By Duke Autret, Myotherapist
It’s important to recognise and understand that musculoskeletal health and pain is highly influenced by the overall health, function and condition of the body and its context or environment it lives within. The Biopsychosocial (BPS) Model is a holistic and interdisciplinary approach to understanding health and illness that considers the biological, psychological, and social factors that influence our well-being. One key component of the BPS Model is the concept of "predisposing and perpetuating factors" that can lead to the development of conditions or worsen existing ones, making it harder to recover. In this article, we will explore the most common perpetuating factors and their relation to the BPS Model. These determinant factors of pain can be classified into different categories such as metabolic, social, and physical factors. Let's take a closer look at these factors: Metabolic Factors Hormonal imbalances, poor nutrition, and chronic diseases can contribute to the onset and perpetuation of pain.
Psychological Factors The breadth of psychological, cognitive and emotional health factors are beyond the scope of this article however here are some examples as food for thought.
Social Factors Our social connections and relationships play a most significant role in our overall health and well-being. A lack of social support or unhealthy relationships can contribute to the perpetuation of pain. Our social connections and the quality of our relationships have a significant impact on our mental and physical health. A lack of social support or unhealthy relationships have also been linked to a range of health problems, including depression, anxiety, forms of dementia, and heart disease. The social factors of health cannot be underestimated, in fact a whole host of studies have linked social isolation to being the biggest health risk today, especially for middle-aged men! In the BPS Model we recognise the importance of strengthening social support networks as part of a comprehensive treatment plan. Physical Factors Physical factors such as inactivity/sedentism, load, and motor control can contribute to the perpetuation of pain. The BPS Model acknowledges the importance of addressing these factors by exploring ways to increase physical activity levels, optimising load levels, and assessing and addressing motor control issues through refining movement patterns, alignment, and body awareness.
By understanding the perpetuating factors of pain and their relation to the BPS Model, you can take steps to improve your overall health and well-being. Remember, pain is not just a physical symptom but can also be influenced by psychological and social factors. By addressing all aspects of your well-being, you can achieve long-term pain relief and optimal health. If you are experiencing pain, it is essential to seek help from healthcare practitioners who take a holistic approach to your well-being. By considering the biological, psychological, and social factors that contribute to your pain, a comprehensive treatment plan can be developed that addresses the perpetuating factors and promotes your overall health and well-being. Our friendly staff here at Simple Wellness are all trained and well versed in this approach and are here to help you with your health needs. By Rachael Bird, Myotherapist
As myotherapists, we teach you beneficial exercises that are safe for you to complete based on our assessment of your pain or injury. We pick the exercises that will help you the most, and that you will be likely to be able to do fairly easily. What happens if you don't do the exercises we prescribe for you? Well, if a personal trainer teaches you how to do sit ups but you don't actually do the sit ups, you don't get great abs. If we teach you helpful exercises but you don't use them, you won't get the benefit of strength, stability and reduced pain. If you don't use the exercises we suggest, any or all of the following results could occur:
It's essential to communicate openly with your myotherapist if you're having difficulty with your exercise program or if you're unsure about how to perform the exercises correctly. We can adjust the program, provide additional guidance, or offer alternative exercises to better suit your needs. Consistency in following our recommendations is crucial for achieving the best possible results from myotherapy treatment. Want to book a time for treatment and a customised exercise program? Come and see me or our team! Feeling sore after a workout is a normal and common occurrence. This experience is commonly referred to as "muscle soreness" or "delayed onset muscle soreness" (DOMS). This generally occurs after you begin a new exercise routine or if you push yourself harder than your body is normally used to. What is actually happening when you feel this soreness after exercise? It can be due to a few factors, such as:
Muscle Damage: When you engage in strenuous exercise, especially if you're trying new or intense exercises, you can cause tiny tears in your muscle fibers. This is a natural part of the muscle-building process. Your body repairs and rebuilds these muscle fibers during rest, making them stronger and more resilient. Inflammation: The body responds to these micro-tears by initiating an inflammatory response. This inflammation can cause pain and discomfort in the affected muscles. It's a sign that your body is working to heal and strengthen the muscles. Lactic Acid Buildup: During intense workouts, your muscles can produce lactic acid, which can contribute to muscle soreness. However, it's important to note that lactic acid is usually cleared from your muscles relatively quickly after exercise and is not the primary cause of DOMS. New or Unaccustomed Exercises: If you try new exercises or significantly increase the intensity or duration of your workout, you may experience more soreness because your muscles aren't accustomed to that specific type of stress. Dehydration and Nutrition: Proper hydration and nutrition play a crucial role in muscle recovery. Dehydration can exacerbate muscle soreness, so it's important to stay well-hydrated before, during, and after your workouts. Additionally, a balanced diet with adequate protein and other nutrients is essential for muscle repair and growth. We have some great tips to help you manage DOMS and exercise related pain. Expectations: Firstly, if you're in your first few weeks of an exercise program, go into it expecting that you will be a bit sore as you begin to teach those muscle fibres how to activate and deactivate throughout exercises. Rest: Give your body time to heal and rebuild. Adequate rest is essential for recovery. Hydrate: Drink plenty of water to help flush out waste products and reduce the risk of cramping. Stretch: Gentle stretching can help relieve muscle tension and improve flexibility. Light Activity: Engaging in low-intensity activities like walking or swimming can promote blood flow and aid in recovery. Remember that some degree of soreness is normal, especially when you're starting a new workout routine or increasing the intensity of your exercises. However, if you experience severe or prolonged pain, it's important to consult with a healthcare professional to rule out any underlying issues or injuries. In addition to these strategies, it can be helpful to get regular myotherapy treatment if you are a highly physically active person. Myotherapy offers more than just pain relief, your myotherapist can also help you with injury prevention strategies and help you achieve peak performance through balancing muscles that work together and opposite each other. Book a time with one of our therapists to help you manage post exercise pain. Myotherapists train extensively in a technique called Dry Needling. Dry needling is a therapeutic technique that has gained popularity in recent years as a powerful tool for relieving musculoskeletal pain, restoring mobility and promoting overall wellness. Its an advanced treatment technique that involves inserting very thin, sterile needles into specific muscles in the body to induce a rapid change in muscle tension. Often the target of dry needling is a trigger point within a muscle. These trigger points are tight bands within the muscle tissue that can cause pain, discomfort, and limited range of motion when they become overly contracted or dysfunctional. The primary goal of dry needling is to alter the muscle tension and promote the natural healing processes of the body. Often this technique can elicit a twitch response from the muscle, causing it to contract and then relax, which is felt as a sudden, involuntary muscle twitch. This contraction and relaxation help to release tension and improve blood flow to the area, which can accelerate the healing process. Its usually not painful, but can be surprising to patients. Some practitioners will use a more stimulating technique to specifically seek out the twitch response which can be highly beneficial, especially for patients who have extreme tightness and pain. For patients who don’t feel comfortable with a very stimulating approach, a gentler technique of positioning and resting needles can also be used with good effect. The type of techniques used really depends on the patient and how their body responds - we see many patients whose bodies are very sensitive to needling and get amazing results from very low stimulation; and we also see many patients who prefer to really “feel it” by experiencing significant twitch responses. Theres no right or wrong way to do it, its always tailored to the individual being treated.
