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You hurt your back years ago. Your ankle has not felt quite the same since that sprain. Or perhaps an old shoulder problem seems to return every time you increase your training. When old injuries keep coming back, it is easy to assume you have damaged the same tissue again. But recurring injury pain does not necessarily mean the original injury has been re-injured. Sometimes the tissue has healed, but strength, movement, confidence or tolerance to activity have not fully retu

If you spend most of your working day at a desk, regular movement matters more than trying to maintain one “perfect” sitting position. So, how often should you move during the working day? There is no single interval that suits everyone, but breaking up sitting at least every 30 to 60 minutes is a practical starting point. Even standing, walking for a minute or changing position can help interrupt long periods of inactivity. A Practical Movement Routine For Desk Workers You d

If you are dealing with persistent pain, muscle tension or restricted movement, you may wonder whether acupuncture, osteopathy or a combination of both could help. Using acupuncture and osteopathy together does not mean that two treatments are automatically better than one. They are distinct approaches that may complement each other in some situations. Osteopathy focuses primarily on musculoskeletal assessment, movement and physical function, while acupuncture uses fine needl

"I only bent down to pick something up and my back went." "I just turned to get out of the car." "All I did was put my socks on!" I hear versions of these stories in clinic all the time. And it's completely understandable to assume that one movement caused the problem. But quite often, the movement you remember isn't really the whole story. It's simply... The Straw That Broke the Camel's Back Imagine your body has a bucket. Every day, you're adding a little bit to it. A busy

Over the last couple of weeks, I've introduced you to Clare and explained a little about what actually happens during an acupuncture appointment. But there's probably one fairly important question we haven't answered yet... Can acupuncture actually help me? One of the main reasons I wanted to bring acupuncture to Reform Osteopaths is its versatility. There's plenty of crossover with the problems I already see every day as an osteopath, but acupuncture also gives us another op

Have you ever noticed that your body seems to ache more when life returns to normal? After a summer holiday, a long weekend or even a few days off work, many people find themselves feeling stiff, sore or unusually tired. It can seem strange. Surely you've just had a break? In reality, your body is adapting to a completely different routine. Your Body Loves Routine Whether you're sitting at a desk, walking the dog every morning or going to the gym three evenings a week, your b

September always feels like a bit of a reset. The summer holidays are coming to an end, children are heading back to school, work gets busier and suddenly we're all trying to get back into our normal routines. And quite often, your body notices the change too. You might find yourself feeling a little stiffer than usual, an old niggle starts making itself known again, or you're simply wondering why everything seems to ache when you've just come back from a holiday! The answer

Last week, I introduced Clare as the newest member of the Reform Osteopaths team. Since then, I've had a number of conversations with patients who all seem to ask the same questions... "Does it hurt?" "How many needles are there?" "Will I be left lying there on my own?" "What actually happens during an acupuncture appointment?" If you've ever wondered the same thing, I thought I'd walk you through exactly what to expect. It Starts With A Conversation Just like your first appo

When most people hear the word Osteopath, they immediately think of back pain. It's understandable. Back pain is one of the most common reasons people visit us. But it's only a small part of what we do. One mission I have set myself throughout my career is to educate the wider community that we do so much more than just treating backs. Osteopathy, through treatment, exercise & lifestyle advice, has the ability to treat or at least ease the majority of musculoskeletal issues.

Have you ever noticed your pain seems to have a mind of its own? One day it's in your shoulder. The next it's in your neck. A few days later your shoulder feels much better, but now your upper back has started to ache. It's something we hear regularly in clinic. Many people worry that moving pain means something is getting worse. In reality, it's often just how the body responds to irritation, tension and movement. Pain Isn't Always Where the Problem Starts One of the biggest

Does this sound familiar? You wake up feeling stiff. Your back feels tight as you get out of bed. Your knees don't quite want to straighten. Your shoulders feel reluctant to move. Yet after you've been up for 10 or 15 minutes, you start to feel much more like yourself. So... why? Your Body Has Been Resting While you sleep, your body is still working hard repairing and recovering. What it isn't doing is moving. For six, seven or eight hours, your joints, muscles and connective

Shoulder pain is one of the most common reasons people visit the clinic. Sometimes it starts after decorating, gardening or a session in the gym. Sometimes it seems to appear for no obvious reason at all. But one question I hear time and time again is: "Why does it keep coming back?" It's Not Always About Your Shoulder One of the biggest misconceptions is that pain always starts where you feel it. With shoulder pain, that's often not the case. The shoulder doesn't work in iso

It's one of the most common things I hear in clinic. "I only bent down to pick up a sock..." Or... "I only reached into the boot of the car." "I only sneezed." "I only picked up the washing basket." People are often convinced that one small movement has suddenly "put their back out." In reality, it's rarely that simple. Was It Really the Sock? Probably not. Picking up a sock is something you've done thousands of times before without any problems. So why did it hurt this time?

One of the most common things I hear in clinic is: "I think I need a better office chair." And while having a comfortable, supportive chair certainly helps, it's usually not the biggest problem. The old-fashioned idea of finding the "perfect posture" has largely been thrown out. What we now understand is that immobility is often the bigger issue. Your Best Posture Is Your Next Posture People often ask me, "What's the perfect way to sit?" The answer is... There isn't one. Your

Holidays are meant to leave us feeling refreshed… So why do so many people come back with a sore back, stiff neck or aching joints? At this time of year, it's something I see regularly in clinic. Interestingly, it usually falls into one of two categories. Holiday Type 1: You Do Far More Than Usual For many people, everyday life involves: Sitting at a desk Driving A few thousand steps each day Then suddenly you're on holiday. You're exploring new cities, walking 20,000 steps a

We've had a few patients recently mention the same thing: "I don't know if it's just me, but everything feels harder work in this heat." And they're not imagining it. During a heatwave, many people notice: Increased fatigue More muscle cramping Reduced energy levels Stiffness after activity Slower recovery from exercise While warmer weather can help some people feel less stiff, extreme heat places additional demands on the body. Why Heat Affects How Your Body Feels When tempe

Many people can pinpoint the moment their pain became noticeable. It might have been lifting a heavy box, a long drive, a day in the garden, or simply waking up with a stiff back. But in reality, that moment is often just the final straw. More often than not, pain develops gradually. Weeks or months of sitting, stress, poor sleep, repetitive movements, reduced exercise, or simply getting out of old routines can slowly build tension and strain throughout the body. Then one day

As the weather improves, many people head straight into the garden after months of being less active — and every year we see a rise in gardening-related back, shoulder, and knee injuries at Reform Osteopaths. While gardening is great for physical and mental wellbeing, repetitive movements, awkward positions, and long periods of bending can place significant strain on the body. The good news? Most gardening injuries are preventable with the right preparation and recovery. Comm

If you often feel stiff, tight, or slightly “off” but cannot pinpoint a clear injury, you are not alone. It is a common experience, especially for people balancing busy work schedules, regular training, or long hours sitting at a desk. In many cases, this kind of discomfort does not come from one specific problem. Instead, it builds up over time through small imbalances, movement habits, and areas of tension that gradually affect how your body works as a whole. This is where

One of the most common questions surrounding physical health is which practice is most suitable for my symptoms? Osteopathy, physiotherapy or chiropractic. All three professions treat musculoskeletal pain, all use hands-on techniques to some degree, and all aim to improve movement and reduce discomfort. So what actually separates them? As an osteopath, we believe the difference lies less in competition and more in philosophy, training emphasis, and approach to the body as a w