I have just signed up to an exciting new national osteopathy research project to find out more about how patients respond to osteopathic treatment. The project is being run by the National Council for Osteopathic Research who will analyse anonymised questionnaire data from osteopathy patients throughout the UK. Findings will be shared throughout the profession to help improve osteopathic treatment. Continue reading
I hate running. I don’t see the point. Hoarse throat, sweaty, out-of-breath, aching all over – why would you want to? Well, that’s what I used to think. Over the past month however, I have become a complete convert. Continue reading
Some of you may have heard the news that Westbury Osteopaths in Warwick closed at the end of October. This will be a great loss for many Warwick and Leamington Spa residents who have regularly had their aches and pains treated by the highly respected Westbury team over the years. Continue reading
I hear stories everyday – stories of people’s pain, their health and glimpses into their lives. As an osteopath, people tell me about themselves (in confidence of course), and I feel incredibly privileged to listen. People’s stories are important, and will usually inform to some extent the type of osteopathic treatment I give them. Continue reading
Many of my osteopathy patients bring in x-rays or MRIs showing ‘wear and tear’ or ‘degenerative changes’ in one or more of their joints. Usually this means they have osteoarthritis. It shouldn’t be a scary word though, because arthritis is actually a normal part of the ageing process, affecting all of us to some degree as we get older. Continue reading
The recent Spring weather is great news for cyclists. Whether you’re in the saddle to commute, compete or just for fun, cycling is a fantastic way to get around and also excellent exercise. Continue reading
The first thing an osteopath usually does after taking a health history from a patient, is look at them standing. At this point, patients often stand there stiffly. Sometimes this is due to pain or self-consciousness, but often I think it is because they feel they must have ‘good posture’ because I am an osteopath. In fact, I am often asked, “Do I have bad posture?” Continue reading
Are you sitting comfortably? Then I will begin….
On average, UK adults spend more than 7 hours a day sitting. For many of us, the majority of this time is at a desk. Not only is this detrimental to your general health*, but long periods of sitting with poor desk posture, are a common cause of back, neck and shoulder pain. These tips will give you your best chance of staying pain-free.
February is The British Heart Foundation’s Heart Month – raising awareness and money for heart disease. We all know that exercise is important for a healthy heart, joints and generally keeping well. But with the best will in the world, many of us find excuses, ‘I’m too busy… the gym is too expensive… i’m too tired’. But what if exercise didn’t take so much extra time, money or mental commitment? Below are 10 ideas to help you more easily integrate exercise into your daily life. And what’s more, I will personally donate 10p to the British Heart Foundation* for every person who reads this article.