0208 9776396
Kingston & Teddington Osteopathy
Kingston & Teddington Osteopathy
Spring is here… finally!
It is time to get out there, get walking, get running and get fit.
As your Osteopaths, we are treating patients with end of winter postural tension and related aches and pains. With the arrival of Spring, we are encouraging everyone to get moving again.
The secret after a long winter is to take it steady and build your exercise up in increments – this will help you to avoid injury.
Kind regards,
To exercise without injury, it is important to tune into your body and be mindful and aware of how you are feeling.
Start any exercise with a gentle warm up – walking or a slow jog to begin with. Gradually pick up the pace once you feel that warmed up, looser feeling in your body.
A lot of injury can come from repetitive overuse of the same muscles and joints. To avoid this, add in different pace to your exercise and vary it. For example, in the gym move around to different exercise machines to avoid overusing one muscle group. When running, try interval training – run faster for a few minutes and then slow down for a minute to a jog or walk.
If you feel any cramp, pain, soreness or twinge, stop! Never keep on exercising through the pain because you might be doing further damage and this will slow down your healing process.
With 5 weeks to go, you will be well on your way with your training regime.
The increase in mileage at this point means that we often see patients at this stage of marathon training. Osteopaths can help keep your joints and muscles in good functioning order to cope with this increase in impact.
To avoid injury, be flexible with your training schedule and listen to your body. Don’t push yourself too hard on the longer runs – you should feel tired but not wiped out.
If you are training, walking or running, good footwear is key.
How old are your trainers or walking boots? Think of the amount of use they have had and replace them. They may look in good condition but injury often occurs with older footwear.
Don’t wait, just call the clinic and come in and we will be able to diagnose the problem
If you would like more information on how Osteopathy can help, please contact us.
You can email info@osteopathuk.co.uk or call 02089776396
| Click the link for our website: http://www.osteopathuk.co.uk/ |
Please do not hesitate to get in touch with us for any reason, we are here to help and welcome any feedback. Click here for more information.
Many years ago, when Osteopathy as a medicine was being determined by its founder, Andrew Still, it was all about the body finding its own way to health and well being.
Osteopaths are the facilitators for your body to do just that.
Kind regards,
Osteopaths work on multiple systems within the body to help promote health and well being.
By working on vascular (blood), neurological (nerve) and musculoskeletal systems, Osteopaths stimulate healing processes and facilitate an easier pathway for the body to self-heal.
Differential Diagnosis
First and foremost, your Osteopath will take a case history where they find out about your current symptoms and your medical/health back ground. This detailed history taking is vital for differential diagnosis of your problem.
Full Examination of Movement
After the case history, your Osteopath will then assess active and passive movements to help further diagnose your problem in more detail. This protocol ensures that it is only after point of diagnosis that a formulated treatment plan, tailored to you as an individual, can be carried out.
Hands on Treatment
Hands on treatment is a vital part of Osteopathy. Osteopaths are trained to have really good palpation and this sensitivity of touch will also help them pinpoint the areas that are causing you problems. Osteopathic training is focussed on using touch to help stimulate the body to self-heal.
Advice on Self-Care
Your Osteopath will also put a focus on how you can help yourself to heal. The advice may touch on rehabilitation exercises, medication, what movements to do/not do and also how to cope with the pain or stress of your problem.
Osteopathy as a medicine, is accessible for the whole family. At Kingston & Teddington Osteopathy, our focus is on being able to treat every generation.
We specialise in treating:
Babies & Children
Pregnancy – pre and post natal musculoskeletal aches and pains
Sports Injuries
Trauma Injury – eg whiplash, accidents, falls etc
Post Operative Care – eg post knee and hip operations, post shoulder/elbow/wrist injections for arthritis
Degenerative Musculoskeletal Pains – eg wear and tear with age, arthritis
Postural Tension – musculoskeletal aches and pains eg tension headache, neck pain, back pain
If you have aches or pains, don’t wait, just call the clinic and come in and we will be able to diagnose the problem.
