Acute pain – what to do?

We want to help!

During the lockdown we have been open only two days a week, and only for people in pain, emergencies and to support the key-workers (mainly NHS staff).

We will open another three days next week, as our staff if starting to come back to work. We take all necessary precautions recommended by our regulatory bodies.

We have given recommendations over the phone to hundreds of people in pain.

Common mistakes in back pain care.

What is surprising is that a lot of people are still using heat on their back or neck. This normally gives them a short relief, but often followed by worsening of their symptoms. This is because the heat (hot water bottle) increases the inflammation and swelling around the joints of the spine. Same effect is expected from the hot bath – nice pain relief for a short while, folowed by worsening of symptoms.

Your best friend -ice!

Please use ice! Ice packs with soft gel inside will mould to your back nicely and reduce inflammation and pain. This can be done every 2 hours for 20 minutes. Best to be lying down with the ice pack – on your back with knees bent or on your stomach, if it gives you a relief of symptoms. If you don’t have the ice-pack, use a bag of frozen peas or similar, and wrap it up in a tea towel or t-shirt to prevent the ice-burn. Do not sit with the ice, as sitting is not generally recommended during back or neck pain.

Dont sit – walk or lie down!

Generally sitting is not recommended as it stiffens the lower back even more and rounds the shoulders forward, creating unnecessary tension in the neck.

If you have to sit down, please recline back enough, so you can’t slouch forward and always support your low back natural curve, using a cushion or pillow.

Generally, even if in pain, try to stay as mobile as possible, doing little stretches for your spine and joints, both in bed and when on your feet. The formula is very simple – do as often as possible 5-10 times a day, stretches which do not cause pain during or after you’ve done them. That way you can progress with these stretches and your symptoms will start to improve.

Stay safe and if you have any questions, give us a call anytime for advice and support.

East London Chiropractic Clinic in South Woodford open for New Patients and advice over the phone on 02089893338

Stay Spine Healthy during Lockdown!

Our developing project Spinedango® is to be launched online in a few days.

We have specially recorded stretching videos for you.

Most of the stretches we give to our patients are within these routines.

You can repeat same routine up to 5 times in a row for best result, couple of times a day.

Here is a stretching routine for your spine and the main joints you can do in standing:

Here is a stretching routine for your spine and the main joints you can do on the floor:

Note: do it to your speed and ability. If it hurts, do it very easy and light, do not push through pain!

Spinedango® online – www.spinedango.com full version of the program is now launched with a free month trial!

More about Spinedango®

Of course sitting with a nice straight back preserving the “J” curve in your low back and keeping your chest forward is so much better than slouching!

Be honest, how long and how staright can you be, during your 8-10 hour day at the desk?

Because all of your weight centres on the lowest three joints of the back, this makes you uncomfortable and the position impossible to maintain for longer than 20 minutes.

It’s for this reason most people slouch at work as sitting straight is not comfortable or easy to maintain.

Especially if you do office work for 6 to 8 hours a day.

The only way to maintain posture is if your chair is setup to fully support you and your back so you can relax in it with no effort.

Firstly, your lower back has a natural inward curve and you have to maintain this at all times. No matter how bad is your chair, if you prop your back with Mckenzie roll or any improvised round pillow (rolled bath towel), it will fully protect the curve.

Secondly, if you recline backwards slightly up to 45 degrees (with low back supported) it is not only very comfortable but, much easier not to slouch in that position.

Most good office chairs and car seats have built in capacity to recline and to support lower back.

Finally if you try this posture you may feel you now can’t reach your desk properly. The answer is to move your chair closer to the table to sit more under the desk, resting your forearms on it comfortably.

Here is desktop setup in more detail:

1. The backrest is slightly reclined, this takes a lot of pressure off your low back. This also extends (bends it backwards) the natural curvature of your back, making it more comfortable. If your chair doesn’t allow for this mild recline and low back support, use a McKenzie foam roll or other low back support cushion to support your low back.

2. Notice, that the shoulders are relaxed to avoid tension in the neck, because the armrests are low enough to allow for that. If your chair has armrests, lower them down or take them off completely to suit your arm length. Your chair armrests must be removed if they don’t allow your chair to be moved under the table.

3. The wrists are resting on the table supported in front of the keyboard, not suspended over it. Move your keyboard deeper into the table to allow for that and move your chair deeper under the table top to let your arms rest comfortably not reaching too far and not to be tucked in too close to your body.

4. Your knees are under the table to provide a correct distance for your arms to reach keyboard and mouse, also to have a correct distance between your eyes and the monitor. This helps to avoid straining your eyes or protruding your head forward. It is not good to be too close to the monitor, it should be approximately on the distance of the arm reach and eye level.

5. Your feet can be resting on the foot stand to keep your legs in the relaxed position. When your desk is slightly lower and chair fits well under the table, you might not need foot stand, providing your feet comfortably resting on the floor.

6. Make sure the height of the chair in relation to your table is correct to ensure all above. Most of the chairs can be adjusted, you just need to find a correct lever.

