It is surprising to many people to learn that your back muscles are likely not the cause or driver behind back pain. Your brain recognizes that pain is not normal and can go into “protective” mode and the muscles can spasm or not work normally as a result, but they are not often the cause of the issue. Check out this video below to explain more:
Your Journey to a Better Back: Part 3- The “Sloppy” Push Up
We all know that there isn’t likely one movement or exercise that is appropriate for everyone, but the “sloppy” push up can be helpful for many people. People tend to sit slouched and spend WAY too much time with their spine rounded forward, so this is a nice movement to get out of that, and nothing you happen to do in your day puts your back near there unless you make a point of it!
Remember, the “sloppy” push up should not be painful. If it is, it’s best to consult with your Physiotherapist to see if this exercise is appropriate for you at the moment.
What New Moms Need to Know About Diastasis Recti
Thanks for the mention in this article for https://www.rodalesorganiclife.com/
It’s important that every woman who has had a baby learn about a diastasis recti and gets checked to see if they have one. There’s much that can be done to help minimize a DR, but we need to keep this conversation going so women can learn about it and help to take care of themselves.
https://www.rodalesorganiclife.com/wellbeing/diasasis-recti-after-pregnancy
Your Journey to a Better Back: Part II- Move More!
This is Part 2 out of 5 short videos on Your Journey to a Better Back, and we’re speaking about the importance of movement– it doesn’t have to be a new sport or formalized program at the gym. Here we list various strategies that one can easily incorporate at work.
Journey to a Better Back- Part 1: Sitting Like A Boss!
Here is Part 1 of 5 short videos on “Your Journey to a Better Back.” We’re starting with how to sit properly using a lumbar support– that is key to helping back pain!
The 5 Essentials of Healthy Desk Work
- Sitting posture is key! We all know it’s not a great thing for the body to sit for many hours every day, so at least have most of that time with minimal stressors on your body. Sit with a supplemental lumbar support so that your spine can easily maintain the natural inward curve in the lower back that is present when you stand. When you correct from the bottom, it helps to align everything higher up. More than that, keep moving around in your chair—rock your pelvis forward and back or side to side every now and then—just keep things moving a bit.
- Breathing is underrated! If you’re sitting in a slouched posture for long, you aren’t able to take in a maximal breath to expand your lower lungs. Not cool. As soon as you sit up straighter, it allows the lowest part of your lungs to expand fully when you take a deep breath—this is important to bring oxygen to tissues, calm your nervous system, and help blood flow.
- Your desk set-up is important: the ergonomic design of your work station should keep your head neutral looking straight ahead, your shoulders relaxed so that your elbows are bent to ~90 degrees and you can still reach the keyboard and mouse, and your chair height allows your knees to be at or below the height of your hips.
- Move your body: sitting properly is WAY better than not, but it’s still not great to stay there for hours on end. Move! Strategize to stand and move around your area when you take a phone call, or schedule a walking meeting, or drink enough water that you regularly have to get up to use the bathroom!
- Drink enough water: ideally we want about 8-12 cups of fluid per day in order to replenish our body’s store of fluids. These fluids help with all bodily functions: blood regulation, digestion, breathing, muscle and joint function, and brain activity. Keep it in you!
If you’re not sure about your desk ergonomic set-up or how to use a lumbar roll to sit, speak with your physiotherapist, or check out an earlier post here
Daily squatting is great for your hips, knees… and pelvic floor!
If you’re thinking that you’re doing well because you do squats at the gym, well…good… but that’s not what I mean. The article below is a great read on how many of us have lost the ability to squat because we just never do it. I mean the deep butt-almost-to-the ground kind of squat. In eastern cultures they have toilets that require you to squat over top of them, or they sit on their heels to eat. We literally never do that here, unless we make a point to do so.
Joints actually like compression, as it helps to lubricate and nourish them. Squatting squishes the fluid that surrounds the knee, hip and ankle joints around, and the cartilage at these joints like that. Also when doing a full squat, the pubic bone and tailbone move away from each other, allowing the pelvic floor muscles to have a bit of a stretch. All good things.
Squatting should not be painful, nor should you feel unbalanced. If you’re finding the thought of a full squat daunting, get some strategies on how to properly and safely do this movement from your physiotherapist.
Check out the super-interesting article from www.quartzy.qz.com
Say “Yes” to Exercise for Back Pain
An interesting article where I both wholeheartedly agree and don’t agree: the researchers report that “the best form of exercise is the one that you are going to stick with”. Exercise in the form of general movement is generally fantastic, but often there are specific directions/ movements that could actually help repair the problem– read more
If this interests you, you will find the blog from July to be a great read.
View original article: www.scientificamerican.com
Exercise after baby… what’s changed?
Life is so different after a baby! Not just with having a new addition to your family, but now it’s not only about you anymore. But it’s still somewhat about you… that’s what so many Moms forget. You have to be good to yourself, and you have to get back to your best, fullest you!
When you’re looking to start back to exercise, whether it’s something you’re looking to return to after giving birth or it’s some new activity, you have to remember that your body is different now. Continue reading
Slipping (up) on ice?
We’ve all had injuries, either from some sports mishap or when you get tangled in the dog’s leash and fall over. What’s the first thing you do? Reach for the ice. We’ve always known (or thought, anyway) that icing that sprained ankle or swollen hand would be helpful to decrease pain and swelling after the injury. After all, putting ice on restricts blood flow to the area, which helps to numb the pain and keep any swelling under control. Were we wrong all along?
Research on how effective ice is following injury is spotty at best. A 2012 study in The British Journal of Sports Medicine determined that there were no studies that showed the effectiveness of icing after acute injuries. In fact, a 2013 study from the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research showed that icing actually delayed recovery of muscle damage.
Wait, what? Continue reading
