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On the 7-8th July 2018
in the Gower near Swansea, South Wales Jonathan Rothery Director of Rothery Health here in Saundersfoot took part in the iconic Breca Swim/Run.Swimrunning is all about equipment experimentation and trying new ideas. Almost anything goes in the race,just so long as you carry what you have for swimming & running with you from start to finish and it’s not motor-powered!
Breca Gower 2018 was a hot, beautiful weekend of swimrun racing! The weekend’s forecast was for air temperatures of 26-27°c, light winds and sea temperatures as high as 18°c.
John explained that due to the heat they had to plan the race accordingly:
– adjusting the pace for the conditions
– hydrating properly at the checkpoints
– paying attention to his teammate & business partner Andrew Wallace from Swim Pembrokeshire
The race involved swimming 5k & running 37k across Wales’s iconic Gower peninsula (with 18 transitions & 9 swims) like never before exploring limestone cliffs, ancient woodlands, white sand beaches and secret bays. Trail running on Gower’s spectacular and challenging coastal path and multiple ocean swims made the Breca Gower a true swimrun test and an “unforgettable experience” John said .
They are both now looking forward to doing Breca Scilly islands off the coast of Cornwall
Last weekend John Rothery Principal at Rothery Health was lucky enough to meet & treat Brian Jacks former Olympic Judo player in Lincoln. Brian was on a UK tour promoting his new book “The Mindset of a Champion “
Brian Jacks after becoming the UKs best Judo player later achieved national fame for his outstanding performances on the BBC programme Superstars in which he was one of the most successful competitors. Jacks dominated the British and European version of the contest from 1979 to 1980, winning four titles.
Jacks was most famous for his amazing efforts in the gymnasium, where he repeatedly set records in the “gym tests”, including 100 parallel bar dips in 60 seconds in the 1981 Challenge of the Champions, and 118 squat thrusts in the 1980 World Final.He was also very dominant in the weightlifting, canoeing and cycling events, rarely placing lower than second. Jacks was never able to win the World Superstars title, being forced to miss the 1979 event due to illness and finishing third in 1980. In 1981 he was beaten for the first time in Europe and would never again compete in Superstars.
“Brian was an absolute gent & had plenty of injuries to work on ,but was infectious was his positivity to life” john said. “I do believe he is trying to get a film about his life made which i think will be fantastic “
What are things that we can all do tonight and in the future to start getting better sleep? Well, beyond carving out a non-negotiable eight-hour sleep opportunity, there are probably at least five things that we can do.
1/try and maintain regularity. And if there’s one thing that you take away from this, it would be going to bed at the same time and waking up at the same time, no matter whether it’s the weekday or the weekend. Even if you’ve had a bad night of sleep, still wake up at the same time of day and reset.
2/We are a dark-deprived society in this modern era and we need darkness in the evening to allow the release of a hormone called melatonin. And melatonin helps the healthy timing of our sleep.
So try to dim down half the lights in your home in the hour before bed. Stay away from screens, especially those LED screens — they emit blue light that actually puts the breaks on melatonin. And those blue-light emitting devices fool your brain into thinking that it’s still daytime, even though it’s nighttime and you want to get to sleep.
3/The next key ingredient is to keep it cool. Many of us actually have a bedroom that’s too warm in terms of temperature.
So an optimal temperature is about 68 degrees Fahrenheit or about 18 and a half degrees Celsius. And the reason is that your brain and your body need to drop their core temperature by about two or three degrees Fahrenheit to initiate good sleep. And that’s the reason why you’ll always find it easier to fall asleep in a room that’s too cold than too hot. So having a cool room actually takes your brain and body in the right temperature direction to get good sleep.
4/ Avoid alcohol and caffeine. Unfortunately, this makes me deeply unpopular but alcohol is perhaps the most misunderstood drug when it comes to sleep. People think that it helps them fall asleep. That’s not actually true. Alcohol is a class of drugs that we call, “the sedatives.” And what you’re doing is just knocking your brain out. You’re not putting it into natural sleep.
We also know that alcohol will fragment your sleep. So you’ll wake up many more times throughout the night. And alcohol is also a very potent chemical for blocking your dream sleep or your rapid eye movement sleep.
