When is a broken bone not a broken bone? Bones are alive and continually changing – worn out bone being replaced by new. In fact you get a completely new skeleton every 10 years! Bones have a thick outer shell and a honeycomb mesh inside – when the gaps in this internal mesh become bigger, making the bone fragile and brittle, this is osteoporosis. Surprise! Osteoporosis is often called a…
If you suffer with migraines it can feel like they control your life. But here are 10 ways that you can start to take back control or even avoid a migraine altogether! Keep a diary – know what situations and foods are your migraine triggers. For most migrainers regularity is key – get to know the daily routine that works best for you. Early Warning Signs – quick action can…
Bettina Hoy is admired as one of the best riders in the world. She is also a Mobiliser user! Here she explains the benefits that she has found in using it regularly. Bettina says: Since buying her Mobiliser to take to the 2008 Olympics in Beijing Bettina has experienced: Headache Reduction Improved Sleeping Improved Riding Improved stamina Headache reduction Bettina explained that for as long as she can remember…
Living in the south of Spain a day typically starts with a café con leche and tostada. But for many migraine sufferers that can feel like a big no no. But to avoid a migraine do you really need to avoid coffee? Only 2 proven triggers Let’s separate myth from scientific fact. Professor of Neuroscience, Peter Goadsby from the NIHR-Wellcome Trust King’s Clinic Research Facility, London says that only these…
Gout – first diagnosed in Ancient Egypt in 2600 BC, isn’t new. But more and more patients are receiving this diagnosis. What is Gout? Gout is a metabolic disorder which causes arthritis (arth = joint and itis = inflammation), usually of the big toe but other joints can be affected. The body stops processing uric acid properly causing it to build up in the body. These sharp uric acid crystal…
It’s always interesting what prompts people to take action. What one movement that hurt which made them make an appointment. Interestingly many people are unbothered that their knees hurt when walking long distances but, when they start to have pain going up and down stairs – this is a big problem. So why are stairs a problem? When we are walking on a flat surface our knees don’t have to…
Frozen shoulder, rotator cuff, bursitis, impingement . . . shoulder pain can come with a lot of different names and root causes. But there are some common themes – difficulty raising your arm overhead, difficulty working or doing your sport, problems sleeping and, of course, pain! But what happens when you’re not making progress? When the pain and difficulty moving continues? Pain Perception I’ve spoken before about chronic pain and…
If you have pain in the knee or back you probably think something is wrong with your knee or back. You see your doctor, perhaps get an X-ray or MRI scan. But what if these investigations don’t show a problem? You still have pain in your knee but your doctor is saying there is nothing wrong. Or worse, you receive a lot of treatment (sometimes including surgery!) but make no…
What are hamstrings? Hamstrings are the tendons connecting the group of large muscles at the back of the thigh to the bone. But the word is often used to refer to the entire group of muscles connecting the knee to the hip at the back of the thigh. The Hamstring muscles bend the knee and straighten the hip and while not very important for walking and standing they are very…
Since I set up the Headache Clinic many people have asked what is actually involved, what is it I do when you come to see me? No cracking I think the first point to make is that you won’t get your neck “cracked”. As a physiotherapist I don’t do the strong spinal manipulations that some chiropractors use. All of my physical therapy tools are gentle and you won’t be pulled or cracked…