Top Story
US university study has suggested that having a cup of coffee can help minimise the pain of high-intensity exercise.
Professor Motl of the University of Illinois and other researchers in the UK and Iceland conducted a survey of 24 fit young men, who were given either caffeine pills or placebos. The study found that taking a moderate amount of caffeine before exercising reduced the perception of muscle pain, reported The Daily Telegraph.
The caffeine dose taken by the subjects was equivalent to two and a half cups of coffee, and the exercise comprised two half-hour bouts of hard cycling.
Why does this happen? The study suggests that the caffeine has an effect on the body's receptors, which normally alert the brain to muscle strain.
What is the UK medical establishment's view on this? NHS Choices, the NHS arm that provides advice to the public, has no quibbles with the manner of the research or even the findings, but is keen to point out that it is potentially dangerous to ‘mask' the pain warnings being sent to your brain; "Toning things down to a more reasonable level would be more beneficial than trying to block out the pain in the body", says NHS Choices.
NHS also emphasises the limited nature of the study, with a small number of very fit subjects who will not be representative of the population as a whole (and certainly not of the editorial team on YourOsteopath), and that the 30 minute bouts of exercise do not indicate what would happen over a longer period of exercise, and over a longer period.
But don't let that put you off. Invest in a nifty espresso machine and get yourself out there (for half an hour). And if it all goes wrong, call on your osteopath for some advice.
www.NHS.uk
Osteopathy Regulations
One of the good things about osteopathy - unlike some other complementary medicines - is that you can have confidence that someone calling themselves as an osteopath has actually gone through a degree course at an accredited institution.
In the UK, it is the General Osteopathic Council (GOsC) that holds the register of osteopaths, and it is a criminal offence - subject to prosecution - for anyone to claim to be any kind of osteopath unless they are on the GOsC register.
To be on the register, an osteopath must have completed a course of training that is accredited by the GOsC. The GosC says, "Training courses generally lead to a bachelor's degree in osteopathy (a BSc Hons, B.Ost or B.OstMed) or a master's degree (M.Ost). Courses usually consist of four years of full-time training, five years part-time or a mixture of full or part-time. There are also courses with accelerated pathways for doctors and physiotherapists."
There are around 10 institutions currently accredited in the UK to provide osteopathic training, and a typical course will cover anatomy, physiology, pathology, pharmacology, nutrition and biomechanics, says the GOsC, plus at least 1,000 hours of clinical training.
Registration is for a 12 month period, after which osteopaths need to renew their licence to practice. For osteopaths coming into the UK from another country, the GOsC will ensure that their qualifications are equivalent to the UK training. Being an osteopath requires hard work and a commitment to a long-term career. That should be a comfort to you when you next need their help.
www.osteopathy.org.uk
Case Study
The Case: Wendy, a 42 year old staff nurse, has suffered from low back pain on the left side for twelve years. The pain is now fairly localised, but radiates into her left buttock on occasions. She says the pain was mainly intermittent for many years, but has gradually got worse to the point where it is now constant.
Wendy has two children, and a busy life involving shift work. She has little time to herself and would like to have been able to do more than the occasional physical exercise class at the gym. Chatting to a friend she discovers that an osteopath may be able to help her condition. She makes an appointment.
The diagnosis: After taking a full case history and making a full examination her osteopath is able to diagnose a problem in her left sacroiliac joint. It is explained to her that she has two sacroiliac joints within her pelvis. They are formed where the large pelvic bones angle backwards towards the midline joining the sacrum, an upside down triangle of five fused vertebrae at the base of the spine. Where they meet are the sacroiliac joints.
These joints are held together by very strong ligaments, and transfer the body weight down through them into the lower limbs. The ligaments may be very strong, but it is explained to Wendy that during pregnancy the ligaments are able to stretch further due to the hormonal changes that take place at that time. Her first child is 12 years old. She has probably suffered damage to the soft tissues supporting the sacroiliac joint during the later stages of pregnancy and the birth.
The treatment: Wendy's osteopath uses direct soft tissue, articulation and manipulation techniques to try to stimulate healing in the affected area. She was given some advice on exercises and what to avoid in her daily routine.
The outcome: After two weeks Wendy noticed an improvement. A further month of treatment and she felt that she had made real progress and her pain was occasional and not so disabling. After 12 years of suffering she still has some way to go, but at last she can see a probable end to her condition.
Body Talk
To help us understand the term cervical spondylosis, it is useful to know a little about the structure of our spine. The spine is made up of vertebrae and discs, and supported by the surrounding muscles and ligaments. Vertebrae are the individual segments of bone stacked one above the other like building blocks. Each vertebra is separated from the vertebra above and below it by a disc made from a type of elastic cartilage material which supports and cushions the vertebrae.
What is it?
Cervical refers to the spine in your neck, and spondylosis means osteoarthritis. To some extent we will all suffer some degree of osteoarthritis in any of our joints. Cervical spondylosis is when the gradual degenerative process that takes place in our neck is more severe and causes more symptoms than is typical for that age group. It predominately affects people over the age of 40.
As we age the cartilage within the discs hardens, becoming less elastic. This results in a decrease of support for the disc and less stability. To try to compensate for this the body will produce more bone for support. This extra bone is known as osteophytes, or bone spurs. Unfortunately these bony spurs often cause more problems than they solve, making the spine lose movement, resulting in pain and stiffness.
Symptoms
Neck pain and stiffness
Shooting pains into the shoulders, arms and hands
Numbness, tingling and weakness in the arms and hands
Neck may grind on movement
Headaches
Dizziness or fainting, due to obstructed blood flow
Causes
It is not known why the degeneration begins, but undoubtedly there is a strong genetic link, with osteoarthritis running in families. Traumatic injury may play a part in triggering the process, but to a large degree there is no obvious cause.
Treatment and Prevention
Cervical spondylosis cannot be cured, but the symptoms can be helped. Nearly everyone by the age of 70 will have some degree of cervical spondylosis. Therefore, when you are in the early stages, during your 50s and 60s, the onus should be on maintaining the necks full range of movement and the prevention of the neck muscles tightening from the underlying degenerative changes. Your neck rarely needs more than one pillow, and maintaining a good working posture at a desk or computer may help to prevent damage to your spine.
Your osteopath can provide a full treatment and advice service. Remember minor symptoms are much more easily treated and maintained than severe symptoms.
Osteopathy Highlights
- In previous newsletters we have referred to the General Osteopathic Council's (GOsC) plans for a new website. That site is now up and running and well worth a look - see www.osteopathy.org.uk
- BBC News has reported on a new technique to differentiate between different causes of back pain. Researchers have come up with tests that distinguish between neuropathic pain (nerve damage or neuropathic damage) and more common ‘axial' back pain. Different causes of pain have different treatments, so better diagnostic methods are always to be welcomed.
- We know that Swine Flu isn't something that you would talk to your osteopath about - unless he has just come back from a holiday in Cancun - but we thought it would be useful to direct you to a website that gives good, clear guidance on the subject, including an online ‘symptom checker'. (We challenge you to resist trying it out.) Go the NHS Direct website and follow the clear links: www.nhsdirect.nhs.uk
Osteopathic and Health Links
General Osteopathic Council
British Osteopathic Association
Members Association
Osteopathic Sports Care Association (OSCA)
The Health & Safety Executive (HSE) back injury site.
The British Association of Sport & Exercise Medicine (BASEM)
BackCare
European Agency for Safety and Health at Work
The Osteopathic Centre for Children
The Prince of Wales Foundation for Integrated Health
Working Backs Scotland
