My secret antioxidant loaded winter warmer drink!

I have a secret to tell you... I've been drinking this super amazing antioxidant loaded drink every morning this year.  And it makes me feel super virtuous! So I thought I'd finally share it so you can be virtuous too.  Also it's more of a winter warmer than a spring/summer refresher so it's more apt for October. 

KT's super antioxidant Winter Warmer drink 

juice of 1/2 a lemon 

juice of half a lime  

1/4 teaspoon of Clear Spring matcha green tea powder  

A slither of fresh ginger grated  

2 teaspoons of baobab powder  

manuka honey to taste  

Boil the kettle and place all the ingredients except the honey in a mug. Fill the mug with hot water and stir until all the ingredients are blended nicely. Add making honey to taste.  You're good to go!  I take mine in a KeepCup so I can enjoy on my morning commute :) 

Precision movement philosophy phrases to live by

After last weeks blog about checking in with your goals for the last quarter of the year, I thought I'd follow that with some motivational inspiration. Sometimes we get so bogged down with the day to day stuff we forget the big picture reasons for living and enjoying life. So here are the Precision Movement phrases to live by... Everybody say Om! 

1. You are what you absorb 

Sadly just eating the right foods is now not enough if you are not absorbing their goodness! How do you know if you are absorbing the nutrition you eat? Well you should feel good for eating highly nutritious food but most of us don't know what good feels like if we have only what we feel like now to compare it to. So my recommendation would be to get your gut tested and see how functional it is. See our partners page for contact information on Karen Maidment and Hannah Richards who can help with this. 

2. Movement is the foundation of life 

From the movement of blood and transport of nutrients and removal of toxins to getting around town movement is absolutely essential for life. It's also really important to move well, efficiently and effectively to minimise injury and discomfort. I believe movement is as important as breathing, eating and sleeping.  Stagnation leads to injury, depression and indifference.  So move more and move well - if you need some help with this you know where I am. 

3. Your body is a thoroughbred 

We can take our body for granted. We don't think about what it does every day to enable us to live, to see, to hear, to communicate, to move, to breathe, to digest food. Our body is a gift, it is our house and we should take care of it like it's a thoroughbred race horse or a top of the line sports car. You wouldn't put sludge in a sports car so don't put rubbish in your body. You want to nurture your body, feed and water it well, give it sunlight and fresh air, move it regularly and give it a bit of challenge every day to make sure it can withstand the toughness of life. 

4. Study your user manual 

Too many people assume they know how to move well. Here's what happens - we are born, we teach ourselves to move (amazing!), we continue to learn good movement and sports in childhood and hopefully our teen years. Then we go to university and we either continue (super amazing!) or we stop moving. Then we go to work and it's basically all over. I'm generalising here but you get the idea. When we enter the work place we teach our bodies to adapt to the sitting work environment which can give us all kinds of issues. The greatest gift you can give yourself is re-learning good movement either through a sport like martial arts or dance or working with a movement specialist to support you and get you back to your sports. 

5. If you don't use it you lose it

I am a personal testament to this! If I don't exercise regularly I start to lose my strength, my stability my tone and my shape. Many of the people I work with begin to lose their postural endurance and flexibility.  You've got to make an ongoing commitment to yourself to maintain your body. You'll live a longer happier life if your body is agile, functional and well taken care of. It really comes down to loving yourself enough to take care of yourself. 

6. Get in your discomfort zone

Comfort doesn't lead to growth or change. I purposefully placed myself in some very uncomfortable situations this summer to remind myself what it's like for my clients to change movement patterns and posture - it can be frustrating and uncomfortable both physically, mentally and emotionally. So I do know what it's like to start something completely new - I highly recommend it regularly. The joy comes when you master something that you've been struggling with - that's growth, that's change, that's a life worth living and an example worth setting to your children, friends and family around you. 

7. Movement is a constant teacher 

I'm finding more and more as I work with clients watching them learn and connect with their bodies that movement serves as a fantastic teacher. No matter how long you have been training you can always learn some new movement or reconnect with how movement feels in your body. To me, mastering movement is not about just exercising it is about really understanding how your body works and serves you. I highly advocate using movement and sports for challenge and personal growth. I am still humbled by movement - it's always been my greatest teacher. 

