Whiplash Physiotherapy: How Much is Enough?
Whiplash associated disorder (WAD) encompasses a syndrome of symptoms that may result from an acceleration/deceleration injury of the neck - especially disability and neck pain.
Smart Watch Approved for Detecting Atrial Fibrillation
One out of every 50 Australians deals with atrial fibrillation (AF).1 This condition involves an irregular – often rapid – heartbeat leading to poor blood flow.
What’s the Best Timing for Protein?
We all know that we need to eat protein to maintain and build muscles. Malnutrition in this regard can make exercise counterproductive to building strength. But does it matter when the protein is consumed?
Whiplash: When to Begin Treatment
The science demonstrates unequivocally that whiplash should receive physiotherapy within 96 hours of the injury.1-
Is Straight-back Lifting Really Better than Rounded-Back Lifting?
Three out of four physiotherapists will tell you that straight-back lifting is better for your back than rounded-back lifting.1
Meniscal Tear Knee Injury in a Younger Adult? Consider Physiotherapy
It is well established that physiotherapy is a good first-line treatment for certain meniscal tears in the knee, and that physiotherapy is not inferior to a common surgery.
Post-exercise Stretching: Separating Theory from Fact
Why do we stretch at the end of a workout? Some people skip it altogether. What are they missing? If you are like many of us, you have been told that stretching will prevent sore muscles or increase range of motion
Exercise That Works for Low Back Pain
Across Australia, the cost of low back pain is on the rise, but outcomes are not improving.
Getting Thinner: Weight Training vs. Aerobics
You only have so much time in a day. We get it. Every temptation around us and every influence looks like something that will take away physical activity and add calories
Laughter is the Best Medicine
We all know that laughing makes us feel better, but do you really know why? Science is finding multiple interesting answers about the medical and psychological benefits of laughter.
COVID Recovery – The Other Part of the Story
The data regarding recovery from a severe COVID infection is still in its nascent stages. We know that exercise intolerance, even months after a case of COVID-19, is common.1
Exercising with Arthritis – Start S.M.A.R.T.
Naturally, arthritis pain can slow people down. With a normal age of onset as early as 30, it’s a common misconception that inactivity can preserve arthritic joints. It turns out that the opposite is true. Not exercising can worsen the pain and invite more problems.
Can Vegans Build Muscle and Have Endurance?
It’s a constant question and concern, especially among people who prefer high muscle mass. Can a vegan or vegetarian diet support muscle building?
Inactivity Proves More Deadly than Obesity
Just a little bit of exercise can go a long way. In fact, a large study shows that twice as many premature deaths occur due to lack of activity compared to the premature deaths attributed to obesity.
They Say Frozen Shoulder is Self-resolving, but . . .
Affecting an estimated 2% to 5% of the general population, adhesive capsulitis (also known as frozen shoulder) ranks as the leading cause of pain at the shoulder joint among the middle-age and older.1
Preventing Chronic Opioid Use After Surgery
Surgeons need to manage a patient’s pain after surgery, and opioid medications have long been part of that. One challenge is that surgical pain managed by opioids increases the risk of chronic opioid use.
Get More of a Workout in Less Time
You may have already heard about high-intensity interval training (HIIT) and how it can improve the outcomes of your workout. The truth of the matter is that different workouts are best for different people and different goals
Do I Have a Rotator Cuff Tear?
With a superlative capacity for motion, the shoulder joint can experience multiple sources of pain. One of the more problematic shoulder conditions is the rotator cuff tear.
Tennis Elbow - So Much More than Tennis
Tennis elbow refers to a repetitive use disorder causing recurring pain on the outside of the elbow. Without treatment beyond anti-inflammatory approaches, recurrence is high
The Association of Smartphones, Back Pain in Adolescents, and Sitting Posture
For many of us, smartphones have become as essential as shoes. This greater connectivity seems to come with some orthopaedic drawbacks. You may have heard the term “text neck.”
Osteoarthritis – Belief Matters
Research out of the UK finds that 50% of people with severe, disabling knee pain do not seek a healthcare consultation.1 Why? Beliefs
Lunchtime Walks Make Happier Workers. It’s Science.
We’ve all heard that exercise is good for both the body and mind. But squeezing exercise into a modern, hectic lifestyle could be another matter. If the promise of better fitness isn’t getting you there, what if we told you exercise will help you enjoy your job more?
Serious Recurring Headaches: Targeted Strengthening Can Help
When it comes to serious headaches, people of think of being still to help them subside or avoiding activity to avoid triggering them. Exercise to prevent headaches may even sound counterintuitive. However, targeted strengthening has a lot to offer.
COPD: Exercise Therapy Dramatically Improves Breathing Outcomes
COPD appears to be on the decline in Australia. In 2013, the BOLD study reported one in seven Australians age 40+ having COPD.
Metabolism: Conventional Wisdom May be Wrong
Oh, to be young again. Many of us may remember a time when we could eat almost anything and not worry a bit about our body mass index.
Compression Garments: Are they Worth the Squeeze on Your Wallet?
For elite athletes, effective and efficient recovery proves crucial to higher levels of achievement. Better recovery allows for more rapidly increasing training loads.
ACL Injury? Start Physiotherapy Right Away.
The anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) is one of the four primary ligaments in the knee. It is a strong band of tissue helping to hold the knee together by connecting the front of your shin bone (tibia) to the back of the thigh bone (femur).
