The Heath Osteopathic Practice

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The Heath Osteopathic Practice

Reducing pain and stiffness in muscles, joints, bones and ligaments by using osteopathy techniques

Treating a wide range of health complaints using osteopathic techniques, naturopathy, cranial osteopathy, as well as taping, postural and exercise advice.

01/10/2025

Postural Strain
Many of us sit at computers for long stretches every day at work and recently more so at home. Many of us are sitting in cramped conditions with unsuitable chairs and desks or tables, or sitting on the sofa with our laptop. It is difficult to think about your posture when you are concentrating on your work or we may not know what the best posture is or how to improve it. Poor posture and lack of exercise can lead to aches and pains in our necks, shoulders, jaws and backs and to headaches. If you are sitting in one position for a long time it can lead to a disruption in the flow of blood to the muscles leading to tightness, painful trigger points and general discomfort.

Osteopathy can help by relieving tension and reducing pain in the muscles by using a combination of massage, muscle stretching and muscle energy techniques. There may be restrictions in joint movements in the spine and in other joints which can be reduced by mobilisation and manipulation.

Osteopaths can also give advice about improving posture at work, home and in the car and moderating your work environment to reduce postural strain. They can also offer advice regarding what type of exercise would help and how to modify them if they may be contributing to the problem. Taping can help by improving our proprioception so that we can feel what a good posture feels like.

Book online at https://heathpractice.com

30/09/2025

Exercise

Exercise is important for everyone, regardless of age, health or fitness. It’s important to do a variety of types of exercise as they provide different functions. Exercise can also help your mental health as it produces endorphins which make you feel happier and joining classes or gyms can help reduce feelings of isolation. It may help you to lose weight when combined with eating a healthier diet.

Balance is important and improving it will help to prevent falls by strengthening one's core muscles. Dancing, pilates, yoga and tai chi can help.

Flexibility can be improved with stretches and yoga. Stretching muscles can help them to become healthier and function more effectively.

Strengthening muscles and joints can be helped with weight training, martial arts, pilates, walking, climbing and running. It can help to reduce the likelihood of getting osteoporosis and help to reduce postural strain.

Aerobic exercise or endurance training can help to strengthen the heart and reduce your blood pressure through swimming, running, cycling and exercise classes.

You can do exercises at home, walking instead of using transport or using escalators and lifts. Even housework and shopping are a form of exercise.

If you have aches and pains and are not sure if you should exercise, see an osteopath who can reduce your pain and stiffness and advise about what sort of activity would be helpful. They can prescribe exercises for you.

Book online at https://heathpractice.com

29/09/2025

Osteopathy for Neck Pain
Neck pain can be coming from a variety of structures such as the discs, spinal nerves,facet joints, spinal joints, muscles and ligaments. The pain may refer up the back of the head, into the shoulder and arm.There may also be pins and needles , numbness and muscle weakness.

It may have been brought on by sleeping awkwardly or from long hours working on a computer or driving a vehicle, or carrying heavy items or children.

I will perform some tests to establish where the neck pain is coming from. A course of treatment will be discussed with you after a diagnosis has been reached. You will be given a combination of osteopathic treatment, exercises, and postural advice.

Book online at https://heathpractice.com

23/09/2025

Back Pain and Children
Like adults, children can suffer from back pain as a result of a variety of lifestyle activities. And like adults, there are number of things that parents and carers can do to prevent issues arising.

If your child does complain of back pain, it is important to seek advice from qualified professional, such as an osteopath. An osteopath will help to establish the cause of the problem and will provide advice on treatment, or refer you for further examinations if required.

Your child’s back pain may benefit from osteopathic treatment. Using gentle manual therapy an osteopath will help to resolve any stresses and strains that are affecting their body and relieve their pain. They can also provide lifestyle advice that may help to prevent the problem from coming back.

Book online at https://heathpractice.com

15/09/2025

Scoliosis
Scoliosis is defined as a spine with a sideways curve and a rotation. There may be one curve or two in the thoracic or lumbar spine, a C or S shape. They can be divided into structual and non-structural. The former are fixed and the spine rigid, whereas the latter are in response to inflammation or muscle spasms and so may go away. The majority (80%) of scoliosis have no obvious cause (idiopathic), and commonly occur in children aged 10-14. They don't usually cause pain but need to be monitored in case they worsen. If the curve is over 20% they may be recommended a brace to support the spine especially whilst the person is still growing.Severe ones may need surgery because they can affect the functioning of the heart and lungs and severely restrict mobility.

