I’m sad to say that with the impending “London lockdown” I have no alternative but to close the doors to my new clinic as of Monday 23rd March. I will be constantly reviewing all government updates and will let you know as soon as anything changes.
The good news is that, although the treatment room has to close, this doesn’t mean that treatment has to stop.
It is really important all my patients do not lose momentum in their recoveries and I am glad to say I have a number of solutions to ensure I can carry on providing the best treatment possible:
- Physiotherapy treatment: switching to home visits
- Keeping in touch: daily group video calls
- Online Training, Pilates and Yoga
- Advice on how can you help yourself and stay healthy
Physiotherapy treatment: switching to home visits
If you are currently undergoing treatment then I plan to continue it via home visits using my portable (and easily cleaned!) treatment couch.
Given the geographic spread of my patients, I will be visiting one area each day. If you contact my admin team (help@nellmead.com or 0207 175 0150) then they will be able to let you know when I’m going to be in your area, or if you’re in an area that I’m not currently planning to cover, they will let me know and we will see what we can work out.
If you are infected or have been exposed to coronavirus, please let me know as early as possible, as I will be unable to visit so as to avoid spreading it further.
Keeping in touch: daily group video calls
I’m highly aware that a lot of us are potentially going to be stuck at home for some time and may be feeling anxious or need cheering up, or might simply have questions about physio and health related matters during this period of uncertainty.
Normally, as you know, there’s time to chat during treatment and I’d hate to think anyone is missing out on this due to being sick or isolated, or simply due to London being shut.
I am therefore setting up a Zoom account and will be available online every morning from 9am-9:45am. If this would be useful to you then please email me and I will send you the Zoom link and instructions if required.
Online Training, Pilates and Yoga
It’s very easy when you’re isolated at home to just spend the whole day sitting down – in front of your computer, in front of your TV – but keeping your metabolism and immune system going definitely involves movement! If you have a home gym or pool and the motivation to use it on your own, then I suspect you can probably cope just fine, but here are some options for the rest of us 😉
- The highly recommended Elizabeth Banks (who was our balance therapist at Victory) is offering online personal training sessions – email ebethjbanks@gmail.com to arrange an initial session, or ask me and I’d be happy to introduce you. Former England rugby player Fiona Pocock is also offering online training and home visits – email fee.pocock@gmail.com.
- Similarly, my lovely friends over at Complete Pilates are offering online 1:1 physio-led Pilates sessions (email info@complete-pilates.co.uk to find out more, or ask me to introduce you) and I know several other physio clinics who are in the process of setting up group-based rehab, yoga and Pilates sessions.
- I’m also offering a 50% discount on my very own video-based programme, Yoga for Stressed People – if you use the discount code STUPIDCORONAVIRUS on checkout 😉
I’ll keep you up to date with any other online offers I hear of going forward.
How can you help yourself and stay healthy
We know we’re more susceptible to getting serious illnesses and injuries when we’re run down. So, it’s really important to give yourself the best possible chance of fighting off bugs by keeping your organs as healthy as possible.
Hopefully you are reasonably familiar with my Health & Performance Pyramid but the bottom layer – the Foundation Layer of sleep, stress, hydration and nutrition – is critical right now. This means:
- Drinking at least 2 litres of water per day
- Giving yourself 8 hours in bed out of every 24 (and sleeping for as much of that time as you can!)
- Managing your stress levels (why not try my online programme, Yoga for Stressed People?)
- Eating as well as possible, given the emptiness of the supermarkets!
Talking of which, it’s actually really tricky to keep your immune system in tip-top shape with food alone (especially with processed food!) so I tend to supplement my diet, especially when the threat level is increased. My daily go-to supplements include:
- Antioxidants: Lean Greens (use discount code VICTORY10 to get 10% off any order)
- Protein and recovery: R5 Aminos (use this link to get 20% off any order)
- Vitamins: Usana Cellsentials (use this link to sign up as a Preferred Customer and get 10% off any order)
- Omega 3 fatty acids: Eskimo Oil (dammit, no discount, sorry!)
I’ve linked to the relevant blog posts, but again if you’d like to discuss this further or get individual advice, please email me.
Have I missed anything that you’d love me to do or to help with? Let me know (and don’t forget I’ll very soon be available to chat on Zoom every morning). I’d love to hear from you.
It’s a stressful and difficult time for all of us, and we may have to be physically apart, but the best way to get through this is still by being there for each other, even if this has to be virtually.
Please stay safe, and I look forward to welcoming you back to my clinic room after this is all over!