Anytime Fitness in Ferntree Gully are having a one day sale on Wednesday 21st August, and they've invited us along to talk to you about Myotherapy and how it can help with your training or recovering from an injury.
We'll be there from 5-7pm, and have some Myo vouchers to give away, as well as bringing some of the tools of the trade for you to see. Of course, Perry will be trying his best to get a work out in as well! If you've been considering joining a gym, I can highly recommend Anytime Fitness. I go there myself and always find the place clean and neat, the staff are friendly and helpful, the personal trainers are happy to help you figure out how to use the equipment and they offer a selection of group classes that are free as part of your membership. If you have pain, there’s a good chance you’ve used or been prescribed pain relievers. There is a lot of stigma around the use of pain relievers because of issues such as addiction or long-term health effects. In my opinion, it’s ok to use pain relievers if you are experiencing pain, as long as its not the only pain relief strategy you're using - I like to see that you know why you have pain, and that you're making changes to any of the factors you can to reduce ongoing pain in conjunction with taking medication. Pain relievers can play an important part in injury recovery and pain management, particularly for those who experience chronic pain. What are pain relievers, and what do they do?
Pain relievers are any form of medication that do exactly what the name says – relieve pain. Different pain relievers work on different parts of the body to produce different pain-relieving effects. Some pain relievers such as ibuprofen stop damaged cells from producing inflammatory compounds, which can slow down the pain message. Others, like paracetamol, work directly on the brain to reduce how your brain perceives the danger signals. You’ll often see pain relievers referred to as ‘pain-killers’. I avoid this term, because ‘painkiller’ implies that it totally and permanently eliminates your pain. But pain-relievers are a tool that reduce pain for a period of time. They can’t ‘fix’ your pain, but they can make you feel better for a little while, so you can continue to actively work on recovery through rehabilitation and treatment. Pain relievers are part of your treatment plan You can get all of the massage and myotherapy treatments, but sometimes, pain strikes when you aren’t able to book in a session. That is where pain relievers can come into play. Often, pain relief is needed to allow you to get to sleep and stay asleep for at least a few hours. Sleep is when the body does its most healing, so good sleep is critical to long-term pain reduction. Research has also found that sleep deprivation can make you more sensitive to pain. So if pain is keeping you awake, using pain relief may be the better option, rather than ‘toughing it out’ and lying awake. The only thing I don’t recommend is relying on pain relievers as your only method of pain relief. Pain relievers by nature are temporary – they don’t fix the root cause. Whether your pain is caused by physical damage, a sensitised nervous system, inflammation or something else, the only ‘fix’ is a plan that addresses the underlying issue. If you’ve experienced pain for longer than a week or two, it’s time to seek professional help. If you’re using pain relievers long-term, speak to your GP Pain relievers, like any other kind of medication, can have long-term health consequences and side effects. Even over the counter medications can be problematic long-term – that’s why they put oodles of warnings inside! If you are needing to use pain relievers for more than a few weeks and it hasn’t been prescribed by your GP, make an appointment. They might be able to recommend a more effective prescription for your specific type of pain or offer you the safest option if you do require long term medication. At the very least, they know you are taking it and can monitor you, so they can spot any side effects in the early stages. If you don't have a regular GP, come and meet Dr Wajib Dib at Together Medical on Ferntree Gully Rd in Knoxfield. Our treatment room is inside the Together Medical practice, and Dr Dib is a fully Bulk Billed GP with an interest in musculoskeletal health. You can also ask for advice on medications from the Pharmacist at Knoxfield Pharmacy. We have a staircase with direct access into the pharmacy from our clinic reception. Massage and myotherapy can play a supportive role in the healing journey if you’re experiencing chronic pain. At Simple Wellness Myotherapy, chronic pain is our passion. To book in an appointment, head to our booking page here. When you experience chronic pain, you just want to feel better. Unfortunately, there is no quick fix
for chronic pain – it can take time and effort. But there are lifestyle tweaks you can include in your everyday life that can help with pain. Some of these can alleviate pain, and some can help you to cope better with the pain. Since every person is unique, some might work better for one person than another. So start with one, give it a good go for a few weeks, and see how you go! Try out meditation & mindfulness Before you roll your eyes, hear me out! Meditation and mindfulness does not have to be sitting cross-legged on the floor, chanting. It does not mean you need to ‘stop thinking’ or ‘clear your mind of any thoughts ever’. Meditation and mindfulness is more about being aware that your thoughts are just one part of you. It allows you to tune into your body and senses, and most meditations use long, slow and deliberate breathing patterns. We know that taking time to focus on breathing and calming thoughts can help to slow down a really active nervous system. When it comes to meditations that are designed for pain, they don’t stop pain, but they do help you to recognise where the pain is coming from and what it might mean. The research suggests that