Age Related Muscle Loss

Age-Related muscle loss and why you should be exercising!

The one thing that all humans have in common is ageing. Unfortunately, from around the age of 30 we experience a decline in muscle mass, power, endurance and for some, a decline in function.

This gradual decline in muscular ability accelerates as we get older and can have an increasing effect on our everyday function. For some, daily living activities such as standing up from a chair or reaching to a
cupboard become increasingly more difficult. However, it is not all doom and gloom. There is an antidote to this physical ageing process...want to know what it is? Exercise!

Exercise has been shown to literally decrease and for some reverse the effects of physical ageing. It has the ability change our body’s physiology, improve function and decrease the chance of illness. In short there are a multitude of benefits of exercising and very little downsides.

The age-related loss of muscle function and mass is termed sarcopenia derived from the Greek words sarcos (flesh) and penia (loss). It’s definition includes loss of muscle strength, power and reduced function. It increases with age and is a major cause of frailty. 

This can have a profound impact on daily life as activities that we take for granted can become hard to do. But why do these changes occur and what can we do about sarcopenia?

Hormonal changes in the body are the primary cause for the involuntary loss of muscle as we age. For men a decrease in testosterone and for women a decrease in estrogen. These two hormones, along with growth factor play a key role in our body’s ability to build and maintain muscle.

If there is no stimulus to muscles, the decrease in hormone levels, will cause our bodies to start naturally decreasing muscle and increasing fat stores.

The main risk factor for developing sarcopenia is lack of exercise. However, a poor diet has also been shown to increase the risk. The table below shows factors that increase anabolic processes in our body (building up new cells and muscle) and catabolic processes (breaking down cells and muscles).

So what does this mean?

Sarcopenia and muscle loss has the potential to take a massive toll on an individual’s functional capacity. In other words, a person’s ability to complete everyday tasks. From getting out of a chair to doing the groceries to spending time with the grandchildren-the list keeps going. As we age, it is super important that we maintain our independence and therefore using the most effective anti-ageing strategy we have (EXERCISE) is at the top of this list.

In a nutshell, to prevent sarcopenia we need to increase anabolic factors and decrease catabolic ones (as per the table above). To do this we need to stimulate muscles in order to become stronger and grow. The most effective way to do this is resistance or weight training. Not only does it encourage the development of muscle cells it has also been shown to increase levels of estrogen, testosterone and growth factor! Having a clean and high protein diet can also help in this muscle-building process. 

Resistance training does not have to involve heavy weights and can be something as simple such as body weight exercises. It is important that we challenge our muscles in order to provide enough stimulation for them to grow. It is recommended to include both resistance training and cardiovascular/endurance-based training to get the most benefit from exercise. This is where our team can help guide and progress you to become stronger for longer. Everyone’s exercise plan should be tailored to them and with the help of one of our physiotherapists, exercise physiologists or strength & conditioning coaches you can get the best out of yourself with an individualised program.  

The benefits of exercise are endless and are not limited to preventing muscle loss. Not only does it make you feel great, it reduces the risk of other conditions such as osteoporosis (bone breaking down), and helps manage arthritis (takes the stress off joints). With very little downsides and so many benefits, you’d be silly not to exercise!

Want to learn more about how we can help?

Send us an email at reception@optimushealth.com.au or give us a call on 03 9913 8986

Pre Post Natal Exercise

When to Return to Exercise?

Returning to exercise, including yoga, gym, running or sports after having a baby can be an overwhelming process and something that often gets pushed to the backburner when you’re busy looking after a new bub! For other people, it is a high priority and they can’t wait to get back into things. Knowing when and how to start safely can be really difficult and there are many different factors to consider. 

When discussing return to exercise after childbirth with mums, I liken it to returning from an ankle sprain. After an ankle sprain, you would spend a period of time resting and recovering, then start to slowly and safely build strength back up, as well as range of motion and balance. Then we would continue to progress through a structured rehabilitation program until we were satisfied that the ankle was ‘match ready’ and appropriate to return to exercise or sport. We do this to avoid making the injury worse, reinjuring the ankle or injuring another part of the body. 

