The Foot and Lower Leg

Did you know that 30% of our proprioception (our body’s awareness in space) comes from our feet? Our feet are responsible for vertical balance of our body, continuous weight-bearing in standing and walking and responsible for our body’s ability to move. Our eyes and vestibular system (inner ear) also contributes to our proprioception. 

Osteopathically, the assessment of the foot should not be overlooked as this can have significant implications on the function of the entire body. Osteopathic Manual Therapists consider the lines of gravity (anterior and posterior lines create the resultant central line of gravity), the myofascial chain, and if it is primarily a “foot issue” (ascending lesion of the foot that creates dysfunction elsewhere in the body), or a primary issue elsewhere that creates a descending lesion where the foot must compensate.  

The curves of the spine, along with the arches of the foot are important for shock absorption. In the presence of a lesion or rigidity of the arches of the foot (medial, lateral and transverse arches) there will be a reduction in the flexibility of the spinal curves through the synergy of the springs and vice versa. This may present as back pain, neck pain, stiffness or may influence the digestive system. Our sympathetic nervous system for most of the digestive organs is found at the thoracic levels T5-T9. In the foot it may present as plantar fasciitis, general foot pain, changes in gait or shin splints. 

Further up the chain, there is also a relationship between the foot and cranial sphere:

·         Cubo-navicular joint with the sphenobasilar symphesis (SBS) of the cranium.

·         Tarsal sinus and vestibular system

·         Talus and atlas (first cervical vertebrae C1)

·         Lines of gravity

·         Diaphragms (tentorium of the SBS and plantar fascia)

 A dysfunction between the foot and cranial sphere may present with neck pain, stiffness, headaches, changes in posture and of course poor proprioception.

 The fibula is found in on the lateral side of the lower leg. Unlike the tibia, which is much stronger for weight-bearing, the fibula is adaptive to external forces.  It adjusts, compensates, stabilizes, balances and regulates the tensions of the lower extremity. The fibula has a direct relationship through the fascial system from the foot to the ilium (pelvis). A lesion found in the fibula may present as pain or dysfunction in the ankle/foot, knee, hip joint or pelvis.

 Our bodies are incredible when compensating around these changes or dysfunctions. However, we can only sustain this for so long until we are no longer able to compensate further.  Osteopathy looks past the area of pain to identify the cause rather than chasing symptoms! Start with the feet!

Finding Rest After Losing A Loved One: Tips for Good Sleep

Sara Bailey lost her husband Greg, unexpectedly over a year ago. She never anticipated that she would be a grieving single mom, raising a son and daughter on her own. In learning to cope with her grief, surrounded by the love and support of her friends, family and even strangers, Sara created a site called TheWidow.net and is the author of an upcoming book called Hope and Help After Loss: A Guide For Newly Widowed Parents.

Sara reached out to me requesting to post an article on my website, CochraneOsteo.com, with tips on how to get better sleep after losing a loved one. Writing about loss helps her heal and offers hope to others who have suffered a loss.

The loss of loved ones, friends, and colleagues has been an ongoing theme this year for myself. Sara’s email couldn’t have been more timely as I was also grieving the loss of a co-worker to pancreatic cancer that same week. She left behind two young kids and a doting husband. Her loss was the 5th of the year for me and Sara’s story made me think of this husband and father, now raising his children alone and the loneliness he and others must experience. Sharing Sara’s website and article helps to build a community of love and support for those living with loss.

Sara’s article reminded me of the benefits of Osteopathy for those living with loss. Grief is a very powerful emotion that is not only natural but necessary. It allows us to process our loss and, eventually, create a new normal without our loved ones present. Physically, our emotional state may create a stress response, where our nervous system and even the hormonal systems become unbalanced. We may experience difficulty sleeping, loss of appetite, poor or disrupted digestion, headaches, migraines, fluctuations in weight, thyroid dysfunction, adrenal fatigue over time, and a lower immune system. As a holistic therapy, Osteopathy treats the physical body, removing the strains which cause dysfunction in the organs, tissues, nervous system, and the fluids (blood, lymph and cerebrospinal fluid). This allows patients to feel more calm, sleep more soundly, and promotes the optimal function of all of the body’s systems.

