Tempus Fugit: Latin for “HOW is it October already?!”
It seems like we’ve seen the last of this summer (though, admittedly, it felt like that in about April), and Starbucks has got the pumpkin spiced lattes on the menu, so it’s time to pack away the bikini and bring out the scarves: autumn’s here.
Actually, as a clinic, we quite like autumn, because October marks the 5th birthday of Attend2Health. That’s right, we’ve been helping you from head to toe for half a decade now! From our early beginnings with Louise Hampton as our head chiropractor, we now have 2 chiropractors, an osteopath, a physiotherapist, a foot health practitioner, a sports massage therapist, an Alexander Technique instructor, a reflexologist, a reiki therapist, and an acupuncturist.
We’ve grown up so fast, haven’t we?
Anyway, what’s a birthday without a party? We’ll be hosting a half-price treatment day on Saturday October 27th, with chiropractic, physiotherapy, osteopathy treatments on offer, and all money going to Jake’s Journey.
Sam Bloomfield, Louise Hampton and Mike Varney, who will be treating for Jake’s Journey on October 27th.
Jake Pike is a young friend of the clinic who has been fighting a brain tumour for nearly 2 years. At just thirteen and having only just started at Freman College, he has undergone surgery and radical proton therapy in America, and is currently an outpatient at Addenbrookes Hospital in Cambridge. Jake’s Journey is a trust-fund to cover the cost of future treatments, support and travel for Jake as he encounters the side effects of the treatment. In the hopeful event that Jake doesn’t need to use the money – as he is currently in remission – it will be divided between the numerous charities who have supported Jake’s family – CLIC Sargeant, Camille’s Appeal, the Brain Tumour Trust, Sick Children’s Trust and the paediatric cancer ward at Addenbookes Hospital.
We are already taking bookings for treatments on Saturday 27th October, and a few places have already gone, so if you’re looking to come down, help us celebrate our birthday and help out a great cause, please call us on 01763 87 80 87.
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The hours of daylight may well be getting shorter as the year marches on, but the hours of treatment aren’t! Joanne Taylor, our Foot Health Professional has extended her hours on a Wednesday, and would love to see you, your calluses, dodgy toenails or whatever else may make you want to hide your feet in your slippers at all times. As we get closer to (whisper it) Christmas, make sure your feet are stocking ready.
On the subject of Christmas, don’t forget that we sell gift vouchers that can be used for the majority of our treatments – we all know at least one person who could do with a massage, why not be kind enough to gift them one with a trained professional?
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On October 8th, National Back Care Awareness Week starts. As a recepient of this newsletter – and therefore a valued patient – we know that your back health matters to you, but do you know anyone who has frequent back pain, but refuses to do anything about it? For the week of October 8th-15th, we will be offering £10 off* chiropractic first treatments to anyone who says “Back Care Week” when they book in, and if they mention that they’ve been reccommended by a previous patient, then that patient will get £5 off their next treatment too!
What can we say, we like to be good to you guys.
With so much going on over the next few weeks, we should hopefully be too busy to notice as it gets colder and darker. So, wrap up warm, don’t forget your scarves, and come down and see us all at Attend2Health.
Doctors Make The Worst Patients (and other things our granny used to tell us).
The saying goes that doctors make the worst patients. Unfortunately, chiropractors and other health professionals are just as fallible as everyone else, and while we’re fully aware of what we should and shouldn’t do, we all slip into bad habits occasionally. Here are some of the habits we’re guilty of, and how to correct them.
- Our receptionist holds the phone between her shoulder and ear constantly, leading to back pain, neck pain and shoulder pain – hardly ideal when we’re advertising spinal health! If you can’t use your hand to support the handset at all times, see about investing in a headset or a hands-free kit.
- One of the few times many of us get to relax is spending an hour on the sofa in front of the television, and the temptation to slump on the sofa is a strong one, but not one that leads to a strong back! (See what we did there?) With the risk of sounding like your grandmother, the ideal sitting position is to let the seat take your weight and, if possible, keep as much of your body in contact with the chair so that your whole body is supported.
- The last one is awful, and something which we should all know better than doing, but it always bears repeating: make sure you book in with your practitioner as soon as you feel something is wrong. There is always a temptation to ignore any back pain, or that slight stiffness in your neck, but what could have been a simple adjustment often escalates into a longer course of treatment. A stitch in time saves nine, as granny always used to say.
Now for some content that isn’t full of Nana’s wisdom.
Attend2Health now has an osteopath.