Dry needling can be particularly effective in treating a wide range of musculoskeletal conditions, including chronic pain, muscle stiffness, joint pain, and even some neurological conditions. It is commonly used to address issues such as neck pain, back pain, shoulder pain, and headaches, among others. Athletes and sports players tend to get very good results from dry needling. A gentler approach to dry needling can also be really effective in situations where the pain is so severe that its not tolerable to apply pressure using other myotherapy techniques like massage or joint mobilisation. One of the key advantages of dry needling is its minimally invasive nature. The needles used in this technique are extremely thin, and patients typically experience minimal discomfort during the procedure. Often a pin prick sensation is felt as the needle punctures the skin, and then patients are surprised by how minimal the discomfort of the treatment is. Many patients report immediate relief and improved mobility after a session. Like with any technique where skin is being punctured, there are risks associated with dry needling. Our consent form for treatment provides information on the risks, including things like small bleeds, post needling soreness, and pneumothorax. Its important to know that while risks like pneumothorax (punctured lung) are serious, when you receive dry needling from a qualified therapist the risk is very low due to the extent of the practitioners training and experience. Because of these risks, dry needling should only be performed by trained and qualified practitioners. Our clinic only allows Myotherapists to provide dry needling, because dry needling is included as core curriculum in all Myotherapy training programs. This means your myotherapist has had to study for 6+ months under close supervision and pass exams in order to become qualified. There are short course 2-3 day programs available for therapists to become registered to provide dry needling, which is why you may find remedial massage therapists, physiotherapists, chiropractors and osteopaths who offer dry needling. These practitioners only get a very short amount of time to learn and practice in their weekend course before they begin offering dry needling to patients. Want to give dry needling a go? Book online and make sure to pick one of our 5 Myotherapists as your practitioner. By Rachael Bird, Myotherapist Myotherapy is a type of physical therapy that focuses on the assessment, treatment, and management of musculoskeletal pain and dysfunction. This means your favourite Myotherapist primarily targets soft tissues, such as muscles, tendons, ligaments, and fascia, to alleviate your pain and improve overall function. We have a variety of advanced techniques that can be used to calm down painful areas, reduce strain on injured muscles and joints, activate weak muscles and rebuild strength and stability. Our treatments include hands on massage and myofascial techniques; dry needling; cupping; MET (muscle energy technique); joint mobilisations; stretching; taping; prescribing exercises to restore muscle balance and strength; providing education and home care advice on how to give your body the best opportunity at recovering. Myotherapists are goal oriented healthcare professionals - that means that we carefully plan our treatment for your pain based on the outcomes we want to help you achieve. We can help you in the following way
Pain Reduction:
By Jacqui Mulholland, Remedial Massage Therapist You might have heard of this relatively new slang term called “tech neck” which is becoming more and more common to see in the media. Tech Neck refers to a group of symptoms characterised by neck tightness and tension caused by chronic overuse of the neck muscles that are working overtime to keep your head upright. Neck, shoulder and upper back tension and pain are some of the most common issues that our team treat every day, so if you're experiencing this pain, you're not alone, and there are plenty of ways we can help bring relief to your symptoms. What are the symptoms?
You could be experiencing Tech Neck if you have noticed some of the following symptoms;
If you have any of these symptoms and are using a screen regularly, this can be one possible cause for the discomfort you are experiencing. Tech has become an essential part of our daily lives and whether we like it or not, it’s here to stay. So we need to understand what this is doing to our body’s and how we can help prevent long term damage and support a healthier spine. The human head weighs about 5kgs, and all of that weight is being supported by our postural muscles of the neck, chest and upper back. The neck muscles are supporting most of that weight. When you are looking down at your screen, these neck muscles engage to stabilise your head for you. Being in this forward flexed position for prolonged periods of time just adds to the amount of stress being placed onto these muscles and eventually, they will become tired, tight and sore. Overtime, without treatment this can lead to more complex neck, upper back and shoulder conditions affecting mobility, functioning and quality of life. It can also lead to fatigue, poor concentration, sleep disturbance, frustration and reduced productivity. Fortunately before it gets to this stage you have a really effective, accessible and non-invasive treatment method to manage these symptoms naturally. Massage and Myotherapy work to free up and loosen these affected neck muscles. Regular treatments help to prevent ongoing issues arising as a result of overuse of screens. Our therapists will also advise you on easy, affordable and time-wise prevention strategies you can use at home in between treatments to alleviate your pain and increase the effectiveness of our treatments. Prevention What can you do at home to help prevent Tech Neck becoming an issue for you?
Keeping up with some of these simple preventative measures at home can help reduce the frequency of and intensity of your symptoms. If you are unsure whether your symptoms are as a result of Tech Neck or some other condition, it is always best to visit your primary health care provider to eliminate other potential causes. With some regular Massage and Myotherapy treatments, Tech Neck can be well managed and we can give you some specific advice including home care & exercises to maintain the health and integrity of your neck muscles. Make a booking with one of us at Simple Wellness and we will assess your symptoms and provide a customised treatment plan to get you the best results for your Tech Neck. Hey my name is Rachael and I'm the newest Myotherapist here at Simple Wellness. I have a background in Beauty as well as Remedial Massage, therefore I tend to be very versatile in what I can offer you in terms of pressure and type of massage during my treatments. I have always strived to give my clients my personal best and want to help in any way I can to be able to get back to everyday activities pain free. I am known for being very smiley and friendly to others, and my terrible use of dad jokes in the company of clients who share the same kind of humour.
