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Ski Article
Take a few sensible steps and make the most of your ski trip.

News archives

January/February/March 2010
HR Seminars, Personal Coaching, London Bug, Twitter, Performance Master Classes, Women's Health... and more

October/November/December 2009
On the Stress Belt, Natasha on TV and National Tennis... and more

July/August/September 2009
10,000th Patient!, Improving performance and monitoring... and more

April/May/June 2009
New Central Health gym in the City, Get Assessed on your own bike... and more

January/February/March 2009
Flora London Marathon, Promoting good posture at work... and more

 
 

News and Views - April/May/June 2010


 
Free Consultation


 
New Clinic
New Pain Unit


 
Unique in Private Practise sector


 
One on One Session

Enjoy running or cycling without harming your health!

Spring at last! By the time you read this, thousands will have completed the London Marathon, and many more will be training for the numerous other Marathons and Charity Races that take place around the country, and, volcanic cloud permitting, further afield. Many of you will also be taking advantage of the ‘Cycling to Work’ initiative and commuting to work by bike.

As you launch with great enthusiasm into a running routine, or get state-of-the-art cycling equipment, have you considered the impact of internal and external forces on your body? Your running or cycling technique is critical to ensure you optimise performance and remain injury-free. A biomechanics assessment might make all the difference, whether you run or cycle for pleasure, weight loss, general fitness, competition or rehabilitation after illness or injury.

To run at your best it is important to run efficiently, using as little energy as possible on each step whilst maintaining a comfortable stride and rhythm.

Using the treadmill in one of our studios, our physiotherapists film you whilst you run, then download the video into advanced computer software to analyse your running technique. Being able to slow down and rewind the video, they can look at angles throughout the body and compare these as you move through the different phases of running. Based on your specific findings, they then make recommendations for your running action, give advice regarding strengthening and stretching exercises, footwear or orthotics, to ensure you run more efficiently and avoid injury.

Similarly if you commute to work by bike, cycle as a hobby or are training for your next triathlon, a full biomechanical assessment may make a big difference to your cycling efficiency. Alteration to the saddle height for example will change joint angles and muscle lengths, therefore affecting your performance. How many people know that the most efficient saddle height is reportedly 109% of leg length when using a seated upright position?

The turbo trainer at the Hospital of St John and St Elizabeth in St John’s Wood enables our physiotherapists to conduct an assessment of your individual cycling style on your own bike, or the one you are about to buy to make sure it’s right for you.

You bring your bike to the gym and the therapist observes you cycling as you would be doing outdoors. This allows your posture and biomechanics to be assessed on your bike and compared with the optimum cycling position to maintain efficiency and prevent injury.

Video analysis may be used to help distinguish how changes in bike set up (seat height/handle bar height etc) affect individuals’ biomechanics on their bike. Technique errors are common, and these can be easily recognised on the turbo trainer and advice given on the spot to help encourage more optimal cycling technique.

Do not let bad posture or technique ruin your running or cycling enjoyment. An assessment by one of our qualified physiotherapists starts from £100 and could make a world of difference.

For information on our Biomechanics service and the pricing range, contact us at info@central-health.com or by calling us on 020 7404 6343.

 


Corporate Scene

Ergonomics at work: Are you sitting comfortably?


Good posture / Bad posture
Companies need to comply with Health & Safety Executive minimum legal requirements and provide advice to help prevent pain and injury for individual employees. In office environments the best place to start is with the way people sit at their desk and the workstation equipment they use.

The following key factors can make a considerable difference in ensuring your work space is optimised:

  • chair contour and back rest
  • desk height
  • position of display screen
  • keyboard height
  • mouse access and control
  • appropriate lighting.

The optimal sitting posture will ensure there is muscular and skeletal balance to protect the supporting structures of the body against injury or progressive deformity.

The general advice to optimise work postures is to:

  • Adjust chair to make it comfortable
  • Sit back into the chair
  • Avoid perching
  • Be aware of sitting too straight as this may cause harm
  • Recognise your posture may change with stress
  • Regularly change your position.

Legislation such as the Display Screen Equipment Regulations (1992) means that employers have a duty of care to:

  • Analyse workstations and to assess and reduce risks
  • Ensure workstations meet minimum requirements
  • Plan work so there are breaks or changes of activity
  • On request arrange eye tests, and provide spectacles if special ones are needed
  • Provide health and safety training and information.

Many companies achieve this through online evaluations or using a health and safety representative. At Central health we are specialists in dealing with those suffering from musculoskeletal injury which qualifies us to do a more thorough assessment when required. Our physiotherapists are trained to help companies conduct yearly DSE (Display Screen Equipment) Assessments and ergonomic evaluations of your working environment, making recommendations that will help reduce the potential for injury and ill health such as aches and pains of the wrists, shoulders and back - improving overall performance and productivity.

Contact us for a free consultation.

