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Can regular chiropractic care prevent back pain here in Brighton?

Sundial Clinics — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 10:15:39 +0000

If you are one of the four out of five people will go on to develop regular bouts of back pain after an initial attack, this is an important question to answer. For over 100 years chiropractors have claimed that regular treatment can prevent recurrences of back pain. Are we right?

For most of the 20th century, medical treatment, including here in Brighton, consisted of bed rest and painkillers for back pain. Unfortunately, this contributed to an increase in the cases of recurrent back pain. From 1980 until 2000 the number of days off work in the UK due to back pain doubled every decade.

Eventually, GPs stopped treating back pain this way and accepted what chiropractors and others had been saying that active treatment is best. It is also true that chiropractors accepted that painkillers and anti-inflammatory medication are also helpful, whereas up until then old school chiro’s often shunned drugs.

Medical Treatment for Back Pain

Even now, however, back pain treatment from the doctor consists of a brief course of physio or medication which stops as soon as the symptoms stop. If you have had recurrent back pain you will be all too familiar with the trips to the doctor, prescriptions for strong drugs, referral to the physio (after a wait of many weeks) then being given a few exercises. You are probably fed up with your back feeling vulnerable and about to go at any time. You may even find that you’re limiting your activities to avoid the things that bring it on. If so, what can be done to prevent the dreaded back pain from returning?

Well, new medical research, published in 2011, suggests that an initial intensive course of manipulation such as our chiropractors in Brighton do here at Sundial, followed by periodic checkups and treatment may help prevent long-term back pain from re-occurring. Interestingly, those that did not receive the continuing course of care lost their earlier improvements.

Preventative Chiropractic Treatment Works

So the evidence seems to point to an initial course of treatment over a few weeks to get rid of the initial pain and improve function followed by a course of care over the next few months to make sure that those improvements are maintained. Here at Sundial we use the best available evidence to guide our treatment and we generally stick to this sort of plan in helping you get better.

If you would like to know if preventative chiropractic care can help you then give us a call for an initial chat, at no charge.

Reference:

Senna MK, Machaly Sa (2011) Does Maintained Spinal Manipulation Therapy for Chronic Non-Specific Low-Back Pain Result in Better

Long Term Outcome? Spine DOi: 10.1097/BrS.0b013e3181f5dfe0.

Are you fit to ski?

Sundial Clinics — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 22:14:13 +0000

The most important thing about skiing or snow boarding is coming back injury free. Yet one in every two hundred skiers returns carrying an injury – some serious. Many skiers do no exercise before the first run on the first day and are much more likely to be injured than a fit skier.

If you are going skiing this season here are some tips from Brighton chiropractor, Matthew Bennett, who was chiropractor to the British Alpine Ski Team. These should keep you skiing at your best and keep you safe.

Top tip: Get fit to ski

It doesn’t matter how late you have left it – start some exercise. Any exercise, even walking briskly is better than nothing. If you already exercise regularly start doing some ski specific exercises like squats, jumping side to side, trampolining or cycling.

Obviously it is best to start training a couple of months before your trip but even a few days of working out will pay dividends. After all the biggest change in fitness occurs in the first two weeks of starting a new program.

Other sports which can help with skiing are less obvious. Roller-blading is great as it uses the muscles at the side of the hip which are often overlooked in most fitness regimes. Even though it is the wrong time of the year tennis can be good too. It involves agility and lots of side to side movement too which mimics skiing in some respects. It is also anaerobic which is very much like skiing.

The sort of aerobic exercises that will help with skiing are cycling and running obviously but less obviously -swimming. Skiing involves a fair bit of upper body strength too. The upper body must balance over the vigorously moving legs so good core strength and shoulder strength to wave the poles about is crucial. Poling over flat terrain also puts a demand on us. Swimming can help with this very nicely whilst improving heart and lung function at the same time.

Top tip: stop skiing at lunchtime on the third day

Of courses aerobic fitness is very important too. Often we underestimate the effects of altitude on our muscles and lungs. A tired skier is much more likely to be injured. The peak incidence of ski related injuries is the afternoon of the third day. The tiredness is taking hold and skiers are becoming more adventurous and more likely to stay out until the last lift down.

Top tip: build balance into your skiing fitness routine

If you like the idea of cycling consider mountain biking over hilly terrain. The pedalling up hill beefs up the thigh muscles but the down hill sections improve balance and co-ordination.

