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There is increasing evidence that suggests exercise is an effective treatment method for people with acute and chronic mental illness. Exercise can make a big difference in mood and needs to be a fundamental part of mental health treatment. Even one workout a week is known to have great benefits. It can be helpful to work with an appropriately educated professional such as an Accredited Exercise Physiologist who understands the complexity of the challenges faced with mental health conditions, and has the skills and knowledge to help individuals manage their condition and any barriers they may come up against.

Osteopaths and other therapists often use spinal manipulation as one of our hands-on techniques. One of the most common questions we get asked is "what is the 'crack'". When your therapist uses an adjustment technique such as this, they are temporarily separating the joint surfaces, this causes a momentary change in pressure and a small gas bubble to form and "pop". This helps in the short-term by helping the joint move more freely, causing a release of endorphins (happy hormones) and reducing the sensitivity of nerves in the area. Hopefully, by helping you to move with more ease and feel less pain, you will be able to get moving at home with exercises and usual activities, which will get you back on track to enjoying life!

We are always hearing from patients that they believe or have been told that they have "bad posture". Historically, posture alone was blamed for a number of aches and pains. However, current research has shown that there is often very little correlation between posture and pain. This is because pain can be influenced by many different factors, including stress, our levels of fitness, genetics and even poor sleep... What is more important than our posture is how often we are moving, changing posture and keeping mobile; as well as assessing and addressing all of the factors which are contributing towards your injury. If you need a hand our team of osteopaths, exercise physiologists and massage therapists can help you work out what is going on and get you moving!

We often get asked as osteopaths, exercise physiologists and massage therapists a here at Necessity Health "What is the best exercise for my back?", whether its to alleviate back pain or to try and prevent future episodes or re-injury. Recent research has in fact shown that ALL exercise types are effective at reducing back pain and improving function compared to doing nothing. Stretching can be a really good way of improving function, however, exercises focused on strength and functional restoration are more effective when looking at treatment and prevention of back pain; with a higher dosage of exerciser resulting in a greater improvement - the old saying "use it or loose it" rings true! We encourage our patients to keep physically active in any way they enjoy! However, if you need some guidance on what might work well for you then one of our team are always happy to help! We love using our in-house gym to get our patients moving well and feeling great!

So what we know is that the body works best when it's moving regularly throughout everyday. This movement helps us with movement of the lymphatic system which is our immune system. It's full of fluid that gets pumped around the body in vessels kind of like our blood.But unlike our blood, it doesn't have a heart to pump the fluid around.  Over the last few years I have been recommending that people get a sit stand desk for their office-based jobs if they get the opportunity. There are injuries associated with prolonged standing and those that are associated with prolonged sitting. It therefore, makes sense if you are stuck at a desk to mix it up and MOVE when you are able to. There is a lot of research indicating that being sedentary can lead to heart problems, diabetes, obesity and premature mortality [1]. Some businesses are recognising this and some are looking out for their employees. I have heard of businesses installing walking tracks around the office for staff to take phone calls and get moving around the track!Constantly maintaining correct posture throughout the whole day is usually impractical for most people and it doesn’t address the problem of being stationary. It’s better to sit or stand with a good posture than not, but it’s important to move around regularly. Not moving may change the effects on your tissues which can cause discomfort and even pain. SIT/STAND DESKS MAY HELP LOWER BACK PAIN In one study, lower back pain was significantly reduced by a small amount with reductions in workplace sitting time [2]. A systematic review and meta-analysis concluded that sit-stand