Osteopaths in Chelmsford

Chelmsford, the county town of Essex, is located in southeast England, about 30 miles northeast of London.  Though the town began as primarily an agricultural and market town, Chelmsford has been a significant industrial centre since the 19th century. Chelmsford is well-known for being the birthplace of radio, as Guglielmo Marconi, the “father of radio” opened the world’s first radio factory in Chelmsford in 1898. Marconi’s second Chelmsford factory, built in 1912, was the location of the first publicised sound broadcast in the UK, in 1920. This factory, on New Street, still stands today. Other notable industries in Chelmsford’s history include electrical engineering and ball bearings, and Chelmsford was an important production centre during World War II.

Today, Chelmsford’s proximity to London, as well as its own significance as an employment centre, gives the town a unique commuter status. The number of people who commute in to Chelmsford from other parts of Essex almost exactly matches the number of people who commute from Chelmsford to London. This means, however, that the number of commuters in Chelmsford is quite high. Chelmsford Osteopaths frequently see patients who are experiencing the effects of these long commuting days in their backs or necks.  

Commuters spend hours a day either bent over their car’s steering wheel or cramped into a train, only to arrive at the office and sit in a very similar position at their desks. Pressure can build up not only in the spine and lower back, but also along the neck and shoulders from hunching over a computer keyboard. Add to this the fact that many office workers frequently hold a phone receiver with their shoulder, creating a very awkward, unnatural body shape. Moreover, Chelmsford Osteopaths are noticing that more and more office workers are not taking breaks during the day, using lunch to catch up on emails and calls rather than getting out of the office. Osteopaths in Chelmsford recommend stretching, even for a few moments during breaks, to relieve tension in the lower back, neck, and shoulders. Chelmsford Osteopaths can also offer postural advice for cars and workspaces that can minimize the effects of muscular strain.