Another way to improve balance is to stand on one leg with your eyes closed for 1 minute, then do the same on the other side. It is amazing how difficult that is and how well it prepare you for the slopes. If you want to take it a step further then ask to borrow one of our wobble boards but watch out – they are hard core!

An important addition to exercise with an element of balance is working out on a gym ball. The unstable nature of these exercises make the muscles work really hard and improve the speed at which they contract when faced with over balancing. Press-ups, sit-ups, wall squats and back extension exercises are great on the ball.

Top tip: Get a Sundial Skiers MOT

Our chiropractors and physio’s can help if you want to make sure you are in tip top shape before setting foot on the snow. A full biomechanical assessment can pin-point the areas you need to work on and improve the flexibility to help prevent injury. If you want a ski check up then call us for an appointment.

Happy skiing.

Matthew Bennett

Matthew Bennett was chiropractor to British Alpine Ski Team and has worked with top ski shops, boot fitters ans ski schools in Europe and the USA.

What’s a proven therapy for knee pain, osteoporosis, high blood pressure, heart disease, depression and many others?

Sundial Clinics — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 19:44:24 +0000

Watch this fascinating video to find out.

Whilst our Brighton chiropractors and physiotherapists treat loads of bone and joint problems our effectiveness is often enhanced by the approach so brilliantly illustrated in this video by Dr Mike Evans. If your looking for a New Years resolution to improve your health there cannot be a better one than this.

Foot, Knee or Hip pain – A Simple Solution

Sundial Clinics — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 12:19:51 +0000

If you ever get foot knee or hip pain on standing or walking for a while, then you’ll know the misery that this can cause.

Fortunately, there is a simple solution.

Here at Sundial we use Superfeet orthotics to help ease the discomfort. In this short video Brighton chiropractor Matthew Bennett talks about the causes of foot knee and hip pain associated with over-pronation. If you want to know more about this click here:–

If you would like to know if you would benefit from wearing Superfeet orthotics then pop in for a free check with one of our physios or chiropractors here in Brighton.

Check list for choosing the best chiropractor in Brighton

Sundial Clinics — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 10:35:42 +0000

Choosing a chiropractor is easy, choosing a good chiropractor takes a bit more thought. Here are a few tips to make the process more straightforward.

As with choosing any professional service, recommendation by someone who has been is best. Ask around amongst friends and family. There are a million visits a year to chiropractors in the UK and several in Brighton so chances are someone you know has been to one. It is worth asking them why they went to see a chiropractor in the first place and how they got on.

All chiropractors in the UK have to be registered with the General Chiropractic Council by law. You can check the register here to make sure they are on it. If they aren’t – don’t go.

You might also like to check if they are members of the British Chiropractic Association. The BCA is the oldest, largest and most reputable association in the UK and its members adhere to the highest standards of care and professionalism. You can check their register here (chiropractic-uk.co.uk). Their website also has lots of useful tips and advice about what to expect when you visit a chiropractor.

All the Brighton chiropractors at Sundial are GCC and BCA registered.

Most chiropractors stick to treating muscle and joint problems for which there is good evidence for effectiveness. If a chiropractors website makes bold claims to treat all sorts of other conditions without good evidence then best choose someone else. If you want to know what chiropractors can treat effectively then this recent research may help by Bronfort.

If a chiropractor recommends that everyone have an x-ray then this is not considered good practice. X-rays can be very helpful in certain circumstances but useless in others. Good clinical decision making is more important than universally x-raying all new patients.

Most chiropractors will treat you in a private room. We think this is necessary for confidentiality and a more personal approach. Some chiropractors will use an open plan room with several treatment tables and patients in there at once. This may be down to your personal preference. Treatment fees should be lower for this sort of care but often they are the same as for clinics using only private rooms. Be sure to check.

A range of treatments should be available and you should be given a choice. Sometimes there are good reasons to recommend one form of treatment over another, but this should be clearly explained. We have physio’s, massage therapists, acupuncturists and podiatrists as well as chiropractors here at Sundial.

You should not be required to attend health education classes. Here at Sundial, we feel that if anything needs explaining, it is best done on a one-to-one basis to make sure that you get the advice that is specific to you and that you have the opportunity to ask questions.

The number of sessions you need should be made clear at the start and you should start to feel an improvement within the first few sessions. If you are not improving as we both would expect them a full reassessment will be carried out and another approach to treatment will be recommended.

