Sports injuries occur when engaging in physical activities, whether due to overuse, improper technique, or accidents during exercise or sports. These injuries range from minor strains and sprains to more severe conditions like fractures, dislocations, and ligament tears.

Common sports injuries include:

• Sprains and Strains: Damage to ligaments or muscles caused by overstretching or tearing.
• Tendonitis: Inflammation of a tendon, often due to repetitive movement.
• Fractures: Breaks in the bone resulting from impact or stress.
• Dislocations: When a bone is forced out of its normal position in a joint.
• Shin Splints: Pain along the shin bone, typically due to overuse.
• Runner’s Knee: Pain around the kneecap, often caused by repetitive stress.

Prompt and proper treatment of sports injuries is crucial to prevent further damage and ensure a swift recovery. With the appropriate care, most sports injuries can be effectively managed, allowing athletes to return to their activities safely and confidently.

How can osteopathy help?

Osteopathy offers a comprehensive approach to treating sports injuries, focusing on immediate relief and long-term recovery. Osteopaths use manual techniques to assess, diagnose, and treat injuries, helping to restore function and prevent future issues. Here’s how osteopathy can help:

• Reduce Pain and Inflammation: Osteopaths use hands-on techniques to relieve pain, reduce swelling, and promote healing in injured tissues.
• Enhance Mobility and Flexibility: Through joint mobilisation, soft tissue manipulation, and stretching, osteopaths can help restore and improve the range of motion in affected areas.
• Promote Faster Recovery: Osteopathy supports the body’s natural healing processes by improving circulation and reducing muscle tension, helping you recover more quickly.
• Prevent Recurrence: Osteopaths guide exercises, stretches, and techniques to strengthen weak areas, improve posture, and reduce the risk of future injuries.
• Holistic Care: Osteopaths consider the whole body when treating sports injuries, addressing the injury and any related imbalances or weaknesses that could lead to further issues.

Back pain is common, though its exact cause is often unclear. In most cases, it isn’t due to anything serious and tends to improve with time. Back pain can occur anywhere along the spine but is most frequently felt in the lower back.

Many people manage back pain at home with gentle exercises and pain relief. However, if the pain persists for several weeks, it’s advisable to seek professional help. Sometimes, back pain may stem from issues with the joints, bones, or tissues surrounding the spine, but often, there’s no clear underlying cause.

How can osteopathy help?
Osteopathy can be highly effective in treating back pain by addressing the symptoms and the root causes. Osteopaths use a holistic approach to assess your overall health, focusing on how your muscles, joints, and spine work together. By using manual techniques such as soft tissue massage, joint mobilisation, and spinal adjustments, osteopaths can help to:
• Relieve Pain: Target specific areas of discomfort to reduce pain and inflammation.
• Improve Mobility: Restore movement and flexibility in your back and spine.
• Posture: Address underlying postural issues that may be contributing to your pain.
• Enhance Circulation: Improve blood flow to the affected areas, promoting healing and reducing stiffness.
• Prevent Recurrence: Provide advice on exercises, posture, and lifestyle changes to help prevent future episodes of back pain.

Work-related injuries are physical conditions arising from repetitive motions, poor posture, or strain during job-related activities. These injuries can develop over time from activities such as prolonged sitting, heavy lifting, or repetitive tasks, and they are common across various professions.

Common work-related injuries include:

• Repetitive Strain Injuries (RSI): Conditions like carpal tunnel syndrome or tendinitis caused by repetitive motions such as typing or using a mouse.
• Back and Neck Pain: Often resulting from poor posture, prolonged sitting, or improper lifting techniques.
• Shoulder Injuries: Including rotator cuff issues and bursitis, typically caused by overhead movements or heavy lifting.
• Tension Headaches: Frequently linked to muscle strain in the neck and shoulders from long hours at a desk.
• Joint Pain: Arising from repetitive tasks, heavy lifting, or standing for extended periods.

These injuries can lead to discomfort, reduced productivity, and if left untreated, long-term health issues. Early intervention and proper care are essential for recovery and prevention of further damage.

How can osteopathy help?

