The Living Tradition of Classical Osteopathy: From Littlejohn to Waldman

The roots of classical osteopathy extend back to Andrew Taylor Still’s vision of a drug-free, structurally guided healing system in the late 19th century, which were rigorously expanded upon by John Martin Littlejohn. A student of Still, Littlejohn brought osteopathy to Europe, establishing the British School of Osteopathy (now HSU) in London in 1917. There, he emphasised a whole-body balancing approach—methodically treating each spinal segment and limb to restore harmony across the entire structure—rather than isolated manipulation.

Upon Littlejohn’s death in 1947, his teachings might have drifted from their roots—had it not been for students like John Wernham and T. E. Hall. In the early 1950s, Wernham, a direct disciple of Littlejohn, co-founded the Osteopathic Institute of Applied Technique (renamed the Institute of Classical Osteopathy in 1990). Their mission: to preserve the foundational philosophy of Still and Littlejohn, to cultivate precise palpation and diagnostic skills, and to foster postgraduate training rooted in biomechanical understanding.

Within this lineage, Mervyn Waldman emerged as a key figure. Trained under both Wernham and Hall from the mid-1970s, he worked shoulder-to-shoulder with Wernham for fifteen years. In 1982, the pair co-authored a comprehensive two-volume text on osteopathic technique, and have since continued to publish instructional materials and scholarly articles. Today, Waldman serves as President of the Institute of Classical Osteopathy, and was instrumental in integrating classical osteopathic workshops into the Rambam University Hospital’s Institute of Pain Medicine in Haifa—bringing this rich tradition directly into a modern clinical setting.

Over a three-month period, I had the privilege of observing Mervyn Waldman in action at the Haifa pain clinic. Witnessing his nuanced diagnostic approach and hands-on guidance affirmed for me the enduring power of classical osteopathy. It’s one thing to read about principles and technique; it’s quite another to experience their application in complex, chronic pain cases—where biopsychosocial factors and structural imbalance intersect. Under Waldman’s mentorship, I saw classical osteopathy applied with precision, reverence for its history, and a commitment to true patient-centered care.