Our Osteopaths are happy to help so please call 02089776396
If you would like more information on how Osteopathy can help, please contact us.
You can email info@osteopathuk.co.uk or call 02089776396
| Click the link for our website: http://www.osteopathuk.co.uk/ |
Please do not hesitate to get in touch with us for any reason, we are here to help and welcome any feedback. Click here for more information.
We all know that regular exercise has wonderful health benefits but what about Stretching?
As Osteopaths, we always prescribe personalised stretches to help the process of healing and recovery.
This newsletter will explore why Stretching is so restorative.Kind regards
Stretching can improve flexibility of joints and muscles. This adaptability for change is a key part of healthy musculoskeletal function. Imagine a trampoline that is over-tight – it won’t function well for your kids (or you) to bounce on. If really tight, it might even rip and tear and this is how injury can sometimes occur.
By stretching, you restore the body’s flexibility and adaptability to change and this in turn puts less load on to muscles and joints.
The potential health benefits of Stretching are:
Decreasing your risk of injury
Joint flexibility allows a joint to move in its full range of motion
Increasing blood flow to muscles, making them function efficiently
Enabling muscles to work effectively and take on load
Improving your performance in physical activities
Slow, slow and gentle is the best approach to Stretching.
It is important to Stretch correctly and to understand that some muscles take longer than others to release.
Warm Up First
Muscles need to be primed and warmed-up before Stretching. A quick walk for 5 minutes or after a workout is great prior to stretching. If you don’t have time, then a quick jog/march on the spot swinging your arms will get everything ready.
Don’t Stretch before a Workout
Various studies have shown that stretching prior to a workout can actually decrease performance. Stretching a tight, cold muscle may even cause injury.
Always Stretch both sides
Pretty obvious, but if you are trying to rehabilitate an injury it is important to always stretch both sides of your body. Only stretching one side can cause increased load on the other side and this in turn can lead to further injury.
Give muscles and joints enough time to Stretch
Avoid ‘bouncing’ your stretch because this will only put strain on the muscle/tendon junction and can cause injury. Hold the stretch for 30 seconds and then release. Repeat 3 times. Big muscles such as hamstrings may need a longer stretch.
Avoid Stretching to the point of burn or pain
Stretching should have some tension but be without pain. If you are feeling the burn, then you are overloading the muscle and joint.
Stretch Regularly
Stretching works best when done little and often. Even a quick 5-10 minutes every other day can make a huge difference.
Stretch with Movement
Stretching with movement can be very beneficial. Yoga, pilates and tai chi all incorporate movement with stretching. Deep breathe to enhance the stretch and encourage the whole body to release tension.
Your Osteopath will prescribe specific stretches that you can do at home. At Kingston & Teddington Osteopathy we assess every person individually and can design a Stretching plan unique to you so that you get maximum health benefits.
Have a look at our YouTube channel for some great stretches
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCaSfyAZTc5JtqidbXNXg8Pw/videos
If you have pain, contact us!
If you have aches or pains, don’t wait, just call the clinic and come in and we will be able to diagnose the problem. Our Osteopaths are happy to help so please call 02089776396
You can email info@osteopathuk.co.uk or call 02089776396
Click the link for our website: www.osteopathuk.co.uk
Please do not hesitate to get in touch with us for any reason, we are here to help and welcome any feedback. Click here for more information.
Cycling is a great form of exercise. However, good cycling posture is key to prevent injury. This newsletter will focus on the best posture and most common problems that may occur. Kind regards
If you and your family have decided to take up cycling then what a great choice. Our local area is fairly easy cycling terrain – flat and the scenery in the parks and along the river is fabulous.
However, before you whizz off to explore along the Thames, ensure that your bikes are set up correctly.
