The Camford Clinic

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The Camford Clinic Musculoskeletal and rehabilitation healthcare practice

Want to be successful? Remove all distractions from achieving your goal. But. Do you really know what you want, and how ...
14/05/2025

Want to be successful?

Remove all distractions from achieving your goal.

But. Do you really know what you want, and how much it will cost you?

Are you willing to sell everything, live in a shed? End relationships if they are getting in the way?

Then possibly, you've lost balance.

If you want something that badly, perhaps that isn't healthy?

Some people may have read about Diogenes and his barrel, or Thoreau and his cabin by the lakes. Both of those people, successful in their own way, were supported by the community around them. Diogenes was, by all accounts, a grumpy old bu**er, and Thoreau would go back to town occasionally for a slap up meal and to get his laundry done.

By all means, drive yourself to success, reduce distractions, consider reducing toxic relationships, but remember that success also relies on the others around you.

Cultivate those relationships and your success will be even better.

We've all heard of the butterfly effect? You haven't? Fair enough. Its a thought experiment based on a Lorenz attractor ...
12/05/2025

We've all heard of the butterfly effect? You haven't? Fair enough. Its a thought experiment based on a Lorenz attractor to demonstrate the essentially chaotic and uncontrollable nature of reality.

Anyway. Butterfly effect. Small changes in the intial state, big outcomes a while later.

This is found pretty much everywhere we look, but rather than changes to a chaotic system, we can use it to understand that small improvements now can lead to big outcomes in the future, provided we know which of the inputs to poke.

And which inputs of course depends on the goal in mind.

Weight loss? Muscle building? Endurance? Finance? Relationship?

Weight loss? Start with nutrition, then recovery, then exercise.

Muscle building? Same as before, but with more short interval resistance work.

Finance? Spend less. Reduce debt, add income.

Relationships? Listen more. Be present, be the person you'd want to be with.

Seriously, thats it.

None of this stuff takes a 3 hour podcast, a 12 week online course or a retreat with skydancing, funny mushooms and undyed robes.

Do the basics, be relentlessly consistent, see postive change.

Stressed? Tired? Anxious? Run down? Digestive issues? Just not feeling the spark in the bedroom? Perhaps your Vagus Nerv...
08/05/2025

Stressed? Tired? Anxious? Run down? Digestive issues? Just not feeling the spark in the bedroom? Perhaps your Vagus Nerve needs resetting!

Or so many practitoners will try to persuade you. And of course they will share the secrets of their protocol for only 10 dollars and your email address.

Fact: The vagus nerve is the 10th cranial nerve, and one of the only ones that leave the skull to travel around the body. In the case of the vagus nerve, it heads down the neck, outside of the spinal cord, and acts as the parasympathetic highway, adding control to the heart, digestion, major solid organs and even your response to inflammation.

So yes, if you are experiencing a huge variety of issues, then the vagus nerve is likely to be involved, especially if there is a psychological component.

However. A vagus nerve reset isn't a secret protocol or a mystic trick, and it may not make all those issues go away, especially if you haven't actually made a start at dealing with the underlying issues leading to them.

Want to reset your vagus nerve? Do anything that relaxes you. Breathing exercises, meditation, gentle rythmic exercise. As long as its not excessively stimulating and you enjoy it, it'll work.

Some research shows that there is a relationship between heart rate variability and the vagus nerve, and that asymmetric breathing (short nasal in, long pursed lip breath out), can help this.

When you look at it closely, most of the online information regarding resetting the vagus nerve is actually long term lifestyle management, with a funny hat. Change your diet, control your stress, exercise and train in a manner that supports your health.

Simple, cheap, effective.

And of course, always consult an expert when considering such things, to make sure that you are solving the correct problem.

Have you ever felt your breath catch? An awe inspiring view, a new love across the room, a shock from unexpected news? H...
06/05/2025

Have you ever felt your breath catch? An awe inspiring view, a new love across the room, a shock from unexpected news? Have you ever felt really short of breath, like there isn't enough air in the room? Lots of things can make us feel short of breath, some exciting (the new love across the room, the view), some scary (the sound of unknown feet on a dark night, shocking news), exertion and even some diseases.

