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Featured Image:Â Esra [Copyrighted free use], via Wikimedia Commons
Author Archives: Chris Mallett
Shockwave for Tennis Elbow
Shockwave therapy has been shown to be effective for a number of acute or chronic soft tissue injuries. In this case study, we are going to treat Matt over a series of sessions for chronic lateral epicondylitis (tennis elbow) – but will it work? Watch below for an explanation of Shockwave treatment and also Matt’s first session.
For more information regarding Shockwave, please visit:
Our website: https://goo.gl/it7PSa
Zimmer website: https://goo.gl/sAVuzE
Subscribe for more content from Pure Health Chiropractic & Wellness for more advice, exercises, and product reviews:
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCes0âŚ
Website: https://www.purehealthchiropractic.co.uk
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/phchiro/
Follow our chiropractor, Chris on his channel MTBChiro for general advice and mountain biking adventures:
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCmWxâŚ
Strava: https://www.strava.com/athletes/177911
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/themtbchiro/
Let us help you to achieve better health. You can book an appointment with our chiropractor Chris or massage therapists Liesa or Matt, by calling 01785 530911 in Stafford, or 01952 825042 in Newport. Alternatively you can book using our online diary.
We look forward to seeing you.
Spare your back with the “Hip Hinge”
When it comes to low back pain, being able to move through the hips in a relaxed way is essential to help avoiding injury. Our Chiropractor, Chris explains why the “hip hinge” is so important in everyday activities, but also when riding your mountain bike!
Subscribe for more content from Pure Health Chiropractic & Wellness for more advice, exercises, and product reviews:
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCes0âŚÂ
Website:Â https://www.purehealthchiropractic.co.uk
Instagram:Â https://www.instagram.com/phchiro/
Follow our chiropractor, Chris on his channel MTBChiro for general advice and mountain biking adventures:
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCmWxâŚ
Strava:Â https://www.strava.com/athletes/177911
Facebook:Â https://www.facebook.com/profile.php
Instagram:Â https://www.instagram.com/themtbchiro/
Let us help you to achieve better health. You can book an appointment with our chiropractor Chris or massage therapists Liesa or Matt, by calling 01785 530911 in Stafford, or 01952 825042 in Newport. Alternatively you can book using our online diary.
We look forward to seeing you.
Sleeping and your bed
As a Chiropractor, I am often asked for advice on pillows, beds and mattresses and which ones can help to prevent back or neck pain. In truth, there is no single answer that suits all.
Research by the British Chiropractic Association in 2013 showed that of those experiencing back or neck pain, 30% said that their pain could be brought on by a nightâs so-called ârestâ. We all come in different weights, shapes and sizes, but have one thing in common: we spend more than a third of our lives in bed, so choosing the right bed, pillow or mattress is essential to help reduce the risk.
Which is better, a hard or soft mattress?
The best mattress is a âsupportive oneâ. A 16 stone person sleeping on a mattress may not get the same support as a 10 stone person sleeping on the same mattress. If you are lying on your side, your spine should be parallel to the mattress and your spine should not sag (bed too soft) or bow (bed too hard). The longer you can spend lying on a mattress before you buy it, the more accurate this feeling will be.
Your pillow should be an extension of this i.e. your neck should be a continuation of the straight spine and not too high or too low. In clinic we sell the fantastic Complete Sleeprrr pillow and highly recommend it if you suffer neck problems and need a new pillow. For more information visit:Â Which Pillow Do We Recommend?
How do I know if my current bed/mattress needs replacing?
Are you and your partner getting comfortable nights sleep? If the answer is no, your bed may be the problem. Can you feel the springs through the mattress? If the answer is yes, it is definitely time to buy a new one. Is the bed more than 8 years old? If the answer is yes, consider purchasing a new one â beds wear out and may sag or lose support with time.
How do I minimise back or neck problems?
Try and adopt a sleeping position which creates less physical stress on the back. For example, lying on your side is better than lying on your front with your neck twisted to one side. Also try to avoid being in any one position for too long, and if your partner moves around a lot at night, try separate beds for a while as your partnerâs movement could aggravate YOUR back condition!
Let us help you to achieve better health. You can book an appointment with our chiropractor Chris or massage therapists Liesa or Matt, by calling 01785 530911 in Stafford, or 01952 825042 in Newport. Alternatively you can book using our online diary.
We look forward to seeing you.
Which pillow do we recommend?
As a chiropractor in Newport and Stafford, Iâm always being asked which pillow is best to help with neck or back pain.
Well, for the last few years we have been stocking a particular pillow that has proved hugely popular and helped some of my patients get the best nightâs sleep theyâve had for years: The Complete Sleeprrr Original pillow.
