health

Static vs dynamic stretching. What’s the difference and what should I be doing?

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When it comes to preparing your body for a workout, the notion of static stretching as a warm-up is facing a considerable challenge. Recent research is uncovering potential drawbacks, revealing that this traditional approach might not be the performance booster we once believed it to be. In fact, static stretching could have the counterintuitive effect of decreasing muscle power for hours post-stretch, potentially hindering your athletic performance.

The promise of injury prevention often associated with static stretching seems to fall short in the scientific realm. Studies are urging fitness enthusiasts to pivot toward dynamic exercises for a more effective warm-up routine. Dynamic exercises, such as proprioceptive training, strength workouts, and dynamic warm-ups, are emerging as champions in preserving performance levels and reducing the risk of injuries.

The shift from static to dynamic warm-ups has a growing evidence base. Dynamic exercises engage your muscles in a way that static stretching simply doesn’t. They prepare your body for the dynamic movements that lie ahead in your workout, enhancing flexibility, blood flow, and overall performance. As we bid adieu to the old-school static stretches, consider embracing a new era of warm-up routines that incorporate dynamic, agility, strength, and balance exercises for superior results.

So, before you settle into that long-held stretch pre-workout, take a moment to reassess. Your body might just thank you for the switch, unlocking a new realm of athletic potential and injury prevention. After all, in the dynamic world of fitness, adaptability is key. ????????

Staying active on Callaghan campus

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Staying active on Callaghan Campus Physio Newcastle

Its winter but your body still needs a regular dose of activity. Staying active is harder when the days get shorter but it’s still just as important and beneficial to our health. The good news is that inactivity is reversible.

The research still tells us that better cardiovascular fitness is associated with healthier living and 2 strength sessions per week can make a difference to your health in many ways. We’ve summarised the evidence of staying active via strength exercise previously. Click here to read more. There are plenty of good activity options on Callaghan campus.

  • Walking on campus – it’s the quickest and easiest option and much better than having lunch at your desk each day
  • Outdoor equipment surrounding the oval 2 and 3 outside The Forum is free and easy to use. Another great lunchtime session combined with walking between them.
  • Group fitness classes at The Forum – either before work or after or even at lunchtime, the group fitness classes
  • NU Strength classes – If you like small group, mat based pilates style exercise then NU Moves Physio provides a range of early morning, lunchtime and evening workouts to help the body and back.
  • The newly refurbished gym at The Forum is an excellent way to combine cardio exercise with some stretching and strength exercise for an overall feel better workout that you are in control of.
  • Have a swim at The Forum – its particularly quiet and calm around lunchtime for a peaceful exercise session that will make you feel great.

Feel better & get active. Its worth doing.

Strength exercise – more evidence that it is worth doing

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Strength Training

The reason for doing the recommended 2 strength based exercise sessions per week has been given another boost from a recently published study. Stamatakis et al analysed adults over 30 in the United Kingdom that were selected from a pool of 80,000 people completing an annual survey then further assessed via interview and questionnaires over a 9 year period.

Strength based exercise on its own has been shown to reduce diabetes risk and when combined with cardio exercise gave even greater benefits. This study looked at reductions in mortality that could be attributed to different types of exercise that is recommended by the world health organisation. Namely 150-300 minutes of cardiovascular exercise and 2 strength exercise sessions per week.

They found 36.2% of the sample group met only the aerobic exercise guidelines. 3.4% met only the strength exercise guidelines and 5.5% met both aerobic and strength exercises recommendations.

Participation in any form of strength exercise led to a 23% reduction in mortality from all causes and a 31% reduction in mortality from cancer. Combining the strength and aerobic exercise guidelines further reduced the rate of mortality than aerobic physical activity alone.
The definition of strength exercise included both gym and body weight exercises but they analysed whether one was better than the other. The study found bodyweight exercises gave the same benefit to gym-based activity. Previous studies have indicated that increasing muscle strength has been associated with reduced cancer mortality independent of aerobic fitness. Also higher muscle strength, as opposed to just participating in strength exercise led to reductions in mortality.

