Injury - will the Osteopath be able to take her own advice!!

Hi All

Well the Olympics are here and I have been building my preparation for the game for the last 4 years and blow me if I get injured just before the start!!!

I may jest in my building for the Olympics but I thought I should put pen to paper to report on my injury and how as even an amateur 'jogger' it has been one of the hardest things to get my head around over the last 3 weeks.

About 3 weeks ago,..well actually 23 days and 4 hours...not that I am counting, I returned from a hilly run over Norbury park to suddenly feel my left calf tear at the musculo-tendinous  junction.  Now, I pride myself in being pretty tough and have kept going in both running events and volleyball matches with injuries but this was different.  The pain was so acute I was stopped in my tracks - literally!  Luckily my daughter was with me and the car was not far.

Over the next 3 days I rested completely, I iced and strapped the area...all good on the 'taking my own advice' ....so far!  The calf responded well and I decided in my joggers wisdom rather than my Osteopathic wisdom that it would be fine to have a little jog out to "test" the leg as by now I thought it couldn't have been that bad after all.  So I am sure you have guessed but it was not good, in fact so bad that this time I was stranded on Bookham common and had to physically limp my way back to the car and struggled to drive myself home.

Limping I arrived at work and booked straight in for treatment and was "told off" by members of my team at Fine Fettle for even thinking I was fit to go back out running.  Treatment done I then took a whole 7 days off (yes I was advised to take more) However 7 days was not enough to stop me limping so my Osteopathic wisdom advised more rest and eccentric work to the area. By now I was mentally in pieces as running is my love and to have it taken away for even a short time torture!!

So over these 7 days the Olympic started and although I love the winning bits I have to say my heart goes out to those that don't achieve what they had set out to do and especially those that get injured.  The odd thing about being an Osteopath with a heavy interest in sport is that you actually are really interested in the injuries, you want the camera to be on the athlete so you can see what the manual therapist does.  I am often found shouting obscenities when the "magic water" tipped on an area cures the problem and the athlete writhing in pain is suddenly cured!!! That said it made me reflect on my feeling of being injured.  I love running (yes to close friends I know I whinge about it too) and when I can't run I am lost.  I use running to relax to see the country side and to get that great feeling of improvement and achieving goals. As most people know I used to play National League Volleyball and that was my passion and running was just a way to keep fit for that but now I've retired running is my "fix".

The GB team has done fantastically in these Olympics but spare a thought for those that didn't get to where they wanted and especially those athletes that got injured.  Only yesterday GB Decathlon Daniel Awde was out of the games after injuring his knee.  Not long before his injury he had run a PB of 10.71 in the 100m.  How must that feel after 4 years (or more) of life changing training and pure hard work?  I just can't imagine what they are going through after the years of anticipation and hard work and it certainly puts my little calf strain into perspective. I still remember Derek Redmond in 1992 when he tore his hamstring during the 400m semi final and insisted on completing the lap - what guts and courage and how emotional we all were watching his father jump past security to help him continue!

So back to my injury, now in perspective when compared with others, I decided against advice to give it another go strapped in green levotape!! (yes like the athletes at the Olympics) Running however was still not an option as  I found out on Monday and I again decided enough was enough I wanted to get back out for a run.  This time I decided in my wisdom that I would get a lift up the hill to Bockets farm and gently run home.  This would have been about a mile - perfect ...BUT I decided after 2 minutes that it felt great so I added on a 2 mile loop.  WHEN WILL I TAKE MY OWN ADVICE?  So after 1 mile I was reduced to tears and doing an odd run and walk style to get home.  Although there were tears they were from realisation that I had to stop running for longer than a week, in fact the realisation that perhaps 6 weeks of rehab may be more advisable.

So ice pack back on and active rest prescribed I started to think how would I advise a patient..... 10 years qualified and another 4 years before that training and it took me all that time to do the right thing? I suppose it just makes me human and I have to say I very rarely tell athletes to completely stop training if I can avoid it as I know that feeling.

I have now joined the local gym as I may not be able to do ballistic type work with my calf yet but I can still exercise if I do the right thing.

