Clinic News
We welcome Lucy Honychurch to the team who will be with us until January giving Sophie time to recover from her surgery and Troy an opportunity to zoom off down-under to visit family.
We say goodbye to Sarah - Brierley Therapies Acupuncture, who after 18 months with us and many years before with Anne at their old site in Beeston town centre, is going to focus her time and energy at her clinic in Jacksdale.
We now have delivery of the new pregnancy and new born information cards - look out for them in reception and take one for a friend who you feel might benefit from some chiropractic care during this special time.
As the world cup Rugby 2019 in Japan comes to its conclusion this weekend, will you be watching on Saturday morning? If so, be mindful of your posture. See below for Troy's top tips on good settee posture and advice on reducing rugby injuries
How to be a comfortable couch potato.
- Stretch-sitting
In the first instance it is best to sit with your feet on the ground and place your spine up against the back rest of the couch, with your hips and knees in a 90 degree right angle. This may be complicated if you have an oversized couch, this can be remedied by placing a pillow or two behind the small of your back or by folding one over in half if they are feeling too soft.
Another pitfall when relaxing on your settee at home, is that often the neck, upper back and shoulder support is inefficient leading you to often strain holding your neck forward in an awkward position. If so, you can build your pillows up to shoulder blade level ensuring that your spine remains vertical.
2) “Stacksit” on the edge
Stacksitting is a good option for those who have soft couches, which often feel like they will eat you whole. Even with only a small amount of support on the backs of your thighs, will create a good stretch on your spine. By giving more comfort in the longterm, by saving your spine from the pain caused by over arching your back when sinking into a soft non-supportive couch.
The stacksit can be achieved by placing yourself on the edge of the couch and slightly pushing your pelvis forward. You can avoid rocking, by setting your shoulders backwards and pulling your shoulder blades together. If you find that your knees are above your hip joints, you can cross your legs over at the ankles and let your knees roll open to each side or by extending your legs out infront of you. By crossing your legs and allowing your thighs to drop down further encourages pelvic anteversion. Alternatively if you are struggling with flexibility, you can cheat by sitting on an extra pillow to elevate the hips.
3) Reclining
If you are able to take full advantage of the space on your couch, another comfortable option is reclining, as long as you don't have to share with anyone else.
Using the full length of the sofa you can extend your legs, and support your spine with the arm rest. The common pitfalls with this position is that most arm rests fall too short or are too vertical to lay against, which lead to a poorly supported slumped position. This can be remedied by the use of pillows tucked into the small of your back to support the natural curve of your spine and stop the pelvis from slipping posteriorly. Careful again of straining to hold your neck, shoulder or upper back forward.
Important to note with any of these positions, is the angle that you may be facing when looking at the television. Like with any desk based computer work, it is important to keep the height at eye level and facing head on.
Rugby Injuries Explained
The 2019 Rugby World Cup has focused the world’s attention on a sport where injury is the norm. Some teams have played games that are just four days apart and, because of the intensity of the action, injuries become part and parcel.
Statistics have shown that for every 1000 hours of playtime within the Rugby Football Union, (RFU) there is 86 injuries as per the 2017/18 season. This compares to 17 for international football and just 2.8 for international cricket.
Many situations around the rugby field particularly increase the chance of injury occurring, such as tackling and scrummaging. The average force through the shoulder during a tackle is 166kg and stresses are passed right through the body to the neck, upper back, arms, low back, hips, knees and ankles. Injuries don’t just occur with contact; as with any physical activity muscular injuries can also occur when running and kicking.
As with many sports, rugby injuries fall into two categories: traumatic and overuse. Traumatic injuries usually result from tackles or collisions with other players and are often unavoidable, even during training. Concussions, ligament damage and fractures do occur on the pitch although the impact and severity of these traumatic injuries can be reduced by maintaining good technique at all times as well as wearing gum shields, headgear and shoulder pads.
Overuse injuries build over time and are the result of the combined negative effects of a mildly traumatic action that’s repeated over and over again. Shin splints that result from regular training and practicing are an example of overuse or chronic injury. The injury usually starts as a niggling discomfort with increasing pain developed over time.
It is also common for an overuse injury to develop into an acute traumatic injury where a succession of micro-traumas weakens the area making it more susceptible. Sudden sprains, muscles and ligament tears often occur in this manner.