I come from a big Mauritian/Rodriguan family and so I love hearing about those old family stories as they tend to be the best memories. I am an animal lover of mostly dogs, with my beautiful boy Jack Russell being 16 years old this year. I definitely have a more of a hands on approach to Myotherapy, I use massage techniques most of the time because this seems to benefit my clients, and for the other times I can use needling and cupping if it's what's needed at the time. I will always check in with whatever it is I do; whether it be about the pressure, if you were wanting or not wanting me to use any other modalities, or just being that hands on. I will do whatever works best for you and your pain. I can be light or quite firm in my pressure, but it's not always true of “no pain no gain” meaning for those that go above their pain threshold. Sometimes a moderate amount is just enough to make that difference. Massage should always be in your comfort zone where it can be felt, but not to an extreme like over 8-9/10. My favourite regions to treat are the neck, shoulders, and back pain. You would be surprised how common these really are. But let me give a little information as to why these are so common: Neck and shoulder pain together come mostly (but not all) from those who are doing desk work, gamers, and any type activity that leads to a hunched over posture. But why does it hurt? Well when you are in a hunched over position your back is exposed with muscles over stretching to the point where your body is saying ‘ow’ to try and protect itself. Then the front of the body is doing the opposite with muscles being shortened and ‘tight’. So when this happens regularly your body starts to remember this position as its new ‘normal’, so when you straighten your back up it hurts to do so. Sounds familiar? Long held positions play a big part in being the cause of pain and it is important to take those regular breaks, and follow the advice your Myotherapist or Remedial therapist has given you, including using those exercises and stretches they've given to help reduce, and revert this. Back pain can be caused by several reasons: not lifting heavy things correctly at work, gardening, moving house, or even gaming. Maintaining an uneven position for a long time, like mentioned above, can cause back pain/hip pain. It may be caused by the muscles just in your back, but often there is involvement from your glutes or even your hips. You may feel it in your upper back/ middle back, just above your glutes, at your glutes, or at your spine. As your Myotherapists and Remedial Therapists it is our job to help you with your pain and to help find out why its happening so that we can help with your symptoms and also help with the cause. You'll find me in the clinic on Mondays and Tuesdays from 12.30-7, and every second Thursday from 12.30-7. Bookings with me are easy - call us on 03 8204 0970 or book a time online! Can't wait to meet you and begin helping you unravel your pain and feel better. Bursitis is a really common cause of persistent shoulder pain. It can cause significant discomfort and limit our ability to perform daily activities. This common condition, characterised by inflammation of the shoulder's bursa, often results from repetitive motions or injury. In this blog post, we will explore what shoulder bursitis entails, its symptoms, and how myotherapy can play a crucial role in its effective treatment. The shoulder joint is surrounded by small, fluid-filled sacs called bursa, which act as cushions between bones, tendons, and muscles. With a normal, well-functioning bursa, shoulder movement is smooth, effortless and without pain.
When these bursae become inflamed, it leads to a condition known as bursitis, and it can cause a lot of highly sensitive pain. Repetitive overhead movements or a direct trauma like a fall onto your outstretched arm can cause irritation of the bursa and surrounding tissue, and this can result in pain, tenderness, and limited range of motion. Additionally, factors like muscle imbalances and spending a long time in a position that strains the shoulder can contribute to the development of bursitis. Bursitis typically feels worse at certain points in the day - the first thing in the morning is often a time of stiffness and increased pain, with that sensation easing somewhat as you begin moving. After a period of inactivity it can become sensitive again, or following overexertion or repetitive activities. Inflammation makes the area feel irritated, stiff, achey, and sore. Myotherapy is a form of manual therapy that targets the soft tissues, including muscles, tendons, and ligaments. As Myotherapists, we aim to relieve your pain, restore your mobility, and promote healing through a variety of techniques, tailored to your specific needs. In the case of shoulder bursitis, myotherapy can provide several benefits.