Caffeine is also a problem. Many of us know that caffeine can keep us awake. It’s an alerting chemical, it’s a stimulant in terms of a class of drugs. But few people know that even if you can have a cup of coffee after dinner and you fall asleep fine and maybe you stay asleep, the depth of the deep sleep that you have when there is caffeine within your brain isn’t as deep as when you’ve abstained from that cup of coffee after dinner. So as a consequence, you wake up the next morning, you feel unrefreshed and you don’t remember waking up or having a difficult time falling asleep but now you find yourself reaching for two or three cups of coffee in the morning and you develop this dependency, this addiction cycle.
5/Dont stay in bed awake. So if you haven’t fallen asleep within 20 or so minutes or you’ve woken up and you’re finding it difficult to fall back asleep, don’t stay in bed awake. The reason is that your brain very quickly starts to learn the association between your bed being about the place that you’re awake rather than your bed being about sleep. So the advice is to get up, go to another room and in dim light, just read a book. No screens, no email checking, no food. And only when you feel sleepy should you return to bed and that way you can then actually re-learn the association between your bedroom being about the place of sleep rather than being awake.
speak to us at the clinic if unsure
The shoulder is at high risk for injury during overhead sports, in particular in throwing or hitting activities, such as baseball, tennis, handball, and volleyball. In order to create a scientific basis for the prevention of recurrent injuries in overhead athletes, four steps need to be undertaken: (1) risk factors for injury and re-injury need to be defined (2) established risk factors may be used as return-to-play criteria(3) these variables need to be measured using reliable, valid assessment tools and procedures; and (4) preventative training programs need to be designed and implemented into the training program of the athlete in order to prevent re-injury
In general, three risk factors have been defined that may form the basis for recommendations for the prevention of recurrent injury and return to play after injury: glenohumeral internal-rotation deficit (GIRD); rotator cuff strength, in particular the strength of the external rotators; and scapular dyskinesis, in particular scapular position and strength.
Numerous exercises have been described to strengthen the rotator cuff muscles, including concentric, isometric, eccentric, and plyometric exercises. In view of the eccentric component of the function of the external rotators, the sport-specific exercises for overhead athletes should focus on two areas in my opinion
1) Exercises that accentuate the eccentric phase and “avoid” the concentric phase in order to load the muscles based on their eccentric capacity. The picture below shows an example of an eccentric exercise for the external rotators in general in an abducted position.
2)Slow exercises for absolute strength, fast exercises for endurance and plyometric capacity
speak to us at the clinic if you wish for some guidance on how to rehab your shoulder
NSAIDs stand for Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory drugs. A “topical” NSAID analgesic treatment is a pain relieving gel, cream, patch or spray that is applied directly to the painful part of the body. This works differently to painkillers that are taken orally which dissolve to release their ingredients into the bloodstream.
Deep Relief Anti-inflammatory Gel and Deep Relief Joint Pain Gel are topical NSAIDs pain and inflammation relief treatments designed for targeted use directly on the skin where you need it.
Topical NSAIDs such as gels are well recognized as an effective alternative to oral pain-killers.The use of topical NSAIDs to treat lower back pain or sprains and strains that “Rub-on” (topical) treatments and painkillers such as ibuprofen are effective in most cases however patients should consult their pharmacist first.
Topical NSAIDs provided good levels of pain relief in a recent study in acute conditions such as sprains, strains and overuse injuries, probably similar to that provided by oral NSAIDs.
Gel formulations of diclofenac (as Emugel®), ibuprofen, and ketoprofen, and some diclofenac patches, provided the best effects. Adverse events were usually minimal
In concludsion topical NSAIDs are effective in providing pain relief, and this demonstrates that certain formulations, mainly gel formulations of diclofenac, ibuprofen, and ketoprofen, provide the best results.
Speak to us at the clinic if unsure
The rotator cuff is a group of four muscles that stabilize the shoulder and allow it to move. You should visualize the head of the arm bone as a golf ball, and the area of the shoulder blade as a golf tee. The rotator cuff serves as a sleeve that enables the ball to spin and roll while remaining on the tee.
The most common rotator cuff injuries are impingements and tears.
Impingement: An impingement occurs when a rotator cuff muscle swells and cramps the space between the arm and shoulder bones, causing pinching. Muscle strain, other overuse injuries, and bone spurs are common causes of swelling.
Tear: A less common injury, a rotator cuff tear occurs when a rotator cuff tendon or muscle is torn. Most tears will not require surgery.
Repetitive, overhead motions can wear down the rotator cuff muscles and are thus a common cause of injury. This is why athletes such as cricket players frequently have shoulder issues. A traumatic injury, such as falling onto your arm, can also cause injury. Regardless of how it happens, the risk of a rotator cuff tear increases as we age and the wear on our bodies accumulates.
