Pretty much all of my patients come to the clinic because they're in pain and their body's have hit a crisis point. Perhaps they hit the gym too hard, slept awkwardly, spent too many hours hunched over the computer, or had a specific accident that left them needing some osteopathic TLC.

Osteopathy works wonders to relieve pain, restore movement and flexibility to stiff joints and to help your body out of that crisis back to a place where you can enjoy your favourite hobbies.

Most of the time, once a patient is pain-free, they cease treatment and only call the clinic if the problem reoccurs. However, I'm forever explaining to patients the power of prevention. At the end of the day, our bodies are machines that require maintenance and the occasional oil change, just like you would your car.

Osteopathy is as beneficial in preventing recurrences of pain, as it is in treating and curing them. The manual techniques osteopaths employ help relieve tension in the body (that builds up from our 21st century lifestyles!), relax muscles which ultimately pull joints out of alignment, and teaches you how to recognise and manage triggers which can worsen your pain.

We all lead busy hectic lives, sitting for too long and carrying heavy bags, whilst doing our best to keep fit and healthy. But sometimes our bodies run on empty and require that maintenance to prevent a much worse problem from occurring.

So next time you start feeling a little niggle or have an important trip coming up, it's much better to book an appointment with your osteopath to sort it out early, so that it doesn't develop into a bigger problem.