The Heath Osteopathic Practice

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The Heath Osteopathic Practice

Reducing pain and stiffness in muscles, joints, bones and ligaments by using osteopathy techniques

Treating a wide range of health complaints using osteopathic techniques, naturopathy, cranial osteopathy, as well as taping, postural and exercise advice.

17/06/2026

Exercise is important for everyone, regardless of age, health or fitness. It’s important to do a variety of types of exercise as they provide different functions. Exercise can also help your mental health as it produces endorphins which make you feel happier and joining classes or gyms can help reduce feelings of isolation. It may help you to lose weight when combined with eating a healthier diet.

Balance is important and improving it will help to prevent falls by strengthening one's core muscles. Dancing, pilates, yoga and tai chi can help.

Flexibility can be improved with stretches and yoga. Stretching muscles can help them to become healthier and function more effectively.

Strengthening muscles and joints can be helped with weight training, martial arts, pilates, walking, climbing and running. It can help to reduce the likelihood of getting osteoporosis and help to reduce postural strain.

Aerobic exercise or endurance training can help to strengthen the heart and reduce your blood pressure through swimming, running, cycling and exercise classes.

You can do exercises at home, walking instead of using transport or using escalators and lifts. Even housework and shopping are a form of exercise.

If you have aches and pains and are not sure if you should exercise, see an osteopath who can reduce your pain and stiffness and advise about what sort of activity would be helpful. They can prescribe exercises for you.

Book online at https://heathpractice.com

29/05/2026

Shoulder Pain/Adhesive Capsulitis
Shoulder Pain may be caused by injury or strain to the joints, bones, tendons,muscles, bursae or the articular capsule. However, shoulder pain may be a referral of pain from the neck or cervical spine. It can also be referred pain from the abdoman such as the gall bladder, stomach, diaphragm and pancreas, or from the heart or lung. An osteopath can diagnose the problem and give treatment, exercises and postural advice where relevant or refer someone on if they believe there may be another issue which needs medical treatment.

Frozen shoulder or adhesive capsulitis is a condition which causes pain and stiffness. It most commonly affects people between ages of 40 and 60 years and affects women more than men. It can occur after an injury or surgery, and is more common in those with diabetes and thyroid conditions. It frequently occurs without any obvious cause. It is thought that the articular capsule in the shoulder joint becomes thickened tight and inflamed leading to reduced mobility. There is often a dull ache on the upper outer part of the arm. An osteopath can help to diagnose the problem and advise how to reduce symptoms of pain and stiffness and speed up the recovery.

Book online at https://heathpractice.com

27/05/2026

Exercise

Exercise is important for everyone, regardless of age, health or fitness. It’s important to do a variety of types of exercise as they provide different functions. Exercise can also help your mental health as it produces endorphins which make you feel happier and joining classes or gyms can help reduce feelings of isolation. It may help you to lose weight when combined with eating a healthier diet.

Balance is important and improving it will help to prevent falls by strengthening one's core muscles. Dancing, pilates, yoga and tai chi can help.

Flexibility can be improved with stretches and yoga. Stretching muscles can help them to become healthier and function more effectively.

Strengthening muscles and joints can be helped with weight training, martial arts, pilates, walking, climbing and running. It can help to reduce the likelihood of getting osteoporosis and help to reduce postural strain.

An osteopath can help to reduce your pain and stiffness to allow you to exercise again. They advise about what exercise or stretches would be helpful
Book online at https://heathpractice.com

26/05/2026

Bursitis
Bursa are fluid filled sacs found around many joints. They help to provide support and cushioning to prevent muscles, joints and tendons from rubbing together. They can be found on the elbows, knees, hips, buttocks and shoulders.

When there has been over-use or injury the bursa can get inflamed. There is then less room within the joint. There may be redness, swelling, pain and difficulty moving the joint or putting any pressure on it. It may be painful to lie on it.

The best way to deal with this is RICE ie rest, ice, compression and elevation. You may want to apply ice for 10-15 minutes every hour for the first 4-5 days. This will help to reduce the swelling and inflammation. Anti-inflammatories may help and if it persists a steroid injection may help. However, if there is a fever, you will need to see a GP in case the bursa has become infected.

Bursitis may resolve within a week or two, however, if there is also tendinitis it may take longer. An Osteopath can help to diagnose the problem and try to discover why it has occurred. There may be treatment they can do to reduce restriction or change imbalances which may have caused or contributed towards the problem.Once the pain has gone it may help to do exercises to strengthen the muscles involved to speed up recovery and prevent it re-occurring.

Book to see an osteopath at https://heathpractice.com

24/05/2026

Postural Strain

Employers have a legal requirement to analyze work stations and to make risk assessments. They have to provide proper training and information, allow breaks or changes in work activity and eye tests if requested.

Various factors can cause or worsen pain in the arms, neck and back such as repetitive work, uncomfortable working positions, using a large amount of force, working for long periods of time without a break and a poor working environment.

There may be symptoms of tenderness, aching, stiffness, weakness, tingling, numbness, cramp or swelling. These can be prevented or reduced by managing the work environment, postural advice, Osteopathic treatment and specific exercises to address the problem.

Book an appointment today to see an osteopath at https://heathpractice.com

23/05/2026

What is an Osteopath?

An Osteopath is a primary health care professional with at least 4 years of training at degree level. They are registered with the General Osteopathic Council and are fully insured. They are required to keep up to date with current research and attend courses every year.