8. Mind over matter 

Firstly the brain is the control centre of movement. We don't move unless the brain is motivated towards something. Many things are involved in the motivation of movement. One of the important factors is how you feel about/towards that intention. If you dislike what you are doing your brain gives a different output in contrast to if you do like what you are doing. So, when moving, even if the movement or exercise is something you don't particularly like, train your mind to find the benefit in it and feed that information through the brain and attach it to the exercise. The brain/mind/body will avoid things it doesn't like - so override the dislike factor - reframe it. The saying mind over matter is never more true than it is here! 

9. Be present 

When anyone comes to work with me in the studio yes there are reps and sets and alignment and gains and goals etc. But what I really think they gain is the experience of being present in their body. It might sound a little kooky but going to the studio or the gym and just going through the motions, the reps, the sets, thinking about work or what you'll do afterwards is really not as beneficial as being present with your body for your workout. Movement is an enriching educational experience. It's an outlet, a form of expression, a release of energy or a way of conjuring up energy. But all this good stuff only happens when we are present in our movement. It's like anything really - when you are present you are alive and the experience is banked. When you are somewhere else you're just wasting what you're doing in the present. 

So there you have it - 9 magical philosophical paragraphs to live by.   Now go forth and conquer... :D 

Do you want to know what KT is really like?

Let's face it, I'm hard to sum up in a tidy little phrase - though many have tried!  So I asked my lovely clients, the recipients of my knowledge and expertise to describe their experiences of working with me. My fabulous web/video/media guys at SquareGlu sprinkled magic dust over it to produce this little movie... 

Thanks to to my lovely clients for taking part - I did tell you I'd get you your five minutes of fame! And thanks to SquareGlu for making such a professional end product.  

Popcorn at the ready.... ;) 

Featured Specialist: Karen Maidment Functional Nutritionist - keeping your insides healthy!

Karen Maidment is co-owner of Pure Body Balance in Gloucestershire.  She is also the author of Meals that Heal and the creator of specialist cooking workshops that teach you how to make meals that really do heal your body.  Karen not only specialises in nutrition but in all the systems of the body and how they work together to optimise a healthier happier lifestyle. Karen works with clients of Precision Movement to optimise their lifestyle and nutrition aspects of health to support the training they do with us.

KT:  What sparked your interest in Nutrition and wellness?

Karen: I have always had a love for cooking and food. From a very young age my sister and I were encouraged to get involved with our parent’s back garden allotment. We would get paid a penny for every caterpillar we removed from Dad’s cabbages! And my mum would pop us on a foot stool so that we could reach the worktop and make little cookies and fairy cakes. I grew up in the countryside where blackberry picking, locally shot pheasant and rabbit and home grown produce were part of the norm.

Later on in life during a dip in enthusiasm for my post graduate career in fashion my now husband and business partner Adrian, encouraged me to follow my heart and begin a distance learning course in Nutrition Coaching. Three years later as I was coming to the end of this first course Adrian was taken seriously ill with Crohns Disease. After 2 years of misdiagnosis he finally ended up having major surgery and so we used both his education with the CHEK Institute and my knowledge in nutrition and lifestyle management to turn his health around.

KT:  For you, what is the foundation of health?

Karen:  Actually to me a healthy mindset is the key. After a decade studying and working in the health industry I have come to realise that as health coaches we tend to be way to hard on ourselves. There is a level of perfectionism that we seem to aim for that is simply unattainable. Yes eating organic food, clean water and seasonal produce are the foundations of my nutritional regime, BUT honestly none of this matters if I don’t like, love and respect myself enough to make those choices daily. Most importantly, it's to treat myself with compassion when I don’t make the most healthful choices. I am only human after all!

KT: What types of people usually seek out your help and why?

Karen:  This has evolved as I have evolved both as a coach and with my own health journey. During my 10 or so years in the industry I have worked through numerous health issues myself, in fact I am still a work in progress. From Adrenal Fatigue to Amenorrhea, IBS to Insomnia. I tend to find that clients with similar health issues to those I am working through seek me out. A few years ago I started my website endibsnaturally.com at that time I was working through major IBS symptoms and so it seemed natural to me to share how I was healing myself with my clients. Now I tend to be working a lot with auto immune disease and adrenal fatigue. Many of my closet family members have various auto immune diseases, such as my husband and after an incredibly successful and busy year in 2014 my adrenal health certainly took a hit!  My clients tell me that they connect with me due to my authenticity and ability to show compassion through my own challenges. It requires a great deal of courage on my part to show what I sometimes feel are my imperfections, but my clients LOVE that. It makes them feel understood and shows them that if I can get well they can too.

