http://nickcowanosteopath.co.uk/

Nick Cowan Osteopath, The Smart Clinics/South Kensington, London (2026)

15/03/2020

The antidote to virus fear:

Yes there is fear.
Yes there is isolation.
Yes there is panic buying.
Yes there is sickness.
Yes there is even death.
But,
They say that in Wuhan after so many years of noise
You can hear the birds again.
They say that after just a few weeks of quiet
The sky is no longer thick with fumes
But blue and grey and clear.
They say that in the streets of Assisi
People are singing to each other
across the empty squares,
keeping their windows open
so that those who are alone
may hear the sounds of family around them.
They say that a hotel in the West of Ireland
Is offering free meals and delivery to the housebound.
Today a young woman I know
is busy spreading fliers with her number
through the neighbourhood
So that the elders may have someone to call on.
Today Churches, Synagogues, Mosques and Temples
are preparing to welcome
and shelter the homeless, the sick, the weary
All over the world people are slowing down and reflecting
All over the world people are looking at their neighbours in a new way
All over the world people are waking up to a new reality
To how big we really are.
To how little control we really have.
To what really matters.
To Love.
So we pray and we remember that
Yes there is fear.
But there does not have to be hate.
Yes there is isolation.
But there does not have to be loneliness.
Yes there is panic buying.
But there does not have to be meanness.
Yes there is sickness.
But there does not have to be disease of the soul
Yes there is even death.
But there can always be a rebirth of love.
Wake to the choices you make as to how to live now.
Today, breathe.
Listen, behind the factory noises of your panic
The birds are singing again
The sky is clearing,
Spring is coming,
And we are always encompassed by Love.
Open the windows of your soul
And though you may not be able
to touch across the empty square,
Sing.
Fr. Richard Hendrick, OFM
March 13th 2020

18/11/2019

Remember to breathe. (Even when it’s near 0 degrees!)

Within our lives, we are subjected to all manner of stresses, challenges and subsequent build up and release of emotion.

Human beings can thrive from adversity however it clearly depends on how we respond to this often untimely stimulus as to what the outcome may be.

Start simple….
Nervous before a big endurance race or sporting challenge…slow your breath.
Nervous before a big meeting or presentation...slow your breath.
Preparing for some bad news...slow your breath.

Sitting in an ice bath at 0.2deg.... slow your breath.

Modern developed society has pushed people too far in to a comfortable zone. So to step outside it and reconnect with nature, our internal physiology, and mental fortitude, is to benefit in these and so many other ways.
Cold and (indeed heat) exposure is but part of this and is well documented through the extrordinary works spurred on by Hoff.
The physiological benefits are wide spread. Improved immune response, greater energy levels, sense of improved state of mind and therefore a profound influence on our mental state.

It all starts with control of the breath. The shift takes time but with increased effort on this, cold exposure and a positive mental approach, these and many more gains can be met. But you won’t know if you don’t step outside your comfort zone and give it a go.

Breathe
It’s not the solution to everything but it’s a bloody good start to base your next move from.

Many thanks to the awesome PT and instructor that is for a brilliant workshop yesterday!!

@ Kensington, United Kingdom

24/05/2019

Some people talk and some people do-this man does both. Here’s to my buddy who is about to and is in fact airborne bound to South America, to take on the challenge of in aid of OCDaction. Check out all the great work he has done to help give a voice to this crippling condition. To good health and well-being we must be aware of all the facets that are required to achieve this, both mental and physical.
Support Dan at the following: https://www.justgiving.com/campaign/DanFurlongsPeru230

17/05/2019

To achieve good health and well-being is an on going journey of challenges and fulfillment. Body image and aesthetics are too often being used as the gold standard in the fitness industry. It could/should be viewed as a by product instead and To begin from the inside out is always the best starting point! To be explained from the expert opinion in association with go to https://danrobertsgroup.com/product/body-image-guide/

28/04/2019

“Have you stretched before your run?”
“No, I usually do it after, but only if I have time.”

When to stretch and what type? How long to hold it for and should I do more yoga style stretching or isolate one muscle group?
And then there are the options:
Ballistic
Dynamic
Static
Active
Passive
Isometric

With so many methods and theories, thought processes and ideas as to what is to be the best way to “stretch” a better way to approach the question is to consider that before any sporting or physical training endeavor; what is my body about to do and therefore how to I get it ready to do it. The notion of “warming up” should be taken literally. The same principle should be thought of after exertion but the reverse.
In a manner of speaking it is the same principle for strength training. And hence strength and CONDITIONING is largely doing exactly what it “says on the tin”-Preparing the body for its desired actions. Functional training is another statement bounded around but that’s a post for another time!
On a more specific note it is important to consider that the need for improved flexibility must be coupled with adequate strength requirements. In very simple terms you can spend a lifetime stretching your hamstrings with little positive effect because you’ve done nothing in the way of making them stronger through correct activation.

