept) they are great and give me time off to actually have a life whilst still running a clinic which guarantees a same day (24hr) appointment availability.

DH: As someone who works in health, are you worried about swine flu?

Rachael: I greet all new patients when they come in by saying, ‘Come in, take a seat and tell me all about your trip to Mexico.’ So far no one has said, ‘How did you know?’

I always wash my hands between patients, but now I use anti-bacterial/viral gel to such an extent that people probably think I have OCD!

DH: What does the summer have in store for you?

Rachael: Summer is a crazy time in my business, so many English- speaking tourists and second-home owners arrive, and they all seem to hurt themselves and end up in their underwear in our clinic. I have been known to treat 19 patients in one day.

 

DH: Is there any truth in the rumour that you have famous patients?

Rachael: All patients are the same when they are in pain. But yes, I have treated rock stars, Oscar winners, royalty, religious leaders, presidents, almost an entire premier football team including many football team owners, but my favourite is a Eurovision Song Contest winner. I figured then I had ticked all the boxes!

One football owner needed to see me and I was really busy and couldn’t get to his yacht in Beaulieu, but I could get to Juan les Pins, so we arranged a time and I was waiting on the heaving beach in August, when this huge yacht came around the corner of the Cap d’Antibes. I was on the phone to the captain and he said, ‘We’re coming around now can you see us?’ ‘Of course,’ I said. ‘I’m standing next to a yellow umbrella can you see me?’

Another patient of mine is a supermodel who at the time had a rock star boyfriend. I was at their villa and the technique I had to use was having the patient on the floor, with my hand under her back while I tried to put a little force through her spine. We were getting on fine until the patient moved, caught me off balance and I fell on top of her! It was a funny moment and we were both laughing. At that moment the ‘rockstar’ walks in and thinks it’s a bit of a free-for-all seeing us! I couldn’t get out of there quick enough!

DH: So how can normal folks get hold of you?

Rachael: They can call me on 04 93 34 67 17 or visit www.englishosteopath.com or check out www.osteo06.fr for details of the baby clinic.