KT:  How do you help people achieve better health and wellness?

Karen:  Nutrition and lifestyle coaching fused with practical recipe and cookery support. Ultimately there is no point knowing what you can and can’t eat if you don’t know how to cook and follow a basic recipe.

KT:  What do you specialise in?

Karen:  Many back pain syndromes and injuries are caused by inflammation which creates instability leading to injury. For instance tennis elbow and lumbar spine weakness have show to reduce and resolve themselves once inflammatory foods such as gluten and dairy have been taken out of the diet. I often see reoccurring injuries failing to heal after corrective exercises and hands on therapy due to this inflammatory process. In addition using foods as medicine you can actually facilitate a quicker recovery from pain and injury. Saturated fats for instance are known to improve bone, muscle and tissue structure, as is homemade bone broth which contains high amount of collagen and gelatin. I have seen fantastic results by supplementing with a mixture of bone broth and Great Lakes Gelatin in structural and tissue related injuries.  Anti inflammatory juices containing ingredients such as fresh turmeric and beetroot and calcium rich greens such as kale and spinach are also great nutritional medicinal tools to promote recovery.

KT:  What do you typically eat for breakfast?

Karen:  We follow a Paleo type diet so we often have eggs, salad and some root veggies. I make us a seasonal green juice everyday which nearly always has fresh lemon and ginger, two of my favourite juicing ingredients. I always make sure I have live foods with my cooked protein. Poached wild salmon is a favourite as are the most incredible organic handmade pork and herb sausages from our local farm shop.

KT:  What are the four foods/supplements you cannot live without and why?

Karen:  Food wise I love organic coconut oil and ghee, these are my staple forms of fat. I do not tolerate dairy very well and so ghee gives me all of the great fat soluble vitamins without the casein and lactose. Wild honey, which is my favourite sweetener, it tastes great and contains live enzymes to help you break down carbohydrates whilst offering up antibacterial properties. Homemade broth to keep my digestive system happy and my bones, skin and muscle strong.

With regards to supplements I cannot live without the North American Herbs & Spice range, these are food grade, wild and handpicked. Particularly I love their probiotics (Healthbac), there adrenal and B vitamin booster (PurelyB) and their mineral support (Purelymin). I do not take any supplement every day, rather I listen to what my body needs and take them as and when I feel my body needs a little boost. Bear in mind that most supplements that you buy are synthetic and are actually of very little use to your body.

KT:  With Easter just around the corner, can you recommend a healthier option for a chocolate Easter egg?

Karen:  I am totally in love with Booja Booja chocolates, particularly the champagne ones. They taste insanely good and contain no dairy or gluten, to big no-nos for my health. They are also organic. You could also consider making your own raw chocolates, there is a fab recipe in my cook book Meals That Heal.

Karen's book Meals that Heal is available to purchase HERE 

Details of Karen's next cookery workshops can be found HERE 

To find out more about working with Karen to optimise your nutritional health please contact her at karen@purebodybalance.co.uk or call the centre on 01285 83127.

How corrective exercise differs from regular exercise

KT at Precision Movement

The number one question I get asked is "Are you a physio?" - unfortunately I cannot lay claim to this esteemed profession!  I am not a physio.  The second question is, "So are you a personal trainer then?".  Again I cannot say I am a Personal Trainer either - well not anymore.  I fall somewhere between the two and work under the grandiose title of "Corrective Exercise Specialist".  This line of conversation invariably leads to a discussion about what type of exercise I do and how it differs from gym training.  I will now humbly attempt to explain in an effort to give you a better understanding of the difference....  Wish me luck!

What is corrective exercise?

Corrective exercise is a special type of exercise usually used as part of the rehabilitation process in healing and recovery from chronic pain, injury or surgery, or given to those who suffer from poor posture.  The emphasis really is on optimal alignment, stability, mobilisation and then strength development.

In comparison regular exercise that you might do in the gym or in sports has a different goal - often increased fitness, body shape change, weight loss etc.  As the goals are different the exercises and movement given are bigger and incorporate more muscles.  This helps co-ordination for sports and is also effective for conditioning the body to change shape and increase fitness.  If I were to give these exercises to someone who is in pain and has poor alignment, poor stability, mobility and strength they would not be able to perform them effectively and could potentially hurt themselves further.

