Salisbury Chiropractic and Physiotherapy

MANY sportsmen and women take up golf after playing more physical sports in their earlier years and most of them think that it will leave them at a smaller risk of injury.

But how wrong could they be? Around 20 per cent of golfers, one in five, suffer an injury of some kind. This is because working your tendons and muscles harder leave you more prone to injury as you get older.

But here is the good news, you can prevent injury by following a few tips.

Bending down to pick up your ball or tee often causes the most back pain so why not try some of the gadgets on the market to help with this, we recommend www.northcroftgolf.com.

It is good to warm up before you play. Try swinging your club in all directions and if you are right handed, pretend to be left handed to balance the strain, so that you are not always working the same muscles and swinging the same way.

With golf and some other sports, the action involves putting more of your weight on one leg and swinging through. This can twist your pelvis causing a strain on one of the main weight-bearing pelvic joints called the sacro-iliac joint which can become stiff or even lock.

Chiropractors can check for this and correct the pelvic torsion by freeing up the locked joint. Then by giving corrective exercises the mobility can be maintained.

Shoulder and elbow problems are also common with any sport, such as golf or tennis, which involves swinging a club or racket. The strain on the muscles of the forearm which control wrist flexion or extension lead to golfers (pain on the inside) elbow or tennis (pain on the outside) elbow.

Chiropractors and physios treat these and check the spine for any referred pain down the arm which might be causing the problem if it has not cleared up with other treatments. Supporting wrist action and forearm muscle compression is more important than elbow braces.

Here at Salisbury Chiropractic and Physiotherapy clinic we treat these common injuries with many different interventions including soft tissue therapy, ultrasound, acupuncture and exercises.

With persistent shoulder injuries such as rotator cuff tendinitis, we often suggest using a half swing rather than stopping altogether and then building up to three quarters as you get better. It’s often a good idea to have a lesson with the pro to check your action and see if you are putting undue strain on the injured joint.

So whatever joint or muscle problems you have, whether its neck or back pain, shoulder, elbow, wrist pain or hip, knee or ankle pain, we can check you out and advise you accordingly.

We will always tell you if we can’t help or if you need any other intervention such as an investigative test or scan or need to see another specialist.

Hopefully we can treat it and get you back playing as soon as possible.

So do call 01722 328606 for a consultation.

September is here already and before we know it, the lazy, hazy days of summer are over and it is back to school. Just where did the last seven weeks go?

Hopefully everyone has had an action and fun-packed holiday with a chance to relax, review and gather strength.

Strength is important because most of us, both children and adults, spend too much time sitting at a desk, in a car and, at the end of the day, in an exhausted heap on the sofa.

This doesn’t help our bodies generally and most importantly it does not help our spine.

When we neglect our spine we are at more at risk from injuries that seemingly come from doing something insignificant.

But when our conditioning is low a sudden movement can be the tipping point that leads to an injury.

How many times have we moved suddenly, either bending down to pick something up or twisting ourselves to reach something and then ended up in agony?

This is where a chiropractor can help, not only by treating a painful locked back with or without any leg or arm pain but by checking your spine to prevent these problems happening.

When you have been treated you can then take advantage of our wonderful exercise rehabilitation sessions and strengthen your body to resist those everyday dangers of causing pain.

Check out our website because we offer the whole package, consultation, prevention, treatment and rehabilitation.

Have you been cheering on Team GB and watching those medals mount up?

It’s an exciting time to be British and we all want to continue supporting, so here are some handy tips to ensure you stay pain free for the duration of the Olympics.

First of all, as a spectator, you may well be so enthralled that you could be sitting for too long watching TV. A good idea to avoid stiffness is to move about regularly.

Try the chest out, chest in method. Sit up and squeeze your shoulder blades together, open up your chest and tuck your chin in for about 10 seconds.

This will help avoid slumping and improve your posture. Try it and see.

Long periods of sitting still can bring on back pain, especially if your posture is poor to begin with.

The underlying reason for this pain could be sacro-iliac joint problems or minor disc irritation, so do check this out with your GP or at our clinic.

Many people find themselves inspired to take up a sport or get back to one after watching the exploits of our medallists.

If you are one of them it would be well worth having a check-up first to avoid any unpleasant surprises.  We can help with this because here at our clinic our chiropractors and physiotherapist treat sports injuries and look at the mechanics of the musculoskeletal system.

Physios will treat muscle problems and chiropractors can often correct the function of the joints and your vertebral or pelvic alignment which might be causing the muscle problem to recur.

It can help whether your injury is taking a long time to resolve or you are concerned that it might come back when you resume your exercise or sport.

Whether you are a spectator or a participator we can explain the problem and give advice about managing it in the future.

Do remember we only treat if necessary.

Ladies… the summer season is here and that brings with it Ascot, Henley, weddings, parties and Wimbledon! We all love our high heels and they look great however beware of wearing them for too long which can cause backache now and in later life.  Not only that you could turn over on your ankle which could result in a bad sprain or even a facture.

Why does this happen?  Wearing high heels tends to tilt your pelvis forward and increase the hollow in your lower back. This then puts a strain on the joints and can cause them to become stiff and achy particularly if you already have a back problem

How can we prevent this?  Avoid wearing high heels all day. It might help to take a pair of flat shoes or pumps with you if you have to travel to the event and carry your high heels in a bag. You could share this with friends or get your partner to carry them for you!

