physiotherapy

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

by
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. ????????

Sports injury management

by

Sports injury management

When it comes to sports injury management, most people are familiar with the old acronym RICE (rest, ice, compression, elevation) for soft tissue injury management, but what is the evidence for it, and can we do better?

Complete rest is rarely necessary following simple soft tissue injuries. For example, following a simple ankle sprain, a person who continues to move the ankle and weight bear as tolerated will have accelerated recovery compared to someone who avoids weight bearing and keeps the ankle still.

Ice is often used immediately following a soft tissue injury. Ice does not reduce swelling. If applied correctly, ice can reduce the temperature of surrounding tissues enough to reduce the nerve’s ability to carry information back to the brain, thereby reducing pain. Unfortunately, ice can interrupt the natural inflammatory response following an injury and possibly delay the healing response. The consensus is: only ice following an injury if the pain is intolerable – then ice it properly by making a bag of crushed ice and water.

The new recommended acronym for soft tissue injury management. PEACE (Protect, Elevate, Avoid anti-inflammatories, Compress and Educate) refers to the steps immediately following injury. In the next few days, the injury needs a bit of LOVE (Load, Optimism, Vascularisation and Exercise). For more information on how to best manage your injury, contact us on 49216879 or admin@numoves.com.au

For the full article visit the BJSM editorial: https://bjsm.bmj.com/content/54/2/72

Running resolution

by

Physio for runners newcastle

Do you have a 2020 running resolution?

Here at NUmoves we love to support people to get active, exercise and stay healthy. If your 2020 goal is to get started on a running routine, we have a few simple tips to make it easy to keep on track and injury free!

  1. Setup for success – If you have not run for a long time, you will need to use an interval training (run-walk-run-walk) program condition your leg muscles before you can do longer runs. It is better to run at your natural pace and then walk for a short rest than to try and run very slowly. Here is an example of an interval program that should be tailored to your previous running experience and amount of time off.
Interval Program – Novice Runners (not first timers) – For return to run after 3-12 month break.
Weeks Time Run Walk 1st Week 2nd Week
1-2 15 mins 60secs 60secs 2 runs 3 runs
2-3 20 mins 120secs 60secs 2 runs 3 runs
4-6 25mins 120secs 60secs 2 runs 3 runs
7-8 25 mins 5mins 60secs 2 runs 3 runs
  1. Cross train – you can improve your cardiovascular fitness with other forms of exercise, cycling, rowing, swimming and HIIT classes are all great options if the running legs are feeling a bit overdone. A running specific strengthening program can work wonders to improve your running performance and reduce the risk of injury, which leads to the next tip…
  1. Listen to your body – most people will know when they are doing too much too soon, muscles feeling fatigued, tight, sore etc. Ignore the signs at your peril.
  1. Remember your goals! – Rome wasn’t built in a day. For long term success, take your time to get there and you will be much more likely to smash your running goals.
  1. Make it fun – listen to music, run your local trails, run with friends, take the dog, every time you complete a run give yourself a pat on the back, you are one step closer to being your best self.

Staying active on Callaghan campus

by

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.

Shoulder posture and movement

by

Physiotherapy shoulder newcastle

The shoulder blade is an attachment point which the rotator cuff muscles of the shoulder operate from. Its only bony connection to the body is via the collar bone which in turn connects to the sternum. Otherwise it is incredibly moved and controlled by muscles connecting from the trunk and neck.

The muscles that hold the shoulder blade in position are often affected by pain in the region and what is normally a coordinated movement becomes the opposite. Because it sits over the back where you cant see it you often don’t know its moving poorly but this is sometimes what can lead to persisting shoulder pain. If assistance to correct the movement improves pain then you need to start with scapula rehabilitation.

The very old fashioned advice of shoulders “back and down” is not good advice. In fact the starting posture for a lot of us needs to be more “up, back and hold” but that also depends on your posture. The most common movement dysfunction is when the shoulder drops forwards and down and the shoulder blade wings or lifts away from the body nearest to the spine.

There are good and bad ways to correct posture of the shoulder blade. We use a combination of key verbal instructions, hands on facilitation of position and movement, mirrors for visual feedback, and sometimes tape to assist the process. Static posture holds are the starting point with correcting poor movement of the shoulder blade but it also needs to be progressed to functional movements like reaching overhead to a cupboard in front.

Some people are able to get the shoulder blade posture and movement better quite quickly but others take some time and repeated practice to move better and reduce pain. If you aren’t sure of how to correct your shoulder posture or if you have shoulder pain then we would be happy to help you. If you have shoulder pain a carefully prescribed exercise program can help.

