About Us

Craig Torr and Fionna Spittles both graduated from the New Zealand Osteopathic College in 2003 and have been working in Tauranga ever since. They are both registered with the Osteopathic council of NZ and are ACC accredited practitioners.

Craig and Fionna opened Balance Osteopathy Welcome Bay in December 2010.

Craig has a background in competitive triathlon and ultramarathon running, which he still competes in. He has a particular interest in sports related injuries and has a sound knowledge of sports biomechanics.

Fionna enjoys working with all types of problems but has a strong interest in treating people with headaches and vertigo type symptoms. Fionna also enjoys working with pregnant women and babies.

She uses various hands on techniques including cranial osteopathy as well as traditional osteopathic procedures.

Martina Cattaneo qualified after a 5-year full time program at the International College of Osteopathic Medicine (ICOM), in Milan, Italy. She then attended Kingston University in London, where she obtained her Master in Osteopathic Medicine (M.Ost.).
Martina is a caring osteopath, and believes that it is fundamental to adjust osteopathic treatment to patient's specific needs, age, and presenting complaint. She treats a wide range of patients, and enjoys working to promote a patient's holistic wellbeing. 

In her free time Martina enjoys cooking, fitness pole dancing, travelling, bush walking, and spending time with her family.

Lucas Baxter

Hi, my name is Lucas and I’m the newest addition to the team at Balance Osteopathy. I received my osteopathic training in Auckland and have been enjoying the surf and sun of the west coast beaches ever since.

This year my wife and kids and I have relocated to Rotorua to be closer to family.

 A little bit about me; I am an avid surfer and am looking forward to surfing around Mount Maunganui and the nearby beaches. I am also a keen Brazilian Jiu Jitsu practitioner and will be continuing my training around the area. 

 I first became interested in osteopathy after a surfing accident in Western Australia. On the advice of a friend, I visited an osteopath to help with my recovery and after the treatment decided on the treatment table to pursue it as a career. Now that I am finally a practicing professional, I am very much enjoying working with people to help recover from injuries and form positive habits to improve their health, all so we can enjoy the lifestyle this awesome country affords us!

 I very much look forward to meeting you all in the clinic.

Lucas. 

 

WHAT WE CAN DO FOR YOU

At Balance Osteopathy Welcome Bay we are dedicated to providing you with the best possible osteopathic treatment for relief of pain. We recognize and treat many different causes of pain with the aim to reduce the symptoms and resolve the underlying cause of the pain.

No two people are the same as are no two injuries. At Balance Osteopathy we aim to treat each person individually, to find the cause of their problem, and treat it in a way that is tailored to each individual.

We offer a complete range of osteopathic treatments includingcranial osteopathy, joint mobilisation and manipulation, muscle stretching, massage and preventative information.

Osteopathy can be effective in treating a large variety of problems including:

  • Back and neck pain
  • Headaches
  • Sports injuries
  • Arm pain including shoulder, elbow and wrist
  • Leg pain including hip, knee and ankle
  • Sinus problems
  • Pregnancy related problems
  • Unsettled babies and behavioral problems in children

 

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

A typical treatment involves an osteopath taking a detailed medical history from the patient followed by a careful examination. He/she will make a diagnosis of what is causing the symptoms, and explain how the pain has resulted from the injury.

Using subtle and gentle techniques, the osteopath works to release the accumulated stresses and strains in the body. The aim is to resolve the cause of the pain and in doing so relieve the current symptoms and also improve the underlying health of the tissues to help prevent reoccurrence.

By treating the underlying joint restrictions, working with joint alignment, improving blood flow, decreasing nerve tension and balancing muscle length, Osteopaths can improve recovery and prevent further complications and episodes. Once your body is working as it should, your self-healing mechanisms will be able to do their job properly.

Osteopathy will not only address your immediate pain but will identify any other problems that maybe contributing to the problem. Patients often report an improvement in general well being, energy levels, sleep patterns and also in areas of symptoms other than those that brought them to the osteopath in the first place.

The Osteopath may give advice about your diet, posture, work-station arrangement, exercises and stretches (as required) for maintenance of your health and to help prevent future injuries from occurring.

This type of treatment is suitable for everyone from newborn babies to the very elderly, being extremely gentle.

Welcome to the team Lucas

 

The team at Balance Osteopathy Welcome Bay are excited to be welcoming Lucas Baxter to join them on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays. Lucas has been working in Auckland the past year and has moved to the Bay with his family. To read more about Lucas and the team go to 'about us' on our website. 

 

Bookings can be made online via our website, or call us on 5448479, leave a message

and we will get back to you as soon as we are able.

 

Any queries please contact us via email or our website 

Thanks from the team at Balance Osteopathy Welcome Bay

Copyright © 2025 Balance Osteopathy Tauranga | Powered by Smart Web Design Tauranga