Pedal to Saddle height is correct when at full downward pedal you should just stop short of fully straightening out your knee. As your kids grow you may need to assess their saddle heights every 6 months to ensure that they don’t end up cycling with overly flexed knees.
Handlebars should be aligned so that your elbows remain loosely flexed and not locked out straight when cycling.
Obviously, if you have a racing bike then cycling posture alters again. With good core and correct saddle height, you should not need to put full weight through the shoulders, elbows and hands when cycling. We always recommend getting a bike fit to ensure that you have the correct set-up for racing bikes.
Neck pain is one of the most commonly reported pains related to cycling.
On racing bikes this is often due to poor cycling posture with bad helmet adjustment.
Ensure that you are not over-extending your neck and tilt the helmet more to the back of the head.
Keep elbows bent and shoulders forward to support the collar bones to give greater shock absorption.
Make sure that the handlebars are not too low as this can increase extension of the neck.
Try and tuck your chin in when riding to reduce neck extension and find a more neutral spine.
Be careful when turning your head when doing a manoeuvre in traffic – try to raise up on the handlebars to reduce neck extension when turning.
Shoulder Pain is often reported after long rides.
Again, check posture and that the saddle is angled correctly and not too low at the front. If you are sliding forwards along the saddle then you will automatically brace your weight on your arms and shoulders when riding and this will cause lots of postural problems. As Osteopaths, we advise slightly tilting the saddle backward to align the pelvis so that core muscles engage more readily.
Knee pain around the knee cap is the most common knee pain associated with cycling.
Ensure that your saddle is at the correct height to avoid over-flexing the knees. Also, be careful to cycle with knees pointing straight ahead and do not allow any outward movement of the knee as that can also cause damage behind the kneecap.
Wrist/Hand Pain will occur if your cycling posture is incorrect.
Saddle angle and handlebar height are key to avoid over-extending your wrists or putting too much weight forwards through your hands. We have had patients experiencing pins and needles on long rides and tendonitis in the wrists and forearm. When riding long distances, move your weight from hand to hand to avoid over-loading the wrists and hands.
Ankle Pain can occur on racing bikes.
If you have a history of ankle sprains then ligament strain from previous injury can contribute to ankle pain when cycling. Your Osteopath can prescribe a tailor-made regime to help strengthen the ankles and also provide treatment of leg muscles to ease the pain. Getting the right cleat position is crucial to avoid overstrain of the ankles and so getting a good bike fit for a racing bike is key.
First of all – seek help to get a diagnosis of what structure is involved causing you pain. Your Osteopath will be a good first port of call for full differential diagnosis and if further investigations such as MRI scan or X-ray are required, they will help you navigate how to do that.
Once you have a diagnosis, your Osteopath can give you hands on treatment and practical advice to kickstart the healing process. They will also advise on how to prevent further injury with rehabilitation exercises and forward management of your cycling regime.[/caption]
If you have pain, contact us!
If you have aches or pains, don’t wait, just call the clinic and come in and we will be able to diagnose the problem. Our Osteopaths are happy to help so please call 02089776396 and we can get you back on The Road to Recovery.
You can email info@osteopathuk.co.uk or call 02089776396
Click the link for our website: www.osteopathuk.co.uk
Please do not hesitate to get in touch with us for any reason, we are here to help and welcome any feedback. Click here for more information.
We often have patients ask us if they have slipped a disc and this newsletter aims to help clarify what happens when you get pain caused by an intervertebral disc problem.The good news, is that with the correct care and management, disc problems can be resolved. Kind regards
In between each vertebra of your spine, there is a disc which acts as a shock absorber and gives the spine more flexibility.Each disc has a solid outer wall (imagine a car tyre), called the Annulus Fibrosus with an inner thick jelly core called the Nucleus Pulposus.In this picture you can see the discs highlighted white and the ‘injured’ disc as red.The spinal cord of your central nervous system is shown as yellow and off-shoots of that cord leave the spine as nerves to the rest of your body and pass right next to the disc.