The exact same can be said for rehabilitation after childbirth. No matter how you gave birth, pregnancy alone is a risk factor for pelvic floor dysfunction and this can be exacerbated significantly by rushing back into things. Unfortunately, musculoskeletal pain, urinary incontinence, abdominal separation and pelvic organ prolapse are prevalent conditions amongst post natal runners and sports people alike. Because of this, it is so important that your return to exercise is safe, slow and most importantly, guided by a professional.

So, where to start?

Immediately after birth, rest and recovery is important. As soon as you are comfortable, you can start with some gentle pelvic floor activation exercises - you should be familiar with these from during your pregnancy (it is important that you don’t start these until your catheter is removed, if you require one). From then, until your 6 week appointment with your GP or obstetrician, you can slowly build up some light walking and do gentle stretches. 

If you have any pain or discomfort during this time (think shoulders or back from feeding or sitting in one position for too long!), you can absolutely book a physiotherapy appointment, in which we can provide you with hands-on treatment, some suggestions for better positions and posture and prescribe some gentle exercise.

Around the 6 week mark, you should have a check-up with your obstetrician or shared care provider. This appointment should be about both baby and yourself - follow up on any concerns and ensure you chat to your doctor about returning to exercise. Once they are happy for you to start to return to exercise - this is not your green light to start running around the block, but rather to start on your rehabilitation and return to exercise journey!

In order to successfully return to higher impact exercise, we need a strong and coordinated pelvic floor, strong abdominals, movement patterns to be normalised, the list goes on. As a general rule, high impact exercise should not be recommenced until at least 12 weeks, but usually more like 16. Again this is a general rule and is different for everyone! This means that the time between your 6 weeks check up and return to your exercise of choice should be spent rehabilitating and regaining strength.

How to get started?

The best way to get started at this point is to start with an assessment with an experienced physiotherapist, who will ask plenty of questions about pregnancy, birth and beyond, as well as your goals and how you’re currently feeling. From here we can tailor a rehab program that suits you - including starting you on a home exercise program and progressing you into a post natal pilates or gym group. Both of these small group options are supervised by a physiotherapist who is an expert in not only prescribing appropriate exercises which progressively strengthen, they are also able to analyse your movements and ensure they are carried out in a safe and appropriate manner. 

This last step is vital in ensuring that you are ready to go back to your regular gym classes - even a ‘mums & bubs’ class. At Optimus Health, in our postnatal classes each person is at a different stage in their journey and so everyone does their own individual exercises, prescribed to them specifically by the physiotherapist running the class. This differs from your average gym or pilates class, usually run by a PT or pilates instructor rather than a physio, with generic exercises that may or may not be appropriate for you at that point in time. 

Importantly, it is never too late to begin your post-partum return to exercise and improve on your pelvic floor and abdominal strength. Even if the above timeline doesn’t fit your journey - get in touch and we can tailor a rehabilitation program specifically for you!

We look forward to seeing you soon!

Ouch, there goes my hamstring!

Ouch, there goes my hamstring!

In the era of a worldwide pandemic, working from home with less than ideal desk spaces (can I hear you say kitchen bench with the worst chair known to man) and no sport to entertain us, it’s easy to see why we’re all eager to get back into the full swing of community-level sport.

You might start questioning your sanity when your coach at the footy club asks you to run 8x200m sprints at a 95% effort, but you do it anyway because hey, you’ve put on a few COVID kilos and it’s just great to be part of something again. But that’s when it happens!

You feel like you’re running as fast as you can, trying to keep up with the unnaturally fit midfielder at the front of the pack who seems to be like a gazelle, effortlessly completing these 200m efforts while you feel like your lungs are about to explode. You feel stiff and tight, but you keep pushing your pace and then POP! You feel your hamstring recoil like an elastic band and you instantly lose pace and grab your leg.

The third session at training and now you have to admit defeat and start rehab for 4-6 weeks before you can even consider giving those 8x200m efforts another red hot crack.

