Top 5 Exercises to Avoid with Hip Bursitis for a Faster Recovery

Posted on August 14, 2024September 2, 2024 by Tucker Creative

You must be mindful of your chosen exercises when dealing with hip bursitis. While staying active can help improve your recovery process, specific exercises can put unnecessary strain on the affected area and hinder your progress. But that doesn’t mean you have to give up on exercising altogether. To help you, we’ve compiled a list of the exercises to avoid with hip bursitis for a faster recovery.

What is Hip Bursitis?

Hip bursitis results from inflammation in the bursae, which are tiny, fluid-filled sacs that cushion between soft tissue like muscles, tendons, and bones. Due to hip pain and discomfort brought on by this inflammation, exercises, and everyday activities may be challenging to complete.

Common causes include overuse, injury, or underlying conditions such as arthritis or gout. Studies show that 2.1 million Australians suffer from osteoarthritis, the most prevalent kind of arthritis.

Therefore, you must exercise extreme caution when performing hip impingement exercises, as they may aggravate the condition and cause further pain and discomfort.

What are the Symptoms of Hip Bursitis?

Hip bursitis can present with various symptoms, but the most prevalent ones include discomfort, soreness, swelling, referred pain, and a catching or clicking feeling.

Pain: The primary symptom is pain on the outside of the hip, which may initially be sharp and intense but can become a dull ache over time. The pain often worsens with movement, particularly when going downstairs, getting up from a seated position, or lying on the affected side.
Tenderness and Swelling: The hip area may feel tender to touch, and swelling can occur around the affected bursa. This can make it difficult to sleep on the affected side and lead to a limited range of motion in the hip joint.
Stiffness and Limited Movement: Individuals may experience stiffness in the hip joint, making it difficult to move the leg or perform certain activities.
Referred Pain: In some cases, the pain may radiate down the upper thigh or into the buttocks. This can lead to discomfort when sitting for long periods or during sleep.
Catching or clicking sensation: Some people report a catching or clicking feeling in the hip joint during movement. This can be caused by the inflamed bursa rubbing against the tendon or bone in the hip.

Hip bursitis can be painful and frustrating, but it is essential to remember that it is treatable. Along with proper rest and medical treatment, avoiding specific exercises can help speed up recovery.

What Factors Exacerbate Hip Bursitis?

Various factors can cause hip bursitis, and it’s essential to identify them to manage the condition better. Some of the most common factors that exacerbate hip bursitis include:

Overuse or repetitive movements: Activities that involve constant pressure on the hips, such as running or cycling for long periods, can cause irritation and inflammation in the bursa.
Poor posture: Standing or sitting with bad posture strains the hip region unnecessarily and exacerbates hip bursitis symptoms.
Tight muscles: Tight muscles can increase tension around the hip joint, adding pressure on the inflamed bursa.
Excess weight: Carrying excess weight stresses the hip joint and can worsen hip bursitis symptoms.
Underlying conditions: Conditions like arthritis or gout can aggravate hip bursitis, making it essential to manage these conditions.

You might ignore hip pain and continue your regular exercise routine. However, listening to your body and avoiding exercises that exacerbate hip bursitis is crucial.

Top 5 Exercises to Avoid with Hip Bursitis

Undoubtedly, physical exercise is essential for our health and well-being. However, when you’re suffering from hip bursitis, you should take note of the trochanteric bursitis exercises to avoid. Here are the top 5 exercises for managing hip bursitis pain:

Deep Squats: If you love squats, there are better times for them. Deep squats, among the hip impingement exercises to avoid, can exacerbate hip bursitis pain due to the increased pressure on the hip joint in this position. It’s best to avoid deep squats and instead opt for partial squats or squats with a box to limit the range of motion because they aggravate hip bursitis.
Lunges: Lunges, especially when taking giant steps or assuming a deep lunge position, can strain the hip joint significantly and should be avoided when experiencing hip bursitis. If tolerable, try stepping back with shorter strides instead. Otherwise, they are one of the impingement hip exercises that can make hip bursitis recovery difficult.
Leg Press: Exercises involving pushing heavy weights with the legs, such as the leg press machine, can be highly detrimental to people with hip bursitis. The strain placed on the healing hip bursitis can cause further aggravation and discomfort.
High-Impact Aerobics: High-impact exercises like running, jumping jacks, and high-intensity interval training (HIIT) workouts involving rapid, sudden movements can strain the hip joint unexpectedly and aggravate joint pain. They should be approached with caution if you have severe pain.
Aggressive Leg Swings: Vigorous leg swings and other rapid, aggressive leg movements can significantly stress the hip joints. They should be avoided to prevent the hip bursitis from getting worse.

The best impingement stretches for hip bursitis are low-impact and gentle on the joint, such as partial squats, modified lunges, and exercises using resistance bands to strengthen the surrounding muscles. Always seek the advice of a physiotherapist to create an exercise program that is safe and appropriate for your particular symptoms and condition.

Takeaway

Hip bursitis can be painful and limiting, but it can be recovered faster with proper care and management. Along with rest and treatment like hands-on physiotherapy, avoiding specific exercises that worsen hip bursitis is crucial for a speedy recovery.

By understanding this condition’s symptoms, causes, and aggravating factors, individuals can effectively take proactive steps toward preventing or managing hip bursitis. Are you ready to enjoy good health? Just schedule an appointment with us. Call City Physiotherapy today at 8212 4886.

FAQs

How Can You Manage Hip Bursitis Pain During Exercise?

To manage hip bursitis pain during exercise, warm up before physical activity. This will lessen your chance of injury and help you loosen up your muscles. You can also substitute low-impact workouts like cycling or swimming with high-impact ones like running or leaping.

Listening to your body and modifying your movements is also essential if you experience pain. Avoid exercises that pressure the affected hip, such as lunges or squats. Instead, focus on strengthening exercises for the surrounding muscles to support the bursa.

What is the Importance of Hip Bursitis Exercises?

Hip bursitis exercise is essential because it alleviates pain and improves mobility in the affected area. They also play a crucial role in preventing future flare-ups by strengthening the muscles surrounding the hip joint. These exercises can also improve overall hip stability, reducing the risk of injury.

Are There Any Home Remedies for Hip Bursitis?

Yes, several home remedies can help manage hip bursitis pain. One way to reduce inflammation and pain is to apply ice packs to the affected area many times a day for 15 to 20 minutes each time. Other ways of treating hip bursitis include mild stretches and over-the-counter anti-inflammatory drugs.

When Should You See a Doctor for Hip Bursitis?

If the discomfort does not disappear after trying at-home treatments and changing your workout regimen, visit our physiotherapy clinic for immediate treatment. After making the diagnosis, they can offer physical therapy to strengthen your hip muscles or refer you for a corticosteroid injection. Additionally, you should consult a doctor if you have a fever, excruciating pain, or trouble walking. Some conditions, like rheumatoid arthritis, also worsen hip bursitis. Seeking professional help is crucial.

Is Surgery Necessary for Hip Bursitis?

No. In most cases, surgery is not necessary for hip bursitis. However, if conservative treatments do not provide relief, surgical removal of the bursa may be considered. This procedure is typically done when other treatments have failed and should only be done as a last resort.

Top 5 Tips to Relieve Shoulder Discomfort Bench Press Strains

Posted on August 8, 2024August 30, 2024 by Tucker Creative

The worst part about bench pressing is the excruciating shoulder pain that comes with it. According to a significant population-based 2018 survey from South Australia, 22% of adults reported having shoulder symptoms in the community.

Whether a beginner or an experienced lifter, you’ve probably experienced some shoulder discomfort bench press strains. It’s a common issue, but luckily, there are ways to relieve the discomfort and continue with your lifting routine.

Here’s what you need to know.

What Causes Shoulder Pain Bench Press?

