Healing Hands

25/07/2025

Pop the date in your diary for this year's Ibstock Summer Safari at The Palace Community Centre Ltd.

This year's event will take place over 2 days on the 9th & 10th of August.

You can collect your map from 'Safari Base' inside The Palace & there are lots of prizes available (across various age categories).

22/10/2022

Dear All, Here is my first book that I have written and illustrated. The Secrets and Superpowers of Father Christmas the Worlds Greatest Super Hero!' It is essential reading for all parents and grandparents. Anyone wanting this exceptional book can order it by clicking on the following link https://biblio.co.uk/search.php?author=Garside&title=&keyisbn=&order=pricedesc&dealer_id=3475 Wishing you all the best Ian

17/07/2022

‘It’s a Pain!’ But is just in the mind?
In previous articles I have described pain as the good, the bad and the ugly.
Saying that good pain is that muscle ache you get after you have been exercising. Bad pain is that pain you get from an injury, and ugly pain being pain you get from being ill.
I have been asked the question is some pain just in the mind? The answer is no. Pain registers in the brain with signals from your nerve receptors, however the mind can amplify the pain.
Many of us associate a trip to the dentists with pain, because apart from a general check-up all other dental procedures involve a degree of pain. So if we go to the dentists anticipating pain then we become tense and stressed and therefore the pain becomes more intense. Similar if we go for an injection and we anticipate the pain we tense the muscle where the injection is going to be delivered, and in doing so there is greater resistance to the pe*******on of the needle, and therefore the pain is increased.
The same applies if we injure ourselves, whether it’s a strained shoulder or a strained back the body’s natural reaction is to tense the muscles and tendons around the injury to stop us moving and causing further damage. The problem is that as we start to recover from the injury this tension becomes a learnt position, and we anticipate pain and as we start to move the injured part we tense up, and like going to the dentist this amplifies the pain which therefore fulfils the prophecy of our mind. It is this anticipation of the pain that stops us from recovering quickly and resorting to pain killers.
So how do we reverse this situation and recover speedily? Firstly we have to learn to relax the muscles prior to moving (easier said than done I know) Two of the things we can do is to use heat and gentle stretching exercises. If we apply warmth to the muscles around the injured part of our body this encourages blood flow and helps to relax the muscles. If we then combine this with gentle movement and stretching of these muscles the tension will abate and the pain will not be as intense. By doing this regularly we re-educate the muscles and as we move them they start to regain their strength.
Those of us who suffer with arthritis know that when we travel to warm sunny climes the pain of moving subsides and we become more active, this is the same principle.

Best wishes Ian
If you do feel that you need my talents to either mend or ease those aching joints and muscles just give me, call at Healing Hands, Ibstock Business Centre 57 High Street Ibstock, Tel 0750 811 5080

26/02/2022

‘Ice Ice Baby!’
You are probably wondering why I am quoting the title of a Vanilla Ice song; well it fits the theme of this article.
The other day one of my patients asked me what was the best pain killer for their painful back?, and is using anti-inflammatory Ibuprofen gels better than orally taking Ibuprofen pain killers?
To be honest I couldn’t answer their first question, because as I explained depending on what other medical conditions a person has (Cardio-vascular, Diabetes, etc) and the possible side effects / reactions, that various pain killers may have when combined with any other medication a person is taking, they must consult with their GP before experimenting with various over the counter pain killers.
Regarding the question which is better using anti-inflammatory Ibuprofen gels or orally taking Ibuprofen pain killers? Again it depends on what other medication you are taking, however from a personal point of view the less I take orally the better and rubbing in anti-inflammatory directly onto the painful muscle/joint is less invasive and more effective.
But to be honest as most of my patients know my favourite anti-inflammatory is ‘ice’ either in cube form or reusable ice packs. Provided you don’t place the ice pack directly to the skin which could cause an ice burn (Always place a thin cloth between you and the ice pack) there are no secondary side effects, and it is more effective at reducing inflammation in soft tissue injuries, and tendonitis, it is also much cheaper!
Quite often if I have a specific sore point I will take an ice cube and massage directly the inflamed area until the ice cube melts and I find that the pain eases almost instantly. I recommend that after using either an ice cube or ice pack to the injured area you apply a heat pad (not too hot) to the area as this infuses the area with blood which speeds up the repair/recovery of the damaged tissue. Remember for injuries P.R.I.C.E. Protect, Rest, Ice, Compression, and Elevation. Although in some instances elevation is not an option.
I have used the ice massage technique extremely successfully on treating many patients with everything from frozen shoulders to foot injuries and various other injuries in-between. I have especially had great success using this technique combined with remedial massage therapy for treating lower back pain, and sciatica.
So ‘Ice Ice Baby’
Best wishes Ian
If you do feel that you need my talents to either mend or ease those aching joints and muscles just give me, call at Healing Hands, Ibstock Business Centre 57 High Street Ibstock, Tel 0750 811 5080

