There is always a reason why your work related problem comes to the surface and gives you pain. Usually longer hours at your desk or behind the wheel can begin to put strain on your body. Then increased stress levels begin to highlight our weaknesses. And finally, when we have less time to exercise our ability to counteract that sitting posture diminishes and it really turns up the volume on your pain.

Our approach to work-related problems

• We provide a hands-on treatment for immediate relief of your symptoms
• We will discuss how your problem occurred and explain how it has affected you and not the next person
• For your effective return to work we may need to work alongside Occupational Health or provide off-work certificates if time off work is required
• All eventualities will be discussed with you during the consultation
• Advice on work-related posture, ergonomics or technique in your trade will be given to help you manage the problem yourself

We want to get you better, allowing you to focus on your life not your pain

Slouching at our desk encourages our shoulders to become rounded.  This can result in poor alignment of the shoulder muscles (‘rotator cuff’) encouraging areas of poor blood supply and ‘acid in the tissues’ causing aches and burning pains.

Neck pain is often caused by a forward-chin posture as we then tend to hinge or look up at our computer screen or environment.  This can irritate joints in the neck and possibly cause arm pain and even tingling.  Sustained positions at work can cause bad posture that may cause strains to the joints and discs in the low back.

Repetitive Strain Injury (RSI) or Tenosynovitis

Overuse of the keyboard and mouse causes our tendons (extensions of our muscles which attach to bone) and the sheath which encases them to become inflamed.  This may make the gliding movement of the tendon in its sheath difficult as we type. As a sufferer you may experience aching, tenderness and mild swelling of the elbow, wrist, hand or thumb.

Carpal tunnel syndrome usually has more than one cause.  In individuals based at a computer persistent use of their forearm muscles can inflame the tendons at the wrist.  As there is limited space in the tunnel of the wrist the swollen tendons increase the pressure on the nerve and causes pain and tingling in the hand.

By improving movement in the joints of the wrist and enabling better drainage these symptoms can be minimised.

Existing restrictions or strains in the joints of the neck will encourage muscles to be tight. These can generate headaches typically at the base of the skull, top of the head and around the eyebrow area.  Furthermore a forward-chin posture at your desk can cause the muscles behind the neck to work harder to hold your head up.  This is treated with manipulation of the problematic muscles and joints to improve movement and therefore comfort.

Manual handling of loads or repetitive movements may cause muscular strains within the muscle itself or at their insertion points where they attach to bone.  In work where intense movement of the hands is required a dull ache or pain can be felt at the wrist or elbow.  Pain at night in these areas can suggest that the problem has been building over time.

Osteopathic treatment aims to treat the area and de-load it by making neighbouring joints function better. Advice on self-management will quicken your return to normal.

Sustained stooping, twisting, and general bad posture can put pressure on the joints of the back and cause local aches and pains with pain or tingling in the legs and toes.  If severe you can even injure the shock-absorbing discs in your back (‘slipped discs’). Our objective is to have each joint in your back working through its full range so that loads are spread evenly and minimising the occurrence of a joint or disc strain.

Related story: Katies Repetitive Strain Injury