What is your immune system, where is it in your body and what does it do? And what does it have to do with Craniosacral Therapy?

I wanted to share my experience and show how a multi disciplinary approach has helped with my recovery from surgery.  Two months ago I had a partial knee replacement due to osteoarthritis following damage to my knee about 10 years ago. I have been putting off having surgery for about 6 years but felt now was the time.

Preparation has been one of the key elements to my recovery. Doing some ‘pre-hab’ exercises helped to strengthen muscles and increase my fitness. Along side swimming and strength exercise, I used the MELT method to release tension in the fascia and hydrate the tissues.  I also saw my Chiropractor and Craniosacral therapist the week before to ensure my body was aligned. 

Two hours prior to surgery I did a 30 minute MELT ‘Map’. Immediately post surgery I used the MELT ball to do a face treatment which helped to ‘flush’ the anaesthetic drugs out of my tissues and into my lymphatic system to be cleared from my body.  4 hours after surgery I was up out of bed and a few hours later, once I had walked up and down the stairs with the physiotherapist, I was sent home. 

Honestly, the first few days were painful. However I got up every day, washed, dressed, walked downstairs and did my physio exercises along with MELT hand and foot treatments using the MELT soft ball.  I listened to my body and combined rest with mobility and physio exercises 3 times a day.
Two weeks post operation I saw the physio who was pleased with my progress which was encouraging. She recommended walking with just one crutch, which made life much easier when doing things around the house. She encouraged me to walk further each day and I set a target of walking to my local supermarket by the end of the week. She also taught me how to safely get down onto the floor so I could MELT.  It felt great to be back on the roller again, a simple Rebalance sequence to start with, then progressing to hydrating my fascia, especially my legs. Each day I felt stronger.  At one month post operation I was swimming again and quickly up to my usual 40-50 lengths.
I have been lucky to have the support of family, friends and clients. I took positivity from this and feel like there is positive energy in my knee. It helped that it was summer, so was able to enjoy being outside in the garden too.
The biggest message I would like to get across, is that I feel my good recovery has been largely due to understanding my body and having a combination of complementary therapies.
I’ve had Craniosacral therapy which helped my body unwind and get rid of the effects from the anaesthetic.  I took homeopathic remedies to help with the trauma, bruising and healing of the scar. I have been seeing a chiropractor to help with alignment.  A reflexology treatment bought balance and relaxation to my body. I am seeing a scar therapist to ensure the scar tissue integrates well, hopefully leaving a neat, smooth scar.

I have used the MELT Method every day to Reconnect, Rebalance, Rehydrate and Release.  I am doing neuro-strengh MELT techniques to re-pattern and strengthen the neural pathways and muscles.  I am grateful to the NHS, the surgeon and physiotherapist for this surgery, and to complimentary, alternative and holistic therapist who have helped me in my recovery.

Placiopcephaly is a condition characterised by asymmetry and flattening of the skull. Positional Plagiocephaly or flat head syndrome is a common sight in babies and in recent years the incidence has increased to 1 in 60 babies. Flat Head syndrome is usually caused by babies being in the same position for long periods of time. It is more common in babies who have a larger birth weight, were in a difficult position in utero, had a long labour or an assisted delivery such as forceps or ventous. Premature babies who have softer skulls and lower muscle tone are also at risk. Sometimes a baby finds it difficult to turn the head due to tight muscles or torticollis. Babies who suffer with reflux also have an increase chance of flat head due to being held in an upright position for long periods of time.

Flat Head syndrome does not usually cause problems to a baby, however it can have an impact on feeding, increase chance of ear infections, or scoliosis. 

To help to prevent flat head syndrome it is important to reposition the baby's head when the baby is sleeping if you notice that the baby always faces one way.  Encourage baby to turn the head, so talk to the baby from both side and positioning toys to encourage turning. Babies to be placed on their tummy for short periods of time when awake and supervised. Tummy time is important for your baby's development as it helps to build the muscles your baby needs for sitting and crawling, as well as helping baby to make left to right brain connections important in later life for reading and writing. 
Follow  NHS guidelines on how safely to do tummy time.

Sometimes a baby may have some stiffness or restriction in the neck or shoulders, or torticollis and will find it difficult to turn the head away from the tightness. This can then lead to the baby always favouring to turn the same way and this can result in the head becoming flat.

Manual therapy such as Craniosacral therapy, osteopathy chiropractics or physiotherapy may be needed to release the tension and gently encourage the repositioning of the cranial bones. The younger the baby is treated the better.  Craniosacral therapy gently releases tension from the baby's body which helps head and neck movement and can help with the correct alignment of the cranial bones.

