Back Pain Tips – 10 Ways to Take Care of your Back

 

Back care support caring for you treatments

1 Backpack

Two straps are better than one, can you imagine if everyday you wear a bag on one shoulder, slowly the muscles will adapt to balance out wearing the bag. They may rise up on the bag wearing side and to counter act this, the mid back may tilt for balance, the neck will tilt to counteract the change and then the pelvis will tilt up. It only takes 30 days for the muscles to adapt a new posture.  See direct example below.

So in a nutshell both straps for a happy back.

2. Footwear

Yeay for taking care of our feet. They carry us around, they put up with wearing all sorts of shoe shapes & heel heights, they provide stability, posture support, they carry natural waste (uric acid & calcium deposits) products in the form of crystals, there are loads of nerve endings here, they need care, put them in shoes that support all aspects of your foot. Pumps are death to feet. If you wear flip flops a lot, consider how much harder your muscles in the feet are gripping hold. I love Ecco & Hotter shoes, which are both UK companies & sandals that have straps so my feet are happy, secure & supported.

3 Posture awareness

How often do you bring the focus back internally, to how you are sat, are you relaxed? You can try this be isolating an area, tensing it then relaxing it, hunch your shoulders to your ears, then relax them down and back, tighten up your face muscles then relax them, especially the eye area. If you repeat this naturally when you remember, you will have greater awareness of your posture & can sense when you are sat in a way that doesn’t support you. Here is a simple beginners guide to this exercise.

4 Alignment treatments

Do you feel a bit wonky? Do you notice some areas have a restricted range of motion? Alignment treatments can prevent injury, soothe pain/injury, increase range of movement, improve posture & relaxation.

Bowen is what I love & practice, so it is my go-to, when I have an injury. Yes it can be used immediately on an injury, think of me as an emergency musculoskeletal support. Bowen is the perfect treatment to calm the nervous system immediately after an accident/injury and it removes the shock/trauma from the body, instantly relaxing you & prepping the body for restoration. Bowen supports to align fascia, surrounding all muscles, joints and nerves, therefore benefits are pain reduction, more range of movement and quicker recover time. The sooner the better, benefits felt from 1 treatment,  but typically 3 are recommended, 1 week apart. In my own experience and my clients, recovery is quicker with Bowen & you can get back on with your life again.

5 Sitting position

Getting clear on how we sit at work, when watching the TV or driving. then imagine how many hours a week, a month, a year do we spend doing the same actions repeatedly? A lot! So check how you are sitting & reflect if it matches where you might have back pain, Below is a suggested desk height posture for at work, I use a portable adjustable laptop stand, but there are fixed stands available too. You can also get an iPad stand & a phone stand to save holding the item, its way more relaxing just try it! An ergonomic mouse really supports my wrists & a good chair is a great help too, here are some supportive chair options.

Self care correct posture working at desk

 

6 Engaging your core with exercise

I always love Pilates for strengthening & posture support, but its important to find some exercise you enjoy, if you are not sure, try it! Backs typically prefer movement to being still.

7 Relaxation

Relaxation is our natural state, as seen more obviously in nature, for example the trees aren’t sweating that they don’t know what the future look likes, nor the flowers quivering due to fearing lack of money, or the bees worrying about their bumbly round body image, they are just doing their thing in complete relaxation.

Relaxation supports all of our body systems & mind to work at their best. A regular form of relaxation is a great way to provide self care & it can be whatever works & provides support to you. I love to take short moments of mind & body relaxation, also called strong mind, which can be carried out anytime, anywhere, with nothing else needed, it is so easeful & the results are very quick & profound. It supports stability of mind no matter the worries, fears of uncertainty, we never know what is around the corner, so to simply focus on each moment is very refreshing. This doesn’t mean that we can’t plan or prepare for the future, but for me, it has meant I can live a happier life where I feel contented, no matter the thoughts or emotions I have.

It is an ancient Tibetan practice that has been developed for the modern day. This practice has ultimately supported me to see the best way to take care of the self, how to make decisions & have clarity on how I would like to live my life. See here for more info https://www.bright.how/ also books can be found here.

8 Good mattress and pillow

We spend a vast amount of time in bed over our lifetime, please invest in a good quality pillow & mattress that will support to keep your spine aligned. Also how do you wind down for bed? A few stretches? A bath? what pillow do you use? Is it supportive? Is it providing benefit to your neck & spine? It is so important to upgrade your mattress & pillow to support preventing injuries & providing care for you. When you book in a treatment not only do I provide freedom from pain & injury but also look at your

posture at work & play so you can continue on injury free 💜

9 Lifting 

What the toddler did, we can learn a lot from small beings on the natural way to lift items.

