TINY TIM CHARITY

This is a purpose built centre were Physically handicapped children can be treated by massage and physiotherapy for free and also instruct their parents how to massage their children on a daily or twice daily basis. Not only is the re a treatment centre there but also a "Purple Planet" play area where the children can exercise naturally to aid mobilisation of joints and also be able to play with other children with and without disabilities. The Centre is in Whitefriars Lane, Coventry. As this is the only one in Europe and possibly in the world and it is open to all children with parents bringing them from all over the country. The centre was the brainchild of Mr. Stan Duncombe when president of the L.C.S.P. He was treating a small boy named Rory who had some severe problems and as Stan saw that he was beginning to mend and walk better thought that there should be somewhere that could treat children and enable them to play with fit and disabled others. He approached the L.C.S.P. who agreed to fund the building and he obtained gifts from other businesses to provide equpement for the property. I have been involved with the Centre from it's start. As you will see on the back page I have tried to help in all sorts of ways. I am now on the board of Trustees in charge of Clinical Excellence. I have also worked as a satellite clinic on a number of occasions at Belper.

CAN HEAVY WORK, AND /OR STRENUOUS EXERCISE CAUSE BACKPAIN?

There is a large relationship with heavy lifting and strenuous exercise Not only in the weight the spine has to endure in the act of taking on the extra weight, when possibly bending over. With the trauma of either not being fully prepared for it either in its muscles, tendons or ligaments. As extra weight compresses the discs any turning, rotating or bending can have a grinding effect on the annular fibres as well as the nucleus of the disc itself causing traumas there. As I have said, if the muscles are not ready or the action is done without thinking small teats, strains may occur. These may be in the small vertebral muscles and may not be noticed at first, but a continuous action may cause lesions to occur until pain is felt. There may be also damage done to the vertebral processes in the action, or Osteophyts (bony out growths) may develop on the lip of the vertebrae. If the lifting is done on a regular basis "knacks" will be learned to avoid the onset of pain but obviously any activity done over a period of time will gradually take its toll. Generally bad posture, accident, "one off", "Just try a bit harder" or the "not ready" or "I didn't think" are the ones that get the problem.

Backbites
Some of the things patients say:

I had a woman come once who said that she didn't want any more manipulations because she had heard that it could cause strokes " How you mean?" I asked, "I don't know," she said. "Perhaps the jerks twists the blood". I said (tongue in cheek) "Yes I bet that's it, " she said.

I have one man who comes now ands again and always ask if I could wear some thick rubber gloves with extra finger pads "So it won't hurt so much". He came one day when it was raining and said he nearly phoned up and cancelled due to bad weather.

One patient came with a bad back and said that they had been told the cure for restless legs was to raise the foot of the bed (true) so decided to put the telephone and yellow pages under each foot. Then realising that they needed a number bent down to pick up the bed and "felt it go out". Needless to say there are two house bricks there now instead the books

WHAT ARE THE BASIC CAUSES OF BACK PAIN?

There are seven main basic causes General disease such as influenza or a heavy cold, especially if there is a history of back problems, these forms of illness tend to attack areas of weakness. Referred pain from a visceral disease such as pleurisy, kidney infections. I once had a patient complaining of backpain, as I could not find any problems I referred her back to her GP for tests. It was discovered that a large cyst was growing on her liver. Any actual disease of the vertebral column, such as rheumatoid or osteo-arthritis or osteoporosis, Anklylosing Spondylitis, Arachnoiditis, Paget's disease, tumours or carcinomas. Muscular problems e.g. tired or strained as in a over-taxing sports event, a new job involving lifting and turning or even digging or other gardening activities. Mechanical problems with the spine e.g. fractures of the vertebra processes, locking facets joints, severe scoliosis, kyphosis or lordosis, misalignments of the bones - causing inflammation from tendons, disc lesions, pain from sacroiliac or even sterno - thoracic lesions may give radiated pains in the back. Ageing and degeneration can have an affect on the spine with time the spine looses its suppleness.