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The importance of strong calves

Should I train my calves?

 

By Physiotherapist, Paulina Backiel 

 

The calf is actually made up of two muscles:

  • Gastrocnemius is the superficial muscle that we can see (composed of 2 muscles)

    • Medial gastrocnemius muscles

    • Lateral gastrocnemius muscle

  • Soleus, which lies under the gastrocnemius

Both of these muscles are the main muscles that help propel us forwards during the push off phase of walking or running. The medical term used to describe the action of the muscle is “Plantar flexion.” 

So you may ask why are these muscles so important? Well, first, I have a question for you. 

How many people walk at the grocery store, walk at work or like to go for a run? If we are doing all these activities, why don’t we consider training these muscles? Research has shown that individuals who have weak calf muscles tend to be more sedentary. Also, older populations have higher risk of falls, decreased balance ability, and greater mobility problems due to weak calf muscles. In addition, the soleus muscle takes almost 7x your body weight when running. That’s pretty crazy! This is another reason why it is important to have strong and healthy functioning calves. 

 

So, what is a strong and healthy calf? A recent 2017 study by Herbert-Losier et al. looked at over 500 healthy active people, straight leg calf raise norms for age group and gender are as follows:

 

20-29yo: Males 37 reps, Females 30 reps

30-39yo: Males 32 reps, Females 27 reps

40-49yo: Males 28 reps, Females 24 reps

50-59yo: Males 23 reps, Females 21 reps

60-69yo: Males 19 reps, Females 19 reps

70-79yo: Males 14 reps, Females 16 reps

80-89yo: Males 10 reps, Females 13 reps

 

How many can you do? Give these exercises a try, or come into the clinic to visit with a physiotherapist and learn more about how you can strengthen your lower body. 

 

References

  1. Hébert-Losier, K., Wessman, C., Alricsson, M., & Svantesson, U. (2017). Updated reliability and normative values for the standing heel-rise test in healthy adults. Physiotherapy, 103(4), 446-452.

  2. Hamner, S. R., Seth, A., & Delp, S. L. (2010). Muscle contributions to propulsion and support during running. Journal of biomechanics, 43(14), 2709-2716.

Dorn, T. W., Schache, A. G., & Pandy, M. G. (2012). Muscular strategy shift in human running: dependence of running speed on hip and ankle muscle performance. Journal of Experimental Biology, 215(11), 1944-1956.

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Why is prehab so important?

BOSIC sports medicine

Why is Prehab important? – Time and Money!

By Physiotherapist, Vanessa Boon

Time – the less time you spend being injured; the more time you have to do the things you love. Prehab can prepare you for the physical demands of daily life, various sports and your hobbies!

Money – we all know the saying ‘prevention is better than cure’ but prevention is also cheaper than cure. A few preventative screens or sessions are far less costly than needing an MRI/CT scan and potential surgery.

 

How does Prehab decrease my chances of injury?

    • Focusing on the deep stabilising muscles (e.g. rotator cuff muscles that stabilise your shoulder) lessens your chance of getting “a niggle” after sports.
    • Performing balance training has been shown to decrease ligament injuries. Prevention protocols show the reduction of ankles sprains or ACL injuries by up to 60%.
    • Strengthening the smaller muscles (e.g. gluteus medius), not just the big ones, will prevent muscle, tendon and ligament injuries. A ligament injury can take a long time to heal, so spending time performing prehab exercises can decrease your time to bounce back.
    • Using active stretching as a form of prehab will decrease your chance of injury. For example, poor lower limb flexibility increases lower limb overuse injuries by over 50% as compared to those with average flexibility.

 

Want to stay injury free?

The secret is prehab > rehab.  Whether you play a sport or not, it is beneficial to add general or specific prehab exercises to your daily/training routine. If you would like to learn more about what prehab exercises are right for you, give us a call at 8599 9811 and one of our team will call you back!

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Fertility Acupuncture

By Jane (Pui Wah) Chan, Acupuncturist


What to expect on your first visits? 

Generally at your first Fertility Acupuncture visit, we will get a thorough understanding of your health conditions through asking a comprehensive list of questions related to your health concern such as the nature of your illness, medical history, lifestyle and diet etc. During Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM)/Acupuncture diagnostic techniques such as pulse palpating, face and tongue observation will also be used. 

I may recommend you to undergo a therapy plan with several courses of treatment pertaining for your conditions. Herbal medicine is often applied for fertility and chronic disorders.

Can complementary therapies support fertility? 

Many people use complementary or alternative therapies to improve their overall physical and emotional health. This could includes herbal, vitamin, mineral, nutritional and other supplements and therapies such as Chinese Herbal Medicine and Acupuncture. 

Improve your general health is clearly beneficial for people who are experiencing fertility issues. 


