New Year New You? Ideas for New Year’s Resolutions.
Happy New Year Everyone – I hope you all had a lovely Christmas. Are you thinking of New Year’s resolutions? If you suffer from back pain why not see if we can help. It’s really important not to ignore back pain as it is usually a warning sign and can then get worse. We offer a free 15 minute chat so we can discuss your pain and see if it is something we can help with. Here is more information about our practitioners.
How about losing weight this year? Just being half a stone or more overweight can have a big impact on your body and your health. It is so easy to put weight on but so much harder to lose. Try to get support from your friends or join a group like weight watchers or slimming world as that will make you much more likely to succeed. Extra weight can put pressure on your joints leading to pain so losing weight can really help with joint pain.
Stopping smoking would also be great for your health. Smoking can also have an impact on your joint and back pain as it reduces the oxygen supply to the muscles as well as all the other benefits to the lungs and heart.
Whatever your resolution make a plan and stick to it. Make small achievable goals to stay on track and persevere. Change is hard but could make your life so much better.
10 ways Attend2Health can help you…
Ever wondered what we do at Attend2Health or how we can help – here are just 10 of the ways we can help… For more information or to book a free chat call us on 01763 878087.
First way we can help:
Listening to the patient
By taking a case history and finding out from you where you are getting any pain or things you do that might aggravate your back, this is our first step in finding out what the problem is.
Second way we can help:
We then conduct a thorough examination which can include taking blood pressure and neurological testing such as testing the reflexes to work out where the pain is coming from and what it is affecting. From this we can come to a diagnosis and work out if we can treat what’s wrong or whether you need further testing or to see the GP instead.
Third way we can help:
Massage
If your problem involves the muscles and joints we have a number of different treatment options which can help. One of those options is massage to help relax any muscles which are tight and in spasm.
Fourth Way we can help:
Ultrasound
Ultrasound is a tool we can use to help relax muscles and help decrease inflammation.
Fifth way we can help:
Mobilisation or manipulation of the spine
Gentle mobilisation or manipulation of the spine is an effective way to help loosen stiff or locked joints in the spine relieving tension on the nerves and reducing pain.
Sixth way we can help:
Activator
Thumper
Other tools we can use to help include an activator which is very gentle and used to help the spine move better and a Thumper which is a type of massage machine which helps to relax tight muscles without being too painful.
Seventh way we can help:
Taping
By using tape this can help support muscles and help for example to keep your shoulders back or give a little extra support to you low back if you have pulled a muscle there. It just gives the muscles a chance to recover if they are always working. Tape can also help treatment last longer as you usually wear it for a few days.
Eighth way we can help:
Acupuncture
Acupuncture is another great way to reduce pain and muscle tension.
Ninth way we can help:
Exercises
Exercises are a great way to help strengthen your back to help prevent the pain coming back again.
We can go through exercises in the clinic to make sure they are bring done correctly.
Tenth way we can help:
Home exercises
We will also give you exercises to do at home to help your back pain. Exercises are an important part of your recovery from any injury or pain as an area typically weakens when it is in pain.
I hope you have found all this information helpful but if you do have any questions or want to know more please get in touch as we would be happy to help.
Just call us on 01763 87087. I look forward to hearing from you.
Perfect your snow walk…
With the temperatures hitting some icy lows, perfect your ‘ice walk’ this winter with top tips from the British Chiropractic Association.
Icy roads and pavements mean potentially hazardous conditions underfoot and a rise in injuries caused by slips and falls. It is quite natural, therefore, for us to be wary when walking outdoors and adopting our ‘ice walk’; the problem is that an unnatural walking posture could cause as many problems as the icy conditions themselves.
Tim Hutchful, from the British Chiropractic Association, offers some top tips to stay safe and adopt a better ‘ice walk’:
Best foot forward
– It is a good idea to have two pairs of shoes, one for walking in the ice and snow, the other for indoors or whilst driving.
– Waterproof or other, lined shoes are preferable as are thermal socks, as these items will help keep your feet warm. Cold, numb feet are less able to sense and adapt to changing conditions.
– Footwear should have a solid and large, raised treads on the sole; essential for maximising your grip on the ice.
– Shoes with support features are important – walking shoes with a firm ankle support are ideal as they help prevent you ‘going over’ on your ankle and help you feel more stable in slippery conditions. If shoes have laces, they should be firmly laced to give a close fit without limiting the circulation.
