What Have We Been Getting Up To?

Over the last year there have been quite a few changes to and within the Clinic and we thought it might be nice to share some of the most exciting bits to celebrate them with you!

January 26th 2023. Celebrating the installation of our 2nd Accu Spina Machine

In January of this year, we installed our second Accu Spina (IDD therapy machine). Due to the great successes we have had with this latest technology we decided to take the plunge and order a second machine. Not only has this allowed us to have more availability to accommodate the growing demand for IDD Therapy and reduce waiting times but it has also increased our availability to for Osteopathy and Sports Therapy, so we have more availability for all our patients!

Eleanor Became a Qualified Medical Acupuncturist

January was a busy month. As well as starting our new challenge of running 2 Accu Spina machines, Eleanor also undertook her Medical Acupuncture/Dry Needling qualification. This was a course that Eleanor had been keen to do since before joining Cathedral Osteopaths and finally had the opportunity to do. Since qualifying, Eleanor feels medical acupuncture has really helped elevate her skill set and her ability to provide further treatment modalities to her patients.

We Celebrate Eleanor’s First Anniversary Being with Cathedral Osteopaths

How time flies when you’re having fun! Before we knew it August was upon us which meant we were celebrating one year of having Eleanor working at the clinic. Not only is Eleanor a (young!) new face to the clinic, but she brings a whole new offering to the clinic with her expertise in Sports and Exercise Therapy. She frequently helps our patients with acute sports or work-related injuries, plantar fasciitis, tendinopathies, knee pain, bursitis, ligament sprains/tears. as well as strengthening exercises and massage treatments for arthritic joints.

Vanessa Talks on a Case Study at the IDD Conference 2023

It has been 3 years since we started offering IDD therapy and had yet to attend any Annual IDD Therapy conventions as they had been cancelled due to Covid and train strikes. So we were very excited to hear it was finally going ahead on 21st October in Whitehall, London. Vanessa was invited to present a case study from which the group could learn from and use as valuable insight. We also listened to other case studies from other clinics as well as talks on MRI imaging, IDD protocols and contraindications. There was also a brilliant talk from Bob Chatterjee a specialist consultant spinal surgeon, who discussed the importance of alternative treatments such as IDD therapy and avoiding surgery where at all possible as well as the clinical presentations what he would consider surgery more imminently. All in all it was a fascinating day shared with other professionals within our IDD community which proved to be highly invaluable.

New Memberships

As many of you are aware towards the end of last year we trialed introducing Osteopathy and Sports Massage memberships to our patients; suited to those who come for a monthly ‘check-in’ or follow-up to keep on top of their injuries, prevent injuries, want to aid their sports performance or just recognise that their body deserves some TLC to keep it in service! Due to popular demand, we have continued offering these memberships and have added some additional membership types for patients to choose from (see list below). We would also just like to say a big thank you to those who have been on the ‘membership trialing’ period with us while we have unearthed and navigated through some software problems- your patience and trust in the process has been much appreciated!

If you are interested in joining one of our membership schemes, here is the full list of options now available:

  • Osteopathy 30mins
  • Osteopathy 45mins
  • Sports Therapy 30mins
  • Sports Therapy 45mins

All memberships are fixed term for 6 months (that is 6 treatments, 1 per month) after which you may cancel your membership at any point with no additional charges. As well as discounted treatment prices for your membership appointments, patients also get 10% off any other appointment bookings and all retail products.

Easters Massage Competition

At Easter we were overwhelmed by the number of entries into our ‘Win a Free Massage’ Facebook competition. The competition ran for a mere 8 days, we had one lucky winner and offered half price massages to several runner ups. It was lovely to welcome some new faces to the Clinic as well as reconnecting with some old ones.

In other news

We are proud to continue sponsoring Ripon City Football Club and for the past year have been very happy to include a first-class triage and massage service at the Wednesday evening training sessions as part of our sponsorship. Last season was incredibly successful, particularly for the Men’s first team who secured top of league and a well-earned promotion!

 

LATEST OFFERS AND DEALS

New Procedures

Things are a little different at Cathedral Osteopaths Ripon whilst we still have cases of Coronavirus in the UK. We want to keep you safe and still be able to support your needs with Osteopathy.

  • We will need to talk to you ahead of your appointment to make sure you are well and not in the high risk group for Coronavirus.
  • The reception area has changed

We have decluttered reception to make it easier to clean and sanitise,  there is no complementary water or magazines. There is one wipeable chair and some hand sanitizer, face masks are available – we are not charging extra for these at the moment.

Your practitioner

Obviously we cannot maintain distance for your treatment so we will be wearing appropriate PPE.  We wash our hands and arms up to the elbows before and after every patient.

Everything is sanitised before you arrive.

All surfaces and door handles are cleaned with appropriate cleaner bwtween every appointment.