it’s worth giving meditation a go. A meta-analysis of 38 controlled trials found that meditation helps to reduce pain, improve symptoms of depression and increase the overall quality of life. Most apps and meditation websites have guided meditations for pain, anxiety, stress, or all of the above. Our favourite nutritionist (who has a condition that can cause chronic pain) Sam is a big fan of the pain (#14) and stress (#31) meditations over at Meditation Oasis. Introduce gentle movement It can be tempting to avoid movement when you’re in pain. But gentle movement that doesn’t cause severe discomfort or pain can be incredibly therapeutic. The research shows that exercise can increase your pain tolerance and decrease your perception of pain. It can relieve pain and improve quality of life in those who have chronic pain of some kind. To start moving again: Start slow. Begin with gentle movement, and work your way up over a period of weeks or months. Use non-painful joints and muscles. Endorphins are systemic, so if your pain is in your back, moving your arms or legs will still help to relieve that pain. Get yourself a paced rehab program. Working with a practitioner is best for this, as we can monitor your progress, adjust movements that are too painful or difficult, and cheer you on as you achieve goals! Seek social support Feeling supported doesn’t just make you feel better mentally and emotionally – it can influence your experience of pain. Countless research papers from the 1970s up until today have highlighted how important it is for people with chronic pain to have social support. The care of friends and family can make a big difference. Partners can play an important role in helping you to feel supported, too. You don't even need to talk to people about your pain if you don't want to, but talking to people about anything can be helpful - even if its small talk about news, weather, music, films. It can be tempting to push through and struggle, especially if you’re someone who doesn’t like to bother or burden others. But asking for help or even just a chat with someone you trust can make all the difference. Consider joining an interest group, like a coffee club, social group or walking group. Spend time with pets This is by far my favourite tip, as I’m a certified crazy cat lady! But it’s also backed by some science as well. When you play with a pet, your body releases a hormone known as oxytocin. Oxytocin can increase your pain threshold, drop your stress and anxiety levels and reduce inflammation. It can also decrease blood pressure and heart rate by activating your ‘rest and digest’ mode. The best part is that you don’t even have to own a pet – you can borrow a friend’s! And the benefits go both ways. When you cuddle a furry friend, they also feel happier and healthier. Work with practitioners who empower you A good team can make a huge difference for someone who experiences chronic pain. It’s important to work with qualified practitioners who understand how complex pain is. But it’s also best to work with practitioners who want to give you the tools to recover from that pain. We can’t ‘fix’ you, but we can empower you with the facts about pain, the latest research findings, and the best quality care possible. Want to work with a myotherapist/remedial massage therapist who fits that bill? Book in an appointment with a Simple Wellness practitioner here. Do you love your heat pack? Me too!
There are plenty of reasons to keep your heat pack close by, and not just because we're entering winter! Heat treatment is great for muscle pain - its cheap, effective, and drug-free! Have you ever wondered why heating your sore muscles helps them so much? Some pains are categorised as ischaemic pain - that means that the tissue has a reduction of oxygen supply which is needed for normal cell activity. This tends to happen if we're in positions that compress or over stretch areas for a long time - like sitting at a desk for a few hours without getting up to move around. Heating an area increases the local blood flow, which means the blood vessels widen to get more fresh, oxygenated blood into your muscles and joints. What kind of pain should you use heat for? Many kinds of non-inflammatory pains will respond really nicely to heat, including things like cramping and spasming, stiffness and persistent tight or pulling muscles. Heat packs are easy to use for neck, shoulder, lower back or hip pain. If you have a lot of painful areas, a warm bath can be another great way of getting heat into your muscles - why not add some Epsom salts for the added magnesium benefits for sore, tight muscles! When should you not use heat? Avoid heating up any fresh injuries, especially if you have open wounds or if the injury has become infected. These kinds of injuries will be in the inflammatory stage of healing - you'll be able to tell because the area may be swollen, red and hot, and most likely it'll be much more sensitive than usual! Of course, you do need to be careful with heat packs or hot water bottles to make sure you don't burn yourself. Always wrap your heat pack or hot water bottle in a something like a pillow case, thin blanket or a towel so you don't have the hot surface directly on your skin. Using heat for too long might give you heat rash, so I usually suggest about 20 minutes at a time. Heat on its own is more for symptom relief than for resolving the underlying issue. If you have an injury or feel that you have a lot of long term tension built up in the muscles, book a treatment with your local Myotherapist. I'm very excited to welcome our new Myotherapist, Emily Wells, to the Simple Wellness Myotherapy team! Emily is a Myotherapist and Remedial Massage Therapist, and she'll be joining us 3 days a week starting at the end of May! You'll find Emily in the clinic on Wednesday mornings from 9am-2pm; on Thursdays for the majority of the day between 9am-7pm, and alternating mornings/afternoons on Saturdays.