We’re bold-italics excited to announce that as of September 1st, Sam Bloomfield will be joining the clinic on Tuesday and Thursday afternoons. Chiropractic and osteopathy are both similar practices and both help with many conditions, and we’re delighted to add Sam’s osteopathic expertise to our stable of professionals .
We now have eight therapists working within Attend2Health, offering treatments from acupuncture for fertility through to diabetic foot care, so whatever you may be struggling with, call us on 01763 87 80 87, or drop Kat or Nikki an email at buntingford@attend2health.co.uk (they get lonely) and see if we offer a treatment that’s right for you.
I don’t know if you’ve heard, but the Olympics is this month…
But before we get to all that, the Buntingford Carnival was last month, celebrating Sport in Britain in 2012 (original, no?). We were there offering the chance to test your grip strength for the chance to win a bottle of champagne.
Our winning female grip was 75kg. To put this into perspective, this blogger managed 27kg. So congratulations to our winners, who more than deserve their champagne, and probably have handshakes to avoid first thing on a Monday morning.
So, the less said about the football, the better. Wimbledon continues apace (come on, Tim!), and we’re all very excited about the Olympics this month! If you’re watching sport, playing sport, or exhausted even thinking about it, then we’ve got a range of treatments available for you!
Our sports masseuse Estelle is fully trained in sports massage and theraputic massage, great for rugby players or tired office workers alike. We also offer reflexology and reiki with Estelle, for people who’s idea of me time is a little less a game of golf and a little more serenity.
If you’ve managed to trap a nerve while pretending to be Andy Murray, then our chiropractors Louise and Adrian are on hand six days a week to help bring you back to peak condition as quickly as possible. We don’t promise to make you a World Number 4 Singles Player, mind you.
And, coming to Attend2Health from Thursday 5th July is our new Physiotherapist, Mike Varney.
Mike Varney has worked as a physiotherapist for over 40 years, and continues to offer a wealth of expertises and experience treating musculoskeletal problems. He has previously worked in a professional capacity with Tottenham Hotspur and Queens Park Rangers, as well as working as a remedial gymnast and treating many celebrities and actors in our time.
If you’re looking for A-List treatment of your injuries, why not call us and book in with Mike on 01763 87 80 87.
We’re backing the future generation – literally.
On Monday 23rd April, our Head Chiropractor, Louise Hampton spent the day at Ralph Sadlier School teaching the children the importance of good posture and doing exercise. “I went through some stretches with the children which would be good for them to do on a daily basis and taught them about the spine and the importance of keeping healthy,” Louise said.
She continued, “All the children really seemed to enjoy the sessions and asked some very good questions. They were keen to learn what they could do to look after their backs like carrying their school bags correctly and I highlighted the importance of not sitting for too long in the same position and to move around. I seem to be treating more and more young people suffering from back pain so if I can get children to do some stretches and prevent back pain it can only be a good thing. It was a pleasure to teach such an enthusiastic group of children.”
If you worry about your child’s back, follow these simple tips from the British Chiropractic Association.
· Bag it up – if your child has to carry a bag to school – a rucksack is the best option as long as it is carried over both shoulders, and the straps are adjusted so that the bag is held close to the back. Loads are easier to carry when held closer to the body and symmetrically (try not to have a load held off to one side), ensuring weight is evenly distributed
· Check it– make sure your child is not carrying any unnecessary excess weight – check daily that all the items in their bags are essential. Ensure school bags are packed correctly – heavy objects should be packed first and placed on the inside of the bag, close to the spine and pelvis
· Best Foot Forward – Make sure your child has good footwear; soft-soled shoes that are supportive and have a good grip will make it easier for them to carry a heavier school bag
· Exercise – lack of exercise is your child’s worst enemy. Encourage your child to take regular exercise as, the fitter your child is, the less likely they are to injure themselves
· Don’t ignore pain or discomfort – If your child can’t stand up straight easily or they complain that the bag limits their movement – then it is too heavy. Encourage your child to tell you about pain or discomfort that may be caused by a heavy schoolbag. Pain in a child or teenager should not be ignored
Chiropractic Awareness Week 2012
Speaking as someone related to a seventy-year-old who takes the dog for daily walks of ten miles or more, I am very aware that health and exercise doesn’t stop as soon as you hit fifty.
However, we live in an ageing population, and the number of those aged 55+ who worry about their health paints a worrying picture:
· One in five (20%) aged 55 and over are most worried about becoming less active as they age.
· 48% of over 55’s admit that they are a lot less active than 20 years ago.