Fees should be clearly laid out in advance and you should not be required to pay large up-front fees. Here at Sundial you will have the option to pay in advance and receive a discount and be refunded any fees you do not use.

We hope this has been helpful. If you have any questions then feel free to email us or call for an appointment for a free check-up, no strings attached.

New Brighton physio at Sundial

Sundial Clinics — Fri, 23 Dec 2011 07:41:00 +0000

Quentin is a keen sportsman and was involved in windsurfing at national level as well as volleyball in the French University league. Following repeated injuries, and therefore dealing with physiotherapists, Quentin decided to move from Paris, France, to study for his BSc (Hons) in Physiotherapy at the University of Brighton.

Having a passion for sports Quentin has learnt from some of the top Physiotherapists in the UK and, consequently, was involved with the support of elite sportsmen and women in Football, Rugby, Athletics and Martial arts. Quentin is now part of Eastbourne Borough FC concentrating on their Reserve and under 18’s squads, developing injury prevention programs alongside the players’ treatments and providing pitch-side trauma management during matches.

Quentin’s passion for sports brings him to always improve his skills in order to be at a top level and, therefore, apply the highest standard of physiotherapy management as much pitch side as at Sundial Clinics.

He says “Being able to work in a clinic that invests in the best treatment tools on the market, such as the THOR Laser, is a great advantage for the patient to achieve the optimal recovery”.

Quentin is now available at Sundial Clinics in Queens Road and St James Street, Brighton to help you with any problems, sport or non-sport related, in order to get you back to your full potential.

How a Brighton Physiotherapist Can Help With Shoulder Pain

Sundial Clinics — Fri, 16 Dec 2011 19:02:01 +0000

If you are looking for a physio in Brighton to help with shoulder pain then we can help. Shoulder pain can affect up to 1 in 3 people at some time. But how does physio help with shoulder pain? What does a physio do and how successful is it?

Shoulder Pain

The shoulder is one of the most complex joints in the body. Unlike the hip joint which has a deep socket for the ball of the thigh bone to sit in the upper arm bone, the humerus, sits in a shallow cup. Ligaments tie the bones together. The cup is deepened by a rim of cartilage but this itself can tear and cause pain. The shoulder and chest muscles wrap around the shoulder joint to hold the bones in place as well as move the bones themselves. It is this complexity and the competing goals of flexibility and stability that make the shoulder joint a target for injury.

Physiotherapy Examination

With so many possible structures to go wrong in the shoulder, the first thing our physios do is examine and probe the tissues, testing ranges of movement and looking for restrictions and weaknesses. Simple tests often show up where the problem is but sometimes x-rays are needed which are carried out at Sundial or we refer for MRI or ultrasound scans.

Brighton Physiotherapists

Our physios are some of the best in Brighton and are experts at diagnosing shoulder problems. Once a firm diagnosis is made then treatment can start. The treatment for shoulder problems is a partnership between you and the your physio. You may be given exercises to gently mobilise stiff joints as well the physio carrying out precise mobilisation procedures here. You may also be given muscle strengthening exercises which can work wonders at getting to the root cause of the problem as well reducing the pain signals from the injury.

Brighton Physiotherapists Secret Weapon

Our secret weapon in the treatment of shoulder injuries is our Thor laser. It is one of the few units in the whole of Sussex. Laser is remarkably effective in reducing pain and inflammation and also at improving healing. Studies have shown laser to be more effective than many other treatments for shoulder pain including ultrasound.

Our physios work with other practitioners where needed to bring about the quickest benefits. Sometimes bringing one of our chiropractors to work alongside can improve the outcome of treatment especially where spinal joint problems are playing a part in the shoulder dysfunction and pain.

So if you have pain in the shoulder and would like to get rid of it make an appointment to see one of the physiotherapists at our Brighton clinics. To download a free physiotherapy check certificate go here.

References

Comparison of the effects of low energy laser and ultrasound in treatment of shoulder myofascial pain syndrome: a randomized single-blinded clinical trial.

Rayegani S, Bahrami M, Samadi B, Sedighipour L, Mokhtarirad M, Eliaspoor D.

Eur J Phys Rehabil Med. 2011 Sep;47(3):381-9.

