How to keep your Dentist and Physio happy!

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I have been brushing my teeth morning and night since I was a child. The purpose of this was to make sure that when I saw the dentist for my check-up he would tell me my teeth are good and I don’t need any fillings. I am proud to say that 30 years later I am still filling-free!

physio toothbrush

So, then I thought – I need to do my muscle releases everyday (and maybe twice a day) to ensure that when I see my Physio for a tune-up they will tell me that my body is testing well and I don’t need any extra work. And since I have been doing my muscle releases everyday, this has been the case! (And the time in between my ‘tune-ups’ has been spaced out every session).

Calf self massage

So I wanted to share with you some ways that I have been able to fit my muscle releases into my everyday life…

  • Watching tv (that’s right – roll around on the ball/roller on the ground in the lounge room)
  • Whilst on the phone (put the ball against the wall and roll my shoulders whilst talking)
  • Waiting for the kettle to boil (easy 2 mins right there!)
  • Waiting for the toast to cook or microwave to heat lunch (easy 2-5min right there as well!)
  • Sitting at the movies/on the bus/ in the car (as a passenger) – placing the ball under my foot or under my thigh to release my hamstrings
  • In my lunchbreak
  • Talking to my housemates at home
  • Wake up 10mins earlier than normal/go to bed 10min later than normal
  • At the airport terminal waiting for a plane (& on the plane!)
  • Before my PT or Gym session (get there 10min early – do releases!)
  • Getting a massage (is this cheating? Definitely not!)

Shoulder self massage

Of course this means I carry my releasing ball with me in my handbag everywhere I go and I absolutely freak out if it’s not in there (as one may do if they forget their tooth brush on a holiday). Lucky toothbrushes are easy to buy from the shop though. If you would like to chat to anyone about what muscle releases would be best for you, book in to see one of Brisbane’s best Physio’s at Barefoot Physiotherapy.

To stretch or not to stretch

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Throughout most of my life (age 5 onwards) I have played very competitive soccer. During the later stages of my sporting (late teens and early twenties), I was plagued by a recurring injury to my left quad. This happened a few times over a couple years, always being a low-mid grade tear, but often kept me watching from the sidelines for months at a time. Reflecting back on my pre-game warm ups and routines, I can’t help but think about the type of stretching I would do before games.

quadricep-stretch

The two most practised and basic types of stretching are:

  • Static stretching
    • The more traditional type of stretching, involving getting in that “stretched position”, and holding it there for multiple seconds. An example is a quadriceps stretch in the photo above, holding this position for 30 seconds or more.
  • Dynamic stretching
    • Constant movement involving bringing the body in and out of a stretched position repeatedly. An example is jogging while doing “high knees” or doing lunge walks.

So, when do we use static stretching? When do we use dynamic stretching? When do we actually do any of them, before or after sport?

There are a lot of variables which can have big impacts on not only your chance of injury, but also your performance during your sport or exercise.

Generally… research is now showing that static stretching should be used after exercise or sport and dynamic stretching should be used before exercise or sport. It is suggested that following these guidelines will improve performance and decrease injury susceptibility.

So… how does this work?

Static stretching for long periods of time, can acutely lengthen the muscle to a degree not necessarily required for sport. This lengthening process may actually make the athlete more susceptible to injury in the short term (ie during the sporting performance immediately after stretching). Static stretching, because of its nature can relax people to a level which is not ideal for athletic performance. It has it’s benefits after exercise as well as helping to increase flexibility.

PEC-STRETCH

Dynamic stretching can loosen up the muscles in a stable environment (where nothing unexpected will happen – ie a tackle or quick change of direction), similar to what the muscles will be experiencing during sport. It also can help maintain an elevated overall body temperature, optimal for sport performance. It is proposed that this combination of keeping the body “awake” so to speak, and not “over-stretching” the muscle, is the ideal combination to prepare somebody for sport.

Most muscle groups can be stretched in a static or dynamic way, if you have any questions or recommendations for how to stretch any muscles/muscle groups, please ask!

Happy stretching!

 

Magic hands… and fingers!

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Barefoot Physiotherapy Sal Oliver Lange

We’re a pretty musical bunch down here at the Blue House… Cherelle is off at Splendour as I’m writing this and Sal and I are busy practising our sweet tunes to play for her when she gets back (we’re thinking Blur but are open to requests). We thought you might want to hear more about our magic hands and playing Guitar from a physio’s point of view.

Since age five I was put into piano lessons (which I stuck out for a LONG 10 years), which actually built a great foundation for my passion of music.