News

New Clinic in Fashionable Notting Hill


The Central Health team is now in place and managing the Physiotherapy department at the Portobello Clinic in Raddington Road - see www.portobelloclinic.com

Lead physiotherapist Elaine Byrne can be contacted at elainebyrne@portobelloclinic.com or on 020 8962 0635

 


Diane Daly - Speaker at Primary Care 2010 Conference


Diane Daly

Diane Daly MCSP, MPT, based at the Hospital of St John and St Elizabeth since 2003, opened the Allied Health Professionals section on Thursday 6th May at Primary Care 2010 held at Birmingham NEC on 5-6 May 2010.

Diane’s presentation was on Managing the Risks of Manual Handling When Treating Patients with Dementia.

With a Masters in Physical Therapy (MPT) from East Carolina University, Diane worked in the US for 3 years in Continuing Care Rehabilitation Centres, which provide people with a residential campus, offering independent living, assisted living, skilled nursing facilities, rest home and locked dementia ward with built in therapy services (outpatient and inpatient): Physical Therapy, Occupational Therapy and Speech Therapy - which is an excellent multidisciplinary approach to rehab.


Gemma Newell - Speaker at Practitioners Associates Summer School


Gemma Newell

Practitioners Associates Ltd are the key provider of Continuing Professional Development for Advanced Nurse Practitioners. Their Advanced Summer School, held on 25th and 26th June at London South Bank University, is the only clinical workshop designed exclusively for those working in Advanced Practice roles and is a must for Advanced Nurse Practitioners everywhere!

Gemma Newell MManipTher BSc(Hons) MCSP, who specialises in spinal, sport injuries and lower limb conditions, will talk on the management of low back pain.


HR Seminar


Dean Patterson, Simon Shepard and Greg Whyte

Over 20 HR and OT professionals attended Central Health breakfast seminar on 16th March with guest speakers Dean Patterson, Health and Productivity Manager at Unilever, and Professor Greg Whyte, renowned international speaker and exercise guru to the stars.

The seminar demonstrated yet again the direct correlation between exercise, fitness and weight management and improved performance at work.


New Pain Unit at the Hospital of St John and St Elizabeth

 

Pain specialist physiotherapists Danny Armitage and Chris Pinches are now working alongside a team of consultants and other disciplines in the new pain unit. Both Danny and Chris have a special interest in treating patients with complex pain and are experts in this field. For more information please email Danny at dannyarmitage@central-health.com.


Tennis Tournament in aid of the Bob Champion Cancer Trust

Natasha Price MCSP is on the organising committee of the Douglas&Gordon Tennis Tournament in aid of the Bob Champion Cancer Trust.

The tournament is held on Sunday 20th June at Battersea Park; the format is a Mixed Doubles American Tournament, changing partners, until knock-out rounds - entry fee £30 per person, all standards welcome. A Central Health team will be available to eliminate any aches and pains.

A pre-tournament Party takes place on Friday 18th June, 7pm till 1am, at the London Rowing Club in Putney - tickets @ £45 per person.

To enter the tournament, attend the Party or donate for this worthy cause, contact Kate Hall at kate@bobchampion.org.uk


New Individual Pilates Service


René Pretorius

Pilates is a great all purpose exercise producing a healthier body that moves well with effects of relaxation, strengthening and increased mobility. Involving mental and physical training Pilates sessions help develop the deeper central core muscles in the abdomen and back.

René Pretorius now offers one on one sessions at our Chancery Lane Clinic and at our Charterhouse Street Performance and Wellbeing Centre.

To take advantage of our introductory offer - valid until the end of June - see further down.

The Team

Unique New Role at Central Health


Danny Armitage

Danny Armitage MSc (Neuromusculoskeletal Physiotherapy), BSc (Hons) (Physiotherapy), MCSP, MACP starts a new role for Central Health looking at clinical standards, care pathways and patient outcomes. Central Health prides itself in the leading innovative stance it takes and in the way it keeps up-to-date with latest medical developments. This new role, unique in the private practice sector, reaffirms this approach and is designed to ensure that the highest standards and best practices are adopted and monitored throughout all Central Health locations, thus delivering an exceptional quality of care. As part of this role Danny will also be organising various weekend and evening courses. Keep watching the Central Health website as new courses are announced.


New People


Laura Fidler

Welcome to:

Laura Fidler MCSP who joined the Central Health team at the Hospital of St John and St Elizabeth in March 2010. With a specialist interest in sports injuries and post-operative rehabilitation, Laura has spent 4 years working for the NHS at Guys and St Thomas Hospital, and has experienced 5 seasons at Rosslyn Park Rugby Club, including the 1st XV cover!


Leah Mason

Leah Mason MCSP, AACP, BSc (Hons) Physiotherapy who joined the Chancery Lane clinic in March 2010 and provides the physiotherapy services within Unilever. A specialist in sports injury management and rehabilitation, Leah has 5 years NHS experience including time within a musculoskeletal rehabilitation unit, spent 2 years in private practice within an Edinburgh based private hospital and has extensive rugby physiotherapy experience including Premier One Scottish Team, Northumberland County, Newcastle University Rugby League and the Falcons School of Rugby Camps.


Pilates Special Offer

First individual session - £40 an hour until the end of June only - a 20% discount on the usual £50 rate!

To book, please email or call us on 020 7404 6343

For further information or to book an assessment, please email or call us on 020 7404 6343

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020 7404 6343
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