Osteopathy effectively treats and prevents work-related injuries by addressing the root causes of pain and discomfort. Osteopaths use hands-on techniques to relieve tension, improve mobility, and support overall health. Here’s how osteopathy can help:

• Alleviate Pain and Discomfort: Osteopaths use manual therapies to reduce muscle tension, ease joint stiffness, and relieve pain associated with repetitive strain, poor posture, and other work-related issues.
• Restore Mobility and Function: Osteopathy can help restore flexibility and improve movement in affected areas through targeted treatments like joint mobilisation and soft tissue manipulation.
• Improve Posture and Ergonomics: Osteopaths assess your posture and work habits, offering advice on ergonomics and exercises to reduce strain and prevent injury recurrence.
• Support Long-Term Health: By addressing the underlying causes of work-related injuries, osteopathy provides immediate relief and helps prevent future problems, promoting long-term well-being.
• Personalised Care: Osteopathic treatment is tailored to your specific needs, considering your job, lifestyle, and the nature of your injury.

Whether you’re dealing with back pain, repetitive strain, or other work-related issues, osteopathy offers a holistic and personalised approach to help you recover and maintain a healthy, pain-free life.

Chronic pain is a significant health issue in the UK, affecting millions of people. Chronic pain lasts for a long time – typically over three months – even after the initial injury or cause has healed. Unlike acute pain, which signals that something is wrong, chronic pain persists and can continue without an apparent reason.

Chronic pain can affect any part of the body and can range from mild to severe. Common examples include ongoing back pain, arthritis, headaches, or nerve pain. Living with chronic pain can be challenging, often impacting your daily activities, sleep, and overall quality of life.

• Prevalence: It is estimated that around 28 million adults in the UK experience chronic pain, representing over 43% of the population.
• Age Factor: Chronic pain becomes more common with age, affecting nearly two-thirds (62%) of those aged 75 and over.
• Disability: Chronic pain is a leading cause of disability, with around 10-14% of people experiencing pain that is severely disabling.
• Economic Impact: Chronic pain is associated with a substantial financial burden, including healthcare costs, lost productivity, and disability benefits.
• Mental Health: Chronic pain often coexists with mental health conditions, such as depression and anxiety, further impacting the quality of life for those affected.

(NICE guidelines; British Pain Society; The British Journal of Pain)

Managing chronic pain often requires a comprehensive approach, including medical care, physical therapy, lifestyle changes, and support for your mental well-being.

How can osteopathy help?

Osteopathy offers a holistic approach to managing chronic pain by focusing on the whole body rather than just the symptoms. Osteopaths use gentle, hands-on techniques to relieve tension, improve mobility, and enhance overall well-being.

• Reduce Pain and Discomfort: Osteopaths use manual therapies like soft tissue massage, joint mobilisation, and stretching to alleviate pain and ease muscle tension.

• Improve Mobility and Function: By addressing body movement restrictions, osteopathy can help restore flexibility and improve overall function, making daily activities easier.
• Address the Root Cause: Osteopaths look beyond the site of pain to identify and treat underlying issues, such as posture, muscle imbalances, or joint problems, that may contribute to chronic pain.
• Support Whole-Body Health: Osteopathy promotes the body’s natural healing processes, helping to improve circulation, reduce inflammation, and boost overall health.
• Personalised Treatment: Osteopaths create customised treatment plans tailored to your specific needs, considering your pain history, lifestyle, and goals for recovery.

For those living with chronic pain, osteopathy offers a gentle, non-invasive approach that aims to provide lasting relief and enhance your quality of life.

Kinesiology taping is a therapeutic technique that involves applying a particular type of elastic tape to the skin. This method supports and stabilises muscles and joints without restricting movement. Dr. Kenzo Kase originally developed it in the 1970s, and it has gained widespread popularity in sports and rehabilitation.

How does it help?

