Working Together to Protect the Health of Our Children

back care advice for childrenThere used to be an age when getting the kids to spend time indoors would be as difficult as trying take a new puppy away from a toy. Whatever the weather, whatever the day, children would want to spend their free time playing outdoors in the fresh air –climbing trees and getting grazed knees, making dens from battered planks of wood, cycling, skating or just good old fashioned walking…

And then came along the internet.

No one can deny the amazing educational benefits that the internet brings for today’s children, but it can pose a danger to their physical health.

Here at our chiropractic clinic in Southend, we treat many children for back and neck pain (we’ve all heard of “text neck”!) and it’s impossible to ignore that the growing amount of time that youngsters spend online sometimes plays a major role in these often modern age aches and pains.

While limited and monitored internet usage can be advantageous for certain areas your child’s life, it’s important (now more than ever) that physical activity plays a major role in their free time.

Our award winning Southend chiropractor provides the following top tips to keep your child happy and healthy (without a single mention of the internet!):

1: Help them to discover a fun activity. The more your child enjoys an activity, the more likely they will be to stick at it. Talk to your child about how important physical activity is and play and active part in helping them to start something they’re interested in.

2: Remember to choose an activity that is developmentally appropriate and respect your child’s views if they think something is too young/ old for them or if they naturally grow out of something. For example, a child who starts ballet lessons at the age of 4 may not want to continue with that particular activity when they’re 12.

3: Ensure that you always plan ahead and make time for your children to exercise.

4: Be proactive in the toys that you buy by selecting ones that promote physical exercise. There are always plenty of new inventions on the market for older children (how much fun do Segways look?) and toddlers and younger children should always have easy access to balls, ride alongs and other active toys.

5: Be active yourself. If your child sees you regularly enjoying sports and physical activities then they are likely to follow in your footsteps. On the flip side, if your child sees you spending most of your downtime on your Smartphone, tablet or laptop then they will assume that is the ‘norm’.

6: Play with your child and plan family days out/ activities together. Why not arrange a family walk every Sunday morning where no technology is allowed? Not only will this benefit your child’s health and fitness but it will encourage you to communicate as a family (something that is also often hampered by too much internet usage).

To book an appointment with our award winning team of chiropractors, contact Cliffs Chiropractor in Southend on 01702 430430.

30+ and male – watch your back advises Cliffs Chiropractor Southend

Consumer research undertaken by the British Chiropractic Association (BCA) earlier this year revealed that many men will start to experience back pain at around 37!

The BCA findings have also found that 82% of men in the UK expressed that they have or have suffered back and neck pain. This number has risen from 75% a year ago.*

Almost half (47%)of men claimed that moving heavy objects is a top trigger for causing back and neck pain, 41% admitted they do nothing to proactively care for their backs.

The impact of back and neck pain

As an experienced team of chiropractors in Southend, we see first-hand the impact that back and neck pain has on our patients’ lives. It can be significant from affecting their ability to work, lifestyle and overall health

How can you protect your back and neck?

We are passionate about helping people be pain free here at Cliffs Chiropractor Southend and we have included basic advice to help you keep your back and neck safe when performing the most common problematic activities.

Lifting & Lowering:
When lifting a heavy object, or even your kids, remember to bend your knees. Avoid bending from your waist as this increases the stress on your lower back.
Putting an object down can often lead to as many problems as lifting. Whenever possible put objects down onto a surface at waist height rather than on the floor.

Carrying:
To reduce the strain on your back and neck keep objects you are carrying as close to your body as possible.

Sitting:
Whether you’re sitting on the sofa watching TV, using your laptop or sitting at your desk, being mindful of the way you’re sitting is really important. Always make sure you are sitting comfortably with good back support at the base of the chair. Check your head position – your head needs to be directly over your body to reduce the strain on your neck and back.

Finally, it is important to keep active. Move around and changing position every 20 to 30 minutes. Taking regular exercise can be beneficial but you want to be mindful of the exercise you are taking and ease yourself in gradually to any new form of activity. Remember that high endurance based activities can put your body under huge amounts of stress.

If you are suffering from back or neck pain or if you have any other concerns please get in touch with us as we offer a lot of help and advice to get you back up and running as soon as possible. You can contact us at Cliffs Chiropractor Southend on 01702 430430.
* Consumer research conducted 07.01.2015 to 20.01.2015 on behalf of the British Chiropractic Association (BCA). Sample – 2,127 UK adults of which 908 were men between the ages of 16 and 55+. 2014 figure taken from the BCA’s 2014 consumer research of a sample of 956 men.

Cliffs has revitalized me – Seth’s story about Cliffs Chiropractor Southend

At Cliffs Chiropractor Southend, we see a lot of patients who are currently suffering from back pain and neck pain amongst other concerns.