desks may help with low back discomfort [3]. This may not sound like much, but this is the highest level of research and to me, this is quite significant. It shows that alternating position alone may help with low back discomfort. There are obviously other things that you can do. Make sure you check out Dr Adam Pitt’s (Osteopath/Director) 40 sec break routine (insert link to youtube video) Treadmill desks have been shown to be the better option for physiological improvements [4]. However, they have been linked for decreased productivity [4] and if you imagine being in an office with 20 relatively noisy treadmill desks you can see why. However, walking on the spot at a sit/stand desk could be a good substitute with potentially similar results. So as cool as they might be, treadmill desks are not necessarily practical. If you’re worried about the cost of standing desks or your employer won’t agree to giving you one, there is a cheaper option. Standing desk converters are available, which go on your regular desk and take your monitor and keyboard. They are designed to be adjusted between a sitting and standing height. I know what you’re thinking… BUT I’M WORRIED ABOUT THE COST! MY BOSS WON’T GO FOR IT! And do you know what, review of studies concluded that there was no decrease in productivity when changing from a seated desk to a sit/stand desk [5]. 3 of the studies reviewed demonstrated INCREASED PRODUCTIVITY. HOW TO TRANSITION TO A SIT/STAND DESK The aim is to gradually progress to approximately 50-50 sitting/standing I.e. in an 8 hr shift,approximately 4 hours sitting 4 hours standing. Give yourself at least few weeks to get to this point. So what we know is that the body works best when it's moving regularly throughout everyday. This movement helps us with movement of the lymphatic system which is our immunesystem. It's full of fluid that gets pumped around the body in vessels kind of like our blood.But unlike our blood, it doesn't have a heart to pump the fluid around.  Over the last few years I have been recommending that people get a sit stand desk for their office-based jobs if they get the opportunity. There are injuries associated with prolonged standing and those that are associated with prolonged sitting. It therefore, makes sense if you are stuck at a desk to mix it up and MOVE when you are able to. There is a lot of research indicating that being sedentary can lead to heart problems, diabetes, obesity and premature mortality [1]. Some businesses are recognising this and some are looking out for their employees. I have heard of businesses installing walking tracks around the office for staff to take phone calls and get moving around the track!Constantly maintaining correct posture throughout the whole day is usually impractical for most people and it doesn’t address the problem of being stationary. It’s better to sit or stand with a good posture than not, but it’s important to move around regularly. Not moving may change the effects on your tissues which can cause discomfort and even pain. SIT/STAND DESKS MAY HELP LOWER BACK PAIN In one study, lower back pain was significantly reduced by a small amount with reductions inworkplace sitting time [2]. A systematic review and meta-analysis concluded that sit-stand desks may help with low back discomfort [3]. This may not sound like much, but this is the highest level of research and to me, this is quite significant. It shows that alternating position alone may help with low back discomfort. There are obviously other things that you can do. Make sure you check out Dr Adam Pitt’s (Osteopath/Director) 40 sec break routine (insert link to youtube video) Treadmill desks have been shown to be the better option for physiological improvements [4].However, they have been linked for decreased productivity [4] and if you imagine being in an office with 20 relatively noisy treadmill desks you can see why. However, walking on the spot at a sit/stand desk could be a good substitute with potentially similar results. So as cool as they might be, treadmill desks are not necessarily practical. If you’re worried about the cost of standing desks or your employer won’t agree to giving you one, there is a cheaper option. Standing desk converters are available, which go on your regular desk and take your monitor and keyboard. They are designed to be adjusted between a sitting and standing height. I know what you’re thinking… BUT I’M WORRIED ABOUT THE COST! MY BOSS WON’T GO FOR IT! And do you know what, review of studies concluded that there was no decrease in productivity when changing from a seated desk to a sit/stand desk [5]. 