· 51% of over 55 year olds are currently suffering from back or neck pain with 33% of those complaining that they suffer daily and 24% stating they have endured some kind of back or neck complaint for more than 10 years.
At the start of Chiropractic Awareness Week 2012, the British Chiropractic Association is joining forces with the European Year of Active Ageing.
Active Ageing doesn’t mean daily 10 mile walks like I mentioned in the first sentence (I couldn’t manage that, and I’m only in my mid-twenties!), but small changes can make a big difference – just a couple of minutes stretches a day could help improve how limber you are, and that’s a good start. Walking is definitely an underrated form of exercise: try walking to the next bus-stop along (difficult in Buntingford where there are only three bus-stops in total!), or parking the car further away when doing the weekly shop. These little things can snowball.
Swimming is an amazing form of exercise which is normally subsidised for the over 60s, and helps tone the whole body and is less intensive – and more importantly, less hard on the joints – than running.
Lastly, if something hurts, stop doing it! If you suffer pain beyond a simple ache, make sure you visit your chiropractor – as I often state, we do so much more than just backs! We offer free consultations, as well as exercises to strengthen any damaged muscles and joints after your initial course of treatment is completed.
We hope this piece has given you some ideas about keeping active, and we always hope you’ll stay healthy along with us at Attend2Health.
Your chiropractic appointment – in pictures!
Now, we’re not exactly as interesting as the Guggenheim, but it’s good to know what a clinic looks like before you visit. Today’s post focuses on what you can expect when you come to Attend2Health to visit Alexander Smith, one of our chiropractors.
This is Attend2Health (sunshine not always as pictured). We’re on Buntingford High Street and just opposite the library.
Welcome to the clinic. This is Kat, who is part of our Front Desk team. More often than not, she’s slightly hidden behind the desk. Say hello, Kat.
Very good.
This is the chiropractic treatment room. In this picture is the bench, an activator, an ultrasound machine, and some blocks.
But! As useful as these are, we could definitely do with a chiropractor!
That’s better. On the left is Alex. In his hands is a spine. I have it on good authority that it’s a model, and not the spine of a previous patient.
On your first appointment, you’ll get a consultation where you discuss your complaint with the chiropractor, an examination, where the chiropractor examines the area causing discomfort, and a treatment.
The treatment may involve mobilisation (soft tissue work), activator work – which involves a small spring-loaded spinal stimulator – and adjustments. Adjustments are those ‘cracky’ bits that you may well be aware of. What an adjustment actually does is move the joint beyond its regular range of motion, but not beyond the range of motion which the joint is designed to move.
After your treatment, Alex may suggest you buy an ice-pack from our foyer, or reccommend ice and heat on the area for which you’re seeking treatment.
(As you can see, we have lots of ice packs. Among other things.)
Depending on the state of your condition, we may ask you to book in once a week, or may just wish to see you for maintenance in a month-or-so’s time. At which point, you’ll get to see Kat and Alex, or one of our other lovely Front Desk Team and Chiropractors.
So, we’re not the Guggenheim, like I said, but hopefully seeing what you’ll expect makes chiropractic, and our clinic, a little less abstract and a little more real.
“I can feel it in my bones!”
Do you feel the cold in your joints? Arthritis sufferers struggle with weather like this more than most, but hopefully acupuncture and Alexander Technique can help. The University of York has commissioned a three year study into the effectiveness of Acupuncture and Alexander Technique into care for Chronic Neck Pain.
Alexander Technique lessons are designed to help people improve their posture, co-ordination and balance, while reducing unwanted responses which can cause or aggravate pain and stress. Along with acupuncture, the treatment has been shown to improve back pain and offer value for money over the long term.
Acupuncture is recommended for chronic back pain by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE).
If you’re interested in whether we can help with your back or neck pain, give us a call on 01763 87 80 87, we offer taster sessions and consultations with our practitioners, so you can decide whether either of these treatments are right for you.
Santa-stic! (And a happy new year)
Happy New Year!
With the last of the Christmas pudding finally eaten, the mince-pies already on your waistline, and the weather as unhappy with January as the rest of us, we’re definitely starting 2012 with a bang. If you’re like us and don’t take down your decorations until Twelfth Night, make sure you look after your back while doing it: bend from the knees, don’t overstretch, and don’t fall onto the remains of the Christmas tree.
Speaking of Christmas… On Saturday 17th December, we held a charity treatment morning where we offered massage, reflexology and chiropractic treatments in return for donations. We raised over £250, which was then used to buy presents for children at the Lister Hospital over the festive period.
On December 23rd, Chiropractor Louise Hampton delivered the presents to the hospital.
