We are an osteopathic and pain management clinic with practices in Daventry, Northamptonshire and Elephant & Castle, South London.  We provide friendly healthcare services dedicated to the highest standards of care and professionalism and offer effective treatments for many types of musculoskeletal pain and dysfunction.

This website will help you to decide if Osteopathy is right for you, and if you have any further questions please do not hesitate to contact us.

We treat a wide range of musculoskeletal disorders and the effects these conditions have on the body, including neck and back pain, peripheral joint pain (shoulder, elbow, wrist, hand, hip, knee and foot problems), sports injuries, repetitive strain injuries/work place injuries, postural problems, effects of trauma (e.g. whiplash), headaches and symptoms of chronic conditions such as asthma and osteoarthritis.

More About Us:

Our Osteopaths

Appointment and Fee Information

How to Find Us

Contact Us

No matter what your age, weight, health problems or abilities, you should strive and do some form of regular physical activity. Here’s our guide to keeping healthy.

Why?

Physical activity is important as you get older because it helps maintain independence, is good for social activity and has positive health outcomes for long term health conditions. It also makes you look and feel better, gives you more energy, helps you sleep better and is a great confidence booster for getting you out there meeting people and making friends.

Alongside physical benefits, there are also mental benefits by helping you to reduce stress, anxiety and feelings of sadness and improve your concentration and self-confidence.

As we all know, physical activity also helps to control a number of important health factors such as weight, blood pressure, cholesterol, diabetes and bone and joint problems including arthritis.  It also reduces the risk of heart disease, strokes and some cancers, and assists in managing pain, maintaining and improving joint movement and preventing falls and injury.

All these factors are important in maintaining a healthy, active and independent life.

How much activity should I do?

Older people should accumulate at least 30 minutes of moderate intensity physical activity on most, preferably all days.   If you can’t do 30 minutes now, start with 10 minutes once or twice a day. After two weeks make it 15 minutes twice a day and you will have reached your daily goal.  If you can do more than 30 minutes there will be additional health benefits

Try to be active every day in as many ways as possible, doing a range of activities that incorporates fitness, strength, flexibility and balance.

The excuses!

It’s easy to find excuses to avoid exercise: lack of time, fatigue, fear of re-injury or making a health problem worse, money, the weather, I’m not the sporty type, the list is endless.  In reality these are simply excuses.  Once you make some time and start exercising you will find that you will have MORE energy and feel less tired. It is also highly unlikely that you will injure yourself with gentle activity and most health problems can be helped by activity.  Walking is the simplest activity, it’s free and you can always take an umbrella and gloves if it’s a bit chilly.  Northamptonshire has some great walks (see www.walkinginnorthants.co.uk/Daventry for details).

What types of activity should I do?

There are four main types of activity that are needed to keep you healthy.  Moderate fitness activities include brisk walking, yard and garden work, golf, cycling, swimming and dancing. A combination of these should be done for 30 minutes on most days. Strength activities help maintain your muscles and bones and make daily tasks easier to perform, and should be done 2-3 times a week and ideally be built into everyday activities.  Weight, strength or resistance exercises, Lifting and carrying groceries and climbing stairs are all good strength activities.

Flexibility activities such as gentle reaching, bending and stretching help you to move more easily.  Tai Chi, bowls, mopping floors, vacuuming, dancing, yoga and stretching exercises are all good examples.  Stretching exercise can even be done whilst watching the TV.

Balancing activities improve balance and help to prevent falls.  Make a specific time each day to do these exercises, or fit them in whenever you can, for example while waiting for the kettle to boil. These simple exercises may include Side Steps (standing tall holding the back of a chair, take a step from side to side and continue doing this for 30 seconds.  When confident try holding the chair with one hand.  Then try two steps to the side and back, continuing for 30 seconds), Heel Raises (standing tall holding a sturdy table, chair or sink, raise your heels taking the weight on the big and second toe, hold for a second and lower your heels to the floor with control.  Repeat 10 times.)

Getting started

Make sure activities are safe. Wear comfortable clothes, preferably loose fitting and supportive footwear.  Start slowly and allow your body time to warm up. The old saying ‘no pain no gain’ is not true. If you feel any pain, slow down or stop!

Increase activity gradually, start at a level that you can manage and build upon it.  Be realistic and don’t make it too hard for yourself; remember every 10 minutes counts.

Set yourself a start date and a regular time to exercise.  Choose some activities from the four groups listed above and set some goals. For example, “ I will walk the dog every day this week” or “I will walk every day for 10 minutes after meals”.

Staying active on a regular basis can be a challenge.  Make it easier by using reminders, getting into a routine, try to make it social and vary activities.  Using a diary to write down activity times and how you felt is a good way of motivating yourself on those dreary days, or choose a role model to encourage you to maintain active.

Overcoming setbacks

It’s quite common to have a setback when starting a new activity. Holidays, injuries and other life events all get in the way and break your routine.  Don’t worry.  Treat the setback as temporary and get back on track as soon as you can.  Remember, when starting an activity again, do it in small amounts and stop if you feel pain.

National Falls Awareness  week  Get Up and Go! 2010 runs from 21-25 June see http://www.ageuk.org.uk for more information and activities in your area.

