Taking the pain out of Christmas

It is here again, Christmas is almost upon us. The Christmas and New Year period can be a stressful time, with lots of social commitments, shopping, visiting friends, family and the office party,  all changes to your usual daily routine that can compromise your nutrition, exercise and healthy regimes leading to an increased risk of problems like back and neck pain. Below are some tips to try and avoid aches and pain this Christmas.

 

 

• Holiday Indulgences

Overindulging at Christmas can lead to weight gain placing more strain on your joints and muscles.

Try to keep a healthy diet, don't over indulge at every party, eating and drinking in moderation will help keep off those extra pounds. Keeping to your gym routine can be tricky, but gentle exercise such as walking can help prevent joints from stiffening up and keep you feeling energetic.

 

• Shopping Safely

Carrying heavy bags or awkward presents can put pressure on your spine and strain your shoulder muscles, leading to neck and shoulder pain. Take things easy, distribute weight evenly by using a suitable sized back pack or shopping trolley and take regular breaks mid shopping-spree.

 

• Preparation is key

Wrap up warm in the cold, if you are sitting for long periods outside take a thick blanket or cushion to prevent a numb or painful behind. Prevent excessive postural strain by wearing your most comfortable shoes to walk in.

Whilst hanging Christmas decorations take care if you are climbing on stools or ladders. Get some help, use a safe ladder and avoid over stretching to hang that high up decoration.

Drink plenty of water, hangovers and the resultant dehydration do not help with muscular and joint pain and can make some spinal conditions worse. 

 

• Back care at Christmas

When lifting that oversized Christmas turkey out of the oven, bend your knees and keep your back straight, if you are in pain get somebody else to do the heavy lifting.

Don’t spend too long trying to beat the kids on their new sports computer game, but do remember to get some regular exercise be it walking, stretching or cycling. Stay warm use hot water bottles to soothe aching and tired muscles, a hot bath with some relaxing lavender oil or Epsom Salts can help relax and aid muscular aches.

If you are suffering with any muscular or joint aches and pain, consult a professional for some guidance and treatment. Chart Clinic offers free advice and consultations, for more information visit www.chartclinic.co.uk or call 01737 248 023.

Smartphone user? How smart is your posture?

The smartphone is undoubtedly one of the most significant innovations of most recent times, with ever increasing capabilities and ease of use, more and more people are spending time on them. But this is not just limited to smartphones, portable tablets also, allow  users to spend time on them easily whether at home, travelling or commuting to work.

A recent study found that people spending longer on these devices outside of work hours could potentially be putting themselves at risk, this article on the BBC New Website summarises the findings - http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-18490433

Reproduced with permission from Joseph E. Muscolino, DC. Art work by Giovanni Rimasti. Originally published in the Massage Therapy Journal: Seven Keys to Healthy Neck Posture, 2010

So what can smartphone and tablet users do to avoid the potential pitfalls of using these devices and causing strain on their backs and necks? Well as obvious as it may seem, just watch your posture. Slouching causes undue strain in the neck and back, compound that effect by flexing your neck forward on an already hunched back and you have a pretty disastrous position for you spine.

To avoid placing excessive tension through the muscles in the back of your neck and back, the user can simply bring the device up to eyelevel and support the hand holding the smartphone or tablet with the other arm, the accompanying picture is self explanatory and a useful visual guide to help improve your smartphone posture.

If you are suffering with back and neck pain, try and alter the way you use your smartphone/tablet, how does it feel? Is there less strain in you neck and back? If you would like to know more about how and Osteopath can help you, please feel free to get in contact.

Back Care Awarness Week - Is Your Back In Good Shape?

Back Care Awareness week is almost upon us and here at Chart Clinic Osteopathy & Sports Massage we are passionate about helping people maintain a healthy spine!

Back pain, much of the time arises from the modern day sedentary lifestyle. The desk job for example, so many of us spend long hours behind a desk, hunched over our computers or laptops; the human spine is not designed for that. We have evolved from cavemen but seemed to have gone full circle if you look at some of the postures we let ourselves slump into. The bad news is a poor posture causes a lot strain on the spine.

Keeping good physical shape, staying active and maintaining a healthy weight immediately improves spinal health. Making small changes such as adopting a more supportive chair and switching from an old mattress to a new one can help enormously.

Gentle stretching exercises are recommended, at Chart Clinic our patients benefit from receiving personalised advice and exercises, specifically designed to keep each person’s spine in optimal condition. 

Principal Osteopath, James Clapham says “People tend to take better care of their cars than the backs, an annual MOT and service keeps a car in good running condition for 10 years or so, yet our precious bodies we expect to keep going well into our eighties and longer? We neglect the most important possession we have, our physical health!  What will you do if your back wears out, unlike a car; you can’t buy a new spine”.