Shoulder bursitis can be a debilitating condition, limiting our daily activities and causing persistent pain. While traditional treatments focus on symptom management, myotherapy offers a holistic approach to shoulder bursitis treatment. By addressing muscle imbalances, reducing pain and inflammation, and improving range of motion, myotherapy helps individuals regain functionality and prevent future complications. If you're experiencing shoulder bursitis, consulting with our qualified myotherapists can be a valuable step towards finding relief and embarking on the path to recovery. Remember, early intervention and consistent treatment are key to effectively managing shoulder bursitis and restoring your quality of life. Book a time with our wonderful myotherapists or phone our clinic on 03 8204 0970 for more information. By Duke Autret, Myotherapist Exercise has long been touted as a means of promoting physical health, but recent scientific findings suggest that it may also be one of the most effective therapies for mental health. For those of us who are frequently trapped in our chairs, offices, home office, cars, and then the ‘comfy’ chair in front of the tele, these recent findings will validate what we’ve known we need to do! The Science..
A new research paper published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine has provided compelling evidence for the benefits of exercise therapy for treating depression and anxiety, suggesting that it may be more effective than other commonly used interventions such as medication and psychotherapy. The study, which analysed data from over 1,000 individuals with depression and anxiety, found that exercise therapy was associated with significantly greater reductions in symptoms than other interventions, such as antidepressant medications and psychotherapy. Participants who engaged in regular exercise showed a 26% reduction in symptoms of depression and a 20% reduction in symptoms of anxiety, compared to those who received medication or psychotherapy alone. But why is exercise therapy so effective for treating depression and anxiety? Studies have shown that exercise promotes the release of endorphins, which are natural mood-boosters that help to alleviate symptoms of depression and anxiety. In addition, exercise can help to reduce inflammation in the body, which has been linked to depression and other mental health conditions. Exercise also promotes the growth of new brain cells and improves connectivity between brain regions. Additionally, exercise can help individuals to develop a greater sense of control over their bodies and their lives, which can be empowering and boost self-esteem. A little for a lot And according to a recent article in ScienceAlert, another large-scale study of nearly 50,000 people showed that exercise is the most effective treatment for depression, with a 43% reduction in symptoms compared to other treatments such as medication and therapy. Exercise also has the added benefit of being a low-cost, low-risk intervention that can be easily integrated into most people's lives. Even small amounts of exercise, such as a 10-minute walk or a few minutes of stretching, have been shown to have benefits for mental health. And for those who are able to engage in more vigorous exercise, such as running or weightlifting, the benefits may be even greater. What does this all mean? Of course, exercise therapy should not be seen as a replacement for other treatments for mental health conditions, such as medication and therapy. However, it may be a valuable addition to a comprehensive treatment plan, and one that has the potential to improve outcomes for many individuals struggling with depression and anxiety. And the evidence is clear - exercise therapy is an effective and powerful intervention for promoting mental health. If you're struggling with depression or anxiety, consider incorporating regular exercise into your routine. Not only can it help to alleviate symptoms, but it may also improve your overall sense of well-being and quality of life. While the ideal amount of exercise is still a matter of debate, the authors suggest that individuals should aim for at least 150 minutes of moderate exercise per week, such as brisk walking or cycling, in order to achieve the maximum mental health benefits. Working with people recovering from pain and injury, we know that even small amounts of physical activity can have significant benefits for mental health. So why not take a walk, go for a bike ride, or hit the beach, pool, or gym today? Your mental health will thank you! If you've ever had that one-sided sharp, catching pain in your neck or back that stops you moving even slightly towards that painful side, you've likely experienced a sprained facet joint. Facet joint sprains can be a source of intense back or neck pain, limiting our mobility and overall quality of life. This kind of injury is usually fairly short lived, but the first few days when its at its worst can be very highly sensitive and irritable. The acute phase usually doesn't last more than a week, and the pain usually subsides entirely within 2-3 weeks. These injuries can result from trauma (like a car accident), repetitive motions or rapid combination movements (like bending/twisting/lifting too quickly), or can be predisposed in degenerative conditions where the joint has been previously injured or where the joint isn't as healthy as it could be. Even though this condition is normally short-lived, it can be challenging to manage and exceptionally painful. Facet joints are small joints located at the back of the spine, connecting the vertebrae. When they are happy they provide stability and allow for easy non-painful movement in the spine. When these joints become injured or strained, it can be a very painful experience. Turning your head to the impacted side is usually very restricted by a sharp, bony pain. Often turning to the opposite side is much easier and without the same sting of instant pain.