Some of the key benefits of acupuncture during IVF/IUI/Fertility Cycles are: 

  • Stress reduction – calming of the sympathetic nervous system
  • Improved blood flow to ovaries and uterus
  • Improved pregnancy rates when combining IVF with acupuncture
  • Improved egg quality when starting acupuncture in advance of the IVF
  • Early pregnancy support to reduce miscarriage rates
  • Reduced side effects from IVF medications
  • Improvement of the uterine lining


    Does Acupuncture hurt? 

    Acupuncture can be pain free, some people do experience small amount of pain which they describe as ant bite sensation. 

    How long is the Acupuncture session? 

    Usually for an initial consultation including treatment, it takes approximately 45 minutes, where as subsequent treatments generally are around 30 minutes. 

    How should you prepare for the treatment sessions? 

  • Make sure you have something light an hour before the treatment and do not consume any alcoholic or caffeinated beverages.
    (Receiving Acupuncture treatment on an empty stomach may cause dizziness after the treatment) 
  • Wear comfortable clothes 
  • Do not participate in heavy exercises right before the appointment

To book an appointment, please see below:

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Prevent A Sedentary Lifestyle Without Going To The Gym

BOSIC Specials

by Vanessa Boon, Physiotherapist

How do I prevent a sedentary lifestyle without going to the gym?

The answer is: incidental movement!

The risks of living a sedentary lifestyle

Most of us keep an hour aside daily for our physical activity. But when work gets busy, we are all guilty of the “I’ll go tomorrow instead” or “I’ll start again when work calms down,” and this is not good for our physical or mental health.

Besides that, working in a corporate environment, most of us sit for more than 6 hours a day. This has been shown to decrease the lifespan of men by 20% and women by 40%. A sedentary lifestyle also increases the risk of various lifestyle diseases and occurrences such as:

– Breast cancer by 21%
– Digestive tract cancer by 25%
– Diabetes by 27%
– Heart disease by 30%

Incidental movement, though not a straight hour of exercise, still counts as physical activity and leads to similar health benefits!

10 easy ways to increase incidental movement

1. Use the stairs instead of the lift or escalator
2. Cycle or walk to work
3. Get off the train/bus a couple of stops earlier and walk the rest of the way
4. Do a bit of housework daily
5. Go for a brisk walk before or after meals
6. Walk to and from the shops
7. Get up and move very 20-30minutes
8. Move as you talk (e.g walking to take a phonecall)
9. Use “TV time” as a chance to squeeze in a few exercises
10. Choose a cafe further away to grab your daily coffee!

The simple secret is: move more than you sit!

Here at BOSIC we believe in having a balanced lifestyle. Rest is amazing and great for your body, but during your waking hours get up, get moving and increase your incidental movement today! If you’re struggling to fit exercise into your day and need some advice, book in to see our Physio’s or Exercise Physiologist below: 

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Cracking Your Knuckles Is Bad For You! – Myth or Fact?

BOSIC Specials

by Vanessa Boon, Physiotherapist

 

 

The simple answer is no; but also, yes.

How can cracking not be bad for me?  

For starters, cracking is NOT linked to arthritis. Yes, despite popular beliefs, several studies have shown that the chances of having arthritis are around the same whether or not you crack your joints.

What is going on in my body when I hear a crack?

Escaping gases

The fluid which lubricates your joints contains gases (oxygen, nitrogen, and carbon dioxide). When you crack your joint, you stretch the joint capsule and gas is rapidly released. The reason why you cannot crack the same joint over and over again is because the gases have to first return to the fluid. 

Movement of joints, tendons and ligaments

Your tendons move and change positions when your joint moves. Sometimes, if you hear a snapping sound, it could just be your tendon moving back to its original position. Besides your tendons, your ligaments can also create sounds when they tighten as you move your joint. Some of the cracking sounds that you hear in your knee and ankle, could just be your ligaments.

Rough surface

An arthritic joint can also make sounds due the loss of cartilage and when the joint surfaces losses its smoothness.

Concerns other than arthritis – the dark side of cracking

Inflammation and weak grip

Even though cracking your joints may not directly cause arthritis, it can cause inflammation and weaken your joints. There have been studies done that link long-term knuckle cracking with increased levels of inflammation and weaker grip strength which affects the overall health of your joints.

When should I be concerned?

Most cracks and pops are pretty normal and do not need any sort of treatment. They are not particularly linked to any serious chronic health issues. Although, if they are accompanied by pain and swelling it is probably best to seek out a health professional just to get checked up. To book your appointment with one of our Physio’s see below:

 

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Stiff neck? Sore back? – Lets look at your posture

BOSIC Specials

by Vanessa Boon, Physiotherapist

Stiff neck? Sore back? – Lets look at your posture

Do you sit or stand at a desk all day? Do you get recurring neck/back pain or headaches? The issue could be your posture. 80-90% of us would have experienced back pain at some point in our lives. With poor posture our backs are less able to withstand day to day forces and over time, will start to give you grief. Majority of back pain actually stems from poor posture. By being able to maintain a neutral spine (proper posture) with each movement, you can train your back to withstand day to day forces and more, pain free!

