by Charles Herbert | Sep 21, 2015 | Chiropractic |
All I did was pick up a pencil! And the back pain is horrific! We have a lot of people come and see us in agony; excruciating back pain radiating down their legs (sciatica), that started after picking up a pencil off the floor! It’s not always a pencil, however some arbitrary movement you’ve done many times before. So why does your back ‘go’ in such an extreme way when you weren’t doing something silly or heroic?! The best answer is the saying: ‘The straw that broke the camel’s back’. What this means is, a camel can carry a lot of straw, however eventually there will be the difference of one piece of straw that will ‘break the camel’s back’. So what do humans and camels have in common? Well, I’m not going to go down the hump route. The similarity is, as modern day humans our 21st century lifestyles are constantly putting stress (bits of straw) on our backs. We are not designed to sit, yet we sit for hours on end at work or in front of the tv, often in poor postures slouching. Research tells us we sit on average for 7.7 hours per day, which is 55% of our waking day. We are designed to lift using our legs but we lift mostly using our backs. We aren’t designed to live constantly stressful lives, yet we live lives filled with deadlines, worries and negative thoughts. So what happens is we constantly load and stress our lives with pieces of straw, and often our spine is taking the brunt of it. One day we do something we have...
by Charles Herbert | Sep 14, 2015 | Chiropractic |
The BIG Idea Written in 1944 as part of the Chiropractic Green Books, here is BJ Palmer’s Big Idea. The Green Books have acted at the foundations for Chiropractic Philosophy and are still relevant today. Here is BJ’s Big Idea: The BIG Idea A slip on the snowy sidewalk in winter is a SMALL thing. It happens to millions. A fall from a ladder in the summer is a SMALL thing. It also happens to millions. The slip or fall produces a subluxation. The subluxation is a SMALL thing. The subluxation produces pressure on a nerve. That pressure is a SMALL thing. That decreased flowing produces a dis-eased body and brain. That is a BIG thing to that man. Multiply that sick man by a thousand, and you control the physical and mental welfare of a city. Multiply that man by one hundred thirty million, and you forecast and can prophesy the physcial and mental status of a nation. So the slip or fall, the subluxation, pressure, flow of mental images and dis-ease are big enough to control the thoughts and actions of a nation. The pressure on a nerve is a SMALL thing. The released pressure restoring health is a BIG thing. Now comes a man. And one man is a SMALL thing. This man gives an adjustment. The adjustment is a SMALL thing. The adjustment replaces the subluxation. That is a SMALL thing. The adjusted subluxation releases pressure upon nerves. That is a SMALL thing. The released pressure restores health to a man. This is a BIG thing to that man. Multiply that well man by a thousand, and...
by Charles Herbert | Jun 2, 2015 | Chiropractic |
Why are we making our team stand with our new standing desk? Hopefully you’ve noticed, if you’ve been in recently, that we have a new desk in our centre. Apart from looking much better, the biggest difference between the new one and what we had before if that our CAs (Chiropractic Assistants) stand behind it rather than sit. So, why have we chosen to have a desk to stand behind rather than one to sit at? Why a standing desk and not a sitting desk? As a clinic, we hire CAs and not receptionists. This means that they’re not your “computer says no” receptionist that you occasionally meet (disclaimer: I’m playing on the Little Britain stereotype and in no way insinuating that all receptions act this way), they’re an active part of the centre and essential in part of our patients’ healing process. We want them to freely move from behind the desk and greet and help patients. A standing desk aides this process. If you’re already standing, you’ll be far more inclined to hold the door open for a mother with a pram than you would be if you were tucked under a desk on a chair. It requires a lot of effort to get out of a chair to do any task, so during a long day if the task is not essential then you’ll naturally be less inclined to do it straight away. We want your CAs to be proactive and stay one step ahead at all times – and they’re amazing at doing it. On another note, I think they look great- more professional and add...
