Howdy Campers. Bloming Nora....I cannot believe it has been 11 months since we last blogged. that is...quite honestly, defying the whole point of blogging n'est pas. A disgrace to the era of written communication. Full apologies. So I'm presuming everying survived the winter months ok? (actually, that is probably why we havn't blogged for such a long time..we were busy fixing all the skiing injuries and stiff snow-caused necks. Looking forward to all the gardening strains now. Yes it's a bizarre place inside the head of an osteopath. Come on, get your knees and ankles out! And of course those good ol' low backs..they just LOVE gardening! If anyone is missing the friendly faces and incessant chatter of the Soothe team, either do a bit of gardening to give yourself a reason to come and visit, OR.....AND THIS IS MUCH MORE PREFERABLE....come in to see us for an M.O.T...we gain alot of joy from KEEPING BACK/ NECK/ KNEE/ SHOULDER problems AWAY in the first place!!

Has anyone seen Marie? I last saw her dissapearing into the Arndale with visa card in hand. She appears to have been eaten by the sales monsters. Ah well...let it be known that Soothe osteopaths are indeed the best dressed osteopaths in Manchester town. If anyone sees her, please point her back in the direction of the clinic, but don't let her see Tommy Hillfiger or Jones the Bootmaker en route, or we are sunk.

It seems my arms have thrown the toys out of the cage and are on strike! I didn't know body parts could go on strike....they never taught me that at University...but apparently they can. A bit unfortunate really when you are an osteopath for your arms to pack up but that's life hey! A.k.a. Repetitive strain for those of you who find 'on strike' and 'packed up' an insufficient explanation. Yes it seems 10 years of cracking and crunching has taken it's toll. So I have self-prescribed 3 months off work. I am continuing to treat with cranial osteopathic techniques, but no longer will the dolcit tones of patients experiencing the wrath of my elbow be heard down King Street! (was that a sigh of relief I heard there??!!). I should have taken a break over 4 months ago, but I couldn't find the right osteopath to take over my list and look after you all. (And someone who could put up with Cyril's dry sense of humour!!). But they say the best things come to those who wait, and I am delighted to let you all know that Marie O'Connell is joining my team. Now, Marie O'Connell will be quite a find for anyone interested in the juicy gossip about my life as a student ( really not very exciting....), as she was at University with me. Marie has 12 years treating experience and is , without doubt, a super-duper, amazingly good osteopath. I am, with Virgo in some house in my chart, EXTREMELY fussy about who I employ, and she exceeds all my criteria by about 1000%. So Welcome aboard Marie!! So anyone who calls to book in with me will find you are directed towards Marie's list...give her a shot...you will be pleasently surprised, I promise! Trust me, I would never hand you over to someone who wouldn't do a better job than me!

One day I might manage to get Cyril writing on the blog. Today Cyril is busy cracking necks. Yesterday he was busy cracking necks. Tomorrow he will be busy cracking necks. In between he goes trecking around Mexico. Cyril does exist I promise. Note to Cyril: this Blogspot says ' Soothe TEAM'. It doesn't say 'Coby's Blogspot'. I promise to buy more jaffa cakes and keep the tea bags stocked up if you blog with the world..he he

Apparently I am worth 25 camels. I have been officially valued. Personally I think I am worth 250 camels, but I have no reference point on which to compare. Having just returned from a cruise on the Nile (I will endeavour to drop this into the conversation at any available opportunity) I am now completely sold on the concept of holidays! Whether it's the food, the sun, the sleep, the haggling, avoiding being bought for 25 camels or the complete and total impersonation of a couch potatato, all I know is holidays are good! Now I understand why all my patient's back pain miraculously dissapears when they go on holiday! So can I just say to all you workaholics anonymous out their (of which I am one).....it aint all about work...there is life outside the office...the world doesn't collapse without you to look after it, and any messes that do occur can be cleaned up. You are not indispensable and if you were to die tomorrow someone would fill your shoes within a month. So go live a bit. I would highly reccommend a trip to the pyramids. And by the way, if it makes you feel any better about taking a break (understanding the mindset of a workaholic as I do) ....you will be about 10,000 times more productive when you return!!

I had a bizarre occurrence this week - one of my patients got really quite cross with me - for not advertising enough! I thought she was joking at first, and then realised I was actually being told off quite genuinely. It seems that when the Soothe magic takes effect and your pain starts to go away, you can sometimes feel a bit cross that nobody told you about osteopathy before you wondered round in pain for 10 years! Well, at Soothe we try to do everything we can to provide a 5* service, so we promise to advertise more!! However, it would be much better if you all did it for us - free advertising and all that! Tell a friend about your experience of osteopathy - save a soul! (and save me from telling-offs!).

Little tip for the travellers amongst you: don't carry heavy bags and wear high heels at the same time....both are pretty unkind to your back, and putting both together is reaLly daft and asking for a back spasm. If you have to carry a heavy suitcase it is better to carry 2 (one on each side) that june, as you centrally load the spine rather than just one side, and the spine is much stronger in this position. Drink lots of water! Try to stand up and walk around a bit at least once an hour if on a long haul flight, and placing a rolled up towel or jumper in the small of you backwill help delay the onset of low back ache. The key is to keep moving.

Patients beware...I have been 'experimenting' with acupuncture this week. I did a course just before christmas (an agonising weekend might I add...a few needles in a spasmed muscle is pretty much pain free, but 50 needles all over your body in the space of 2 days is just mean! Yes we suffer for the cause of helping you guys!!). I did the course because I got bored of having patients telling me about how fabulous it was when another osteopath did it on them, and why didn't I do it? Well, I do now...but only experimentally...you are all my guinea pigs. I have to see the proof of somthing working before I believe in it. And I have to say, so far so good...we may have found a replacement for the evil elbow technique many of you have experienced. I need to see the results over the next few months to be completely convinced, but for the few acute spasmed backs I treated this week, the needles worked a treat. Just to warn you...if you have muscle and you're on my treatment couch, it's going to get a needle in it, so don't bother rocking up if you're queezy! Anyone got any experiences to share on the use of acupuncture for their muscle/joint/back/neck pain?