What to avoid…..Wellingtons can be practical, but they often don’t give enough support and can be difficult to take off. Also avoid walking outside in leather or other, smooth soled shoes.
Top Gear
– Clothing should be warm and allow you to move freely. Anything that impedes you from walking ‘normally’ could make you more prone to falling over or lead to you walking in an unnatural way.
Be Prepared
– There are things you can do to prepare yourself for better balance. Standing on one leg, as an exercise, is a great way to help improve your balance.
– When you are out and about, keeping your hands out of your pockets (use gloves) so that you can use your arms for better balance is a great idea too.
– Watch out for parts of the pavement that may have been in shadow or under trees, where there is more likely be black ice, but make sure you pay attention to what is ahead too!
Falling Gracefully
If you do fall, try and curl up and ‘roll’ with the fall and stay relaxed, this will minimise any jarring to your body. Whilst it may be an automatic reaction, try to avoid putting your hands out to save you – this may cause wrist injuries.
Keep Your Wits
Try to avoid alcohol. Not only will you be more prone to feeling the adverse effects of the cold (because alcohol causes loss of body heat) but it may also cause you to take risks that you wouldn’t normally do and, of course, make you more unsteady on your feet. Keep topped up with warm drinks to keep your temperature up.
If you do start to suffer from some aches and pains give us a call on 01763 878087.
Tips to help your back this Christmas time
The festive season can be a stressful time, with presents to buy, family gatherings to negotiate and planning for the big day. Remember that stress can have physical consequences as well as mental, including increasing muscle tension and aches and pains, as well as weakening the immune system. Make sure you’re taking time for yourself and time to relax. It’s not a luxury – it’s a necessity.
Make sure you’re only carrying round what you need to. Carrying overly heavy bags on a regular basis can result in upper neck and back pain, poor posture and muscle spasms. Remember to declutter your handbag or briefcase regularly so you don’t leave yourself vulnerable to strain or injury.
If you are Christmas shopping, try and carry bags evenly or take a rucksack to put things in. Make regular trips back to the car so you aren’t having to carry heavy things for too long.
When wrapping presents try and do them over a few days rather than all at once. Wrap small presents at a table and be careful when wrapping the bigger things to take a break and gentle stretch your back before and afterwards.
If you are standing in a queue for a while, try and shift your body weight from side to side or if you can put one foot on a step even better so that the weight is not constantly being focused on one part of your spine. The spine gets its oxygen supply through movement so the more you can move the better.
If you do experience any pain why not book a free chat with one of our practitioners and see if we can help you.
Merry Christmas from everyone at Attend2Health
What is Vitamin D and how do I know if I have enough?
The body makes Vitamin D when the sun shines on your skin. Over the winter months, our bodies need extra vitamin D to make up for the lack of sunshine.
Vitamin D keeps our bones strong by helping to absorb calcium. Muscles need vitamin D to help them contract and relax and nerves need vitamin D to help carry nerve messages around the body
Symptoms of Vitamin D deficiency:
Fatigue
Depression
SAD
Bone and back pain
Muscle aches
Feeling ill often
How to increase our vitamin D levels:
Vitamin D can be taken in a tablet in varying dosages. It is often recommended to take vitamin D throughout the winter months. These can be bought in any pharmacy or local health shop. Please check with your GP before taking any supplements.
A natural way to increase vitamin D levels is through our diet- ensure you are eating enough tuna, salmon, cheese and egg yolks (to name a few)
If you are over 50, dark skinned, vegan or just generally in need of a winter boost, get yourself some vitamin D supplements!
Please speak to our Osteopath for any further information and/or questions you may have. http://www.attend2health.co.uk
Wrap up warm and keep healthy this winter!!!
It’s starting to get colder…
As the weather starts to get colder its important to wrap up warm and even do a few stretches before venturing out in the cold. Make sure you have good footwear to avoid slipping on the ice and it is also a time to look at taking some extra supplements. It is also important to keep moving as it gets colder to prevent you stiffening up!
Vitamin D is really important and a lot of us are lacking in it especially in the winter, so look at taking a supplement to help. Turmeric has been show in recent studies to be great for inflammation. In the winter it is common for aches and pains such as arthritis to feel worse so taking a supplement like Turmeric could really help.
If you are feeling stiff and achy try giving these foam roller and pilates exercises a try. If you are still in pain book in for a free 15 minute chat at the clinic and see if we can help you further.