Shoulder pain during the bench press is a common issue that can stem from various factors. Understanding these causes can help you fix shoulder pain and improve your performance. Here are the most common reasons for benching with shoulder pain or a proper bench press form.

Poor form and technique

Poor form and technique are among the main reasons shoulders hurt when bench pressing. This includes taking too wide or narrow a grip, flaring your elbows out, or arching your back excessively. Other technical mistakes can lead to rotator cuff injury, such as not keeping your shoulders tight and packed or not maintaining a stable and flat back.

These issues create extra strain on the shoulders during the bench press, leading to discomfort and potential injury.

Muscle imbalances

Weak muscles in certain areas can strain other muscles, leading to discomfort or shoulder pain on bench presses. For example, weak upper back or tight chest muscles can put extra stress on the shoulders when bench pressing and even cause knee pain.

Overtraining

Like any workout, overdoing it can lead to injuries and pain. If you constantly push yourself to lift heavier weights without giving your body enough time to recover, you may experience shoulder pain when bench pressing. Bench press variation depending on the shoulder position can also be helpful to avoid rotator cuff strain or ball and socket joint injury.

Previous injuries

If you’ve had a prior shoulder injury or have weak shoulder impingement, bench pressing can aggravate these issues and cause pain. The pain may also be a sign of underlying shoulder health problems, so it’s essential to get checked out by a physiotherapist.

Improper warm-up

Not adequately warming up your shoulder muscles before lifting can also contribute to shoulder hurting when benching. Cold muscles are more prone to strains and injuries. Warm up your shoulders with dynamic stretches and foam rolling before bench pressing.

Lifting Beyond Your Strength

Pushing yourself to lift weights that are too heavy for your current strength level can also lead to shoulder pain during chest exercises. It’s essential to progress gradually and listen to your body’s limits rather than trying to lift more than you can handle.

Identifying why your shoulder hurts when benching and addressing it to prevent further discomfort is essential. Shoulder blades that are not stable and well-positioned can lead to pain when you bench press movement and pressing.

What Is the Shoulder Joint’s Anatomy?

The shoulder joint consists of multiple bones, muscles, and ligaments. The rotator cuff muscles are crucial in stabilising the joint and facilitating movement. The shoulder blades (scapulae) provide a foundation for the joint and help control the movement of the AC joint. Understanding the anatomy of the shoulder joint is essential for preventing and relieving shoulder pain.

Tips to Relieve Shoulder Discomfort

It’s crucial always to use the correct form and technique when performing bench presses. This popular weightlifting exercise is notorious for causing shoulder discomfort, which can ultimately lead to severe injuries if shoulder instability is not appropriately addressed. Whether you are a beginner or an experienced lifter, here are some tips to help relieve shoulder pain from bench press.

1. Master Proper Form and Technique

One of the main reasons for shoulder joint pain in bench press is incorrect form and technique. Before lifting heavy weights, you should master the proper form and technique to ensure your shoulders are not under excessive strain.

2. Strengthen Your Rotator Cuff

Always do exercises that target the rotator cuff muscles, such as internal and external rotations. Use light weights and high reps to improve muscle endurance and strength. Strengthening the rotator cuff can help strengthen the shoulder joint and reduce the risk of injury.

3. Modify the Movement to Reduce Strain

Consider using a dumbbell bench press or kettlebell bench press to reduce stress on the shoulder joint. Modify the movement to the shoulder width, reduce the range of motion, or use a partial range of motion. Experiment with different grip widths to find a comfortable position that reduces strain on the shoulder joint. You can visit us at City Physiotherapy for tailored exercise sessions that will help you reduce strain.

4. Prioritise Injury Prevention

Warm up properly before each bench press exercise and press to reduce the risk of injury, making you have shoulder pain during a bench press. Pick a weight that will let you keep the correct form and technique. Remain away from overtraining and take regular rests to recuperate.

Consider incorporating injury prevention exercises, such as shoulder blade squeezes and rotator cuff strengthening exercises, into your workout routine.

5. Consider Alternatives to the Barbell Bench Press

If you continue to experience significant shoulder discomfort despite trying different techniques, consider alternatives to the barbell bench press. Machines and cable presses can provide a more controlled range of motion and reduce strain on the shoulders.

6. Listen to Your Body

Pay attention to any warning signs of discomfort or pain while performing bench presses. If you experience any sharp, shooting, or persistent pain in your shoulders, stop immediately and consult a doctor or physical therapist.

7. Stretch and Foam Roll Regularly

Incorporating regular stretching and foam rolling sessions into your workout routine can help alleviate tension in the muscles surrounding your shoulder joints. Focus on stretches that target your chest, back, and shoulders to release tightness and improve mobility.

8. Seek Professional Guidance

If you continue to experience significant shoulder discomfort despite trying different techniques, seek professional guidance from a doctor or physical therapist. At City Physiotherapy, we can assess your form and technique and provide personalised exercises and stretches to help alleviate pain and prevent future injuries.

9. Take a Break

Finally, if you have been experiencing consistent shoulder discomfort, it may be time to take a break from bench pressing altogether. Allow your shoulders to rest and recover while focusing on other exercises that don’t put as much strain on the joint. Remember, proper form and technique are essential for any exercise, so always prioritise safety over lifting heavy weights.

Incorporating these tips into your workout routine can help prevent and alleviate shoulder discomfort from bench presses. You can then continue progressing on your fitness journey without risking future injury.

Final Word

Shoulder discomfort during bench pressing can be frustrating and painful. However, by understanding the underlying causes of shoulder pain bench and using these concepts, you can safely treat shoulder soreness and continue your lifting routine.

Remember to prioritise injury prevention and always listen to your body to avoid further pain or injuries. With proper form, technique, and exercises to strengthen the shoulder joint, you can make bench pressing pain-free again. Contact us for further assistance if you feel overwhelmed with your shoulder pain. You can schedule an appointment with City Physiotherapy by calling 8212 4886 to book your next appointment.

FAQs

What are the common causes of shoulder joint pain during bench pressing?

Shoulder pain during bench pressing often arises from poor form, improper grip, extending beyond your range of motion, muscle imbalances, and joint dysfunction. A wide grip can stress the shoulders, while rounded shoulders may lead to rotator cuff impingement, causing pain in the front of the shoulder.

How can I adjust my grip to prevent shoulder discomfort?

To prevent shoulder discomfort, ensure your grip is not wider than one and a half times your shoulder width. A proper grip allows your elbows to be positioned about 45 degrees from your ribcage, which helps maintain optimal joint angles and reduces shoulder stress.

What exercises can strengthen my shoulders and prevent pain?

Incorporating rotator cuff strengthening exercises, such as internal and external rotations, dumbbell front raises, and reverse flys, can enhance shoulder stability and reduce injury risk. Additionally, using dumbbells instead of barbells can allow for better control and less strain on the shoulder joints.

What should I do if I experience shoulder pain while bench pressing?

If you experience shoulder pain, consider reducing the weight you lift, adjusting your grip, or switching to alternative pressing exercises like incline presses or using dumbbells. Implementing the RICE method (Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation) can provide immediate relief, and consulting a healthcare professional may be necessary if pain persists.

How can I gradually increase my bench press weight without risking injury?

To safely increase your bench press weight, focus on mastering your form first. Gradually progress in small increments, allowing your muscles and joints to adapt. Avoid lifting weights that compromise your technique, and prioritise quality over quantity in your training sessions.

Adelaide Sports Injury Rehabilitation | City Physiotherapy

Posted on June 21, 2024June 24, 2024 by Tucker Creative

How does physiotherapy help a sports injury?

At City Physiotherapy and Sports Injury Clinic, our musculoskeletal and sports physiotherapists are dedicated to supporting you throughout your recovery from sports-related injuries. Our treatments are tailored to promote healing and ease injury-related pain. They also enhance your strength, flexibility, and mobility – ensuring you can return to the sports you love confidently and injury-free.