This Back Care Awareness month of October, Chart Clinic are offering FREE ‘Back Health Checks’, so whether or not you have aches and pains, come along and get a free assessment and advice.

We are also offering a FREE information and advice at our Open Day, Saturday 13^th October 10am-4pm.  Please feel free to come along and drop in to see us, we will be happy to talk to you about Backs, Necks and more.

To make and appointment of for more information, contact us on 01737 248 023 or visit http://www.chartclinic.co.uk/special.htm

Headaches? Look at the alternatives before you pop another pill

It has been revealed that more than one million people in Britain may be suffering from constant, crippling headaches because they are taking too many painkillers, experts say. The pills people take to relieve headaches and migraines may be making things much worse, according to the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (Nice) in guidance to the health service for England and Wales.

As many as one in 50 people suffer continual headaches because of "medication overuse", Nice reports. The problem begins with taking the odd painkiller for tension headaches or migraines, which usually works. But some people take the pills more and more often, until they are on tablets for more than half the days in a month. Nice says that if this goes on for more than three months the medication ends up causing the problem it is intended to cure.

So what alternatives are there to continually popping pills? British Osteopathic Association Member James Clapham comments, “tension-type and neck related headaches are the most common form of headache. If you suffer from tension-type headache, then regular gentle exercise will almost certainly help - such as yoga, pilates, swimming, walking. Some people find it hard to relax and probably don't realise how tense they are. If someone suffers from headaches it may also be neck related due to stiffness or restrictions of the neck. Osteopaths look to find the cause of tensions or stiffness and seek to relieve it by helping the body achieve more mobility and flexibility.

“Other lifestyle factors such as poor posture at a desk or tiredness can lead to tension-type or neck related headaches. Osteopaths look to relieve this tension and give advice on posture and exercises to do to help prevent the tension or stiffness from building up. For example we would recommend taking regular breaks from sitting at a computer desk for long periods of time or prolonged driving. Any persistent or sudden severe headache should always be checked by a GP first.”

For further information about the BOA or to find a BOA member near you please visit www.osteopathy.org

About the British Osteopathic Association

The British Osteopathic Association (BOA) is the professional association for osteopaths in the UK, acting as an independent representative body whilst promoting osteopathy to the general public and government. The BOA is committed to supporting, protecting and caring for its members and promoting opportunities for individual and professional development in osteopathic practice. There are nearly 4,000 osteopaths on the UK register who carried out over seven million treatments last year, and many of these are members of the British Osteopathic Association

 

Concern over spinal manipulation of the neck...

In recent months there have been some concerns raised over whether the technique of cervical spine (neck) manipulation or adjustment is advisable due to a small, potential risk of adverse reactions occuring, namely a cerebral vascular accident, or stroke.

 

In response the British Osteopathic Association (BOA) released a response (summarised later on below) that extensive research over the last 5 years has been conducted and we can confidently say that –

“The associated risk from manipulation is very low and when compared with risks associated with conventional treatments such as drugs they are equivalent or better.”

Cervical Spine manipulation is a very common form of treatment. It is one that patients often recall due to the nature of the maneuverer involving the neck and the frequently heard audible pops or clicks that occur as a result. This technique is only ever carried out when a patient has been carefully screened during extensive case history taking and a thorough examination.

This is a technique widely used by Osteopaths, Chiropractors and Physiotherapists to help with painful symptoms in the neck and often to help alleviate headaches which are caused by the cervical spine (cervicogenic).

The recent debate stems from the 7^th of June 2012 edition of the BMJ, two arguments were presented, one each for and against the use of cervical spine manipulation. This was intended to spark debate over the subject not intended to offer any conclusions on the subject.

The Press did sensationalise this with derogatory headlines. The newspapers and websites in question retracted their original headlines which were defamatory to the Osteopathic profession and the British Osteopathic Association and Professor Dawn Carnes; NCOR Chair (The National Council for Osteopathic research) responded with a press release, below is a summary of what was said:

• The BMJ published two lucid arguments for and against cervical manipulation for mechanical neck pain.
• There is no consensus about the best care or treatment that optimises pain reduction, increases function and improves quality of life with the least risk involved.   
• The BMJ published two lucid arguments for and against cervical manipulation for mechanical neck pain.
• There is no consensus about the best care or treatment that optimises pain reduction, increases function and improves quality of life with the least risk involved.
• Spinal manipulation is a very small component of the wide variety of Osteopathic techniques.
• Osteopaths pride themselves in their rigorous training standards of practice which prioritise patient safety and risk.
• Complying with these standards is a condition of an Osteopaths registration.
• The contraindications of this technique are universal to all practitioners.
• It is the patient’s choice to receive this type of treatment; many patients choose this type of care.
• There are risks involved with any type of intervention.
• NCOR have conducted extensive research over the last 5 years and can confidently say that – “The associated risk from manipulation is very low and when compared with risks associated with conventional treatments such as drugs they are equivalent or better.”
• Patients can ultimately decide fro themselves the type of treatment they feel they require or if no treatment is the preferred option.
• We need more clear evidence for patients to make these types of decision

Patients need to bear in mind...

