The value of listening

“I trust you, you know what you’re doing and you keep me calm. That’s had the biggest effect of all, giving me the ability to feel in control…. That psychological help was as important as the physical mobility strengthening exercises. It gave me something to hold on to and the ability to reduce my anxiety […]

The best pillow for neck pain?

Patients often ask me what the best pillow is for their neck pain. There are plenty to choose from – but before you spend lots of money on something with a glossy advertising campaign, check out my video first. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HG_H6FwR-l0

“Help! My neck hurts!”

Neck pain is a common complaint. Although it can be very painful, inconvenient and sometimes worrying, the good news is that in the majority of cases, neck pain is not something to be alarmed about. In many cases, there are things you can do to help yourself and I’ve talked about a few of these […]

Your New Year starts here

Every year, about the third week of January, my phone starts ringing. It’s as predictable as the appearance of Christmas decorations in the shops in November and the panic on the roads at the first sign of snow. By the middle of January, everyone has had time to get back to the gym full of […]

Standing desks – are they worth it?

Recently, it’s been widely reported that sitting too much is bad for you. Studies suggest that it’s associated with an increased risk of dying, especially from problems relating to cardiovascular disease. More surprisingly, this association of sitting with negative health outcomes still holds, even amongst people who exercise regularly. So, depressingly for many office workers, […]

Rehabilitation exercises and the “zombie apocalypse” test

Like many therapists, I often give my patients some exercises to do as part of their treatment. A few years ago, I had a realisation: the most common reason that rehabilitation exercises don’t work is that people don’t do them. That’s not because they’re lazy, or because they don’t care. Occasionally it might be because […]

Back on track

As an osteopath, nothing beats seeing my patients achieve their goals. Following a fractured femur last year, Julian has worked hard to get back to doing what he loves. It’s been a tough road at times, but his effort and determination have really paid off – here he is back on the track last weekend. […]

Do I need surgery for my bulging discs?

“I’ve been suffering from low back pain for a few months now, and an MRI scan shows that I’ve got a bulging disc. I’ve been told that it won’t go back in by itself, so I should try to get surgery. Is this true?” Let’s start with a quick look at some (very simplified) anatomy. […]

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