Whether you’re dealing with sprains, strains, tears, fractures, or anything in between, we’re here to provide you with a personalised treatment plan for sports injury rehabilitation.

Adelaide sports injury treatment and rehabilitation

Our team at City Physio is equipped to help you recover from a wide range of sports injuries. Common injuries we treat include:

Ligament sprains: These are especially common in sports that involve sharp changes in direction. Ligament sprains occur when the bone’s connective tissue is stretched or torn. We can help manage pain, swelling, and instability to promote healing and a safe return to your sport.
Muscle strains: Overexertion or trauma can cause strains or even tears in your muscles. Tears or strains are almost always accompanied by some combination of pain, weakness, bruising and swelling in the affected area.
Meniscus injuries: The meniscus is a piece of cartilage in the knee that acts as a shock absorber, cushioning your knee during movement. Unfortunately, meniscus tears are a relatively common sports injury, often caused by sudden twisting or pivoting motions.
Overuse injuries: Repetitive stress can lead to overuse injuries such as shin splints or shoulder impingement. These types of injuries occur when you overload a muscle, tendon, or joint over time, causing micro-tears and inflammation.
Post-surgical rehabilitation: Following surgery for a sports injury, physiotherapy is crucial for regaining strength, flexibility, and range of motion.

Physiotherapy treatments for sports injury recovery

Sports injuries can be frustrating, but that doesn’t mean you have to be sidelined for long. At City Physio, we offer a comprehensive range of treatments focused on facilitating a smooth recovery from an injury, so you can get back to playing your sport as quickly and safely as possible.

Remedial massage for sports injuries

Our remedial massage treatment goes beyond relieving everyday aches and pains. It offers targeted benefits to support your recovery from injuries. By identifying problem areas and providing hands on treatment, remedial massage can significantly speed up your healing process and ease pain.

How remedial massage helps in sports injury recovery

Improved sleep and reduced stress: Lowers cortisol levels and promotes better sleep, which is vital for healing and muscle repair. As an added benefit, better quality of sleep contributes to positive mood and improved pain management.
Enhanced blood flow: Increasing the blood flow to the injured area helps deliver oxygen and essential nutrients for healing.
Reduced inflammation: Flushing out inflammatory byproducts promotes reducing swelling, pain, and stiffness.
Faster healing and tissue repair: Removing cellular debris and inflammatory mediators creates an optimal environment for tissue repair.
Reduced muscle tension and spasms: Techniques like kneading and stroking relax tight muscles. This improves blood flow and reduces muscle spasm frequency and intensity, allowing comfortable movement and faster recovery.
Promotes relaxation and overall wellbeing: Easing muscle tension and reducing pain signals helps manage the stress associated with recovery and promotes a positive mindset for returning to sport.

Exercise programs while recovering from an injury

Sports injuries can limit your range of motion and hinder your ability to perform at your best. Our experienced physiotherapists offer personalised experience programs designed to help you regain strength, flexibility, and full functionality following an injury.

Strength training

Strength training is a crucial component of any sports injury rehabilitation program. It helps build stronger muscles that support your joints, reducing your risk of re-injury. Strong muscles also help maintain balance between opposing muscle groups. This is essential for proper movement that avoids aggravating your injury.

Muscle stability training

Your core and lower back muscles play a central role in maintaining stability and efficient movement throughout your body, especially in your lower limbs. Strengthening these core muscles helps your body transfer force more effectively during activities, reducing the risk of soft tissue injuries like hamstring strains. We also offer Pilates based exercise programmes to assist with your recovery. Pilates is a great way to improve core activation, control, and endurance, leading to better overall stability and a lower risk of injury.

Flexibility training

Maintaining good flexibility is essential for athletes of all levels. It allows you to move through a wider range of motion, which can improve your performance and reduce your risk of injury. This is especially important for sports that involve explosive movements, such as netball, soccer, or football. Stretching improves the elasticity of your tendons, making them more resilient to the demands of high-intensity sports activities.

Sports taping for injury recovery

Sports taping, sometimes called sports strapping or athletic taping, can be a valuable asset to ensure a smooth and safe recovery. This technique involves applying specialised tape to injured or vulnerable areas of the body to provide support, reduce pain, and enhance stability.

The benefits of sports taping for sports injury recovery:

Minimises pain and inflammation: Taping can help stabilise the injured area, reducing swelling and inflammation, especially in the early stages of recovery.
Improves stability: By limiting unwanted movement around a joint, taping can provide support and promote healing as the injured tissues mend.
Enhances body awareness: Taping can improve proprioception, which is your body’s awareness of its position in space. This can help prevent making the injury worse, as it helps you become more attuned to how your body moves post-injury.
Reduces unwanted movement: This helps protect the injured area and promotes healing.
Supports weakened areas of the body: Taping can provide support for muscles or joints that are weakened by injury.

What are the benefits of physiotherapy for athletes?

Engaging in sports, regardless of your skill level, often means pushing your body to its limits. While striving for peak performance is admirable, it also increases the risk of injuries. This is where physiotherapy steps in, offering benefits beyond just rehabilitation.

Setbacks can be frustrating, hindering your training and sidelining you from the game. Our experienced physios help perform at your best while reducing your risk of injury.

We create tailored programs designed to meet your specific needs and the demands of your sport. These focus on all aspects of your sport, including:

strength and flexibility training to prepare for competition
effective warm-up routines
posture and ergonomics during play
essential cooling down techniques

With our support, you can make game winning moves with far less risk of injury.

Reduce your risk of injury

Biomechanical assessment: Our physiotherapists will assess your movement patterns and identify any imbalances or weaknesses that could lead to injury. We can then design a personalised program to address these issues and improve your overall biomechanics.
Building strong foundations: We focus on improving key physical attributes essential for athletic performance, such as strength, flexibility, coordination, speed, and power. This well-rounded approach helps your body withstand the demands of your sport.
Corrective exercises and hands-on techniques: We’ll provide specific exercises to target any muscle imbalances or weaknesses identified in the assessment. Additionally, hands-on techniques like manual therapy can help improve mobility, flexibility, and tissue health.
Training load management and recovery strategies: By managing your training load effectively, we can help you to avoid overuse injuries. We’ll also develop personalised recovery plans that incorporate strategies like stretching, core strengthening, and proper sleep hygiene to optimise recovery after playing or training for a sport.

Improve your athletic performance

Insight and education: We’ll educate you on proper movement patterns, injury prevention strategies, and ergonomics specific to your sport. This empowers you to take an active role in your well-being.
Targeted exercises: Our exercise programs focus on strengthening the muscles, tendons, and soft tissues affected by an injury. We’ll also incorporate exercises to improve mobility, balance, and overall physical function, allowing you to return to your sport safely and confidently.
Remedial massage therapy: Massage therapy can promote healing, reduce muscle tension and pain, and improve blood circulation, all of which contribute to faster recovery.
Posture correction: Proper posture is crucial for optimal performance and injury prevention. City Physio can help you identify and correct any postural imbalances that may be putting stress on your body.

Book an appointment with City Physio Today

At City Physio, we understand the challenges associated with recovering from an injury.

Our team of experienced physiotherapists is dedicated to helping you get back to the sports you love as quickly and safely as possible. We offer a comprehensive range of physiotherapy treatments, including personalised exercise programs, remedial massage, and sports taping, all designed to address your specific injury and promote a speedy recovery.

For more severe sports injuries, we can refer you for imaging tests like X-rays, MRIs, or CT scans.

If you have experienced a sporting injury, schedule an appointment with City Physiotherapy today and start your journey towards recovery.

Remedial Massage for Sciatica Pain Relief

Posted on May 6, 2024June 24, 2024 by Tucker Creative

Sciatica is a condition that affects countless people in Adelaide and around the world. Whether it’s a dull ache or a sharp, shooting pain, sciatica can disrupt mobility and diminish quality of life. Fortunately, with City Physiotherapy’s remedial massage treatment, relief from sciatica related pain and discomfort is within reach.