Like many pillows, it is therapeutically designed in luxurious memory foam and has a gently contoured shape to encourage natural spinal alignment. However, the main difference between this pillow and many others is that it can be altered to suit your needs.
It has a huge range of adjustments (up to 12) to enable you to change the height, depth and firmness of the pillow by adding or removing selected pieces. To alter the height to suit your comfort and postural needs, there are two removable inserts.
You can also alter the firmness of the pillow by taking out or adding the surface âfoam noodlesâ. This unique customisation helps to take the risk out of your pillow being too high, too low, too hard or too soft. One size suits all!
Everyone who has tried one so far (including me) has loved it and in my opinion its one of the best on the market. It is also around half the cost of some of the leading brand orthopaedic memory foam pillows at only ÂŁ55 in clinic or ÂŁ65 from our website including postage to the UK (RRP ÂŁ79). It could make a great present.
This offer isnât available in shops, and you can only get them through UK clinics or on our wesbite, so if you would like to know more then please contact us or drop into our Stafford or Newport chiropractic clinics. You can also get further information by visiting the Complete Sleeprrr website at www.completesleeprrr.co.uk.
Straighten Up UK!
Recent consumer research by the British Chiropractic Association has shown that people of all ages are experiencing higher levels of back pain and discomfort and much of this is related to poor movement or posture. In the Midlands particularly, incidences of back pain have increased 12% on 2017, and we are the most likely to develop back pain before the age of 30!
As a nation, we live busy and yet sedentary lifestyles. We are dashing about one minute, full of stress and time pressured, and then subjecting ourselves to long periods of sedentary behaviour by driving for long periods, playing computer games or watching television. This often leads to de-conditioning, fatigue and ultimately poor movement, stiffness and pain. Every year, back pain results in billions of pounds in losses to the nation due to lost days at work and sickness benefit payments; not to mention the significant impact this is having on a suffererâs quality of life.
Chiropractors are keen to highlight this issue to show people in the UK ways in which they can help themselves towards a healthier lifestyle through education, advice and if necessary a treatment plan.
As part of this, the British Chiropractic Association (BCA) has introduced an exciting programme called Straighten Up UK, designed to improve posture and help prevent back pain by promoting balance, strength and flexibility in the spine. Chiropractors want to encourage adults and children alike to start using this set of simple, three minute straighten up exercises. They are designed to be done on a daily basis and become part of the daily routine, just like brushing your teeth.
The exercises can be adapted to suit individual capabilities (although please discuss with your GP, chiropractor or other healthcare practitioner first). There are kidsâ and adultsâ versions of the website and leaflets, so everyone can take part. Further information about chiropractic and the programme can be obtained by visiting www.chiropractic-uk.co.uk.
If you are struggling with back pain that wonât settle after more than a few days, itâs recommended that you see a qualified professional, such as a chiropractor, who can assess you and recommend a care plan to help get you moving again.
Let us help you to achieve better health. You can book an appointment with our chiropractor Chris or massage therapists Liesa or Matt, by calling 01785 530911 in Stafford, or 01952 825042 in Newport. Alternatively you can book using our online diary.
We look forward to seeing you.
Pure Health Chiropractic
Get ÂŁ10 off Stafford Sports Massage
Do you have a sports injury you canât shake, or feel tight after that event? Or just want some help recovering from training? Get yourself booked in now, and get back to your best!
To celebrate our new Sports Massage Therapist joining the team, we are having a special introductory offer of £10 off Sports Massage in Stafford with Matt until the end of September 2018.
Terms:Â Expires 30th September 2018. Valid for Sports Massage in Stafford with Matt Price (Sports Massage Therapist) only, usual price ÂŁ35. We reserve the right to withdraw this offer at any time.
Shockwave is here!
No, itâs not the next superhero movie, but it is something quite new and exciting! We are pleased to reveal that we now have a revolutionary type of treatment called Radial Shockwave Therapy (RSWT) available at both of our clinics for new and existing clients.
It has been shown to be particularly successful in treating stubborn soft tissue conditions in the shoulder, hip, knee, foot or ankle, that are struggling to respond to conventional therapy.
Why not see what shockwave can do for you? For more information, please visit our Shockwave Therapy page or Contact Us. We look forward to seeing you.
Mountain biking is bad for your health! (cervicogenic headaches…)
For some reason, I seem to be on a subconscious quest to experience a variety of injuries, perhaps in a bid to gain empathy for my clients. Having personal experience of pain certainly makes you a better clinician as it helps you appreciate what can often help, but to be honest; Iâd rather not have to!
Over the years Iâve suffered with: disc prolapses; microdiscectomy surgery; wrist sprains; carpal tunnel syndrome; plantar fasciitis; knee sprains; shoulder sprains and most recently (after landing on my head falling off my mountain bike), neck pain and headache. Most of these injuries are fitness related and usually avoidable and recoverable, but who ever said exercise is good for you!? I guess it depends on what sort.
