Harbour Osteopathy in Manly on Sydney's Northern Beaches

Clinton — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 08:40:47 +0000

We are now at

Suite 6, 35-36 East Esplanade, Manly.

And, just to keep you on your toes, to book your appointments please call

our new number 02 9977 8007

Looking forward to seeing you all at my new location.

is a post from: Harbour Osteopathy in Manly on Sydney's Northern Beaches

BIG NEWS – New Clinic Location Being Renovated

Clinton — Thu, 05 May 2011 11:12:14 +0000

Yep that’s right! For the past twelve months I have been on the lookout for a new location to move the Harbour Osteopathy Clinic as our current lease is coming to an end. As luck would have it at the end of last year I purchased a beautiful office suite down in Manly. At the moment I’ve jumped on the renovation bandwagon and am experiencing the highs and lows of such an endeavor.

So, the clinic will be relocating at some point in the future. It could be two months, it could be six months. Exactly when is yet to be determine. However, rest assured, I definitely be letting you all know ahead of schedule.

In the mean time if you’d like to check out the current state of the renos at the future clinic location, check out the video below. Any moral support would be appreciated.

BIG NEWS – New Clinic Location Being Renovated is a post from: Harbour Osteopathy in Manly on Sydney's Northern Beaches

What is osteoarthritis?

Clinton — Sun, 06 Jun 2010 11:48:17 +0000

Put simply, osteoarthritis is the technical word for ‘wear and tear’ or the even more hideous words, ‘getting old’! Everyone eventually gets it and its pretty rare not to find it on an x-ray in anyone over the age of 50.

Osteoarthritis can occur throughout the body but is most commonly found in the big weight-bearing joints of the hips and knees, as well as the spine, and also the much used joints of the fingers. Symptoms can range from mild discomfort and stiffness that is generally worse after rest and eases once you start moving again, all the way up to severe pain and disability. The symptoms are generally worse in the cold and by being over-weight (especially if the hip and knees are affected).

Certainly, some people seem to get is worse than other. To this we could blame bad genes or even more likely, how they have used (or abused) their body’s over a lifetime. Its also been found that an injury to a joint often makes that joint more susceptible to developing osteoarthritis sooner.

One of the most common side effects of having a painful arthritic joint is that the surrounding muscles tighten to protect the joint further. Unfortunately this can put more pressure on the joint surfaces, and thus lead to more pain. In many cases osteopathic treatment can help relieve the symptoms of osteoarthritis by addressing the muscle tightness that often develops. To find out how we can help you please call us a the clinic today on 9948 9934.

What is osteoarthritis? is a post from: Harbour Osteopathy in Manly on Sydney's Northern Beaches

Difference between a chiropractor and osteopath?

Clinton — Sun, 06 Jun 2010 10:53:34 +0000

Well, that’s a pretty hard question for me to answer as I’m an osteopath and not a chiropractor and Ive never been to see a chiropractor for treatment. Some of my patients who have been to chiropractors in the past would probably have a better understand then myself. I should probably ask them.

What I do know is osteopathy, and as an osteopath I have been trained in the use of many manual therapy techniques including spinal adjustment, similar to what a chiropractor would perform. Osteopaths also use a whole range of other techniques including massage, stretching and other soft tissue techniques like counter-strain, functional technique, MET and exercise prescription and rehabilitation.

Osteopaths aim to examine, treat and manage our patient’s problems from a holistic perspective. This means we do not primarily focus on a specific tissue or the alignment of the spine but examine and treat all of the tissues of the body that may be contributing to the patients condition or injury whether it be muscle, ligament, joint, fascia, nerve, artery or vein, etc….

Difference between a chiropractor and osteopath? is a post from: Harbour Osteopathy in Manly on Sydney's Northern Beaches

Osteopathy Awareness Week 2010

Clinton — Mon, 03 May 2010 13:19:27 +0000

Most people, regardless of age or gender, will suffer from back or neck pain, headaches, sport injuries, stiffness or pain at some time. Osteopaths can help to identify the cause of the pain or injury and develop a safe and effective course of action to manage pain – so people can make the most of their active lives.