Therefore a caveat - if you think that your shortness of breath, particularly if linked with a new or persistant cough, could be of pathological origin, go and see your primary medical provider for assessment and treatment.

Breathing is the most fundamental process of life, something we have done since the moment we were born and the last thing we shall do. It is something we never notice until it becomes the only things we can do and is also, uniquely, one of the only autonomic actions that we can control.

Hold your breath. Just stop. No in, no out, just pause. If you are relaxing and have no known underlying issues, you should be able to last 20 - 30 seconds before the desire to breath kicks in. Physiologically, this desire is driven by the change in Carbon Dioxide, not the drop in Oxygen.

The ability to control your breathing, and your response to it, is a wonderful gift, that can help relieve headaches, reduce your perception of stress, control anxiety, increase athletic performance and even change your mood.

And, if your breathing is restricted mechanically, there is research based evidence that manual therapies can also help improve this, increasing your functional effective volume and respiratory mechanics, also helping with the above issues.

At the Clinic, we have spent years working with specialists and carrying out research ourselves on best ways to treat, unlock and improve breathing, from relaxation exercises to breath control systems, and manual therapies to address underlying function issues.

Book today online https://app.diarybooker.com/3831484008 and talk to us to experience the benefits.

06/05/2025

The sun is shining, you're eager to get out and about, maybe to mow the grass, maybe to run in the park, perhaps to enjoy company around the barbeque.

Whatever it is, if its active, don't forget to warm up a little first.

We always see an increase in lower back pain complaints after the bank holiday after people have gone from zero to hero, spent all weekend in the garden or playing sport with the kids, only to find the muscles and tendons complaining come tuesday.

A warm up can be as simple as a few forward bends while the kettle boils, a couple of calf drops on the stairs, some simple arm swings to check the upper body.

You're not off to run the marathon, you're just getting outside.

But outside is always better than slouched on the sofa, so get out and have fun!

New post up on the website. Tendon problems and how to prevent or heal them. We also have direct online booking on the s...
04/03/2025

New post up on the website. Tendon problems and how to prevent or heal them.

We also have direct online booking on the site now, look for the friendly link that’ll take you straight to the diary!

CrossFit, Hyrox, Trail Running, Ironman, exercise sucks. It’s challenging, it can be mentally and physically draining, e...
07/01/2025

CrossFit, Hyrox, Trail Running, Ironman, exercise sucks.

It’s challenging, it can be mentally and physically draining, excessive amounts can leave you injured and unwell. Significant excess can kill you.

So does excess food, alcohol, a sedentary life, recreational pharmaceuticals.

It’s not the poison, it’s the dose.

As the world goes crazy and everyone leaps into the new year head first, remember that diving headfirst into anything you don’t understand is stupid (far too many people break their neck doing this each year).

Try the 80/20 rule. Do a little bit (20%) and still have 80% of the positive effect. Then, if it really is your thing, seek professional advice and support. Not online, in person. Get a coach, join a team. And then, before you commit, get assessed, we can show you what needs work and what needs support so you don’t get derailed by injury.

And for context, I love CrossFit for longevity, Hyrox looks like a fantastic challenge but I accept is too much of a cardiac risk for me, trail running is a beautiful way to enjoy our world and I love Ironman, it didn’t love me in the end.

Don’t do it. Don’t do the whole new year, new me thing. It’s not a new year, you’ve put a new calendar up. Nothing else ...
02/01/2025

Don’t do it.

Don’t do the whole new year, new me thing. It’s not a new year, you’ve put a new calendar up.

Nothing else has changed. You’re still watching too much tv, not walking enough, stressing about work, eating.. well, everything.

If you try to change everything, you’ll change nothing and just feel like s**t.

The only thing you can change is your attitude. Get amongst people who do the things you want to do.

Then, the changes will happen automatically. You’ll move not sit, make better nutritional choices because you can finally feel the difference when you do, and the positive will reflect everywhere. More effective colleague, easier to manage stress, calmer parent, better partner (fitness definitely reflects in the bedroom chaps!)