Meeting the strength exercise recommendations of twice per week was found to be as important as achieving the weekly aerobic exercise recommendations for health benefits and reducing the risk of mortality.

Summary:

  • Get into strength exercises even if it’s just body weight exercise
  • Make it challenging enough to increase your strength
  • If you are just starting out, don’t go too hard too fast or you may increase your risk of injury
  • If you are not sure what strength exercise program is suitable for you, let us know and we can help you get started on a program that is safe and effective to achieve your health goals

Stamatakis et al 2017, Does strength promoting exercise confer unique health benefits? A pooled analysis of eleven population cohorts with all-cause, cancer, and cardiovascular mortality endpoints. Am J of Epidemiology.

Aerobic vs anaerobic … what type of exercise should you be doing?

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Exercise types

There are plenty of research articles supporting both aerobic and anaerobic exercise. Some examples of aerobic exercise include running, walking, swimming, cycling etc. Types of anaerobic exercise include weight training, sprinting or any exercise bout lasting less than two minutes. After around two minutes your body’s demand for oxygen is exceeded by the body’s production of oxygen and therefore becomes more aerobic type exercise. Aerobic training is beneficial for cardiovascular health. It enhances the hearts function enabling it pump more blood to the body with each beat and also lowers resting heart rate. Aerobic training is beneficial for overall health, reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and many other chronic diseases. Resistance training is beneficial for building strength, supporting and enhancing bone growth, and lowering blood sugar. This is especially beneficial for those people diagnosed with diabetes. Resistance training builds muscle which uses glucose for energy and increases insulin sensitivity. So which type of exercise should you be doing? A combination of aerobic and resistance training will have optimal effects. Make exercising enjoyable; try a range of exercise options until you find one you enjoy and stick with it. Try exercising with friends, with music or different classes. You are more likely to stick to a program if it is something you enjoy.

If you want to learn more about the best type of exercise for you contact us on 49216879. Our physiotherapists are skilled in exercise prescription for everyday casual exercise through to professional sports conditioning programs.

Exercise recommendations for healthy living

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running and physiotherapy

The current exercise recommendations for healthy living in Australia and via the world health organisation (WHO) are worth checking. Do you accumulate 150 – 300 minutes moderate intensity exercise or 75 – 150 vigorous exercise per week? Do you do muscle strengthening 2 days per week?

Think about where you sit relative to the recommendations. And while mentioning sitting, this advice is most important if you spend most of your day at a  desk. Anything is better than nothing but maintaining the recommended level of healthy exercise will pay dividends in the short and long term.

If you want to know more about the health recommendations click here. If you need help getting started with strength based exercise program give us a call 49216879.

Looking after your physical health as a uni staff member

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NU Moves massage

Did you know that there is a physiotherapy clinic on campus? NU Moves Physiotherapy offers discounts to all uni staff members. It is important to us to help keep UoN staff healthy and active. If you are in pain see a physio today.

Our physios at NU Moves have post-graduate qualifications in manual therapy; exercise prescription; expert clinical problem solving; and clinical research. We undertake a thorough assessment to determine the cause of your pain and an appropriate treatment plan to suit your goals. All of our treatments sessions are one-on-one. Whether you wish to be pain free while sitting at work, or staying active through exercise – NU Moves can help.

NU Moves are familiar with the workplace demands that at times are associated with prolonged sitting, increased stress and not enough time to exercise. All of these factors contribute to pain. A good start is to make time for your daily dose of physical activity every day. Another method of relieving pain associated with stress or muscle tension is massage. Manual therapy from a physio involves massage of varying types; joint mobilisation (gentle form of manipulation) and stretches. You may also be helped via advice around posture or your computer and work station ergonomic set-up.

NU Moves Physiotherapy also performs dry needling, orthotic prescription, bracing / splinting, exercise and gym programming, and work specific functional rehabilitation.
To book an appointment with NU Moves call 4921 6879.