Speak to us at the Clinic if you have an undiagnosed shoulder injury.We are also looking at offering steroid injections at the clinic to assist in the rehab of shoulder pathologies
Sports Hernia (Athletic Pubalgia)
A sports hernia is a painful, soft tissue injury that occurs in the groin area. It most often occurs during sports that require sudden changes of direction or intense twisting movements.
Although a sports hernia may lead to a traditional, abdominal hernia, it is a different injury. A sports hernia is a strain or tear of any soft tissue (muscle, tendon, ligament) in the lower abdomen or groin area.
Because different tissues may be affected and a traditional hernia may not exist, the medical community prefers the term “athletic pubalgia” to refer to this type of injury. The general public and media are more familiar with “sports hernia”
Speak to us at the clinic of you think you’ve got a sportsman’s hernia
www.rotheryhealth.com
As we get older we begin to lose muscle mass, approximately 1% every year. But more importantly, the decline in muscle strength declines at a rate 3-times greater . The consequences of this decline in strength are significant, with lower muscle strength being associated with an increased risk of dementia, needing care and mortality. A recent study from Britain showed an association between older adults who participated in 2 days per week of strength training and a 20% reduction in mortality from any cause and a 43% reduction in cancer mortality. Data from a Women’s Health Study in the US published at a similar time also showed women reporting up to 145 minutes per week of strength training having a 19-27% reduced risk of mortality from any cause.
Other experiments from around the world have also used strength training in older people to-
1/increase bone strength in postmenopausal women
2/help manage blood sugar levels in adults with type 2 diabetes
3/counteract the catabolic side effects of androgen-deprivation therapy for men with prostate cancer
4/improve sleep
5/manage depression
6/ help older people recover from a heart attack
So it comes as no surprise to see that the Australian and UK public health guidelines for physical activity recommend we take part in activities such as strength training 2-to-3 days per week. Are you doing enough? Unfortunately however, these recommendations lack detail and guidance on intensity and frequency and are NOT carried out by all people!
Speak to us at the clinic if your about to start a strength training programme or are worried about an injury preventing you from taking part in physical exercise
01834 813975
www.rotheryhealth.com
A recent study in the Journal of Sports medicine has identified that taking dietary antioxidants in the form of supplements (e.g. tablets, capsules, powders) or antioxidant-enriched foods (e.g. food concentrates) in doses much higher than the recommended amounts (up to 10 times the recommended daily amounts) several days before and after exercise has been proposed to have only a very slight effect if any to prevent or reduce muscle soreness.
Overall, the review found that antioxidant supplementation might reduce muscle soreness very slightly in the first three days after exercise. However, these reductions were so small that they were unlikely to make any difference.
Antioxidants is one of those buzzwords that gets thrown around a lot, even though most people don’t fully understand what it means. We know that foods full of antioxidants are really good for us, and we should buy skincare with antioxidants to keep our skin healthy and ward off signs of aging. We need antioxidants, we should always say “yes” to antioxidants. But, why? What are these mythical compounds, and why’s everyone always making such a big deal out of them?
“Antioxidants are compounds found in food that stop or delay damage to the cells,” Lauri Wright assistant professor of nutrition at the University of South Florida.. They are naturally found in many foods, especially plants. They help ward off cell damage by “cleaning up” or removing waste products in our cells, called free radicals, before they can do harm. Antioxidants are released from the foods we eat through digestion and travel through the bloodstream and into cells where they do work on free radicals.
Taking all of this into consideration, antioxidants supplements are perhaps a waste of money. Instead, move more; exercise regularly; eat a balanced diet; one that includes at least five or more portions of rainbow-coloured fruits and vegetables. Because for now at least, there appears to be no quick fix to easing muscle soreness after exercise. In fact, it seems muscle soreness is actually an important part of the recovery process, and helps to make your muscles stronger and bigger over time. And it’s this important recovery process that will ultimately help to make you fitter and stronger in the long run.
Speak to us at the clinic if unsure
1) Your back is stronger than you may think – the spine is strong and not easily damaged, so in most instances the pain will be down to a simple sprain or strain
2) You rarely need a scan
3) Avoid bed rest and get moving (but avoid aggravating activities)
4) Do not fear bending or lifting – do it in a way that is comfortable, using the hips and knees
5) Remember that exercise and activity can reduce and prevent back pain
6) Painkillers will not speed up your recovery
7) Surgery is rarely needed
8) Get good quality sleep if you can, because it will help you feel better overall
9) You can have back pain without any damage or injury
10) If it doesn’t clear up, seek help but don’t worry – book an appointment to see your doctor or osteopath if the pain persists
Inadequate blood flow can damage and eventually kill cells anywhere in the body. The brain has one of the body’s richest networks of blood vessels and is especially vulnerable.
