Dott. Ft. Gianmarco Gherla

Training

I graduated in Physiotherapy at Campus Bio-Medico University of Rome. I did the osteopathy programme full time at OSCE — Osteopathic Spine Center Education, Bologna, where I obtained the Diploma in Osteopathy (D.O.), with two and a half years of clinical placement at the Spine Center Project in Bologna, dedicated to the spine. For readers outside Italy: I am registered with the Italian physiotherapists' register (FNOfi, Lazio no. 10538) and my osteopathy qualification is Italian. I am not registered with the UK General Osteopathic Council, so I do not practise in the UK.

I chose to keep both qualifications live rather than specialise in one, because they answer different questions. Physiotherapy gives me the tools to build capacity: strength, load tolerance, return to the movement. Osteopathy gives me a wider view of how regions relate to one another, widens the range of problems I can take on, and puts at my disposal a variety of manual techniques that graft onto physiotherapy clinical reasoning.

Clinical experience

Before and alongside Vertebra Studio I have worked at the Campus Bio-Medico University Hospital and in private medical centres, in orthopaedic and sports settings.

Today I split the week between the Via Cesena practice and outpatient work. That keeps me exposed to very different caseloads.

How I reason in the clinic

Two principles:

• Load is a treatment, not a risk to be avoided. In the great majority of musculoskeletal problems, prolonged rest makes the outlook worse. The job is to dose it, not to stop.
• If it is not mine, it is not mine. Part of my job is recognising the cases that need a doctor, an orthopaedic surgeon, a neurologist or an ENT specialist — and referring rather than treating.

Continuing education and research

I keep my practice current from primary literature and guidelines, with particular attention to therapeutic exercise and vestibular rehabilitation.

• BSc in Physiotherapy — Campus Bio-Medico University of Rome
• Diploma in Osteopathy (D.O.) — OSCE, Bologna
• Registered with the Italian physiotherapists' register (FNOfi), Lazio no. 10538

Courses and certifications

• The Shoulder: clinical assessment and rehabilitation. New developments — Sapere Aude s.r.l. (Italian CPD provider no. 6402), 12 June 2025. 50 CPD credits; provider lead Dott. Francesco Inglese
• Strength training in physiotherapy — FisioScience, Rome, 5–6 November 2022. Scientific lead: Dott. Saad Youssef
• HumanTecar Certified Operator
• Qualified sports masseur, CONI-ASI (Italy)