What is sciatica?

Sciatica typically refers to a pain that originates and runs through the sciatic nerve, which is the longest nerve in the body. This nerve runs from your lower back through your buttocks and down each leg. When the sciatic nerve becomes irritated or compressed, it can cause pain, weakness, and other unpleasant sensations along the sciatica nerve and connected areas.

The severity of sciatic nerve pain, and related symptoms, varies from person to person. Some people experience a dull ache, while others describe it as a sharp, burning sensation. The pain can worsen with certain activities like sitting, bending, or twisting. Even coughing can contribute to the pain.

Other symptoms of sciatica may include:

tingling or numbness in the leg or foot
weakness in the affected leg
difficulty walking or standing

There are numerous causes of sciatica, along with factors that contribute to sciatic nerve irritation, including the following conditions.

Herniated discs

A herniated disc, also known as a disc bulge or slipped disc, is a crack in one of the spine’s 23 discs. When the soft cushion between your vertebrae bulges or breaks, it sticks out which can press against the sciatic nerve causing irritation.

Spinal stenosis

Spinal stenosis is the narrowing of the spinal column, which puts pressure on the spinal cord and nerve roots, including the sciatic nerve. In most cases this is a result of age related wear and tear, with symptoms developing gradually over time.

Piriformis syndrome

Piriformis syndrome is a musculoskeletal condition in which a muscle deep in your buttocks tightens and compresses the sciatic nerve.

This compression often mimics the symptoms of sciatica pain caused by spinal issues, with the notable difference being that despite its origin being far closer to the leg, most people rarely experience muscle weakness where the compression occurs.

These are just a few examples of what can cause sciatica. Our physiotherapists provide hands on treatment at our clinic located conveniently in the Adelaide CBD to treat sciatic nerve pain and address the cause of the issue at the source.

Remedial massage for sciatica pain relief

What is remedial massage therapy?

Unlike a typical massage, remedial massage is a targeted treatment with a specific goal: to address pain and dysfunction. It’s a powerful tool in our physiotherapist’s toolbox. Our remedial massage therapist at City Physiotherapy is also highly skilled at treating sciatic nerve pain.

They leverage remedial massage techniques (hands on physiotherapy) to not only alleviate existing pain and discomfort but also proactively prevent injuries. By strategically targeting muscle tension and physical stress points, remedial massage helps to restore optimal balance and function throughout your body. This holistic approach empowers you to move with greater ease and confidence, minimising the risk of future problems.

At City Physiotherapy we use remedial massage to address numerous issues including

injuries
tissue damage
muscle tension
headaches

How can a physio help with sciatic nerve pain?

Remedial massage therapy is a powerful tool for managing sciatica pain. It involves using various techniques to manipulate the soft tissues of your body, including muscles, tendons, and ligaments. At City Physiotherapy Adelaide, our experienced physiotherapists can help you with:

Pain Relief: Remedial massage (hands on physio) stimulates the body’s natural pain-relieving hormones, providing temporary relief from sciatic pain.

Improved Circulation: Remedial massage increases blood flow to the affected area, delivering nutrients and oxygen to facilitate recovery.

Muscle Relaxation: Muscle tension is a big contributor to sciatic nerve compression. The benefit of remedial massage is precisely to target the tight muscles which are putting the most pressure on the sciatic nerve.

At City Physiotherapy, we offer a comprehensive approach to sciatica treatment that combines the benefits of remedial massage with physiotherapy techniques. Our experienced physiotherapists will develop a personalised treatment plan to address the underlying cause of your pain.

In combination with remedial massage, your sciatica treatment plan may include:

Spinal Mobilisation: Gentle techniques to improve flexibility and reduce pressure on the nerve roots.
Soft Tissue Manipulation: Techniques like massage and stretching to target tight muscles and improve flexibility.
Addressing Muscle Imbalances and Posture: Addressing imbalances that contribute to sciatic nerve compression.
Dry Needling for Pain Relief: targeted dry needling techniques can help reduce the symptoms of sciatic pain.
Strengthening Exercises: Specific exercises to strengthen core and leg muscles, improving stability and reducing the risk of future injury.

By stimulating blood flow, reducing inflammation, and releasing tension in affected muscles, remedial massage effectively mitigates sciatic nerve pain, and plays a pivotal role in promoting healing and restoring mobility for those suffering from sciatica.

Contact City Physiotherapy Today

If you’re tired of letting sciatica dictate your life, it’s time to take action. At City Physiotherapy, we’re committed to providing unparalleled care and personalised treatment options to help you reclaim your health and vitality. Don’t let sciatica hold you back any longer—schedule an appointment with our team of dedicated professionals and embark on the journey toward lasting relief.

What are City Physiotherapy’s Treatments for Common Symptoms and Conditions?

Posted on November 3, 2023June 24, 2024 by Linda Shacklock

When should you see a Physiotherapist?

It can be hard to identify your symptoms, know when you should be seeing a physiotherapist, and put them into words. It can be a challenging and sometimes overwhelming journey. That’s why we’re here to guide you through it.

We have made a list of some of the most common complaints we get to guide you from the initial symptoms, to your appointment, and onward to relief. We know that when you’re in pain or discomfort, it can be both difficult and daunting to accurately gauge your symptoms, so we’ve provided information about the treatments available to you based on your symptoms. City Physio is here to help you.

Common Symptoms You Might Experience

In this initial guide, we’ll explore City Physiotherapy’s treatments for various common symptoms and conditions, shedding light on how our physiotherapists can help you regain control of your well-being. No matter the problem, we always aim to streamline the process from symptom to treatment.

Pain

The most common symptom experienced by individuals seeking physiotherapy is pain. Pain can manifest in various parts of the body, including the head, neck, back (upper, middle and lower back), shoulders, knees, hips, and more. The cause of pain can arise from multiple sources, such as injuries, overuse, poor posture or underlying medical conditions. Pain is a complex thing and as such every person experiences pain in their own unique way.

You could wake up with an aching shoulder, tweak your back from lifting a box, or get a sharp pain in your shoulder when you use your left arm. There are endless ways for pain to manifest so it can feel overwhelming when seeking out a cause or sufficient treatment. With this guide, we aim to streamline the process from pain to treatment.

Pain can significantly impact one’s quality of life and hinder daily activities. It is often the primary reason people turn to physiotherapy for relief and improvement. Physiotherapists employ a variety of techniques, exercises, and interventions tailored to the source and type of pain. Focused treatment methods aim to reduce discomfort, improve function, and enhance overall well-being. We work together with our patients to find the most suitable mix of treatment strategies.

Here are common ways people describe their symptoms of pain:

Sensations of discomfort or distress
Varying degrees of pain intensity
Sharp, dull, burning, or aching pain
Constant or intermittent pain
Impact on daily activities and overall well being
Emotional responses such as frustration, irritability, and anxiety
Impacting quality and ability to sleep

Hands-On Physiotherapy

Targeted Pain Relief:

Hands-on physiotherapy techniques, such as manual therapy, focus on local areas of pain, global areas that contribute to pain, and trigger points for referred pain.

Whether it’s neck pain, back pain, or joint discomfort, hands-on approaches not only aim to alleviate pain directly at the source but the indirect sources of pain as well.

Improved Mobility:

Manual therapy helps restore joint mobility and flexibility, reducing stiffness that contributes to pain. It can be particularly effective for addressing musculoskeletal issues like stiff necks, tight shoulders, and lower back pain.

Injury Rehabilitation:

For those who’ve experienced injuries, hands-on physiotherapy can accelerate the healing process. By promoting blood flow and tissue repair, it aids in the recovery of injured muscles and joints.