As a seasoned professional at tearing hamstrings, I can tell you now that these injuries are more stubborn than a teenage girl and they need to be carefully guided into a well thought out rehab program, because once one of these guys go, they become prone to tearing again and again.

So, how did I do my hamstring?

Well, hamstrings are complex and there can be multiple reasons why they tear, but let’s go over the key reason! Hamstrings span across two joints and attach at the hip and the knee. When you’re sprinting, the hamstrings have the unfortunate task of controlling the knee joint and ensuring the powerhouse of the thigh(quads) don’t take over and keep extending your knee past the boundaries of range your knee should travel in. Your quads are the on button, and your hamstrings are the off button.

During sprinting, the hamstrings can get lengthened too much, and like a theraband snapping and hitting you in the face, the hamstrings overstretch, and the muscle fibres fail, resulting in a tear and a loud, uncomfortable POP! Of course, there are a whole bunch of reasons why this happens which are specific to your individual biomechanics, sprinting technique, training history and level of strength. This just further highlights why a rehab program needs to be specific to you and not just a cookie-cutter program you follow because such and such AFL player followed it and returned to sport in 3 weeks compared to the normal 4-6 weeks.

Please tell me how to prevent it!

Hamstrings are still somewhat an enigma in the research world, but we’ve established three great training principles to follow for an Injury Prevention program.

Number one, strengthen your hamstrings!

Nordic hamstring exercises have been the flavour of the month for a long time; however, researchers now suggest we need to have a more holistic approach to hamstring strengthening. This is because the hamstrings have a very large force-velocity profile and need to be able to express power and maximal strength at different lengths and different types of muscle contractions. Exercises should include lengthening exercises such as Nordics, RDLs and eccentric hamstring sliders, as well as isometric exercises such as single leg bridge holds or weighted holds on the glute-ham raise machine.

Number two, don’t throw yourself in the deep end when it comes to sprinting.

Maybe you could go from couch to sprinting when you were a 10-year-old and invincible, but not so much anymore. Going from 0 to a 100 is a sure-fire way to book yourself a physio appointment for a torn muscle, so take it slow! Give yourself gradual exposure to sprinting to allow your physical tolerance for high-intensity loads to increase over time. To prevent injuries during sprinting, you must sprint!

If you want to run fast, then you have to practice running fast, common sense right? Exposing your hamstrings to a high-speed session 1-2x a week will make them stronger for tasks that require speed and higher intensity.

Number three, work on your lumbopelvic control.

Certain types of pelvic positions can increase your risk of hamstrings tears because of the increased stretch placed on the hamstrings. Doing regular Pilates or exercises that isolate movements to challenge postural awareness is a great way to ensure you improve your sprinting technique.

So, I’ve done my hamstring, should I do nothing for the next 4 weeks?

Definitely not! Your rehab should start straight away. The first thing we do is to find ways to move around your injury. Think of a big juicy donut. The inside circle of the donut is your hamstring tear, the outside circle of the donut is everything else – just because you tore your hamstring doesn’t mean you are now crippled and can’t do anything, you still get to enjoy your donut!

Generally, during the initial phase, we start off with gentle isometric exercise which encourages blood flow into the area and can reduce pain sensitivity. This happens from day 1 of your injury, not 3 weeks post. From here we gradually strengthen the hamstrings across the force-velocity profile. We also have a big emphasis on running mechanics that will prepare you for return to running even better than before your injury.

The final part of hamstring rehab is the most important and is the one where most people make mistakes. This is called a re-conditioning. Doing one session with a few sprint efforts sprinkled in does not mean you are 100% ready to return to sport. This phase needs to include an assessment of running form, bounding, running downhill, running uphill and increasing your cardiovascular fitness.

Just remember the principles of Protect and Expose. We initially want to protect the injury, and from there we want to expose it to new stimuli and bulletproof it for when you return to running like a gazelle in those 8x200m efforts.

---

Lara is a qualified Physiotherapist and Level 2 Strength & Conditioning Coach at Optimus Health Group.