Gentle Chiropractic – Activator adjusting explained

Sundial Clinics — Sat, 26 Nov 2011 15:52:43 +0000

If you suffer from back pain, neck pain, or certain types of headaches, you may benefit from chiropractic care. Chiropractors use their hands to unlock the stiff joints of the spine that cause these problems and the resulting nerve irritation and muscle spasm. Indeed chiropractic means “done by hand”. Some people, however, are not keen on the snap, crackle, pop that often goes along with spinal adjusting.Fortunately, there is another way of restoring this movement without the cracking.

Sundial Chiropractors in Brighton

Chiropractors are at the forefront of developing new techniques to mobilise and manipulate the spine. An invention that has gained widespread use in popularity amongst chiropractors and patients alike is the Activator. The Activator is a spring-loaded adjusting instrument that uses speed rather than force to mobilise the joints. The impulse from the instrument takes a mere three milliseconds! It’s so fast that you barely feel anything has happened in spite of the adjustment being incredibly powerful.

Over 100 studies have been done on the Activator since its invention more than 20 years ago. These have shown that this gentle chiropractic technique has a profound effect on the tissues of the spine(1). Some research shows that the click is not the important part of chiropractic treatment anyway. For more go here.

To find out more look at the video by clicking on the image to see just how powerful an Activator adjustment can be.

If you like the idea of chiropractic without the joint clicks then give us a call for a free assessment to see if the Activator might help you.

References

1. Fuhr, Arlan W.; J. Michael Menke (February 2005). “Status of Activator Methods Chiropractic Technique, Theory, and Practice”. Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics 28 (2): e1–e20. doi:10.1016/j.jmpt.2005.01.001

Dealing with recurrent back pain

Sundial Clinics — Thu, 17 Nov 2011 11:30:40 +0000

If you are getting recurrent back trouble what can you do to help yourself and sort the problem out? Back pain usually goes away in a week or two at most but for four out of five people, however, it keeps on coming back. In a recent study published in the prestigious medical journal, The Lancet, 70-80% of back sufferers were still having pain a year later in spite of receiving treatment.

Brighton Chiropractors Give Three Tips to Prevent Recurrent Back Pain

1 Stay Active

This is counter-intuitive as the temptation is to take it easy. Most people are afraid of moving about in case they make the problem worse and prolong the agony. This, however, is exactly the wrong thing to do. It is OK to rest for a day two or three days but after that doing gentle exercise is actually helpful even if is sore doing it or for a while afterwards. Walking, swimming, cycling, Pilates or yoga can all be a helpful start. Gradually increasing the intensity of the exercise as your muscles and joints get used the restored function is a helpful way to prevent recurrences. Our Exercise Video Programme is here.

2 Avoid aggravating activities

If your back goes bending over to tie your shoe laces or getting out of the car, the chances are that this activity is not the cause of the pain but rather the trigger factor. It is unlikely that something you have done hundreds of times before would suddenly become a problem without a change in the underlying condition of your back. A gradual weakening of your back muscles due to lack of core muscle strength leads to stress on the spinal joints which gradually stiffen and can eventually sprain.

There are certain activities that can often aggravate your back. These include prolonged sitting, lifting badly with your knees straight or lifting and twisting. Certain specific tasks can cause stresses on back joints and muscles like hoovering or gardening and you probably recognise what these are for you. Sometimes doing the activity for a brief period is okay but doing it for a prolonged period brings the pain on. It is helpful to start the activity gently, gradually increasing the effort you put in to it and then finishing with a few back stretches.

It is also worth noting when the pain comes on. If the back ache is worse in bed it could be an old sagging mattress that is not supporting your spine. If your back is stiff after sitting in low sofa for an evening then perhaps this is the culprit. These are obvious potential causes of back strain but our lifestyle is jammed full of hidden causes of back pain. A car with offset pedals or steering wheel twists the spine on every journey for instance. A computer monitor off to one side has the same effect. Even baby care has its own hazards. Bending over a changing mat or putting a baby in a car seat is a potential back strain in the making. If you do a lot of work at a desk there are tips to set up your desk and chair here.

3 Get regular check-ups from a back specialist

If getting a fistful of anti-inflammatory drugs from the GP doesn’t help resolve your back pain quickly then you might choose not to wait for referral to the local physio department. Currently the national average waiting time is twelve weeks by which time, if you are still getting pain, it is becoming chronic. If it does resolve the chances are that it will recur in a few months or a year or two. There are other options for back care though.