Physiotherapy gym exercise shoulder

Read more about movement control problems in the shoulder (dyskinesia).

Spinal pain treatment – move more often

by

 

Back and neck pain treatment

NU Moves Physio leads the way in evidence based treatment. We are constantly looking to the latest evidence to help our clients move better and feel well. Being located at The University of Newcastle means a lot of our clients are academics, students and staff. A few areas we commonly treat are back and neck pain, which many people attribute to postural or sitting loads at work or while studying.

The scientific understanding of this problem has definitely evolved over the last few decades and has now changed significantly from the old adage of ‘sit up straight and don’t slouch’ to the ‘move more often’ advice. Move more means varying your postures and positions rather than having to sit up straight all the time. It might be that you need slouch a little if you have been upright for a while or sit back in your chair and use your backrest to sit up tall if you have been slouching. Stand desks are great to get you out of your chair but not for standing all day. A mixture of sitting and standing changes your posture which is best.

This is notably advice based on research for lower back pain. A common mistake leading to neck pain is reaching too far whilst at a computer.  Neck pain is often also related to the stress and tension that we carry in our shoulders. Again the best advice is often to get up and move more – go for a walk or do some exercise for 30 mins aiming for a daily basis. If you are too busy to walk that is often the problem that needs to be managed.

Professor Peter O’Sullivan leads the way in back pain research and advises ‘your best posture is your next posture’. Simple spinal pain treatment – move more often!

If you have neck pain or back pain at work or study, get moving and if pain holds you back then contact us on 0249216879 or admin@numovesphysiotherapy.com.au

Stress Fractures In Football

by

Football Physio Newcastle

Stress Fractures In Football

As we move towards selection for next year’s club football sides there is a tendency for players to push harder to prove themselves. More training, higher intensity, less rest / recovery time plus there can be school soccer games added in there, not to mention lunchtime playground fun. One consequence of an imbalance in load versus rest time is stress fractures. The earlier the problem is diagnosed the better the outcome and given that stress fractures can unfortunately lead to prolonged periods of lost game time, it is an important topic in football health and wellbeing. We have previously published a blog regarding stress fractures in runners, which includes a detailed explanation of the cause, biological process, diagnosis and management which you can read about here.

This blog will focus on some common causative factors and the division of the “high risk” versus “low risk” types of stress fractures, as these are managed very differently. The risk relates to the specific location within a given bone rather than the likelihood of developing that type of stress fracture.

Stress fractures almost always occur in one of the following scenarios, or a combination of these.

  1. Increase in load on a region of the body in a given (often too short) time period
  2. Decrease in recovery time relative to loading time
  3. Decrease in the bone’s ability to repair / remodel following exposure to load.

Therefore, when volume of load increases the risk is higher, such as progressing to a higher competitive level of play, a busy period in the season with extra games and training sessions, an increase in training load such as during pre-season fitness training or even a change in training surface or footwear relative to the amount of loading. Conversely if the athlete’s load remains unchanged but they have a change in diet, energy input, illness or nutritional balance this can lead to an increased risk of injury.

High risk stress fractures generally involve a bony area where there is critical blood supply or an ossification centre (where the bone grows from). An example of these are the Femoral neck (hip), Navicular bone (midfoot), base of the 5th metatarsal (outside of foot) and the medial malleolus (inside of the ankle). These are considered high risk due to the possibility of a full fracture disrupting the only blood supply to this part of the bone, which can lead to ongoing problems. The high risk stress fractures are often managed initially with complete unloading / non-weight bearing and then closely monitored during the periods of activity reduction / relative rest including repeated imaging studies to track bony healing. In more severe cases these can require surgical management. High risk stress fractures often require orthopaedic specialist involvement in early management. Regardless of severity if a stress fracture is diagnosed we recommend assessment and advice regarding management with a sports physician specialist.

Low risk stress fractures are located in areas with good blood supply which are known to heal well with relative rest and progressive rehabilitation. These are more common in soccer and mostly found in the postero-medial tibia (lower inside of the shin) and in the metatarsals (the forefoot). This type of stress fracture can usually be diagnosed clinically but usually require imaging (MRI / Xray) to confirm type and severity.

Effective management of these injuries in soccer players requires good communication between the physiotherapist, sports physician, coaches and player, especially given the potentially longer period of recovery than most soft tissue injuries. It is important not to continue to play if a stress fracture is a possibility.

