Looking after your health and wellbeing, includes balancing all elements in sync with each other (the physical, emotional and mental aspects).

It is true to say, for example, that emotional upset (including stress/grief/bereavement etc), commonly results in changes to our normal respiratory functions. At time of upset, we ‘hold onto’ our muscles, tense the spinal muscle and the body goes into a ‘fight or flight’ mode – short, rapid, panic-type breathing kicks in…which demands more from our mid to upper rib muscles (meaning a lack or normal, slower, deeper diaphragm (‘belly-breathing’). This results in increased tension through the neck and shoulder region/chest tightness and secondary throw-off, including headaches/neck/shoulder/back pain/TMJ/reflux symptoms, to name a few.

Take time for yourself to manage stress in life. This could be as simple as taking a walk/getting some fresh air outside (to empty your mind); engage in some breathing techniques whilst laying on a mat or sitting in your chair; meditate; reading a book or having a chat with a friend of relative.

SLEEP – the time where your body can recover/rest/restore and regenerate. Pain can affect the quantity and quality of your sleep, so listen to your body. Find a calm bedtime routine and avoid screen time a good hour or so before you go to bed. Cognitive stimulation of this type is often unfavourable to prepare your body for a good night’s sleep ahead.

HYDRATION -   approximately 60-70% of our bodies are made up of water. Organs/tissues and cells need water to function to their optimum levels. De-hydration can lead to inabilities for such organs/tissues to carry out these jobs and lead to ill health or ‘dis-ease’. Participation in sports and recreational activities often results in heat production/ sweating and a loss in important electrolytes/water as a result. These sustain our bodies normal functions, so it is vital to replace them to maximise recovery/optimise our overall health and well-being.

NUTRITION – a balanced diet is imperative for us to function the best possible way! Reducing foods high in sugars/salts and saturated fats, whilst encouraging a good balance of proteins/carbohydrates/vitamins/minerals is a necessary part of our wellbeing. Good nutrition also provides the platform for sound tissue and cell healing/regeneration, aiding your recovery rates.

EXERCISE – our bodies are designed to move, so maintaining sensible/safe exercise regimes whilst injured is key. These will greatly vary depending on the individual, the nature and degree of his/her injury and the required aims along your recovery pathway. Always speak to your therapist if you are unsure as to what/how much activity you should be undertaking at a given time. Your normal high impact activities may need to be avoided in the short-term - to allow the body’s tissues sufficient time to recover/heal. Finding alternative ways and trying new activities are often positive gains for injured patients. Your progress and selection of relevant exercises/activities will be reviewed by your therapist at each session in the clinic… so please feel free to ask her any questions!

REST!

Early stage of injury often requires giving the body the chance to heal. Taken the load off certain joint areas, whilst allowing any damaged soft tissues the chance to progress through their inflammation stages, will aid a smoother and quicker recovery time, in the long run.

Your therapist may suggest a gentle ‘active’ recovery, avoiding being stationary for too long or prolonged sitting or laying for example. Movement, in small doses is often favourable, with any relevant stretches/exercises given, to support your injury/condition.