THE GYM (INDUCTION)

I have to be honest and say I don't really like gyms (even though I am a qualified gym instructor) and I had to drag myself down for my induction.  I arrived nice and early to fill in the forms and just before walking into the reception met a past student of mine so had a lovely chat with him.  I then turned to reception where I knew the receptionist so another lovely chat and a giggle.  I was starting to enjoy this gym lark...I was then passed onto the receptionist who filled in the forms and she was a patient at Fine Fettle so again I had a lovely chat...this training was great I was having a whale of a time!!  Why had I avoided the gym for so long?

I arrived in the gym and stood outside the instructors door waiting when blow me another patient and friend rushed up to greet me, this was great even if the hug was slightly sweaty!! Then the door from a nearby studio opened and ....I knew the instructor...this was fantastic. Perhaps I could just get the runners high from seeing people I knew at the gym!!! ? This training was going to be easy!!!!

My induction instructor arrived and I suddenly realised he was waiting to start whilst I was having my social fix!!  I made my apologies to friends and patients and tried to pretend I was giving him my whole attention.  The guy was really good and half way through I thought it was fair to say I was a gym instructor too and had actually worked at the old gym about 10 years ago.  This worked well and we whizzed through the induction.

I arrived home after 20 minutes of induction and idle chit chat!! and felt like I had really trained.  Shame I didn't actually do any training.  My partner had cooked tea as I was so late home..this gym stuff was really going to be fantastic!!!


THE GYM (FOR REAL)

So I had to actually go to the gym to work out.  I had instructions from my own  Osteopathic Wisdom NOT to go on the treadmills yet and not to do any classes that involved impact through my left leg.  EASY I thought until I looked around and I was just longing to get on the treadmill, they had TV and everything and the Boxercise sounded good!! All went well and I trained hard on the cross trainer (with low resistance - Osteopathic Wisdom), the bike and the rowing machine.  Weights for my core - which to be honest is non existent and boy did I feel it a few hours later!! Coughing is not an option at the moment.

One thing that did shock me at the gym was the amount of people lifting weights incorrectly, especially young lads egging each other on to lift really big weights that they had no way of lifting without recruiting the wrong areas and putting their other joints in danger.  My advice is to lift weights properly  and forget what other people are doing - for example try to isolate the muscle you are training,  Don't use momentum to do your biceps curls use a lower weight that allows you to isolate the area and not use your lower back to assist.  Osteopaths really don't wish injury on patients and we often advise people on how to train properly to prevent injury.

SPINNING

So now I am into this and loving being back to exercise, I hadn't realised I was so addicted!!! I arrived at 6.50 am this morning in my padded shorts for a 45 minute session.  How hard could that be?  45 minutes was half a work out surely.....

My Osteopathic wisdom advised no out of saddle work and to work up the resistance depending on any pain felt.  No pain felt so off I went.  Hell for leather for the first 35 minutes trying to compete with everyone in the room even the instructor!! I even had thoughts positions to reduce wind resistance and perhaps a sleek helmet to help me go faster but with or without a visor? I still have the competitive streak but hardly worth it as we all on static bikes and lets face it unless I have a bike slightly further forward than others I was never going to come first over the line!! Shame I didn't figure this out until the end.  Next time I will gently ease my bike forward before we start.  Anyway lots of huffing and puffing and of course I pushed myself to have a higher gear than the next guy but I have to say he looked a little less red and sweaty at the end.

The lady the other side of me was stunning and how I wished she hadn't sat next to me.  I was dripping sweat by the end and she was quietly glowing beside me!! There I was mopping down myself and worse the bike and floor too after the session.  On the plus side I did not venture out of my seat which would have put pressure on my achilles - that was the hardest part.

So what next...well tomorrow is a rest day with some basic eccentric work on my calf but Sunday I am back for spinning. Well I am if I can sit down by then.....

Will keep you updated and perhaps I may convert to the gym?  More likely I will combine the two as my love is running outdoors in the mud sweating as much as I like with hills that are not optional, instead just the way home.  Don't think they will every re create that in any gym! Will they?

Happy training

Helen

PS well done to the GB womens volleyball team in the London 2012 Olympics.  These girls held their own at the event without any funding.  A massive achievement!  Lets hope they get funding for RIO!!!!! I'm going to book my ticket!!