She has a passion for injury prevention and utilising strength principals in helping people get back to their goals. Whether that be an athlete looking to return to sport or a mum who has just given birth!

If you would like to book an appointment with Lara give us a call on 9913 8986 or you can book online via our website.

Why Exercise is Important for Diabetes

Mali Jacobs - Accredited Exercise Physiologist

There are three types of diabetes - type 1; type 2 and gestational. It is a disease that affects insulin - a hormone produced by the pancreas that helps control our blood sugar levels. Without insulin, the body’s cells cannot turn glucose (sugar), into energy.

Type 1 diabetes

Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune condition in which the pancreas stops making insulin because the cells that make the insulin have been destroyed by the body’s immune system.

It can affect anyone, but is more common in people under 30 years and often begins in childhood.

Type 2 diabetes

Type 2 diabetes is a progressive lifestyle condition in which there is too much glucose in the blood. The body becomes resistant to the normal effects of insulin and/or gradually loses the capacity to produce enough insulin in the pancreas.
Type 2 diabetes develops over a number of years and is a result of ineffective insulin and not enough insulin. Insulin becomes increasingly ineffective at managing the blood glucose levels with the pancreas responding by producing greater and greater amounts of insulin, to try and achieve some degree of management of the blood glucose levels.

Eventually, the insulin-producing cells in the pancreas wear themselves out.

Gestational diabetes

Gestational diabetes occurs during pregnancy. In pregnancy, the placenta produces hormones that help the baby grow and develop. These hormones also block the action of the woman’s insulin. This is called insulin resistance. Because of this insulin resistance, the need for insulin in pregnancy is 2 to 3 times higher than normal. If you already have insulin resistance, then your body may not be able to cope with the extra demand for insulin production and the blood glucose levels will be higher resulting in gestational diabetes being diagnosed.

After pregnancy, blood glucose levels usually return to normal and gestational diabetes disappears, however, this insulin resistance increases the risk of developing type 2 diabetes in later life.

Risks of not managing blood glucose levels

Not managing blood glucose levels can lead to damage to many cells and organs in the body. Long-term unmanaged blood glucose levels can lead to serious conditions such as, Kidney disease, Vision Impairment/ Blindness, Heart Disease, Nerve Damage and Stroke.

Importance of exercise for Diabetes

Muscles can use glucose without insulin when you’re exercising. In other words, it doesn’t matter if you’re insulin resistant or if you don’t have enough insulin: when you exercise, your muscles get the glucose they need, and in turn, your blood glucose level goes down. Therefore along with medication and diet, exercise is a key ingredient in good management of blood glucose levels.

Role of the Exercise Physiologist
Although engaging in exercise is a great way to manage diabetes and prevent more serious complications from occurring, there are considerations and precautions that need to be adhered to. An Accredited Exercise Physiologist is an Allied Health Professional who is able to guide diabetics through safe exercise intervention.

If you would like to book an appointment with Mali to discuss your diabetes and how exercise can assist then give us a call on 9913 8986 or book online at bit.ly/OHGEP

Migraines and headaches…. Could the source be your neck?

Headaches related to your neck (cervicogenic headaches) are more common than you think and are often misdiagnosed as migraines. A migraine is a recurring headache that causes moderate to severe throbbing and pulsating pain on one side of the head. Migraines are usually (but not always) associated with other symptoms like nausea, sensitivity to light and/or sound or an aura and can last from hours to days. Historically migraines are managed by medications that aim to affect the suspected cause which can include chemical, hormonal, neural or vascular sources. Neck pain associated with migraines is common and may start before the migraine attack or occur during a migraine attack.

Cervicogenic headaches, on the other hand, are related to the structures and function of the upper cervical spine such as underlying damage, degeneration or dysfunction to the neck structures like the discs, joints, muscles, or nerves. These headaches usually begin as a dull ache in the neck and radiate upwards along the back of the head, almost always affecting just one side. Pain may also spread to the forehead, temple, and area around the eyes and/or ears. Another type of headache related to the neck is tension headaches which are caused by excessive tension and loading of the neck muscles from poor postures or heightened stress and emotion levels. These headaches are characterised by moderate to severe non-throbbing pain in the forehead, scalp, and neck.