It has been claimed that there is a small potential risk of a stroke following some manoeuvres of the neck. In terms of risk this equates to having your head backwards over the wash basin at the hairdresser or falling asleep in the cinema with your head propped backwards over the chair.

Over the years there have been millions of treatments given in the UK by osteopaths and I have not heard of single case nor have I or any of my colleagues experienced any adverse reactions in practice when administering cervical spine (neck) manipulations.

Osteopaths are trained to decide whether or not there are any risk factors involved and if the treatment is contraindicated for any reason they will not perform that certain technique.

Cervical spine manipulation is a preferred choice of many patients but there are a huge range of techniques that can be used very effectively to treat the neck if it is not safe to do so, or the patient does not wish to have this type of treatment.

More information can be ready on the Boots Web MD website:

http://www.webmd.boots.com/back-pain/news/20120608/stroke-risk-from-neck-pain-treatment?page=2

 

 
 

Tennis Warm ups & Tennis Elbow (Not just for tennis players!)

Well the 2012 Wimbledon tournament is over, many of us may still be wallowing in disappointment after Andy Murray made a heroic effort in an amazing final yesterday, but as we all know Roger Federer proved just why he has so many titles to his name, what a match!

Well done Andy, you made us all proud!

The excitement of Wimbledon often inspires many of us to dust of our trainers and tennis racket and hit the court for a game.

What is often neglected is a warm up and cool down, this useful article gives a guide for this and is worthwhile taking into consideration before playing tennis this summer:

http://www.realbuzz.com/articles/warm-up-and-stretching-for-tennis-players-gb-en/

Tennis Elbow

With regard to Tennis Elbow, this is quite an interesting injury as you don’t have to have played tennis to suffer with it. The medical name for this condition is Lateral Epicondylitis, essentially pain in or around the outside of the elbow at the common extensor tendon insertion, located at  the part or the Humerus bone named lateral epicondyle.

It’s very common in tennis players (hence the name) and is usually associated with poor technique from back hand swing. But this condition can be seen in office workers, typists, carpenters, gas engineers, plumbers and mechanics.

It is an overuse injury, so it is common with anyone who performs repetitive manual tasks as mentioned above.

Pain arises as a consequence of inflammation of the muscular tendon at the elbow which leads to micro tears of the tendon and subsequent fibrosis of the tissues.

It presents with gradual intermittent pain in the elbow and can be associated with activities such as playing racket sports or working with tools, such as a screwdriver or even typing. Certain movements cause pain like lifting shopping bags or the kettle and even grip strength may be affected.

Tennis Elbow, often responds well to manual therapy and in the early stages it’s a good idea to follow RICE (see earlier blog).

If you think you may be suffering with Tennis Elbow, just get in touch with us.

Don’t forget the warm ups and cool downs, and more importantly enjoy the tennis, even though Andy didn’t quite get to be Wimbledon Champion this year, the Olympics are just around the corner, come on Team GB!

Virgin London Marathon 2013, last minute preparations...

It’s been a long, gruelling journey to get to this point, but it is finally hear. Some of our runners have already pounded the streets home successfully after completing to Brighton marathon last weekend, now for the biggie the Virgin London Marathon!

Runner’s, this week you should relax, you have been tapering for the past few weeks, now just enjoy this final week and look forward to the big day,  the adrenaline and the uplifting support from the crowds, the experience alone will be amazing!

If you want to keep an eye on the weather visit the MET office website, this will help you prepare for what clothing you will need on the day, http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/events/london-marathon

In the next few days it’s worth doing a few things in final preparation:

• Rest and relax, you have done your training, now enjoy the rest and wait for race day.
• Eat sensibly this week; add an extra carb to your meals, such as jacket potato, rice or pasta.
• Trim your toenails before race day – to avoid any discomfort in your shoes.
• Pick your clothing for the appropriate weather.
• Check your running shoes – Remove any twigs, stones etc. from soles and check the laces are not fraying.
• Drink plenty of fluid the day before race day – your urine should be a pale straw colour.
• On race morning apply some petroleum jelly or similar lubricant to sensitive areas such as nipples, thighs and between arms and chest to avoid chafing.
• Eat something light on race morning bagel, toast, cereal or a banana are all good choices. Avoid eating too heavy a meal the evening before.

Good luck to all our marathon runners :-) - we will see you Monday for a well earned sports massage!