New Balls Please - Testicular Cancer, DO YOU KNOW THE SIGNS?

New Balls Please

Here at Fine Fettle we have a broad range of people using our services – young, old, sporty, the less active, men and women.  This means, particularly for our manual therapy professionals, we need to have an awareness of some of the health issues facing particular groups of patients and it is one of the reasons why we take such a thorough case history when you first come to see us – we need to make sure (as much as we can) that we are dealing with a condition which is treatable using manual therapy and there is not some underlying condition which is causing your symptoms.

Some groups are better than others at doing various health checks – sorry guys it does tend to be the ladies who are more aware of what they should be doing on a regular basis.  Quite a few of the health issues avoided tend to have an element of embarrassment which also contributes to certain groups being less health aware about conditions that can affect them.  In particular teenage boys and young men can be unaware of what they should be doing.  So here goes ....

Testicular Cancer ...  is a young man’s disease, and yet this age group can have the greatest sense of invincibility from illness.  It affects around 2,000 men a year in the UK and is the most common form of cancer in men aged between 15-44 years old.    For some reason (as of yet unknown) the incidence of testicular cancer has more than doubled since 1975.  Other factors which can increase the chances are:  a significant risk is an undescended testis at birth; inherited genetic factors can be significant – having a father, brother or son who has had testicular cancer can increase the risk of getting the disease.

The common symptoms are:  a lump can be felt in 97% of cases and approximately 86% of these will be painless; an enlargement of the testicle; a feeling of heaviness in the scrotum; a dull ache in the abdomen or groin.  If you do have any of these symptoms, don’t just wait and hope that they disappear - go and get checked out by your doctor. Most lumps are not cancerous but the earlier you find out, the earlier you can get any necessary treatment.

Regular self-examination will help you become more aware of the normal feel and size of your testicles so that any abnormalities can be spotted early on.  It only takes a few minutes to perform and is best performed monthly after you have had a bath or shower when your scrotum will be warm and relaxed.  Support the scrotum in the palm of your hand and become familiar with the size and weight of each testicle. Examine each testicle by rolling it between your fingers and thumb. Gently feel for lumps, swellings, or changes in firmness.  Each testicle has an epididymis that runs behind it which carries sperm to the penis and can often be mistaken for an abnormal lump.  Don’t panic if you feel this – it’s normal.

Fine Fettle will have some leaflets from Orchid the male cancer charity, available from the end of July – pop in and pick one up for yourself or if not for you, for somebody you care about.

98% of testicular cancer cases can be treated if caught earlier enough. So come on boys 'check yourself out'!

Author Rachel Lambert - Osteopath Fine Fettle Multi-healthcare

My partner had testicular cancer at the age of 24 and is proof that there are cases where the disease can be stopped and eradicated when found early.  He had is 50th birthday this year. He has a fantastic scar across his abdomen (after removal of lymph nodes in his abdomen) which he now tells people is a shark bite!!  - Helen Bullen (owner and Osteopath at Fine Fettle)

Team Fine Fettle/News

Well its been a bit of a long time since I blogged.  I had intended to download our newsletter that was finished a few weeks ago but the system wouldn't let me so no more excuses and here is some of our news....

Fine Fettle have been nominated for a "Customer Service" award in the Leatherhead Chamber of Commerce Business Awards.  We are delighted to be taking part again in the Leatherhead Chamber Awards and would love to do better than runner-up which we achieved in the Business Personality (me!!) and the Business Awards in 2011. My patients love to tell me I "almost" have a personality!!  However, not a bad outcome considering we were only just a year old but coming from a competitive background coming 2nd (even if it was twice) is just not close enough!!  So this year we would like to "win" something BUT we need your votes.  If you would like to cast a vote please go to:

• www.leatherheadawards.com 
• click "vote now"
• Enter your details and then tick the box next to Fine Fettle's entry (under the customer service catagory)

The closing date is May 1st 2012 but please get your votes in now!!  