Does the source of the headache affect how I manage it?

In the past, it was thought that each type of headache responded to different treatments. However, it has recently been recognised that there is an overlap of symptoms across the different headache types, pointing to the possibility of a common cause. Recent research shows that oversensitivity of an area of the brain at the top of the cervical spine called the brainstem is a common factor in all headache types. This region receives nerve input from the nerves around the face and head as well as the nerves of the upper three cervical vertebrae. When this area is ‘sensitised’ or ‘over stimulated’ it can cause the pain sensations experienced with headaches. Research shows that this area is constantly irritated in recurrent headache sufferers and that in 80% of cases the neck is responsible for this overstimulation. If triggers like certain foods, drinks, smells, light, sound or hormones are added the stimulation can be heightened and the intensity of headache or migraine worsened. The mechanical sources of cervicogenic or tension headaches can therefore be sources of sensitisation.

How can this sensitisation and my headache be managed?

Luckily we also know that this sensitivity can be ‘turned down’ by treating the neck in all types of headaches. Cervicogenic or tension headaches are very treatable with appropriate physiotherapy management by affecting the underlying structures as well as exploring lifestyle, psychological and social factors that may be contributing to the over sensitisation of the upper cervical region. And the better news is that physiotherapy intervention can commonly even help to improve some migraine-related symptoms helping to reduce the intensity, frequency or distribution of your migraine.

---

Speak to a physiotherapist at Optimus Health if you a keen to learn more about how we can help with managing your headaches. Your physiotherapist at Optimus Health will work with you in partnership with your GP to establish the type, source(s), triggers and appropriate treatments to improve your headaches.

Why as Women, we need to exercise.

Unfortunately as women, we’re more pre-disposed to certain injuries and musculoskeletal problems throughout our lifetime. This ranges from higher prevalence of patellar (kneecap) dislocations in adolescence, greater risk of ACL ruptures, higher rates of osteoarthritis in knees and hips, to gluteal tendinopathy and hip bursitis in the over 50s.

We also know that girls are more likely to drop out from structured sports participation, with the drop-out rate of girls 6 times greater by the age of 15. For all of us in Victoria, this last six months has seen huge changes to our lifestyles and activity levels; for some of us this has meant less structure, less camaraderie and support, while for others there’s been the opportunity to find new ways to stay fit and get moving through online or zoom sessions at home, running or cycling with family or friends, or walking.

The benefits of exercise range from cardiovascular, to mood enhancement and mental health improvement, and not least for muscle strengthening, better joint and cartilage health, and injury / pain prevention. All of the conditions mentioned at the start? The risks of ALL of them can be reduced by a structured exercise programme. If you’ve already got problems with these, well… GREAT NEWS!! They can all be managed and improved by a structured exercise programme!

If you’d like some help, or have any questions, get in touch with one of our physios and we can help you get started.

Is it safe to jog or run while I am pregnant?

Is it safe to run while I am pregnant?

This is a question we get asked a lot here at Optimus. Gentle exercise during pregnancy is really important (and safe) for you and your baby. Not only does it help you maintain the strength and fitness necessary to support your baby while pregnant and get through the delivery, but it also helps in maintaining a healthy weight and helps manage stress. The goal of exercising when pregnant is to maintain a good fitness level throughout pregnancy based on exercises YOU ARE USED TO but this is not the time to challenge your body to achieve new fitness targets.

But is running safe?

If you did not jog or run before you became pregnant, now is not the time to take it up. During pregnancy, your body produces the hormone relaxin, which loosens your joints. Due to the reduced stability of your joints while pregnant the increased load on your pelvis, hips and knees during running can make you more prone to injury. If you're not an experienced jogger, it is best to stick to other forms of exercise like walking, cycling or swimming for your cardiovascular workout.

However, if you are used to jogging YES, IT IS SAFE FOR YOU AND YOUR BABY!. Gentle to moderate jogging or running is fine to continue for as long as you feel comfortable. As your pregnancy progresses and your bump size increases you will naturally find yourself winding down the distance, time and intensity of your workout.

