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A walk a day to keep the doctor away!

Wed, 20 Mar 2024 01:01:14 GMT

What could we do every day to reduce the need for us to see the doctor? WALKING! A simple, cheap, and effective method. The World Health Organisation (WHO) has physical activity guidelines for every age, for 18-64-year-olds they are the following:

At least 150-300 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic physical activity
Or at least 75-150 minutes of vigorous-intensity aerobic physical activity.

And walking is one cheap way to achieve these recommendations. For these recommendations that would be five 30-minute walks per week. Now that may seem daunting to achieve. But small steps in the right direction can lead you into this, even starting off with one walk a week to get going, as behaviour change is no easy feat! It is said that a task or activity takes an average of 66 days to become a habit so starting off small is a good first step (no pun intended).

The benefits of regular physical activity are lengthy, here are a few:

Reduced hypertension (high blood pressure)
Reduce cardiovascular disease and cardiovascular mortality (strokes, heart attacks, diabetes etc)
Reduced risk of many cancers (bladder, breast, colon, endometrial, oesophageal, gastric, and renal)
Improved muscular and cardiorespiratory fitness
Improved bone and function health
Improved sleep
Reduced risk of falls
Improved mental health (reduced anxiety and depression)

Meeting these guidelines can lead us to live a healthier and more balanced lifestyle and reduce the need to see the doctor regularly.

References:

Lally, P., Van Jaarsveld, C. H., Potts, H. W., & Wardle, J. (2010). How are habits formed: Modelling habit formation in the real world. European journal of social psychology, 40(6), 998-1009.

Physical activity. (2020, November 26). Www.Who.Int. https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/physical-activity

Why you should be pulling more than you push in the gym

Wed, 20 Mar 2024 00:59:55 GMT

We physios see a lot of gym-related injuries and ongoing pains, particularly in the shoulder. Personally speaking, most of these appear to occur in young males. This is largely due to one reason: over-training the chest in pursuit of either; a massive chest that looks good in the mirror, or a massive bench press that looks good on Instagram. Soon enough they all learn that this is a terrible approach (it took me a while). I’m here to help you learn quickly.

The shoulder is a complex joint but I’ll do my best to simplify it. Most shoulder pain is to do with a little tunnel in the shoulder. The top of the tunnel is a part of the shoulder blade (Acromion) and the bottom of the tunnel is your arm bone (Humerus).

Have a look at the picture beneath. You’ll see the rotator cuff running through the tunnel. This picture hasn’t included the rotator cuff’s best friend, the bursa, another important soft tissue structure. If the tendon or the bursa get squeezed between the sides of the tunnel often, they’ll get irritated and painful.

When you lift your arm overhead, the top of the tunnel must rotate upward as the bottom also rotates up. If the bottom of the tunnel moves up without the top of the tunnel moving up, what’s going to happen? That’s right, whatever is in the tunnel is going to get squeezed.

What can cause this tunnel to not open up properly?

A tight pectoralis minor (chest) muscle which attaches above the tunnel, pulling the top of it down, squeezing the soft tissues.
A weak mid-trapezius (upper back) muscle which can’t hold the top of the tunnel back, which means it drifts forward and down, squeezing the soft tissues

Here are some practical tips to help you avoid this muscular imbalance

Perform pec flyes (either machine or on bench) instead of bench pressing. If you use light weight, perform the movement slowly, and focus on the negative portion of the exercise, you’ll stretch your pec while also strengthening it. This will allow you to continue adding size/strength to your chest while helping to avoid the tight-pec-pulling-on-the-top-of-the-tunnel issue.
If you are going to bench press, do it after some pulling movements.
All pulling exercises are great, but pull-ups trump rows. Pull-ups/downs have the added bonus of moving your arms overhead, helping maintain/improve your shoulder mobility.
During a rest period between sets, pull your phone out and book an appointment with KCP 0800 HEAL ME

8 reasons why you would benefit from seeing a physio before you get injured

Wed, 20 Mar 2024 00:58:39 GMT

Written by Yurri Hynson (M.Phty)

Most people would agree that prevention is better than cure when it comes to injury. You simply need to know what to do!

Injury prevention is all about doing things which help to prevent an injuring occurring at all. Physiotherapists are university trained experts not only with assessment and diagnosis but also with understanding human biomechanics.

A physiotherapist can assess your movement and determine whether or not there is a fault which can be corrected or influenced by doing a sequence of specialized exercises/activities. The importance of preventative health is crucial and should not be under-estimated.

