Over the years, during her Cranial work Kate Miles has become interested in the benefits of self-care for the promotion of all aspects of health as she has frequently found lack of knowledge in this area has limited recovery in some of her patients. After extensive post-graduate study Kate has become committed to teaching people self-help techniques to enable them to take control of their own pain and inflammation levels and therefore regain control of their own bodies.
Self-Help Recommendations:
Avoid: Lying on your front, tipping head back, sitting slouched or for extended periods, bending/lifting/twisting, rapid/awkward movement, exercise/sports/training, especially straight after your appointment, housework/gardening, heat packs/heat rubs/hot baths or showers/massage when you are in pain.
Advised: Lie on back, place 1 pillow under head or 1 under shoulders & 2 under head to elevate upper body + 1 to 3 under knees, or lie on side: with 2 pillows under head and 1 pillow between your knees and ankles. Sit in a recliner or supportive upright chair for short periods then get up and move to reduce stiffening. Use hydrotherapy, see below.
Hydrotherapy: Is the use of water, in any form, to aid the treatment of skin related issues, such as burns, plus address the symptoms of acute or chronic painful or inflammatory conditions. Whilst not strictly hydrotherapy, drinking healthy quantities of unadulterated still water is also recommended to boost hydration & aid inflammation dispersal, which will support your pain reduction efforts. How much water you need varies depending on age, size & activity levels but 2 litres is a good starting point.
Ice Packs are best used when feeling tender and sore: Use a Cold Pack, or frozen peas wrapped in tea towel:
Place Ice over affected area for 5-15 mins, preferably whilst lying on your back. Take a 30 – 45 min break then repeat as required. Stop immediately if you feel worse. Deep freeze, white tiger balm, Biofreeze, & Puressentials Cryo Gel may also help.
N.B.*YOU ARE AT RISK OF ICE BURNS IF YOU PLACE ICE PACKS DIRECTLY ON YOUR SKIN*
Hot & Cold is best used when feeling stiff & achy: Use a covered Hot Pack or Hot Water Bottle, plus a Cold, as above: Place Hot Pack over area for 2-5 mins, then apply Cold pack for 2-5 mins whilst lying on back. Repeat as required. Stop immediately if you feel worse. Deep freeze, white tiger balm, Biofreeze, & Puressentials Cryo gel after a warmer than average shower may also help. N.B.*YOU ARE AT RISK OF BURNS/ICE BURNS IF YOU PLACE PACKS DIRECTLY ON SKIN*
Heat Packs are best used if you have minimal discomfort but your muscles feel tight:
Place a covered Hot Pack/Hot water bottle on affected area for 15 mins, whilst lying on back. Take 45-min break, repeat as required. Stop immediately if feel worse. Deep heat, red tiger balm, and Puressentials Muscle Balm may also help.
N.B.*YOU ARE AT RISK OF BURNS IF YOU PLACE HEAT DIRECTLY ON SKIN*
Pacing Yourself: We are often brought up with the adage of, ‘Don’t put off till tomorrow what you can do today’. But, whilst this is a lesson in procrastination avoidance, where you are in pain or looking after a delicate and reactive structure, then this approach will potentially propel you beyond sensible limits. We, at Romney Marsh Osteopaths, advocate slowing down, listening to your body, taking rest and stretch breaks, plus spreading the workload, so that you can better cope with it all mechanically. After all, just because you can do something, doesn’t mean you should, and if pushing yourself is likely to upset things mechanically, then you might just spend the next few days, weeks or months wishing you hadn’t.
Postural Re-alignment: No longer are we required to learn to balance a book on our heads, or even taught to sit or stand up straight. As a consequence of this societal relaxation plus the influx of hand-held technology we are becoming more and more hunched and therefore prone to tech neck and a swayback stance. The impact of this is an increased likelihood of joint and muscle pain and restriction, plus respiratory and digestive concerns, as well the advent of a far less pleasing silhouette. But if you are interested in changing this, with a little instruction you can re-educate yourself to carry your structure more as nature intended by starting from your feet and shifting your weight-bearing to bring your ankle, knee, hip, shoulder and ear in line.
Exercises & Stretches: Whilst we all have our individual postural and body use habits, almost universally we are prone to; hunching, sitting, and slouching too much, so it is likely that you will be doing the same. Also regardless of muscle tone, some areas of the body are naturally stronger than others, so stretching our hamstrings and pectorals, plus appropriately strengthening our core and mid-shoulder blade region is generally key. But of course we all have different starting points, as well as differing capabilities mobility and strength wise, so in order to protect your spinal and joint integrity we advocate discussing your exercise requirements with your Osteopath or Sports Therapist, so that they can recommend the right approach for you.
To help you access further information about our preferred self-help and general health advice we have set up a Facebook and Instagram Page designed to support you on your mechanical self-care journey:
Social Media Support:
Romney Marsh Osteopaths Facebook Page: Is a free information page re-iterating the advice prescribed by our practitioners with regards to hydrotherapy, posture, exercises and stretches, plus healthy diet and lifestyle swaps, to help you gain additional benefit from the treatments you receive at the practice, as well encouraging you to boost your general health. This is a public page open to both patients and non patients, please click the link below to view: www.facebook.com/romneymarshosteopaths/
Romney Marsh Osteopaths Instagram Page: Is a free information page re-iterating the advice prescribed by our practitioners with regards to hydrotherapy, posture, exercises and stretches, plus healthy diet and lifestyle swaps, to help you gain additional benefit from the treatments you receive at the practice, as well encouraging you to boost your general health. This is a public page open to both patients and non patients, please click the link below to view: www.instagram.com/romneymarshosteopaths/