There are some things to consider though:

In the first trimester:

- Make sure you aren't pushing yourself too hard. Your should be able to comfortably carry on a conversation while running (1) .

- Make sure to stay well hydrated. Dehydration can reduce blood flow to your uterus (womb) and may even cause premature contractions.

- Don’t overheat! Choose to run at cooler times during the day to control your body temperature, wear sensible clothes, hydrate and don't push yourself too hard.

- Wear proper running shoes that are comfortable and provide plenty of support for your feet as this will help lessen the load on your pelvis, hips and knees as well.

In the second trimester:

- Be aware of pelvic floor dysfunction. See more on this below.

- Your balance may be compromised as your centre of gravity changes with your changing bump size so jog on the flat if you can to avoid a trip.

In the third trimester:

- Watch out for signs of overload on your back and pelvis, with aches and pains. As your baby bump size increases there will be more load and pressure on your low back or pelvis which may lead to aches and pains. This load will be increased by running and may exacerbate the issue.

Generally, listen to your body and watch out for any signs that you might be overdoing things!

Let’s talk about your Pelvic Floor…

Be aware of pelvic floor dysfunction. From the second trimester, the changes in your pelvis and uterus, as well as the increasing size of the baby, will mean there is progressively more stress on your pelvic floor muscles. This will be exacerbated while running. If you feel heaviness in your pelvic floor region during or after jogging or associated leaking this is a sign of pelvic floor stress and it is safer in the long term for your pelvic floor health to reduce or cease running.

When to stop!

Danger signs that you might be overdoing it include dizziness, heart palpitations, leaking from your vagina, nausea or vomiting, a sudden change in body temperature or swelling in your feet or hands. If you experience are of these symptoms you should see your doctor for clearance before continuing.

How can we help?

Got any questions about exercise or running while pregnant? Our physios can guide you on any pregnancy related issues or goals or work with you in conjunction with our strength and conditioning coaches can help tailor a program specifically for you. Book online or give us a call on 9913 8986.

Running related injuries: Learn the lessons from the past and don’t get a running related injury!I

Senior Physiotherapist KP

I have taken the measure get ahead of the game at Optimus and give everyone a warning! Regardless of all the reasons why one would all of a sudden take to running like a duck to water (perhaps people isolating at home during COVID!) we saw one too many running related injuries.

We have seen restrictions ease and then be placed back on a few postcodes. This has resulted in various sporting competitions pull the pin on the 2020 season. One thing I will bet my bottom dollar on is that more people will take up running in an effort to stay fit!

Whether its patellofemoral pain syndrome (runners’ knee), Achilles tendinopathy or calf strains, these runners definitely kept us busy and a few of these individuals learnt a few tough lessons. However do not make the same mistake!

The commonalities between each injury are evident. There is a load vs capacity mismatch! Our friends from the strength and conditioning world are awesome at explaining this and is a great way to explain how an individual got to where they are (i.e injured and presenting in front of me for treatment).

Ultimately the main goal is to get you running, and running well!. The general education and advice that I would give to you as a hot tip to not succumb to these dreaded running related injuries includes:
1. At this present moment in time, running is a great way to stay fit and healthy
2. There is a load (e.g. distance, pace) you have to overcome when trying to run.
3. You also have an inherent capacity (e.g strength, endurance, technique) you have that will determine whether your run well, or will fall apart and begin to sustain a few injuries.
4. The good news is to get you running, make sure you’re running well and reduce the chance of injury is to increase your capacity!

Personally - I really enjoy working with this population - most runners want to run and with this goal in mind I often see unparalleled compliance as they apply themselves to a rehab program.

Understanding that sometimes all we need to do is drop to a manageable load where your body can recover well is far better than stopping all together!

Between now and when you want to ramp up your running, lets concentrate on building up your capacity, increase your strength, work on how they are running and address any underlying issues. This is key in ensuring you (p)rehab well and prevent these problems from occurring.