In vascular dementia, changes in thinking skills sometimes occur suddenly following strokes that block major brain blood vessels. Thinking problems also may begin as mild changes that worsen gradually as a result of multiple minor strokes or other conditions that affect smaller blood vessels, leading to cumulative damage. A growing number of experts prefer the term “vascular cognitive impairment (VCI)” to “vascular dementia” because they feel it better expresses the concept that vascular thinking changes can range from mild to severe.
Vascular brain changes often coexist with changes linked to other types of dementia, including Alzheimer’s disease and dementia with Lewy bodies. Several studies have found that vascular changes and other brain abnormalities may interact in ways that increase the likelihood of dementia diagnosis.
Vascular dementia is widely considered the second most common cause of dementia after Alzheimer’s disease, accounting for 10 percent of cases. Many experts believe that vascular dementia remains underdiagnosed — like Alzheimer’s disease — even though it’s recognized as common.
Because vascular cognitive impairment may often go unrecognized, many experts recommend professional screening with brief tests to assess memory, thinking and reasoning for everyone considered to be at high risk for this disorder. Individuals at highest risk include those who have had a stroke or a transient ischemic attack (TIA, also known as a “ministroke”). Additional high-risk groups include those with high blood pressure, high cholesterol, or other risk factors for heart or blood vessel disease.
Professional screening for depression is also recommended for high-risk groups. Depression commonly coexists with brain vascular disease and can contribute to cognitive symptoms.
If brief screening tests suggest changes in thinking or reasoning, a more detailed assessment is needed. Core elements of a workup for vascular dementia typically include:
-A thorough medical history, including family history of dementia
-Evaluation of independent function and daily activities
-Input from a family member or trusted friend
-In-office neurological examination assessing function of nerves and —-reflexes, movement, coordination, balance and senses
-Laboratory tests including blood tests and brain imaging
Inadequate blood flow can damage and eventually kill cells anywhere in the body. The brain has one of the body’s richest networks of blood vessels and is especially vulnerable.
In vascular dementia, changes in thinking skills sometimes occur suddenly following strokes that block major brain blood vessels. Thinking problems also may begin as mild changes that worsen gradually as a result of multiple minor strokes or other conditions that affect smaller blood vessels, leading to cumulative damage. A growing number of experts prefer the term “vascular cognitive impairment (VCI)” to “vascular dementia” because they feel it better expresses the concept that vascular thinking changes can range from mild to severe.
Vascular brain changes often coexist with changes linked to other types of dementia, including Alzheimer’s disease and dementia with Lewy bodies. Several studies have found that vascular changes and other brain abnormalities may interact in ways that increase the likelihood of dementia diagnosis.
Vascular dementia is widely considered the second most common cause of dementia after Alzheimer’s disease, accounting for 10 percent of cases. Many experts believe that vascular dementia remains underdiagnosed — like Alzheimer’s disease — even though it’s recognized as common.
Because vascular cognitive impairment may often go unrecognized, many experts recommend professional screening with brief tests to assess memory, thinking and reasoning for everyone considered to be at high risk for this disorder. Individuals at highest risk include those who have had a stroke or a transient ischemic attack (TIA, also known as a “ministroke”). Additional high-risk groups include those with high blood pressure, high cholesterol, or other risk factors for heart or blood vessel disease.
Professional screening for depression is also recommended for high-risk groups. Depression commonly coexists with brain vascular disease and can contribute to cognitive symptoms.
If brief screening tests suggest changes in thinking or reasoning, a more detailed assessment is needed. Core elements of a workup for vascular dementia typically include:
-A thorough medical history, including family history of dementia
-Evaluation of independent function and daily activities
-Input from a family member or trusted friend
-In-office neurological examination assessing function of nerves and —-reflexes, movement, coordination, balance and senses
-Laboratory tests including blood tests and brain imaging
Posture matters a little, but not a lot. Most “poor posture” is just bad ergonomics and postural strain—a different problem. Postures that do harm and have easy fixes are rare; many postures are the result of long-term adaptations and nearly impossible to change.
