If you use the right technique, a foam roller can act like a really good, free masseuse. It not only prepares your body for the stresses of a workout, but it also relieves aches and prevents them from coming back, he says. That’s right: a free massage that stops pain. It doesn’t get much better than that. So, what hurts? Keep reading to find your foam rolling fix for common pains. (Of course, if the pain persists or continues to get worse, see a qualified health professional.) Foam rolling might feel uncomfortable at first, but that means the muscle needs...
There are many thoughts about why we get injuries. How come it is always those who exercise regularly? The fitter you are, it appears that you’ll eventually end up in the physio chair or the surgeon’s table. One thought process is the relationship to exercise overload. For example: When you don’t service your tyres on your car, they often run out of alignment, leading to wear and tear on certain parts of a tyre. This can eventually cause alignment and balance issues. This is the same with the body as there’s multiple elements in which one must maintain to try...
In many aspects of life where we need to use our brain power, we also tend to sit down: at school, at work, sitting exams or concentrating on a crossword. In a new paper, we explore how prolonged sitting may affect the brain’s fuel supply and have a negative impact on brain health. The brain is a glucose hungry organ. It weighs about 2% of body mass but demands about 20% of our resting energy requirements, which is mostly in the form of glucose, the primary brain fuel. If this energy supply is disrupted it can impair and even damage brain cells....
Unfortunately, we have seen quite a few knee injuries involving the meniscus at the clinic lately. Here is a little more information about the meniscus and how it is injured. The knees take a lot of impact when doing medium- or high-impact activities such as running, jumping, hill-walking and playing field sports. The meniscus is commonly damaged during these activities, and can be a cause of significant pain and movement dysfunction if damaged. What exactly is this mysterious meniscus, and why is it so important? What is the role of the meniscus? The meniscus is a thin, fibrous cartilage lining...
Many desk-based jobs involve significant amounts of time spent sitting. Many injuries will be provoked by prolonged activities such as sitting, long periods of typing/mousing or repetitive neck movements. For this reason, it is important that our desk space is set up correctly to help minimise risk of associated pain through ensuring good posture at work. There are three main aspects of our work space that need to be set at the correct height to promote more neutral and supportive postures throughout the body. Chair Height This is based on two main components; foot contact and the hip to knee...
Arthritis is a term used in reference to joint pain or joint disease and is prevalent throughout our society, affecting people of all ages. There are more than 100 types of arthritis and related conditions. Arthritis is known to affect women more than men and has a higher occurrence with increasing age. In this article, we will be focusing on osteoarthritis in the hands. Osteoarthritis Osteoarthritis is the most common form of arthritis. In unaffected joints, a smooth, shock absorbing surface called cartilage covers the end of each bone. The cartilage acts as a cushion between the bones. Osteoarthritis takes...
Remedial Massage is more than just rubbing muscles. Remedial Massage is an assessment of the muscles, tendons, ligaments and the connective tissues within the body which aims to help manage rehabilitation, pain and injury. It attempts to iron out tension, discomfort and knots throughout the body using trigger point therapies, firm strokes and stretching techniques. Remedial massage can be specific to one particular area or it can be multiple areas. Time required for remedial massage is generally 1 hour however it does depend on how tense or painful the area(s) is. Swedish massage or most commonly known as Relaxation massage which is...
ABOUT 80 per cent of Australians will experience an episode of back pain at some point in their lives. In my physiotherapy practice, I see quite a range of back conditions in patients of all ages. In most cases, poor posture and tight muscles require attention, in addition to overall fitness levels. Unfortunately there is no single, magical exercise that will ‘fix’ your back, but there are plenty of stretches you can do to relieve the little niggles and twinges that we all get, and to help protect your back and neck in the long term. Here are five of...
I recently read an interesting article titled “7 minutes to get fit” with the catch line “Do twice a week. Job done”. Instantly I was intrigued, fit in two 7min sessions, this ought to be good, or too good to be true. So I began to read. Studies have found you don’t need to spend hours in the gym to achieve your fitness goals. By following a quick, tight regime you can make a big difference to your overall fitness. The 7 minute work out is a form of high intensity interval training (HIIT) which means extremely intense bursts of...
Injury prevention in cycling So you’ve all the gear and only a vague idea; you’ve started cycling, training hard for the Cycling event of the year, and you’re loving it… then some injuries start creeping in and you start to think ‘I thought this cycling malarkey was meant to be good for me!!’ Well, it is! But there are a few handy hints and tips we have for you to make sure that you last a bit longer past the casual sprint. Stability: Definiton: The ability to maintain a state of stableness, the property of a body that causes it when...