Here are some other handy tips to try

• Sit down occasionally.
• Pull your tummy in to reduce the hollow in your lower back.
• Stand against a wall (when no-one is looking) and flatten your back against it. This can ease the discomfort.
• Discreetly go off and lift your legs up one at a time with the knee bent.
• In the morning hug your knees a few times before you go out

If wearing heels is a rare occasion  then the risk is probably higher and one should look at doing exercises to reduce the risk, for example  standing on one leg to develop proprioception and balance or even using a wobble board.

All of these exercises are included in the rehabilitation classes run in this clinic. So check out our website and have a pain free Summer

So your teen is in the middle of exams!

It is a really difficult time for them, both mentally and physically, their brain is working overtime as they cram all those facts on so many subjects.

The whole revision process requires energy for brain activity, hence the need for good nutrition not just sweet snacks!

It also means that they will be sitting, probably for many hours at a time, at a desk or maybe on a cushion on the floor, surrounded by books, notes and the laptop.

Unfortunately most of us are unable to maintain good posture sitting for many hours because we get tired and our lack of muscle strength and endurance leads to strain in our muscles.  It’s not just the muscles though, it can affect ligaments and the joints of the spine.  So in addition to the stress of exams your teenager can suffer with significant back or neck pain as well as headaches.

This is hardly conducive to good revision and could have a significant effect on their end result.

Most parents want to support their offspring through this difficult time but what can you do?

Here are some valuable tips:

• Make sure that they are sitting at an ergonomically designed desk and on the correct chair. Both should be adjustable for height, tilt of the working area of the desk and the seat of the chair. An example is seen at nistulgrowuk.com. This company give a lot of information on how to get the height of the chair and desk right for your teen (or younger child).
• Use a book stand to put notes and books at a better angle. Also use a laptop stand so that your laptop is placed at a better angle,, this will prevent overheating of the laptop
• Encourage your teenager to take regular breaks from study, send them out for a walk or turn their music up and get them dancing

So with the approach of  half term,  if your teen is constantly complaining of back/neck pain, headache or even wrist/hand pain, then consider taking them to a chiropractor over the break and literally give them a ‘helping hand’. This small investment could be a big investment for their future.

Check out our website www.salisburychiropracticclinic.co.uk

At last Summer is here, the weather is warmer but what is the biggest headache for gardeners?   You guessed it – heading into war with WEEDS!

If they are large and deep rooted it can be a difficult task requiring lots of effort. Rather than bending down and giving a massive tug, it’s better to get a special tool that digs them out for you.

What sort of lawn mower do you have and how many times will you mow the grass during the summer months?  Starting the mower can be a twisting movement (not a dance routine either) when you pull that mower cord.  It’s safer to use a mower with a push button start.

Bear in mind there are many other gardening tasks and all may put strain on your back but if you are careful and let the tools take the strain, it will make you stronger and ready to keep that garden under control with no physical consequences.

If however you are already suffering from a strained neck and back, you may want to check out the NICE website, the site that recommends treatments for the NHS, because they have produced new back pain guidelines for GPs and other back specialists.

The site advises manual therapy or manipulation, exercises and advice about lifestyle and managing pain all of which are provided by the chiropractor.  Do come in and see us for a consultation or check out our website www.salisburychiropracticclinic.co.uk

CASE STUDY

One of our patients, who is currently seeing our physiotherapist, has a weakness in her left hip muscles because she stands with her weight on the opposite leg.

She has overstretched hamstrings in the backs of her legs because she bends over while gardening without bending her knees.

Our physio will work on these with massage, stretches and advice about posture.  This works extremely well with chiropractic treatment, a perfect partnership!

Dispelling the myth of Chiropractic treatment

How many people suffer in silence? How many people go to their doctor with a back or neck pain and may have only been prescribed painkillers? You would be very surprised to know that there are a lot of people suffering out there because they don’t know or understand what chiropractic treatment is.

According to the General Chiropractic Council (GCC) chiropractic is a health profession concerned with the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of mechanical disorders of the musculoskeletal system, and the effect of these disorders on the function of the nervous system and general health. In plain English when you suffer with back, shoulder, neck pain by having proper diagnosis, effective treatment and then prevention strategies, you can be free of pain and live a normal life.

In some cases and in some areas chiropractic treatment is available on the NHS and we have provided this in Salisbury in the past but now this is very rare. It is just worth a consultation to see how you can get treatment that will often change the quality of your life.

Chiropractic is a healthcare profession and not a single treatment, manipulation can be an effective treatment for persistent lower back pain and we also give exercises and advice about managing your problem. We have exercise facilities and a physiotherapist and personal trainer.

Yes it does cost money but often not much and the treatment is effective and recorded on my website are some testimonials from patients which confirm this. It is also recorded that 78.15% of my patients feel better after treatment and 99.5% are either satisfied or very satisfied with the care they receive.

I would urge you to come and see our practice, you will be welcomed warmly and it is a comfortable and relaxing atmosphere so whatever you thought chiropractic is come and find out for yourself.

Check out our website here http://www.salisburychiropracticclinic.co.uk/index.htm

Or call me on 01722 328606

Nigel Hunt