Durham Family Chiropractic

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Are you suffering from hip-pocket syndrome? By Neil Thomas DC

As a chiropractor I am used to seeing people with back problems on a daily basis due to injury, repetitive spinal stress or poor core stability but did you know that a simple thing like wearing your wallet in your back pocket could be the cause of your pain.

80% of people will suffer from an episode of back pain at some point in their lives and a lot of these are easily preventable.

Many men carry a wallet in their back pocket, some for many decades without a thought as to how this may be affecting their spinal health. Wallets can be filled with essential items such as credit cards, driver’s license, cash, receipts and other useful or even useless bits and pieces which can result in quite a chunky piece of pocket-wear.

Imagine this chunky wedge nestled in your back pocket every day while you are sitting on a chair or in your car; one side of your pelvis is now higher than the other instead of being even. The wallet will not only affect your spine but also the tissues and structures underneath the wallet. If you are new to wearing a wallet in your back pocket then you may notice it is slightly uncomfortable at first but then after a while you stop noticing it.  Your body has an amazing ability to adapt and compensate for imbalances and believe me, it will have to do some compensating for that chunky wedge! Let’s talk about why. [Read more…] about Are you suffering from hip-pocket syndrome? By Neil Thomas DC

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Spinal Awareness Week 2018: Why a healthy spine means a healthy body

This May, we are taking part in a national campaign to make people more aware about the importance of a having a healthy spine.

The Alliance of UK Chiropractors’ (AUKC) 2018 Spinal Awareness Week takes place on 14-20 May. The AUKC brings together the United Chiropractic Association (UCA), McTimoney Chiropractic Association (MCA) and the Scottish Chiropractic Association (SCA).

We are one of the practices delighted to be supporting the campaign. Here’s why …

The spine is key to our overall health, not just the back and neck, because it houses and protects the central nervous system that connects the body to the brain. As our colleague Donald Francis, a member of the UCA and an executive board member of the SCA, explains: “Chiropractors look predominantly at the spine because that’s our chassis onto which we bolt everything else.

“We find the bits in it that aren’t working as well as they can, and with our hands or specific tools, safely and gently mobilise them, in what we call an adjustment. So, by adjusting the spine, we enable the basic chassis to function better.

[Read more…] about Spinal Awareness Week 2018: Why a healthy spine means a healthy body

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Wellbeing at work

Having worked as a chiropractic assistant for some time, I realised that there were many people suffering with pain right here in County Durham and the surrounding areas.

What surprised me the most, was the amount of time people had been suffering with pain or ill health, but continued to ignore the symptoms sometimes for up to as long as 10 years. I began to question that fact. Why do we British just shut up and put up with, and ignore the symptoms until we are at breaking point either physically or mentally and the end result could be absenteeism from work? We all know how important it is for our sense of worth and wellbeing to have work in our lives, so why do we reach breaking point before seeking help? Is it because we British are programmed to crack on regardless and hope the problem disappears, or is it that we are just so busy working 5 or 6 days a week that we rarely have time to think about our own bodies, and listen to the warning signals? Is it because we are afraid to ask for help, or we don’t know where to go for help, or is it simply that we always put ourselves last? There could be a million answers to the reason, but it became very clear to me that as musculoskeletal specialists we needed to help in some way. Instead of rehabilitating people back in to the workplace following absenteeism, it would make good sense to try to educate people on the prevention of illness rather than rehabilitation. [Read more…] about Wellbeing at work

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The secrets to optimising your health care plan.

We are not all fortunate enough to be a member of a private health care plan, but if we are, then it makes sense to be fully aware of the benefits.

Some of the larger business organisations will pay into a private health care scheme on behalf of their employees, as part of their strategy to support health and wellness and to have a healthy workforce to help keep absenteeism figures as low as possible. Some organisations will choose to offer a scheme to their employees at a cost to the employee, and some individuals will take out their own care plans independently.

Whatever the reason, the same rules apply to optimising the plan. [Read more…] about The secrets to optimising your health care plan.

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Can Chiropractic care help with Sporting Injuries?

 One has to admire the courage and determination of professional athletes to be able to perform at their best, but whether you are an amateur sports enthusiast, active gym member or a Olympic athlete, your body is prone to the same kinds of aches and pains.

 

According to the British Chiropractic Association, repeated stresses can lead to a slight loss of proper movement in the bones of your spine and joints, which in turn, can interfere with the healthy working of your muscles and nerves.

Our Chiropractor, Paul Kjos, is a competitive sportsman and this is how he keeps ahead of his game and explains the benefits that he gains from chiropractic treatments:

“When I am out on the volleyball court I am always trying to compete at the highest level my body will allow. Currently, I play for the top seeded volleyball in England, Team Northumbria. All the athletes on this team have the abilities of an elite level and the major characteristic that separates the top teams is building consistency. For myself to compete at this high level it requires focus on mental preparation and focus, excellent nutrition to help the tissues recover and thrive, and making sure my body is physically ready and able to manage the forces placed on it during competition and training. 
Issues with the body can arise from an imbalance that can be created by an injury or overuse / repetitive strain. High Level athletes have an amazing ability to compensate when these imbalances arise. Proof of their ability to compensate is how an athlete to adapt or change during a match with all the different variables presented by their competitor. Because of this compensating ability it means they will withstand greater imbalance until the point when a more severe injury might occur.
This is why I incorporate regular chiropractic care as a part of my physical preparations. With a chiropractic assessment these imbalances can be corrected using manual therapies. In a sport that I use one shoulder more than the other I am constantly needing release in my upper back and neck. I have noticed  in my recent career how I perform more freely when I am able to have the care I need.”

[Read more…] about Can Chiropractic care help with Sporting Injuries?

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A Warm Welcome

Our smiles are real and we are genuinely interested in you and your health and wellbeing.

We have all experienced that dreaded moment when we walk into a busy waiting room and are not acknowledged, or even worse ignored! Why do they do this? Especially when we all know that you don’t get a second chance to make a first impression on anything in life. This is the experience that stays with us for ever.

We as a team find it very important to make sure that we create meaningful moments in interactions with the people that we meet every day. We believe that people are drawn to those that make them feel valued. The first moments of face to face contact with our patients is the start to our combined journey towards better health.

So be assured that when you walk into Durham Family Chiropractic you will not be ignored, nor feel uncomfortable! Our smiles are real and we are genuinely interested in you and your health and wellbeing.

Every individual is important to us and we enjoy welcoming you as part of our family.

 

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