Approximately 50% of UK adults will have a headache each year, most of these are not dangerous, but they can debilitate and sometimes be a challenge to describe; the pain may be generalised involving the whole head or affect one part of the face, head or eye. Symptoms can vary from sharp and throbbing to… Read More Headaches and head pain explained
Technology in all its forms is an increasingly integral part of daily life, most adults own and regularly use a smart device. They brilliantly allow us to work, shop, book holidays, listen to music, read books, watch movies, learn new skills, and catch up with friends and family on the go, wherever we happen to be.
Our feet are one of the hardest working parts of the body and under constant stress. It’s easy to take them for granted, they hang around at the end of our legs, trying to adapt to being jammed into a pretty but often ill-fitting shoe or being smothered inside socks and trainers. They may take… Read More Feet, friends or foe?
The summer solstice marks the longest day of the year and indicates the official start of summer in our city. With an average of 16 hours of daylight guaranteed for the next couple of months, this is the perfect time to be topping-up our sunshine vitamin
Arthritis is any disorder that affects joints; it literally means inflammation within the joint itself. Symptoms include joint pain and stiffness and may include redness, warmth, swelling, and decreased the range of motion of the affected joints.
Our bones are “living tissue.” of continually renewing cells, blood vessels nerves, and minerals. Osteopenia and Osteoporosis are conditions in which this process is affected causing bones to become weak with a higher risk for fractures.
We had a rare sunshiny tropical public holiday weekend here in London, in fact, it was the hottest May Day Bank Holiday ever! With the resulting flurry of people donning their summer or holiday clothes. In an attempt to soak up the rays, or cool off many people flocked to beaches and parks or lounged… Read More How to look after your moles
Hip problems are common, the cause may be apparent, like an injury that comes on suddenly while gardening, running for the train or playing sports. However, sometimes the reason is not as clear, as symptoms may come on gradually.
Spring has finally sprung, the days are lighter and trees full of beautiful blossom. Sadly for many people this is the beginning of miserable time as they endure seasonal symptoms from allergy conditions, including hay fever.
Anxiety is a natural part of everyday life; it’s impossible to avoid some significant life events, bereavement, divorce, family illness, redundancy even parenthood. Almost everyone has experienced feelings of anxiety in their life, for example, feeling anxious about sitting an exam, or an upcoming job interview.
My regular pilates clients know that I am not a fan of static stretching unless there is a particular issue that needs managing. I um and ah about this in class, as it’s not part of the Pilates repertoire, and we can work on muscle length and range of motion during a well-balanced Pilates session… Read More Stretching: Does it increase flexibility?
The muscles of the pelvic floor play a crucial role in the stability of the torso, due to there connections and association in spinal movement. The balance of these muscles is necessary for dynamic stability, i.e., strong and elastic muscles which support us to move freely, climb stairs, change direction easily, pick up loads, sneeze… Read More Pelvic Floor Muscles
Do you leak a little urine when you cough laugh or sneeze? Half of the women over the age of 50 with experience some symptoms of pelvic organ prolapse, with 1 in 10 women by the age of 80 undergoing surgery. Worryingly, about a third of these women will need more than one operation. A… Read More Pelvic Organ Prolapse
Last time I talked about the shoulder joint structure and briefly highlighted what can go wrong. Here is a look at some of the common problems that cause shoulder and arm pain in a little more detail
Shoulder problems are widespread; the shoulder is the most mobile joint in your body because the main shoulder joint (the gleno-humeral joint) is a ball-and-socket joint. It sacrifices stability for mobility, and for this reason can be vulnerable to injury, dislocation, muscle fatigue and degeneration due habitual poor posture. vulnerable to injury and habitual poor… Read More Shoulder problems
Slow deep breathing is a simple, yet powerful, relaxation technique to quiet the mind and release tension from our body. It’s easy to learn and can be practised almost anywhere providing a quick and easy way to get stress levels in check.
Modic changes are the name given to pathological changes that are present in the bones of the spine; this was first mentioned by Dr Michael Modic in 1988. Modic Changes is a ‘disease’ process, which is linked with spinal inflammation that has not been responsive to conventional treatments. It is also related to poor healing and… Read More Modic Changes and Back Pain
What is sleep hygiene? Here’s a lovely animated film which explains
A herniated spinal disc is the most common cause many painful conditions, when this happens, the natural cushion between the vertebra of the spine is damaged or ruptured, causing the spinal disc to push out into areas usually occupied by nerves. Note; other terms for a herniated disc include; a slipped, ruptured, bulging or, protruding disc.… Read More Herniated spinal disc, explained
Ultimately, effective stress management requires and multidisciplinary approach especially for long term situations. The physical effects need to be addressed to allow for the lifestyle changes to make a difference.
Last time I was talking about stress and mentioned it does have some benefits but its the ongoing or severe chronic stress that concerns me as health professional and pilates practitionerStress is a part of everyday life; have you noticed how prolonged stress affect you or those around you?
Here’s another informative animated film, this time on the complex subject of Central Sensitization Syndrome (CSS), which is the prevailing theory of the cause of chronic pain & other chronic symptoms.
Stress is a part of everyday life, it can affect our body, our thoughts, feelings, and our behaviour. It’s impossible to avoid some significant life events, bereavement, divorce, family illness, redundancy even parenthood. Stress can induce a flight or fight response in the body, producing hormones to increase heart rate, make us breathe faster and makes… Read More How stress affects your health
Achilles tendon pain is sporting complaint often seen in runners and tennis players. People report stiffness or pain in the back of the heel. Achilles tendonitis is an overuse injury due to the repetitive action and so may occur in other repetitive activities.
You may already know that probiotics are good for gut health, but research now suggests that “good” bacteria may have other health benefits.
Vitamin B12 is a powerhouse, nicknamed the energy vitamin, it helps make DNA, nerve and blood cells and is crucial for a healthy brain and immune system. Studies suggested that 15% of people the UK population don’t get enough of this essential nutrient.
Do your shoulders creak? Knees pop? Does your neck make cracking sounds? Do you hear clicking noises in your ankles, wrists or hips when you move? Some of the joints in our bodies can result in an impressive range of weird, wonderful and occasionally extremely loud sounds?
Joint and muscle pain is probably the number one symptom that prompts people to seek the help of health professionals such as osteopaths. Musculoskeletal pain affects the bones, muscles, ligaments, tendons and nerves, it is commonly but not always caused by physical injury, which can be widespread or localised in just one body part.
Vitamin D is essential for optimal body function; it has a vital role in maintaining bone structure and healthy teeth, but it does so much more to support our health. Vitamin D is interesting because it affects up to 2,000 genes in the body, science shows that it acts more like a hormone than a vitamin.
Pelvic Girdle Pain (PGP) in Pregnancy affects up to one in five women. It is the umbrella name for all pelvic pain, including pubic pain which is called symphysis pubis dysfunction (SPD), or Osteitis Pubis which is inflammation of the pubic symphysis. PGP includes pain anywhere from the lumbar spine, abdomen down to the thigh,… Read More Pelvic Pain in pregnancy
Thriving, inside and out 