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 Issey Cannon | Jul 31, 2015 | Massage |
Muscle talk – Why continuous care is essential? Many of us perceive massage to be a naughty treat, similar to an indulgent chocolate bar, however it is in fact a super food. Massage complements all aspects of our health. Putting aside an allowance of time and money for a continuous care plan should be thought of as an investment in our overall well-being, which ultimately will positively affect all other aspects of life. Below is a simple pretty picture of what I call muscle talk. Muscle Talk Stage 1: Initial Consultation In my eyes, sports massage is ‘muscle talk’. A form of communication between your muscles and my hands. During a course of treatments a friendship begins to develop. At the Initial Consultation you give me hints into your life and your body tells me its stories. Your muscles begin to understand they are in a safe environment in which to relax. Sometimes there are few barriers and your muscles talk back immediately, they soften and the tension melts away. On other occasions, usually when there has been a chronic build up of stress, the barriers take more time to break down. This is why there isn’t an exact length of time a sports massage therapist can tell you that they will get you moving freely. We can offer an average length of time, typically 4-6 weekly treatments until we can space things out. We are all unique individuals with our very own muscular barriers, personal tensions and life stories, so don’t be surprised if it takes 3 treatments or 10 until we get you to stage 3! FACT: If you do your recommended exercises and drink your joy juice (water) the time...
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 Issey Cannon | May 21, 2015 | Massage |
What is Sports Massage? Broken down into its acronym let’s explore what ‘sports massage’ is: Sports It is a common misconception that sports massage deals predominantly with athletes. In my eyes we are all sports people as life is one ever increasingly competitive, intense physical activity. To live life to its fullest we all must have ‘fit’, well functioning muscles that are prepared for fight or flight, whether that be performing to your best ability in a weekly tennis match, chasing after your kids or gardening with ease. Posture In today’s society postural misalignment is often the origin of chronic aches and pains within the body. Bad posture, from sitting at a desk all day, playing sports and also general life, can lead to under/over developed muscular tissues as imbalanced forces are exerted upon the body. My role as a sports massage therapist is to work closely with you to regain the healthiest posture for you in whatever you do. By relaxing over-used muscles and re-engaging under-used muscles, your postural awareness increases and your neuromuscular (nervous and muscular) system functions better. More on posture another week! Organic All the cells in our muscles are living and responsive to the physical and emotional state of our body. They are essential to our complete, holistic functioning and sometimes these cells need encouragement. Muscle therapy creates an involuntary relaxation response carried out by our peripheral nervous system. There is also a mechanical response, issued by our sympathetic nervous system, which cleanses and improves cellular health. *If you have had the pleasure of attending our Health Class you will understand the connection between the spine and our neuromuscular system. Recovery and prevention In day-to-day...
by Charles Herbert | Apr 14, 2015 | Blog, Media |
Back pain: Pay attention to your posture and core strength Core strength and stability is concerned with all the muscles that are found in, or attached to, the torso. Of course this includes the abdominals, but also involves muscles of the lower back, hips, pelvic floor and diaphragm. The relationship of these muscles and how they work together is key to maintaining body stability. Weakness in these muscles causes poor posture and can lead to pain in the back, shoulders, hips or even lower limbs. Executing 100 sit-ups a day won’t give you a solid core, but keeping all these muscles in good shape will help protect from injury during everyday movements, lifting or playing sports. Training your core muscles will also help you to have a smaller waist and a flatter stomach and may also mean the difference between requiring or avoiding surgery. Weekend asked three health and medical experts for their opinion on the importance of core strength. All agreed that in terms of preventing injury and pain, a sedentary lifestyle and poor posture have a lot to answer for. Matt Poulter, co-director at The Chiropractic Centre, Clifton “Core stability has, in recent times, become a buzz word and, as such, it’s easy to think that strengthening it is a cure-all for everything. In my experience, however, lifestyle and the type of job you do are huge factors influencing health, wellbeing and posture. A less active lifestyle can lead to a weak or imbalanced core, but it also reduces joint flexibility and muscle strength. “These problems can build up undetected over a period of years and then,...
by Charles Herbert | Mar 27, 2015 | Media |
Back pain: why we should all be taking more care to stand tall According to the charity Back Care, back pain is the second most common cause of absence from work in Britain. Every year more than four million working days are lost as a result of back pain and, on average, an employee with back pain takes 17 days off to recover from an episode. Chances are you won’t know there’s a problem until it manifests in pain, at which point you may head to a GP, or perhaps a physiotherapist or a chiropractor. Bristol chiropractor Charles Herbert, who’s based in Clifton with business partner Matt Poulter, is aiming to turn this scenario on its head. On the basis that prevention is better than cure, he and Matt want to start visiting Bristol offices to talk to workers about posture and the best way to set up a desk environment and to give general advice about good spine maintenance. “It’s an ambition we have to get Bristol healthy,” says Charles. “We are the Green Capital of Europe and a ‘healthy’ city, so why not be the healthiest individuals as well? “Going into offices is something we’re going to roll out, but we have big plans. It’s something new we haven’t done before in this way – and it’s a case of putting it into a package that companies can offer their employees to see what can be done to make people have fewer days off work. “I’d say the majority of our patients sit in an office. The most common postural problem for office workers is the head lolling forward....