Some signs may be noticeable such as more pronounced musculature on one side of the spine. There may be a prominence of the ribcage or shoulder blade on one side due to a rotation in the thoracic spine. This may be more noticeable when the person flexes forward to touch the floor. There may be back, shoulder, neck and buttock pain and restricted mobility.

An Osteopath will look out for Scoliosis and may refer you on in moderate to severe cases if it has not been picked up before. Many people live with a scoliosis without any pain and discomfort. Regular Osteopathic treatment may help you to manage any symptoms you have such as tight muscles and discomfort.
Book at https://heathpractice.com

12/09/2025

Shoulder Pain/Adhesive Capsulitis
Shoulder Pain may be caused by injury or strain to the joints, bones, tendons,muscles, bursae or the articular capsule. However, shoulder pain may be a referral of pain from the neck or cervical spine. It can also be referred pain from the abdoman such as the gall bladder, stomach, diaphragm and pancreas, or from the heart or lung. An osteopath can diagnose the problem and give treatment, exercises and postural advice where relevant or refer someone on if they believe there may be another issue which needs medical treatment.

Frozen shoulder or adhesive capsulitis is a condition which causes pain and stiffness. It most commonly affects people between ages of 40 and 60 years and affects women more than men. It can occur after an injury or surgery, and is more common in those with diabetes and thyroid conditions. It frequently occurs without any obvious cause. It is thought that the articular capsule in the shoulder joint becomes thickened tight and inflamed leading to reduced mobility. There is often a dull ache on the upper outer part of the arm. An osteopath can help to diagnose the problem and advise how to reduce symptoms of pain and stiffness and speed up the recovery.

Book online at https://heathpractice.com

11/09/2025

Gluteal Tendinopathy - Buttock/Hip pain
Gluteal tendinopathy can give pain in the buttock muscles, or around the hip and outer, upper leg.

The gluteal muscles, of which there are three, form the main bulk of the buttocks, although there are other muscles beneath them. They allow you to get up from sitting or lying down, extending the leg backwards and rotating the hip, lifting the leg outwards and stabilizing the pelvis.

The site of the pain is the outside of the hip and can refer down the outer thigh to the knee. There can be buttock and groin pain.

It is common in women over 50, with over 23% having this condition. This may be due to reduced collagen during the menopause which weakens the tendons. It is often caused by increased compression on the tendon and increased load which, weakened tendons, are unable to withstand. Common triggers are:

Rigid foot, which changes the gait pattern

Increase in exercise, walking distances or speed

Starting hill walking

Weight gain

Fall onto one side, or increased lying on one side

Recovery from illness or injury

Some medications or unmanaged diabetes

The gluteal muscles may need to be strengthened carefully and monitored. Cold packs may help.

This pain can be confused with that of sacro-iliac pain, piriformis syndrome, disc prolapse, hip osteoathritis and bursitis. An Osteopath can help to diagnose the problem, help you to manage the symptoms, give you treatment and exercises, and reduce your pain.

Book online at https://heathpractice.com

10/09/2025

Headaches are a very common complaint with ten million people in the UK suffering from them regularly. The main types of headache are migraine, tension type headaches, cluster headaches and rebound or medication induced headaches and hormonal headaches.

Migraine affects 1 in 5 women and 1 in 15 men. It is on one side of the face, throbbing and usually moderate to severe. They can last from a few hours to a few days. It is worsened by activity and maybe affected by light and sound. There may be nausea and vomiting. 15-20% of sufferers get an aura such as flashing lights before the migraine starts. It is thought to be caused by pain producing chemicals affecting nerves and blood vessels in the head. They may be triggered by changes in the weather, food sensitivities, stress, irregular sleeping patterns, caffeine and skipping meals.

