Gus is a retired racer coming up for his 6th birthday. He raced for just over a year (most greyhounds race for between two and five) before being retired at the age of three and a half. He’s been enjoying retirement with a retired couple ever since and apart from an underactive thyroid he’s been in pretty good health.
 
Recently, Gus had been running with the retired couple’s daughter who was completing the Couch to 5k programme. He’d been enjoying himself with a few runs of twenty minutes or so over the course of a couple of weeks before he started having some trouble lifting himself off his bed, letting out little yelps each time. 

Built for short sprints, greyhound’s back and leg muscles are usually highly developed and quite tight which is why you don’t often see a greyhound in the ‘sit’ position. Generally, they are large and quite heavy dogs (the bitches tend to be smaller and daintier) and Gus was no exception tipping the scales at 38 kilos – about average weight for a retiree. Still, lifting this weight from the ground requires some effort, so the yelping – or rather its root cause - was a worry for the owners. ​

​There were a number of possible causes of Gus’s discomfort: quite simply, he could have been experiencing cramp as a result of the unusual exercise. It could have been a disc bulge pressing on a nerve and causing pain during certain motions. And it could be a result of osteoarthritis. Greyhounds can be susceptible to arthritis in the lower spine – a result of the strain of the flexion and extension that occurs when they race. This repetitive strain can cause degeneration of the spinal discs leaving gaps between the individual vertebrae. The physiological response to this is to create new bone (osteophytes also known as bone spurs) as the body’s defence system attempts to stabilise the gaps. These osteophytes cause the spine to become stiff and sore. Gus’s thyroid medication carries a warning that a side effect could be the hastening of the symptoms of osteoarthritis. 
 
A visit to the vet had not delivered any explanation for the yelping and the vet had recommended a joint care supplement designed to support the metabolism of joints for dogs suffering from osteoarthritis. Wanting to have him checked over further, Gus arrived at my clinic for an osteopathic assessment.

​Gus was the perfect patient, as is usual with this breed. Greyhounds are used to being handled (and sometimes, man-handled!) from a relatively early age, they’re no strangers to being massaged, prodded and poked. In fact, this can make issues with greyhounds difficult to diagnose as they tend to be stoic about pain – all athletes are used to carrying aches and pains and various niggles! Gus stood patiently as I examined his spine, his legs and his joints, checking for unusual knobby bits along his vertebrae, around his carpus (wrists), tarsal bones (hock joint) stifles (knees) and elbows which might suggest osteophytic growth. Several vertebrae in his lumbar region were more prominent than the rest, but did not appear to be causing any discomfort.

Usually, in spite of their stoic appearance, if there is any discomfort, palpation of the area will cause a flickering or twitching of the surrounding muscles, and this is the only way to tell whether there is an underlying problem. However, even after careful and prolonged examination, no signs of distress presented. 
 
In the absence of a ‘tell’ sign, taking the history presented to me along with the medication and its potential side effects, I concluded the most likely cause of the yelping had been an arthritics flare up which has settled down. I stretched out his muscles to alleviate tension and mobilised the joints to get blood, oxygen and healing fluids moving. 
 
Subsequent conversations reveals Gus has been doing well and has not had any further incidences of discomfort. I have suggested, however, that he’s probably better off leaving the 5k behind him in favour of the couch!

Back pain affects most of us at some point over our lives and the causes can be wide spread, from lifting an object awkwardly, ‘sleeping funny’ or through taking part in sports. For many people, this pain dissipates over a relatively short period of time and discomfort can be managed with a combination of ice packs and heat treatments along with anti-inflammatories and pain killers. Whilst these solutions work in the short term, long term medication is not ideal and when that pain persists, it’s time to seek professional assistance. 
 

Often, following a trip to a doctor, manipulative therapy is sought from an osteopath, physiotherapist or sports injury practitioner. This type of treatment is usually highly effective but if you’re still experiencing pain, a doctor may start discussing glucocorticoid (steroid) injections. Apart from being invasive, a study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine last year showed while these injections may be effective in controlling lower back pain, the relief only lasts for a period of up to twelve months. Aside from injections, the next option on the table might be surgery – again, invasive and potentially requiring a significant recovery period. 

