“Have you more faith in a spoonful of medicine than in the power that animates the living world?”

-B.J. Palmer (The Developer of Chiropractic)

Richard Gliddon, DC, MChiro, PgCert, MCC

Richard Gliddon grew up in a small dusty town in the South African bush where a health conscious mother and an active and sporty lifestyle lead him to the local chiropractor from an early age. Since that time he has continued to visit chiropractors on a regular basis to maintain his alignment and correct the damage done through sports.

Richard has always been very health concious and with this natural curiosity and hunger to understand the body, when it came to deciding which career path to take, chiropractic was the obvious choice. He graduated from the Anglo European College of Chiropractic in the summer of 2006 and moved to Aberdeen to spend 3 inspiring years working in one of the longest established and busiest practices in the UK. It was there that he honed his clinical skills and developed a passion and drive to master chiropractic and to serve and help as many people as he can.

As a Chiropractor

Richard has a broad and holistic understanding of the human body and utilises a ‘whole person approach’ to diagnosis and a myriad of techniques for treatment.

The science now clearly shows us that when it comes to optimal health our lifestyle and environment are the key indicators and determinants of our level of health. In a nutshell, it boils down to how well we Eat, Move and Think, or in other words, the level of stress we have physically, chemically and mentally.

By using techniques such as applied and functional blood testing, Richard is able to accurately assess the underlying cause of a patient’s problem and develop a personalised and specific treatment approach, tailored to the individual.

“The human body is a truly incredible thing, and as chiropractors we are very fortunate and privileged to be able to work with it every day. Specifically we get to work with the nervous system, the most complicated, intricate and fascinating thing that we as humans have ever studied. Every patient is different with their own unique series of challenges and that is why every day in practice in fun. There is a science to health, and I love putting all the pieces together and helping people to realise their full potential.”

As a Student

Richard is committed to lifelong learning and refining of the art, science and philosophy of chiropractic.

The science is constantly evolving as new research, discoveries and refinements are published in the literature. This is why Richard attends many seminars throughout the year, keeps up to date with the main chiropractic and medical journals and reads prolifically in his free time.

Richard describes the art of delivering the chiropractic adjustment as being similar to mastering the game of golf. It takes a lot of time and dedication to master and when dealing with the spinal column and nervous system, the more specific, accurate and skilled you are, the better the results. Can you imagine Tiger Woods turning up to a golf tournament without practicing? Richard utilises the same approach with his profession.

The philosophy of chiropractic is unique within the world of mainstream healthcare. In a nutshell it says that the body can heal, provided it is given the right conditions (environment) and that the nervous system is free from interference. Whilst this sounds simple, it has immense significance as it determines the questions one asks about the body, and effects everything form the way you interpret the research, to the choice of technique, the discovery of the underlying hidden cause of problem, to the advice given. This is what makes chiropractic so unique and effective and is in stark contrast to some other approaches which seek only to eliminate symptoms.

Richard utilises a myriad of techniques as well as the latest technology and lifestyle coaching to provide state of the art chiropractic healthcare for the community of southwest London. He has a very keen interest in a technique called Applied Kinesiology which through testing the function of muscles allows the practitioner a ‘window into the body’ to accurately diagnose and direct treatment to the underlying cause of the problem.

‘My oldest patient to date has been 93 years old and my youngest 4 days old. I see everyone, from office workers to manual labourers, really, anyone with a spine can benefit from chiropractic.’

Richard also has a keen interest in treating sportsman, having helped many professional wrestlers, tennis players, golfers and footballers to reach and remain peak performance and health.

As a Person

A keen sportsman and self confessed ‘health freak’ Richard understands the importance of looking after himself and maintaining his health at the highest possible levels. One of the best ways to do this is through sport and he has been swimming, playing tennis, rugby and golf from an early age. If he’s not working, he can be found in the gym, maintaining a good level of fitness or out practicing his other great passion, kite-surfing.

What is his mission?

“People seem to have forgotten the very basic principles for living a long and healthy life without dis-ease and stress. It has become my mission in life to provide natural and healthy solutions to the people I meet on my way and to bring new heights to their health and well being.

My mission is to provide unrivalled natural healthcare to the local communities of South West London and to inspire and empower as many people as I possibly can towards attaining optimal health and all of the benefits and advantages that come with it.

I very much look forward to meeting you and answering any of your questions and queries in person.”