This is a story about Seth. For quite a long time, Seth had been suffering badly from middle and lower back pain. The pain had gotten so bad that it was stopping Seth from sleeping, doing his job and even playing his favourite hobby, golf.

Over a period of time Seth’s back pain was getting much worse and becoming a lot more painful. It was causing him to wake up at night and he was also finding it difficult to breath at times. Most evenings Seth was finding it easier to sleep on the sofa than in his own bed.

Seth finally decided to pay Cliffs Chiropractor Southend a visit as he couldn’t take the pain any longer and has since found that his back pain has gotten a lot better. Seth says that it has revitalised him and is now getting the recommended 7 to 8 hours sleep a night and in his own bed!

To hear more about Seth’s story, clink the link below to watch the Youtube video:

If you are suffering from pain or if you have any other concerns please get in touch with us as we offer a lot of help and advice to get you back up and running as soon as possible. You can contact us at Cliffs Chiropractor Southend on 01702 430430.

I feel like an eight year old again – John’s story about Cliffs Chiropractor Southend

Here at Cliffs Chiropractor Southend, we have many patients who suffer from back pain and neck pain amongst other concerns.

Here we will share John’s story. John is currently a builder and was suffering from constant pain all the way down his right shoulder. This was causing John to feel rather grotty most days.

After visiting a chiropractor a few years ago, John knew that they would be able to help with his current shoulder pain. John was eventually referred to our Chiropractor Southend and after his first treatment session with us, he says he feels like and eight year old again as he feels so young. John no longer has any pain in his back or his shoulder and will be able to go back to work tomorrow.

John advises anyone with back pain to go and visit a Chiropractor and says that it is a brilliant way to avoid taking medication and even having to go through surgery.

To hear more about John’s story, click the link below to watch the Youtube video:

If you are suffering from pain or if you have any other concerns please get in touch with us as we offer a lot of help and advice to get you back up and running as soon as possible. You can contact us at Cliffs Chiropractor Southend on 01702 430430.

Spring is in the air – Cliffs Chiropractor Southend shares these tips on how to stay safe in the garden

Within the last week we have started to notice that spring is definitely in the air. After a long, wet winter lots of you will be eager to get out into the fresh air and do some long awaited gardening.

Even though gardening is fun it can put quite a strain on your back, especially when you’re digging and weeding. Being a leading chiropractor Southend we would like to share these tips and advice on how to keep your back safe whilst gardening this spring.

  •  Try to wear loose clothing that won’t restrict your movements
  • If using a ladder, make sure it is planted safely in the ground and if possible make sure there is someone near by to keep and eye on things
  • Make sure you take a break every 20-30 minutes, a good excuse to have a cup of tea!
  • Invest in some long handled secateurs so you don’t hurt yourself trying to get to hard to reach places
  • When buying heavy things like compost or gravel, ask a member of staff to help you lift it into your car

If you follow these tips you are sure to have an enjoyable time in the garden this spring.

If you are suffering from pain or if you have any other concerns please get in touch with us as we offer a lot of help and advice to get you back up and running as soon as possible. You can contact us at Cliffs Chiropractor Southend on 01702 430430.

Stay healthy and be sugar free – Cliffs Chiropractor Southend shares these tips

Recent studies have found that sugar is playing a massive part in the UK’s obesity problems. Sugar has lots of calories and has no nutritional value at all. With many of us consuming an alarming amount of it everyday, most of us don’t realise it’s hidden in many foods.

Consuming too much sugar can cause obesity and leads to many health problems such as diabetes and liver damage. Sugar can also affect your sleep, age your skin prematurely and affect your heart.

As lots of us are leading busy lives we end up eating processed foods and drink, as they are quick and simple to make. Here at our Chiropractor Southend we would like to share these tips on how to start eating a sugar free diet.

  •  Always check the label on foods. You should be looking for foods that have less than 5g per 100g of sugar. Also watch out for the words fructose, lactose and sucrose as they are all forms of sugar
  • Stop adding sugar to tea, coffee, and cereals. You can get plenty of healthy sugars from fruit and complex carbohydrates such as wholegrain pasta
  • Try to get as much exercise as you can, this will help burn off the sugar that you have consumed. 30 minutes is the recommended daily amount
  • Try to ditch processed and pre-packaged foods. Even lots of shop pasta sauces contain up to eight teaspoons of sugar. Make your own, it is healthier and quick and easy to do

If you follow these tips, you could be on your way to a healthier, sugar free diet in no time!

If you are suffering from pain or if you have any other concerns please get in touch with us as we offer a lot of help and advice to get you back up and running as soon as possible. You can contact us at Cliffs Chiropractor Southend on 01702 430430.

Helping to look after mothers this Mothers Day – Cliffs Chiropractor Southend shares these posture tips when looking after young children

At our Chiropractor Southend we know just how hard Mothers work, especially when trying to juggle work and looking after young children.