Pelvic Girdle Pain

Written by Cierra File-Murby

It’s really common to confuse pelvic girdle pain (PGP) with low back pain because of the close proximity of where you are feeling the pain. If you’re experiencing pain anywhere from the two bony bits just above your glutes down to the bottom of your glutes or around to the front of your pelvis, then you’re likely experiencing PGP.

Pelvic girdle pain is very common and can affect up to 45% of all pregnant women at some stage throughout the pregnancy. It is also common to experience residual pelvic girdle pain even after you have delivered your baby.

What are the symptoms of PGP?

PGP can be mild too severe but is treatable at any stage in pregnancy and the sooner it is treated, the more likely you are to feel better. It is more common later in pregnancy.

Symptoms include:

• pain in the pubic region, lower back, hips, groin, thighs or knees

• clicking or grinding in the pelvic area

• pain made worse by movement, for example:

1. walking on uneven surfaces/rough ground or for long distances

2. moving your knees apart, like getting in and out of the car

3. standing on one leg, like climbing the stairs, dressing or getting in or out of the bath

4. rolling over in bed

5. during sexual intercourse.

The reason a lot of women experience pain is because of the hormone ‘relaxin’ that your body produces when you’re pregnant. This hormone makes the ligaments in your body looser in preparation for birth. This change may cause a small increase in the range of motion within the joints of your pelvis. As you can imagine, the pelvis is responsible for carrying the load of the baby, if this increase in motion is not met with an increase in the muscle control, it’s likely that this can cause some pain.

Is there anything I can do to help manage the symptoms at home?

The following simple measures may help:

• keeping active but also getting plenty of rest

• standing tall with your bump and bottom tucked in a little

• changing your position frequently – try not to sit for more than 30 minutes at a time

• sitting to get dressed and undressed

• putting equal weight on each leg when you stand

• trying to keep your legs together when getting in and out of the car

• lying on the less painful side while sleeping

• keeping your knees together when turning over in bed

• using a pillow under your bump and between your legs for extra support in bed.

You should avoid anything that may make your symptoms worse, such as:

• lifting anything heavy, for example, heavy shopping

• going up and down the stairs too often

• stooping, bending or twisting to lift or carry a toddler or baby on one hip

• sitting on the floor, sitting twisted, or sitting or standing for long periods

• standing on one leg or crossing your legs.

If that doesn’t help or you want immediate relief see a physio!

While 100% of your PGP during pregnancy may not completely go away, physiotherapy can make a big impact in making you a lot more comfortable. Its really important to get an assessment from a physio, as there could be a few different potential factors causing your PGP.

In some cases, a compression belt around your pelvis can help to provide that additional support. In other cases, some therapy techniques to help reduce some muscle spasm could also reduce a lot of pain. If you are experiencing any sort of PGP or have any questions please give us a call on 03 9913 8986 or book an initial physiotherapy appointment online with Kath, Cierra or Dawn here

Spinal Health Week: Why am I getting back pain?

Our team of physios in Richmond are seeing an increase in back pain presentations since the COVID lockdown!

Spinal Health Week raises awareness for the importance of spinal health, which can have a huge impact on improving our overall health and wellbeing. At some point in your life it’s likely you will experience back pain.

Let’s talk about the Spine

An interconnected system of bones, nerves, muscles, tendons and ligaments – your spine is central in how the body operates. With 31 segments, your head at the top, your pelvis at the bottom, the spine is immensely pivotal in normal human functioning. It is involved in everything we do! This week is Spinal Health week and we would like to share with you what we are currently seeing in our clinic and how we can best help you to optimise the functioning of your spine and in turn help to improve your overall health!

The spine continues to be a major cause of grief for individuals. The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare reports the following:

• Over 4 million people reported significant back problems in 2017-2018
• Back problems are the 2nd leading cause of disease burden in Australia
• 86% of the population will experience pain at least once per week.

During this unprecedented time of COVID, self isolation and social distancing, we have seen varied presentations of spinal pain.

