Why does osteopathic medicine place such importance on the physical functioning of your body? What makes the working of nerves, muscles and joints such a big thing? In simple terms, our life is primarily expressed through our ability to move. Whether your life is expressed through great works of art; the physical expression of sports or […]
The exercise industry is one of trends, some of which are only fleeting, but one trend has hung on longer than it deserves. The machines have infiltrated most aspects of muscle conditioning, building our dependence until we almost lost the ability to work without them. Now however, a few brave souls are leading the fight […]
Pain is an alarm bell, it tells us that damage is being done, or has been done, and warns us to stop doing anything that might be making the damage worse. This is how we learn that standing in a fire is a bad idea. But sometimes pain lies. The alarm response is what “acute” […]
“My back is worst first thing, and easier when I’ve been up and about.” This is a common pattern that raises a couple of suspicions. Firstly, is the pain due to the tissue swelling caused by inflammation? Swelling increases with heat, like in a nice warm bed; and also with stillness, when there is not […]
Patients frequently ask me what is the best exercise, and my answer is “well that depends on what you want it to do.” Most people realise that exercise is good for them, but may not be clear on what sort of improvements they need. Exercise produces a variety of benefits, such as stronger muscles, a […]
We are designed to cope remarkably well with short term stress. When we perceive danger, our bodies leap into fight or flight mode, which describes succinctly what it is that we are preparing to do. When we heard the sabre toothed tiger growl in the bushes behind us, we knew we had to sprint fifty […]
I remember a gentleman who was in his late seventies coming to see me several years ago, “I’ve got terrible sciatica in my right leg” he said as he limped into my treatment room. “Is this the sort of thing I’ve got to expect at my age?” “I’m not sure” I replied, “let’s just check. […]
So how exactly does a disc slip? The simple answer is, it doesn’t. Discs are not separate from the spinal bones or vertebrae they sit between; they all form as a single cartilage structure before birth. Bits of the cartilage turn into bone or “calcify”, becoming the vertebrae, while the rest remains as cartilage, forming […]
Radiating pain is a very common presenting problem. Most frequently the pain affects an arm or a leg. Once serious underlying diseases have been ruled out, such as the arm or jaw pain from angina or a “heart attack”, the most frequent diagnosis would be of a “trapped nerve.” There are certainly many cases where […]
Over the years many patients have come to see me with a self diagnosed “pulled muscle.” The problem might be a pain in their back, neck, under a shoulder blade, or just about anywhere else. Thanks to a fair amount of inquisitive prodding and poking they are often aware of a tender knot in a […]