In moderate to servere cases of Flat Head Syndrome Cranial orthosis or helmet therapy is needed.

In rare cases placiocephaly is caused by Craniosynostosis were one or more of the cranial suture between the cranial bones fuse prematurely. It is always best to get the baby checked by a doctor or paediatric trained manual therapist 

I see lots of babies in my practice, if you want to discuss your baby please get in touch.

How are you doing as we approach the end of January?
 
Have you suffered from any of the nasty viruses recently? I have been treating lots of clients recently with sinus problems and other virus related issues, so thought this would be a good time to recommend how you can support your immune system whilst there are so many bugs doing the rounds.

As we approach the festive period with all the extra stress and busyness that comes this time of year, it is really important to remember to look after your physical and mental health.  Here are a few suggestions that can help you to stay healthy and enjoy the holidays.

Mental health:  Sometimes all the excitement, extra work and seeing friends and family can become overwhelming. So make sure you take some time out for yourself, even if it is just excusing yourself for ten minutes to go to anther room or an hour to go for a walk alone. Tune into your body and take some slow, even breaths. It is amazing how just simply breathing can help to calm the nervous system.  Be mindful of those around you, especially children that struggle when there is a lot going on.  Have a plan in place that will allow them to take some time out if needed. This can be having a signal or "timeout" word that allows you to support someone to leave the situation or room.  Children can sometimes appear  'badly behaved' but this is often because they are unable to express themselves. Make sure you have time for them to be calm.
Christmas can be an emotional time especially if you are missing loved ones, so be kind to yourself and respectful of others who may not be sharing in the festivities due to their physical or emotional health. 

Move:  Although it is nice to take some time off work and sit around watching TV and relaxing it is also important to keep your muscles moving. Get up, stretch, go for a walk. However take care when getting out and about if it is icy. The last place you want to spend Christmas is A&E with a sprain or fracture.   Wear shoes or trainers with some grip and check in on your balance and sense of alignment. Those of you who have a MELT ball or roller, don't forget to use them to keep you from getting stuck and dehydrated fascia in your body.

Dehydration:  Make sure you drink plenty of fluids. It is more difficult in the winter to remember to drink but very easy to get dehydrated sitting by the fire or in a centrally heated house, and especially if drinking alcohol. So aim for 2 litres of water (herbal teas, fruit juice) Be aware of drinking too much coffee and alcohol which can dehydrate you. If you can have one glass of water for each coffee or alcoholic drink that will help to prevent dehydration.

Gut health: It is lovely to enjoy lots of lovely rich food over Christmas but remember to look after your gut. There are plenty of ways to get fibre into your diet, Christmas dinner with lots of vegetables and maybe an extra brussels sprout or two!  Sweet and rich food can be inflammatory to the body so be mindful if you start feeling stiff, achy or sluggish it may be worth looking at what you have been eating.

Sleep wake cycle: We often get out of routine when we are on holiday and like to have a lay in or go to bed later.  The body has a sleep wake cycle called your circadian rhythm and it is important to listen to that as it helps to control your hormones.  It will also make it more difficult to get back to work or school after the New Year. So try to keep a little bit of a routine if you can and the most important thing is to get some daylight.

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WHAT IS FASCIA?
Fascia is a 3 dimensional fluid based network that creates stability and connectivity in the body.  It surrounds, connect and supports our muscles, organs, bones, tendons ligament and nerves. It separates structures of the body like the segment of an orange.  It is not seen on MRI or Xray and is often disregarded. However fascia has 6-10 times more sensory nerves than in the nervous system so this is why when you have an injury or a restriction in your fascia it hurts and sends signals to your brain. It is found all over the body from the top of your head to the tip of your toes, and during a craniosacral Therapy treatment we are working with the fascia. 

WHAT IS FASCIA MADE OF?
Elastin - elastic protein fibre that allows for stretching and contraction which allows our skin to bounce back to its normal shape
Collagen-  an inelastic protein fibre 
Ground substance which is a viscous gel like substance that allows the fascial layers to glide over each other. 
Cells mainly immune cells like macrophages and mast cells.


WHAT DOES IT DO?
Healthy fascia will glide over its self and over muscles  allowing the muscles to move easily and freely
It hardens if injured causing restriction/ scar tissue.  When fascia gets loaded it results in injury fibrosis and adhesions, further thickening the fascia and disrupting movement.
It transmits messages to the brain which include pain messages.
It plays a role in stress regulation, immune health, nutrient absorption, waste elimination and acts as a shock absorber. It carries messages through the neuro endocrine system which has impact on hormone control.


WHY DO YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT FASCIA?
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