by Charles Herbert | Mar 3, 2015 | Chiropractic |
Chiropractic and High Blood Pressure According to Blood Pressure UK, approximately 16 million people in the UK have high blood pressure (hypertension). This is significant as high blood pressure is the main risk factor for stroke and a major risk factor for heart attack and failure. So how do we maintain our blood pressure at a risk free level? The most commonly cited steps for helping lower high blood pressure are: Maintain an active lifestyle and regularly exercise Eat a natural, balanced diet with reduced levels of salt Reduce stress levels Maintain an ideal weight for your height and build Limit and avoid regular alcohol and caffeine consumption Stop smoking Medication These steps are well known and documented, however research is starting to suggest Chiropractic may help?! How can Chiropractic help high blood pressure A study conducted at The University of Chicago Hypertension Center has found a dramatic reduction in blood pressure following Chiropractic Adjustments. After 8 weeks of Chiropractic Adjustments to their Atlas (top of their neck) vertebrae, 25 patients with high blood pressure saw a significant and sustained reduction in their blood pressure compared to the 25 similar people who had a sham procedure. George Bakris M.D, the study leader stated “This procedure has the effect of not one, but two blood pressure medications given in combination”. 8 weeks after Chiropractic care the reduction in blood pressure was the same as taking two medications Another research group looked at the change in blood pressure after a similar Chiropractic Adjustment in the neck on young people who had normal blood pressure and found no change in their blood...
by Charles Herbert | Feb 28, 2015 | Blog, Chiropractic |
How do you want to age? What will your last 10 years look like? Will you be quick enough to play with your grandchildren? Strong enough to embrace every moment? Will you grow old with vitality or will you succumb to old age? Your posture is a good indicator of how well you will age. When you have good posture your nerves and body will be able to work and function the way they are supposed to. However, with most of us now spending nine hours a day sitting down, our sedentary modern lifestyles are fast becoming a serious threat to our health. These prolonged periods of inactivity not only increase our risk of obesity they also affect our body shape and posture, which can, in turn, lead to a whole range of health problems. It is therefore no surprise that sitting has been blamed as the new smoking! Poor posture over time changes the shape of your spine and affects your health Modern technology sees many of us hunch over our smartphones and sitting slumped in front of a computer for hours. It’s these commonly adopted positions that can lead to a loss of the essential cervical (neck) curvature. Another change often seen is a thoracic hyperkyphosis, which is sometimes referred to as ‘Dowagers Hump’ – this is an exaggerated curve backwards of the middle of the back. These changes in the shape of your spine can impair mobility and balance as we age and increase the risk of falls and fractures. It is known that those with a hyperkyphotic posture have a 44% greater risk of mortality than those without. The increased risk of death presented by a...
by Charles Herbert | Dec 13, 2014 | Chiropractic |
Most cyclists haven’t done this lifesaving safety check! Cyclists invest a lot to make sure they are seen by others on the road; flashing lights, high visibility jackets and the trusty bell. This helps prevent a huge number of serious accidents. However, it’s not only important for others to see you, you also need to look out for other road users too. Cars have mirrors to see what’s behind them. The only person I’ve seen with a mirror on their bike is my father-in-law. Therefore, everyone else has to twist and look. So what happens if you have a dodgy neck and you can’t see behind you? How do you test if you can safely see behind you? Do this simple test. Step 1: Sit on your bike holding on to the handle bars as you would when you’re cycling. Step 2: Turn to see if you can look directly behind you. It should be easy to do and not cause any discomfort. Make sure you do this in both directions, although you’ll mostly look over your right shoulder (in left-side driving countries) it’s important to be able to look both ways. If you can do it then get out and enjoy cycling the city. If you can’t, then we need to look into what is preventing you from turning fully and creating a dangerous ‘blind spot’ behind you. Where does rotation come from? Well most people can answer this, you turn your neck! Your neck should be able to rotate your neck to around 90º (able to look directly over your shoulder), 45-50% of this coming from your atlantoaxial joint (right...