If you have any questions on the information in this blog or need assistance in diagnosis or rehab relating to soccer injuries, contact us on admin@numovesphysiotherapy.com.au or 49216879.

Winter Sports

by

Winter Sports Physiotherapy Newcastle

Going skiing or snowboarding these holidays?

Remember to keep up your strength training before heading off on your trip. This will allow you to ski/board for longer without fatiguing. More importantly, strength training will also reduce your risk of injury. Great ways to improve strength and fitness indoors this winter include yoga, spin classes, weight training, rock climbing and more.

Another great way to improve your strength is through Pilates. Our Pilates classes run on 7am Mondays, 6:30pm Mondays, 7am Wednesdays and 12:15pm Fridays. Pilates helps to improve physical strength, flexibility, posture, and enhance mental awareness. All these benefits will allow you to be stronger and safer on the snow – these equal more fun!

Staying active throughout the winter can sometimes be difficult. No matter how choose to keep active and get stronger, something is better than nothing! Buy yourself some new exercise clothes. Remind yourself of your fitness goals, or make new goals.

For more information on sports preparation.

Starting off 2018 Pain Free and Positive

by

42345147 - side view of smiling business colleagues looking at each other

With 2018 under way and the upcoming uni semester fast approaching and workloads increasing, it is important to consider how to best maintain our health and bodies at home and at work. Particularly for those of us on campus working long hours at desks, computers and various projects, a large risk is the onset of neck pain. Not only is this uncomfortable, but impacts on our day to day routine and often effectiveness at the tasks so important to us.

As campus gets increasingly busy, it’s more important than ever to keep moving, and keep an eye on our work related postures. Although pain often follows trauma, it is often a consequence of remaining too long in one posture, whether this is sitting or standing. This may be seated at the computer desk, looking at our phones, or standing and chatting to colleagues. Chances of injury or pain is then increased with any kind of stress that may be experienced throughout the day.

As a university physiotherapy clinic that has been on campus for 14 years, NU Moves understands the workplace demands on staff, including the regular postural demands and time constraints. We are also familiar with treating a range of resulting issues such as neck, arm and lower back pain. Manual therapy or exercise prescription are extremely useful tools that our qualified physiotherapists can use to get you on track to moving well and feeling great. A great goal to aim for in terms of movement is 30 minutes a day, and 150 minutes a week, whether this is walking to lunch, your car, or to grab a coffee.

If you are experiencing pain at work, or wanting to maximise your health and movement, NU Moves Physio can help. With post graduate qualifications and experience in musculoskeletal assessment, manual therapy, exercise prescription and outstanding problem solving, out physiotherapists are here to help. One on one treatment sessions involve a thorough assessment to determine what is causing your pain, and a treatment plan explained in depth, so you know how to approach improving your health from your first appointment.

When is too much exercise a problem?

by

exercise problemExercise plays an important role in assisting in the management of mental well-being. Research exists that agrees with the idea that if we are regularly active the symptoms of depression may improve (Click here to read our previous blog on exercise and depression). If we then exercise harder, it sometimes makes us feel even better and this good feeling can both mentally and physically become addictive.

A recent practice article from Heather Hausenblas and James Smoliga in the British medical journal discusses ‘addiction to exercise’, where exercise is an essential element to every day. The discussion surrounding the difference between healthy regular exercise and an addiction to exercise is important especially when injury occurs, as a reliance on exercise is difficult to overcome.

Having a physio practice in a gym based environment means we have seen clients with a reliance on exercise to the point of it being an addiction. As a general observation it is more common now than 10 years ago, but a greater number of people have a level of awareness of their need to exercise. The greatest time of concern with exercise addiction relates to when injury occurs and the ability to exercise has decreased.

Managing an unhealthy reliance on exercise involves starting with reflecting on the motivation or reasons for needing to exercise. What are your goals for exercising? If an exercise addiction is present, then we do not need to stop exercising, but rather understand the reasons and work towards a healthy exercise routine with less risk of injury and improved health benefits. Hausenblas refers to it as reducing the rigidity of an exercise routine. If you are over-reliant on running, then we may try to change the exercise routine initially and replace a run with a swim. Gradually work towards a healthy volume of exercise is the goal.

If you are reliant on exercise and don’t feel you can stop then discuss it with your GP or a psychologist. Alternatively give us a call and we can discuss your exercise routine. We will not ask you to stop but can assist with strategies to start moving towards a healthy exercise routine.

Housenblas H, Shreiber K, Smoliga J. (2017): Addiction to exercise. The British Medical Journal. http://www.bmj.com/content/357/bmj.j1745