 

Bad posture is a habit – you can change it

Do you find it hard to maintain good posture? That is because maintaining good posture requires:

  1. Learning new movement patterns
  2. Changing/retraining years and years of poor movement patterns.

Your body will do what it has learned to do over the years. For example, if you body has learned to hunch while sitting, you will hunch.

 

Poor posture can affect you more than you think! – the big 3

Neck/Back pain

Neutral spine is when our spine is in its optimal alignment. In this position, our ligaments and muscles work optimally and have the least amount of stress placed on them. Poor posture puts excess stress on all the structures in our back. Our muscles have to work overtime to hold us up against gravity and with excessive stress our joints also start to degrade, both of which can cause pain.

Headaches

Did you know that your posture could be the cause of your headaches? Poor posture (neck protruding forward as well as hunching over) puts immense strain on the muscles around the neck. Over time these can cause referred pain behind the eyes or to the back of the head .

Have you heard of text neck? This is when the neck is injured from constantly holding your neck in a downward/forward position. Different degrees of forward head posture place excessive force on the neck, which can strain the neck and cause headaches:

  • At 15 degrees = 12.3kg
  • At 30 degrees = 18.2kg
  • At 45 degrees = 22.3kg
  • At 60 degrees = 27.3kg

 

Mood & Stress

Basically, poor posture = negative emotions. The longer you sit, the more likely you are to experience depressive symptoms. If you sit for longer than 7 hours a day you are 47% more likely to have depressive symptoms. A study done on stress and posture found that those who sat upright had a higher self-esteem with better moods while those who sat in a slumped position generally had more negative emotions. Another study found that those who adopted power postures had an increase in testosterone and a decrease in stress hormones by 25%!

Here at BOSIC we know how crucial mental health is which is why we offer a complimentary postural screen. Give us a call or book in to see us below to find out more today!

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Do you wake up on the wrong side of the bed?

BOSIC Specials

by Vanessa Boon, Physiotherapist

 

 

Do you wake up tired and sluggish each morning?

Are you struggling to get your 8 hours each night?

Our Physio, Vanessa gives your her top tips for a good night’s sleep.

The Importance of Sleep – 3 Reasons Why Sleep is so Important

1. Cell Generation

Our brain rewrites itself while we are asleep. Think of sleep like our body’s daily biological maintenance, it is when most of our cell repair is done. While we are asleep, our skin cells regenerate along with our brain cells, it strengthens our memory and preserves the information on processed during the day.

2. Strengthening of Your Immune System

Poor sleep = weaker immune system. Good sleep = stronger immune system. Your immune system regenerates and strengthens itself while you sleep. In simple terms, good sleep puts your body in a better position to fight off diseases and infections. Besides that, poor quality sleep directly affects your body’s production of antibodies. Reduce your risk of getting a good night’s sleep!

3. Mood Regulation

Your quality of sleep directly affects the quality of your daily life along with your mental and physical health. Without sufficient sleep, your brain does not have enough energy to regulate your mood and process emotional information. Sleep detoxes your body… quite literally!

 

Creating Your Ideal Sleeping Environment

-Invest in a mattress that is suited to you (weather you are a back, side or front sleeper)

-Temperature: whether you like it warmer or cooler pick what makes your feel the most comfortable (I would go for something cooler especially in this weather!)

-Black out your room, keep it nice and dark when it is time to get some shut eye

-Block out unwanted noise

 

Work With Your Body Clock, Not Against

-Practice good sleep hygiene (create a routine where you wake up and sleep around the same time daily)

-Listen to your body (if you feel tired, go to bed. If you don’t, do something else for half an hour or so, try reading a book)

-Bask in the sun (getting some vitamin D in the morning helps set your body clock)

 

The Need For Sleep – Amount of Sleep You Need

Contrary to popular belief that the older we get the lesser sleep we need, we in fact actually require at least 7 hours. Adults require around 7 – 9 hours of sleep while children require a few more. Bottom line, if you want to be healthy, chronic pain free and generally more productive, get some good quality SLEEP! For those that find it hard to get the minimum 7 hours of sleep, here are some tips to improve sleep quality:

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What To Expect At Your First Physiotherapy Appointment

corporate services BOSIC

by Karen Mooibroek

 

You’ve booked an appointment with the physiotherapists at Barangaroo Clinic. It’s your first step on your road to recovery. Let’s find out what you can expect from our physio team. 

 

How long is my appointment? 

