Back Problems

When you are 6ft 3″ you know you are likely to experience back problems.  I lived in Kensington in the early nineties and remember climbing onto a metal table in the garden to call to some nearby builders who were making too much noise.  Unfortunately the table collapsed and I have had back problems ever since.

On one subsequent occasion following a violent sneeze, I had to go to hospital for about ten days to have treatment including hydrotherapy.  When I was released I was recommended to see a cranial osteopath, Gez Lamb, who helped me to get back to some kind of normality.  However, there were still frequent twinges which were very painful indeed.  I always say they were like labour contractions but my wife tells me that I under-estimate the pain of giving birth.

After continuing to suffer for a few years my doctor recommended me to see Keith Bush, a leading specialist in Harley Street.  He examined me thoroughly and arranged for me to have an MRI which showed that I have a slightly ruptured disc.  He did not recommend an operation so I asked him what he would do if he were me.  ‘There is a man I have recommended to a few of my patients who had a similar problem and I have never heard from them since’ he replied.  That was good enough for me so I arranged to see Warrick McNeill of Physioworks.  He examined me very thoroughly before teaching me how to do some personalised core-stability exercises.  In total there are about 20 of them and I now do these for about a quarter of an hour both morning and evening.  I also swim every day and walk about two miles with the dogs.

I continue to see Jonathan Daniells, who is a cranial osteopath who works closely with Gez Lamb.  Jonathan gives me a regular check-up to pre-empt any problems that might arise.  I also see Warrick every six months or so to audit my exercises and make sure that I am not going astray.  I was going to say that my back has given hardly any trouble for the last few years but I do not want to jinx it, so instead I will say that it has become manageable.

One final thought is that I use a Backfriend which is a portable support seat.  I find it very helpful when playing bridge, watching television, going on a long journey or sitting for any length of time.

If you have an ongoing back problem, and live in the South East, I recommend you to see Jonathan Daniells who is very good at diagnosis.  Then follow this up by seeing Warrick McNeill for the Pilates exercises which help to build the muscles for a more permanent solution.

I have recommended members of my family and many friends to see both Jonathan and Warrick with consistently good results.

Gez Lamb and Jonathan Daniells can be contacted at 1 Oldbury Place, London W1U 5PA  Tel: 0207  486 2875 and Jonathan also practices at Neals House, Church Road, Chelsfield, Orpington BR6 7RE  Tel: 01689 877500.

Jim Slater