Dry Needling

Muscle Pain Relief:

Dry needling targets and releases trigger points within muscles, which are often the culprits behind localised pain. Dry needling can also be used in conjunction with other physiotherapy treatments to enhance their effectiveness, making it a versatile option for pain management.

Wellness Physiotherapy:

Holistic Pain Management:

Wellness physiotherapy takes a comprehensive approach to pain management. It considers not only the physical aspect of pain but also the patient’s overall well-being, including mental and emotional factors that can influence pain perception.

Lifestyle Modification:

It focuses on identifying and addressing lifestyle factors that contribute to pain, such as poor posture, ergonomic issues, or sedentary habits. By guiding patients towards necessary lifestyle changes, they can develop healthy long-term habits to reduce the recurrence of pain.

Preventive Care:

Wellness physiotherapy doesn’t just manage existing pain; it also aims to prevent future discomfort. Through education and guidance, patients can learn strategies to maintain a pain-free and healthy lifestyle.

Headaches

Headaches, particularly tension headaches and cervicogenic headaches can be related to musculoskeletal issues in the neck and upper back. Physiotherapy interventions aim to alleviate headache symptoms by addressing muscular imbalances, tension, and posture-related issues.

Here are common ways people describe their symptoms of headaches:

Throbbing or pulsating head pain
Sensitivity to light and sound
Nausea and vomiting
Tension in the neck and shoulders
Visual disturbances (aura)
Scalp tenderness
Difficulty concentrating
Irritability

Headache Treatment:

Specialised physiotherapy techniques can be employed to alleviate headache symptoms by addressing muscular imbalances and tension.

Hands-On Physiotherapy:

Manual therapy techniques can address muscular imbalances and tension in the neck and upper back, common triggers for tension headaches.

Dry Needling:

Dry needling can target trigger points in the neck and shoulders, providing relief from headache-related muscle tension.

Back Pain

Back pain is a prevalent symptom that can affect the upper, middle, or lower back. It can be caused by factors such as muscle strain, poor posture, herniated discs, or degenerative conditions. Physiotherapy interventions for back pain include targeted exercises, manual therapy, and posture correction to alleviate pain and restore spinal function. This approach streamlines the process from identifying the cause (such as lifting-related injury) to providing effective treatment.

Here are common ways people describe their symptoms of back pain:

Dull or shooting pain in the lower, middle, or upper back
Muscle tightness and spasms
Pain that worsens with movement
Radiating pain down the legs (sciatica)
Difficulty standing or sitting for extended periods
Reduced range of motion
Difficulty maintaining proper posture
Pain during lifting or bending

Back Pain and Injury Treatment

Physiotherapists assess the type of injury or condition contributing to back pain, whether it’s related to overuse, poor posture, or a specific injury. Treatment plans may include a combination of manual therapy, targeted exercises, and ergonomic guidance to alleviate back pain and enhance spine health.

Targeted Exercises:

Physiotherapists design exercise programs that strengthen the muscles supporting the spine and improve flexibility. These exercises can alleviate pain and prevent recurrence.

Manual Therapy:

Manual therapy techniques, such as spinal manipulation and joint mobilisation, are used to correct structural issues contributing to back pain.

Ergonomic Guidance:

Identifying and addressing poor ergonomics at work or home can reduce the strain on the back and support recovery.

Hands-On Physiotherapy

Massage and Soft Tissue Mobilisation
Joint Mobilisation
Nerve Mobilisation
Spinal Manipulation

Dry Needling

Dry needling is a specialised form of treatment that City Physiotherapy uses for reducing your pain and inflammation. Your myofascial trigger points are targeted with acupuncture needles to treat your pain, muscle tension, injury, and dysfunction.

Wellness Physiotherapy

Lifestyle adjustments
Posture Correction
Core Strengthening Exercises
Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction
Holistic Approaches

Neck Pain

Neck pain can stem from issues like muscle tension, cervical spine disorders, poor posture and/or poor ergonomic practices. Physiotherapy for neck pain focuses on reducing muscle tension, improving neck mobility, and addressing contributing factors like posture and ergonomics.

Here are common ways people describe their symptoms of neck pain:

Stiffness and tension in the neck
Dull or sharp neck pain
Pain that radiates to the shoulders or arms
Headaches and migraines
Limited neck mobility
Muscle spasms
Tingling or numbness in the arms
Difficulty turning the head

Hands-On Physiotherapy:

Hands-on techniques such as manual therapy are used to reduce muscle tension and improve neck mobility, providing relief from neck pain.

Dry Needling:

Dry needling can target trigger points in the neck muscles, alleviating muscle knots and tension contributing to neck pain.

Pilates for Rehabilitation:

Pilates exercises can help strengthen the core and improve posture, reducing strain on the neck.

Remedial Massage:

Massage therapy can help relieve muscle tension in the neck and shoulders, which often contributes to neck pain.

Knee Pain

Knee pain is a prevalent symptom that can result from a range of underlying conditions. Conditions such as osteoarthritis, ligament injuries, or patellofemoral pain syndrome can lead to knee discomfort. These conditions can impact individuals with varying lifestyles and physical activities. Physiotherapy for knee pain aims to target the root causes and contributing factors to these conditions, offering effective relief and rehabilitation.

Here are common ways people describe their symptoms of knee pain:

Pain in the knee joint
Swelling and inflammation
Grinding or popping sensations
Difficulty bearing weight
Buckling or giving way of the knee
Stiffness and reduced flexibility
Pain during activities or while at rest
Decreased mobility

Hands-On Physiotherapy:

Hands-on techniques, including manual therapy, can reduce muscle tension around the knee joint and improve knee mobility, providing relief from knee pain.

Therapeutic Exercise:

Customised exercise programs are designed to strengthen the muscles around the knee, improve joint stability, and support pain management and knee rehabilitation.

Sports Physiotherapy and Injury Rehab:

For sports-related knee injuries, physiotherapists specialise in sports physiotherapy and injury rehabilitation to facilitate recovery and restore proper leg function.

Shoulder Pain

Shoulder pain is a common complaint that can arise from conditions such as rotator cuff injuries, frozen shoulder, or tendonitis. These conditions can affect individuals of all ages and activity levels. Physiotherapy for shoulder pain is designed to address the specific causes and contributing factors behind these conditions.

Here are common ways people describe their symptoms of shoulder pain:

Aching or sharp pain in the shoulder joint
Limited range of motion
Muscle weakness
Pain radiating down the arm
Difficulty lifting or reaching
Stiffness in the shoulder
Discomfort when sleeping
Numbness or tingling in the arm

Hands-On Physiotherapy:

Hands-on techniques, such as manual therapy, are used to reduce muscle tension and improve shoulder mobility, providing relief from shoulder pain.

Therapeutic Exercise:

Tailored exercises are prescribed to strengthen the shoulder muscles and improve joint stability, aiding in pain management and rehabilitation.

Sports Physiotherapy and Injury Rehab:

For sports-related shoulder injuries, physiotherapists specialise in sports physiotherapy and injury rehabilitation to facilitate recovery and restore shoulder function.

Dry Needling:

Dry needling can target trigger points in the shoulder muscles, helping to alleviate muscle knots and tension contributing to shoulder pain.

Chronic Pain

Chronic pain conditions, such as fibromyalgia, chronic joint pain from arthritis, or chronic back pain, require ongoing physiotherapy for pain management and improved function. Physiotherapists work with patients to develop personalised pain management strategies, incorporating exercises, manual therapy, and education.

Here are common ways people describe their symptoms of chronic pain:

Persistent and ongoing pain
Fatigue and sleep disturbances
Depression and anxiety
Reduced quality of life
Limited mobility
Increased sensitivity to pain
Isolation and social withdrawal
Frustration and hopelessness
Difficulties staying active

Wellness Physiotherapy:

A holistic approach to pain management that considers both physical and emotional aspects of chronic pain, helping patients develop strategies for managing pain and improving overall well-being.

