Someone suggested to me this morning that I add a discussion forum to the website. They pointed out that they have no one but me that they can chat to about their battle with OA. They don’t like to keep bothering me. Well, firstly I’d say it’s not a bother and if I can help anyone then I always will – so don’t be put off sending me emails. However, it does make a lot of sense. I have a lot of lengthy discussions with people via email. There is some good content in those messages that would be useful to very many people yet only one person ever gets to see it. If more of these discussions took place in a public forum more people would benefit from the information provided.
I had planned to write lots of articles for the blog. However, I find it much easier to respond to questions than to sit down and write a structured article about a given topic. The email messages are taking precedence over the blog. I’m more likely to get information shared via a discussion forum.
The book is all about self-help. It makes sense to have a place where all the people working on fixing their own wonky bodies can get together, pool ideas and provide each other with support and encouragement.
I’ll try and get a discussion forum online sometime this week. I’ll start nice and simple, see if and how it’s used and build from there. I have some reservations – it could get tricky to moderate, but the only way to find out is to try it and see. If anyone has any thoughts, suggestions or ideas for the forum please drop me a line.
Author: Susan Westlake
Visit my website to find out more about how I cured my hip osteoarthritis. Find out if you can achieve the same through corrective exercises. If you want to be informed of updates please sign up for my mailing list.
The forum is on it’s way. I’m sorry it’s taking me so long. I keep getting side tracked responding to email messages and then over-thinking what categories etc to include in the forum. I also want to get a few posts written to start things off.
If all goes well it’ll be ready tonight. I’m planning to send the link to a few people just to get their feedback. All being well I’ll then send out a newsletter to let everyone know. As soon as it’s live I’ll drop you a line.
Many of the exercises in the book I was given by physios years ago. They didn’t work. It’s the combination that matters – covering all the bases and being aware that you are currently incapable of doing them correctly. You really need to keep thinking about it and keep working at ALL of the problem areas. It’s not so much about the exercises as it is about developing enough awareness and control to override what your brain/nervous system wants to do.
I agree – having people to discuss it with is SO important. I’ll manage the admin somehow!
I’ll be in touch soon.
Susan,
I think a forum would be very useful. At the least, it might help centralise comments that are at the moment scattered throughout cyberspace. I keep coming across threads you are involved in in diverse locations. There are a lot of doubters out there! I I have to admit, when I first bought your book, I leafed through it and dismissed the exercises as too easy by half. I thought, I can already do these and they make no difference. Six months later I picked the book up again and I am finding the reality is quite different. The difficulty of rebalancing and strengthening a core that is so subtly out of sync on such a deep level it is only intermittently apparent is fearsomely demanding. It would be wonderful to be able to discuss the intricacies of this with others.
The problem is, the more active any forum is, the more admin work is involved.
All the best,
Nicholas