Did you know amongst other things, chiropractors frequently also treat the hips, knees and feet?
 
Amazingly in an average lifetime, our feet carry us an equivalent of five times around the Earth and in addition to this, the feet must take the strain of supporting the body’s weight even when just standing still. Given how often we use our feet, and the demands we make upon them on a day to day basis, it’s so important to look after them properly.
 
In each foot there is a total of 26 bones, and damage to any one of them, or even related muscles, ligaments or cartilage can result in problems with the foot that may need attention from a trained professional in order to prevent longer term damage.
 
Here are some simple tips for you to follow to keep your feet in good condition:

• You should inspect and feel your feet daily for cracks, corns and ulcers.
• Toenails should be cut straight across, not too close to the skin.
• Take extra care when walking barefoot.
• A well fitting shoe should not require a long and painful breaking in period.

 
Pay good attention to your feet; changes and/or pain in the feet and ankles could indicate a more serious foot ailment or circulatory problem, so if in doubt, check it out! If you think you might need support for your feet/arches then check out our biomechanics and orthotics service

​While fun and efficient, our much-loved technological devices could be the cause of bad posture and resulting back and neck pain…
 
Technology has become part of our everyday life. Everywhere you look people are surfing the net on their computers, writing a text message on their mobile phone or using a tablet to watch a video, which means a considerable amount of our time is being spent hunched over looking at a screen.
 
It goes without saying that our techno devices bring a lot of fun and efficiency into our lives, but they can also, unfortunately bring a multitude of problems for our backs and necks, which is why correct posture when you are spending a lot time in front of a screen is extremely important.

Our bodies are very robust to general postural stress but to reduce repetitive loads follow these simple Do's and Don’t's:
 
Do

• Try out new gadgets before you buy them to make sure they’re comfortable to use and spend time setting them up in a way that works well for you
• Take the time to break position on a regular basis and stretch your arms, shrug your shoulders and move your fingers around when using your mobile, smartphone, laptop or tablet, as this helps to keep the muscles more relaxed
• Ensure your chair has an adequate back support when sitting in front of a computer at a desk
• Take regular breaks to rest eyes, neck and shoulders
• Stand up and walk around at least once an hour
• Relax your wrists while typing.

 
Don’t

• Get too engrossed in what you are doing and forget how long you have been using your tech device in bed; if you are still planning to surf/text/play on your devices in bed, set an alarm to remind you to pack it away and get some much needed sleep
• Slouch, use a low table or cross your legs while sitting at a desk in front of your computer screen for long periods
• Sit in the same position while using your tech device for too long at a time
• Tense your neck, shoulders or wrist.

​Many people cringe at the sound of knuckles, elbows and other joints cracking. For years, experts have debated whether or not this common cracking could cause joint problems.
 
It has recently been confirmed that this ‘popping’ is due to a small bubble forming between your joints. The bubble forms when your joints move apart, forming a kind of vacuum in the synovial fluid, a slippery substance that lubricates your joints.
 
People who can deliberately make joints like knuckles pop usually do so by pushing or pulling the joint in such a way as to make an air bubble appear with a sudden pop. This is called joint cavitation. Once the bubble is there the joint will not pop again until all the air has been reabsorbed.
 
However, there are other cracking noises and sensations that may of concern. Snapping and cracking noises can be caused by osteoarthritis as a consequence of the natural ageing process, or following a trauma or disease in the joint. In this case the cartilage, which eases friction in the joint breaks down, so that movement causes painful friction and crunching noises.
 
Snapping noises and sensations, on the other hand, are likely to be caused by muscle or tendon moving across a bone. This happens when a tendon is slightly loose, and occurs most often in the hip, knee, ankle, wrist and shoulder. This could eventually lead to bursitis, or inflammation of the fluid-filled sac that allows muscle to move smoothly over bone.