To this brief end into the complex world of stretching, and strengthening; to the challenge ahead of those running 26.2 miles around the London streets today, hopefully the strength and endurance training has been done. Let’s pray the conditioning and flexibility work has been put to good use, because it will make the recovery process from the challenge ahead that much easier and relatively pain free. Good luck runners, and enjoy!
@ Hertfordshire

27/04/2019

You don’t need to be on a mountain top to get your “zen like” head on. Slowing down, being present, mindfulness- all turns of phrases that have growing importance in an ever rapid paced developed world but are so often terms that are either misunderstood, undervalued, underestimated in their power and applicability. Even the very discussion in this manner seems almost cliched.
-
Inspirational sources are however all around us and you don’t have to travel the ends of the earth or go on expensive courses to seek or attain them. That is not to say that these endeavors cannot hold value. It’s taking the time to pause for thought to take inspiration from people, places and experiences that make you smile, that fill your life with positive energy and with purpose. The human state both physical and mental, needs and craves time to work at an optimal pace. Sometimes it does desire intensity and speed but if we don’t take the time to slow it down we are likely to miss a whole host of luxury’s for all our senses and emotions we never believed to be there because we were moving to fast to notice them.

26/04/2019

With all great achievements, hard work invariably is where it stems from. The following is an old post of mine but it always feels relevant whether it’s for all those hitting the streets of London this Sunday, or quite frankly for all of us starting a new challenge or reaping the rewards of hard work:

“It’s time to set forward the prep work for this is now the reward for months of hard graft. Now is the time to bask in the glory of each mile, to lap up the support drenched upon you and thousands of other worthy warriors who have chosen to take on the challenge. Remember it is supposed to be hard, for hard is what makes the achievement great. Embrace the nerves, let the adrenaline flow, harness it and every muscle fibre you have and most of all the strength of character within you, as that is your greatest ally on this journey. Running a marathon is not an event, it's an analogy for life. The good the bad, but ultimately with your determination you will experience the glory. The weak quiet voice in your head that says you can't do it is a liar. After all you are that person who will silence that voice- endure it! Enjoy it! What ever the challenge, it is yet another great portion of discovery in the greatest journey of all- life!"

Good luck to all my patients and friends in London this Sunday!

16/11/2018

EAT, SLEEP, MOVE, REPEAT.

We are MOVERS, we adapt to our surroundings but in the developed world we are arguably adapting in a way that is making us lazy, SEDENTARY and devoid of tapping in to innate primal instincts of discovery. We don’t need to literally voyage out of our caves to seek far away lands anymore, but that journey into the unknown or even a change from normality takes on many forms: a new job, learning a new skill, a physical challenge.
-
The links between our mental capacity and how far we can push ourselves are profound. We just so often haven’t stepped outside our comfort zone and are too fearful of the “pain” we may endure to achieve the goal. A pain that can in fact be a source of enlightenment and a lesson learnt.
-
Tim Noakes “central governor theory” depicts a built in physiological hand break; your body’s way of saying enough is enough when we’ve seemingly pushed too hard and there is a danger of causing permanent damage. But how do some seemingly override this system?
Mental drive and fortitude is perhaps a dying art form in a developed world where so many things are “on tap”, at our disposal, a magic pill for this, a surgical procedure for that. The lunacy of it all is that this is clearly false and in developing true health- it is often a fairytale.
-
The human form in a physical sense has barely changed in the last 10,000 years so why in recent decades have we seen it fit to move away from primal patterns? The blame can sit at many doors, social pressure, materialistic desires, some of which aren’t a bad thing depending on your state of mind with or without it.
-
Set the bar high, even if you fall short; take : The Nepal 600 this year, 6 day Amazon jungle ultra next year- Still yet to enter “just a marathon”.
and team - Spot of rowing this December. Why?.... WHY NOT.

HARD WORK IS SO OFTEN THE ANSWER, THE QUESTION IS SO OFTEN IRRELEVANT
-: first person to swim round mainland Great Britain

14/11/2018

“ARE YOU BEACH BODY READY YET!!?”- Screams the ‘professional’ trainer

With ever increasing social pressures to “look good” and a significant shift via the ignorant end of the fitness industry towards the importance of aesthetics over holistic health, the following statement has significant resonance more than ever:

The human body is an INSTRUMENT NOT AN ORNAMENT
-
When both the body and mind are in harmony, we may tap in to skill sets, movements patterns and achieve incredible levels of health and well being. A journey of attainment that is ever changing and only one that ends when we pass away.
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The need to stimulate the cardiovascular system and place intense resistance through our muscles are key to a healthy frame and internal systems however just as important is the need to attain a balance with more calming restorative stimuli- a leisurely walk taking in your surroundings, yoga, meditation, etc.
-
“how much do you deadlift?”
“What’s your 10k PB?”
“How many pull ups can you do” (subtext- kipping pull ups don’t count- unless you want to be in the nursing a torn rotator cuff!)

