Soft tissue therapy is the manipulation of the soft tissues of the body i.e. muscles, connective tissue/fascia, tendons, ligaments and joints. Soft tissue therapy helps alleviate the soft tissue discomfort associated with every day and occupational stresses, muscular over-use and many chronic pain conditions.

Hydrotherapy aims to maximise function by using movement and exercise in water under the guidance of a Physiotherapist. The increased temperature of the hydrotherapy pool assists in relaxation and pain relief, allowing exercises to be performed more easily. Hydrotherapy is shown to: • Improve mobility • Increase strength • Relieve pain • Improve function • Aid relaxation • Improve core and postural stability • Improve quality of life • Improve balance and coordination

Acupuncture is a treatment modality frequently used at the Neuromuscular Centre. It is an ancient Chinese therapy and is becoming increasingly popular in western medicine. Acupuncture will be used in addition to other treatments such as exercise, stretching, and manual therapy to reach the goals agreed by the service user and the therapist. Acupuncture works by stimulating the body to produce endorphins, which are pain and stress relieving chemicals; melatonin, which can help promote improved sleep; and serotonin, which may improve general sense of wellbeing. It also stimulates nerve fibres to block out pain signals and reduce sensitivity in areas of pain. If you think you would benefit from acupuncture, please discuss it with a member of the physiotherapy team. There are some health conditions which may prevent you from having acupuncture, but these will be explained in the initial conversation. Should you have any further questions please contact Ash in the physiotherapy department.

Physiotherapy treatment can help people of all ages that are experiencing problems with their mobility. Physiotherapy will improve your mobility and independence with everyday tasks by improving muscle strength, joint flexibility, balance and coordination. Physiotherapy treatment to facilitate mobility may include: - Exercises to strengthen muscles in the hip, knee and ankle. Teaching correct movement patterns for bed mobility, transfer from bed to chair, sit to stand and positions of comfort on the bed or chair Passive and active movements to increase joint range of movement and relieve stiffness Gait re-education with or without supportive equipment to make sure you are mobilising correctly and safely. Balance training to help improve confidence and reduce the risk of falling Hydrotherapy treatment to maximise your mobility in water and strengthen muscles

Supported Standing beds are used by individuals who are unable or struggle to stand independently because of a disability. There are many benefits from standing: Allows time to be spent in a standing position rather than sitting in a wheelchair or lying in a bed Strengthens virtually every muscle in the body. The feet, legs and abdomen are used and strengthened every time a person stands Has positive impacts on an individual’s hips, ankles and spine Aids digestion; the urinary tract drains better, and bowel function is improved Improves the body's respiratory and circulatory systems are also improved when in the standing position Improves overall posture Prevents pressure ulcers caused by prolonged sitting by changing your position and therefore relieves pressure areas Increases self-confidence, self-esteem, self-image and overall quality of life.

Would you like to join one of our clubs? Or start a club of your very own at NMC? We would love to hear from you. Visit our NMC Activities page. Contact Denise: denise.boyall@nmcentre.com or 01606 860911

Connect Up offers a wide range of activities and specialist groups available to all our NMC community, including anyone with a neuromuscular condition, their family, friends and carers. We are looking for enthusiastic volunteers to help with our activities. We would welcome any help: from helping to serve refreshments to running an activity. Please see our Connect Up page for our current programme or contact Elly: connectup@nmcentre.com or 01606 860911 for further information.

Do you have a skill or passion that you'd like to share? We're looking for some new ideas and leaders to lead workshops at NMC. Maybe you're a keen writer, enjoy hair styling, or you're handy with a paintbrush - whatever your skill and whether it's your career or a hobby, we want to hear from you! Previous workshops have included photography, gardening, mindfulness, pottery, African drumming, blogging and cyber security - so as you can see, a really varied and vibrant mix of activities! It's a platform for anyone wanting to present their skills and interests to a friendly and welcoming audience in a supportive environment. If you would like to find out more about leading a workshop, please contact Denise: denise.boyall@nmcentre.com.

We're looking for some keen volunteers to help to support some of our upcoming activities and events, can you help? More volunteering opportunities coming soon Any time you can spare to help us with our events would be greatly appreciated, even if its just for an hour or two! If you're interested, please get in touch with our fundraising team at fundraising@nmcentre.com or by calling 01606 861 733.

We can provide emotional support to you and your family. Full Confidentiality will be taken throughout the support we provide. Mindfullness For further information please feel free to contact us here.

