One Minute Wellness: Yoga Flow

As adults, we live in the forward plane– walking, running, buking, stairs– they all keep us moving in one direction, and we never move laterally (side to side) or rotations, and our bodies are meant to move in ALL directions. It’s no wonder we tend to get stiffer as we get older– you aren’t going to remain flexible in a direction you never go, right?

Try this one minute yoga flow of 4 postures: you can hold each position for a few breaths, and be sure to do both sides. It should NOT be painful, just challenging!

One Minute Wellness: Kegels

The pelvic floor group of muscles work like every other muscle in your body, but are generally ignored until someone has an issue! Here’s how to make sure you’re engaging (and releasing!) properly.

Here’s how to do a proper Kegel.

Stretching Should NOT be a Major Component of Physical Fitness

This recent study looks at static stretching, specifically the sit-and-reach test. The argument has always been that hamstring flexibility is important to activities of daily living and sports performance, and the American College of Sports Medicine currently recommends 2-4 repetitions of multiple stretches a day.

This author feels there should be decreased emphasis on stretching as a necessary component of exercise regimes, as static stretching does not clearly improve health and function, and flexibility can be maintained or improved more efficiently through other modes of exercise.

Flexibility levels are usually greater in older adults who are most independent in activities of daily living, but so is muscle strength. Higher scores in the sit-and-reach test do not predict who will have lower back pain, hamstring injuries, or lower limb pain. Stretching to prevent injuries has not been backed up in the evidence.

The author argues that reducing emphasis on stretching will make exercise training more efficient, and poor flexibility in the general population may be due to reduced physical activity. If an exercise session can be shorter, people may be more consistent with doing it. Time previously dedicated to stretching could be better used with additional aerobic or resistance exercise. Leisure activities or aerobic and resistance exercise should be able to maintain or improve muscle flexibility in most people.

This author makes a point of saying that muscle flexibility is irrelevant for overall health and function, and that it should not be considered a major component of physical fitness for most people. He argues that stretching generally does not improve function in healthy individuals when compared to other forms of activities or exercise.

Finally, the author notes that dynamic stretches are different than static stretches—they use body weight and recruit multiple muscles and a neural component to perform, likely making them more functional than static stretching.

Child’s pose

If the evidence we have to date is showing that static stretches do not advance our fitness or health, and we get more gains through aerobic-type workouts and resistance training, maybe our time is better spent learning dynamic stretches for blood flow and getting our muscles to end-range pre-exercise.

What do you think?

Nuzzo, James. The Case for Retiring Flexibility as a Major Component of Physical Fitness. Sports Medicine (2020). 50: 853-870.

We look down too much! Here’s how you can help your neck:

In life, we look down all of the time– our hands are in front of us and we are constantly looking down at what our hands are doing, right? Over time, your neck might become sore, and here is a nice exercise to help counteract that. Ideally, this neck movement should feel like nothing… really. It should feel smooth and easy– if your neck feels stiff or tight, keep doing this neck movement to try to make it easier. It should never be painful– if it is, consult with your physiotherapist to make sure it is appropriate for you.

Neck retractions are awesome!

One Minute Wellness: Sloppy Push Up

This unprecedented time of COVID-19 has many of us working from home, going out less, driving less… basically everything is “less”… except sitting. Most of us are sitting around the house like never before, and most people will be slouching for long periods.

Over time, this can put your lower back in a less-than-happy place, so you can try to prevent that– or help it– by trying this simple move. The “sloppy” push up should not be painful. Ideally it should actually feel like nothing, which is weird to think like that: we generally don’t do movements or exercises that don’t feel like they’re stretching or working muscles. But the thing is that this movement should feel smooth and easy, and you’re trying to keep your muscles relaxed. If it is painful, check with your physiotherapist to see if it is right for you.

Sloppy push ups are brilliant!

One Minute Wellness: Sitting Posture

During this crazy time of COVID-19, Elevation Physiotherapy & Wellness is closed with so many other businesses, and people are at home. Since it is not normal life, many people are probably sitting even more than normally. Research shows that it’s best to keep moving around when you’re sitting and change up your position regularly, but here is a tip to get you out of the slouching position we spend so much time in:

Is Carrying a Backpack Hurting Your Neck?

Backpacks can be an excellent way to carry books, binders, lunch, running shoes and other items for school or recreation, but they can be a source of temporary discomfort or eventually serious soreness. Very heavy or improperly worn backpacks can lead to poor posture, cause stress on the soft tissue in your neck and back and put an extra load on your muscles and joints.

Backpacks are designed to distribute the load evenly.   Worn correctly and not overloaded, a backpack is supported by the back and abdominal muscles.   These muscles work together to stabilize the trunk and hold the body in proper balance and postural alignment.

Is My Backpack a Problem?

You may need to put less in your pack or carry it differently if:

  • you have to struggle to get your backpack on or off
  • you have to lean forward to carry your pack
  • you have neck pain or tingling in your arms
  • you have red marks on your shoulders

Tips for Choosing and Using Backpacks

Here are a few tips that will help make your backpack work for you, not against you:

  • Make sure it is not oversized. Getting one just to “carry more” can mean you’ll be hauling too much weight around too often. Neither your neck nor your back will thank you for it.
  • The shoulder straps should fit comfortably and not dig in to the shoulder. This will allow the arms to move freely. The straps should be padded and adjust so the pack sits close against your back. The wider the straps, the better—or at least more comfortable!
  • The bottom of the pack should rest in the contour of the lower back.  
  • Use a waist belt: this is important to “unweight” the pack and carry some of the load through your hips; this will directly take pressure from your neck
  • Always pack your backpack with the heaviest items closest to your back. Don’t drop all your stuff in the main compartment (using the side pockets will distribute the weight more evenly).
  • To wear a backpack properly, wear both shoulder straps to distribute the weight evenly—don’t sling it over one shoulder. Using only one strap loads the entire weight of the pack on one side, causing you to lean. Over time, this abnormal posture can create lower and upper back pain as well as neck and shoulder strain.
  • Limit your load. It is recommended that people carry no more than 10% to 15% of their body weight in their packs. This means that if you weigh 120 pounds, your backpack should weigh no more than 12 to 18 pounds. Choosing a lightweight backpack can get you off to a good start. Use your bathroom scale to weigh your backpack and get an idea of what the proper weight for you feels like.
  • Pick it up properly. As with any heavy weight, you should bend at the knees when lifting a backpack to your shoulders.
  •  When wearing a backpack, stand tall with your head and neck in line with your shoulders and use both shoulder straps to help evenly distribute the weight of the pack.
  • Consider a pack with wheels as an alternative to backpacks

If you’re having neck or back pain when carrying your bag or backpack, and adjusting it does not alleviate the pain, see your physiotherapist to help get to the source of the pain and get you better, faster.