It's important to mention here that corrective exercise also forms a foundation for all movement and exercise.  If your foundational principles are good then your risk of injury is much reduced.  When clients come to Precision Movement with fitness goals we still take them through foundational principles to make sure alignment, stability, and mobility is optimal for more complex movements.

The types of exercises

The majority of exercises I do with clients at the beginning of their programmes are floor or swiss ball based.  I ask them to repeat the repetitions many times to elicit postural change and I also ask them to engage in mindful exercise which includes some psychology techniques.  Corrective exercise rarely makes you sweat and definitely doesn't increase your heart or breathing rate.  It is not easy though!  The areas we stretch are usually tight and stiff and the muscles we train are weak to begin with.  When clients adapt and improve, programmes are updated to challenge them further.  

A classic exercise I teach clients is the horsestance series.  It looks very easy but it is actually quite challenging.  Before clients can do this exercise effectively I'll also teach and often reset their breathing mechanics, help them effectively activate their core and how to activate stability through their hands and feet.  When the exercise is performed correctly it is exceptionally effective in training stability and forms a solid foundation for more complex movements that you would do in the gym or in sports.  

Typical exercises you might see in the gym are squats, lunges, pullups and pushups.  These are all neurologically complex movements meaning the brain needs to send a huge amount of information to the muscular system to perform the movement successfully.  You might use a kettlebell swing which is a dynamic form of a deadlift pattern. Running, martial arts and many other sports are also exceptionally challenging to the body and brain. To perform these exercises and sports well you'll need optimal joint stability, understanding of core function, breathing mechanics, optimal joint mobility and to minimise the risk of injury good alignment throughout the body as well as in the movement.

When does corrective exercise become regular exercise?

At Precision Movement we are specialists in change.  Our goal with everyone is to get them to a fully functional movement state for life and whatever sports they participate in.  

We don't want someone lying on the floor doing a mundane exercise forever.  We may ask someone to do this in an early stage of rehabilitation to get certain muscles firing but when they adapt to the exercise we make it more challenging.  All the exercises we give have many many progressions right up to regular exercise that you'll recognise well.  Perhaps the difference in giving regular exercise at Precision Movement is we might make changes or modifications that are specific to an individuals needs eg.  A static lunge might include a band to emphasise the inclusion of the hip stabilisers that have a tendency to be lazy - they might now be strong but the band acts as a reminder for the individual to maintain good knee alignment.

In a way, we use corrective exercise like servicing a machine.  A machine that has been running for a while might need some parts changed, an oil or water change.  Similarly, we'll do a maintenance check and make sure all the stabilisers are firing correctly and alignment and mobility are good.

For more information on corrective exercise for postural alignment, pain relief and management of injuries and degenerative conditions please contact us.

How to be healthier and happier at work

I love my job!

Last month I was invited to speak at the Lansdowne Club in Mayfair about the tragic death of Moritz Erdhart. I posed the question 'does the responsibility of your health and wellness lie with the company or does it lie with the individual?'  In part 2 of this blog I'll be focussing on how you the individual employee can take responsibility for your own health and wellness at work.

The buck stops with you

I truly believe your personal health is your own responsibility.  That is not to say you should automatically know how to attain optimal health - that is what health specialists are for.  But, however many health benefits your company offers you it is your responsibility to use them.  I think we can all attest to feeling sharper, more productive and more amiable when we are well rested, well fed and have a sense of content and happiness about our lives.  

Stop, think

Every time you order a meal you are making a personal choice about how to nourish your body.  Only you can get to the gym, or get to the 5-aside football, office rugby game or pilates class.  Only you can make a decision to sort out your desk related back pain.  And it also your choice (within reason) about when to leave the office at night. 

The LifeRez - It's a state of mind

You can minimise the chances of injury or illness by taking responsibility for your health now and making LIFESTYLE changes that you can maintain for the foreseeable future.  A few blogs ago I wrote about Precision Movement's Life Resolution campaign - making smaller manageable health changes that you can maintain for life. At work your priority is work but health and wellness will make your work more enjoyable.  The liferez system is perfect for implementing health and wellness into you work life.  

The essentials

There are a few small essentials that you can easily incorporate into your work place.  Start with your work station - ask for an ergonomics assessment to ensure you have the best possible posture when you are working.  Drink more water and you can start by adding just one extra glass of water a day.  Make sure you leave the office at lunchtime for fresh air, natural light and movement.  There are many more things you can improve easily and you can find out what they are and how to implement them on Twitter page and Facebook.