In my role as a physiotherapist, I am constantly reinforcing simple strategies that people can undertake which can help stop injuries occurring. A really good indicator of underlying issues is that the lower the force required to cause you an injury, the more likely the injury is the direct result of underlying movement issues such as lack of mobility, lack of strength in specific muscles for a particular movement or technical fault of the movement.

Here are my top 8 reasons why you would benefit from seeing a physiotherapist before you get injured.

Professional Athletes do it: Almost all professional athletes and sports teams have a physiotherapist. The physiotherapist’s primary role is to assess athletes for movement faults and correct them so that the athlete is less likely to develop an injury, because time off results in money loss.
Its cost effective: Its much cheaper to sort out a hidden problem before it develops into a full-blown injury than what it is to cure the problem. In work places we call it EDI or early detection of injury, and it’s a widely accepted efficient way of managing injuries.
Avoid the “pain” of injury: This doesn’t just refer to the actual pain of hurting yourself but also the inevitable disruption to your life. Usually, an injury leads to time off work or sport and that can be really annoying. In fact, an injury to an athlete often means that they miss selection for a team, or at work a constantly injured person may cause them to be looked over for a promotion or extra hours etc.
One injury can lead to another injury: if an athlete starts the season with an injury there is evidence that the likelihood of developing another injury increases dramatically by as much as 100%. This makes perfect sense when you consider that while you are protecting one injury, you are likely opening the door to another one because you are moving differently. Usually moving differently creates a movement fault. When tissue is stressed in abnormal ways it tends to break down.
No pain does not mean no injury: pain isn’t a reliable indicator of injury or tissue wellness. Oftentimes injuries creep up on you like car rust, at first it is hardly noticeable but then one day its very noticeable. In fact, sometimes pain may be the last indicator of injury.
Better performance: sure, you may not recognise that you have a movement fault, however for those that do (e.g., learning how to bend and lift correctly) it can lead to a much better quality of life and ultimately improve your ability to participate in a wide range of activities comfortably.
What you don’t know, can actually hurt you: usually it’s the other way around, however when it comes to health if you leave something to basically fester then eventually the problem will catch up with you and start to interrupt your life. Athletes absolutely recongise their weaknesses and get them sorted quickly, however non-athletes usually don’t recognise they have an issue unless there is something that they specifically can no longer do e.g., kneel, throw, lift overhead etc. Sometimes the horse has bolted, you already have an injury, and it may not cause a lot of pain because you have stopped doing anything that makes it hurt. Doing that is not a cure, in fact it is only making it harder to fix.
Your physio has skills to help: Its pretty rare that you will know more than your physio, so its probably a wise move to get a full assessment and check that your movement is optimal. I would add that in a similar way that you should get annual blood tests and mole maps when you get to about 50, it’s a good idea to think about having check ups with your physio even if it is just for more mobility, core or strength exercises. Over time you will improve if you consistently work at it. In that sense you are partnering with your physiotherapist.

At KCP Physiotherapy we have a large team of very experienced physiotherapists who can assist you with a wide range of injuries and movement disorders. We have literally thousands of exercises at our disposal which we can use to assist you. If you are not sure whether we can help, perhaps give us a call and we can have a quick chat and see if your issue is within our scope of expertise.

LIZZIE’S THREE EXERCISES FOR PREVENTING HAMSTRING INJURIES IN SPORTS PLAYERS:

Wed, 20 Mar 2024 00:56:17 GMT

BOOTY BAND WALKS AS SEEN ON ADAM MEAKINS “The Sports Physiotherapist” ( https://thesports.physio ):
For all three of these exercises you’ll need either a blue or black resistance band/theraband depending on how strong your glutes already are.
The best place for these exercises at home is in your hallway because you’ve got room to go up & down.

The best place for these exercises at home is in your hallway because you’ve got room to go up & down.

THE CRAB WALK:
In your hallway stand side-on & tie the resistance band around your ankles.
Stand in a semi-squat with feet just wider than hip width apart (you don’t need to be in a full squat but your knees need to be bent & they need to stay that way the whole time
Now step sideways down the hallway while remaining in the semi squat the whole time.
Do 10 steps to the left, then 10 steps to the right, rest for 30secs & repeat three times.
VIDEO FROM ADAM MEAKINS:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JDHiqwItrsM&feature=youtu.be

THE WALTZ WALK:
In your hallway stand front-on & tie the resistance band around your ankles.
Stand in a semi-squat with feet just wider than hip width apart (you don’t need to be in a full squat but your knees need to be bent & they need to stay that way the whole time).
Now bring one foot in towards the other & then push out & forward on a 45 deg angle, then repeat these steps with the other leg.
Do 10 steps forward, then do 10 steps backwards in the same fashion, rest for 30secs & repeat three times.
VIDEO FROM ADAM MEAKINS:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JzGBo_oeS40