GROUP CLASSES - Book now for classes after Easter break

Our group classes are proving very popular and next term starting the week of the 16th of April we will be running:

Pilates - Tuesday   1.15pm to 2.15pm and 2.15pm to 3.15pm

             Thursday  7pm - 8pm

Classes are filling up fast so please register you interest asap to guarantee a place on the next terms classes.

Our group classes are small groups only with a maximum of 10 clients attending (we like to keep it to 8).  This allows the instructor to carefully monitor the group and ensure that the right level is being given to each individual.  Our instructors are fantastic and everyone that goes just love Gail and Cheryl.  

IBS SUPPORT CENTRE

Fine Fettle's new IBS support centre offers a multi-disciplinary approach including nutrition, Osteopathy, Hypnotherapy and Massage to support diagnosed sufferers.  Free drop in clinic to chat to a practitioner on Monday bi weekly.  Call reception to find out more 01372 458984

TEAM FINE FETTLE OUT DOOR EVENTS

Well its that time of year again where the therapists at Fine Fettle head out to provide after care support for runners.  Last Sunday saw us at the Surrey Spitfire event run by the brilliant team at Events to Live from Ashtead.  The Spitfire is an event which lets a lot of runners who are training for one of the many marathons that are coming up in the next 6-8 weeks go the 20 mile distance.  

Luckily despite the forecast the weather held and the majority of the runners achieved their training goals of 20 miles.  

Fine Fettle donate all the takings from the charity events we do to the race charity which on this occasion was the  RAF rehabilitation centre at Headley Court in Leatherhead.  Team Fine Fettle raised over £330 for the charity - thank you to all the runners who donated money for their massage after the event.

Funniest part of our day was when the announcer said that runners could go to the "Massage Parlour" .  Not quite our ethos at Fine Fettle but it worked we saw a lot of runners!!

Its our 2nd Birthday!!

This is me on the 6th of April 2010 on our very first day of opening and on the 6th of April this year we will be two years old.

Time flies when you having fun and I have to honestly say I love my job and I work with some fantastic people.  I have also met some great people through work from patients, locals to business associates/friends.

During the two years the other practitioners have built up good patient lists at Fine Fettle and this has given me the chance to take up a part time position of Academic Vice Principal at the Irish College of Osteopathic Medicine which involves a few visits to Dublin per month and some time away from Fine Fettle working on undergraduate level teaching prep every week.  I am still able to treat patients 4 days a week and do my "reception" duties one day a week so I'm still heavily steering the business but nice to get back to my other expertise of lecturing and running undergraduate Osteopathic courses.  Variety is the spice of life and it does keep my knowledge of Osteopathy very current.

Other things I have got involved with over the last two years are the Leatherhead Chamber of Commerce where I am now a Director on the board and just recently I was asked to become a committee member for the Bookham Traders Association which I have accepted.  So I actually don't take the advice that I give to my patients, I work very hard, have very little time off to rest but I DO LOVE MY JOB...how many people can say that?

Thanks to everyone who has supported Fine Fettle over the last two years and we are looking forward to many more and hopefully meeting even more of you.

Helen

NEW YEAR, NEW YEAR RESOLUTIONS AND NEW EVENTS AT FINE FETTLE

NEW SMALL GROUP CLASSES ARE COMING TO FINE FETTLE


PILATES CLASSES
Small group classes, starting 3rd January 2012, Tuesday 1-2pm and Thursday 7-8pm.  6 week course for £60

TEENAGER FITNESS CLASSES
Group class , with emphasis on how to train safely, for 15-18 year olds, starting 3rd January 2012, Tuesday 5-6pm. 6 week course for £45.

BACK IN ACTION - CHRONIC BACK PAIN CLASSES/REHABILITATION
Rehabilitation circuit class, set up for sufferers of chronic back pain, starting Saturday 7th January 2012. Led by chartered physiotherapist.  Gentle sessions, with focus on reduction of pain and recovery. Saturday 10-11am 6 week course £60.

HYDROTHERAPY
Small group class, led by chartered physiotherapist in local pool.  Ideal for injury recovery or low impact exercise.  Starts Tuesday 10th of January 10.15 - 10.45.