10 Emotional care

Can you see when you are getting overwhelmed and stressed? We all know a bit of short term stress has benefits, as in getting our shit done, but if we are sitting around for a long time overwhelmed by a state of emotion, then it’s time to reach out for support. Emotions can sometimes manifest into physical ailments, so often backs I see need some relaxation from an emotional stress, rather than a physical injury. Fresh air & relaxation is always my first go to, also connecting with those important people in our lives, that truly wish for us to flourish and be well. We all and I mean ALL experience a continued variety of emotional thoughts and on some level it is just particles and energy, like fireworks in space.

Shifting our focus from a singular being of suffering, is a concept, yes, but actually there is part of us that is connected to many other beings, feeling the same thought or emotion at the same time. Whether it is your church, community, family, guru, pet, professional help, whatever it is that works for you, please always be brave and reach out, as just that alone can be a great relief.

Happy backs to you all 🙂 unhappy backs can make contact here.

How I plan to re-open with Care

How I am continuing to work during the pandemic with Care

Hi, I’m Emily and I am a lower back pain therapist. I love to help you relax, be free from pain and get on with your life in the quickest time possible. I treat using the Bowen Technique.

I share with you here my Covid19 safety measures:-

CAM (complementary therapies) is an unregulated profession, so there are a lot of opinions out there, but I went with guidance from the APNG (Association of Physical and Natural Therapists) and my insurance.

Updated on 10th August 2021.

💜 Clients where possible are encouraged to bring their own water bottle or empty bottle and I can provide water.

💜Upon entry to my home clinic, a hand sanitising/hand washing station will be set up.

💜 I will leave 15-30 minutes in between clients to ventilate the room with fresh air. I will disinfect any areas that the client before may have touched, i.e. door handles/chair (I have created a daily cleaning schedule for this yeay!)

💜 Although it is no longer mandatory to wear a mask, I am still wearing one, due to the close nature of my work. If you are happy to wear one that would be awesome, particularly when lying on your back during a treatment. 

💜 There will be screening questions asked to each client around Covid19 and follow up contact to check no one is showing any symptoms. 

💜 I will follow the suggested protocol if myself, a member of my household or a client I have been in contact with within 7 days develops symptoms. I will ensure everyone I have been in contact with are notified in case isolation is needed as a precaution to maintain the possible spread.

💜 If you are unsure about anything or have questions, then please don’t hesitate to be in touch.

Who I Love To Help

Vibrational alignment technique and who I love to help

The vibrational alignment technique I use, is called Bowen Therapy, it is amazing at relaxing you and restoring fascia (web like substance surrounding muscles, cells, joints and nerves) and freeing up restrictions.  

Here is who I love to care for:-

I help people with injuries, get back to training, playing and to daily life, in the quickest time possible by using the Bowen technique which provides significantly quicker recovery to optimum health.

What The Treatment Benefits Include:

  • Ease of pain/ease of injury symptoms/muscular restriction symptoms
  • Provide realignment
  • Posture assessment 
  • Work posture guidance
  • Self care tips
  • Improvement of flexibility
  • Gentle & natural treatment working with the bodies self-healing mechanism
  • Relaxation &  stress reduction

What is the value I create for my clients with this programme?

 

  • Complete relaxation
  • Successful beneficial health treatment
  • Understanding of your condition & what supports you
  • Pain reduction
  • Muscle/joint restriction eased
  • Condition/symptoms reduced
  • Feel brighter with a higher sense of wellbeing
  • Stress reduction
  • Increase in energy & mobility to do more at work/hobby/everyday life
  • Increase of wellbeing and ability to flourish in life
  • Feel supported
  • Feel in alignment
  • Improvement of posture
  • Self care tips and how to manage/take responsibility to prevent re-injury
  • Money not spent on continual recurring appointments & able to return to work quickly if current injury is preventing you from doing so.
  • Quick appointment booking time.

Please do get in touch if this resonates with you and you would like to hear more about how I can support you. 

Read more about Bowen Technique here too.

Caring for you, an A to Z guide

Caring for you, an A to Z guide

In case you didnt know, caring for you, is one of my biggest passions, relaxing, squidging, aligning and supporting people to take good care of their health is soooo important. 