16/01/2022

18/12/2021

Official Release! The Air Raid Shelter Cafe and Tea Room have teamed up with May Blossom and Top Notes Choir to record a charity single. With some help from ...

27/11/2021

Back to Backs
You are probably wondering why I am going to write about terraced houses or Coronation Street; you will be pleased to know that I’m not.
Today I am again writing about that age old problem ‘Bad Backs’.
Back pain is one of the biggest causes of work absences in the UK, accounting for more than 12 million days lost every year.
Whilst that statistic is shocking because of the impact on the economy of the UK, that isn’t what bothers me. What does bother me are three things:
Firstly, the pain that the individuals are going through.
Secondly, the economic pain that this causes them and their families.
And finally, due to the number of people needing help, the impact it has upon the NHS.
What can we do to prevent injuring our backs?
If you are self-employed or employ people there are a number of things you can do to help prevent back injuries.
1) Ensuring that the correct tools are available for the job in hand.
2) Carry out a full risk assessment of the area of operation.
A) Is there good access and egress to carry out the task safely?
B) Are there any trip hazards?
C) Can the person carrying out the task do so without over reaching or twisting?
3) If the work / process being carried is very repetitive, take regular breaks or rotate staff regularly throughout the working day to work on different elements of the process, so that they don’t suffer RSI (repetitive strain injury).
An advantage to this is that that each member of your staff is capable of carrying out each part of the process
4) Provide training on safe working practices
Whilst there is undoubtedly a cost to all of this, the cost of not being able to work, or having key workers absent, outweighs that cost.
So what can we do as individuals?
Well to start with, take on board all of the above because most injuries happen in the home or garden with all of us keen on DIY.
In summary what are the main causes of back pain?
1) Injury from an impact:-that might be from a fall or a crash, even from an action playing your favourite sport or hobby, such as jumping high to head a football and landing badly.
2) Soft tissue damage:-. over- reaching and lifting when carrying out a job, or when playing a sport; lifting and twisting when carrying heavy weights (such as a heavy plant pot at full stretch);.or over- extending when serving at tennis, to give just a few examples
3) Over working:- continuous repetitive actions (RSI).such as standing or sitting in one position for long periods, , or poor posture whilst working at a desk or computer.
4) Old age and disease:- as we grow older the body doesn’t rejuvenate and repair as quickly, the disc’s in our backs compress, and women especially suffer from osteoporosis (thinning of the bones).
How to keep a healthy back and avoid back pain
Firstly, take all the safety precautions you can whilst at work or playing your sport. (Obviously you can’t account for the actions of others but you can anticipate them).
Secondly, prepare your body for action, whether that is your work or your sport, by doing gentle stretching beforehand.
Thirdly, stop and think before doing something like reaching out and trying to lift or move something heavy; ask for help if you need it (don’t be too macho or shy).
At work, take time out to move and stretch. Talk to your boss or manager if you find that certain actions are causing you back pain. Remember, it is in their interests to have you in work and productive, than for you to have to have time off for back pain.
Keep active :- by taking up an activity such as going to the gym, dancing, swimming, pilates, ‘walking football’. The list is endless; however I would avoid extreme activities such as bungee jumping or skate boarding, especially as we get older.
Eat healthily:- a healthy diet has been proven to reduce inflammation within the body that in turn reduces the pain from both osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis.
By eating healthily and keeping active we can keep the pounds off and the waistline down. Being overweight puts a strain on our muscles and joints, especially our spines and those muscles supporting the spine.
Treat yourself to a regular massage. Yes, I would say that wouldn’t I? But think about this, why do top sports people and dancers have regular massages and physiotherapy? The answer is to prevent injuries and keep them at the top of their game. You are just as important, you deserve to look after yourself don’t you?
As we get older we will inevitably lose our strength and flexibility, but what isn’t inevitable is the rate at which this happens. By keeping active, eating healthily, keeping our weight in check and looking after ourselves there is no reason that we can’t have a long life relatively pain-free.
Remember the saying “If you don’t use it you lose it”. Think young - stay young.
Wishing you all a safe and Happy Christmas
Best wishes Ian

