Tag Archive for: london osteopath n2

Happy, healthy kneesRunner’s knee, jumper’s knee, housemaid’s knee (yes, it does exist!) and so on – the list of painful complaints that can affect this complicated joint is as long as your arm. Problem knees are surprisingly common in people of all ages, placing severe restrictions on both movement and lifestyle as a whole.

Strong and stable joints

On a day-to-day basis, we expect great things from our knees. As the largest joint in the human body, the knee basically forms a sort of hinge  where the thigh bone (femur) and shin bone (tibia), meet. This enables the leg to bend, straighten and generally move freely so we can run, twist, jump, fall over and so on. Knees must be also strong and stable enough to support our weight, even if it increases. These joints are ably assisted in their task by bones and soft tissue including muscles, cartilage, ligaments and tendons – all of which have the potential to go awry.

The knee joint may be a sophisticated mechanism but it’s still relatively easy to injure. For example, a sudden increase in intensity or duration of exercise can temporarily damage the bone, muscle or ligaments. Problem knees can lock, click, catch, give way or refuse to straighten. More gradually developing pain, especially in older people, points to conditions such as osteoarthritis. Here, the cartilage facilitating smooth movement between the femur and tibia gradually wears away, forcing both surfaces to rub together and resulting in pain and stiffness.

It’s all a bit of a catch-22. With persistent knee pain, most people’s instinct is to rest the knee and avoid putting any weight on the joint, therefore taking less exercise. While this would appear to be a sensible thing to do, if not diagnosed and treated, long-term weakness of the surrounding leg muscles can slowly develop.

Looking after problem knees

So, what should you do if you suddenly develop painful knees? Here are a few initial things that you can try at home:

  • The key is basically RICE: rest, ice, compression, elevation. This means, at the very least, not irritating the joint and, at best, giving the joint a chance to recover under its own steam;
  • When icing, use ice wrapped in a wet towel for 5 minutes and remove for 10 minutes, repeating twice more;
  • Sit, rather than stand, with the leg elevated, to avoid putting weight on the knee – rest as much as you can;
  • If suffering with acute or severe pain, in the short term, take painkillers such as Paracetamol;
  • If you feel up to it, try some gentle exercise, such as walking at a pace that does not aggravate your symptoms or non-weight bearing exercise such as swimming;
  • If your knee pain is still present after several days or is getting worse, why not book an appointment with Osteopath Robin Kiashek to see if we can find the cause of your discomfort and get you back on the road to recovery.

Research in the field of acupuncture continues on a daily basis. With this research comes a growing body of evidence that helps support the efficacy of acupuncture and to quash past criticism of a lack of medical evidence to support it being an effective form of pain relief.

As a qualified practitioner of Western Acupuncture in London I keep abreast of the latest results from research studies into acupuncture. One such study * has shed light on the fact that acupuncture enhances peripheral blood flow. The study was designed to clarify the mechanisms by which acupuncture exerts its effective actions.

During the study, the researchers measured the ability of acupuncture to induce “significant elevations in peripheral blood flow over the upper and lower limbs during and after acupuncture”. Based on their findings, they concluded that “the results of this study support the theory of Chinese medicine that acupuncture at Zusanli augments systemic gastrointestinal and circulatory functions.”

You can read more about the study and the conclusion of the researchers here.

Visit an experienced London Osteopath in W1 and N2 N10 who offers Western Medical Acupuncture

If you’re considering using Western Acupuncture due to a specific issue or concern you have, I would be happy to discuss your requirements with you and to advise you on the best course of treatment. Please feel free to send me a message or call me on 020 8815 0979.

*Reference:
Yang, Cheng-Chan, Wei-You Zhuang, and Hsien-Tsai Wu. “Assessment of the impact of acupuncture on peripheral blood flow with multi-channel photoplethysmography.” In Electron Devices and Solid-State Circuits (EDSSC), 2014 IEEE International Conference on, pp. 1-2. IEEE, 2014.

Increasingly inactivity and a sedentary lifestyle are being described as “one of the biggest” challenges in health by experts.

On Your Feet Britain …

Get Britain Standing  is a campaign to grow awareness and education of the dangers of sedentary working and sitting more than 4 hours a day. This year it partnered with the British Heart Foundation charity to run a new event called On Your Feet Britain on 24th April. The event hoped to encourage workers to take the opportunity to stand and move around more. It is called on people to embrace ideas such as standing meeting or standing desks.

Some tips to unglue yourself from your desk

As a London osteopath with two busy osteopathy clinics in London W1 and London N2 & N10 I treat many patients who spend a significant amount of their working day glued to their desks.

If you are finding yourself glued to your desk then here are five simple tips that may help you break the habit of sitting for too long periods and to stand up and move around more:
• Eat lunch away from your desk
• Take a break every 30 minutes and stand up and get a drink of water
• Use the stairs instead of the lift
• Walk to a colleague’s desk instead of phoning or emailing
• Stand up when you are on the phone

Visit an experienced London Osteopath in W1 and N2 N10

If you are suffering pain or discomfort and you would like further information on how I may help you or to book an Osteopathy appointment at either of my osteopathy clinic in London W1 and London N2 N10 please feel free to send me a message or call me on 020 8815 0979.

In addition to being a registered London osteopath I am qualified at a postgraduate level with the British Medical Acupuncture Society in both Western Acupuncture and related Electro-Acupuncture.

Western Medical Acupuncture offered at my osteopathy clinics in London W1 and N2 N10

I offer Western Medical Acupuncture at both of my clinics in London. I also combine the Osteopathic treatment I provide with acupuncture when relevant and assuming the patient is happy to do so.

How can Western Acupuncture help you?

Western Acupuncture has traditionally been seen as a pain relief therapy; however, it can be applied to a number of ailments and for many purposes. These include:
• Pain relief including musculoskeletal and postoperative pain
• Nausea
• Increasing physical movement
• Sleep issues
• Infertility
• Promoting natural healing and well-being
• Dealing with issues relating to medication, such as reducing reliance and managing side effects

Visit an experienced London Osteopath in W1 and N2 N10 who offers Western Medical Acupuncture

If you’re considering using Western Acupuncture due to a specific issue or concern you have, I would be happy to discuss your requirements with you and to advise you on the best course of treatment.

Please feel free to send me a message or call me on 020 8815 0979.