3 of the studies reviewed demonstrated INCREASED PRODUCTIVITY. HOW TO TRANSITION TO A SIT/STAND DESK The aim is to gradually progress to approximately 50-50 sitting/standing I.e. in an 8 hr shift,approximately 4 hours sitting 4 hours standing. Give yourself at least few weeks to get to this point. DON’T STAND ALL DAY! Find out what intervals work for you: try to avoid getting to the stage of feeling uncomfortable. Alternate your stance and stretch about!If you’re stuck with a seated workstation for various reasons such as being at multiple workstations and not your own, try these following tips for creating a work environment that supports good health and posture. 1. Set a timer and get up every 30 minutes. Take a walking meeting, stand or exercise during a conference call, or hand-deliver a message when you would normally email it. 2. Ensure your workstation supports well-aligned posture: computer monitor head on and eye level and a good distance, neck not side-bent or rotated, elbows at 0 degrees with forearms parallel to the floor, sitting with good posture with a chair that is close enough to the table and has lumbar support .3. Every so often around the 20-minute mark, give your eyes a minute’s break by focusing on something at least 10 metres away. 4. Do stretches in your seat! SO WHAT NOW? Start by setting a timer every 30 mins to do some stretches and march on the spot. I’d recommend Dr Adam Pitt’s (Osteopath) 40 second break routine. Look at your options for sit/stand desks and start the conversation with your employer. Why not even send them the link to this blog? Most of all, look after yourself and treat your body like it’s the only one you’ve got Written by Dr Alex Richardson (Osteopath) [1]Wilmot, E.G., Edwardson, C.L., Achana, F.A. et al. Diabetologia 2012 55: 2895. Sedentary time in adults and the association with diabetes, cardiovascular disease and death: systematic review and meta-analysis[2]: Charlotte L. Brakenridge et al. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2018 Sep; 15(9): 1975.Published online 2018 Sep 10. Evaluating Short-Term Musculoskeletal Pain Changes in Desk-Based Workers Receiving a Workplace Sitting-ReductionIntervention[3]: Agarwal et al. Ergonomics 2018 Apr; 61(4):538-552 Sit-stand workstations and impact on low back discomfort: a systematic review and meta-analysis[4]: MacEwen BT, MacDonald DJ, Burr JF. Prev Med. 2015 Jan; 70:50-8. 2014 Nov 28. A systematic review of standing and treadmill desks in the workplace.[5]: Karakolis T et al. Appl Ergon. 2014 May;45(3):799-806. Epub 2013 Oct 21. The impact of sit-stand office workstations on worker discomfort and productivity: a review

With what can only be described as a beautifully harmonious and symbiotic relationship, Dapto Osteopathic Clinic and Dapto Foot Clinic are celebrating 8 years working together! Given the traditional gift of bronze on the 8th anniversary, Adam our principle Osteopath celebrated with a bronze coloured drink with leading Podiatrists Ben and Nick! Here's to 8 more years of happy clients, healthy feet and truly multi-disciplinary clinics. #daptoosteopathicclinic #daptoosteo #Daptofootclinic #osteopathy #podiatry #workingsidebyside #Bronzeanniversary

Sports injuries are very common problems that I see every day as an Osteopath. This is a particular area I’m interested and experienced in. In this blog, I’m going to share my top tips for preventing getting injured and avoiding the frustration that comes with them. Whether you are an elite athlete wanting to be at your best and smash records or you are a casual jogger wanting to maintain the ability to exercise for the health benefits, it is important to avoid injuries. Why? Because injuries suck! And, every sportsperson I’ve known normally wants to get off to a flying start to the season. I really enjoy working with sports people to not only assist with pain relief and resolution of their injuries but help with pre-season prep, optimal movement, function and performance as well as injury prevention. Of course, you could sustain an injury from being sandwiched between all of the Burgess brothers tackling you from opposite directions, all at once. In that case, injury may be unavoidable. However, suboptimal biomechanics may be why you end up with a hamstring strain or lower back pain. Here’s an example: poor lower back conditioning or poor hip range of motion can be significant factors that lead you to a strained low back while falling over during a game of soccer. Or suboptimal flexibility/mobility may lead to a soft tissue injury when you go to clear the ball in the 70th minute of your first game back. The Problem The vast majority of causes of injuries that I see are due to lack of range of motion of certain areas, poor conditioning and/or poor form. The Solution The solution is to prep now. As pre-season