Common causes include sudden trauma or whiplash type injuries, quick repetitive motions, or lifting and twisting at the same time. We'll often hear people say "I slept funny and now I can't turn my neck that way", this can be from sleeping in a weird or awkward position with the neck jammed up overnight. Symptoms of facet joint sprains include localised pain which is usually one sided, stiffness, reduced range of motion due to intense pain, and muscle spasms. The muscles around the impacted facet joint can go into a protective spasm to prevent you from moving, but the spasm itself can be very painful and can cause referral of pain to other areas. If the sprained facet joint is in your neck, its common to get a headache referred from the surrounding muscles. If the sprained facet is in your back, the referral patterns from an upper back facet is usually to the shoulders, or from a lower back facet to your hips. These sprains can significantly impact daily activities, especially things that need you to be able to move easily and safely, like doing headchecks in the car, getting in and out of bed, or going to the gym. When it comes to facet joint sprains, our myotherapists offer several benefits: Pain Relief: Myotherapists utilise a range of techniques, including deep tissue massage, trigger point therapy, and joint mobilisation, to alleviate pain associated with facet joint sprains. By targeting the affected area and surrounding muscles, our myotherapists help reduce muscle tension, release endorphins, and improve blood circulation, resulting in pain relief. Techniques that can be used in acute stages include things like dry needling which can resolve muscle spasm without applying broad pressure over the area. Muscle Relaxation and Joint Mobility: Facet joint sprains often lead to muscle spasms and restricted joint mobility. Myotherapy techniques such as gentle stretching, soft tissue mobilisation, and joint mobilisation help relax the muscles, increase flexibility, and restore normal joint motion. These interventions promote healing, reduce inflammation, and enhance overall range of motion. Gentle mobilisations encourage the correct glide of the facet joints to return, and using techniques like Muscle Energy Technique we can often reduce the protective spasm and improve the amount of movement and the irritability of the joint fairly quickly. Muscle Imbalance: Musculoskeletal imbalances can contribute to facet joint sprains. Myotherapists assess and correct muscle imbalances through targeted exercises, ergonomic modifications, and postural retraining. By addressing these underlying issues, your myotherapist helps improve your alignment, reduce stress on the facet joints, and prevent further injury. Strength and Stability: Myotherapy focuses not only on treating the immediate pain but also on building strength and stability to prevent future sprains, once the pain intensity allows us to do so. Myotherapists develop customised exercise programs to strengthen the muscles supporting the spine, enhancing overall spinal stability and reducing the risk of recurrent facet joint sprains. For a facet joint sprain, we usually expect this part of your treatment plan to begin about 2 weeks into your program, once the pain has settled and you have regained mobility. Education and Self-Care: Myotherapists play an essential role in educating our patients about facet joint sprains and self-care techniques. We provide guidance on proper body mechanics, ergonomics, and exercises to maintain a healthy spine and prevent further injuries. Empowering individuals with the knowledge to take control of their own well-being is a fundamental aspect of myotherapy. Facet joint sprains can significantly impact our daily lives, causing pain and limiting our mobility. Myotherapy offers a comprehensive approach to treating facet joint sprains by addressing pain, muscle tension, joint mobility, and underlying imbalances. Through techniques such as pain relief, muscle relaxation, joint movement correction, and strength training, myotherapy aims to provide lasting relief and prevent future sprains. If you're struggling with facet joint sprains, seeking the expertise of our qualified myotherapists can be a valuable step towards finding relief and regaining functionality. Book online with any of our great Myos, or call us on 03 8204 0970 for more information. |
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