Babies can teach us a thing or two about movement

medium_5678642411

Have you ever watched a baby learning to move?  I think it is possibly one of the most fascinating things in this world.  Babies are hard wired to learn movement and the most amazing thing is they do it by themselves.  We can't teach them because they have not yet developed the communication skills.  They can certainly teach us a thing or too!

What motivates babies to move?

Babies are solely motivated to move by attaining something.  They might want a toy or to get to their Mother.  The need to achieve this is greater than staying put so they figure out with the facilities they have at any given developmental stage how to get to where they want to.  

Sight leads movement

Have you ever noticed that babies only move towards something once they have seen it and they keep looking at the object of their desire until they get it?  It can be behind them but if they can see it their whole body is sent messages to move towards the object of desire.  This mechanism stays with us and vision can be used to rehabilitate muscles that are not firing effectively.  Try it - look towards something behind you and you'll notice your body starts to rotate towards it.  It's a new technique I'll be using going forwards so get your movement goggles on!

Repetition

Babies will repeat a movement at a particular stage of development over and over again.  It is how they teach themselves unconscious movement and also how the get strong.  It is also why they need so much food and rest because they are moving and learning all the time.  This applies to adults too - especially in a rehabilitative setting.  If you are injured and you need to relearn movement patterns or a better breathing pattern or how to activate your core again it is repetition that is the key to success.  You want these mechanisms to be unconscious.  

Pure movements and postures

If you are looking for perfect posture and pure movement patterns look at babies.  They use the most efficient and effective movement patterns to get them where they want to go.  Have you ever seen a 12 month old in that beautiful primitive squat position?  That is what our squats should look like.  We lose the ability to do this because we stop moving.  

Set for life

The postures and movement patterns that babies develop form the basis for how we will move and function as a child and as an adult.  If faulty postures and patterns develop in this crucial stage they need to be corrected immediately as it can result in problems later in life.

What exercises can I do for back pain?

DSC_3564

I love this question!  It is something I get asked when I am out socially and people discover I work with back pain and injuries.  The truth is no one set of exercises fits all back pain problems.  In fact, every person I see in my practice is so completely different it never ceases to amaze me.  For instance someone with a disc prolapse may really benefit from a back extension mobilization and stretch.  If I give the same stretch to someone with stenosis (bone spurs) it will push on the already smaller spaces where the nerves exit the spine and aggravate their condition.  It gets more complex when I have someone who has both of these conditions or multiple spine issues.  Believe me there is no one size fits all.  Here are some golden rules about exercise that apply to most all back pain sufferers.....

1.  MOVE!!!

If there is one thing you take away from this article please make it the importance of movement.  Every day moving around trumps sitting or lying still every time.  The key to movement for relief of pain, especially when it is very sore, is to do it gently.  If you are desk bound at work get up and walk around, take the stairs for a few floors, get out for lunch, walk to the water cooler.   Walking can often provide a sense of relief (however if it makes it worse and sitting relieves it then take a rest periodically).  Things to avoid are heavy lifting and too much bending over to pick things up off the floor.  

2.  Specific back mobilizations

I recommend my clients do gentle back specific mobilizations upon waking daily to ease the back into the day.  If you suffer from stiffness upon waking these mobilizations can be very effective at reducing your pain in less time.  Ideally you should have someone show you how to do mobilizations that are specific to your back problem.  However, you can download your copy of the

Precision Movement Daily Mobilizations

that I give my clients

here

. Be sure to read the instructions carefully - small and gentle is key!  

3.  Corrective exercise for postural alignment and stability

Here lies the key to getting your back pain sorted.  Corrective exercise focusses on your alignment, stability and core activation and moves your through stages of development from small isolating exercises right up to functional often loaded movement.  This is where you can get mobilizations, stretches and exercise tailored to your specific condition.  At Precision Movement I always give programmes for the relief of pain when your back is sore, daily home programmes, a set of stretches to do at your desk, and a programme for the gym as required.   

4.  The Gym

If you are suffering from intense back pain avoid lifting heavy weights.  Weights create axial (vertical downward) loading on your spine and if you are already in discomfort the worst thing you can do is increase the pressure on areas of discomfort.  You could seriously hurt yourself.  Do not use machines as a substitute either.  Machines isolate and stress your big muscles without using the stabilizers around the joints.  If your back is sore the last thing you want to do is make it more unstable or have the larger muscles pulling on it.  It would be better to do some gentle yoga or pilates work being mindful of your postural alignment and core activation until your back settles.  If you are a regular gym user make sure you have a professional with rehabilitation experience look over what you are doing.