Osteopathy is not an alternative health option – osteopaths are university trained, government registered, allied health professionals.

Osteopaths collectively treat over 30 000 people a week, generate over $200 million in the economy, plus osteopathy has been practiced for over 100 years in Australia.

What is Osteopathy?

Osteopathy is a form of drug-free non-invasive manual medicine that focuses on total body health by treating and strengthening the musculoskeletal framework, which includes the joints, muscles and spine. Its aim is to positively affect the body’s nervous, circulatory and lymphatic systems.

This therapy is a unique holistic (whole body) approach to health care. Osteopaths do not simply concentrate on treating the problem area, but use manual techniques to balance all the systems of the body, to provide overall good health and well being.

Dr. Andrew Taylor Still established the practice of Osteopathy in the late 1800s in the United States of America, with the aim of using manual ‘hands on’ techniques to improve circulation and correct altered biomechanics, without the use of drugs.

Osteopathy established itself in Australia in the early 1940s, and there are currently over 1200 Osteopaths practicing across all states and territories of Australia.

Osteopathy Awareness Week 2010 is a post from: Harbour Osteopathy in Manly on Sydney's Northern Beaches

Can my back being ‘out of place’ or misaligned be the cause of low back pain?

Clinton — Mon, 26 Apr 2010 11:01:55 +0000

This is a bit of a chick and egg scenario. Are you in pain because your spine is misaligned or is your spine misaligned because you are in pain?

As yet, no studies have found spinal misalignment to be the cause of back pain. In fact, many people with obvious misalignment of their spine have been found to have no pain. Very few people are perfectly symmetrical. It is actually quite common for people to have slight differences in their leg lengths, feet and hand size, etc.

So, we believe that when you are in pain the alignment of your spine can often change as you compensate for the pain. As you start to move your body differently to avoid painful positions the spine can bend or rotate to one side or straighten losing its natural curve. This compensatory misalignment will often resolve once the pain has gone away.

As an osteopath I certainly look at the alignment of the spine, pelvis and lower legs when treating someone with low back pain, however, I am also looking at and comparing the range of movement, flexibility and strength of these areas as well.

Can my back being ‘out of place’ or misaligned be the cause of low back pain? is a post from: Harbour Osteopathy in Manly on Sydney's Northern Beaches

We’ve been updating our site

Clinton — Mon, 15 Feb 2010 05:55:17 +0000

The Harbour Osteopathy website is never complete or finished. In the last week, we’ve updated the following pages:

We’ve been updating our site is a post from: Harbour Osteopathy in Manly on Sydney's Northern Beaches

5 Tips to Manage Your Back Pain

Clinton — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 08:25:00 +0000

As many as 9 out of 10 adults will experience back pain at some point in their life-time. Knowing what to do and when to do it can often make a huge difference in the recovery time for back pain. We recommend the following helpful international guidelines for the treatment of low back pain:

Go see a health professional trained in the diagnosis and treatment of low back pain
Try to keep active and act as usual
Use simple analgesics like paracetamol or ibuprofen – always follow the instructions on the packet and the advice from your pharmacist.
Try a course of spinal manipulative therapy – conducted by a health professional trained and experienced in this treatment approach.
Avoid bed rest

Who can provide treatment for low back pain?

It is best to try and find a skilled practitioner trained in the diagnosis and treatment of low back pain. When it comes to spinal manipulative therapy there are many health professionals in Australia who can perform spinal manipulation, these include osteopaths, chiropractors, physiotherapists and medical practitioners. However, medical doctors do not undertake spinal manipulation as part of their basic training. When looking for a practitioner we recommend looking for someone with a lot of experience and specific training in dealing with low back pain and who also stays up to date.