Pages as required We offer support not only to you but to family, friends and carers. If you feel there is something we can help you with dont hesitate to contact us by calling: 0123 456 78 90

Pages as required Information about connect up will be listed here. Text, images and even links can be added to each accordion menu.

Advice we can provide: Support for specific conditions Practical information Finance matters Mobility Equipment and technology

Manual Lymphatic Drainage is a skin movement technique that consists of slow, repetitive, and rhythmical hand movements which stretch the skin and stimulate contractions of the lymphatic vessels. This removes excess fluid and waste products from the body's tissue into the lymphatic system. The fluid drains through the lymph nodes, where it is filtered and cleansed of bacteria, waste and dead cells, before being returned to the blood stream. It alleviates fluid congestion, such as swollen ankles and is deeply relaxing. It may also help with inflammatory conditions, post-operative swelling and bruising, sprains and torn ligaments, the healing of fractures and pain relief.

Aromatherapy is an ancient treatment used to enhance wellbeing, and to relieve the symptoms of many acute and chronic conditions. Aromatherapy oils are the pure essences found in flowers, plants, fruits and herbs and are used in many ways including massage and inhalation.

Reflexology is a natural, non-invasive holistic therapy for the mind, body and spirit. It is believed that various parts of the feet correspond with parts of the body. It helps the body to naturally restore its balance, relieves tension and stress, enhances sleep pattern and improves mood. Treatment may also bring relief from a wide range of acute and chronic conditions.

Compression Garment Measuring is for people with lymphedema (swelling that often affects the legs in particular), and we offer this service is conjunction with Juzo, a leading garment compression company.

Indian Head Massage is a relaxing ancient, therapeutic treatment that consists of a deep tissue massage with varying pressure to relieve aches, pains and tension in the neck, back and shoulders. It also stimulates blood and lymphatic flow and may reduce spasms and inflammation while increasing oxygenation in the upper body.

All players must be 16 years old or above. The number and value of prizes will be at the discretion of the promoters. To join players must purchase their individual draw number(s) at a cost of £1 per entry per week, to be paid in advance by Standing Order on a monthly basis. Multiple entries are welcome. Draw numbers will be allocated in sequential order on joining. Players simply fill the NMC Lottery Entry & Standing Order Form, and return to the NMC. Standing Order accounts will be debited by £4.33 per draw number on the first of the month. Cancellation must be in writing, one month in advance to the NMC, as well as to your bank. The NMC Lottery is registered with Cheshire West and Chester Council as a Small Society Lottery.

The NMC Lottery: Be a Member, Be a Number, Be a Winner! Would you like to win hundreds of pounds for only £1 a week? Well, don't wait any further and join the NMC Lottery. It is very easy. For just £1 a week you can win a weekly prize of £10, a monthly prize of £100, a quarterly prize of £250 and an annual superdraw estimated at £1,200. You will also be raising money for the Neuromuscular Centre (NMC), and helping to improve the life of hundreds of people with Muscular Dystrophy. Every penny of profit the Centre makes is invested into training, employment, physiotherapy, care and adapted transport for people with Muscular Dystrophy.

Weekly Winners for week beginning 5/11/2018 No 128 from Mold, Flintshire No 37 from Wilmslow, Cheshire No 84 from Nantwich, Cheshire No 81 from Chester, Cheshire No 30 from Nantwich, Cheshire

Did you know you can shop online and raise FREE funds for the NMC? If you’re a fan of online shopping you’ll know you can get loads of great deals and you don’t have to worry about the hassle of parking, the crowds or the long queues! But did you also know you can also raise money for the NeuroMuscular Centre for FREE? If you fancy a hassle free shopping experience, why not do your shopping online and raise funds for the NMC at the same time - at NO EXTRA COST TO YOU! Whether you're buying gifts, treating yourself, booking a holiday or even doing the weekly food shop why not do it via Give as You Live – it only costs you a few minutes of your time!

Here are some simple instructions on how to get set up: Go to http://www.giveasyoulive.com/join/nmcentre Click get started Enter your name and e-mail Enter NMC as your charity if it is not already selected Install Give as you Live Activate your account (You can also activate with Facebook) Add your details Agree to terms and conditions When you visit a website that’s linked with Give as you Live you should have a banner at the top of your page, click the red button that say’s “Click to turn on Give as you Live”

Give as you Live brings together over 4,000 retailers, including Amazon, Next, Debenhams, Tesco, B&Q, Boots, Aviva, Thomas Cook, British Gas, O2 and thousands more. Each time you purchase something online through Give As You Live a percentage of the total is donated to NMC, (this commission is already included in the price of what you’re buying so it’s at no extra charge to you). Happy shopping!