The pressures of “number chasing” can be positive but equally lead to poor form and an impatient approach to building healthy foundations of strength and stability.
-
:deadlift WR 500kg : WR marathon 2:01:39
: first person to swim round mainland Great britain

The above examples, from a “body shape” perspective, are perfectly placed to suit their respective achievements, ie they have honed their bodies and indeed minds to suit the task at hand. There is certainly no harm in setting goals, however in the case for example of deadlifting half a ton, there are huge risks involved as well. But recognize the need to place function and purpose over how you look, because if you do so smartly with good training methods, a healthy well being will be more attainable and the irony being in most scenarios the aesthetics so many set as the number one priority are a byproduct of this gain as well.

07/09/2018

Dancing:

For as long as humans have had the ability to express emotion we have been dancing. It is a medium to express love, happiness, sadness and anger.
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On a physiological level, much like learning any new movement pattern like a squat, a “dance move” requires the laying down of neuromuscular pathways so that the thought of doing something turns into a reality. Of course what may be the thought, doesn’t necessarily translate into how it looks, hence, practice makes perfect not only to cement those pathways but so the end result looks good!
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Dancing takes on many forms and has a rich presence in every culture in human existence, and provides an outlet for all manner of feelings and an identity to that culture. From the Maasai Adamu rhythmical jump, to the Maori haka. Whether it be to for the Maasai, theirs is a celebration to mark the rite of passage, to welcome young men to the next stage of their lives, a war dance to terrify the would be Maori’s enemies.
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Professional dancers- the range varies hugely from classical ballet, to body popping and breakdancing- but all in all they are some of the “fittest” athletes on the planet. The combination of movements, the explosive power required and endurance to last a routine, yet with precision and poise. We are left in awe by so many of these performers, but rare do we stop to think, how the hell did they do that. It is perhaps better to just simply bask in the performance itself.
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Regardless of origin, indeed getting too bogged down in its meaning and fretting over whether you’ve done the move “right” reach for the play button and let the music literally move you both psychologically and physically.

Your body and your brain will thank you for it.

06/09/2018

PSOAS MARCH

This is a great corrective exercise when needing to work on lumbopelvic control. It helps with psoas strains, low back pain, squat technique, and even “tight” hip flexors (Tense muscles are often weak ones crying out!)

Point one is not illustrated in the video as this is done without a resistance band. Due to the difficulty of the exercise it is advised to commence without the band first.

1/ Lay on your back with both thighs flexed to 90 degrees and knees bent as well. The lower back will be held flat on the ground, held in place by the anterior core muscles. One leg is then kicked out while the other remains vertical, without letting low back position change. Depending on the level of strength of the athlete the leg can be kicked further up (easier) versus reaching out as far as possible (increasing the difficulty).

2/ Keep the same starting position as above but now kick one leg out into the resistance band. The other leg that remains in the starting position must isometrically contract the psoas, further challenging the ability to hold the spine and pelvis in position. This strong contraction of the hip flexor with a strong core muscle contraction to stabilize quickly abolishes the “tightness” many athletes feel in their hips secondary to weak hip flexors.

Note: Slower the “march” the better control you will be exhibiting

04/09/2018

The hip- is the joint between the femur and acetabulum of the pelvis and its primary function is to support the weight of the body in both STATIC(e.g. standing) and DYNAMIC (e.g. walking or running) postures.

It is the largest ball and socket joint in the body but unlike the next largest- the shoulder- it has a bigger “ball” and a deeper “socket”. These STRUCTURAL differences are dictated by its FUNCTION. Unlike the shoulder, which needs to have a far greater range of motion and a lesser degree of weight bearing stability, the hip is a significant weight bearing joint and therefore the socket needs to be deeper to provide this structural integrity and support. In addition the ligaments that bind the the joint are exceptionally strong:

The iliofemoral ligament has a tensile strength of approximately 350kg.

There are several conditions that can affect the hip:
Muscle strains
Congenital abnormalities
Trauma ie fracture (or in extreme cases: dislocation)
OSTEOARTHRITIS (OA). This somewhat natural WEAR AND TEAR process is hugely dictated by the following:

-MOBILITY: How well do we move in the manner in which our body is designed- Stand up, walk, dance, run, jump, stretch- STIMULATE THE BODY WITH MOVEMENT and have a positive impact on the joints and muscles alike.

STRENGTH: In conjunction with mobility, how well we stimulate the associated structures that move the hip ie the muscles, will dictate how quickly OA may set in. Weaken these supportive cables around the joint and the joint surfaces will press closer together and wear.

NATURE (genetics): these are the cards we have been dealt so NUTURE the body with the above and feed it with good NUTRIENTS and achieve all you can from this incredible biomechanical structure that is you.

Nick Cowan Osteopath

15/03/2020

18/11/2019

24/05/2019

17/05/2019

28/04/2019

27/04/2019

26/04/2019

16/11/2018

14/11/2018

07/09/2018

06/09/2018

04/09/2018

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