7. Monitor must be in front of you, not on the side of the table. If it is on the side you will be looking sideways all the time, causing uneven tension in the neck. You will also be twisting your shoulder to reach and use the mouse, causing tightness and pain in the shoulder.

8. Make sure to take frequent breaks – at least every 30 minutes and stretch your neck and shoulders using few simple stretches, recommended by us.

9. When on the phone, don’t type at the same time, unless using a hands free and please don’t hold your phone using your shoulder.

10. You have to feel comfortable all day long and if it’s not the case, try to think where is the problem, read this again and try to re-adjust your position at the desk.

If your chair is not comfortable, improvise on the sofa or arm chair this “low back supported, shoulders relaxed, resting wrists posture”!

The Back Pain Centre – East London Chiropractic is open during Lockdown for couple of days a week for Emergency Care and Key workers. Lines are open for advice and recommendation daily on 02089893338

The clinic is now open for emergencies, to help people in pain, and to take the strain off NHS, we also support the keyworkers, so they can carry on running the services in the city.

Our regulators GCC outline government legislation which allows us to stay open here: https://www.gcc-uk.org/news/entry/covid-19-advice-27-march-2020

We are open on Wednesdays and Fridays only with one chiropractor and the appointments are spaced out to allow for cleaning and to avoid cross contamination.

The lines will remain open. Your phone calls will redirect to one of the staff after the 6-8 rings, so please be patient.

You are welcome to call for advice and everything chiropractic.

02089893338

Stay safe and secure during this unusual times.

Your East London Chiropractors, Sport Therapists, Physiotherapists at The Back Pain Centre – Chiropractic clinic in South Woodford.

Pregnancy Massage South Woodford

Massage in pregnancy is a wonderful experience. It helps a women to relax, supports her body during a period of physiological change and helps to prepare the whole body for birth. Pregnancy can put a strain on the body and there are number of problems during pregnancy that women suffer from, the most common are:

• Lower back and Sciatic Pain
• Muscular stiffness
• Calf cramps
• Swelling of hands and feet
• Headaches
• Sinus congestion
• Insomnia/Fatigue
• Mood swings

Good for Mother

But women even if they are pregnant still cannot stop doing casual jobs, because dinner has to be cooked, house still has to be cleaned, and there is plenty to do preparing for baby’s arrival. It is important during this time, to relax and enjoy her time while she is carrying the baby. Massage provides a special time for the client to unwind and helps the women focus on her body and her baby. Massage can help to relieve aches and pains and other common health problems experienced during pregnancy.

Good for Baby

Massage is good for baby too. Research has shown that the unborn baby can be affected by the stress levels  experienced by its mother. Massage has an indirect relaxing effect on the baby as the mother releases oxytocin and prolactin as a result of skin stimulation. Generally the more relaxed a mother feels during pregnancy, the more relaxed pregnancy and birth is likely to be.

Benefits of Pregnancy Massage

• Relaxation
• Relieve pain and stress
• Improve circulation
• Lymphatic drainage
• Supporting body during change
• Prepare body for birth
• Practice deep breathing for birth preparation
• Release vital ‘feel good’ hormones
• Benefits for baby as well as mother
• Give expecting mother ‘me’ time

How long will it take?

It is recommended to have at least an hour of massage for pregnancy but it can last for up to 90 minutes. The client made comfortable by the means of soft pillows and all stiffness in problem areas is addressed to improve circulation and stimulate relaxation.

If you are pregnant or if you know anyone who is pregnant and is in need of care, Pregnancy Masage can be booked by calling the clinic on 020 8989 3338 during our working hours.

Text and images courtesy of London School of massage

http://londonschoolofmassage.co.uk/index.php

Sports Therapy and Rehabilitation in South Woodford Clinic

Sports Therapy is specifically concerned with the prevention of injury and Rehabilitation of patients. To get them back to optimum levels of function, regardless of age and ability is the aim.

Sports Therapy can be for anyone from elite athletes, gym goers, postnatal mothers. Anyone suffering from aches and pains can benefit from sports therapy.

Sports therapists treat by reviewing your every day activities such as your gait and other functional factors that might cause your pain. They will offer a solution for the factors which may cause your pain.

Physiotherapy and Sports Therapy – what is the difference?

Sports Therapy is not massage therapy or physiotherapy. However, physiotherapy is defined as “the treatment of disease, injury or deformity by methods including massage, heat treatment, and exercise rather than drugs or surgery”.

Our Sports therapists use and apply physiotherapy skills and massage as an integral part of their scope of practice.

What methods does Sports therapy use

Sports therapy may include different modalities and approaches, such as

Manual therapy (different joint and muscle manipulation, mobilisation and assisted stretches and bodywork)

Deep tissue /Sports massage

Kinesiology Taping

Rehabilitative, corrective and functional exercise.

The list can go on and the aim of our staff at The Back Pain Centre is to treat you holistically, so that not only your symptoms are treated but to also identify and prevent these issues, allowing you to lead a happy, healthy, functional life.

Our Sports Therapists at the East London Chiropractic Clinic will be happy to assist  with your enquiry.

You simply need to call The Back Pain Centre on 02089893338 and ask to talk to us about your problem.