Health Blog

Remember those idyllic, bygone days before devices took over? Children would be outside from morning till night, climbing trees, riding bikes, and playing ‘40-40’ until the dinner bell rang. I was a child of the ’70s, named after Tara King from The Avengers. My trusty blue Grifter bike and I were inseparable. We’d be out all day unless we were at school, with barely a care in the world. At 6pm, we’d race home, winding our watches back a few minutes to excuse our late return — a trick our parents probably saw right through.

Fast forward a few decades, and things look very different. Parents are more cautious, understandably reluctant to let their children roam free. Kids now spend much of their free time indoors, hunched over screens, battling monsters, collecting coins, or chasing a ‘Victory Royale’. At the other end of the spectrum, some children’s lives are packed with sports clubs, competitions, and endless training sessions — all designed to help them excel.

You might think childhood was less physically stressful in the past. But even in those “carefree” days, things went wrong. I found myself on an osteopath’s table at age 7 with a wry neck. At the time, this kind of therapy was as unusual as my name. I rarely meet another Tara, and certainly knew no one else who’d been to an osteopath. I remember the experience vividly — being clicked and pulled, emerging stunned but cured. It wasn’t exactly pleasant, but it was effective.

Children today can develop aches and pains for all sorts of reasons — from inactivity, overactivity, hypermobility, stress, or underlying health conditions. A visit to an osteopath can often help. We begin by talking about the reason for the visit and gathering information about current symptoms, past medical history, and overall health. This helps us understand what’s going on and how best to approach treatment.

If the issue is suitable for osteopathic care, we’ll discuss treatment options. Cranial osteopathy — a very gentle technique — is often used for babies and young children. For older children, it may be combined with soft tissue massage or gentle manipulative techniques. Most importantly, we always talk through the treatment plan with the child and their parent or guardian first. It’s vital that the child feels comfortable and understands what’s going to happen, so they don’t walk away dazed like I did all those years ago!

Osteopathy — and complementary therapies in general — are much more mainstream today. Back then, we had to drive half an hour to get to the nearest practitioner. I don’t think I ever told my friends — wanting, like most kids, to blend in. But early therapeutic experiences can be formative. A positive experience with osteopathy in childhood not only brings relief but can also encourage lifelong habits of seeking help and looking after one’s body. And that’s a lesson worth learning young.

By Tara Turgoose – Osteopath : https://springbankclinic.janeapp.co.uk/#/staff_member/25