Therapeutic Exercise Classes:

Targeted exercises can help individuals with chronic pain improve physical function, manage pain, and enhance their quality of life.

Hands-On Physiotherapy for Chronic Pain:

Chronic pain can result from past injuries. Hands-on techniques can target both current discomfort and the lasting effects of previous injuries.

Post-Injury Discomfort

Post-injury discomfort can result from various injuries, including sprains, strains, fractures, or soft tissue injuries. Physiotherapy plays a crucial role in post-injury rehabilitation by facilitating tissue healing, improving strength, and restoring function through tailored exercise programs and therapeutic modalities.

Here are common ways people describe their symptoms of post-injury discomfort:

Pain in and around the injury
Swelling and inflammation
Bruising or discoloration
Reduced range of motion
Tenderness and sensitivity
Muscle stiffness
Difficulty performing daily activities
Emotional distress and frustration

Physiotherapy and Rehab Post-Surgery:

In cases of post-surgical discomfort, physiotherapists help with the rehabilitation process, facilitating tissue healing, improving strength, and restoring function through tailored exercise programs and therapeutic modalities.

Hands-On Physiotherapy for Chronic Pain:

Chronic pain can result from past injuries. Hands-on techniques can target both current discomfort and the lasting effects of previous injuries.

Contact City Physio to treat common symptoms and conditions!

Empower your well-being with City Physiotherapy. We understand the challenges of common symptoms and conditions. Our physiotherapists are here to help you regain control.

From pain relief to improved mobility, lifestyle adjustments to holistic pain management, City Physiotherapy offers a wide range of treatments tailored to your specific needs. Whether you’re dealing with pain in your neck, back, shoulders, knees, or any other part of your body, we have specialised techniques and therapies to address your unique concerns.

Don’t let symptoms hold you back. Contact City Physiotherapy today to start your journey towards a pain-free, healthier life. Take the first step now!

How to Reduce Stress with Physiotherapy and Remedial Massage

Posted on September 30, 2022June 24, 2024 by Tucker Creative

Three quarters of Australians believe stress negatively affects their physical and mental health. Not only is stress an ongoing health pandemic, but it is also detrimental to the Australian economy, costing it billions of dollars each year. Millions of workdays are lost each year due to work-related stress. Whilst you might immediately think days off work are a good thing for you, why should you care? Workplace stress not only reduces productivity through absenteeism and through a reduced capacity for work caused by stress, but stress affects your overall wellbeing and your immediate, medium, and long-term health.

Physiotherapy and remedial massage are highly effective interventions that can help you reduce your stress. Some people may consider massage or physiotherapy a luxury. Ongoing stress however should not be a normal part of life. Working outside of our capacity over and over with stressors stacking up, affects us negatively.

We all know that high levels of stress are pervasive in our society, but that doesn’t mean that we should ignore them. Your health is your most important priority. You can’t perform at your best without your health, and you can’t look after your loved ones without your health. Ignoring spiralling stress only leads to bigger health problems. Managing your health with physiotherapy and remedial massage is not a luxury, it’s an investment in you now and an investment in the future you too.

City Physiotherapy is experienced in holistic physiotherapy and remedial massage interventions to reduce stress. We explain what stress is, how it presents physically, and physiologically, and how these targeted interventions can help reduce your stress.

Remedial massage is also often used as a way to upkeep good physical health in athletes and generally active people. Investing in it regularly is a great way to avoid the build-up of pain and soreness as a result of physical activity.

What Is Stress?

Stress can present itself physiologically, biologically, or psychologically. It is the body’s response to a stressor such as an environmental condition that is threatening, challenging, or physically and/or psychologically demanding. To produce a stress response, the body reacts to stimuli in the environment through two main systems, the autonomic nervous system and the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis.

Autonomic Nervous System

The autonomic nervous system comprises two different systems, the sympathetic (fight or flight) and parasympathetic (rest and digest) nervous systems. The autonomic nervous system functions in the background to regulate the body.

They work together to control human physiology and behaviour. The sympathetic nervous system promotes alertness, motivation, and goal-directed behaviour. The parasympathetic nervous system promotes healing, repair, and the anabolic growth required for restored energy reserves and longevity.

The sympathetic nervous system’s primary process is to activate the body’s fight or flight reflex, which dedicates energy to more relevant bodily systems to acute adaptation to stress. While the parasympathetic nervous system is constantly active at a basic level to return the body to homeostasis, reducing stress.

It goes without saying, for ongoing physical and psychological health, the delicate balance between the activity of the sympathetic and parasympathetic needs to be maintained.

Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal (HPA) Axis

The second major stress-response system, the HPA axis, controls reactions to stress through the release of cortisol. It influences many bodily functions including metabolic, psychological, and immunological functions. It controls digestion, the immune system, mood and emotions, sexuality, and energy storage and expenditure.

The autonomic nervous system and HPA axes are modulated by many regions of the brain, including the limbic system, prefrontal cortex, amygdala, and hypothalamus.

What are Stressors?

An environmental condition is called a stressor. There are three types of stressors, such as:

Acute

Acute stress is what an individual experiences at the time the stressor is encountered. Your body’s stress response kicks in and you start to feel better once the event is over or you’re able to deal with it. For example: a traffic jam

Acute episodic

When an individual experiences acute stress on a consistent basis, such as overworking or worrying too much, it can negatively impact physical and psychological health. The signs and symptoms of stress start becoming more apparent, which can cause further stress.

Chronic

If you’re constantly under stress, if you have a lot of responsibilities, or are under mental and physical distress, it can lead to chronic stress. Major life stressors usually contribute the most to chronic stress. For example: bereavement, traumatic events, personal health problems, job stability, family responsibilities and personal safety.

What is Cortisol?

Cortisol is a hormone that helps the body respond to stress. It is regulated by the HPA axis, which is indicated in many bodily functions. Furthermore, cortisol has other functions including, but not limited to, stress.

It is made in the adrenal glands and helps to regulate many different functions in the body, including:

blood sugar regulation
inflammation reduction
memory formulation
metabolism regulation

Cortisol is required for the body to function properly. Too much cortisol can cause problems and produce unwanted symptoms.

What are the symptoms of high cortisol?

High amounts of cortisol can cause several unwanted symptoms. Symptoms can vary depending on the cause of your stress and high cortisol levels.

Signs and symptoms of high cortisol include:

Acne
Easy bruising
Difficulty concentrating
Flushed face
Headache
High blood pressure
Irritability
Muscle weakness
Severe fatigue
Slowed healing
Thinning skin
Weight gain and rounding of the face
Weight gain, mostly around the midsection and upper back

The Signs and Symptoms of Stress

What happens to the body during stress?

The autonomic nervous system controls the body’s stress response, which helps the body deal with stressful situations. Additionally, it controls heart rate, breathing, vision changes and more. However, chronic stress can cause wear and tear on the body. Thus, physical, emotional, and behavioural symptoms develop.

Physical symptoms of stress include:

Aches and pains
Back and neck pain
Chest pain or a feeling like your heart is racing
Fatigue
Headaches, dizziness or shaking
Insomnia (trouble sleeping)
High blood pressure
Muscle tension or jaw clenching
Stomach or digestive problems
Trouble having sex
Weak immune system

Stress can lead to emotional and mental symptoms like:

Anxiety or irritability
Depression
Panic attacks
Sadness

Often, people with chronic stress try to manage it with unhealthy behaviours, including:

Drinking alcohol too often, or too much
Gambling
Overeating or developing an eating disorder
Participating compulsively in sex, shopping or internet browsing
Smoking
Using drugs

What Is Remedial Massage?

Remedial massage therapy is a type of massage that intends to target specific issues by treating muscles that are injured, knotted, tense, or locked up. Remedial massage is used to identify and repair damaged areas of the body and accelerate the healing process of the body, or target and relieve the root of a problem. It is useful for a number of problems with muscles and joints, alleviating pain, and rehabilitating injuries, among others.

