Clinic News
At the beginning of the month, Erin returned home to Malaysia to celebrate Chinese New Year with her family.
Louise Williams Counsellor and Psychotherapist, gave a presentation to the staff on the benefits of psychotherapy and how we might be able to signpost patients in need of her services.
We are looking to design a directory of supporting professionals for our patients. If you think your profession would complement chiropractic care please feel free to get in touch with Alex by email: alex@beestonchiropractic.co.uk.
Following the successful conference in London for the Royal College of Chiropractors, where we received our PPQM award - the conference's main focus was on EDI ( Equality, diversity and inclusion) To this end, Sophie will be conducting an audit among all the therapists at the clinic as to how we support EDI daily in our practice. Look out in due course for the results of this and how the clinic will make any changes to ensure compliance.
We are sad to announce the loss of Alex's father last week - Wesley Osborne, whom many of you will have met at the events that the clinic has hosted over the last 30 years. He has been Alex's inspiration, confidant and pillar of support during her chiropractic career and, needless to say, her life too. After many years of severe back pain, Wesley visited a chiropractor in Leicester and later one in Derby - Kim Jeffrey, with whom Alex first worked as a chiropractor and as their receptionist before going to college to train. Kim was Wesley's engineering apprentice at Rolls Royce and changed careers to chiropractic mid-life. Wesley was a great advocate and promotor of the profession and regular care with Alex kept him fit and mobile for many years. He will be sadly missed by us all. Our thoughts and prayers are with Alex and her family at this time.
This month we will focus on neck pain from 'text neck' to the effects on the neck from not carrying bags correctly.
The 21st century ailment: ‘Text Neck’
It is estimated that around 94% of adults in Europe & the US own a mobile phone. This means that 94% of the population are at risk of ‘text neck’. Text neck can occur just by tilting the head downwards by 2-3cm to look at your phone screen. It has also been found that when tilting your head forward by this amount, the effective weight of your head increases to 30kg – equivalent to the weight of an average eight year old child!
Text neck can result in severe upper back strain, shoulder pain and tightness in both shoulders. It can also possibly cause permanent damage in young, growing children, which may in turn lead to life long neck pain.
Follow these helpful tips to reduce your risk of ‘text neck’:
- try to hold your phone as close to eye level as possible. The same goes for people working in an office who need to use a computer for the majority of the day – ensure that your screen is completely in line with your eyes, to ensure you are not straining your neck to look at the screen.
- If you work in an office, be sure to take a quick stretch break every half an hour or so, to ensure that your back and neck won’t stiffen.
- Try these simple exercises to relieve pain stemming from text neck, the downward-facing dog is a common exercise to relieve shoulder and upper back pain, however the ‘exaggerated nod’ might be more effective. Simply look up to the ceiling, let your jaw relax and open your mouth, keep your head here and bring your lower jaw to your upper jaw.
Avoid the one shoulder bag
Heavy, one shoulder bags are among some of the most popular types of bags to wear, but they actually come with many health risks. Holding the wrong bag can negatively affect your back more than you know. One-shoulder bags can leave you with chronic muscle pain, headaches, migraines, spinal damage, and even pinched nerves.
It is recommended to use a backpack because they evenly distribute the weight you are carrying on your back. It is important to remember to never carry more than 5-10% of your body weight.
If you are insistent on wearing a one shoulder bag, the smaller the better. Wearing a large bag hanging off of one shoulder can cause the upper trapezius muscle to begin to shrug. This happens as the shoulder adapts to the increased load.
Because the muscle attaches onto the base of the skull and extends across the entire length of the neck, there is potential to cause not only neck pain, but tension headaches as well.
With time, wearing these types of bags can lead to a straightening of the natural backward C–shaped curve in your neck. This change in shape alters the weight distribution on the discs, putting more pressure on the joints leading to inflammation, osteoarthritis, and nerve compression.
If you find yourself still wearing a one shoulder bag, try and switch sides as frequently as possible. This helps to distribute the weight. Also, opt for a thick strap over a thin strap to resist it cutting into the shoulder
Better Energy
Many people feel tired or run-down at some point during the day. A lack of energy could affect your daily activities and make you less productive. The type and quantity of food you eat play an essential role in determining your energy levels during the day. A few simple changes in your diet may be all you need to get back to your brighter self. Give yourself an energy overhaul with the following tips.
Eat every three hours
Eat breakfast, lunch and dinner, plus a healthy snack mid-morning and mid-afternoon, with no longer than three hours between. This will stop those cravings for sweet foods. Keeping snacks such as vegetable sticks and hummus or peanut butter and oatcakes to hand will help you to resist sugary hits and keep your energy stable.
Drink up
It is important to regularly top up your liquid levels, to help you to feel more alert and focused, and to get rid of any brain fog. Our bodies are mostly made up of water, so replenishing during the day helps to keep us feeling our best. Aim to drink two litres of water throughout the day.
Power up with protein
Instead of carbohydrate-loaded cereals, switch to a lean protein source for breakfast. Protein takes longer to digest, so it will keep you fuller for longer, and also helps to maintain healthy blood sugar levels. Try eggs, salmon and avocado to start the day. A protein-focused lunch will also help to curb the notorious afternoon dip, and a protein shake will keep your energy steady.
Be clever with sugar
If you are craving sweets all the time, swap to something with less sugar. Try eating dark chocolate, which you might be less prone to eating too much of. That’s because milk chocolate is mostly sugar and milk solids, but dark chocolate is richer in cocoa and satisfying after a square or two. Berries are also a good choice as they have sugar, but the fibre will help “buffer” the sugar high to prevent energy levels from rising and falling.
Choose wholegrain
Start buying wholegrain alternatives for your bread, pasta and rice. Whole grains release energy slowly as their carbohydrates break down slowly over several hours so that they do not suddenly flood the bloodstream with sugar. Also, this gradual release helps you feel fuller for a longer time, suppresses your appetite and stops you craving sweet foods.
Aim for more vitamins
Eating a wide variety of fruits and vegetables will help you add important nutrients and good bacteria to your digestive tract. It is important to eat such foods as broccoli and cauliflower as they are full of micronutrients, antioxidants and fibre. If you find that your eyelids are hanging in the middle of the morning, choose fruit as a snack. Peeling and eating the fruit with its invigorating aroma will give you a pickup.
We treat all conditions that affect any muscle or joint in your body, from your head to your little toe! One of the most common complaints that we treat is back pain and Chiropractic is recommended by the government authority, the National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE) for acute and chronic back pain. Some of the other conditions that we treat are neck and headache, shoulder pain, leg and hip pain, knee and foot pain, sciatica and arthritis. Our registered Chiropractors all have at least five years of training. Treatment costs can be covered through most health insurers. If you are in any doubt, we are always very happy to talk with you on the phone to see if your condition will respond well to Chiropractic treatment. Call the clinic now to arrange an appointment time that works for you. 0115 9225085 If you would like to opt-out of receiving these newsletters please follow the unsubscribe link below, email alex@beestonchiropractic.co.uk or let us know at your next appointment.