THE PEED PANTS WALK:
In your hallway stand front-on & tie the resistance band around your ankles.
Stand in a semi-squat with feet just wider than hip width apart (you don’t need to be in a full squat but your knees need to be bent & they need to stay that way the whole time).
Now stand up on tip toes while maintaining the semi squat (you don’t need to be up high on tip toes but heels need to be off the ground). Now step one foot forward at a time.
Do 10 steps forward, then 10 steps backwards in the same fashion, rest for 30secs & repeat three times.
VIDEO FROM ADAM MEAKINS:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wJaXqyXKXdU

Now you’re probably wondering why I’ve picked a predominantly glute exercise to prevent a hamstring injury. The reason for this is that I often find that hamstring injuries occur as a result of weak glutes as opposed to tight hamstrings. Your glutes are the main muscle responsible for getting you sprinting & if for some reason they’re not strong enough & you have to repetitively sprint, i.e. in virtually any sports game, & they fatigue, other muscles kick in to help do the work the glutes are meant to be doing; namely the hamstrings. The hamstrings aren’t designed for this type of work, so quickly fatigue & eventually pull/tear/tighten as a result.

2. HILL SPRINTS:

This is as simple as it sounds:
Find a small hill 50-80m.
Sprint up it.
Walk back down.
Repeat 10-20x depending on fitness.
Obviously don’t just crack straight into this do a light 10min jog to warm up & then do some dynamic stretches, & then you’re ready to get going.

Again, you’re probably wondering how this helps with hamstrings. I too often see sports players sprinting with a very upright posture, especially rugby players. Not only does this put lots of pressure on your lower back, but it puts you into an incorrect position to be able to activate & engage your muscles correctly for an effective sprint. This means you’re sprinting slower than you could be & your muscles are more likely to get injured because they’re not able to work correctly. I’ll attach a video of an Olympic sprinter so that you can see what I mean they lean forward to gain momentum, & enable their glutes, hamstrings & then calves to activate in the correct pattern, in fact they start completely bent over in the blocks & only stand more upright at the end in order to SLOW down.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4gUW1JikaxQ

3. ECCENTRIC/NORDIC HAMSTRING CURLS:

This is only exercise of my three that is directly a hamstring exercise.
The eccentric part of an exercise is generally always the hardest part & you gain the most strength from doing it hence why it’s important.
If you unsure what the eccentric part of an exercise is, it’s the bit when your muscle is actually LENGTHENING against resistance, as opposed to the concentric part, which is when the muscle is SHORTENING.
E.g., when you’re doing a bicep curl when you’re lifting the weight up to your shoulder your muscle is shortening, & when you’re slowly letting it come back down against the resistance of the weight + gravity your muscle & tendon are lengthening- this is the eccentric bit- which is why it’s important to do this part of the exercise slowly as you actually gain more strength that way.
Now a Nordic/eccentric hamstring curl involves lengthening of the hamstring muscle & tendon against resistance.
You need to kneel on the ground & get someone to hold onto your calves to keep them on the ground or tuck your feet under something heavy to keep them down.
Next you need to slowly lower your tummy & chest down towards the ground in one motion trying to get as close as possible to the ground before putting your hands out to touch the ground.
Then go back to the starting position and repeat three to five times before having a minute rest & repeating another three times.
Eventually you might be able to do up to 10 in a row but initially start off with less because you’ll definitely feel it!
VIDEO FROM YOUTUBE:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qPRZcNx_C0A

So, the reason this exercise is important for preventing hamstring injury in sport (apart from obviously strengthening the hamstring), is that often hamstring injuries actually occur when people are trying to decelerate in sport i.e., sprinting to try & tackle a player in rugby who’s run away & they try to step you so you have to stop quickly to try change direction. This action of stopping is an eccentric action for the hamstring, it has to lengthen quickly & strongly against the opposing force of the quadriceps on the other side of the thigh in order to cause the player to stop, so if you don’t have good eccentric strength tears often occur at this point.