• Elasticity: The tape is made of a flexible, elastic material that mimics the skin’s elasticity, allowing for a full range of motion.
• Application Techniques: Kinesiology tape can be applied in various patterns and tensions, depending on the treated condition and the desired outcome. Techniques may include strips that follow muscle lines or support joint areas.
• Pain Relief: The tape can help reduce pain by lifting the skin slightly, which may improve blood flow and reduce pressure on pain receptors.
• Support and Stability: It supports muscles and joints, helping to stabilise them during movement while allowing for normal function.
• Enhanced Healing: By improving circulation and reducing swelling, kinesiology taping can aid in the healing process of injuries and muscular strains.
• Versatility: Kinesiology taping is used for various conditions, including sports injuries, postural issues, and general muscle pain.

Kinesiology taping is commonly used by athletes, osteopaths and other healthcare professionals to manage and rehabilitate injuries, enhance performance, and support recovery.

The exact cause of ME/CFS is not fully understood, but viral infections, immune system abnormalities, or stress may trigger it. Treatment focuses on managing symptoms and improving quality of life through medication, physical therapy, pacing strategies, and supportive therapies.

Both fibromyalgia and ME/CFS are considered complex, multifactorial conditions that involve dysregulation of various systems, including the CNS. Both can significantly impact an individual’s daily life, requiring a multidisciplinary approach to manage symptoms and support overall well-being.

Fibromyalgia

Widespread musculoskeletal pain, fatigue, and tenderness in localised body areas. It affects how the brain and spinal cord process pain signals, leading to an increased sensitivity to pain. Common symptoms include:

• Widespread Pain: Persistent pain throughout the body, often described as aching, burning, or throbbing.
• Central sensitisation: The central nervous system becomes overly responsive to sensory stimuli. This heightened sensitivity leads to widespread pain and discomfort. Research suggests that fibromyalgia involves abnormalities in how the brain and spinal cord process pain signals, leading to increased pain perception.
• Fatigue: Persistent tiredness and lack of energy that does not improve with rest.
• Sleep Disturbances: Difficulty falling or staying asleep or experiencing non-restorative sleep.
• Tender Points: Specific areas on the body, such as the neck, shoulders, and lower back, are sensitive to pressure.
• Cognitive Difficulties: Problems with memory, concentration, and mental clarity, often called “fibro fog.”

Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (ME), also known as Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS)

Characterised by extreme fatigue that does not improve with rest and worsens with physical or mental activity. The condition often includes a range of other symptoms, such as:

• Severe Fatigue: Persistent and profound tiredness that significantly impacts daily activities and is not relieved by rest.
• Post-Exertional Malaise (PEM): A worsening of symptoms following physical or mental exertion, often lasting for days or weeks.
• Sleep Disturbances: Problems with sleep, including difficulty falling asleep, frequent waking, or unrefreshing sleep.
• Cognitive Impairments: Difficulty with memory, concentration, and mental processing, similar to “brain fog.”
• Muscle and Joint Pain: Unexplained muscle pain, joint pain, and headaches.

How can osteopathy help?

• Symptom Management: Osteopathic techniques can help manage symptoms such as muscle pain, joint discomfort, and sleep disturbances by improving circulation and reducing muscle tension.
• Improved Mobility/function: Gentle osteopathic treatments can aid in reducing physical discomfort and enhancing overall function, which may help patients cope better with day-to-day challenges.

• Enhanced Sleep Quality: Osteopathic treatments can help relax the body and reduce stress, potentially improving sleep patterns and addressing sleep disturbances common in fibromyalgia.
• Pacing and Energy Management: Osteopaths can guide pacing techniques and energy management to help patients balance activity and rest, which is crucial for managing ME/CFS.
• Stress Reduction: Osteopathy incorporates techniques that promote relaxation and reduce stress, which can be beneficial for managing fibromyalgia symptoms and improving overall quality of life.
• Supportive Care: Osteopaths offer a holistic approach to care, working with the patient to improve their overall health and well-being.

Find out how osteopaths can help you reap the rewards of a healthier lifestyle.

Appointment Cancellations

We understand that plans can change. If you need to cancel your booking, please review our policy below:
Cancellations made 24 hours or more before the scheduled appointment/event will receive a full refund or can be rescheduled at no additional cost.

No-shows or same-day cancellations under 24hrs will be charged the full amount of the booking.
Please contact us as soon as possible if you need to cancel or reschedule. We appreciate your understanding.