Author Archives: lynne

A Drunken Bet and Jud’s First Ultra Race

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Hello and welcome to our latest Guest Blog post from Jud, bringing you the story of his first ultra race, the 100km Ultra Tour of the Peak District.   “Drunken bets usually end disastrously, but this one was life changing.” I was at a friend’s Wedding, beers were had, and continued to flow. Then the Groom announced he’d entered the Ultra Tour of the Peak District a 100km run with a total of 3000m of ascent. From never really running before, I was at the time training for a 15km trail race. With some cajoling from other guests, before I knew it, I … Continue reading →

Never Underestimate The Influence Of Exercise on Depression

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A long while ago I had some time off work – signed off with depression. The ‘D’ word is less dirty these days. Back then, I literally hid away at home in case I bumped into someone I knew and didn’t have a limb hanging off, for the unseen illness surely didn’t exist! That attitude didn’t help me at all, and staying in a self-imposed locked up four walls meant I did little exercise. I had no appetite for it anyway. The self-perpetuating circle of gloom fueled itself merrily. Yet, had the doctor prescribed a 60 minute brisk walk daily (even better … Continue reading →

HCPC and CSP – do you have Acronym Confusion?

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There are a lot of acronyms bandied around the medical profession, and people with all kinds of letters after their names. Sometimes it almost seems to be a competition as to who can get most letters after their names as opposed to what the person knows. Lots of letters doesn’t necessarily mean lots of knowledge. Here’s what you need to know about the one’s we use in relation to Physiotherapy. Chartered Society of Physiotherapy Any physiotherapist you see should be a member of the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy (CSP). Membership is only permitted once you have passed a BSc. in Physiotherapy from … Continue reading →

Raynaud’s and Acupuncture

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I developed a condition called ‘Raynaud’s’ at some point in the last few years. Recollection of its onset is blurred, as the symptoms I suffer with are ‘just’ cold hands. Occasionally my feet would have similar and debilitating symptoms, but not that often. These days I have to be completely aware of how warm my whole body is, and especially my hands are, even in a central-heated warm house. I hug hot drink mugs. I volunteer eagerly to wash the pots so my hands are immersed in hot water. I go outside with at least two pairs of gloves most … Continue reading →

Tendinopathy – or How I understand Jill Cooks podcast

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Professor Jill Cook is a physiotherapist, a clinician and a scientist, she is deputy editor of the British Journal of Sports Medicine and is, quite frankly, a legend. This is my take, and a simplification for the time starved on the British Medical Journal podcasts delivered by Jill Cook – you can listen to the originals by following these links part 1 and part 2. Lets break it down from the beginning… What are tendons? Connective tissue made from Collagen that attaches muscles (contracting tissue) to bones (levers). they don’t just connect, they store and release energy to provide efficient movement. What is a tendinopathy? … Continue reading →

Chief Medical Officers Report: Women in Health

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11 December 2015 saw the publication of the Chief Medical Officer’s annual report on Women’s Health. The report “contains analysis of, and recommendations on, a range of women’s health issues, including obesity, cancer and reproductive health.” We were very pleased when we learnt that the CMO had focused her report on women’s health, and tackled head on some of the topics which are often shied away from in public, such as menopause and incontinence. This report is of great interest to us. The main themes she looked at are: obesity and its impact on women’s health, including reproductive health women’s health … Continue reading →