A – AROMATHERAPY I love essential oils, their unique aroma & powerful health properties. I create a tailor made blend & place them in an oil to soothe your aches & pains with the benefits of massage or place them in a moisturiser.

B – BOWEN TECHNIQUE an amazing realignment technique to support posture, free up tension, muscular restrictions, support healing injuries & pain reduction. It is very relaxing & can support with stress & wellbeing too.

Bowen technique back care

C – CARING my biggest strength, I love, caring for you & I am totally here to support you with any health & wellbeing needs you have.

D – DETOX Bowen Technique can support to detox & de-stress. Reflexology can ease up uric acid & calcium deposits, which are natural waste products in the forms of crystals which are deposited on the feet.

E – EARS support our respiratory system, hearing & balance. Bowen can ease congestion symptoms & relieve blocked sinuses with amazing lymphatic drainage moves around the ear, jaw, forehead & neck.

Caring for you listening

F – FASCIA an amazing web like substance that surrounds all our muscles, ligaments, cells & organs. Bowen works over fascia, when a move is made, the stretch receptors send impulses to the brain which communicates to the specific muscles, resetting them to an original blueprint & providing realignment.

G – GALLBLADDER in Bowen Technique there is direct move over this super fat digesting organ, freeing up restriction & supporting with gallstones. I also support with diet/lifestyle tips such as reducing a fatty diet.

H – HOT STONES they are hot & get in nice & deep to the muscles. They also are great for supporting with detoxing the body.

I – INSOMNIA which happens to all of us & I would love to support you to ensure you have a nice bedtime routine. A relaxing treatment can ensure your body is in a balanced state.

J – JOJOBA OIL a great oil for oily skin. My fav is to combine it with Patchouli & Geranium, which balances the natural sebum production that the skin produces.

K – KIDNEYS Bowen Technique has an ace Kidney procedure which works directly over this incredible filtering organ to support with stress reduction & lower back pain. Reflexology can work over the Kidney/adrenal glands to support you working at your best.

L – LIVER get your Milk Thistle in pre & post drinking to cleanse your liver with any toxins. PS don’t drink more, this is a support as well as moderate drinking & drinking water into between alcoholic drinks.

M – MOISTURISE no matter what treatment you book in for, I can check out your skin & create a tailor homemade natural moisturiser for you with SPF 25 in whooo, go skin go!

N – NATURAL, O ORGANIC OIL whoo natural and organic oil benefiting our skin, reducing the impact on our liver has in detoxing products & supporting the environment. Orange flower facial oil, get a load of that rubbed into your skin smells so good!

P – PELVIS often this can be misaligned from poor posture, accident/injury or even childbirth. This often goes hand in hand with jaw misalignment & lower back pain. Bowen technique has a great move which can support alignment, also benefiting your knees & ankles too, as well as supporting the lymphatic system to flow freely.

Q – QUALITY from the towels, the treatment bed, the music you hear, the products you smell, the colour scheme, the health questions asked, the picture on the ceiling as you like back, all is considered to support you fully & provide a quality treatment & experience.

Relaxing eco-friendly treatment room

R – RELAXATION plays an important part in health & wellbeing, being able to relax with all thoughts and emotions is something that has greatly enhanced my health. Bright.how is an amazing support network, which I highly recommend. Relaxation & taking time out for you to support your body is such a support to you and to everyone else.

S – SUPPORT I am here to support you with your health & wellbeing using all my tips and tricks that I know. It might be Bowen Technique, Aromatherapy, Hot Stones, Reflexology, Reiki, or a Luxury Facial.

T – TMJ an amazing move in Bowen Technique that can support with pre/post dental surgery, dizziness, colds/respiratory problems, releasing stress in jaw, providing realignment in the body, especially to your pelvis, as the jaw is connected to the pelvis via fascia.

U – U BE YOU I love to encourage you to be as you are & focus on your loves.

V – VERY NICE TREATMENTS 🙂

W – WATER which hydrates fascia to stay fluid & provide mobility, often after a treatment you feel thirsty because it’s like having a workout & allows toxins stored in the body to be eliminated. Your body loses up to 2 litres of H20 a day with very little expenditure, so that’s a reason to drink H20.

X – XMAS GIFTS get your gifts here, for you or a friend, go on treat yourself & de-stress.

Y – YOU I love caring for you & tailoring the treatment to you so you can receive the best care to support your health.

Z – ZZZ relaxing treatments aid the body being in a balance & support you to sleep better.

Contact me here to book a treatment.