The most common rugby injuries are leg injuries such as groin or hamstring strains where adductor or hamstring muscles are stretched beyond their limits. Strain injuries can vary in intensity but are usually painful and result in swelling, bruising and a reduced ability to use the affected muscle. The same occurs for a sprain with the ligaments that support the joints becoming over-stretched. Pain, swelling and bruising occur along with difficulty moving the joint. Joints commonly affected in this way during rugby participation are shoulders, lower back and sacroiliac joints.
Rapid stopping, starting and changing direction also places stress onto the knees and ankles. The structure of the knee means a ligament injury is most common, with anterior cruciate ligament (ACL), posterior cruciate ligament (PCL) and medial collateral ligament (MCL) strains, ruptures and tears, the most common. Both the ACL and PCL can be injured or torn by a sudden twisting of the knee joint. Meniscal (cartilage discs that sit in between the femur and tibia) injuries also commonly occur as a result of twisting, pivoting, decelerating or a sudden impact and often require surgical repair if severe or non-responsive to more conservative care.
It is important to remember, as with any sport, that prevention is better than cure! Stretching properly before and after any sport is vital to reduce injuries, especially in the frequently affected muscle groups such as the groin and hamstrings.
Often, subtle differences in the way we move can place more stress on the joints of our body. The best way to minimise the chances of an injury taking place is to ensure your body is working optimally. A chiropractor will be able to assess how your joints are working, and identify any areas that could potentially lead to an injury. They will then help to address the problem and to strengthen the area, working with you to ensure your body is functioning as required.
Autumn Triggers Seasonal Affected Disorder
Autumn has arrived, bringing shorter days and less light. This change in the amount of light is a signal to animals, plants and, before the light bulb, people, that seasons are changing. While those most dramatically affected are those in the higher latitudes, many people in the UK are negatively affected by this shift.
Seasonal Affected Disorder (SAD), also known as ‘winter depression’ is a type of a type of depression that comes and goes in a seasonal pattern, with symptoms more severe between September and April. The NHS estimates that SAD affects approximately one in 15 people in the UK during the darker months.
Symptoms of SAD include:
- Lethargy, lack of energy, inability to carry out a normal routine
- Sleep problems, difficulty staying awake during the day, but having disturbed nights sleeps
- Loss of libido, disinterest in physical contact
- Anxiety, inability to cope
- Social problems, irritability, disinterest in seeing people
- Depression, feelings of gloom and despondency for no apparent reason
- Craving for carbohydrates and sweet foods, leading to weight gain
Many people in the UK suffer with SAD, so it’s important to remember that you are not alone.
While light therapy is a popular treatment for SAD, lifestyle factors play a large role too. Getting as much natural sunlight as possible is particularly important, as is managing your stress levels. Exercise is also integral to the treatment of SAD. It has long been known that regular exercise is good for our physical health, but studies also show exercise to be of benefit to our mental wellbeing. Exercise gives you control of your body and is a known mood booster.
Your chiropractor can give you a general check to make sure that your bones, joints and muscles are functioning properly and advise on the best exercise solution for you.
A key contributing factor to seassonal affective disorder and depression has been vitamin D deficieny/insufficiency. The British National Diet and nutrition studies have found that up to 25% of British adults are low in vitamin D. This is becuase it is impossible to get enough Vitamin D from food sources alone. Therefore this can be successfuly managed with with the adition of vit D3 supplements.
Beeston chiropractic clinic stocks the very best Vitamin D3 with vit K2 Supplement.
Why use the vitamin forms D3? – We use D3 in all our vitamin D supplements as it is the body’s preferred form being the same form as is naturally produced by the body in response to sunlight.
What are the benefits of vitamin D? – Vitamin D has a number of recognised health benefits. Adequate levels of vitamin D are necessary for the normal functioning of the immune system. Our bones and our teeth require good levels of vitamin D for optimum mineralisation, and it plays a crucial role in the utilisation of calcium and phosphorus. Vitamin D is also required for normal muscular function. It also is necessary for cell division, and therefore important to every single cell in the body!
Why chose this Vitamin D? It’s high dose -one delicious chewable tablet delivers 5000iu of vitamin D3 made with cholecalciferol (the most bio-available form) Vitamin D3 as cholecalciferol is the best absorbed and utilised form for the body to use.
It’s sublingual meaning it absorbs into your bloodstream without, giving it greater absorbency making it far more effective.
It’s made with STEVIA which is a natural plant based sweetener, the least disruptive for the body; maintaining blood sugar balance and its’ easy on the tummy!
It’s currently the ONLY sublingual 5000iu vitamin D3 with K2 supplement made with stevia in the whole world!
It tastes great, made with natural mango flavouring. It’s gluten free, dairy free and suitable for vegetarians.
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.