We have wipeable pillows now, we stopped using couch covers back in March to make it easier to clean.

When you have an appointment please observe the following

  1. Please complete the online mandatory COVID survey ahead or your appointment. (Someone will contact you to complete this if you do not have access to the internet or an email address)
  2. Wear loose comfortable clothing for your treatment
  3. Arrive no more than 5 minutes before your appointment time,
  4. Come alone (unless under 16 yoa or if you require assistance)
  5. You must wear a facemask before entering the premises.  If you are exempt from wearing a mask let us know when booking.
  6. Use hand sanitizer on entering the premises
  7. Only bring what you need for your appointment (please avoid bringing bags etc)
  8. The WC is not in use for patients. There are public toilets opposite the Cathedral.
  9. We will contact you to rearrange your appointment if your osteopath reports any symptoms or has been told to self-isolate.
  10. If you have any symptoms of COVID please let us know and we will cancel your appointment. We will not charge the cancellation fee.

We hope that these changes will not interfere with the good service that you expect from us at the Cathedral Osteopaths but rather enhance your feeling of well-being that we have your health and safety at the core of all we do. We look forward to welcoming you back into the practice.

Vitaliti – Liquid Supplement for Immune Health, Energy and Wellbeing

Give your health a boost with ViTALITI – the powerhouse liquid supplement for Immune Health, Energy and Wellbeing

Here at the clinic we are often asked about supplements for general wellbeing.  We recommend Vitaliti from Clinic Nutrition.

Vitaliti is a one-shot liquid supplement packed with 28 vitamins and minerals.  One dose of Vitaliti includes 500mg of vitamin C, vitamin D, all eight B vitamins, selenium, zinc and other key nutrients plus a super green blend with ginseng and an amino boost blend.

Vitaliti is designed specifically for people who are feeling run down (perhaps from stress or burn out) or who aren’t getting key nutrients from their daily diet. The liquid shot supports their wellbeing and immune system.

Vitaliti is specially formulated to have a broader range of nutrients and in larger quantities than practically any multi-vitamin available.

It is simple to take and, with its delicious orange flavour, a pleasure to consume.

Vitaliti from Clinic Nutrition is a great all rounder you can get from Clinic Nutrition.

Visit Clinic Nutrition

Why liquid?

Tablets can only contain a certain amount of nutrients before they become too big to swallow.  That is why many people often take a handful of tablets, which can also contain a variety of bulking agents and fillers.

With a liquid, the nutrients can be dissolved, and this makes it possible to put a broader spectrum of nutrients into a single serving and in greater quantity.  Multivitamin tablets sacrifice the quantity of each nutrient in order to have a broad range.

With a liquid, the nutrients are more readily absorbed and a liquid is far easier to swallow than a handful of pills.

Vitaliti aims to help people in three key ways:

IMMUNE HEALTH

Our innate immune system is our first line of defence, detecting intruding cells and trying to stop them replicating.  At the same time our white blood cells, sometimes known as natural killer cells, identify and kill the intruders.  The adaptive immune system learns to identify invading cells for white blood cells to recognise and then kill.

Vitaliti supports this with Vitamins A, B6, B9, B12, C, D and E, as well as Zinc and Selenium.

Having healthy cells means our bodies are as primed as they can be to fight infections.

ENERGY

Many of us do not eat our five a day of fruit and vegetables consistently.  This can result in us not getting as many nutrients as our bodies need for optimal function.  Vitamin B is actually a group of eight B vitamins which, amongst a number of functions, support cell health, red blood cell production and regulate how our bodies use energy.

Without B vitamins we can feel tired and sluggish.  Rather than having to buy a separate vitamin B complex, Vitaliti has all eight B vitamins in each serving.

GENERAL WELLBEING

Regular exercise, a balanced diet and sleep are the three key pillars for living a healthy and vibrant life.

Vitaliti supports the nutritional pillar by being packed with one of the broadest ranges of nutrients found in any supplement including; vitamins A, E, D and K; potassium; magnesium; COQ10 (which is an antioxidant); and many more.

Plus, it has an extra bonus: Vitaliti has a super green blend including spirulina to support digestive health, provide additional antioxidants, and amino acids which help our bodies use protein, support muscle function and the nervous system.

Each 500ml bottle contains thirty-three 15ml servings and comes with a convenient measuring cap.  With its delicious orange flavour it can be drunk neat, diluted with water or added to a smoothie.

All the nutrients in Vitaliti are PubMed-referenced on the Clinic Nutrition website.