Furthermore, remedial massage is not general, it is a type of massage administered with a specific aim in mind; to solve an issue. This may be done over several sessions, allowing the therapist to monitor the patient’s condition and record any improvements, concerns, or regression. This allows the treatment to be tailored to the patient’s specific needs, increasing the likelihood of a successful recovery.

How to Reduce Stress with Remedial Massage Therapy

Remedial massage is beneficial for stress due to the many physiological effects it has. These effects include increased body temperature, the removal of waste products and increased endorphins, serotonin and dopamine. It also reduces stress by eliciting a parasympathetic response, encouraging the body to produce endorphins which lower adrenaline and cortisol levels, reduce muscle tension, lower the heart rate and produce a relaxation response.

Remedial Massage to Reduce Stress Symptoms

High blood pressure

Remedial massages improve your circulation. The stimulation of your blood supply allows toxins in your muscles to be removed. This reduces fatigue, helps repair damaged muscle, and releases restrictions in the muscles.

Fatigue and insomnia

Fatigue is usually caused by a lack of quality or duration of sleep. Remedial massage reduces pain and stress that might interrupt your sleep. It also helps with stress and depression which may be causing low energy.

Aches and Pains

Remedial massage treats muscles that are knotted, tense, stiff or damaged. It helps loosen tight muscles and ease your pain and stiffness.

Chronic Neck and Back Pain

In chronic neck and back pain, there are many causes, but it is worsened by muscle tension. Remedial massage is effective in reducing muscle tension, pain and the reduction of muscle spasms that can cause a flare-up of chronic symptoms. In fact, remedial massage is effective in the reduction of most chronic pain.

General Benefits Of Remedial Massage

City Physiotherapy’s remedial massage therapist is highly qualified in administering treatments for specific pain points.

Common issues that we encounter and correct through massage are;

Back and neck pain
Sporting injuries
Tissue damage
Pain caused by poor posture
Sore points or “knots” in muscles
Headaches

Don’t stress…

So, why stress? You’re in good hands with city physiotherapy’s experienced physiotherapists. Call our friendly reception on 8212 4886, or click the book online button below for a same-day appointment.

City Physiotherapy & Sports Injury Clinic is conveniently located in the heart of the Adelaide CBD on King William Street, for almost 30 years we’ve been providing physiotherapy to the residents of Adelaide and have served over 30,000 people.

Your Top Questions About Clinical Pilates Answered

Posted on June 29, 2022June 24, 2024 by Tucker Creative

Pilates is a low-impact form of exercise and body conditioning, designed to improve muscle strength, balance, and body alignment. Key principles include centralisation of the core, precision of movement, and bringing full attention and concentration to each exercise.

Who is pilates for?

Pilates is for every person, young or old, and at all levels of fitness. Clinical Pilates, sometimes called remedial, is often considered only to be for people with pain or injuries, however that is not the case.

Clinical pilates takes everyone’s personal situation into consideration, tailoring the class and exercising to every person’s body – injury or not. Often we may have muscle imbalances or weaknesses that we do not know about. Getting an assessment from one of our instructors will enable a program to be written with exercises that are specifically tailored to your body.

What is the difference between regular pilates and clinical pilates?

Regular pilates is standardised, and has a general focus on strength and balance. Clinical Pilates is an individualised approach, taking each patient’s bodily differences into consideration. Due to the individual focus, it can reach treatment goals better than regular pilates. Pilates has significant therapeutic benefits, being safe and effective for many injuries and all levels of fitness.

What are the benefits of pilates?

Pilates has a number of benefits to both your physical and mental wellbeing.

1. Balance and strength

One of the key benefits is the focus pilates has on strengthening and balancing muscles throughout your core muscle group. Your core is arguably one of the most important parts of your body. It stabilises your spine, balances you, and allows you to move in any direction. It has a strong focus on strengthening your core, thus improving your balance.

Pilates can also target any muscle group, which can be good if you have any specific injuries or areas required to be worked on for rehabilitation. General balance and strength is also good for older people, who typically lose some of their balance as they get older.

2. Improves Posture

As stated, pilates is known to have a fairly strong focus on your core. A strong core helps you stand and sit straighter, keeping you more stabilised as you go about any daily activities. Most people consider the ‘core’ to be the stomach muscles, but also includes sides, back, and hips, as everything in your body is connected. A strong core also helps to stabilise your spine, which further helps to improve your posture.

3. Relieving arthritis symptoms

Arthritis is a painful condition, and sometimes it can be hard to be motivated to exercise when it is causing you pain. Pilates is effective at targeting and relieving pain and stiffness, which is particularly good for people who have arthritis and osteoarthritis. Pilates supports healthy joints, by strengthening the muscles in surrounding areas. Many techniques also involve stretching and lengthening muscles, which improves circulation around the joints.

4. It is beneficial when pregnant

Pilates exercise is a low-impact workout that many pregnant women opt for. It takes a significant amount of pressure off joints, and increases core strength. At City Physio, we can specifically target areas that are troubling you during your pregnancy. For example, we often target the lower back and pelvic floor, by strengthening and increasing flexibility, as they can often become painful during pregnancy.

5. Tones muscles

One of the more commonly known benefits is pilates tones muscles. The exercises have a focus on the whole body, which encourages strength across the whole body. Balancing muscles in your body helps with carrying out everyday activities, prevents injuries, and increases overall strength.

Toning and improving your muscle strength has many benefits. While it may be personally satisfying to notice an improvement, you may also notice differences in your everyday activities, such as walking up stairs without feeling out of breath, or carrying heavy things around your house more easily.

6. Promotes body awareness

Pilates helps to get you in tune with your body and how it responds to your daily activities. It can make you mindful of how your body should be aligned, and how it should feel when using certain muscles. This helps bring awareness to injuries or muscle imbalances.

Having better body awareness can help with spatial awareness and mindfulness, and when coupled with improved balance, you may notice yourself no longer walking into things as much.

7. Stress relief

Pilates is a great way to relieve stress because it promotes mindfulness. You are encouraged to only focus on the exercises and movements you are doing in that particular moment. Further, the focus on breath helps us to feel aligned as a whole being.

8. Overall wellbeing

Being a full-body workout, the release of endorphins from a pilates class will improve your overall wellbeing. Going to regular classes helps to keep you fit and active, allowing you to socialise, and improve your quality of life.

Why should I do pilates at City Physiotherapy rather than a pilates studio?

Remedial pilates at City Physiotherapy Adelaide is run by our qualified physiotherapists, who have more in depth knowledge about anatomy and muscles than a lot of instructors.

Our Physiotherapists will devise a personalised program for you that takes into account where your body is right now, including pain levels, any past or present injuries, or muscle imbalances. We conduct therapeutic exercise classes or independent pilates sessions at our Adelaide CBD gym. We only perform specific exercises that are part of your overall strategy. We will look after you.

For more information about our pilates and therapeutic exercise classes, click here.

10 Ways Remedial Massage is Important For Health

Posted on May 15, 2022June 24, 2024 by Tucker Creative

What is Remedial Massage?

Remedial massage is a type of massage that intends to target specific issues by treating muscles that are injured, knotted, tense, or locked up. Remedial massage is used to identify and repair damaged areas of the body and accelerate the healing process of the body, or target and relieve the root of a problem. It is useful for a number of problems with muscles and joints, alleviating pain, and rehabilitating injuries, among others.

Problems with muscles can potentially trigger or radiate pain to other parts of the body. City physio remedial massage seeks to find the source of pain, addressing both the cause and the symptoms. An evaluation of the muscles, ligaments, tendons, and posture is the initial step in remedial massage. The therapist will give a targeted massage of the area once they have figured out what is causing the injury, ailment, or pain.

What Happens During a Remedial Massage Treatment?