Some Knee Pain is Likely to Recur for Years if Not Properly Addressed
Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome - There are many reasons someone may experience knee pain. Patellofemoral pain syndrome (PFPS) ranks as one of the most common. Roughly one out of four people will experience PFPS.
Remember the Medicine Ball?
Exercise and training fads come and go, but many of them worked then and would work now if you pull them out of the closet. Remember the medicine ball?
Why Most Seniors Should Rehab After Bed Rest
Bed rest serves as a time-honoured recommendation for both injury and illness. However, it’s easy to underestimate how it affects people age 60+. Retirees do not bounce back from bed rest like they may have when they were younger.
Knee Cartilage Tear? The Evidence Says Start with Physiotherapy.
The knee cartilage we are talking about here is the meniscus. Each knee has two menisci, crescent-shaped cartilage between the tibia and the femur.
Walking Once Per Day Improves COPD
Most of us know someone who suffers from COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease). COPD refers to a group of chronic inflammatory diseases that obstruct airflow when breathing
Acute Ankle Sprain: Supervised Physiotherapy Superior to Written Instructions
With an annual incidence of 10 ankle sprains per 1,000 people, ankle sprains prove relatively common.
Pilates for Low Back Pain
Three systematic reviews now demonstrate that Pilates is one of the supervised exercise pro grams effective in the treatment of chronic, non -specific low back pain (LBP)
How Good is Bicycling? This Good . . .
Two studies published recently in major peer-reviewed medical journals quantify how bicycling lowers the risk of cardiovascular disease.
One Quarter of Spinal Decompression Surgeries Occurring Without Receiving Physio
Low back pain ranks as the world’s leading cause of years lived with disability, resulting in a high economic burden.
Pump Up the Jams! It’s Science.
Earbuds seem ubiquitous in gyms and parks. The mood-lifting role of music in our lives is inarguable, but an interesting question remains. Does the music serve as only entertainment, or is music a performance enhancer? Science says . . . music actually enhances your workouts
Gardening: Yes, It’s That Good
As advocates for health, wellness, and injury prevention, we routinely promote exercise such as running, swimming, bicycling, weightlifting, competitive sports, etc. What matters is finding the activities that boost your heart rate for a sustained amount of time, challenge your muscles, and – most importantly – keep you interested and engaged. So what about gardening?
Emergency Department Physiotherapist Reduces Use of Opioids & Imaging
Have you ever wondered if you should wait to see a physiotherapist? Have you ever wondered why a physiotherapist would be used at a sporting event to assess injuries?
Too Much TV Kills but The Most Active People Can Get Away with It
Your mother probably told you this, but you thought she was just making it up. Actually, over the past 40 years, a number of studies have shown negative health effects related to watching TV for hours each day. A recent study, however, finds there is a way you can get away with this sedentary behavior!
Plantar Fasciosis (Heel Pain) – What Works Best?
Historically, this diagnosis has been called plantar fasciitis. The “itis” in that word means inflammation. However, histopathologic studies now show us that inflammation is not a part of the condition we have traditionally labelled plantar fasciitis.
Preventing Falls for Seniors, Advice from University of Sydney Research Team
In New South Wales, serious fall injuries are on the rise – up 72% since 2001. Accidental falls are common for Australians age 70+, and the risk of falling rises with age. Interestingly, researchers from the University of Sydney found an easy way for seniors to prevent falls themselves.
Over-the-Counter Pains Meds are Not for Long-Term Use!
When you have a headache, a cold, or an aching back, you’re likely to head out to the pharmacist and pick up some pain meds—maybe some aspirin or ibuprofen. These meds fall into the category of NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs).
Occupational Back Pain: Different and More Serious
Did you know that if back pain makes a person miss four to twelve weeks of work, th�at person will have a 40% chance of missing work for the next year?1
Most People with Arthritis Are Under 65. Early Intervention is Better.
The idea that arthritis only affects seniors stands out as one of the biggest misconceptions of the disease. Arthritis occurs more pervasively among adults age 65+, but nearly two-thirds of people with arthritis are under age 65.1 Arthritis affects people of all ages
Osteoporosis: The Right Exercise Reverses Bone Mass Loss
One in three women and one in twelve men over the age of 50 will suffer an osteoporotic fracture. Many victims of osteoporotic fractures lose the ability to live independently. What exactly is osteoporosis? It
Want to Know if Physiotherapy can Help? Research Shows One Visit is All it Takes
A recent study verified something healthcare professionals have long taken for granted. After an initial assessment, an experienced physiotherapist can predict outcomes with a fair amount of accuracy. They can accurately estimate if exercise therapy is likely to improve a person’s ability and how fast.
Strong Beats Skinny for Longer Life
People are constantly being told to watch their weight, but perhaps the advice should be, “Watch your muscle mass.”
Working from Home? Remember Your Ergonomics
Roy Morgan reports that nearly 1/3 of Australians have been working from home due to the COVID epidemic. As many of us transition to makeshift offices, new concerns over workplace ergonomics have been raised.
Low Back Pain: Passive Approaches Result in 280% Higher Recurrence
Across Australia, the cost of low back pain is on the rise, but outcomes are not improving.(1) Part of the problem may be lingering misconceptions of back pain
