Leek Osteopathic Health Centre

11/11/2025

Sciatica, what is it and why do we get it,

At Leek Osteopathic Health Centre understanding what is causing sciatica is key to the best treatment plan for you to get you the best outcome.

We're here to help, our aim is to help you be pain free so you can live the live you want.

11/11/2025

What is Sciatica?

Sciatica is an irritation/inflammation of the sciatic nerve and is felt in the back of the leg, into the foot and even toes. either as pain and/or 'tingling' or numbness - with or WITHOUT back pain!

Many patients when they first come to the clinic will say they have sciatica.....because most of us associate back pain with sciatica. however there are other reasons you can have the leg/buttock pain and it is our role to differentiate what the cause of your leg pain is - getting this right is crucial to getting the right treatment plan for your best recovery.

The other thing is in general we associate sciatic pain with an acute injury or 'slipped' disc but there are lots of other reasons why you may be suffering with sciatica, often due to lifestyle habits which can easily be addressed once you modify them to put less pressure on your back.

To find out more contact us, we are here to help.

10/11/2025

We have a 1 appointment available today (MONDAY). If you've gained an injury over the weekend or have an ongoing problem why not see how we can help with 50% OFF today.

It's a one hour appointment, we'll listen to your case history, how it happened, how long it's being going on for, what you can and can't do - we'll put a treatment plan together to get you back on track and start treatment on the same day

for more info 01538 388333 or info@leekosteopaths.com

09/11/2025

On remembrance Sunday - remembering those that gave their lives for the freedoms we have today.

28/10/2025

At Leek Osteopathic Health Centre have a treatment room available to rent — all day on Saturdays, and on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Fridays from mid-afternoon into the evening. You’re welcome to take all or just some of these slots.
This is a great opportunity if you’re starting out with a talking or physical therapy practice and aren’t yet ready to commit to a full-time room.
Whilst you would be fully independent we would be looking for someone who compliments what we already do here as Osteopaths such as manual/sports therapy, counselling, nutrition, podiatry etc..
For more details, please DM me or email helen@leekosteopaths.com

27/10/2025

Not sure if Leek Osteopathic Health Centre can help?

We understand that committing to a consultation can feel uncertain

—especially if you're worried it might not lead to treatment.

That’s why we encourage you to call or drop in for a quick chat. We’ll listen to what you're experiencing and let you know if osteopathy is likely to help.

If it’s not something we can assist with, we’ll do our best to guide you toward someone who can.

Please don’t struggle on though....... A comment we often hear is:
"I wish I’d come sooner—it only took a few sessions to feel better."

Our aim is to help you be pain free so you can live the life you want!

01538 388333, info@leekosteopaths.com

22/10/2025

21/10/2025

A common problem people come to Leek Osteopathic Health Centre with is sciatica.

Sciatica is pain felt in one or both legs and is often but not always associated with back pain. It is a result of the sciatic nerve being irritated somewhere along its pathway - It is the longest nerve in the body running from your lower back to your big toe!

The key to resolving the issue is understanding where the irritation occurs not necessarily where the pain is felt!

Most people assume that sciatica is because of a disc injury, which it can be but there are other reasons too such as degeneration/wear & tear, spinal stenosis, piriformis syndrome and spondylolisthesis as some of the more common reasons.

When you visit us for your initial consultation we spend time, listening to your history and we carry out an examination so we understand what is causing the pain before we start to treat.

Our aim is to help you be pain free so you can live the life you want, so don't struggle, call us and lets see how we can help.

01538 388333 info@leekosteopaths.com for more info

20/10/2025

At Leek Osteopathic Health Centre we treat the whole person, not just the symptoms.

A great example of this is I recently treated a teenager who is a keen sportsman but they were getting repeated hamstring injuries early in the summer, they would rest and it would ease up but sprinting would easily aggravate it again. When they first came to see me, not only did I look at their hamstrings but their upper & lower back too along with their calves and feet.

We found their lower back was quite restricted and on the side they were having a hamstring problem with their medial arch in their foot was quite flat.

Treatment therefore had two aspects to it, one to settle the symptoms with soft tissue massage on the affected hamstring but the main aspect was to improve their lower back flexibility - by improving this it takes the pressure of the hamstrings so it was no longer overloaded. We looked at the support in their trainers and advised some orthotic supports for their shoes too and to maintain the improvements some exercises to lengthen their hamstrings and keep their back stretched out. They are now back playing winter sports with no aggravations so far....

When patients come in with a problem, the 'symptoms' are the problem for them but our role is figure out WHY something is 'struggling' and then often we treat away from the problem area to take the pressure of the symptoms to allow it to settle down and improve.

If you have a problem and you're trying your best to self manage but it keeps returning, why not let us take a look and see if we can see why it won't settle - it's what we love doing!

The Hamstrings are found at the back of your thigh and are made up of 3 muscles, Biceps Femoris, Semitendinosus and semimembranosus their main role is to bend the knee.

13/10/2025

Here's a video of me explaining why Discs are similar to Jam Doughnuts and what we do as Osteopaths to help treat them if you were to book a consultation with us?

13/10/2025

At Leek Osteopathic Health Centre we use different types of massage techniques to ease tight muscles, reduce tension, reduce inflammation and improve circulation – depending on the injury you have depends on which technique we might use – or a combination, below is just a couple of what we use on a daily basis.

Effleurage – a type of soft tissue massage technique.

This is a soothing, stroking movement used as light soft tissue massage
Effleurage may be firm or light without dragging the skin, and is performed using either the padded parts of the finger tips or the palmar surface of the hands. Lotion may or may not be used,. The process works as a mechanical pump on the body to encourage venous and lymphatic return by starting at the bottom of the limb and pushing back towards the heart.

Deep tissue massage – a type of soft tissue massage technique.

Deep tissue massage is a therapeutic technique designed to target the deeper layers of muscles and connective tissue. It’s especially effective with patients dealing with chronic pain, athletes, and those recovering from injuries.

Deep tissue massage involves:
• Slow, firm strokes and sustained pressure using fingers, thumbs, elbows, or forearms.
• Focused manipulation of deep muscle layers and fascia (connective tissue).
• Techniques like trigger point therapy, myofascial release, and cross-fibre friction to break up adhesions (knots or scar tissue) and restore mobility.
This method improves blood flow, reduces inflammation, and promotes healing by releasing tension and improving circulation.

11/10/2025

We have a treatment room available to rent — all day on Saturdays, and on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Fridays from mid-afternoon into the evening. You’re welcome to take all or just some of these slots.

This is a great opportunity if you’re starting out with a talking or physical therapy practice and aren’t yet ready to commit to a full-time room.

Whilst you would be fully independent we would be looking for someone who compliments what we already do here as Osteopaths such as manual/sports therapy, counselling, nutrition, podiatry etc..

For more details, please DM me or email helen@leekosteopaths.com