Visit Clinic Nutrition

 

Breathing Exercises

Deep breathing is one of the best ways to lower stress in the body. This is because when you breathe deeply, it sends a message to your brain to calm down and relax.
The brain then sends this message to your body. Those things that happen when you  are stressed, such as increased heart rate, fast breathing, and high blood pressure, all decrease as you breathe deeply to relax.
 The way you breathe affects your whole body. Breathing exercises are a good way to relax, reduce tension, and relieve stress.
 Breathing exercises are easy to learn. You can do them whenever you want, and  you don’t need any special tools or equipment to do them.
 You can do different exercises to see which work best for you.
How do you do breathing exercises?
There are lots of breathing exercises you can do to help relax. The first exercise below—belly breathing—is simple to learn and easy to do. It’s best to start there if  you have never done breathing exercises before. The other exercises are more  advanced. All of these exercises can help you relax and relieve stress.

Belly breathing
Belly breathing is easy to do and very relaxing. Try this basic exercise anytime you  need to relax or relieve stress.

  1. Sit or lie flat in a comfortable position.
  2. Put one hand on your belly just below your ribs and the other hand on your chest.
  3. Take a deep breath in through your nose, and let your belly push your hand out. Your chest should not move.
  4. Breathe out through pursed lips as if you were whistling. Feel the hand on your belly go in, and use it to push all the air out.
  5. Do this breathing 3 to 10 times. Take your time with each breath.
  6. Notice how you feel at the end of the exercise.

Next steps
After you have mastered belly breathing, you may want to try one of these more advanced breathing exercises. Try them and see which one works best for you:
 4-7-8 breathing
 Roll breathing

4-7-8 breathing
This exercise also uses belly breathing to help you relax. You can do this exercise either sitting or lying down.

  1. To start, put one hand on your belly and the other on your chest as in the belly
    breathing exercise.
  2. Take a deep, slow breath from your belly, and silently count to 4 as you breathe in.
  3. Hold your breath, and silently count from 1 to 7.
  4. Breathe out completely as you silently count from 1 to 8. Try to get all the air out of your lungs by the time you count to 8.
  5. Repeat 3 to 7 times or until you feel calm.
  6. Notice how you feel at the end of the exercise. Roll breathing helps you to develop full use of your lungs and to focus on the rhythm
    of your breathing. You can do it in any position. But while you are learning, it is best to lie on your back with your knees bent.
  7. Put your left hand on your belly and your right hand on your chest. Notice how your hands move as you breathe in and out.
  8. Practice filling your lower lungs by breathing so that your “belly” (left) hand goes up when you inhale and your “chest” (right) hand remains still. Always breathe in through your nose and breathe out through your mouth. Do this 8 to 10 times.
  9. When you have filled and emptied your lower lungs 8 to 10 times, add the second step to your breathing: inhale first into your lower lungs as before, and then continue inhaling into your upper chest. Breathe slowly and regularly. As you do so, your right hand will rise and your left hand will fall a little as your belly falls.
  10. As you exhale slowly through your mouth, make a quiet, whooshing sound as first your left hand and then your right-hand fall. As you exhale, feel the tension leaving your body as you become more and more relaxed.
  11. Practice breathing in and out in this way for 3 to 5 minutes. Notice that the movement of your belly and chest rises and falls like the motion of rolling waves.
  12. Notice how you feel at the end of the exercise.
    Practice roll breathing daily for several weeks until you can do it almost anywhere.
    You can use it as an instant relaxation tool anytime you need one. Caution: Some people get dizzy the first few times they try roll breathing. If you begin to breathe too fast or feel lightheaded, slow your breathing. Get up slowly.

Do you drive a desk?

Back, neck, wrist and leg pain can all be caused by a poor workstation set up. You can spend a lot of money making sure your workstation is perfectly set up but here are some effective and cheaper hacks.

The most obvious is to take regular breaks.

This is not as daft as it sounds, there is a deep muscle in your spine whose job is to report to your brain what your spine is doing, it makes small adjustments so you don’t injure yourself. However it gets bored after 25 minutes of inactivity and goes to sleep leaving you vunerable to injury.

From the app store try STAND UP its free.

Eg If you need to get a message to a co-worker get up and go and see them rather than firing off an email or move the printer so you have to move to get your print out.

Using your laptop for longer than half an hour? DON”T!!

Use your laptop as the monitor by placing in on a stand, and use a plug in keyboard and mouse.

Stands are easily available and vary in price according to how much adjustment they need and how portable they are.

This is the link to the one I use

https://www.posturite.co.uk/slim-cool-laptop-stand.html

  • Eyestrain or headaches?
  • Is there a window reflecting in the screen?
  • Is the screen brightness too bright/dim
  • Have you had an eye-test, even if you already wear glasses you may need a different prescription specifically for monitor work

Don’t have an all singing all dancing ergonomic office chair costing gazillions? 

Check your existing chair it may have adjustments you aren’t aware of.

No excuse to slouch, use a ‘Backfriend’ by Medesign they are brilliant for using with a dining room chair and they fit car seats.

Or use a small cushion to support the curve in your low back and lean back into it.