These include:

• postural related injuries

• osteoarthritis flare-ups,

• disc degeneration,

• neural compromise

• and many more…

What can cause back pain?

There are so many factors that contribute to these presentations. Age, physical fitness, weight, type of work are a short list of things that can influence an individual’s spinal pain. What we see clinically is that most people who present with spine-related pain have a significant inability to function. Whether it is getting a good night sleep, applying themselves to work or study, exercising or simply doing daily chores, spinal related problems have a significant effect on our day to day lives.

A little insider tip for you – your spine is a robust structure of your body. If you really think about it, if it is involved in everything we do then surely it is built to withstand quite a bit of stress. The key is figuring out what we need to do to build this robustness. To put it simply we may need to work on one (or a combination of the following):

• How can we get you managing your pain better so your day to day activities are not severely affected?
• Can we get you moving better so you can actually do the things you want to do?
• Do you have enough strength and stability in key muscles and joints so that your movements are optimal and not placing too much strain on your spine.

Whether it is one on one physiotherapy, group rehab sessions incorporating clinical pilates or strength and conditioning principles, we are here to support your overall spinal health and ensure you can continue to function to the best of your ability. If you are experiencing back pain and you think it’s your spine, book in to see one of our team members here

KP is the Head Physio at Harlequins Rugby Club, Scotch College Rugby and the Physiotherapist for the Melbourne Rebels Under 18’s.

KP treats a wide range of conditions and is incredibly passionate about helping people understand why they are experiencing pain and how to overcome it.

KP has a special interest in tendon conditions.

In his spare time KP enjoys coaching basketball!

Exercise Right Week

Jake Leslie

Exercise Right Week.

This year, the theme is “Movement is Medicine“.
This annual public awareness campaign is for highlighting the benefits of physical activity for both physical and mental health.

It is recommended ALL Australian adults aim to do at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity or 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity physical activity every week. It is also suggested to aim to do strength training exercises at least twice a week. This exercise doesn’t necessarily need to be done at a gym. There’s plenty of ways to get active and the key is to find one that works for you.

My tips for exercising:
1. Find your why, everyone has a why you just need to discover it
2. Make a social commitment
3. Start gradually and built up (you don’t want to be so sore after the first week or get injured)
4. Set goals – both short term (1-2 weeks) and long term (6 months +) and regularly review them and look back on how far you’ve come.
5. Make it part of your daily routine

Exercise, as we know, is beneficial for our mental health. It can even help protect against a decline in mental health. Even short bouts of just 10 minutes have shown to be effective for improving mood! And it doesn’t have to be intense, sweat-inducing exercise either, studies have reported positive effects from light and moderate-intensity exercise, too (Øverland, 2018).

How does exercise help improve our mood?

Doing exercise will:
• Releases norepinephrine, which wakes up the brain and gets it going
• Dopamine gets a boost, improving our mood, feelings of wellness, motivation and jump-starts our attention system
• Increased serotonin improves how we perceive and regulate our emotions (serotonin makes us happy )
• BDNF (brain-derived neurotropic factor) protects our neurons (nerve cells in the brain) against cortisol (stress hormone)
• Improvements in self-esteem (a component of depression), thanks to norepinephrine but also because we feel a sense of accomplishment
• Create a social connection and a sense of community when we exercise in groups

Doing a mix of resistance training and aerobic training is always recommended. Remember, the best type of exercise is the one you actually enjoy doing!

If you’re unsure where to start with exercising or are experiencing pain seek a professional to help you, it’s worth the investment to have a physiotherapist and Strength & Conditioning coach be able to guide you on the most appropriate path and tailor a program to suit your current state. These professionals will be there every step of the way to help you keep achieving your goals, keep you accountable and help you tackle any barriers that get in the way may it be an injury or changes in goals.

You can read more about our strength and conditioning services here

Harvey, S. B., Øverland, S., Hatch, S. L., Wessely, S., Mykletun, A., & Hotopf, M. (2018). Exercise and the prevention of depression: results of the HUNT cohort study. American Journal of Psychiatry, 175(1), 28-36.