5.  Running, biking, rowing and cross trainer cardio machines 

If you would like to do some cardio work the key to not aggravating your back is to change it up.  Sustained positions can be aggravating for the back.  When your back is sore avoid jumping and running as a greater amount of load is placed through the spine and this can be jarring to the back.  Cycling and cross trainer are gentler options for cardio and can be alternated.  For the bike make sure you are sitting properly and have a professional check your position before you begin.  I would avoid rowing when your back is bad especially if you have any disc prolapses and proceed with caution under supervision.  

For more information about how corrective exercise can help your specific back pain or injury contact KT at 

KT@precisionmovement.co.uk

.  Download my eBook '7 steps to getting your back pain sorted' - the link is on the right hand side (just scroll up a bit!).  

The core killer that negates a killer core

teddy in casts

I recently saw a man working out at my Mayfair studio who was wearing a back brace.  I asked him what it was for and he proceeded to tell me that he had terrible back pain and was advised to exercise with a sturdy back support.  If there is one thing that I find contradictory, it's wearing a brace that stops movement so that you can exercise/move in the gym.    If you want to make your back pain worse then wearing a back brace or support is the quickest way to do it and here's why....

Casting is for breaks

Have you ever broken any bones?  Last year I worked with a lady who broke her ankle.  She was in a cast for 6 weeks and a boot for another 6 weeks.  When she started her rehabilitation with me the difference in the musculature from left to right was incredible.  It looked like she had two separate legs!  You see the body is mighty clever.  If you are not using muscles they atrophy (shrink).  A similar phenomenon happens to astronauts when they go into space for long periods.  Because there is no gravity their bones become less dense.  The good news is that when there is an increased need for muscle the body responds and adapts to the stresses it is put under.  

This is why I am so adamantly against back braces for back pain.  If you have back pain from disc prolapses, spinal stenosis, disc degeneration, or non-specific back pain back braces are really not going to help you in the long term.  I am not saying do not wear one but I would like to educate you on what they do to the body so you can make a more informed decision about wearing one.

The off button

Effectively, just like a cast, a back brace will cause muscles to switch off.  One of the first things you learn when you start corrective exercise is how to activate the core.  Core activation is absolutely essential to the support of the spine and surrounding structures.  Switching off these muscles is just asking for trouble.  You cannot rely on a brace to give you the support you need - that is the job of your muscles and connective tissues!  If you stop conditioning the muscles under controlled conditions with gradual development you will leave your back even further unsupported and at risk of further injury.

Restricted movement

The point of exercising is to move.  Wearing a brace can result in muscles getting tighter as they are not able to move through a full range.  This will create further imbalance as certain muscles will become tighter and others will overwork to compensate further pulling you out of alignment and causing more stress on your back.  

Faulty messaging

If you are wearing something that restricts movement and causes muscles to switch off you will effectively change messages to your brain and alter movement patterns.  The brain responds to the movement patterns you put it through and with repetition it creates a blueprint that is stored for future use.  It means we do not have to learn a movement every time we come to do it.  However, if you change the variables for instance by putting a brace on, the brain will change it's blueprint accordingly.  When you take the brace off and go through daily movements, the brain will use the newly formed blueprints with restricted range of motion and less muscle activation.  This leaves you even more vulnerable to injuring yourself further.

What to do

You body has its own brace system - your core.  The great thing about the core is you don't have to put it on every day - it is always with you.  If you do not know how to activate it then seek out help from a corrective exercise specialist.  To find out more about your core read my article "Does having a strong core relieve low back pain?"  Equally important is your postural alignment.  If movement is not your specialist area then chances are you won't know if you have poor posture or to what extent your posture is affecting your back pain.  Optimal alignment, core activation and gradual progressive corrective exercise are the keys to getting your back pain under control.  There are no quick fixes.

If you are currently wearing a brace and would like to explore another option for improving your back pain then contact me at 

KT@precisionmovement.co.uk

.  

My top 5 reads for chronic back pain sufferers

me with my books

I love sharing knowledge!  Which is why I have compiled a list of my top 5 reads for chronic back pain sufferers.  They are all easy to read and most of them have tips and information you can apply immediately.  If you are suffering from chronic back pain and you really want to know what to do about it and how to handle it then read on.... 