Although many people do seem to be vulnerable to postural strain, but they have a problem with vulnerability, not posture. If your main issue is unexplained or stubborn aches and pains, working on posture is NOT the best way to spend your time: just get more exercise generally, especially tasks that require coordination, and anything you enjoy.
“Advanced” methods taught by posture gurus are mostly highly experimental and over-priced.This brings us to the question why would anyone choose to correct their posture,” says Dr Eyal Lederman, an osteopath and honorary senior lecturer at University College London’s Institute of Orthopaedics and Musculoskeletal Science.
“To date, all the research has shown that there is NO relationship between any postural factors, including the shape and curves of the back, asymmetries and even the way we use our spine to that of developing back pain.”
There is NO relationship between sitting and developing back pain. Therefore Professor O’Sullivans advice is equally direct. “If you don’t have back pain, then do not give your posture one second’s thought – think about being healthy. Sleep deprivation and stress are more important than the lifting you do. Stress has a strong inflammatory role; it can make muscles tense. Most people don’t get that their back can become sore if they are sleep deprived.”
Speak to us at the Clinic if unsure
As a Sports Specialist Osteopath I often get asked this question and yes sports massage may help in the short term but the long term underlying problems need addressing.Tight calf muscles tends to be most common amongst relatively new runners. This gives us a few clues already. It can be linked to a number of problems which can affect those new to the sport:
-A lack of flexibility in general
-Fatigued calf muscles
-Inappropriate footwear (we have a Podiatrist in Clinic who can help)
-Wearing high heels daily(shortens the calfs)
-Running too much, too soon(overload)
-Inadequate warm-up / cool-down
-Muscle imbalances elsewhere
-Running form (we perform gait analysis in Clinic
Overloading the calf ….? What’s this?
The first question we often ask in Clinic is what’s changed recently that coincides with your calf problems?
Common causes can be introducing hill or speed work, increasing weekly mileage and increasing training intensity. It’s also very common for people transitioning to barefoot running to have calf pain. Running barefoot often involves landing on the forefoot and this usually loads the calf muscles and achilles tendon more than running in shoes. Another factor is exercise you do in addition to running – if you’ve started to introduce gym sessions and running on the same day, or the following day, the calf may already be somewhat fatigued before you start.
There is a cumulative effect to exercise that can be quite subtle. If you run regularly you might be quite accustomed to running on heavy tired legs. You can become unaware just how fatigued muscles are getting. If you’ve developed calf pain then pop in the clinic to assess you properly
So what’s the difference ?
Osteopaths view the body as a unique, interconnected, self-healing system. Osteopathic treatment focuses on correcting disturbances with this system, whether caused (by among many things) muscle weakness/imbalance and/or tension, restricted joint movements, poor posture or working practices. Given that each body is viewed as being unique, treatment is tailored to the individual not the symptom(s).
Osteopathic diagnosis and treatment is around 90% ‘hands-on’. The techniques employed by osteopaths can vary from cranial osteopathic (gentle touch and pressure – see the page on cranial osteopathy for more information), soft tissue techniques such as massage and passive joint movements (where the osteopath initiates and controls the movement) and thrust techniques (such as manipulation – often referred to by patients as ‘cracking’ – which, incidentally, is only the release of a slight vacuum that has built up between two surfaces of a joint). They may also use ultrasound, modern acupuncture,electrical acupuncture & medical cupping and in many cases lifestyle/postural advices, exercises and/or stretches may be given.
Physiotherapists concentrate on restoring optimum function and performance to the problem area. As physiotherapy has been an intrinsic part the NHS for many years, the availability of funding has driven research and enabled studies leading to the development of ‘treatment protocols’ for the treatment of specific problems.
Physiotherapy diagnosis and treatment is less ‘hands-on’ (around 60%) as more focus is given to observing movement and correcting technique. The techniques employed by physiotherapists vary from soft tissue techniques, such as massage and passive joint movements (movements initiated and controlled by the physiotherapist), to more extensive rehabilitation exercise programs. Ultrasound may also be employed.
So who do I see ? Well as the old cliche goes the therapist that “works best for you”
www.rotheryhealth.com
If you ask most people how to prevent back pain they will say: “Sit up straight and mind my back,because our parents have instilled this in us,” says Kieran O’ Sullivan, senior lecturer at the University of Limerick and lead physiotherapist at the sports spine centre in Aspetar hospital, Qatar. We are, says O’Sullivan, almost paranoid about posture. Yet the evidence linking posture and backache is surprisingly insubstantial.