Her official first day is Wednesday May 29th, and we couldn't be happier to have her onboard! Want to book a time to have a treatment with Emily? You can already jump onto the booking page and get an appointment with her! Remedial massage and myotherapy treatments are fantastic for releasing muscle tension and loosening up the tight spots. But unless you’re in the clinic a few times a week, there’s a good chance you’re still dealing with tight muscles in your daily life. There are heaps of contributing factors to tight muscles. How you move, how you sleep and how you spend your time can all affect your muscles. But one thing that you might not immediately think of is your diet. There are specific nutrients that your muscles need to contract (tighten) during movement and then relax during stretching or when you’re at rest. One well-known mineral is magnesium – also known as the relaxation mineral. So I asked my nutritionist bestie Sam Gemmell, aka The Rebel Nutritionist, for her top tips around using magnesium to keep your muscles in peak condition. My favourite fun fact from Sam is that dark chocolate is a great source of magnesium, and officially Nutritionist Approved! (Of course, in moderation!) Why do we need more magnesium?
Simply put, because we aren’t getting enough. Most people don’t consume enough through the diet. Magnesium is generally found in wholefoods, which we’re eating less of thanks to the increase in processed foods. But even for those who do eat enough, other factors such as chronic stress can deplete magnesium levels. If you have any kind of gut symptoms such as bloating, constipation or diarrhoea, you might not be able to absorb a good amount of magnesium from the foods you eat. There is also the issue of food containing less magnesium than previous years because the soils are being depleted of this vital nutrient. Magnesium is often called the relaxation mineral, but that’s too simple a term. It is used in over 300 different processes in the body. Healthy magnesium levels support energy production, muscle relaxation, blood sugar regulation, optimal blood pressure, bone strength and production of brain chemicals – just to name a few functions! Magnesium-rich foods to include The most sustainable way to boost your magnesium levels is to eat it! But the good news is that there are plenty of foods that contain magnesium. Some of the best options include:
As you can see, there is a variety of different options that cater to almost any dietary requirements. For best results, I’d recommend including at least one serve of magnesium-rich foods with every meal. This might mean: Oats, quinoa flakes or nut butter on wholemeal toast for breakfast Bean salad, fish and quinoa or sushi with wholegrain rice for lunch Adding a serve of green leafy vegetables to dinner (eg in your bolognaise sauce or soup) Other methods of boosting magnesium Sometimes, boosting your magnesium-rich foods is all you need to get results. But if you have very low magnesium levels, or have any kind of stress or condition depleting your levels, you might need to use food combined with other strategies. Supplements An easy way to get more magnesium in is with a supplement. That being said, please don’t just pick up a magnesium bottle from the supermarket! Magnesium supplements can vary from high-quality to very poor quality (which will give you nothing but diarrhoea!) The forms of magnesium found in most over-the-counter products can be irritating to the gut lining. These are best avoided for anyone with impaired digestion, absorption or any current gut symptoms. Your best bet is to see a practitioner who can recommend a high-quality practitioner brand. This also means you have some guidance around which supplement best suits your needs, as well as how much to take. You could even book a consultation with Sam at The Rebel Nutritionist, she would love to help you! Transdermal magnesium If you have issues with taking magnesium supplements or have very low levels, transdermal magnesium might be an alternative to try. The magnesium is absorbed through the skin. The exact amount of magnesium that makes it into your system isn’t well-researched, but some is better than none! You can use transdermal magnesium by using:
Muscles feeling tight? Been a while since your last myotherapy session? Click here to book a session. You might be familiar with that sharp, shooting pain sensation in your lower back, hip and leg. It can also be felt as numbness, pins and needles, tingling or burning type of sensations. Whatever way the pain or symptoms present, it runs along the Sciatic nerve - which is why this is referred to as Sciatica.
