Openhealth Clinic

17/02/2025

An exciting update!

We have launched online booking at OpenHealth!

You can currently book:
👉🏻 Osteopathy with Toby
👉🏻 Cranial Osteopathy with Abigail
👉🏻 Sports Massage with Sam, Susan or Laura Sparling
👉🏻 Manual Lymphatic Drainage with Sam

Coming soon:
👉🏻 Acupuncture and Herbal Medicine with Sing Sing

For any other appointment with other practitioners, please call or email us!

23/10/2023

OpenHealth clinic, in Ascot Business Park, is looking for a new part-time front-of-house team member.

The allotted hours will typically be Saturday mornings and 1-2 evenings per week, but there may be the opportunity to do more should you wish to.

The role involves welcoming patients in a friendly and approachable manner so we need someone with confident communication skills.

The successful candidate will be expected to answer the phone, deal with enquiries, and ensure efficient diary management. They will have to respond to emails, call patients as required, and manage correspondence.

They will also need to process payments, order clinic supplies, and support the clinical team to deliver the best possible care. Training will be provided.

For more details, please contact Pennie at 01344 625475 or email the clinic at info@openhealthclinic.com

15/07/2022

Kind words from Richard Phillips]
Glad we can help!
It’s all about the teamwork. 👊🏻

Posted • Richard Phillips]

Losing weight isn’t just about eating less it’s about looking after the 6 pillars of your health mental, emotional, physical, environmental, existenal and relational. We won’t have all the answers ourselves so it’s important to have a team behind you that you can trust. There’s nothing wrong with saying no I can’t help you but I know someone who can. are my go to when my body malfunctions. They have never let me down, the service is impeccable, the care first class and my trust in them is 100%. Never underestimate the power of the team around you.

08/07/2022

An instagram post from our osteopath, Toby Pollard-Smith

Posted •

Balance gets discussed in clinic.

Even more so with recent research suggesting that being able to balance on each leg for 10 seconds is predictive of life expectancy (let's tackle that another day...)

I regularly tell patients that balance shouldn't be considered a static activity, an absence of wobbling or any other movement.

Instead, it's a dynamic process where forces are constantly reconciled, adjusted, and err, balanced.

Not only does this help with the physical activity of balancing which I think we can all recognise, but I also think it is of utmost importance in keeping our bodies healthy.

A balance of structure from right to left.
A balance of strength front and back.
A balanced set of skills to perform movements in different directions.

So while I found a dozen images of stones balanced in a pile, I find the image of a spinning top more relevant.

21/06/2022

"People who cannot stand on one leg for 10 seconds are found to be almost twice as likely to die within 10 years"

What a terrifying headline!

While we're all strong believers in the importance of being able to balance, it doesn't add up that not being able to balance will kill you. Although if you spend your life standing on train platforms, right by the edge?!...

More likely there is an association here. Those who can't balance are perhaps more sedentary and take less regular exercise. Which in turn points toward a less healthy lifestyle.

So it's perhaps a handy screening tool, but nothing in life is this simple!

People who cannot stand on one leg for 10 seconds are found to be almost twice as likely to die within 10 years

15/06/2022

Posted • Prognosis can be an interesting thing.

The prognosis of an injury or condition is the timeframe in which it is expected to heal or recover.

And guess what? Different conditions have different prognoses!

This knowledge can be useful at the outset of an injury, allowing plans to be made, and expectations to be set.

Prognostic information can also be useful when people are mid-injury. If their injury is confirmed, are they recovering according to the expected prognosis? If not, why not?

If the injury is only suspected, or perhaps there is a choice of alternatives, then prognostic knowledge can help decide on which seems the best fit.

Last for now, when people experience pain which is too short-lived for the condition they fear, it is hard to believe that they really are suffering from that condition.

Frozen shoulder that lasted 2 days? Nope!
A lumbar disc injury that settled in a week Nope!

The story matters, and it can help us understand the condition and healing.

05/05/2022

Posted • Repetition can be a good thing.

It can help us create habits, and help us learn new skills.

But sometimes I worry about patients who are doing the same things over and over.

