Clinic Improvements

Eleven years ago this month I opened a chiropractic clinic in Crosby. In an attempt to be creative and original, I named the clinic 'Back For Your Future - Family Chiropractic Clinic'. I think it succeeded in being creative. The name is however extremely long and doesn't necessarily trip off the tongue.

Last year I began the process of giving the clinic a new name when I had a new website designed and built. The clinic's online name since the website's release has been 'Your Back Clinic'. Renaming the 'shop front' of the clinic, so to speak, was delayed while negotiations over buying the building took place. Happily, the building is now owned rather than rented!

There are plans to renew the clinic's frontage and signage. A proposal for how it may look can be seen here. Further interior improvements will also follow in the near future. I hope this will enhance the patient experience for all who choose their chiropractic care here.

Thanks to all who have chosen to receive treatment here over the past decade - I'll continue to be here for you.

Technology and Back Pain in Children

Children and adolescents are seeking help from chiropractors in ever increasing numbers because of back pain. Back pain is usually thought of as a problem affecting adults. Research carried out this year in which 460 parents of children aged 11-16 were questioned, found that 40% of children in this age group had experienced back pain. 15% of these parents attributed their child's pain to just one thing - the prolonged use of computers or computerised devices. The research also revealed that nearly three quarters of these children spend between 1 and 4 hours each day using computers, laptops or tablets. Nearly half the parents admitted that their children did not get enough exercise.

In recent months I've noticed a jump in the number of children coming through my door. Most have presented with back pain. Many have overly sedentary lifestyles but some also presented with sporting injuries to their backs or other parts of their bodies. I'm always happier to see children who have pain related to being active as I find that they are more likely to make a quicker and more sustained recovery.

The NHS recommends that children aged 5-18 get at least an hour of exercise a day. Although my children take part in sports teams or clubs, modern life makes it is difficult to achieve at least an hour of exercise every day. Knowing that this is difficult for many families to achieve, the British Chiropractic Association has developed a 3 minute exercise programme called 'Straighten-Up UK'. This is great for adults and children alike. Although it is short and is in no way a substitute for doing some more intense aerobic exercise, it does get most parts of the body stretching and moving on a daily basis. You can get your family to have a go at it by clicking here.

If your child is experiencing back pain or other musculoskeletal pain, then seeing a chiropractor can often help. I offer free initial consultations for children at my clinic in Crosby. Child treatment sessions are also discounted by a third, costing just £20. Treatment is hands on and is modified to make it suitable for the age of the child. When a child's inactive lifestyle is identified as being a contributing factor, advice will also be given to improve posture and address lifestyle issues. Don't let a newly acquired adolescent pain develop into a chronic adult problem. I'm here to help.

The health hazards of sitting

Sitting for too long is not good for us. A recent article in the Washington Post describes some dangers of prolonged sitting.They include:

• Heart Disease
• Pancreas Over Activity
• Muscle Degeneration
• Circulation Problems
• Weak Bones
• Sluggish Brain Function
• Spinal Problems 

Chiropractors specialise in the treatment of spinal problems and are thereby in a strong position to deal with muscular and skeletal problems in those who have been sedentary for too long. Whether it's a stiff neck or low-back pain chiropractic treatment can provide a viable alternative to the use of painkillers. Treatment is usually very hands on, but will often also include a variety of self-help recommendations, including postural advice, specific exercises and lifestyle guidance. A great way to reduce your sitting is to walk while working by using a treadmill desk. We bought our treadmill desk nearly 12 months ago now and it is still in use for a few hours most days of the week. Hopefully a guest post from Carys will follow soon to summarise how the 1st year of use has gone.

If you are suffering from back or neck problems, Neil at 'Your Back Clinic' will be very happy to help. Appointments can usually be organised so that you are seen within 24 hours. Contact details here.

Fast Exercise

A few weeks ago when listening to the radio I heard an interview with Dr Michael Mosley. He was talking about his newly published book, 'Fast Exercise'. The interview was brilliant. It was one of those rare occasions where an interview actually prompted me to buy a product. When I bought the book I quickly realised that it was not going to be a difficult read. It is 208 pages long and includes pictures, diagrams and lots of references.

The book title 'Fast Exercise' is a play on words. The exercise described is fast because it takes very little time and fast because it includes some short periods of fast or high intensity exercise. This form of exercise is sometimes known as 'high-intensity interval training' (HIIT) or simply 'high-intensity training' (HIT).

Research shows that it is possible to get as much (or more) benefit from a short period of exercise which includes several short bursts of intense activity as you can from a longer period of more steady exercise. For instance, when compared to a steady 60 minute exercise session of cycling or jogging, a similar 20 minute exercise session incorporating 4-6 short (approx 30 second) sprints, can in just a few weeks:
                 - Improve lung capacity
                 - Increase cardiac size and strength
                 - Improve insulin sensitivity
                 - Increase weight loss (especially abdominal fat)
                 - Decrease appetite (at least in the short term)

The book is full of well explained supporting research. It also has a section dedicated to high-intensity exercise regimes that can be adopted by the reader.

Since reading the book I have started to change the way I exercise, and I feel good for it.

As a chiropractor I am always pleased to find resources that can help patients improve their health and I'm happy to recommend this book. In an era where many of us are extremely busy, fast exercise may just be one way to get us fitter and healthier, FAST. Click here to buy the book in our local Crosby bookshop.

