Osteopathy

Sleep and Athletic Performance

Sleep and Athletic Performance

Sleep is a critical component of many biological functions. It serves to help regulate your mood, immune system, growth and adaption to exercise, and even how much you eat. When an individual is training at a high level, the importance of sleep increases significantly. This article will look at some of the research on the relationship between sleep and elements of athletic performance.

Explaining pain

Explaining pain

By Dr Julia Adams (Osteopath)  | Have you ever experienced pain? I’m guessing the answer is YES. Some people only experience pain infrequently, like when they stub their toe on something and immediately jump back, wincing. For others, pain is a constant, unrelenting, frustration that has a really huge impact on their life.  In the last few years, a lot…

Why does my back hurt while washing the dishes?

Why does my back hurt while washing the dishes?

By Dr Brendan O’Loughlin (Osteopath)  | ‘Dishwasher’s back pain’ is very common and thankfully there are some simple ways to alleviate it. What causes the pain? When hand washing dishes in the sink, we almost always have to reach down a little – we can’t usually stand upright. This creates a shallow bend in our spine.  Ideally, we would do…

Dry needling versus acupuncture

Dry needling versus acupuncture

By Dr Adam Olarenshaw (Osteopath)  | As an Osteopath, one of the most common questions I get asked is: ‘What is the difference between dry needling and acupuncture?’ Although both therapies involve the insertion of thin, stainless steel needles into the soft tissues, the differences lie in the theory and clinical reasoning behind the needle placement.  How does dry needling…
Tendon health, strength and training

Tendon health, strength and training

By Dr Brendan O’Loughlin (Osteopath)  | What is a tendon? Tendons are simply the ends of a muscle that attach to bone. When a muscle contracts it uses the tendon to pull on the bone in order to produce movement.  A simple way to visualise this is to picture yourself hopping: you’ve taken off from the ground and are on…

The sub-2 hour marathon

The sub-2 hour marathon

In 1954 Sir Roger Bannister became the first person to run under 4 minutes for the mile, a feat previously thought impossible. Once again, the impossible is looking vulnerable with the sub-2 hour marathon now being challenged. During an 8 day window spanning 12–20 October this year, Vienna will host the second attempt by Kenyan Eliud Kipchoge to become the first…