Delighted to Announce I’m a Finalist!
Louise Hamtpon, Owner/Chiropractor
The Best Business Women Awards have announced their finalists today for 2017.
The business world is full of talented and dedicated female entrepreneurs who not only run successful businesses but in many cases also juggle the needs of their families. The Best Business Women Awards are designed to recognise the achievement of those women across a wide range of business categories and is open to any female business owner UK wide.
I was amazed and very proud to be shortlisted as a finalist in the Health and Wellness category. Attend2health has Chiropractors, Osteopaths, Massage Therapists, a Physiotherapist, Podiatrist and Acupuncturist all working under one roof to help patients back to health. As our 10 year anniversary approaches its great to see the clinic recognised for its achievements.
Debbie Gilbert, organiser of The Best Business Women Awards said ‘We were delighted with the number of entries this year, which came in from all over the UK. This is a tough competition judged by business experts. To be a finalist is a major achievement. Finalists have been selected for their business acumen, determination, creativity and tenacity. Over 80% of start-ups fail in the first 3 years and all our finalists are all shining examples of being successful entrepreneurs who have proved their success to our judges.’
Louise Hampton Owner of Attend2Health said ‘I’m so pleased to be through to the final for the best health business. I’ve worked hard to make sure the clinic provides the best possible service to its patients and it’s great to be recognised for all the good work we do. We have a wonderful team of practitioners and staff who all give their best for the clinic. This is a wonderful boost that comes on the back of raising £1740 for charity last weekend at our charity ball.
The gala final of The Best Business Women Awards will be held on 12th October 2017 at Tewin Bury Farm, Welwyn, Hertfordshire, the winners will be announced at the final.
Slipped disc? Sciatica? What’s going on?
Have you ever been told you have a slipped disc or sciatica? Ever wondered what this actually looks like in the spine?
This diagram shows how when you have a slipped disc or sciatica what actually happens is tiny tears occur in the outer fibres of the disc which means the inner jelly called the nucleus pulposus is pushed outwards towards the sciatic nerve. The disc is not normally seen by the body but when it bulges out the body then attacks it a foreign creating a lot of inflammation which puts extra pressure on the nerve. It depends how far the disc has bulged out as to how bad the symptoms are and how long they may take to go.
If you are experiencing pain down your leg with any tingling or numbness it is a good idea to see a chiropractor or osteopath as there are lots of tests they can do to determine how bad the problem is and whether they can help or if you need further investigation such as an MRI scan. A lot of the time treatment can really help ease the pain but it usually takes quite a long time when the disc is bulging out. Long term Pilates exercises can really help to stabilise the spine and prevent further episodes.
If you would like to book a free chat with one of our practitioners give us a call on 01763 878087, we’d be happy to help. Or why not like our Facebook page for up to date advice.
‘I just bent over and my back went!’
This is a saying I hear a lot. Someone simply reaches for a piece of paper or bends to pick a toy off the floor and their back goes. It can be very frustrating and hard to understand why something so simple can cause so much pain.
Usually however the cause can be a build up over time with that last reach being the final straw. Think of you spine a bit like a paper clip. You can bend it forwards and backwards a number of times no problem and then all of a sudden it just snaps and this can be the same with the ligaments and muscles around the spine or with the discs.
Before the back finally goes sometimes you can get a few twinges. Think of these as warning signs and look back on things you have been doing recently. Try to change the everyday tasks you do like loading the dishwasher or how you watch television to try and minimise the pressure on the spine. Make sure you take regular breaks to walk around as the back has a relatively poor blood supply and so gets its oxygen from you moving around.
Bending to unload the dishwasher.
At Attend2Health we offer a free 15 minute chat to see if we can help or to give advice. If you do get any twinges why not come and see us to see if we can prevent your back from going.
Simply call 01763 878087 and book an appointment today!
How to prevent a fall
As we get older or after an injury our ability to balance decreases. This means if we trip on uneven ground or wobble on an ankle we are then more likely to fall over rather than being able to catch our self and correct the wobble.
Things to look for in the home:
1. Have you got any loose rugs you could slip on?
2.Do you make sure you have well fitting slippers for indoors?
3. Don’t walk in a darkened room
4. Keeps floors clean and tidy
Below are some exercises to try which will help to improve your balance. Try to do the exercises everyday – once you are confident at doing the exercises you could try them whilst brushing your teeth as that will act as a good memory aid.