There is no agreed gold standard of good posture. A study of 295 physiotherapists in four European countries asked them to pick their perfect posture from pictures of nine options ranging from slumped to upright. While 85% chose one of two postures, these were very different, with one having less lumbar curve than the others and a more erect upper back. The researchers warned that this posture would actually need higher levels of muscle activity and could cause greater tiredness and discomfort. The other favourite had more lumbar curve, but the researchers said there was no evidence it would reduce the risk of back pain. In fact, different postures suit different people – women, for example, tend to have a larger hollow in their lower back.
O’Sullivan says that rather than focus on the right posture, the ability to vary it and shift easily may be more important: “While it is appealing to think that if you sit up straight you will not get back pain, this is not supported by big studies across many countries.” Indeed, while many websites swear that bad posture (usually defined as slumping, leaning forwards or standing with a protruding belly) causes everything from back pain to varicose veins and indigestion, there is no evidence that it causes general health problems.
This brings us to the question why would anyone choose to correct their posture , says Dr Eyal Lederman, an osteopath and honorary senior lecturer at University College London’s Institute of Orthopaedics and Musculoskeletal Science. “To date, all the research has shown that there is no relationship between any postural factors, including the shape and curves of the back, asymmetries and even the way we use our spine, to that of developing back pain.”
There is no relationship between sitting and developing back pain. Yes, if you already have back pain, you might feel it more when sitting; but it is not the cause of the back pain.” Lederman argues that we have evolved to be able to bend and lift: “These natural activities are safe and beneficial to our spinal health; we must stop being afraid of them.”
Speak to us at the clinic if you want the most up to date advise on back pain
If you ask most people how to prevent back pain they will say: “Sit up straight and mind my back,because our parents have instilled this in us,” says Kieran O’ Sullivan, senior lecturer at the University of Limerick and lead physiotherapist at the sports spine centre in Aspetar hospital, Qatar. We are, says O’Sullivan, almost paranoid about posture. Yet the evidence linking posture and backache is surprisingly insubstantial.
There is no agreed gold standard of good posture. A study of 295 physiotherapists in four European countries asked them to pick their perfect posture from pictures of nine options ranging from slumped to upright. While 85% chose one of two postures, these were very different, with one having less lumbar curve than the others and a more erect upper back. The researchers warned that this posture would actually need higher levels of muscle activity and could cause greater tiredness and discomfort. The other favourite had more lumbar curve, but the researchers said there was no evidence it would reduce the risk of back pain. In fact, different postures suit different people – women, for example, tend to have a larger hollow in their lower back.
O’Sullivan says that rather than focus on the right posture, the ability to vary it and shift easily may be more important: “While it is appealing to think that if you sit up straight you will not get back pain, this is not supported by big studies across many countries.” Indeed, while many websites swear that bad posture (usually defined as slumping, leaning forwards or standing with a protruding belly) causes everything from back pain to varicose veins and indigestion, there is no evidence that it causes general health problems.
This brings us to the question why would anyone choose to correct their posture , says Dr Eyal Lederman, an osteopath and honorary senior lecturer at University College London’s Institute of Orthopaedics and Musculoskeletal Science. “To date, all the research has shown that there is no relationship between any postural factors, including the shape and curves of the back, asymmetries and even the way we use our spine, to that of developing back pain.”
There is no relationship between sitting and developing back pain. Yes, if you already have back pain, you might feel it more when sitting; but it is not the cause of the back pain.” Lederman argues that we have evolved to be able to bend and lift: “These natural activities are safe and beneficial to our spinal health; we must stop being afraid of them.”
Speak to us at the clinic if you want the most up to date advise on back pain
two major issues to my attention:
Cautious movement: Over time, I became aware of how slowly and cautiously I had been moving all this time and how I was subconsciously guarding and protecting my left leg. I began to notice built-in strategies I had developed for myself. If I had to pick something off the ground I would single-leg squat on my right leg so as to ‘protect’ the left leg. When doing even the most menial of tasks (sitting down for example) I would grunt, groan or grimace, holding my breath as if I was attempting to move a boulder! Every little activity I did was laborious, carried out in a tense, rigid and unrelaxed manner.
The importance of stress and systemic health and its effect on pain: Kieran helped educate me as to how important things like stress, lack of sleep, frustration and anxiety can play on our overall system. He explained that pain is a stressor and emphasised the importance of bringing the levels of things like cortisol (often called the ‘stress hormone’) and adrenaline to more normal levels throughout the day.