There are many resources available for those who are suffering from grief associated with loss, including family physicians, grief counselors, and the Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA) www.cmha.ca.

Getting restful sleep is so important to our healing and overall well-being, mentally and physically, and I encourage everyone to adopt some, if not all of these strategies for healthy sleep hygiene. Here is her article:

Finding Rest After Losing A Loved One: Tips For Good Sleep

Finding good rest after the loss of a loved one can be next to impossible; stress and grief can make sleep elusive, or it might just be hard to get used to sleeping alone. You may feel anxiety after such a big loss, or it might be difficult to rest in the room that you shared with your loved one. Grief--in all its stages--can be extraordinarily hard to overcome, and when you can’t get good rest, you’re more likely to be less productive at work or school or to have issues with a mood disorder, such as depression.

Fortunately, there are several things you can do to get good rest after losing a loved one. From redecorating your bedroom to practicing self-care and getting daily exercise, there are many ways to draw restful sleep to you. Think about the best ways to find relaxation, as this will help your body and mind prepare for good sleep, and remember that diet and exercise can go a long way when it comes to taking care of yourself.

 Keep reading for some great tips on how to find better sleep after losing a loved one.

 Fit in a workout

Working out every day is one of the best ways there is to get your body prepared for good rest. Not only does it help tire you out at the end of the day, it can also boost your mood and help your mental health, as it releases chemicals in the brain that make you feel good. If you don’t already have a routine, start slowly with something like going for a walk in the morning with the dog, or going for a run on your lunch break.

 Practice self-care

Self-care falls under a large umbrella, but basically, it entails anything that makes you feel good in a healthy way. You can practice it by learning to relax with yoga and meditation, finding time to sit with a good book, taking a hot shower, spending time with loved ones, or engaging in an activity that you enjoy. Taking some time for yourself is a great way to prevent bad habits, such as using drugs or alcohol in an effort to cope with stress.

 Eat right

The right diet can help you get healthy, but did you know it can also help you sleep better? Lean proteins and dark leafy greens are always a good idea, but just as important are the foods you should stay away from. Anything containing caffeine--including chocolate--should be avoided before bed, as well as meat, which is hard to digest and can interfere with your ability to rest.

 Find the right mattress

The right mattress can help you sleep well no matter what position you sleep in. Look at the material it’s made of when shopping for a new one; gel mattresses will help keep you cool while you rest, while adjustable ones will help you get comfortable after a long day. If your current mattress is more than five to seven years old, consider replacing it.

 Use a device for easy rest

There are tons of devices on the market that will help you get to sleep, but it’s important to do a little research to figure out which ones will work best for your needs. From technology that allows you to keep one ear tuned to your child to an alarm clock that plays soothing music to help you relax, there are plenty of things you can use to help you get to dreamland.  

Finding good rest after losing a loved one can be a long process, so it’s important to try to stay patient and take good care of yourself. Meditation will help, as will finding time for yourself. A little pampering can go a long way toward helping you relax.

High Heels: The Image and the Impact!

Summer is in full swing! Ladies, it is time for short skirts and high heels!

For centuries, women have been wearing high heels for a variety of reasons. However, funnily enough, women weren’t the fist to wear high heels. According to some research, high heels first appeared in medieval times and were used by men to avoid their heels slipping through the stirrups while riding. This can still be seen in today’s riding boots, especially Cowboy boots. Later men wore them for height and elevation as a sign of nobility, privilege and power.

Over time, women started wearing heels for similar reasons as longer legs meant longer dresses which in turn meant more fabric for the dresses indicating status and wealth.

In the 1940’s and 50’s, heels reached new heights when the stiletto heal came on the market. Still to this day, women are determined to walk in these shoes.

Not only does it give them height, but it also makes them walk in a way that accentuates all female features. It makes their legs longer, their hips wiggle more when they walk and their chest comes out. Research has shown that both men and woman find women in heels far more attractive, than women in flat shoes. They are now a sign of sexuality and power.

But what does it really do to your body???

