What goes up over Christmas & comes down with a bang?

This isn't a Christmas cracker joke, but a statistic from a new survey by the National Accident Helpline1: people in the UK have more falls in December than at any other time of year. 16% more for women, and 21% more for men. Plus, 2.6 million people in the UK have fallen off a stool or ladder whilst hanging up decorations; so it's a dangerous time of year!

In addition the study of 2,000 people shows that 1 in 4 (27%) feel more stressed than usual during the festive period, rising to nearly a third (32%) among women. Almost 1 in 5 people (18%) find a busy home overwhelming and a quarter admit their home is messier than usual. Amidst this panic and bustle, 1 in 5 women and 1 in 10 men (12%) say they are more likely to do things in a rush. During this busy time of year, the Festive Fear, and rushing, can lead to mistakes and accidents happening!

Why is this relevant to us at Brixworth Osteopathic Clinic?

This can be relevant to us all as we manage old injuries, day to day stiffness and pain which can make us move slightly differently, affecting our balance and stability. Add in the stress which we know makes your body more susceptible to injury, as well as making falls more likely!

No-one wants to be in A&E at any time of the year, but especially around Christmas with longer waiting times, and coughs and colds a plenty.

How can your Osteopath help?

Well, we are, of course, available to assist with any injuries that may happen. However, we are even more interested in helping you find and maintaining your health.

With that we advise you to do everything you can to keep yourself healthy. Don't put off booking that Osteopath appointment, and consider having regular maintenance sessions – bit like an MOT for your body - to stay on top of any long-term conditions, and pick up any problems before they become something more serious.

Your body is at its most stable when you are well aligned, with hips level, spine smoothly curved and head balanced straight above your shoulders. Keeping good alignment can help minimise your chances of problems developing as you age, and of exacerbating past issues. It's particularly common for neck, shoulder or back problems to be related to knee and hip problems, with one causing or contributing to the other. Coming to see us for a regular check-up can help identify any alignment issues that might be developing, loosen up any stiffness, and build on the benefits from your previous treatments.

Finally, an actual Christmas joke: How does Good King Wenceslas like his pizza? Deep and crisp and even. Sorry about that!

Merry Christmas to you from everyone at Brixworth Osteopathic Clinic!

Gordon, Elizabeth, Kate and Sam

https://www.national-accident-helpline.co.uk/news/12-hazards-of-christmas