Cheaper alternatives to ergonomic office chairs:-

  • Sit to stand desks 
  • Kneel-on chairs 
  • Fitball as chairs
  • Saddle stools

Keep crossing your legs? 

If you are under 5’6” chances are you need a footrest – find a box to rest your feet on.

If you would like to know more about minimising injuries at work or would like to book an ergonomic assessment please get in touch vanessa@cathedralosteopaths.co.uk

Back, neck, wrist and leg pain can all be caused by a poor workstation set up. You can spend a lot of money making sure your workstation is perfectly set up but here are some effective and cheaper hacks.

The most obvious is to take regular breaks.

This is not as daft as it sounds, there is a deep muscle in your spine whose job is to report to your brain what your spine is doing, it makes small adjustments so you don’t injure yourself. However it gets bored after 25 minutes of inactivity and goes to sleep leaving you vulnerable to injury.

From the app store try STAND UP its free.

Eg If you need to get a message to a co-worker get up and go and see them rather than firing off an email.

Using your laptop for longer than half an hour? DON”T!!

Use your laptop as the monitor by placing in on a stand, and use a plug in keyboard and mouse.

Stands are easily available and vary in price according to how much adjustment they need and how portable they are.

This is the link to the one I use

https://www.posturite.co.uk/slim-cool-laptop-stand.html

Eyestrain or headaches?

Is the screen antiglare?

Is the screen brightness too bright/dim

Have you had an eye-test, even if you already wear glasses you may need a different prescription for monitor work.

Don’t have an all singing all dancing ergonomic office chair costing gazillions?

No excuse to slouch, use a ‘Backfriend’ by Medesign (I sell these just above cost so if you would like one let me know, they are brilliant for using with a dining room chair and they fit car seats,) Or use a small cushion to support the curve in your low back and lean back into it.
Cheaper alternatives to ergonomic office chairs:-

  • SWOPPER CHAIRS go to https://cruz-uk.com/
  • Sit to stand desks
  • Kneel-on chairs
  • Fitball as chairs
  • Saddle stools

To Ice Or Not To Ice? – How to recover quickly from injury

Ice therapy has been the gold standard for the treatment of acute injury since its introduction in 1978 in the book Sportsmedicine. Gabe Mirkin was the man who pioneered its use in combination with rest, compression and elevation otherwise known as RICE.

But why do you ice? What is the theory behind it?

The aim of Ice Therapy is to reduce inflammation by constricting the blood vessels. This leads to a reduction in pain (gate control theory), reduction in muscle spasm and a reduction in oedema.

Sounds pretty sensible right? You hurt yourself, get an ice pack.

But surely the human body knows better? What makes us think that inhibiting a natural response to injury is more beneficial?

For starters if you cut yourself how does it heal? if you have an infection how do you get better? The body’s response to injury is inflammatory because it is normal healthy physiology; it is BLOOD that carries a whole army of cells and chemicals to go to work and fix the problem.

The advice now for an ankle sprain is not RICE (rest, ice, compression and elevation) but compression and elevation and to get it moving as quickly as possible as focusing on drainage is key. Icing an area reduces blood flow therefore reducing the effectiveness of the inflammatory response, meaning it will take longer to get better.

So what about our friend Gabe? Well thankfully back in 2015 he did a 180 and is now an advocate against the use of ice. He said I was wrong and “we should stop using Ice as part of the protocol and really just focus on the “CE” but with movement added in!”

What is the evidence?

There is not much quality evidence (Randomised Clinical Trails – RCT) to support the use of ice for musculoskeletal injury or for the treatment of DOMS (delayed onset muscle soreness). In fact an article in in Sports Medicine; November 28, 2011 found that icing for 20 minutes led to a decrease in strength, speed and power in agility based running.

There is still limited evidence but a RCT published in Postgraduate Medicine 2015 showed that heat acts as an analgesic (painkiller), leads to increased blood flow, increased metabolism and elasticity of connective tissues. It decreased pain in acute low back pain and in the use of DOMS.

So how to treat an acute injury?

  1. The use of heat will cause vasodilation, allowing blood to flow to the area carrying with it all good stuff to make us better.
    (Please note that over-application of heat will not heal you faster but will exhaust the reflexes of the nervous system rendering them inactive). 
    Depending on the site of the injury heat can be applied for 15-20 minutes and can repeated.
    There are contraindications to heat, if you have loss of sensation, circulatory problems or DVT.
  2. Get it moving and gradually load the tissues pain free, as drainage is important. Muscular contraction helps move the fluid with its waste products out of the area and back into main circulation.

Obviously if the injury is traumatic and there has been some concussion, there is an open wound or possibility of fracture a visit to A&E is recommended.

If you have had an injury that has not fully resolved or that comes back again and again, please contact us to find out how Vanessa can help.