5 Tips to Manage Your Back Pain is a post from: Harbour Osteopathy in Manly on Sydney's Northern Beaches

Osteopath Toby Francis starting work at Harbour Osteopathy

Clinton — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 03:31:11 +0000

Hi, I’m Toby and I’m excited to be joining the team as an Osteopath at Harbour Osteopathy in Fairlight.

I can really relate to the landscape of Sydney’s Northern Beaches, having grown up on the coast in the Illawarra. The amazing beaches, bike paths, walking tracks and sporting fields located around Manly and its surrounding suburb is great at prompting a healthy lifestyle.

As a dedicated surfer you can probably catch me in the water before and after work, rain, hail or shine. And if the surf’s flat you’ll find me keeping myself active with soccer, basketball, golf or walking the dog.

An engineer at heart I’ve always had a strong interest in how things work, and how to fix stuff. The ability to apply these interests to the human body was what sparked my interest in osteopathy. Now with a extensive understanding of anatomy, physiology and biomechanics on-board I’m able to apply this passion of ‘fixing stuff’ to my patients on a daily basis.

I will be available at Harbour Osteoapthy in Fairlight on Mondays, Tuesdays and Fridays. For an obligation free 15min osteopathic health check call the clinic on 02 9948 9934. I look forward to helping you.

Regards,

Toby

Osteopath Toby Francis starting work at Harbour Osteopathy is a post from: Harbour Osteopathy in Manly on Sydney's Northern Beaches

Should I use heat or ice for pain relief?

Clinton — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 10:22:36 +0000

When to use a heat or ice pack

Several times a week I get asked by a patient, ‘What should I use for pain relief, heat or ice?’ A straight forward answer is often hard to give, sometimes its one or the other or sometimes a combination of both. Confused? Lets try to clear this up.

To Ice or Not To Ice?

I always recommend ice for an acute injury or trauma. For example, when you have just rolled your ankle playing football with the kids or pulled a hamstring muscle trying to compete with a person beside you in yoga class.

If there is a lot of swelling, redness and heat present around the injury, then it is best to follow the R.I.C.E.D protocol for pain and inflammation management. R = rest, I = ice, C = compression, E = elevation, and D = diagnosis by a qualified health professional.

Other occasions were ice can give fantastic relief from intense pain is when the pain is highly irritable or the injured area is extremely sensitive, that is it doesn’t take much to provoke the pain and once the pain is present it stays for quite some time.

There are a couple of important things to note when using ice. First, there is a time limit! You should only ever put ice on for a maximum of 15min before taking it off. You can reapply once the area has returned to a normal body temperature. Also, be careful if there is already numbness in the area or if there is an irritable skin condition – it’s not a good idea to put ice on in these conditions.

Heat Glorious Heat

I’ve found heat is great for chronic conditions like arthritis. It also works really well for pain caused by postural strain – the kind of pain you can get from sitting at a computer screen for 8 hrs a day.

Heat helps promote the circulation of blood and lymph through the body. It’s great at moving new blood full of important nutrients and oxygen into the tissues to aid in the healing process. It also helps with the drainage of old blood away from the injury by opening up the veins and lymph vessels to help with the removal of cellular waste.

In most cases I recommend trying heat first for most conditions that aren’t the due to an immediate trauma.

Heat is great at helping to relax tight muscles that have tightened to protect a injured area, as is the case in a lot of low back pain sufferers who often develop very tight leg and buttock muscles.

Heat can be applied in various ways; from a hot shower or bath, to a wheatbag, hot water bottle or gel pack. There is no time limit for heat, just don’t burn yourself. (It has happened!)

So as a general rule:

Ice for acute inflammation or nerve pain.
Heat for muscle tightness, and pain resulting from bad posture and chronic conditions.
When in doubt, try heat first and if that does nothing or makes if feel worse then try ice.

Should I use heat or ice for pain relief? is a post from: Harbour Osteopathy in Manly on Sydney's Northern Beaches