Picking up children and even playing with them, can cause quite a strain to your back. A recent study found that 61% of parents suffer from back pain with over 40% saying that it prevents them from playing with their child.

With Mothers Day just around the corner, here at Cliffs Chiropractor Southend we would like to give the gift of some posture tips and advice to all you mothers out there.

  •  When carrying your baby try to hold them as close as possible which helps your centre of gravity. Carriers or slings are a fantastic option
  • As your child gets older and grows, try to encourage them to do as much as possible for themselves as picking up a heavy child can be very difficult
  • When buying pushchairs look at ones that have adjustable height settings so it can be moved to suit your own height. When pushing a pram you should be able to walk upright with your spine straight
  • If you are playing with your child, get down to the child’s level instead of bending over
  • Try to avoid long periods of kneeling as this puts a lot of pressure on the knees
  • When picking up toys try to remember to bend your knees. Observe your child as young children often use the natural squatting position to pick things up

We hope that these tips will help and that you have quality back pain free – time with your children. Happy Mothers Day!

If you are suffering from pain or if you have any other concerns please get in touch with us as we offer a lot of help and advice to get you back up and running as soon as possible. You can contact us at Cliffs Chiropractor Southend on 01702 430430.

 

Awful back pain? Cliffs Chiropractor gives the option of emergency appointments

Here at our Chiropractor Southend our main aim is to take care of our patients. We give you a wide range of treatment options in reducing pain, staying healthy and maximizing recovery. We are also proud of the fact that we give you the option of making an emergency appointment.

We can normally offer you an appointment within 48 hours, with early morning and evening appointments available. However, we do try to see emergencies the same day.

If the clinic is closed you can call 01702 430430 to obtain our out of hours telephone number.

If you are suffering from pain or if you have any other concerns please get in touch with us as we offer a lot of help and advice to get you back up and running as soon as possible. You can contact us at Cliffs Chiropractor Southend on 01702 430430.

Sleep well this March. A leading Southend Chiropractor shares these tips and advice

Do you have difficulty falling asleep at night? You are not alone. Many people today are finding it harder and harder to fall asleep. Due to our busy and hectic lifestyles, with work and family commitments it makes it harder for us to relax and get those important eight hours.

Studies have found that a good and regular bedtime ritual will help you to wind down and prepare for bed. Most adults need between 7 and 9 hours sleep to be able to function well the next day. By working out what time you need to get up in the morning, you can then set a regular bedtime schedule.

Here at our Southend Chiropractor we would like to share this advice on how to relax before bedtime.

  •  Try not to watch TV, look at you computer, tablets or phones at least and hour before you’re due to go to bed. The light that emulates from them makes the brain active and restless
  • A warm bath can help you relax and unwind after a busy day
  • Try gentle exercises such as yoga to help stretch and relax muscles
  • Write any ‘To do’ lists to organise your thoughts and clear your mind of any distractions
  • Reading a book or listening to the radio can also help to relax you

Try these tips tonight and you too could be waking up tomorrow feeling bright and fresh for the day ahead.

If you are suffering from pain or if you have any other concerns please get in touch with us as we offer a lot of help and advice to get you back up and running as soon as possible. You can contact us at Cliffs Chiropractor Southend on 01702 430430.

Thinking of doing some walking this winter? Cliffs Chiropractic shares this advice on how to stay safe

Cold wintry weather is sweeping Britain at the moment. With lots of icy roads and pavements it has the potential to be quite hazardous under foot. This hazardous weather could also cause injuries with slips and falls.

As a leading Chiropractor Southend we would like to share some tips on how to stay safe when out walking this winter.

  •  It is a good idea to have two pairs of shoes; one for driving and wearing indoors and another pair with good treads, to walk in the ice and snow
  • Waterproof or lined shoes and thermal socks are also a good idea as these stop your feet getting cold or feeling numb
  • Make sure you wear comfortable and warm clothing, which allows you to move freely. Anything that stops you walking ‘normally’ could make you more prone to falling over
  • Practice your balance. As an exercise, standing on one leg is a fantastic way to improve your balance
  • When walking, try and keep your hands out of your pockets as this will also help keep your balance
  • If you are unfortunate and do fall, try to curl up and roll as this will soften the blow and help to reduce any jarring. Also try to avoid putting your hands out to save yourself – this could cause injuries to your wrist
  • Keep your wits about you. Try to avoid alcohol as this makes you less alert and may make you more unsteady on your feet

If you take these precautions you should stay safe whilst out and about this winter.

If you are suffering from pain or if you have any other concerns please get in touch with us as we offer a lot of help and advice to get you back up and running as soon as possible. You can contact us at Cliffs Chiropractor Southend on 01702 430430.