A healthy disc is an oval cushion, made of fibrocartilage, that allows some movement between vertebrae without sacrificing strength. With age the disc begins to desiccate and lose its height. Flattening discs put stress on the outer wall of the Annulus Fibrosus and this can lead to torsions and small tears that might ultimately lead to a full open tear and the inner Nucleus Pulposus oozing out – a prolapsed or “slipped” disc.
However, full disc prolapses/herniations are less common than the Annulus Fibrosus bulge/flattening.
As Osteopaths, we are very keen to diagnose at which stage the disc injury is. This helps us determine treatment and management for a speedier recovery.
Disc pain can be both acute and chronic. The pain varies depending on whether the disc is bulging or fully prolapsed. If the nerves are affected as they exit past the injured disc, you can get referred nerve pain extending into the arm or leg depending on which disc is injured. This can be extremely painful and patients can find it emotionally distressing. Pain relief medication will be needed in this circumstance and your Osteopath will advise accordingly. Should the pain persist, your Osteopath will advise whether a MRI is appropriate and also whether referral to a Pain Specialist is required whilst Osteopathic treatment is ongoing to help manage the problem.
Commonly with disc pain, the nerves are only mildly affected and Osteopathic treatment and management can help you make a good recovery. Your Osteopath will work with you to find ways to manage your work and lifestyle to enable the disc to recover. For example, sitting and compression makes a lumbar spine disc worse so your Osteopath may advise getting a standing desk. Your will also be given some simple exercises to help your progress.
If you have pain, contact us!
If you have neck or back pain don’t wait, just call the clinic and come in and we will be able to diagnose the problem. Disc pain can be extremely persistent unless managed correctly so do seek help. Our Osteopaths are happy to help so please call 02089776396 and we can get you back on The Road to Recovery.
You can email info@osteopathuk.co.uk or call 02089776396
Click the link for our website: www.osteopathuk.co.uk
Please do not hesitate to get in touch with us for any reason, we are here to help and welcome any feedback. Click here for more information.
The practice is super busy at the moment – everyone is coming in for a pre-holiday treatment to get themselves in peak musculoskeletal health prior to jetting off for some relaxation.
This newsletter will help you look after your spine and joints so that you have a wonderful holiday!
Lifting and then twisting is a common cause of back pain. Engage your abdominal muscles prior to lifting and bend your knees and use your legs to prevent overloading your spine.
We always advise being especially careful of airport luggage conveyor belts! Also, be careful un/loading the car and if you have a bad back we highly recommend delegating the task to someone else 🙂
If you have recurring neck problems then it can be a great idea to pack your pillow to take on holiday. Changes in pillows are one of the common causes of neck pain that we see post-holiday in the practice. If it isn’t feasible to take your own pillow, then try folding a towel into a pad underneath your hotel pillow so that it reaches your optimum height for comfort.
The change in mattress on holiday can also lead to hip, shoulder and back problems. Every year we treat patients post-holiday who find the change of bed affects their spine. If the bed is too hard, try sleeping on a folded duvet or ask the hotel is they provide mattress toppers. If the mattress feels too soft then you can get an achey lower back – try doing gentle knees to chest exercises daily to reduce stiffness.
Whilst holidays are wonderfully relaxing, inactivity can itself cause back pain. Sun loungers aren’t ergonomically designed for bad backs so try and get up every 20 minutes and move around. Lying on your tummy without support can put excessive curve through the lumbar spine – try folding a towel/pillow underneath your abdomen to prevent this.
If you would like to book your holiday appointment, please call us on 02089776396 or email info@osteopathuk.co.uk
You can email info@osteopathuk.co.uk or call
Click the link for our website: www.osteopathuk.co.uk
Please do not hesitate to get in touch with us for any reason, we are here to help and welcome any feedback. Click here for more information.