09/08/2021

What is ‘K’ Taping?
I was asked this question recently. Well actually the question was “This taping thing you do, how does it work?”.
This ‘taping thing’ is Kinesiology (K) taping.
So what is it and how does it work?
Here is an official answer from ‘Physiopedia’:-
“Kinesiology taping (KT) is a therapeutic tool and is popular within the sporting arena. Taping has been used for a long time for the prevention and treatment of sporting injuries. KT is not only used for sporting injuries but for a variety of other conditions. There are many proposed benefits to KT, including: proprioceptive facilitation; reduced muscle fatigue; pain inhibition; and enhanced healing.
The type of application determines the physiological outcome: for example, KT is applied un-stretched over manually stretched skin above the injured muscle. This will cause the skin to form convolutions which lift the skin. These convolutions encourage regeneration of injured tissue by increasing interstitial space and alleviating interstitial pressures which occur from swelling post injury.”
Well that has probably got your head spinning, it did mine!
There are various types of application, depending on the physiological outcome needed. I personally use K taping to help patients recover from soft tissue injuries such as sprains, strains or muscle tears. All of us at some point will suffer from a soft tissue injury, be it from over-reaching, lifting something too heavy, a minor accident where a joint becomes twisted (sprained), or RSI (repetitive strain injury) caused by the nature of our work.
If you think about the mechanics of our bodies, we are basically made up of levers (tendons and ligaments) and compression and expansion springs (muscles). These move our joints and enable us to function in our daily lives. Once these get injured, either through impact, overuse or over straining (torn), we experience pain which reduces our ability to function and earn a living or enjoy our hobbies. We could turn to taking painkillers, with the knock-on side effects, but whilst these mask the pain they don’t allow our bodies to rest, recover and repair. ‘But I don’t have time to rest because of my job’ I hear you cry, and I fully understand your frustration.
This is when ‘K’ Taping comes into its own. Taping, when applied professionally, takes most of the strain off the injured soft tissue, allowing it time to repair whilst you, within reason, can continue getting on with your daily life, without being reliant on painkillers. Also, going forwards it reduces the chances of re-injury. Now, who would have thought that a bit of tape could do all that?
A word of caution: K taping done incorrectly can cause more harm than good; the person applying it must be fully trained in its application.
Take care, all the best Ian

18/07/2021

Will we ever eradicate back pain?
I saw this head line in a magazine the other day (not the community voice). The short answer is no!
We as human beings naturally take risks especially when we are young and think we are invincible. Once we have injured our back we will never be totally free from back pain. However you can manage it without taking loads of pain killers
What are the main causes of back pain:
1) Injury from an impact:-. That might be from a fall or a crash, even from an action playing your favourite sport / hobby e.g jumping high to head a football and landing badly, or lifting that heavy plant pot at full stretch.
2) Soft tissue damage:-. Over reaching and lifting when carrying out a job, or when playing a sport. Lifting and twisting when carrying heavy weights, or over extending when serving at tennis. These are just a few examples
3) Over working:- Continuous repetitive actions (RSI). Standing or sitting in one position for long periods, Bad posture whilst working at a desk or computer
4) Old age and disease:- As we grow older the body doesn’t rejuvenate and repair as quickly. The disc’s in our backs compress, and especially women suffer from osteoporosis.
So what can we do to keep a healthy back and manage back pain?
Firstly take all the safety precautions you can whilst doing your work or playing your sport. (Obviously you can’t account for the actions of others but you can anticipate them).
Secondly prepare your body for action whether that is your work or your sport by doing gentle stretching first thing in a morning.
Thirdly stop and think before doing something like reaching out and trying to lift or move something heavy, Ask for help (don’t be too macho or shy)
At work take time out to move and stretch. Talk to your boss or manager if you find that certain actions are causing you back pain. Remember it is in their interests to have you in work and productive, than for you to have to have time off for back pain.
Treat yourself to a regular massage. Yes I would say that wouldn’t I, but think about this, why do top sports people and dancers have regular massages and physiotherapy. The answer is to prevent injury to keep them at the top of their profession. Are you not just as important, don’t you deserve to look after yourself?
All the best Ian