Marylin Goodhew – one of the play therapists in the children’s ward – was extremely grateful for the donations, explaining that they unfortunately had a full ward for Christmas this year.
“I’m really pleased that the presents were so well received and made such a difference,” said Louise. “Thank you so much to all the patients who supported our charity morning, be it with their own donations of toys, or helping us to raise so much money for the children – it was lovely to give something back to the community, and we couldn’t have done it without the help of our patients.”
Moving swiftly back to the New Year, however – how are your resolutions going? Are you going for that run every morning, or has the weather hampered your plans before you ever managed to start? Maybe you resolved to swim every day (not too difficult in this weather), or to cut back on the carbs. Whatever you chose to do, congratulations! Committing to a resolution is the first step, and often the trickiest. Make sure you don’t over-do it in the first few weeks: stretch before and after all exercise, and stay with what’s comfortable – if you’ve not run since school, don’t expect to manage marathons before February! If you get any pains, make sure to book in with a chiropractor or sports masseuse – it might be nothing to worry about, but it’s always better to be safe than sorry.
Our resolution (other than working off all of the Quality Street from the last two weeks) is to make this blog more reader-centric: let us know what you’d like to read about. Maybe you want more tips on how to take care of your back, maybe you want more information about the disciplines which we offer at the clinic. Maybe you want some more of my excellent chiropractic puns… Well, perhaps not the last one.
Whatever you’d like to see in the blog, leave us a comment, or email us at info@attend2health.co.uk and let us know.
Until our next update, we wish you happiness and wellbeing from everyone at Attend2Health.
It’s beginning to look a lot like Cricked-Necks
You’d be surprised how many Christmas Chiropractic jokes there are – what do chiropractors and Christmas table decorations have in common? They’re both ‘crackers’.
… I didn’t say they were good Christmas Chiropractic jokes.
Mind you, as there are only five shopping Saturdays left, it’s beginning to seem a lot like Christmas, whether you like it or not! (We bought our Advent calendars over a month ago, but that says more about the local shops than anything else.)
But, if you’re wondering what’s festive about a health clinic (other than terrible puns), you’d be surprised. If you’re struggling for ideas on what to buy for your sister/mother/great aunt Kit, we sell gift vouchers for Sports Massage, Therapeutic Massage, Reiki, Reflexology and Indian Head Massage. It’s a great treat for someone over what can be a very stressful season, and it makes a change from the same Body Shop kit every year.
We’re also gearing up for our Christmas Charity Drive.
This year, we’ve teamed up with the Lister Hospital in Stevenage for a toy drive collecting presents for the children unlucky enough to be in hospital over Christmas! From November 18th, we will have a Santa Sack in clinic accepting any donations from customers – and anyone who donates a toy will be entered into a prize draw for a free treatment and we’ll be throwing a half price treatment morning on Saturday 17th December with all profits going towards toys for the children.
If you have any questions, or are interested in booking an appointment for our half-price treatment day, please drop us a comment on this entry, or email us at buntingford@attend2health.co.uk, or pop into the clinic with any donations or questions you might have. We ho-ho-hope to see you there.
Helping you back into Winter
On Saturday 1st October, Attend2Health celebrated our 4th anniversary with cake, balloons, and a Charity Treatment Day raising money for Isabel Hospice and Buntingford Action for the Less Able. Thanks to you, we were able to raise over £200 for these worthwhile causes, helping those in need in Buntingford and Hertfordshire.
We would like to thank everyone who came down to the clinic on Saturday and booked a mini-treatment, who bought a raffle ticket, or who has just been one of our valued customers over the last four years. Without you, we literally could not have done this!
We would like to extend special thanks to Ione Woodger-Smith at Crazy Daisy and James Radley at J Oliver Radley Opticians for their generous donations to our raffle and for their support in our fundraising efforts.
Don’t forget that October sees World Arthritis Day on October 13th. If you have concerns about your joints, why not book in for a free consult with any of our friendly chiropractors. October is also Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and our JustGiving page for Isabel Hospice will still be open all month if you wish to donate to them: www.justgiving.com/attend2health.
Much though we’re loathe to think about it, as the days get shorter and the nights draw in, the slide towards Christmas is inevitable. For a stress-free present option, we sell massage and reflexology gift-vouchers. And after the hassle of Christmas, who can say they wouldn’t benefit from a little pampering?
Although the weather may be changeable, our dedication to your health isn’t: we are here six days a week to discuss any concerns you may have, whether it’s about your cluster headaches or your ingrown toenails – we’re here for you from head to toe.