At the clinic we can help you get back on the path, manage those aches and pains, give you direction.

Then go join a good quality box ( ) and surround yourself with excellence.

Clinic open Mondays and Thursdays 10-4.

The inside of my head when self programming and why having a coach is a good idea if you don’t have decades of experienc...
30/12/2024

The inside of my head when self programming and why having a coach is a good idea if you don’t have decades of experience.

Todays workout at EDC was not going to favour my spine (I have issues in my thoracic region) and given the fact that it had been a week of indulgences interspersed with dog walks and wood chopping, I needed a little something to ease me back into the game.

Applying a touch of theory, it looked like this (translated from my ex medic hand)
Neuro
Range
Stability
Unilateral

Or- I needed something to fire the nervous system up and reintegrate the brain body link. Then I needed to check my range of motion and feel out some previous tissue issues. Then we needed a touch of stability work to engage the trunk under load, finishing up with some unilateral instability.

Sound complex? Not really. Skips are fabulous at neural reintegration. Kettlebell swings will get upper and lower working together nicely as well as check out some ROM issues. A bit of mobility work once warm followed by a short workout of sandbag squat clean to carry (stabilised load) and some light dumbbell box squats and lunges.

Nothing excessive. Programmed purely for me. Not a recommendation or a coaching plan. Just a glimpse behind my theory of movement.

If you want coaching, join the box. If you need sports injury or rehab advice, make an appointment.

Back to the coached classes next, where I will be asking the coaches for scaling as needed and enjoying the movement.

It’s that time! All the influencers and pauedo-coaches are going to come up with their fitness and life hacks that’ll la...
30/12/2024

It’s that time! All the influencers and pauedo-coaches are going to come up with their fitness and life hacks that’ll last 2 weeks until getting up to meditate for an hour before a cold plunge and a ju-jitsu session becomes tedious, boring and exhausting.

I therefore offer my take! Stop doing random stuff. Don’t add more crap to your day, take some away.

If you get distracted by your phone all the time, but need it around, put it on greyscale mode. A quick internet search will explain how. And then, without the colours, it becomes far les interesting. Read a real book instead. Let the ideas spark and flow.

Wave breathing. Breath in, let it out, hold on the exhale. Often for a count, you decide how long. Breath out like a wave rolling up a beach. There is some physiology behind this so if you see me, I can explain, but try it. Just a few moments, a couple of times a day.

Get rid of stuff. Throw it in the bin, recycle it, give it to someone who needs it more than you. We all have too much stuff and it strangles our energy and saps our resources. This doesn’t have to be the full house clearance minimalist, just… pick something up. Do you have a place for it or a need for it? No? Get it gone. Then stop buying more. You’ll have more energy, more space, more money. All for zero cost.

Back for ‘25 and celebrating 25 years of complementary health practice. I could write a list of everything I’ve treated ...
27/12/2024

Back for ‘25 and celebrating 25 years of complementary health practice.

I could write a list of everything I’ve treated over the last 25 years but it would be too long for a single screenshot.

But what if I told you you didn’t need to put up with all those niggles and pains that slow you down, what if you had a secret recipe that helped reduce them so you could start to do more again? We can’t solve everything, sometimes there are chronic conditions that won’t go away, but we can almost always change your relationship to them so you can feel more you.

Integrating modern medical training, NHS experience and many years of practice, I will give you an honest and open opinion, signpost you to the best pathways and empower you to take control.

Start 25 with a new and positive drive. Book in for an assessment and let’s make a plan together.

It’s not always exciting but it is important. For anyone, learning new skills should be a lifelong habit. In the case of...
22/11/2024

It’s not always exciting but it is important. For anyone, learning new skills should be a lifelong habit. In the case of a clinician of any stripe it should be mandatory.

Doing CPD on clinical medicine today, and this lecture is on the management of lipids in heart disease.

As ever, lifestyle changes should always be first line.

No matter what your role in improving health, you can make a difference. And keep learning.

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