1.   Explain Pain by David S Butler and Lorimer Moseley

A comprehensive information packed book that explains how pain comes about and what it means.  Although it's a little pricey I think it is must read for chronic pain sufferers.  

2.  Painful Yarns by Lorimer Moseley

A wonderfully entertaining book that uses the authors personal anecdotes to explain the mechanisms of pain and about taking responsibility for recovery.  

3.  Treat your own back by Robin Mackenzie

This is a good book for anyone with disc prolapse.  It gives easy to understand advice and information and is a great starting point for approaching recovery.

4.  Sitting on the job by Scott L Donkin

This book is a bible of information if you are a desk bound office worker with back pain or any workplace associated injuries such as carpal tunnel or RSI.  

5.  How to eat, move and be Healthy by Paul Chek

I recommend this book to everyone I meet.  It looks at all areas of your health and wellness and is an integral part of healing nad recovery from any pain or injury.  

3 ways to create a healthy and happy workforce

Happy at Work

When I spoke at the Lansdowne Club in Mayfair last month I asked this question:  

Why companies are responsible for the health and wellness of their employees?  

Would you leave a machine to run your business without applying the proper maintenance check?  Health and wellness in the workplace influences sick days taken, how staff represent your company - do they look tired and overworked? In turn these factors influence productivity, retention of staff and ultimately the success of your company.  So what can companies do? 

1.  Culture of health and wellness

Develop a culture of health and wellness as part of the work place.  Make it part of your company ethos.  If you actively encourage a healthy workplace you will find your staff will continue that.  I truly believe people want to be healthier.  

Ideas

a.  For an in house client meeting order from a healthy organic deli and offer fresh salads and fruit instead of sandwiches, cakes and cookies.

c.  Set up lunch time workshops for staff to learn about a wide variety of subjects that impact their health and wellness.  I talk about posture and alignment and how to minimise the risk of desk related aches and pains.  Often experts in their field will come and speak for free.

d.  Offer an ergonomics assessment to all your staff.  Actively encourage good posture and movement throughout the day by recommending staff leave their desk for lunch.  Have a water cooler that staff can walk over to throughout the day.  

2.  Reward value not volume

If you put in place a rewards system based on being available day and night on the blackberry, working late into the night, setting up competition between your team members on who can stay at the office the longest, employees will do what they need to one keep their careers and two get ahead.  Over time this will not serve you or the employees.  Create a culture of rewarding value not volume of work.  This is a tough one as every company competes for business and has deadlines to fulfill.  However, a job well done which takes a little extra time is much better than a rushed shoddy job.  Giving employees a feeling of pride over their work is also part their of health.

Ideas

Again you can begin with small changes.  What and how you reward will be individual to each company.

3.  Budget

what would be more costly to your business - a budget for health and wellness that retains staff and increases productivity or replacing the same position 3 times in 18 months?  Set aside a budget for health and wellness as part of the maintenance of your company.  Any benefits that you can offer employees particularly ones that take care of their health and wellness are always greatly received and play an important part in staff retention.  

Ideas 

a.  Instead of going out for a big lunch to celebrate the company anniversary do something interactive and fun like a game of dodgeball.

b.  Take a team bonding day with a private walking tour around an art gallery.

c.  For the company Christmas party arrange a healthy cooking workshop that is interactive and ends with a big festive meal.  

You can also consult health experts and consultants about implementing a bespoke structure that will work for your company.  I personally think a cost efficient and relatively easy way is to build health and wellness lectures and workshops into company lunch times or friday afternoons acts as a continual reminder, motivation and inspiration to employees to take care of their health. This is one of the things I do.

The facts are simple - a healthy workforce makes a healthy successful company.  If you are not actively promoting health and wellness in your company you are missing a trick.  Look at what the 46 healthiest companies in America are doing....

http://greatist.com/health/healthiest-companies

The health and wellness of employees is not just the responsibility of the company.  Find out how you as an employee can take responsibility for your health and wellness, whether your company promotes it or not, in Part 2 of this blog.

The Life Resolution - the only one to make - EVER

Happy New Year

Have you set your New Years resolution (NYR)?  No?  Good!  Don't do it.  Seriously do not set a New Years resolution this year.  Here is what is faulty with the NYR...

Faulty goods

Often we set a short term goal that can be achieved within 3 months - to stop smoking, lose weight, go to the gym, stop drinking so much etc.  Some of us achieve it most of us lose interest.  If we do achieve our goal (yay - well done you!) we are prone to slip back into our old ways and vow to ourselves in 9 months we'll try again.  