comes to an end shortly, it’s crucial that your body is moving well, has a degree of conditioning/game readiness and any issues have been identified and addressed. So here are my 3 tips to make sure that happens this year. 1. Dynamic Warm Up is not Negotiable I am a fan of using static stretching for flexibility where it is required. However, prolonged static stretching has been shown to acutely reduce performance in sports that require explosive force [Behm and Kibele 2007] [Kay and Blazevich 2012]. It is however dependant on what sport you’re playing and what your priorities are. For some sports like gymnastics, ballet or dancing where extreme ranges of motion are necessary, prolonged static stretching may be necessary. There is some discussion how in some instances prolonged static stretching can cause injury but it’s usually when the individual is stretching overzealously or if there is a medical vulnerability such as hypermobility disorders. The good news is, there is research that shows dynamic stretching is definitely the way to go before a game. So you can safely warm up and, in addition, dynamic warm up nullifies the negative effects of static stretching [Loughran M, et al. 2016] and maintains the increased range of motion obtained by the static stretching [Murphy et al. 2010]. One size certainly doesn’t fit all, so if you absolutely love stretching out with static stretches before a game for flexibility and you swear it works for you, make sure that you follow with dynamic warm up and make that the main component of your warm up. What a good functional dynamic warm up can do is literally heat the muscle up [Fletcher and Jones 2004] which increases muscle energy production and gets them firing quicker [Hodgson et al. 2005]. It has been shown to improve athletic performance [Yamaguchi et al. 2008] and reduce the chances of injury [Soligard et al. 2008]. You’re pretty much mimicking the movements you will do in your sport but in a safe and controlled manner. So, I don’t care if no one else is doing it. This is non-negotiable. If you want to prevent minor injuries, this is my number 1 tip. If you search on YouTube “dynamic warm up (insert your favourite team)” I guarantee that’s what they’re doing. Here is my favourite. 2. Be Like Tiger Woods Tiger Woods started practicing swinging a golf club at 6 months old. With coaching and lots of training, his body was able to perfect certain movements. In other words, coaching is highly valuable and training is absolutely essential. I say PERFECT PRACTICE, MAKES PERFECT. 3. Get Checked Out Now (while there is still time to fix things before the season starts). This is another deal breaker and game changer at the same time. Detailed functional movement screening by a professional allied health provider is a must. We are trained to see things that others aren’t. At Dapto Osteopathic Clinic, we use a Movement Assessment Tool (MAT) which we feel is the best tool for this. For a MAT provider near you, please contact these guys. Functional movement screening is the key to our success here. We look at how your body is moving and provide treatment and advice based on this. If I could show you how to do this bit, I would. But really, this part takes years of training so you really are best of investing some time and money getting this done. You won’t regret it. I hope that you find this post useful. If this post resonates with you and you’d like to take a positive step further, whether you have an acute injury that you are struggling with, a recurring injury that’s niggling in the background or you simply want to get screened for any potential predisposing factors to injury, give us a call on 02 4260 8844. Alex References Behm D.G., and Kibele A.: Effects of differing intensities of static stretching on jump performance. European Journal of Applied Physiology 2007; 101: pp. 587-594 Fletcher I.M., and Jones B.: The effect of different warm-up stretch protocols on 20 meter sprint performance in trained rugby union players. Journal of Strength Conditioning Research 2004; 18: pp. 885-888 Hodgson M., Docherty D., and Robbins D.: Post-activation potentiation: underlying physiology and implications for motor performance. Sports Medicine 2005; 34: pp. 585-595 Kay A.D., and Blazevich A.J.: Effect of acute static stretch on maximal muscle performance: A systematic review. Medicine and Science in Sport and Exercise 2012; 44: pp. 154-164 Loughran M, Glasgow P., Chris Bleakley, McVeigh J. The effects of a combined static-dynamic stretching protocol on athletic performance in elite Gaelic footballers: A randomised controlled crossover trial. Physical Therapy in Sport, 2017-05-01, Volume 25, Pages 47-54 Murphy J.R., Di Santo M.C., Alkanani T., and Behm D.G.: Aerobic activity before and following short-duration static stretching improves range of motion and performance vs. a traditional warm-up. Applied Physiology Nutrition and Metabolism 2010; 35: pp. 679-690 Soligard T., Myklebust G., Steffen K., Holme I., Silvers H., and Bizzini M.: Comprehensive warm-up programme to prevent injuries in young female footballers: Cluster randomised controlled trial. British Medical Journal 2008; 337: pp. 2469-2478 Yamaguchi T., Ishuu K., Yamanaka M., and Yasuda K.: Acute effects of dynamic stretching exercise on power output during concentric dynamic constant external resistance leg extension. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research 2008; 21: pp. 1238-1244 https://tigerwoods.com/biography/

Let’s face it - stress is a big thing in a lot of people’s lives. Whether it be from work, three kids, studying, or trying to figure out if I should get smashed avo/sliced avo/diced avo or I’ll just scoop it myself avo. But let's not beat around the bush, stress is often self-inflicted. It can be either good or bad for the body. Good stress is something we need to really push ourselves in our own development and to get things done. Bad stress is where we put our own body at risk! During a stress response (mild or severe), your body will release the stress hormones cortisol and adrenaline. Adrenaline release can cause increased respiratory and heart rates and increased blood pressure. Chronic Stress Can Damage Brain Structure and Function! This has been mostly attributed to cortisol. It has been suggested that cortisol is largely responsible for the increased incidence in mental illness in people who are under chronic, severe stress . I used to be a stress-head when it came to exams and assignments and all that good stuff. As a result my acne had increased, my posture dropped and I developed headaches. The realisation was that the damage being done to my body was actually not necessary nor needed. But now that I’ve learned how to deal and manage stress, I want to tell everyone. 1. DO SOME DAILY EXERCISE- this will help increase the blood flow around the body, help to clear the mind (as it will be focused on doing that extra rep or going that extra Km). Evidence shows that exercise is the strongest natural anti-depressant and it can reduce anxiety and symptoms associated with stress. During exercise your brain will release the ‘feel good hormones’ serotonin, dopamine and endorphins. Even if it's a short walk, daily exercise makes a big difference. 2. 5 MIN OF DEEP BREATHING (twice per day) has shown to increase the amount of oxygen in your blood for that time-frame, so the cells of your body can really benefit from the full metabolic process of oxygen and the nutrients to help power the cells. 3. WRITE A TO DO LIST of goals that you’d want to achieve in the day but make sure they’re achievable and realistic. Focusing on main tasks for the day - set an intention for the day and focus on that being your main goal, whether it's just to go for a walk or to get that report done by the end of the day. 4. REGULAR HEAD, NECK AND SHOULDER MASSAGES ARE A MUST! Massage increases arterial blood flow and venus return, which means taking the low oxygenated blood back to the heart. Massage will help with relieving the muscle tension that is created through stress as many people ‘hold’ tension in their head, neck and shoulders. This occurs as the diaphragm is overworked due to constant shallow breathing, which means it fatigues and then the accessory muscles in the neck have to assist in breathing more than usual. Hence the common problem of tightness in the neck and shoulders. Some of you have had the experience to receive hands-on treatment from myself at the clinic and you might have heard me mention the scalene muscle group (sore little buggers). These muscles help to bend the neck left or right. But this is not their only function though. They also help to elevate the first rib which helps in the respiratory process to help lift the rib cage, so the lungs can expand. 5. DRINK PLENTY OF WATER- this is a big one too, our bodies are mostly water and our whole physiology is based around water and oxygen to survive. Being dehydrated can contribute to headache symptoms. and last but not least…singing and dancing to your favourite music.I know that sounds cliche or weird but it's actually the easiest to do and I found the most beneficial for a management tool and short term fix.If you’re experiencing headaches more than a couple of days at a time and more than usual, please consult your doctor. Feel free to make an appointment with an Osteopath or Remedial Massage Therapist, and our mission is to make you feel better than you have ever been.