What does an Osteopath Do?

An Osteopath will take a full case history asking how it happened, where the pain is, how painful it is and what aggravates and relieves it. They will ask about your general health and medical history including operations, accidents, treatment and any mediaction you take. They will also ask about your occupation, exercise and lifestyle which may all be relevant to thr present condition. They may ask you to perform some movements and do some tests such as taking your reflexes. They will make a diagnosis and discuss with you a treatment plan.

How does an Osteopath treat?

Osteopaths work with all the tissues in the body, directly and indirectly. They believe that if the structure of the body is out of balance then it won't function effectively and vice versa.They may mobilise, massage, manipulate, stretch and strengthen. Some osteopaths work by using a very light touch which is particularly suited to babies, children, the elderly and the fragile, but everyone can benefit from it. The Osteopath may give you advice about your posture and give exercises.

Book online at https://heathpractice.com for an osteopath in Tufnell Park.

22/05/2026

Low back pain is a very common condition and increasing in cases and intensity, worldwide. This is partly as a result of ageing populations, an increase in obesity and reduced activity. The situation was worsened during the COVID pandemic due to lockdowns, increasing inactivity and a move to working from home with resulting poor work environments, and inadequate desks and chairs. It is most common in working populations leading to absenteeism, decreased productivity and increased early retirement. There are also effects on mental health with chronic low back pain linked to increased depression. Depression is linked to increasing disability and poor recovery from low back pain.

There are many possible causes for it such as strains or wear and tear to joints, bones, muscles, ligaments, nerves or discs. It may have occured suddenly because of a recent incident or gradually because of overuse. There may be an inflammatory or auto-immune cause and it may be due to a genetic predisposition. It may be a referral of pain from other structures in the body.

An Osteopath will take your medical history and details of the when, why and how the back pain occured and will reach a diagnosis. If they decide that its safe to treat, then they will use a variety of techniques such as mobilisation, manipulation and massage or more gentle techniques called Cranial techniques. They may give exercises and self-help advice.

To book online go to https://heathpractice.com

21/05/2026

Hip Osteoarthritis
The hip joint is between that of the head of the femur (thigh bone) and the acetabulum in the pelvis. There is cartilage covering these two surfaces to allow a greater range of smooth movement. The hip joint is surrounded by ligaments and muscles to provide stability and strength.

During the aging process the joint surfaces become worn and bony spurs appear. The head of the femur can lose its rounded shape and become flattened. The acetabulum’s surface becomes less smooth and tears can appear in the cartilage.

Doing exercises to strengthen and stretch muscles around the hip joint may delay the necessity of having hip replacement surgery. It may also aid in the recovery post-operatively leading to better outcomes and less time spent in hospital. Studies have shown that those with other health problems, who are expected to have a delayed recovery, tend to benefit more from functional exercises, before, as well as after the hip operation. Your osteopath can help with diagnosis, treatment and the prescription of exercises.

Book online at https://heathpractice.com

20/05/2026

Osteoporosis

Osteoporosis is a condition which leads to decreased bone density and therefore increased fragility, and risk of bone fracture. It affects over 3 million people in the UK, affecting older people more than young. Bone density increases when we are young, until our twenties but starts decreasing in our mid thirties. Fractures are most common in the hip, wrist and spine in those with Osteoporosis, but can occur in other bones. Fractures in the spine, or softening of the spinal bones can lead to a stooped over appearance.

It is more common in women. The production of oestrogen in women helps to maintain bone density. Following the menopause or after a hysterectomy, as the production of oestrogen decreases, so does bone density. This is increased if the menopause occurs before 45 years old, the hysterectomy occurs before age 45 and the ovaries are removed. An absence of periods for 6 months due to over-exercising or dieting can increase the risk of osteoporosis.

It is important to do weightbearing exercise and to eat foods containing vitamin D. One type of vitamin D comes from sunlight so in the winter months it may be adviasable to take a supplement.

Those with osteoporosis can still benefit from gentle osteopathy although forceful treatment should be avoioded.

To find out more or to book an appointment go to https://heathpractice.com/article/36

19/05/2026

Carpel Tunnel Syndrome
It can give you symptoms such as pain, tingling, numbness and burning in your thumb and fingers. You may feel weakness in your hand and be dropping things more than usual. There may be muscle atrophy, or reduced muscle bulk, in the muscle at the base of the thumb.

The Carpel tunnel is a structure in your wrist made up of bone and ligament which encloses muscle tendons for the thumb and fingers, apart from the little finger, and the Median nerve. If there is swelling in the Median Nerve, there will be compression, leading to the above symptoms.

There may be inflammation of the Median Nerve due to overuse. This may occur in people who are using computers for long periods of time, and exaccerbated if they are hunching forward. There may be compression of other nerves further up the arm causing problems elsewhere.

An Osteopath can diagnose the problem by examining the wrist, as well as other structures such as the the arm, shoulder, neck and back which may be contributing towards the problem. They can suggest stretches and postural changes to try to alleviate the symptoms. They can give treatment to reduce restrictions and tightness.

Book online at https://heathpractice.com

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Monday	09:00 - 20:00
Tuesday	09:00 - 20:00
Wednesday	09:00 - 20:00
Thursday	09:00 - 20:00
Friday	09:00 - 17:00

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https://heathpractice.com/

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