Why?  Because life is too important.  We are creatures that seek out good times and fun.  We want to participate.  So how do we deal with the conundrum of good times v being good?  

Golden Goods!

Precision Movement challenges you to set a Life Resolution (#liferez). The liferez is a lifestyle change.  It starts with taking a good look at your life and saying what can I change here to be healthier, happier and have optimal wellness and enjoy my fitness?

Instructions

The liferez is exceptionally easy to assemble.  You choose your changes and when, where and how to implement them and the reasons for doing so.  Ideally make one small change each month.  If you feel your change is successfully implemented and fits well with your life then go on and change something else.  

Completely customised

Your liferez is designed by you.  You can choose anything you would like to improve from as little as one less cup of coffee per day to taking your first vacation in 5 years.  We all have different needs, priorities and responsibilities so make changes that serve your life.  If getting to the gym 5 days a week is impossible for you then don't include this in your liferez.  Seek out what would work better for you.  Measure your progress by your own life yard stick.

Second class post and loving it

The liferez is an endurance event - it's your life.  You wouldn't want to sprint through your life akin to same day DPD delivery would you?  You'd want to take your time, sit in the post office for a while and enjoy the view, take a few travels, maybe get lost and redirected before arriving at your destination a la 2nd class Royal Mail.  With the liferez you'll make smaller steady changes that you can work into your life over time.  They'll take a little effort in the beginning but will soon feel routine.  

T&Cs

With the liferez you will value the T&Cs and you get to make up your own.  My T&Cs are based around the 80/20 rule.  80% of the time I am golden and 20% I splash out and throw caution to the wind.  My T&Cs stipulate that after my splash out I return to my golden ways and this keeps my liferez in check.

Guarantee 

The great thing about the liferez is as long as you use it consistently it has a lifetime guarantee.  It will always serve you.  

Want to know more about TheLifeRez?  Follow me on Twitter and use #theliferez or on Facebook. Contact me at KT@precisionmovement.co.uk

How to talk to your GP about your back pain

When you hurt the priority is to make it go away, quickly.  The problem with back pain is it takes a bit of time to settle and usually takes a combined of manual therapy, corrective exercise and optimisation of a few lifestyle factors.  If you are keen to sort out why you’re hurting but are skeptical about how your doctor can help read on for my 5 top tips for speaking to your GP about getting your back pain sorted.  

A GP checks and more often than not rules out urgent, serious and sinister issues and is then the gateway to further treatment options.  Personally, I’ve found that having a plan about what I would like to discuss with my GP before my appointment helps me to get the questions I have answered and also directs the conversation towards what is next in the process.

A whole approach

Back pain often needs a comprehensive approach which may include pain relief, physiotherapy, medical review and possible further investigations. Go in with a mindset of taking a whole approach to getting better.  A whole approach means taking on board all systems of your health and using more than one method to manage your back pain. 

pain medications

You and your GP may agree that you may benefit from taking pain relief. Ask your GP how the pain medication works - I always find if I know how something works I find it works better. Make sure you know the any possible side affects and talk to your doctor about dosage and how long you should take it for. If you are not keen on taking pain medication ask you doctor about alternative forms of pain relief such as acupuncture, heat or massage. Be sure to ask about whether you would benefit from a review with a sports doctor, consultant or physiotherapist.

Be specific

Notice patterns of pain, when the pain occurs, when it gets worse and what makes it get worse.  What makes it get better? Does it ease throughout the day?  All this information helps your GP to make a decision about how best to help you.  

What is the plan

Ask your GP what the plan is and what the next steps are. If you already know how you would like to manage your back pain discuss this with the GP. If a referral is indicated ask who you will be referred to and why.

Imaging

GPs will likely refer to a physiotherapist, sports doctor or consultant for the management of back pain. It is common to start with a course of physiotherapy but sometimes a GP may refer you straight to a consultant or sports doctor. It is at this stage imaging (ultrasound, x-ray, MRi, spect scans) are discussed and potentially ordered. Talk to your GP about whether you need a scan and if not now when it may be an option.  

Please note that a scan can be useful adding more information about your anatomy with respect to your presentation, but it is a snapshot of you when you are still. The body is infinitely more complex.  A scan, if indicated is added to the information about your presentation - it doesn’t supersede it.