Tissue healing times

Wed, 20 Mar 2024 00:50:10 GMT

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Muscle strains/tears:
Grade 1= 2-8 weeks

Grade 2= 2-4 months
Grade 3= 9-12 months
Ligament sprains/tears:
Grade 1= 2-8 weeks

Grade 2= 2-6 months
Grade 3= 6-12 months
Surgical graft (e.g. ACL)= 12+ months

Tendon strains/tears:

Acute= 2-6 weeks
Subacute= 2-4 months
Chronic (e.g. tendinopathy)= 3-9 months
Tear/surgical repair or rupture= 4-12+ months

Other tissue injuries:
Bone/fracture= 6-12+ weeks
Articular cartilage= 9-24 months
Meniscus/labrum= 3-12 months

Certain things will definitely affect how quickly your injury will heal including: the severity of your injury; how you load your injury (this is where we come in as we can guide you to how to best load your injury); movement patterns that are helpful or are hindering you (again we can help with this); good sleep, adequate hydration & good nutrition will all influence your recovery; as will any co-morbidities that affect your blood circulation (e.g. unmanaged diabetes.

As you can see there is a large window of time for most of these injuries before complete healing & remodelling takes place, but that doesn’t mean you’ll be in pain or limited for that whole period of time- but it does mean you’re more at risk to reinjure the site of injury until the injury has completely healed & remodelled.

**Full credit for this post goes to a fellow Physical Therapy company in the United States called Evolve Flagstaff (give them a follow on Instagram & book in with them if you’re over that way!). Here is the link to the full article where I sourced this information: https://www.evolveflg.com/articles/tissue-healing.**

Habits…

Sun, 04 Dec 2022 07:17:46 GMT

The good, the bad and those habits!

I hope everyone did something physical today. There are lots of options. As a life habit you should always do some kind of exercise no matter how under the pump you are. Whether it’s a walk or jog, some calisthenics, or full on training, your body, your heart, your lungs and your mind will appreciate it.

Routine is what turns an action or an activity into a habit. In terms of fitness goals we do not decide our future we decide our habits and our habits create our future. That’s why you should be organised. Your personal goal should be to create routines that transform actions into positive habits. This simple action is is the secret of many successful people.

Creating routines will help you to develop good habits, get rid of bad habits, help you get more things done (because you will be more efficient and productive), stops procrastination and help with time management. Ultimately, you are going to be a lot better and healthier because of it.

Structuring your life creates a habit loop which consists of creating a cue, creating a routine and a reward (Charles Duhigg, author of the book The Power of Habits). The idea is that your brain subconsciously begins to see the activity as worthwhile so your brain encourages you to turn the activity into a routine because it perceives it to be something worth doing again and again. As an example you might set an alarm for 3.00pm signaling to carb up so you head to the kitchen and make something healthy, then you head to the gym like clockwork at 5.15pm, and because you trained you feel satisfied and invigorated.

Unfortunately, the down side is that our brains struggle to differentiate between good and bad habits. Weirdly, it seems that most unhealthy and bad habits act on the pleasure centres of our brains. That’s why it’s so damn difficult to break the cycle of negative habits. It has been said that “The chains of habit are too weak to be felt until they are too strong to be broken.” – Samuel Johnson. Steve Maraboli asks the question “Why are we not freeing ourselves from the bondage of bad habits?”. Probably it is because the pleasure centres in our brain prefer unhealthy eating habits, social media and Netflix, to the point where they will not even release you for an hour.

Here are some inspiring quotes attesting to the power of routine: “The secret of your future is hidden in your daily routine.” – Mike Murdock.

“You’ll never change your life until you change something you do daily. The secret of your success is found in your daily routine.” – John C. Maxwell (one of the greatest leadership mentors of all time), “To change a habit, you must keep the old cue and deliver the old reward, but insert a new routine.” – Charles Duhigg. “In essence, if we want to direct our lives, we must take control of our consistent actions. It’s not what we do that shapes our lives, but what we do consistently.” – Tony Robbins.

We all know that when you have good habits, success is never far behind. Whether it’s with study or at work, good habits lead to better outcomes. Most importantly, good personal habits will likely make you happier and healthier. The benefits of good habits are virtually endless. Unfortunately, the downside of bad habits in terms of our fitness and wellness journey is that some (or much) of what we do actually neutralises some of the really good stuff we are doing e.g. we train but we eat poorly or we train inconsistency because we have a habit of allowing things to get in the way of a routine.

Now, what does this have to do with physiotherapy and injury prevention- well, everything! If we create good habits around health and exercise we are less likely to sustain certain injuries, and if we do get injured but set up a good routine and habits around our rehabilitation we will recover from injuries much more quickly- win win win!

Homework:

Reflect on this and ask yourself “what habits have I got that are sabotaging my opportunities or chance at success”, then start a challenge to get rid of it. Similarly, ask yourself, “in terms of wellness and fitness, what habits should I start instituting in my life to change my future” – and begin immediately.