But did you know theres more than one potential cause behind this pain? Often this pain can be linked to muscle tension in the glutes and hips. The Sciatic nerve runs underneath the muscles of your glutes, and when it gets compressed there it can be a real pain in the bum - literally! Because this nerve runs all the way down to your feet, the jolts of nerve pain can sometimes be felt anywhere from just localised in your buttocks and hip, to the back of your thigh, behind the knee, straight down your lower leg and even into the base of your foot. The Sciatic nerve can be impacted at the root of the nerve near the spine, however this doesn't always mean there will be pain. Often this is called a Bulging Disc or Herniated Disc, but you might be surprised to learn that even though "Bulging Disc" sounds pretty awful, studies have shown that more than 50% of people over 40 with no pain symptoms at all can have a disc bulge show on scans. Irritation or compression of the Sciatic nerve can be common after serious trauma to your leg or lower back. Things like car accidents, falls, and horse riding accidents are all common high impact incidents that can aggravate the nerve. If you've had an injury like this, its wise to seek treatment for it. Do you have Sciatic nerve pain or nerve symptoms of numbness, tingling and pins and needles? Book an appointment with us to have an assessment and treatment. If we can resolve the issue, we'll create you a treatment plan that includes manual therapies and a take home exercise program. More serious causes do exist, so if treatment of the muscles and joints is not relieving your pain, we'll refer you to see your GP to rule out any serious structural or pathological conditions. We all know that our bodies are full of these things called nerves, but have you ever wondered how they work to control your body?
Lets have a look at two important types of nerves in your body - the ones that tell you sensory information like touch or taste, and the ones that move your muscles and joints. Sensory nerves are responsible for everything you feel or sense. The five senses - sight, sound, touch, taste and smell - all fall under this category. Any awareness you have of the feeling or sensation of your body comes from the sensory nerves. The main sub types of these nerve receptors are mechanoreceptors, chemoreceptors and thermoreceptors. Mechanoreceptors respond to pressure and touch. When you feel muscles stretch out, or when you're aware of the chair you're sitting on, thats all thanks to mechanoreceptors. Chemoreceptors send information about chemical changes. This could be like the warming feeling of rubbing Deep Heat over your sore shoulder, as well as internal biochemical changes, like lactic acid build up after doing a big workout. Thermoreceptors tell us about temperature. They respond when you touch something hot or cold, and are the reason you'll quickly pull your hand away from a hot stove to avoid a serious burn. Then we have your Motor nerves, these are the ones that control movement. Every time you make a movement, its because these Motor nerves are sending a signal from your brain to the muscle they activate saying "Move!" Fun fact - muscles can only ever pull, they can't push! So when you activate your biceps to bend your elbow the biceps muscle contracts and gets shorter which pulls your forearm upwards. When you want to stretch your elbow back out straight, your Motor nerves activate your triceps which then pull your forearm back down to straighten the elbow. Everything in the body is controlled by nerve signals. The brain is like the control centre, and the nerves move out from the brain into all the tissue of your body - muscles, joints, organs, the lot. Some nerves can be over a metre long, like the ones that send signals to and from your toes. The nerves in your arms and hands all connect in via your neck, which is why we like to assess and treat your neck if you're having any pain, or tingling or other "nerve-y" symptoms in your hands and arms. The same goes from the nerves for your feet and legs - they extend out through your lower back, which is why we consider your back when you come in for treatment for your foot, ankle or leg. How can you tell if your pain or symptoms are nerve related? If a Sensory nerve is involved in your pain it can feel like sharp, shooting pains, tingling, pins and needles, numbness, or just feeling "weird" (we call that parasthesia) If its a Motor nerve thats involved, the muscle groups that nerve activates can be weak, or in extreme situations might not be able to activate at all. If you think your symptoms may be nerve related, book in with your Myotherapist for a full assessment and treatment plan. We know that it’s good to move our bodies on a daily basis. But when we get injured, it’s a good excuse to chuck in the towel for a few weeks– right? Wrong! Exercise or at least some type of movement is an important part of your recovery process. Although it might not be good to go for a run 2 hours after you break your ankle (ouch!), you do want to incorporate movement as your body heals. Let’s look at why exercise is so beneficial, and how to include it safely. What are some of the general benefits of exercise?
