HOW SHOULD I SIT?

Sitting on a chair or settee that is too soft, hard, low, high, or, too laid - back can put an unacceptable strain on an already overtaxed group of muscles or ligaments which are trying to hold an unstable joint together (remember it's only the ligaments which hold joints together). When sitting on a seat, the whole back must be supported in a correct alignment either by the back of the chair/ settee or in the position you have to sit making your body hold itself correctly (as in Japanese kneeling chairs) the feet should be flat on the floor and the knees at a right angle the buttocks should feel level -not sitting on one “cheek.”Every 20 minutes or so move your position or stand up or walk around for a short spell. Remember joints can slide out of place when too much torque is placed on one side.

IS IT MY PILLOW ?

Not having the correct height of a pillow or pillows can both cause and restrict the process of healing in neck and spinal problems. Far too often I hear patients say I don't need a pillow or I have to have at least three pillows. Some think that they sleep on their back and never move. If this was the case then they would have bed pressure sores. It is a natural process of sleeping to move. Although you may go to sleep and wake up in the same position you will most certainly move during the night. Therefore, you will be on your side at some point. This is the time when the correct pillow height (or lack of it ) can do the damage. You should have enough pillows (when weight bearing ) so that you head, neck and spine are in a straight line. Have someone check it for you.

DO YOU JUST TREAT BACKS?

This is a question that I am often asked and the answer is No! I treat all manner of conditions (some of which are shown in my B.B.C. leaflet) The clinic is called the Belper Backpain Clinic because I treat a lot more back pain than anything else. Also people remember B.B.C. better than Mac Thacker. When Peak Practice offices where next door I had to treat a number of them and it amused me (they being Carlton TV.) to have to say “I'm going to the B.B.C.

WHY DOES MY PAIN COME AND GO?

When a joint comes apart in a slight subluxation (not a dislocation). With some of the minute fibres of the “stronger than steel” ligaments rupturing(they will not stretch). The initial reaction of the body is to try and compensate so the surrounding muscles go into a contraction to try to hold the joint together. This obviously takes the pressure off the joint and therefore eases pain but as this is not what the muscles and tendons are for. Their job is to move the bones of the joint. When the muscles get tired, they either waken and relax their hold allowing the joint to slip out again, or in other cases the muscle goes into spasm pulling the joint further out of alignment. The reaction to this is to rest. This does not rest the joint but the muscles, so that the muscles feel relaxed and refreshed enough to contract the joint back again therefore easing the pain until the next time. Unless the joint is actually reseated and able to stop in place this process will continue. Unfortunately other surrounding tissues, muscle, tendons, ligaments, and bones will become affected by this and they will start to degenerate as well.

IS SWIMMING A GOOD EXERCISE??

On the whole swimming is a very good exercise. But if you have a back problem I do not recommend the Breast Stroke. This is because most people hold their head out of the water putting a strain onto the neck, Also the action of the legs in the “Frog Legs ” portion of the stroke can put a strain on the S/I joint and the whole of the lumbar area. The Crawl, Backstroke or any other strokes are all acceptable.