Jonathan Betser, who is Osteopath Lead on the Physical Therapies Working Group for 2012 says:“This is a fantastically exciting opportunity for osteopaths and it takes what we do in sport to another level. Being there combines all the things one aspires to: working at the highest level of sport at the highest profile sporting event in the world whilst working with the Country’s best sports medicine clinicians”

Osteopaths are being recruited on a volunteer basis as part of the 70, 000 volunteers supporting the London 2012 Games.  They will be based at polyclinics located in the Olympic villages working with their sports medicine colleagues and using their skills, knowledge and experience to help athletes recover from injuries and return to peak condition.

For more information: The Osteopathic Sports Care Association http://www.osca.org.uk

The medical insurance schemes are: Simply Health (formerly trading as HSA, BCWA, LHF, HealthSure and Totally Active), Pru Health, WPA, Groupama, Aviva, Cigna, Standard Life Health Care and Allianz World Wide Care.

We recommend that patients consult with their insurance provider to ensure their plan covers osteopathy and to determine the correct way to claim for osteopathic treatment as some insurance providers require a GP referral.

If your private medical insurance covers complementary healthcare but your provider is not listed above, please let us know as we are often able to arrange this.

Osteopath Direct has opened at the One to One Health Centre and gym on High March in Daventry led by registered Osteopath Luke Dillon.

Osteopathy is an NHS-recognised therapy that relieves pain, improves mobility and significantly enhances the quality of life for many patients – all without the use of medication or surgery.

Luke Dillon is an experienced practitioner who trained at the British School of Osteopathy in London and uses a combination of techniques to treat patients of all ages. In addition to effective treatment, Luke places a great emphasis on helping and advising patients regarding their work-life, sleeping postures, diet and exercise.

Luke Dillon said: “Osteopathy is an increasingly important form of healthcare, so we are delighted to be bringing a professional and comfortable new practice to residents and workers within Daventry and the surrounding areas.”

Osteopathy can help people of all ages with a range of conditions from back and neck problems including ‘trapped’ nerves, muscle and joint stiffness and sports injuries, to postural problems, repetitive strain, pain associated with arthritis and the effects of trauma such as whiplash.

Luke Dillon is registered with the General Osteopathic Council and a member of the British Osteopathic Association and London Osteopathic Society.

Osteopath Direct launches in Elephant & Castle

September 2009, London: A new Osteopathic clinic has opened in South East London to provide care to patients in Elephant & Castle, Kennington and the surrounding areas.

The new clinic, which is based in Elephant & Castle, offers effective treatments for a range of muscular pain and dysfunction and is led by Luke Dillon, an experienced practitioner who trained at the British School of Osteopathy.

Luke uses a combination of techniques at the new practice and has experience in treating patients of all ages. In addition to effective treatment, he places a great emphasis on helping and advising patients regarding their work-life, sleeping postures, diet and exercise.

Luke Dillon said: “Osteopathy is an increasingly important form of healthcare, so we are delighted to be bringing good quality Osteopathic care to both residents and workers within Elephant & Castle, Kennington and South East London.”

Care provided at the clinic includes the treatment of neck and back pain, joint pain, sports injuries, repetitive strain injuries and work place injuries, postural problems, effects of trauma such as whiplash, plus headaches and symptoms of chronic conditions such as asthma and osteoarthritis.

Luke Dillon is registered with the General Osteopathic Council and a member of the British Osteopathic Association and London Osteopathic Society.

Web: www.osteopathdirect.co.uk

Email: info@osteopathdirect.co.uk

Telephone: 0843 28 98 848 / 07956 453 993

-ends-

Notes for editors:

What is Osteopathy?

Osteopathy is a primary care profession, focusing on the diagnosis, treatment, prevention and rehabilitation of musculoskeletal disorders, and the effects of these conditions on a patient’s general health.

Osteopathy is based on the principle that the body has the ability to heal, and osteopathic care focuses on strengthening the musculoskeletal systems to treat existing conditions and to prevent illness. Osteopathy is very effective at resolving aches, pains and injuries because it looks at the causes of a problem. It is an Osteopath’s aim to prevent a problem or injury from recurring by identifying and removing the original cause of the problem.

What do Osteopath’s treat?

Osteopaths are capable of treating a wide range of musculoskeletal conditions and the effects these conditions have on the body.  These include common aches and pains due to strains, falls and overuse, as well as the more long-term back and neck problems.  It can often alleviate the problems associated with stress and tension including chronic headaches. Osteopathy can help with the following conditions (this list is not exhaustive): Low back pain, which may or may not include sciatica; Neck and upper back pain; Peripheral joint pain (shoulder, elbow, wrist, hand, hip, knee and foot problems); Sports injuries; Repetitive strain injuries/work place injuries; Postural problems; Stiffness associated with ‘wear & tear’; Effects of trauma. E.g. whiplash; Jaw pain; Headaches; Musculo-skeletal symptoms associated with chronic conditions. E.g. Asthma, osteoarthritis

This covers people who have been in pain longer than six weeks, but less than one year, where the pain may be linked to structures in the back such as joints, muscles and ligaments
British Osteopathic Association welcomes the new NICE guidelines . We are pleased to gain recognition of the part osteopathy has to play in the relief and management of lower back pain and we also appreciate the additional guidance given to GPs and other health professionals. We hope these new guidelines will lead to increased access to osteopathy for the general public through the National Health Service and avoid the current postcode lottery that can affect some people when seeking help for lower back pain.

See the NICE guidelines here