The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE), the government body that recommends the best treatments for all sorts of conditions says that manipulation from a chiropractor, osteopath or specialist physiotherapist should be part of effective care for back pain. A short course of treatment will often restore strength and flexibility to the back allowing you to get back to full activity. Once you have the initial problem under control and the pain has resolved there is some evidence that a periodic session of treatment can help prevent back pain from recurring.

Back pain can limit what exercise and activities you are able to do but with the right approach you can get rid of the problem and carry on as normal. These straightforward steps will help you get better.

If you want to find out if we can help you – call for a free check-up.

For more information look at our Treatment and Fees FAQ’s

Do orthotic insoles help with knee pain in runners? Leading Brighton Chiropractor answers

Sundial Clinics — Mon, 31 Oct 2011 08:16:32 +0000

Knee pain is common in runners and a common cause is the patella or knee cap. Pain caused by the patella is often called patello-femoral syndrome or PFS for short. The pain can be severe enough to stop runners going out but also occurs in other sports people and non-sports people alike.

Chiropractor and physio treatment in Brighton

The research on PFS treatment is poor. The studies that have been done are often of poor quality and come up with conflicting results for all sorts of treatment and this can be confusing not only if you are a runner looking for something to help but also if you are a physio or a chiropractor treating these common knee problems.

One of the recent reviews (1) looking at all the evidence for orthotics in the treatment of PFS, sometimes called Runners Knee, found little difference between the groups given orthotics and those given flat insoles which were supposed to do nothing. The other trial which met the criteria compared physio exercises and orthotics. Again not much difference was found between the 2 groups. Delving deeper into the 2 trials reveals why the orthotics groups did not do so well as groups in other trials – but more of that below.

Another study (2) into patello-femoral pain found that orthotics may indeed help. In fact more than three quarters of the runners involved improved. The authors concluded that orthotic or orthoses as they called them may have had a significant effect. This study was excluded from the larger review because it did not meet all the inclusion and exclusion criteria. For example some of the patients were only 12 years old and the study was not a randomised controlled trial.

The difference with this small study and the previous review is that the runners were analysed much more carefully. Their feet, ankles and knees were measured and an orthotic prescribed if they had the right sort of problem.

Chiropractic treatment may help

There are many different causes of PFS. One cause is thought to be over-pronation or excessive flattening of the arch after the heel strikes the ground. If you have over-pronation and it is contributing to PFS then you may respond well to the correct orthotic. If you have PFS from another cause, a weak thigh muscle for instance an orthotic will be a waste of time. In this case a pelvic joint manipulation by a chiropractor may help as in this study (3).

A correct diagnosis of the knee pain is essential for the correct treatment to be applied. A thorough examination should reveal the cause of the problem so that the right treatment can be applied. Too often clinicians use a one size fits all approach that is doomed to fail. This may well also explain why some studies don’t show an improvement whereas others do.

Orthotic buying advice

You can spend a fortune on a custom made orthotic and except in rare cases it is completely un-necessary. Other trials comparing custom made orthotics, often costing several hundred pounds, with much cheaper off-the-peg versions fail to show a difference in the outcome of symptoms.

We have found Superfeet insoles an effective and cost-effective option. They cost between £25-32 and are available on an unconditional money back guarantee from the manufacturer. So even if you don’t have faith that they might work for you it is worth giving them a try but only if you over-pronate. Many running and hiking shops as well as clinics sell them.

For more information you might like to look at a presentation given in June 2011 to the European Chiropractors Conference in Zurich here

Matthew Bennett DC

Sundial chiropractor working with Brighton and Hove Albion and previously with the British Alpine Ski Team.

References

1.Hossain M, Alexander P, Burls A, Jobanputra P. Foot orthoses for patellofemoral pain in adults. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2011, Issue 1. Art. No.: CD008402. DOI: 10.1002/14651858.CD008402.pub2.

http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/14651858.CD008402.pub2/full

2.The Lower Extremity 5(2): 95-102, 1998. Copyright © 1998. Reprinted with permission from Elsevier and the American College of Foot and Ankle Orthopedics and Medicine. Journal of the American Podiatric Medical Association http://www.japmaonline.org/content/93/4/264.abstract

3. Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics Volume 22, Issue 3, March-April 1999, Pages 149-153

http://www.jmptonline.org/article/S0161-4754(99)70128-4/abstract

4. A comparison of rearfoot motion control and comfort between custom and semicustom foot orthotic devices. Davis IS; Zifchock RA; DeLeo AT. Journal – American Podiatric Ass, Sep 1, 2008; 98(5): 394-403