Tension type headaches are the most common type of headaches. They usually feel like a tight band around the head and are common in the afternoon. They may be caused by stress, posture and dehydration. They may be accompanied by restriction in the neck movements and tightness and tenderness of neck muscles. The pain is concentrated in the neck and base of the skull but may refer to the forehead, temples, the top of the head and around the eyes and ears.

Cluster headaches affect 1-2 people per thousand of the population. They are more common in men than women. They cause severe, debilitating pain in one side of the head usually around the eye. The eye may be watery and may have a runny nose. The painful episode usually lasts for about 30 minutes to 2 hours and may occur 3 times a day over a period of weeks and then disappear for a few months. The patient can feel very agitated and want to pace around the room. They can often want to bang their head against the wall to try to get some relief. It can bring on suicidal feelings due to the severity of the pain. The headache may be triggered by alcohol and smoking.

For more information as to how osteopathy may be able to help and to book see https://heathpractice.com/article/25

03/09/2025

Sacro-iliac dysfunction or inflammation

The sacro-iliac joint can cause pain in the low back on one side of the spine and can travel down the leg but often only as far as the back of the knee. The pain is often very noticeable when getting up from sitting and can be eased by walking It may have resulted from a sudden movement or have come on gradually.

Osteopathic treatment can involve mobilisation and manipulation, taping, stretching and strengthening exercises. Postural advice is usually given. Ice packs on the area may help

Make an appointment at https://heathpractice.com

27/08/2025

Knee problems
The causes of knee pain can be from the meniscus, ligaments, muscles, bursa, bones and joints. It could be a referral of pain from another structure such as the hip.
An osteopath can diagnose the problem, give treatment and advice or refer on if appropriate.
Book online at https://heathpractice.com/article/26

24/08/2025

Hip Osteoarthritis

The hip joint is between that of the head of the femur (thigh bone) and the acetabulum in the pelvis. There is cartilage covering these two surfaces to allow a greater range of smooth movement.

During the aging process the joint surfaces become worn and bony spurs appear. The head of the femur can lose its rounded shape and become flattened. The acetabulum’s surface becomes less smooth and tears can appear in the cartilage.
Pain is typically felt first in the groin or in the outer hip and down into the knee but can refer into the buttock.

Pain is commonly felt first at the end of the day after a lot of use and later on morning stiffness develops. It then becomes painful getting up from sitting, bending to put on socks and climbing stairs. The pain is largely due to the ligaments tightening around the hip capsule.

Doing exercises to strengthen and stretch muscles around the hip joint may delay the necessity of having hip replacement surgery. It may also aid in the recovery post-operatively leading to better outcomes and less time spent in hospital.

Your osteopath can help with diagnosis, treatment and the prescription of exercises.

Book an appointment at https://heathpractice.com

20/08/2025

Pregnancy
Women’s bodies are wonderful at adapting to the changes in structure which affect the female body during pregnancy. The hormone Relaxin, which is produced by the placenta during pregnancy, increases the elasticity of the ligaments and soft connective tissue. This increases the flexibility of the spinal and pelvic joints and allows for the expansion of the surrounding ligaments in preparation for the delivery of the baby. Some women do experience pain and discomfort in their back, groin, buttock or leg, often called sciatica, which osteopathy can help with.

Osteopaths can help with advice regarding posture and exercise during pregnancy. Osteopathy can also help to ease the other effects of pregnancy such as heartburn, indigestion and constipation. They can advise about positions during labour to prevent back problems later on. It is advisable to return for a check-up for the baby and mother following the delivery. Women may experience pain and discomfort post-natally. This may be due to their position whilst feeding and carrying the baby. Osteopathy can help to reduce this and exercises can help to retrain the muscles and ligaments.

Book online at https://heathpractice.com

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Our Story

Treating a wide range of health complaints using osteopathic techniques, naturopathy, cranial osteopathy, as well as taping, postural and exercise advice.

I have been treating patients since 2005. I treat a wide age range of ages from young babies to the elderly. Each treatment is tailored to the patient and their unique health circumstances and history. I don’t just treat the presenting problem I look at what may have been causing it and try to help the person reach their own maximum health and so limit the return of the problem.

I have completed 4 of the Postgraduate Cranial Courses at the Sutherland Cranial College of Osteopathy. I have now registered with them as a Member (MSSCO)

01/10/2025

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