Put a spring back in your step after lockdown - by Nicola Rist

This lockdown has felt very different from the one last March.  During the first lockdown the sun was shining, being off work was a bit of a novelty, a time when we could finally get those jobs done in the garden or home, enjoy no school runs or take up new hobbies.

This time it’s been very different. I think most of us are suffering with various degrees of fatigue, anxiety, sleeplessness and aches and pains.  So now it’s time to boost our immunity as we head out again as lockdown eases this Spring! 

So how can we help you this Spring?

• We can do a top to toe check to make sure that your body is in good alignment.  This helps you to avoid injuries before you start any serious exercise routine.  

• We can help boost your immunity. People often come into our clinic feeling tired and run down as well as in pain but leave feeling energized, confident and happy as well as enjoying a reduction or elimination of their discomfort.  Why is this? 

We mobilise joints and carry out soft tissue technique on muscles to enable them to contract and relax effectively.  Our lymphatic system, crucial in protecting us against infection and disease, relies on good muscle and joint movement to pump lymph around the body because it has no pump of its own.  This action removes fluid from body tissues, carries white blood cells to fight infections and gets rid of waste products. 

We can directly stimulate the lymphatic system with our lymphatic pumping techniques to improve lymphatic fluid flow.

• We can use techniques to improve rib function and breathing.  The diaphragm is a muscle and if our respiratory system works effectively this helps to pump fluid through our body and increases immune response.

• Many of us have been suffering with chronic stress over the last year and this can lead to hormonal imbalances that stop organs functioning optimally.  Our fight and flight system can become impaired and articular techniques can balance this system.  Cranial osteopathy appears to help many patients with these types of symptoms. 

• If you’ve been sitting at a desk over lock down that hasn’t been ergonomically assessed you may well be suffering from symptoms of what we call upper crossed posture.  This causes pain in the spine and neck and increases people’s susceptibility to headaches.  A few half an hour osteopathic treatments can correct posture and relieve these symptoms. 

If you have any questions, please feel free to call into our clinic.  I am very happy to take ten minutes during my lunch break to chat to you if you want to know more about osteopathy and ways in which it can help you.