Wearing high heels makes you shift your body weight from the whole foot to the balls of the feet, which in turn brings both your hips and knees forward. Your feet are now unable to keep your body stable or act as a shock absorber. Your knees hyperextend, your hips move forward and together they take on the stress instead. All your muscles in your legs and back have to work harder to keep your body upright causing the Achilles tendon to tighten and back muscles to spasm. Additionally the natural curve in your spine will be exaggerated, causing a hyper-lordosis in your lumbar spine. This will make your vertebral joint compress. All of these changes can give rise to repetitive strain injuries and damage of the joints, such as arthritis, bunions, Achilles tendonitis and more.

So what can you do when you choose to wear heels, because let’s face it, we all will?!

Keep the frequency and duration of wearing heels to a minimum. Don’t run in heels. Choose low heels with a large base or wedges. Make sure you frequently stretch your hips, back and calf muscles.

Now go have fun and enjoy the summer!!

The Liver And It's Emotions

The Liver and Its Emotions

The human body is a complex piece of machinery, of which only the skin is visible to the eye. The inside is somewhat of a mystery as, apart from some anatomy and physiology, only very little is known about how each system interacts with another. The skin is the body’s defense against the outer dangers and protects the life within, like city walls protecting their residents. Any trauma to the body, such as broken bones, surgeries, or wounds will weaken the “wall” of the body.
The skin will bear a visible scar of the trauma, and the inner body will retain the invisible memory of the pain and stress of the trauma. Psychological trauma however will not leave a visible scar, but the memory of it will burry itself deep into the body targeting the body’s most vulnerable area or organ, the “weak link” or “Achilles heel” of the body. Every person has a different “weak link”, which becomes the main target of stress. Each organ reacts to a certain emotion. Everybody knows the expressions “I have a gut feeling” or “That left me breathless”. The reaction of the organs all depends on the intensity and duration of the stress, ranging from a simple stomach spasm to vomiting or fainting. Every organ doesn’t just react to emotions, but may also determine a certain behavioral pattern of a person, depending on which organ becomes the “weak link”.

If the liver is the “weak link” of the body it may not express physical symptoms alone (see here), but also emotional and behavioral symptoms. Not every person will express all of them and the degree of expression may also vary amongst each individual. Some of these emotions and behaviors are:

• Having bad memories: The liver is the organ that stores all events that build the identity of the person, both good and bad. When the liver isn’t working quite right, bad memories can ofter reoccur and influence decisions and actions in the future. 
   
• Lack of self-esteem: People have to be able to love themselves, before being able to love others. A well-functioning liver will promote this! If the liver isn’t working well, self-esteem will be greatly influenced by a variety of situations, such as relationships, hierarchy at work, physical attributes, or other people’s personalities making one feel inadequate. It can either inhibit what you do or in some cases make you respond in the opposite way by forcing situations or going on power-trips in order to compensate for the lack of self-esteem.
   
• Poor moods and not feeling well: Everyone has had the experience of having a heavy meal or lots of alcohol and not feeling great the next morning. People who eat a lot of fat and drink a lot of alcohol will have poor functioning livers. Some consequences could be the loss of ambition to do anything, feeling bad about oneself, or physical pain. Everything becomes a problem!
   
• Bouts of anger: People with poor livers tend to be hypersensitive and can blow up over nothing. The anger is not out of malice, but insecurity, fear, lack of confidence and pessimism. The anger acts as a overflow valve - accumulated repressed emotions have to come out at some point, and this is one way of doing it!
   
• Depression: The liver and the brain are so called “paired organs”, so they exchange their energies. If one isn’t doing so well, it draws energy from the other. So a poor functioning liver will draw energy from the brain, making one feel blue, unhappy, drained, or unloved. 

How to take care of your liver?