How to help stop procrastination, stop neck pain and headaches, clear your head and smash those exams. With so much emphasis put on exams like the HSC, it's crucial that kids and their parents understand the facts. In this article, you will be given 3 tips to succeed in exams, including how to study effectively, avoid procrastination, manage the stress and anxiety and get the most out of your brain. I consider myself extremely lucky that at the end of year 11, I knew what I wanted to do when I grew up. I wanted to be an Osteopath with a multi-disciplinary team in a beautifully renovated old house. Fast forward 17 years and my dream has come true. But it wasn't easy and I've made mistakes along the way. When you know what you want to do, it gives you purpose and direction. That was the good news for me. The bad news was, when you want to do a course with a minimum admission mark of well over 90, you need to knuckle down and work harder than you ever have. So I did what made sense to me and my parents at the time. I gave up sport, social activities and began to study non-stop. As a result, I started eating crap food and adopted bad sleep patterns which equated to an extra 15kgs on the scales. It’s quite possibly the worst I’ve felt in my life. That’s why I’m writing this article. After studying health science at University for 6 years, I had no choice but to learn how to study effectively and efficiently. So here are my 3 tips to stop procrastination, stop neck pain and headaches, clear your head and smash your exams. 1. Don’t Stop Exercising Your body works best when it’s moving. This includes brain function, immune system and, and, and… The list goes on. Exercise is the strongest natural anti-depressant and can help reduce anxiety and stress, as well as make you feel better as a result of endorphins. In a nutshell, if you are moving well throughout study periods, you are less likely to get sick, you will feel better, manage stress better, concentrate better, retain information better and cope better. Exercise doesn’t mean running. I would suggest you do a mixture of what works for you. Whether that’s walking, stretching, yoga, running, gym, weights, martial arts, rock climbing, dancing or sport. Whatever you enjoy and your body can tolerate well. 2. Structure Your Study I found that the best way to structure my study was with 45 minutes of solid, laser focused study, then 15 minutes of exercise. Any more than this, my brain struggled to retain the information. I was easily distracted and began to procrastinate. You know the funny thing is, once I started employing this strategy, I started doing better in my exams, despite actually studying less. 3. Keep Your Head Up I mean this literally. When you are spending hours reading, typing and scrolling, it’s really important to maintain good ergonomics. The muscles in the back and neck are really good at supporting your body; however, if you are slouched or looking down too much, those muscles will fatigue and become shortened and sore. Shortened and sore muscles can lead to back and neck pain, tension headaches and cloudy head. I found implementing these 3 strategies to be a game changer for effective study, hence how I was able to continue it for 6 years beyond high school. I would have loved to have learnt this a lot earlier than I did, so I hope by writing this, others will be able to implement the strategies earlier or help people around them who are studying. Please feel free to share this information with whomever you want. The more who read it the better. I’d love to hear feedback or comments. So if you have a spare minute, please comment below and let me know which part of this article helped you most.