So, after my latest excursion head butting the ground, I am currently suffering with what is commonly known as âneck headacheâ or âcervicogenicâ headache. I see quite a few clients with this problem, and now I know how it feels!
Itâs important to note that headaches can be a sign of something more serious, so itâs important that you are examined by a qualified professional and if necessary referred for appropriate tests. Once confirmed though, cervicogenic headaches are generally regarded as secondary headaches arising from problems with the joints or muscles of the neck. Symptoms can include tenderness in the upper neck and base of skull; dizziness; nausea; neck stiffness; pain into the face or side of head; and blurred vision. The headache typically starts in your neck, and can sometimes mimic migraine symptoms.
The pain is often chronic and relentless and there can be a variety of causes including prolonged poor posture; joint or disc degeneration; inflammation of a neck joint or nerve; or a history of whiplash or trauma causing joint movement issues.
Fortunately itâs been shown that Chiropractic care, including spinal manipulation, dry needling, and exercises can help to get on top of the problem. Itâs a good job Iâm in this business!
Why not see what chiropractic can do for you. You can book an appointment with our chiropractor Chris or massage therapist Liesa, by calling 01785 530911 in Stafford, or 01952 825042 in Newport. Alternatively you can book using our online diary.
We look forward to seeing you.
Suffering back or neck pain? Here are some helpful tips
New research finds increasing numbers of Midlanders suffering from back and neck pain
New research released to mark Chiropractic Awareness Week (9 â 15 April), has found that more than two fifths (41%) of people in the Midlands are currently experiencing back or neck pain, a 12% increase on 2017.
The research, which was carried out by the British Chiropractic Association, found that for sufferers in the Midlands, the top triggers for this pain were;
- Lifting or carrying heavy objects (53%)
- Sitting for long periods of time (43%), and;
- Poor posture (35%)
Notably, incidences of neck and back pain among younger people are also on the rise, with 40% of people in the Midlands experiencing neck or back pain by age 20.
Local chiropractor, Chris Mallett from Pure Health Chiropractic in Stafford and Newport, comments on these findings:
âThe BCAâs research findings align with what I see in my clinic on a day to day basis, however itâs particularly interesting that lifting and carrying was the most cited trigger for neck and back pain. It really highlights the importance of maintaining a strong and active body that can move well and cope with the demands you are making of it.
âFor those who are finding that sedentary lifestyles and sitting for long periods are causing them a problem, we would encourage they make a change. We are designed to move and if you hold your body in any position for an extended period of time, it is likely that you will feel pain.
âTo help counteract the effects of a sedentary lifestyle, and help prevent back and neck pain occurring, there are a number of simple exercises and small changes you can incorporate into your daily routine. For example, shrugging and circling your shoulders whilst sitting and taking the stairs are easy ways to improve your back health – these may sound simple but I know from my patients that they really work!â
Chrisâs top tips to help local residents to prevent and manage neck and back pain are:
- Take a break: When sitting for long periods of time, ensure you stand up and move around every 30 minutes. When at work, also make sure your desk is set up to support a comfortable position. This is different for everyone so if you donât feel comfortable in your current set up, try altering the height of your chair or screen.
- Keep on moving: Physical activity can be beneficial for managing back pain, however itâs important that if this is of a moderate to high intensity that you warm up and down properly to get your body ready to move! If a previous injury is causing you pain, adapt your exercise or seek some advice. Activities such as swimming, walking or yoga can be less demanding on your body while keeping you mobile!
Other things which you can bear in mind are:
- Lifting and carrying: Remember to bend from the knees, not the waist when lifting heavy items. Face in the direction of movement, and take your time. Hold the object as close to your body as possible, and where you can avoid carrying objects which are too heavy to manage alone, ask for help or use the necessary equipment.
- Sleep comfortably: The Sleep Council recommends buying a new mattress at least every 7 years. Mattresses lose their support over time, so if you can feel the springs through your mattress, or the mattress is no longer level, your mattress is no longer providing the support you need. Everyone has different support requirements, so when purchasing your mattress ensure it is supportive for you. If you share a bed and require different mattress types, consider two single mattresses which are designed to be joined together, to ensure you both get the support you need.
- Straighten Up!: The BCA has created a programme of 3-minute exercises, Straighten Up UK, which can be slotted in to your daily schedule to help prevent back pain by promoting movement, balance, strength and flexibility in the spine
The BCA recommends that, if you are experiencing pain for more than a few days you should seek professional help, for example from a chiropractor, who can assess you and help you to get moving again without pain. You can book an appointment with our chiropractors Chris or Nick, by calling 01785 530911 in Stafford, or 01952 825042 in Newport. Alternatively you can book using our online diary.
We look forward to seeing you.