So first up – why do we want to exercise on a regular basis? I’m glad you asked! There are so many benefits to exercise for your physical, mental and emotional wellbeing. Some of them include:
Exercise, injury and pain The old-school approach to pain was all about rest and inactivity. But now we know that movement done correctly is one of the best things you can do for pain. When it comes to pain and injury, research has shown that exercise can:
But there are also the indirect benefits. For example, exercise improves sleep, which is when your body does its best healing. If you’re not sleeping well, it will take you longer to heal. But if you use exercise to improve your sleep, it can boost your recovery. How to exercise safely after an injury Convinced that you need to move that body? Let’s go about this with safety in mind. Here are a few tips to get you started. Start slow. After an injury, there are a lot of complex processes going on. So the last thing your body needs is for you to try and run a marathon while it’s still healing! Begin with gentle movements, and work your way up over a period of weeks until you’re back to your pre-injury levels. Use your non-painful joints. If you have an injured upper body, use your lower body for exercising. If you’ve got an injured lower body, do some upper body exercises. Endorphins don’t stay in the one place – they are systemic. So if you’re moving non-sore parts, the endorphins will make their way around your body to the sore parts to help relieve the pain. Get a proper rehab program prescribed. This might not be necessary if you’ve only rolled your ankle or stubbed your toe. But if you have had a significant injury or are in significant pain, it’s best to get help. As a myotherapist, I can prescribe rehab exercises that build your body’s strength back up, and adapt exercises that might be causing pain. Your exercises will change throughout our treatment plan - we start from light, easy exercises while the pain or injury is acute, and work up to more challenging exercises to rebuild strength when your body is ready for it. Ready to book in a session? Head to the booking page here. Most people understand joint dislocations. But subluxations, or partial dislocations, are a bit different. As a myotherapist, I see plenty of subluxations and related injuries every week. So let’s look at why subluxations aren’t quite dislocations, and what you can do about them! What is a subluxation? Unlike a dislocation, a subluxation is a partial displacement of the joint. With a dislocation, the bone is completely out of the joint it belongs to. But with a subluxation, the bone is only partly out. Just because it is not a full dislocation doesn’t mean that it won’t hurt! Subluxation can still be painful, as the joint is being wrenched out of its usual spot. It can also leave you at higher risk of chronic pain if the joint isn’t rehabilitated after the injury. In the image above, we're looking at the ball and socket joint of the hip. The Normal hip joint shows the ball of the femur (thigh bone) sitting neatly inside the socket joint of the pelvis. In Dysplasia, the shape of the socket is not correctly formed so the socket doesn't snugly hold the ball of the femur. In Subluxation, the ball of the femur has partially slid out from the socket, and while its still almost in the right spot, it likely won't move smooth and painfree like the normal hip. And in the Dislocation, the ball of the femur has entirely moved out of the socket.
Why do joints sublux? It is easier for a joint to sublux than it is to dislocate. That being said, if you have full strength and integrity in your joints, it will take a high-impact injury to sublux a joint. This is usually something like a fall, car accident or a sports injury. However, some people are at a higher risk due to weak, unstable or unusually shaped joints. A previous history of dislocation or subluxation can weaken the joint and make it more prone to a sublux. People with hypermobile joints can sublux joints with minimal force, because the ligaments (connective tissue that holds the joint together) are more elastic than they should be. This can lead to the person being very flexible but also more prone to subluxations – some of my more hypermobile clients can sublux joints while walking, sitting, or even sleeping! You can also have variations in the shape of your hip or shoulder joints that make it easier to sublux. Hip dysplasia is one common variation that increases the risk of subluxing a hip joint, like in the image above. Joints at risk of subluxation In the clinic, I’ve seen almost every subluxation possible, thanks to my hypermobile clients! But there are several joints that are easier to sublux due to their location and structure:
If you have hypermobile joints, you may be at risk of subluxing other joints like ribs, jaw and collarbone. How is a subluxed joint rehabilitated? It can depend on the type of subluxation, and how it occurred. If it was due to high-impact trauma, there’s likely to be a decent amount of joint damage that needs attention. It could take weeks before the pain subsides enough to focus on rehabilitation. But if the sublux occurred due to hypermobility or dysplasia, it might just need a little TLC for a week or two. After that, the focus will be on building up the muscles that support the joint to reduce the risk of recurrence. Either way, the focus for rehabilitating the joint will include stabilising it, minimising any symptoms, and rebuilding the strength and integrity. What can a myotherapist do for subluxations? If you’re dealing with a subluxed joint (or multiple!), I’m here to help. Let’s look at how myotherapy can help with subluxations:
So don’t sit at home and feel sore after a joint has subluxed. Come see your favourite myotherapist. We’ll have you feeling better in no time! Click here to book an appointment. |
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