This soon developed into what I thought were “cooler” instruments, focusing strongly on guitar. I have now played guitar for roughly 12 years (although currently not as often as I would like).

This love of music mixed with a determined personality makes for long hours put in when trying to learn a new riff of song.

About a two years ago when I was trying to master Sultans of Swing by Dire Straits, I roughly put in 15 hours of practice over a weekend. When Monday rolled around I had a very sore neck, a throbbing wrist and almost bloody fingers. Although my raw fingers were directly caused by an accumulation of pressing them against wire strings for so many hours, I very well could have avoided a sore neck and wrist.

Especially when putting in hours after hours of practicing a musical instrument you have to remember to protect your body. It is so easy to get caught up in playing and forget this. Check out two of the most common postural mistakes when playing guitar (especially beginners!).

WRIST POSITION:

Take note of the photos below:

Physiotherapy for guitarists

On the left – notice the flexed wrist position. This compresses the blood vessels and nerves travelling through the wrist. Staying in this position for prolonged times will give you a sore wrist in the short term and can lead to more serious problems long term (Carpal Tunnel syndrome for example)

On the right – Magic hands! Good wrist posture. Notice the neutral wrist position. Happy wrist and hand!

POSTURE

Have a look at the photos below:

Posture for guitarists Physiotherapy

On the left – Poor playing position – notice the hunched over back and the flexed/bent forward neck. This position is sure to give me a sore neck and back!

On the right – Good posture! What a rock star! Notice the neutral spine and neck position. Although it can be more challenging to learn guitar without constantly staring at your hands, you will become more comfortable in the future and your body will thank you!

Any song requests?

Ben

 

 

 

Pete – touch footy, barramundi fishing and sirens blaring!

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Physio for paramedics

Pete Joseph loves a challenge. Whether it be side stepping on the touch footy field, barramundi fishing or saving lives. 

At Barefoot, we love to look after the people who look after us. Being a paramedic is taxing on your body. You need to put yourself into difficult situations physically and mentally. It’s important to have your outlets and for Pete Joseph, it’s touch footy & barramundi fishing. We were keen to hear more about this lifestyle that sounds like it’s out of an Adventure magazine!

You’ve just played for the NQ Touch Footy team at a State comp, but you live in Brisbane. How does that come about?

I’ve represented Cairns Pirates at the NQ championship whilst living in Cairns multiple times and due to this I was able to use my home grown status to tour with the team this year in June 2015. This is an avenue for players such as myself that have a passion for representing their home region.

Having grown up in cairns you can’t help but feel an emotional attachment to representing the region at any opportunity you can get. Not only do I get to play touch football with my mates I grew up with, but making it known to everyone that I’m a proud NQ boy and will always be. This is something most city slickers won’t ever understand. Cairns will always be known to me as my home and the connection with the region is something that will never fade. I suppose you can compare it to the same passion that Queensland supporters have during the state of origin series… Queenslander!!!!!

Physiotherapy touch football

We know you get asked about it all the time (because we all want to know about you guys in uniform!) but can you tell us about what made you decide to become a paramedic and what’s a usual day like?

I’m a bit biased, but being a paramedic is the best job in the world. I was an electrician but I wanted a bit more of a challenge and being a paramedic has certainly filled that void. Being a paramedic is rewarding and unique which makes the role so enjoyable.

And what’s a usual day like? It’s sometimes that’s hard to describe. There are no two days that are similar, not even close. We don’t have a usual day which is one of the reasons why I and other paramedics are attracted to the role. When we log on with our communications centre, the possibilities are endless. We could be simply talking amongst ourselves about the weekend sport when we receive a job that requires us to treat a patient that can be medically unwell or involved in a traumatic event. We never know what we will encounter or who we will meet, which is what makes it so interesting.

We hear that you love fishing in the NT. Tell us about your most memorable trip.

Fishing is my chance to completely relax. Being isolated with your mates catching HUGE Barramundi is hard to beat. I have heaps of great memories however catching your first fish [especially barramundi] of the trip always sticks in your mind. This photo was taken in Kununurra W.A which was our plan B location due to bad weather in the Northern Territory.

Fishing lifestyle Physiotherapy

Thanks Pete!

PS – Pete’s next focus for touch is to be representing the North Queensland Cyclones, March 2016 at the National Touch League Championship in Coffs Harbour.

 

If you have a demanding job that is hard on your body, why not book in with us for a ‘tune up’ – where we can check you over from time to time and treat anything that may come up.  This is a great way to keep your body at 100%  If you’d like to book in with us for a tune-up, CLICK HERE.