ALL CLASSES MUST BE PREBOOKED.  LOCAL LOCATIONS FOR CLASSES NEAR TO FINE FETTLE.


IBS SUPPORT CLINIC
Combination of nutrition, physical therapy and guided relaxation over a period of 4 weeks.  FIRST 10 PEOPLE TO BOOK IN FOR THE IBS SUPPORT PROGRAMME BY THE END OF JANUARY 2012 WILL RECEIVE THE FULL PROGRAMME HALF PRICE!



For further information or booking see www.finefettle.org or email info@finefettle.org or call 01372 458984


MAKE 2012 YOUR YEAR FOR HEALTH AND FITNESS

Merry Christmas from all at Fine Fettle and hoping you all remain in "fine fettle" for 2012.

FREE BLOOD PRESSURE CHECKS - Know your own numbers!!

  18th August 2011




Fine Fettle Multi-healthcare IN Bookham OFFERS FREE BLOOD PRESSURE CHECKS DURING KNOW YOUR NUMBERS! WEEK



Fine Fettle will be warning the general public that ‘Ignorance isn’t always bliss’ as it urges everyone to get their free blood pressure check during this year’s Know your Numbers! Week (12-18 September).



Fine Fettle Multi-healthcare in Bookham, Surrey is among over 1,500 official ‘Pressure Stations’ taking part in the nation’s biggest blood pressure testing event run by UK charity the Blood Pressure Association.



A shocking 1 in 3 adults has high blood pressure and a third of them have no idea as it has no symptoms. That’s around 5 million people whose lives are actually at risk because they don’t know their numbers.



Research from the Blood Pressure Association has revealed that almost three quarters of adults do not know their own blood pressure numbers. High blood pressure nearly always has no symptoms and for many people is ‘out of sight and out of mind’, but its effects can be devastating. It’s the UK’s biggest silent killer, being responsible for 60% of strokes and 40% of heart attacks. If it is detected though, it can be successfully managed.



Fine Fettle and the Blood Pressure Association are warning that ‘Ignorance really isn’t always bliss’. Adults should know their blood pressure numbers in the same way they know their height and weight and the only way to find out what they are is to have a blood pressure check. A quick, painless test can mean the difference between life and death or serious disability.



Fine Fettle will be offering free blood pressure checks at:

Fine Fettle Multi-healthcare, Rayleigh House, 32 High Street, Bookham, Surrey on Monday 12th September – 0900-1700

Thursday 15th September – 0900 - 1300

Friday 16th September – 1400-1800



Paul Newman, Chief Executive of the Blood Pressure Association, says,



“We are delighted Fine Fettle Multi-healthcare is taking part in Know your Numbers! Week 2011. Every organisation that takes part helps to emphasise the importance of knowing your blood pressure numbers and by offering the free checks could really be saving lives.”



“During this year’s campaign, we’re stressing the fact that ‘Ignorance isn’t always bliss’. High blood pressure is a dangerous condition when not managed and we hope everyone will take advantage of the free blood pressure checks to lower their risk of stroke and heart attack.”



To find out more about the campaign visit the Know your Numbers! website at www.bpassoc.org.uk/kyn



If you have a question about high blood pressure and would like to speak to someone over the phone, call the Blood Pressure Association’s Information Line on 0845 241 0989.





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Notes to Editors:



• For more information on Know your Numbers! Week, call 020 8772 4980/4997/4992, or email kyn@bpassoc.org.uk



• To contact the Blood Pressure Association Press Office, call Claire McLoughlin on 020 8772 4992 or email bpacomms@yahoo.co.uk



• For further information on Fine Fettle Multi-healthcare to arrange for your reporter to have their blood pressure checked, or for a photo or interview, please contact Helen Bullen at Fine Fettle Multi-healthcare on/at 01372 458984 or info@finefettle.org



• The Blood Pressure Association is the UK’s leading blood pressure charity working to lower the nation’s blood pressure. The charity provides information and support for people with high blood pressure and raises awareness to prevent the condition. For more information visit the charity’s main website at www.bpassoc.org.uk, or call 020 8772 4994.



