Thoughtful Thursday - January 7th
Welcome to 2021! We were hoping to phase these newsletters out but, given we are still riding the rollercoaster, we will continue them for the time being.
Clinic Updates
Regarding BoJo's latest announcement, we would like to reassure everyone that, as an essential service, our clinics remain open as we have done bar three days during this whole thing, and you are allowed to leave the house to come and see us. If you cannot leave or would like some help/advice over the phone, please feel free to call us and we will do what we can to help.
We are also limiting the amount of bodies in clinic at any time. We will sometimes have virtual help, such as a 'floating head' assistant or some team members answering phones from home – just a heads-up in case a 'stranger' answers the phone!
Vertebra of the Week by Michael Lezuo DC
We thought we’d introduce a little bit of learning into our Thoughtful Thursday newsletter… think of it as a palate cleanser in between Netflix binges.Michael Lezuo from Team Tooting has kindly profiled each vertebra of the spine and will introduce us to them, one by one, starting from the top and working our way down. We hope you’ll discover some new and interesting facts and trivia!
C1: Atlas
The first vertebra in your neck is labelled like all your cervical vertebrae, with a capital ‘C’ followed by the number. C1 sits right at the top of your neck and carries the skull, so to speak. Therefore, it is also labelled as ‘atlas’ after the Greek god, who carries the world on his shoulders.
The atlas has no real body but forms more like a ring that perfectly surrounds the brain stem, which is the gateway for all neurological communication between the brain to the body. The nerves exiting here go to your pituitary gland, scalp, brain, bones of the face, inner and middle ear. The atlas also affects the blood supply to the head as two basilar arteries (arteries at the base of the skull) wrap around C1 before entering the skull.
If this segment is subluxated (out of alignment) it will affect this gateway of communication. If there is a problem with the nerve at this level, these are the symptoms you may experience: headaches, migraines, nervousness, insomnia, head colds, high blood pressure, nervous breakdowns, amnesia, chronic tiredness and dizziness.
Shameless Plug of the Week
Our ’12 Cracks of Christmas’ special – a block of 12 sessions at our cheapest per-visit rate – has proven pretty popular, so we have decided to extend it (again) until this Sunday, January 10th! It is available in clinic or online.
Ask the Chiro
Ami-Bree Said DC answers your question…
I’m pregnant and still working. What’s the best way for me to sit at my desk?
As we all know, sitting isn’t great for us – particularly when there is a growing baby bump thrown into the mix! Here are a few tips to help keep you as comfortable as possible during the working day…
Your feet should be flat on the floor, with the knees below the level of the hips, whilst maintaining your natural lower back curve (lordosis). Shoulders should also be back, with your chest out. This position gives the baby the most amount of room (in a seated position) and allows you to breathe optimally.
Sitting on an exercise ball will make the above position much easier to achieve, however, you may also sit on the edge of your chair (to avoid slumping).
No crossing legs or sitting on feet.
Get up and move at least every 45 minutes, even if it is to refill your water glass or go to the loo. Movement is our friend!
When the working day is over…
Hang out on all fours as much as possible. This position is great as it allows baby the most amount of room, as well as taking the weight off the pelvic ligaments. Cat/cow movements may also be added.
Avoid ‘sinking’ into the couch. Remember the optimal seated position from above, so as to avoid slumping over your bump! An exercise ball is a great investment, otherwise sit on a firmer chair that allows your knees to be below your hips.
Looks like 2021 has gotten off to the start we suspected, but hopefully it’s a step back towards a larger leap forward down the line. Hoping we may also get some snow, which would be a nice distraction!
Stay safe, stay moving and stay WARM!
Drew