Your first appointment is 45 minutes. During  this time, the physiotherapist will ask about your condition/injury, do an examination and start with a treatment plan. All this is done in a private treatment room. Your follow-up appointments are 30 minutes (or longer, if needed). 

 

How can I prepare for my appointment? 

Wear loose clothing or clothes that are appropriate for your injury so that we can examine and assess the area easily. We do have some spare pairs of shorts in the consult room in case you need them. 

If you have any X-rays, images or reports of your injury, please bring them in. Also make note of any medication you’re taking. If you have done any recent blood tests, it’s a good idea to bring in the results. 

You do not need a referral to book a physiotherapy appointment since a physiotherapist is a primary practitioner, but if you do have a referral/paperwork from your GP or specialist, please bring it with you. 

 

How do I pay?

We have EFTPOS and HICAPS facilities. Please bring your private health fund card if you have one, we can definitely do your claiming on the spot if you are covered by your health fund. Otherwise if you do have an enhance care plan prescribed by your GP please bring along your referral letter along with your care plan and medicare care and we can do the rebate on the spot for you. 

 

How early do I need to arrive?

It is best to arrive 5-10 minutes prior to your appointment, especially for your first one, since this will give you adequate time to fill in our medical forms and get ready. If you need to charge your phone or have a glass of water, that’s all complimentary at Barangaroo Clinic. We also do have an online medical form to be pre-filled if that is preferred. Follow this link and it will direct you to the page : https://docs.google.com/a/bosic.com.au/forms/d/13n0v2v6vcZtkGgYlzQsez8AS0Dvg-qi1STZXwy7Ec4s/prefill

 

What should I expect from the physiotherapist at the end of my first consultation? 

Your physiotherapist will give you a differential diagnosis of your injury and may also send you for further investigations. You will get a treatment plan which will included a home exercises program. The physiotherapist will also communicate with your GP or referring specialist so that we are working together to aid your recovery. Congratulations! You’re in good hands and are well on your road to recovery. 

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What Exactly is Cupping?

Have you always wondered what “Cupping” is all about? Have you heard about the many benefits of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and the practice of Cupping from friends and family but are too nervous to try it for yourself? Let us allay your fears.

Think of cupping as the inversion of massage. Rather than pressure on the tissues through a massage therapist, Chinese medicine practitioners use suction cups which uses pressure to pull the tissues upwards. Cupping helps improve blood flow, relieve pain and tension and improve muscle flexibility – it is only the method/application that is different. Guess what? Most treatments only take 20 minutes.

Is it painful?

Often the sensation is rather relaxing. Depending on the location, some of the cups may feel tight, but cups tend to be moved around. Each treatment is entirely unique to you and your body.

Does it leave a bruise?

Cupping causes the skin to temporarily change colour directly under the area of the cup. The discolouration is not panful and usually only lasts a few days. Once the discoloured skin returns to normal, the treatment can be repeated.

What areas does it work on?

The upper and lower back are the most common treatment areas, but cups can work well on other areas too, particularly areas with more flesh.  

On a side note, a lot of athletes use cupping. Multiple gold medal winner Olympian Michael Phelps is a big believer in this ancient practice as are a lot of Olympic gymnasts.

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Is The Keyboard Hurting Your Elbow?

Are You Playing Tennis With Your Keyboard?

 

Have you got elbow pain after typing on your keyboard all day?

Do you have problems gripping your phone, or turning your car keys?

Then you could have ‘tennis elbow’.

Definition

Tennis elbow is a common injury in both sporting and non-sporting populations. Fun fact – you don’t have to play tennis to have tennis elbow! Also known as  lateral epicondylagia, the condition is characterised by pain on the outside of your forearm. Pain worsens with bending of the wrist and gripping. Other symptoms include swelling, sensitivity to touch and weakness. 

Tennis elbow is a overloading issue, meaning your muscles and tendons have been overused. This is essentially exceeding the elbow’s tolerance to a particular weight or repetition.

Causes

Tennis elbow can have a number of causes. Repeated backwards movement of the wrist in sports such as tennis, golf and squash or excessive typing and poor posture can lead to tennis elbow. Activities such as these place strain on the muscles in the arm.

Treatment

Unfortunately, tennis elbow takes time to heal.  If you don’t resolve the issue quickly, pain will persist and often worsen. Common treatments include:

  • Ice pack
  • Forearm stretches
  • Optimising sitting and standing positions/posture
  • Wrist strengthening exercises
  • Tennis Elbow Brace
  • Massages with creams

Anti-flamme is my preferred choice for any muscle and joint aches. In the video below, I explain how best to use Anti-flamme for forearm pain such as tennis elbow. 

 

If you’re experiencing pain or discomfort and you think it may be tennis elbow, our Physio’s are here to help!