You can watch a documentary by Dr Michael Mosley on this topic here.

Sugar and the Health of the Nation

Last autumn I came across a YouTube video presented by Dr Lustig, a paediatric endocrinologist at the University of California in San Francisco. The presentation was called: Sugar: The Bitter Truth. I posted it on my blog in August and many of you may have seen this. In the last few weeks I have
been interested to see that sugar has once again hit the headlines. A new group has been set up called 'Action on Sugar'. This group believes that it is possible to achieve a reduction in sugar consumption of 20 to 30% over the next 3 to 5 years. They plan to lobby the food industry to achieve this change. It is thought that by reducing sugar consumption by around a quarter the obesity epidemic which is being seen across the nation could be halted or even reversed. Such a reduction in obesity would also go a long way to reduce chronic conditions, such as diabetes and heart disease.

Action on Sugar list the sugar content of some commonly eaten foods and drinks. The figures are quite startling. For example:

Coca-Cola Original 330ml: 9 teaspoons of sugar
Heinz classic tomato soup 300g: 4 teaspoons of sugar
Starbucks Caramel Frappuccino with whipped cream with skimmed milk: 11 teaspoons of sugar

Dr Lustig made five recommendations, which if followed can make a big difference to our personal weight and well-being. Over the past five months, I have been very mindful of his recommendations and have been making a concerted effort to implement them. The recommendations were:

1. Get rid of all sugared liquids from your home or work; only drink water or milk.

2. Eat your carbohydrates with fibre (remember, highly processed food often contains little fibre).

3. If you want a second helping, wait 20 minutes first.

4. Buy your screen time (TV, computer, etc) minutes for minute with physical activities (i.e. 30 minutes of surfing the net cost you 30 minutes of exercise or cleaning or walking, etc).

While making an effort to implement these four points, I have found point 3 to be particularly interesting. It is amazing how after eating a meal I can still feel hungry. However if I wait 20 minutes I feel full. This is because it can take 20 minutes for the hormone leptin to feedback to our brains, letting the brain realise that you are no longer hungry. This is a great tip and another reason why it is important to consume our food more slowly, giving the body the opportunity to realise when it has eaten enough.

I also should mention the value of the 4th point. Regular exercise is so important. I have just bought a copy of the new book written by Dr Michael Mosley called 'fast exercise'. As the title suggests, this book is about exercising, fast. Fast as in taking a short time and fast as in high-intensity. I have not completed the book yet, but I'm sure I will talk about it again sometime soon.You may want to get a copy of it yourself.

 

Find out more about Action on Sugar here.  

New Year Tips For A Healthier Back

At the beginning of a new year it’s common for many of us to set resolutions or certain goals that we would like to achieve over the coming year. Last year I set myself the goal of walking the 3 peaks in the Yorkshire Dales. At the end of July I had a free weekend and got lucky with perfect weather. I had a fantastic day out hiking in some of the most beautiful countryside in the UK. I was delighted to complete the 25 miles and 3 mountain peaks in 10 hours. This year I’ve a new mountain hiking goal. I hope to be able report the successful achievement of this goal next year.

The setting of goals or resolutions can be helpful to us as we attempt to do something that takes some motivation and requires self-discipline. In my work as a chiropractor in Liverpool, I see people each day with a variety of back problems. These problems often cause considerable pain or disability and almost always have a significant effect on the sufferer’s ability to enjoy life to the full. Fortunately I can provide helpful treatment and advice when back problems do occur - quite often these problems can even be avoided by fostering good habits.

I thought it might be interesting to give some tips for helping to reduce the risk of back pain. They are simple and require some initial self-discipline, but eventually they can become second nature.

Here they are:

1. Exercise regularly; choosing exercise that you enjoy makes it much more likely that you’ll stick to it long term.

2. Avoid bending and twisting at the same time.

3. Try to keep the back straight when bending over by flexing at the hips and knees.

4. Don't sit for too long; 30-40 minutes is usually long enough in one spell.

5. Don't slouch in your seat and use a supportive chair.

6. Strive to achieve your optimum weight.

None of us get it right all the time, so when things do go wrong, remember I’m right here to help get you back on your feet.

Smart Phone Use

Smart phone use has exploded over the past few years. According to statistics released by Ofcom more than 50% of UK adults now use smartphones, almost double the figure of 2011. Smart phones are phenomenal devices; the stuff of science fiction only a few years ago. I use mine for emailing, browsing the internet, GPS, as a dictaphone, tracking my exercise, as a torch, for social media, playing games and lots more - not to mention making phone calls or sending text messages.

Having such a hypnotising device in your hand doesn't come without some potential dangers, though. Posture is an important issue. Keeping the head down, staring at what is quite a small screen for prolonged periods can cause neck problems and sometimes also results in headaches. Wrist and hand repetitive strain injuries have been linked with repeated over-stretching of the thumb across the screen in particular. As a chiropractor in Liverpool, I've seen such patients come through my door. Identifying the cause of the problem and ensuring that the necessary lifestyle changes are made is key. There are also potentially serious consequences of falls or collisions as a result of using the phone while out and about. I found this little animated video which is great and very educational. I think you'll like it.