Kind regards,
Top Up your Vitamin D – get outside as much as possible. In the UK, we only absorb Vitamin D from sunlight from April through to the end of September. Vitamin D is a fat soluble vitamin that works with calcium and magnesium to give us healthy bones and teeth and also supports muscle function and our immune system.
Be Active – whether you run, walk or want to play tennis or cricket, the rule of thumb is do more! This is the perfect time of year for evening walks after work, early runs or just taking the family on a great day out in the countryside. Be creative, have fun and raise your activity levels in the summer months.
Eat Well – summer foods can be low fat and extremely healthy given the right food choices. Try and prepare your own food for BBQs rather than buying pre-prepared foods. That way you can create marinades with less salt and sugar in them and choose lower fat options.
Drink Plenty of Water – staying hydrated is obvious but very necessary in the summer. Always carry a bottle of water with you, especially when you are outside. Dehydration can lead to dry mouth, headache, dizziness, constipation and muscle cramps.
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If you would like more information on how Osteopathy can help, please contact us.
You can email info@osteopathuk.co.uk or call 02089776396
| Click the link for our website: http://www.osteopathuk.co.uk/ |
Please do not hesitate to get in touch with us for any reason, we are here to help and welcome any feedback. Click here for more information.
It is A Level and GCSE time and increasingly, we see children and teens that experience Postural Tension from revision and sitting for exams.
As adults, we all experience Postural Tension from the repetitive nature of our jobs, computer strain and prolonged sitting.
However, it is easy to forget that our kids can have this too! This is a stressful time for them and Osteopathy can be really helpful in easing the physical pressure of prolonged sitting and stress.
Kind regards,
When an Osteopath describes someone as experiencing Postural Tension they don’t mean that the person has bad posture. Instead, the repetitive nature of an activity (for example revising for exams) can lead to the muscles of the spine showing signs of fatigue and this is what Osteopaths term Postural Tension.
Postural Tension manifests itself as a ‘slumping’ posture with exaggerated rounding of the upper back and forward protracted shoulders. The neck then extends and the chin comes forwards in a classic sign of Postural Tension.
Osteopathy for Postural Tension aims to help the spine curve correctly, the muscles to respond without fatigue to holding us upright and to improve overall function throughout each vertebra of the spine.
Osteopathic massage of the muscles and joint articulation and manipulation are all key to helping the spinal muscles and spine to be restored to proper alignment and function.
For children and teens, some Osteopath techniques may be adapted to take into account the growing spine and muscular changes that occur at this age.
If you would like more information on how Osteopathy can help, please contact us.
You can email info@osteopathuk.co.uk or call 02089776396
| Click the link for our website: http://www.osteopathuk.co.uk/ |
Please do not hesitate to get in touch with us for any reason, we are here to help and welcome any feedback. Click here for more information.
Many of us will experience the pain of a sprained ankle. Instant swelling, pain, bruising and difficulties walking.
It can take weeks to heal and for 20% of cases, there will be chronic ligament damage of the ankle. Weakening of these ligaments means that you are more likely to twist your ankle again, causing further damage.
As your Osteopaths, we can give you advice on how to rehabilitate your damaged ankle and how to help prevent further episodes.
Kind regards,
Acute Ankle Sprain
When you first sprain your ankle, it is important to Rest, Ice, and Elevate the foot. Swelling occurs immediately and there will be bruising so it is important to react promptly.
Avoid weight bearing and rest. It is unusual for the ligaments of the ankle to fully tear, but if you feel a ‘pop’ sensation when you twist the ankle, it is likely that there has been significant ligament damage.
Should the pain be severe, there is a possibility that you may have fractured your ankle and it is important that you get an x-ray.
When you sprain your ankle and there is significant ligament damage, it can lead to chronic ankle instability.
This is where you lose the outer stability of the ankle and it is easy to roll your foot inwards. This instability means that you are more likely to re-sprain your ankle.