Here's what you need to know to prevent Flat Head Syndrome (Plagiocephaly). 1. There are things you can do to prevent it from happening to your baby. 2. Early intervention is key. 3. Molded helmets can work if it gets that bad, but they don't treat the whole picture. 4. It's completely fixable. The introduction of SIDS guidelines has had a massive positive impact on infant death rates. The bad news is, since its introduction, rates of Flat Head Syndrome have dramatically increased, but after reading this article you should be able to: Avoid it happening to your child. Identify it if it is already there and make some changes that will help treat the problem if it is already present. 1. There are things you can do to prevent it from happening to your baby. I want you to picture a brand new freshly opened packet of playdough. To make it into a perfect ball we rub it evenly in all directions, right? Newborn babies' heads are nowhere near as soft as playdough but it's the best analogy I could come up with. Babies' heads are made up of different bones that are joined by cartilage. That's why you can feel a soft spot at the top of their head. The soft spot is totally normal and, by the way, it's normal for the soft spot to pulse. That freaked me out the first time I saw it. The way you prevent flat head syndrome is to make sure you and the baby are applying forces evenly around the whole head. The best way to ensure even distribution of force across the whole head is: Tummy time is awesome . They might hate it initially, but, it's one of the first times you get to say 'sorry, but it's for your own good'. I would recommend you aim to do a few stints throughout each day aiming for a total of over 15 minutes. Half an hour is great if you can manage it. It's particularly effective if you can make a bit of a game of it and get them looking right and left. Get them moving their head right and left . You can jiggle something that makes noise or act like an idiot to encourage the baby to move their head and neck through a full range of movement. No one's watching, and by now, you shouldn't care as much if they are. Alternate your position . When you're feeding or holding them, be mindful that the position you are most comfortable in, may be the most comfortable position for the baby too. Change the baby's sleeping position regularly , especially if you find they always lay in the same spot. This involves gently rotating their head, that's all. If you're unsure or want your baby assessed, there are multiple types of practitioners qualified to assess and diagnose head shape issues. These include Pediatricians, mothercraft nurses and allied health providers with pediatric training, such as Osteopaths and Physiotherapists. 2. Early intervention is key. If you were to leave the playdough out over night, it would become firmer and it also becomes harder to influence it's shape. Babies' skulls progressively ossify as they get older, which means they become harder and go from being largely cartilage, to what will eventually be fused solid bones. This is the reason that early intervention is key. The earlier the intervention for head shape issues, the faster the recovery and the higher the guarantee of completely fixing the problem. 3. Molded helmets can work if it gets that bad, but they don't treat the whole picture. The playdough analogy hopefully helps but it's not that simple. The baby will lay wherever they are most comfortable, it's human nature. That's why the neck and upper back are really important. They need to be able to move through a full range of movement comfortably for the baby to be comfortable laying in different positions. If it hurts or is stiff going to the right, they're not going to want to lay with their head rotated right for example. Plagiocephaly helmets are individually molded helmets that work similarly to teeth braces. They apply pressure on the prominent areas of the skull and encourage outward growth of the flat areas. This can be very effective in more severe cases; however, it's not treating the whole picture and, it should be done in conjunction with an allied health practitioner like an Osteopath or Physiotherapist. I like to see the baby display a full range of movement through their trunk and neck, good spinal alignment and strength that matches their age and level of development. 4. It's completely fixable. If your baby has shown signs of flattening or distortion of the shape of their head, I would recommend you follow some of the tips I have given in this article. I also recommend getting your baby assessed by a local healthcare provider that is qualified and experienced in dealing with head shape issues. My personal preference is to seek treatment from a practitioner who includes an element of hands-on treatment in the management of Flat Head Syndrome. Reason being, babies respond so fast to even the most gentle joint mobilisation, massage or stretching. My final tip. If you have noticed a bit of a flat spot and your baby tends to always want to lay to one side, I would recommend you set their cot and anything else they spend time in so that if they turn the way they like to go, there is a blank wall. Anything colorful, bright or moving is in the opposite direction, so if they want to keep an eye on what's going on, they have to turn the way that they don't normally turn. Being a parent is the most amazingly, exhaustingly, energisingly, demoralising, rewardingly, emotionally testing job I've ever had. I traded my sleep, spare time and my hair for my kids. We try to do our best for our kids and, I don't know about you, but I would do anything in my power to make their lives as amazing as they can be. I hope this has helped put minds at ease, inspired or influenced parents to seek help if that's what's necessary. I'm happy to answer any questions you might have if you comment below. Thank you for reading this article. If you would like some more helpful information please fill out and send the enquiry form below. Book an Appointment with Dr Adam Pitt (Osteopath) Dapto Osteopathic Clinic #Plagiocephaly