• Fine Fettle Multi-healthcare provides a wide variety of complementary treatments all on one site. Our aim is to provide a one-stop centre where clients can choose or seek advice on a particular therapy for any condition or need. Fine Fettle offers a variety of therapies including: Osteopathy, Sports Massage, Acupuncture, Pilates, Personal Training, Therapeutic Massage, Hypnotherapy, Reflexology, Nutrition, Homeopathy and Counselling.



Facts about blood pressure from UK charity the Blood Pressure Association:



• One in three adults in the UK – 16 million – has high blood pressure. A third of these (5 million) don’t know they have the condition.

• High blood pressure has no obvious signs or symptoms. The only way to find out if you have the condition is to have a blood pressure check.

• Untreated high blood pressure is the major risk factor for stroke and heart attack. It is also a risk factor for heart and kidney disease and vascular dementia.

• A healthy blood pressure is a level of 120/80mmHg or less. If readings are consistently at or above 140/90mmHg, high blood pressure is diagnosed, and action should be taken to lower it.

• You can lower your blood pressure by having a healthier lifestyle, and, if necessary, by taking medication as directed by your doctor.



The Blood Pressure Association’s ‘Top five tips for a healthy blood pressure’:



1. Cut down on salt – don’t add it when cooking or at the table and check food labels to make sure you don’t eat more than 6g a day.

2. Eat plenty of fruit and vegetables – at least five different portions every day

3. Watch your weight – try to reach the right weight for your height.

4. Exercise regularly – that doesn’t have to mean the gym, how about a regular lunchtime walk? 30 minutes five times a week is ideal, but if you are unsure about taking up exercise and how much, ask your GP..

5. Drink alcohol in moderation – no more than 3-4 units a day for men and no more than 2-3 units for women (a pint of normal strength beer = 2 units, a medium glass of wine = 2 units).

Less Heel Strike

Well its 4 months now since I started "experimenting" with forefoot running.  As mentioned in my last blog this is report is not in any way a scientific research piece.  Rather an average runner trying to understand the mechanics behind this new "craze"

So for 4 months I have been running in my Mizuno trainers which have less built up support and firstly I have to say I love them.  I find them really comfortable which was a surprise if I am honest after years of built up "comfy" looking trainers.  Trying to run on my forefoot has however proved a little more tricky as I can't naturally land that far forward when I run and when tired my left foot starts to do it own thing!!  I think my speed is too slow for forefoot, so early on I decided to consider my running as "less heel strike" instead.  My stride has shortened and I keep my feet underneath me rather than throwing my feet forward ahead of me and breaking my forward momentum.  I have found hills less difficult (nearly wrote much easier there!!) as I feel the shorter stride with feet under the body makes me fall forward increasing my forward momentum.  I also find that up hills I really concentrate on my running form so this distracts me from the pain (nearly wrote enjoyment there!!)

So I am a convert, perhaps not to forefoot running in the pure form but I know that the compression forces that used to be put through my knees have lessened and I have actually found running easier.

My next challenge is the Badger Half Marathon and to date I have gone up to 9 miles in preparation.  I still have 10 weeks so I will gradually train with my own " Less heel strike" foot pattern.  Perhaps I will knock off half an hour......realistically I dont intend for a fast (for me) run but rather a pain free run.

Bring on the hills.

Will update you all on my training log soon.

Any stories of your experiences of forefoot please share!

Fine Fettle Massage Therapist Walks for Charity

One of our massage therapists has been busy of late, using legs instead of hands - to get over the finishing line of the MoonWalk London. 13 miles through the streets of London, during the night of 14th May to the early hours of May 15th, raising money and awareness for breast cancer. Caroline seen here with Katie Adderley and Vanessa Legg, after setting a leisurely pace, sightseeing on the way and indulging in the occasional nutritional midnight snack.

Caroline (centre of picture) is looking forward now to next initiative of encouraging women golfers, from golf clubs of the surrounding areas, to look after their bodies, as much as their golf equipment, during the busiest and most demanding part of the golfing calendar - the summer. And obviously not forgetting the men, with gift vouchers available for treatments, especially with Father's Day and all those summer birthdays on the horizon.

Contact Caroline at Fine Fettle on 01373 458984 for information or to book a treatment.