• chew food slowly to aid digestion
• reduce the amount of fatty and sugary foods, meats and alcohol
• drink lots of water, add some lemon juice, or drink green tea
• fruits: grapefruits, lemons, berries, fresh pineapple
• vegetables: bitter greens, red radishes, fennel

All You Need To Know About Your Liver

THE LIVER

Anatomy:
The liver is the largest digestive and exocrine gland of the body. It is triangular in shape and located in the right upper quadrant of the abdominal cavity below the diaphragm. It can weigh up to 2kg due to the huge amount of blood it holds, which may also cause it to have a higher temperature compared to the surrounding organs. Due to the pressure difference between the thoracic and abdominal cavities, the pressure in the abdomen being considerably higher, there is a constant “suction” effect, drawing the abdominal contents up towards the diaphragm. Therefore, the effective weight of the liver is approximately 400g; hence, the diaphragm proves to be an important factor of the health of the liver.

The liver lies to the right of the stomach and overlaps the gallbladder, which stores the bile produced by the liver. Two major blood vessels transport blood to the liver: the hepatic artery, which carries blood from the aorta to the liver; and the hepatic portal vein, which carries blood from the entire gastro-intestinal tract, spleen and pancreas to the liver.

The liver is surrounded by the peritoneum, a layer of connective tissue, which supports and protects it. Thickening and folding of the peritoneum around the liver create strong fibrous ligaments, which connect the liver to surrounding structures like the diaphragm and the abdominal walls, for added support of the liver (see picture: Ligaments of the liver).

Function:

The liver has a variety of functions including

• the breakdown or modification of toxic substances (i.e. drug metabolism)
• the production of bile required for emulsifying fats
• the involvement in amino acid synthesis, carbohydrate, lipid, and protein metabolism
• the storage of a multitude of substances including glucose, vitamin A/D/B12, iron, and copper
• an immunological effect as antigens are carried to it via the big blood vessels

Mobility and Motility:
Each organ has a passive and active movement. The passive movement or mobility of an organ is the movement the organ expresses as a result of voluntary movement i.e. from the musculoskeletal system. For example, every time a person takes a deep breath in and out, the diaphragm rises and falls within the thorax; pushing and pulling the abdominal organs up and down. The active movement of an organ or motility is the intrinsic motion of an organ, the “kinetic expression of tissues in motion”, which is very slow and of low amplitude. It is thought that all body cells have a memory, thus each organ remembers its migration through the body during embryological development. The theory is that the motility expressed by the organ follows the directions and axes of motion occurring during embryological development. All organs must be able to move freely in order to function optimally. No matter how small, any restrictions, fixations or adhesions to other structures will lead to functional impairment of the organ. It will cause the organ to move along different axes of motion bringing about significant changes in the organ itself and the surrounding structures. These changes will make the individual more prone to develop back pain and other pain patterns.

Osteopathic Disorders and Symptoms:
If the motion of the liver is compromised due to restrictions, fixations or adhesions, it will cause wide-ranging effects due the multitude of functions it possesses. Here are some symptoms, which may give an osteopathic manual therapist clues as to how the liver is functioning:

• Headaches/Migraines
• Eyesight problem
• Oily hair / Dandruff
• White coated tongue
• Bad breath
• Perspiration
• Hypersensitive sense of smell
• Sensitive gums
• Irritation/inflammation of the mucous membrane
• Dark colored urine
• Dull/muddy complexion
• Physical fatigue
• Insomnia
• Restless sleep
• Vertigo 
• Difficult Digestion
• Intellectual fatigue
• Decrease of the fighting spirit
• Hemorrhoids
• Muscular problems (strains, tendonitis)
• Joint pain (right shoulder)

Emotional Connection:
Osteopathic manual therapy embraces the concept of the body is a unit of mind, body and soul, and so it is important to also consider the emotional health of the individual. As the liver is the biggest organ to metabolize hormones, behavioral and emotional changes may occur if the liver function is compromised. Pre-Menstrual Syndrome (PMS) in women is a good example of how hormonal changes and emotions are connected. It is a well-known fact, that as hormones spike during the monthly cycle, some women can feel anxious, depressed or angry. Men are also subject to hormonal changes and may also experience these behavioral and emotional changes, however it may be a more subtle change in comparison to women. By releasing any restrictions or adhesions around the liver, the functional ability to metabolize hormones will improve and therefore may elevate and balance the emotional state of the individual.