People with chronic instability of the ankle often complain of ‘twisting’ their ankle when walking on uneven surfaces or playing sports. There can be tenderness on the outside of the ankle and recurring swelling or puffiness to the ankle.
First of all your Osteopath will examine your foot and ankle to determine the damage. You may be asked to try standing on your tip-toes to assess the stability of your ankle. Then, your Osteopath will move your foot and ankle whilst you lie down in order to see the range of movement.
For acute injury, your osteopath will be able to help the alignment of the foot and ankle and also help reduce inflammation with ultrasound therapy. Your foot may need strapping in order to help stabilise it during the initial healing process.
For chronic ankle instability, your Osteopath will determine which ligaments of the ankle have been damaged. They can advise the best exercises to encourage good ankle rehabilitation and also what footwear is best. They will also ascertain whether strapping is needed when engaging in sports to prevent further injury.
Each patient’s injury is different so any exercise plan will be tailored to your specific needs.
If you are suffering from Ankle or Foot Pain, please do not hesitate to get in touch. We would love to help.
You can email info@osteopathuk.co.uk or call 02089776396
Click the link for our website: www.osteopathuk.co.uk
Please do not hesitate to get in touch with us for any reason, we are here to help and welcome any feedback. Click here for more information.
We have all heard of a ‘cricked’ neck which can be acutely painful, but there are other more chronic types of Neck Pain and stiffness.
Osteopathy can be hugely beneficial in helping to ease Neck Pain. Your Osteopath will carefully differentially diagnose the cause of the pain first because it is important to take the right treatment approach when dealing with Neck problems.
Kind regards,
What is Acute Neck Pain?
Acute Neck Pain comes on suddenly. It is possible to sleep awkwardly and wake up with a really painful neck. This is your classic ‘Cricked’ neck. When this occurs, there is restricted head movement and you may have to hold your head to one side to alleviate the pain.
Other Acute Neck injuries can occur with poor posture such as turning your head to look in a certain position for a long time or after sitting in a draught.
With Acute Neck Pain there is a lot of muscle spasm which means it can be extremely painful. The pain may also spread to the head, shoulders or even down into the arms.
Having some medication to alleviate the pain is the first step and then your Osteopath will do a careful case history and assessment to ascertain which structures are involved and will then formulate a treatment plan to help you.
If you have had any trauma prior to the injury such as a road traffic accident, fall or blow to the head, then it is imperative that you go to A&E to ensure that you haven’t injured the spine.
Chronic Neck problems often have an insidious onset. Chronic pain is generally described as pain that has lasted longer than 3 months.
Chronic Neck Pain can have differing characteristics – it can be dull, achey or occasionally sharp and sometimes has radiations of pain down the spine or into one or both arms. There can also be associated headaches, jaw pain, general malaise and it is common to feel unhappy/depressed.
When trying to find the cause of the pain, your Osteopath will have to take a detailed case history including your previous medical history and then get you to do a series of active and passive movements of your head and spine.
Chronic Neck Pain can be as a result of an Acute Injury such as Whiplash becoming longer term. However, it can also be a sign of degenerative changes with age such as osteoarthritis of the spine, spondylosis or cervical spine degenerative disc disease.
The good news is, once your Osteopath has made a differential diagnosis, they can help formulate an effective treatment plan and give you advice and encouragement on how to manage your problem for the long-term.
Pain management is key to recovery and your Osteopath will help advise and direct you in the correct direction for this, be it for Prescription medication or with self-help advice.
Chronic Neck Pain can be complex, so it might need a multi-faceted approach and should you need MRI scans or onward referral, your Osteopath will work closely with you throughout this journey.
The Road To Recovery Starts Here
If you are suffering from Neck Pain, please do not hesitate to get in touch. We would love to help.
You can email info@osteopathuk.co.uk or call 02089776396
Click the link for our website: www.osteopathuk.co.uk
Please do not hesitate to get in touch with us for any reason, we are here to help and welcome any feedback. Click here for more information.
