Articles

May192015

A different perspective on upper back posture

Exercise, PainBy Staff May 19, 2015 Leave a comment

A common postural fault that we see in clinic is an increase in the upper back curve, also known as an increased kyphosis. This increased kyphosis is also associated with rounding of the shoulders.

How do we fix this posture?

One of the most common approaches given is a “row” or pullback type of exercise. The theory here is that by strengthening the muscles that pull the shoulder blades back, the upper back curve will reduce and posture will return to normal. However there is a fundamental error in this approach

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Stability 101

Balance, ExerciseBy Staff May 15, 2015 Leave a comment

Stability almost seems to be a buzz word these days. People are often getting told that a lack of “core stability” is the reason for their pain. But what actually is stability? Understanding the real definition of stability helps us to understand how we can create stability.

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May72015

Tight hamstrings – the chicken, the egg or the ham?

Exercise, FlexibilityBy Staff May 7, 2015 Leave a comment

Tight hamstrings are a very common complaint among people, but sometimes what feels like tightness is actually our bodys way of protecting itself. A key giveaway that this is true is recurrent “tightness” despite regular stretching. When our muscles are tight they can restrict the motion in a joint. If flexibility is the real issue…

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Apr282015

Falling for convenience

BalanceBy Staff April 28, 2015 Leave a comment

We live in a world that thrives on convenience. Technology is constantly evolving to make our lives “easier”. However like many things in life this often comes at a price. Long before the days of roads and footpaths, our lives were surrounded by variations in terrain. These variations caused all 26 bones, 33 joints and…

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Apr232015

How could a sprained ankle affect your neck?

ExerciseBy Staff April 23, 2015 Leave a comment

The current healthcare model often lends itself to a narrow perspective of conditions and injuries. There are so many “specialists” that it is easy to lose sight of the big picture. Our bodies are amazingly complex, and the interactions between its various components are essential for full function. It is very easy as a healthcare…

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Apr172015

Neck pain and the deep neck flexors

PainBy Staff April 17, 2015 Leave a comment

While we often hear of the importance of having strong core muscles to prevent and lessen lower back pain, we rarely here about the deep muscles in our neck that can prevent and lessen neck pain despite the fact that pain here can be just as debilitating, with the possibility of neck problems leading to altered sensation in the arms and finger and even headaches. It is important that we strengthen these muscles as research has suggested that individuals with weak deep neck flexors have a higher probability of experiencing neck pain.

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Apr162015

Dietary factors influencing cardiovascular health

Heart Disease (Cardiovascular), NutritionBy Staff April 16, 2015 Leave a comment

There are many foods that affect the health of our body and cardiovascular system. This article looks at the evidence behind some of the main foods, diets and supplements that impact on our cardiovascular health. MEDITERRANEAN & VEGETARIAN DIETS Studies suggest those adhering to a Mediterranean or vegetarian diet have reduced incidence of cardiovascular disease (CVD) as well as…

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Apr142015

The ebbs and flows of exercise

ExerciseBy Staff April 14, 2015 Leave a comment

When we look at most aspects of life, they follow waves or cycles. This should also be the case when it comes to exercise. Unfortunately many people seem to think that they need to continually push their limits to improve. This couldn’t be further from the truth and usually ends up in injury. Effective exercise…

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Apr112015

Exercise and Parkinson’s Disease

ExerciseBy Staff April 11, 2015 Leave a comment

Parkinson’s disease is a degenerative disorder of the central nervous system. It affects a person’s control of their body movements with symptoms including tremors, slow movements and muscle stiffness and rigidity. The incidence increases with age with one in 100 people over the ago of 60 having the disease.

Exercise is an important part of leading a healthy lifestyle for everyone and may be even more important in people with Parkinson’s Disease. This is not only because it can lead to improvements in symptoms and enable sufferers to continue be able to maintain their independence, but also because it has little side effects and has many other benefits including improving heart health, weight management and bone health.

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Apr82015

How sitting affects our arteries

Heart Disease (Cardiovascular)By Staff April 8, 2015 Leave a comment

We often get told about the benefits of diet and exercise on the health of our arteries. Regular physical activity helps to control our good to bad cholesterol ratio, reduces our body fat and helps to control our blood sugar levels. While these are all very important to the health of our arteries, one factor that is often not discussed is the effect of prolonged postures such as sitting.

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