Lower back pain, what does it mean? Lower back pain is an extremely common problem assessed and treated by physiotherapists on a daily basis. It is estimated that around 80% of the population will experience lower back pain in some form during their life. It is a far too common occurrence for people to panic and assume the worst when they experience pain in their lower back, when in fact the prognosis for a diagnosis of acute nonspecific low back pain is excellent. An individual’s attitudes and beliefs towards their lower back pain will directly affect their recovery and outcomes....
The Golf Swing The golf swing is a complex series of movements, and many golfers are limited by their physical capabilities to perform these movements, whether it is due to poor coordination of their body segments, lack of adequate flexibility, or lack of appropriate control and strength. Our Physiotherapists at QSP can identify these physical restrictions and implement an appropriate program to address them. By eliminating these physical restrictions you will improve your capability to swing the club better. The way we posture and move ourselves on a daily basis can affect the ability for our bodies to work optimally in...
Using a spiky ball on a regular basis is a great way to maintain flexibility, ease muscle tension and optimise performance. Spiky balls are particularly effective at releasing tightness due to myofascial trigger points. These are the knots and contractions that form in response to poor posture and over-use. WHY USE A SPIKY BALL? There are some parts of the body that you can’t quite get to with a foam roller or traditional massage techniques and this is where the spiky ball comes in handy. Spiky balls are firmer and larger than a tennis ball and not quite as...
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...
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....
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...
What is Core stability? Lower back pain affects 80% of the population at some point in their life. Although an episode of lower back pain may settle in 4 to 6 weeks, the deep abdominal muscles remain impaired which can lead to reoccurence and reoccurrence of low back pain. Specific exercises that retrain these deep abdominal muscles after injury are thus important for prevention of reoccurrence and exacerbation. Core stability is defined as “the ability to control the position and motion of the trunk over the pelvis to allow optimum production, transfer, and control of force and motion to the...
I’m sure we all either know or have heard of someone that does or has tried CrossFit, and quickly become obsessed with WODs, thrusters and ‘Do you even?’ memes. It’s a sport that’s come under so much scrutiny due to it’s popularity, and has copped a LOT of flack. Injuries, cult behaviour, no focus on form just get the bloody bar up whatever it takes. I’ll admit to being one of those physios that rolled my eyes when someone said they did CrossFit, ‘‘Come see me when you hurt yourself’. But I got talking to a guy I respected one...