​So, is there an alternative to invasive procedures? The answer is yes. Intervertebral Differential Dynamics (IDD) therapy is a non-surgical method of spinal decompression which has been shown to alleviate back pain, neck pain and nerve related conditions. It can be used to help with pain caused by:

• Degenerative disc disease
• Sciatic pain
• Slipped discs
• Chronic (on-going) lower back pain
• Herniated (bulging / slipped) discs 

 
The IDD machine is computer-controlled with a tailored programme designed to target the problematic segments for each individual patient. Pulling forces gently draw apart (distract) specific discs, allowing them to decompress and relieving any pressure that disc may be exerting on associated nerves. When an area of our body is damaged, often the surrounding muscles and ligaments tighten in a phenomenon known as ‘muscle guarding’. Muscle guarding restricts the flow of fluids and therefore, nutrients to the damaged area, further exacerbating the problem and inhibiting natural healing processes. Distraction gently stretches out those tight muscles and ligaments, freeing spinal structures to realign in their natural position and promoting the dispersion of fluids. These fluids surround the joints, lubricating them, and flow into the disc space, improving mobility, encourage healing and relieving the pain associated with muscle spasm. 

IDD therapy has been shown to be effective in the treatment of nerve pain, too. Distinguishable from muscular pain by a pins and needles sensation, numbness or weakness in the affected limb, nerve pain in the leg is commonly known as sciatica. However, the arms too can be affected if the problem is caused by a region higher in the spinal column. The IDD machine uses precisely measured angles to target the problem cervical spinal segment and produces a wavelike, cyclic distraction to promote mobility, increase blood flow and so encourage healing. 

IDD therapy is suitable for people of all ages and each session typically lasts around 26 minutes. The number of sessions required is dependent on several factors including diagnosis and each individual’s response to treatment. IDD therapy is part of a programme of care, so expect to receive core stability and strengthening exercises and advice on lifestyle! Talk to Stockwood Osteopathic Clinic today and discover the safe, gentle way of achieving lasting relief from chronic neck, back and nerve pain, allowing you to ditch those pills and get back to enjoying life! 
 
References:
 
*Nguyen C, Boutron I, Baron G, Sanchez K, Palazzo C, Benchimol R, et al. Intradiscal Glucocorticoid Injection for Patients With Chronic Low Back Pain Associated With Active Discopathy: A Randomized Trial. Ann Intern Med. [Epub ahead of print 21 March 2017] doi: 10.7326/M16-1700

Stockwood’s Buckingham Clinic is delighted to announce the addition of a new member to the team.
 
Aimee Newton gained her Master’s degree in Osteopathic Medicine from the British School of Osteopathy and, since 2015, has been a registered member of the General Osteopathic Council.  Her experience is varied, having treated people with a wide range of issues arising from varied backgrounds including pregnant women and the elderly. 

As well as being a highly qualified Osteopath, Aimee is also a Sports Massage Therapist and has treated athletes from a variety of disciplines, from marathon runners to team sports players. She has spent time working with community clinics, working with the homeless and gaining extensive insight into the specific issues associated with the hardships of living on the streets. During this time, she also worked with a number of HIV+ patients and expanded her understanding of health issues faced by those with chronically compromised immune systems.
 
Central to the philosophy of osteopathic medicine is taking a holistic approach, seeing the patient as a whole rather than treating a specific pain in isolation. This holistic approach to treatment is the optimum path to health and wellbeing. In support of this, Aimee is also a highly experienced Hatha yoga teacher and trainer. These skills enrich her osteopathic treatment due to her appreciation of the importance of mindfulness and exercise prescription; an essential part of patient management.
 
“Osteopathy has the ability to alleviate aches and pains associated with such a wide range of conditions, many of which are brought on by the hectic yet largely sedentary lifestyles we all lead these days. I’m passionate about helping people out of pain and showing them how making small changes have a big impact on their daily lives.” – Aimee Newton, Associate Practitioner
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Originally from Buckingham, Aimee recently moved back to the area and is returning to work after maternity leave. Her personal experience has given her a special interest in osteopathic solutions for pregnant and post-natal women and has extended this to her yoga practice as well.

“Stockwood Osteopathic Clinic’s client base has been growing steadily and so it’s great to welcome a new member to help us better cater to the needs of our Buckingham-based patients. Aimee is highly experienced and has an amazingly positive attitude. With her on board, we can offer extended opening hours beyond those already offered, as well as giving patients more options in terms of Practitioner!” – Adam Balderstone,  Owner & Principal Osteopath.
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To discuss your osteopathic requirements or to make an appointment, please contact Stockwood on 01280 390760. 

Kicking Off – The Osteopathically Friendly Way!
  
After some thoughtful planning and careful co-ordination, we’re pleased to announce the launch of the all-new, Stockwood Osteopathic & Sports Injury Clinic blog. Here you’ll find a wealth of information on health and well-being, advice on holistic approaches to physical health, insights into techniques and updates on advancements in osteopathic techniques.
  
As a leading specialist in providing a holistic approach to diagnosis and treatments for a variety of muscular skeletal
 
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