Those things might not be bad when viewed individually, but when they are repeated without any variety or room for expansion, perhaps they are creating limitations.

Imagine you did squats everyday, and just squats.

Squats are good for you, right?

But what if you need to do reach for something on one leg while twisting?
Have the squats prepared you for this?

Things are never quite this simple, but I start to believe that encouraging variety of movement and activities should move up the list of importance.

11/04/2022

Posted • Certain things can act like a brick wall in the way of recovery.

Getting people better can often be more about removing these barriers than doing any “healing”.

Having an incorrect diagnosis is a common problem, whether self-researched or given in error by a medic.
Treating the wrong thing rarely helps!

A poor healing environment is also common. Nothing too nebulous here - we’re talking about too much of the wrong activity, too little sleep, unhelpful beliefs and negative outlooks.

Alternately, some conditions need to be worked on. Perhaps with increased mobility, maybe extra strength, sometimes enhanced movement skill.

It can be a minefield. All I can say to people is go get some guidance.

👉🏻 What is it?
👉🏻 What can be done to help?
👉🏻 What is the best plan going forwards?

Let me know if you have any questions…

08/04/2022

Here's an excerpt from our latest blog:

Is the concept of maintenance treatment for those in pain unethical?

It’s interesting to consider the potential value of ‘maintenance’ in today’s world.

Well firstly, what does it mean? I guess it is the idea of minimising dysfunction, as well as maximising performance, by regularly checking and if necessary, addressing all relevant individual components.

It seems the acceptance of the idea varies greatly between industries. How many of us have our boiler serviced on an annual basis, compared to say, our cars? Why is one easier to sell than another?

For most of us, the most obvious concern is that it is simply a cunning plan by a manufacturer to squeeze more money from us. I for one, detest being offered a warranty on a new purchase. Isn’t it an admittance of impending failure?

So, what does maintenance look like within medicine?

The Dental profession have created a very thorough package; teeth being cleaned twice per day, regular flossing, and check-ups every six months.

Ophthalmology is another interesting example. You’re prescribed glasses, often to compensate for eye musculature that weakens as we get older. These muscles are then able to work less hard. Unsurprisingly, when your vision is checked two years later, the musculature has weakened further, resulting in a stronger prescription. It is self-perpetuating.

The question is, within musculoskeletal medicine, are Osteopaths, Physios, Sports Massage Therapists, and Acupuncturists part of the problem or part of the cure?

Read more here: https://openhealthclinic.com/who-needs-maintenance/

18/03/2022

Pilates has become better-known and more popular over the last decade. It is viewed as a safe form of exercise that can help keep us healthy and reduce injury occurrence.

Pilates can also be extremely beneficial for people who have been diagnosed with neurological disorders such as Parkinson’s, Multiple Sclerosis and those who are in recovery from a Stroke.

Exercise has been proven to be effective in improving Neuroplasticity; the ability of neural networks in the brain to change through growth and reorganisation. Repeated stimulation of specific receptors leads to the slow creation of new pathways and connections.

Pilates offers symptom management for these disorders and improves physical condition and posture which directly improves daily function and discomfort associated with these conditions.

Why is Pilates beneficial for Neurological disorders?

Improves daily function
Reduces the risk of falls
Improves posture
Promotes relaxation
Symptom management
Challenges co-ordination
Improves mood and sleep
Exercises the mind (memory, attention and learning)

If you have a neurological condition and would like to find out more about Pilates and whether it can help you, please do not hesitate to get in touch.

19/01/2022

How do our spines change as we age?

Our newest blog looks at the change from birth, to maturity, to the changes we see in later life.

Read more here: https://openhealthclinic.com/the-circle-of-life-at-least-for-your-spine/

15/12/2021

Toby, one of our osteopaths, has a fresh way of explaining when osteopathy or physiotherapy might be the better solution for you.

Have a read, and see if you can recognise the difference.

Two Tents - We are located in Ascot and welcome clients from surrounding areas such as Bracknell, Sunningdale and other areas. Our team are expertly trained and effectively treat any pain you are experiencing. Get in touch with us today!