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.
How to look after your back in the garden
Starting work in the garden? – here’s some tips to help your back
Winter hibernation is coming to an end and many will be starting to think about Spring gardening jobs. It’s great to get outdoors and blow the cobwebs away but take care of your back with our great advice.
Clothes
– Don’t wear clothes that are tight or could constrict your movement.
Warm Up
– Gardening is like any other exercise; you need to warm up first. Don’t go straight into the heavy work; start off with lighter jobs as this will lessen the chance of muscle strain.
Take a break
– Vary your activity by spending no more than 20-30 minutes on any one thing and make sure you take regular breaks.
Clever spring pruning
– Get as close as possible to the things you are pruning and avoid overstretching to reach the area you are dealing with.
– Invest in some long handled secateurs to reach plants and bushes that are beyond normal reach.
Plan ahead
– If you are planning a trip to the local garden centre store to buy heavy items such as compost, buy smaller bags rather than one big bag as they are easier and safer to carry. Better still, have it delivered direct to your home.
– Don’t lift with your arms straight out, keep the elbows bent and to your side to minimise the stress on your back.
– If having items delivered, have them unloaded as close to where you need them as possible; this will save the effort of moving them again.
– A specialist garden trolley might be worth investing in to move these sorts of materials around, especially if you have lots of patio pots to move around as well.
If you do start to suffer from back pain – book a free 15 minute chat with one of our practitioners and they can let you know if it is just an ache which will go after a day or two or whether any treatment maybe needed to help it. Don’t suffer in pain call 01763 87 80 87.
Why use a foam roller?
Ever wondered what foam rollers are for? Here’s a bit more information:
Foam rolling is another way to help stretch out your muscles and stop them becoming too tight. Its just like you are giving yourself a massage and can be great to use after exercise or in between treatments if you are recovering from an injury.
Our practitioners can show you some exercises especially for you and we sell the foam rollers at the clinic. I have also made a short video below showing a few exercises you can do with a foam roller. If you are finding the exercises painful try to take more weight off of the area you are rolling and gradually increase the pressure through the roller. A smooth roller will be easier and then once you can do that try progressing to the roller with ridges in it to work your muscles harder. If you are in pain see your GP or one of our practitioners first before using a roller to make sure it is suitable for you to use.
We have more exercises on the members area of our website https://www.attend2health.co.uk/index.php/members-menu/.
Attend2health also offers a free 15 minute chat so you can find out if any of our practitioners can help. Please call 01763 878087 to book.
New Fungal Nail Treatment
Are your Toenails Thick, Crumbly or Discoloured?
Fungal nails can often be unsightly and embarrassing; they are caused by the same infection as athletes foot which gets under the nail. Usually very difficult to treat, using topical or oral treatments which can carry significant risks, taking many months to treat. Often they do not work and are totally ineffective, especially when the nail is thickened.
Clearanail is a revolutionary safe, painless procedure tested clinically at Southampton University by Dr Ivan Bristow a Dermatologist on many patients, Clearanail is an innovative proven technology that quickly clears affected discoloured nails.
Controlled Micro Penetration is used to create micro pathways into the nail plate. Each micro hole is drilled in seconds. Daily treatment at home is then applied to the affected areas, to quickly and efficiently clear the nail.
Visible results can be seen within weeks, thus removing the need to take oral medication which can interfere with the liver. Topical treatments are usually ineffective when the nail is affected to the lunular (half-moon at the bottom of the nail) but not with clearanail.
Available at a fraction of the cost of laser technology and clinically proven to give fast efficient results within weeks, Clearanail can be strongly recommended in the treatment of discoloured, thickened, crumbling nails!
Book a free chat with our Podiatrist today and see how he can help. Simply call 01763 878087.
Gary Webb is a qualified HCPC registered Podiatrist with a Post Graduate Certificate in Musculoskeletal Medicine and Biomechanics. He is a full member of the Society of Chiropodists and Podiatrists which is the premier Podiatry Association in the UK. He is very experienced in many aspects of Podiatry and has a keen interest in Podiatric Biomechanics (postural related problems).