A remedial massage session at City Physiotherapy will begin by talking to you about your lifestyle and asking you about any issues you’ve been having with your muscles, joints, or general wellbeing. City physio’s remedial massage therapist will then perform an assessment of your whole body to determine what your problem areas are, or what may be causing the problems you illustrated in your conversation.

You will then be directed to the massage table and be asked to undress appropriately and be covered with towels for privacy and to keep you warm during your treatment. During the massage, the therapist will use cream to assist in the smooth application of pressure. The pressure may vary depending on what is best for treating a specific issue, whether strong and deep or gentle and shallow.

The therapist will use a number of different techniques to best target the particular problem plaguing you. They might also stretch muscles related to your issue.

10 Ways Remedial Massage Is Important For Health

1. Getting rid of neck, shoulder, and low back pain

Muscular pain can have various causes, from issues in posture, to acute injury to the muscles, to pain radiating from issues in other muscles. Neck pain, shoulder pain and low back pain are the most common issues we see when patients come to us looking for help. However, remedial massage can target the cause of any type of pain, including chronic pain

2. Helps to heal injuries

Remedial massage increases the body’s natural healing response. The lymphatic system and circulation are stimulated which increases the drainage of waste products and the increase of nutrients and oxygen, which increases the rate of healing. Other factors that may be impeding recovery by putting undue stress on an injury will be taken care of as well.

3. Addresses the root cause of headaches

Headaches can often have a root cause in tight neck or shoulder muscles. Remedial massage will deeply penetrate these muscles to work out tightness and trigger points that may be at fault for your headaches, and hopefully get rid of them.

4. Increases Circulation

5. Chronic pain

Chronic pain can be horrible, some people have no relief for long periods of time. Chronic pain has various causes, however, it is often worsened by muscle tightness and stress. Remedial massage decreases these two things which can help fix chronic pain.

6. Reduces stress

During remedial massage, cortisol levels (the stress hormone) drop by up to 31%. Decreased amounts of stress have a number of benefits, including an improvement in sleep quality, reduced blood pressure and heart rate, and relaxation, which helps you handle life better. Read more about how remedial massage can reduce stress.

7. Good for mental health

During remedial massage serotonin levels increase by 28% and dopamine levels increase by 31%. Serotonin is a neurotransmitter that helps regulate mood, happiness, and wellbeing.

Dopamine, as our pleasure hormone, helps us stay motivated by rewarding us with feel-good emotions. Both hormones are important for reducing anxiety and depression and overall wellbeing. This shows that remedial massage is an effective mental health tool!

8. Increase flexibility and mobility

Remedial massage decreases tightness and therefore increases the length of muscles. This removes restrictions caused by tightness and increases the flexibility of muscles and mobility of joints.

9. Reduces the symptoms of Arthritis

Arthritis can be debilitating, causing pain and impeding the ability to move. Studies show that people with arthritis-related pain may benefit from remedial massage because it relieves pain. Massage may also help to improve the mobility of joints and muscles affected by arthritis.

10. Fatigue

City Physiotherapy’s remedial massage service has provided benefits to thousands of happy clients. Use the book online button below for an appointment.

Foam Rolling Can Help Keep You Injury Free

Posted on March 28, 2022August 22, 2024 by Tucker Creative

Foam Rolling Benefits Recovery and Reduces Pain

No one enjoys having tight muscles, it makes everyday tasks difficult, and you may not be enjoying the full benefit of your exercise routine. If you are noticing tight muscles, particularly after exercising, you might want to consider incorporating foam rolling into your warm-up or cool down. It is good for recovery and reducing pain after exercise, more information on how to foam roll below.

What is foam rolling?

Foam rolling is essentially placing various body parts on top of the roller and using your own muscle power to roll it back and forwards. Foam rolling is a form of self-massage that helps soothe muscles.

When the roller moves, pressure, and movement are distributed throughout your muscles and fascia. It massages the fascia, which is a connective tissue surrounding your muscles.

When your muscles are overworked, the fascia will often tighten, causing the tight sensation you feel after using or overworking your muscles. Foam rolling aims to loosen the fascia in the areas most affected by muscle tightness or injury.

Foam rolling also increases the blood flow to the areas you are targeting, providing relief from the stiffness caused by exercise by increasing the muscles’ access to oxygen and promoting waste management.

The key benefits of foam rolling include:

Easing muscle pain and tightness
Increasing range of motion and flexibility
Relaxation

Best areas to target:

If you are experiencing muscle tightness, the best course of action is to speak with one of our physios who can guide you through a tailored foam rolling sequence. Usually, the most common muscles to be foam rolled are:

Hamstrings
Quadriceps
Hips
Calves
Upper and lower back
Iliotibial band – the outer side of your leg in between your hamstrings and quads

Although these are common areas to foam roll, you can roll just about any muscle in the body. When rolling out these muscles, make sure to sit on the floor and keep your legs out straight, this will ensure your weight is properly positioned over the muscle. Move your body weight onto the foam roller and slowly roll backwards and forwards.

If you feel any major pain or discomfort, it is important to consult with your physiotherapist. There is more information on the pain that can come alongside foam rolling below.

Tips for Foam Rolling

If you are noticing pain during foam rolling, it may not necessarily be a bad thing. Most likely you will experience some pain and discomfort with your foam roller exercises. Foam rolling applies pressure to and compresses the sore or stiff muscles, thus stimulating the pain receptors in your body. This pain can be indicative of how much you need to foam roll, as tighter muscles when foam rolled can be more painful; make sure you take it slow if the pain becomes too intense.

It is important, however, to avoid areas such as the knee and elbow, because if any excessive pressure is applied it may cause the area to hyperextend. When foam rolling your legs, remember that each muscle is linked to each other like a chain, so it is important to start with your calves and then move to your thighs, avoiding the knee.

It is important to avoid foam rolling if you have a serious injury or muscle tear as it can exacerbate the injury. If you are worried you are not foam rolling correctly, speak with one of our physiotherapists. They can guide you through a foam rolling sequence specifically designed for you, to get you back on track to feeling great again.

When Is The Best Time To Foam Roll?

Whatever form of exercise you are performing, whether you are playing a sport, going for a run, or about to go to the gym, foam rolling before and after is recommended. It is not only best to foam roll before exercise, but also after, as recovery is just as important as the injury prevention benefits offered when foam rolling pre-exercise.

It is best to stay on the sore part of a muscle for at least more than 10 seconds, less than will not have any apparent benefit. A short period of time doesn’t allow for the muscle or fascia to respond, so foam roll as long as your time permits you.

Is Stretching Necessary If Performing Foam Rolling?

Foam rolling often works best when coupled with static stretching, ensuring full mobility of the muscle. Static Stretching is best not performed prior to gym exercises, running or sport, it reduces performance and how much output you can put out, as well as having no benefits for injury prevention.

A more dynamic warm-up is best to perform before exercise of any sort. But this does not equate to you not needing to perform static stretching at all. Your muscles and fascia will respond best if you also add in static stretches after your exercise, run or sporting activity along with foam rolling.

What Else Can A Foam Roller Be Used For?

Foam rollers can also be used to mobilise your spinal joints. When arching backward over a roller, many of the small joints in your spine can be loosened. These joints most likely have become tight due to the many hours you have spent sitting at your desk, looking at your phone or bending over in the garden. Thoracic spine mobility is essential for good posture and for most sporting performances.

Another use of foam rollers is for balance exercises. Lying over a roller can provide an unstable base for a range of great core stability exercises. If performing core stability work consult with your City Physiotherapy Physio ensuring you are ready to give these a go or you can end up injuring yourself.

It is important to consult a professional if you are considering using a foam roller, and to check whether your body is okay with incorporating it into your routine. Here at City Physiotherapy, we are here to help you every step of the way and guide you through your recovery and journey to wellness.

How To Treat A Pulled Hammy And Strained Quad

Posted on January 21, 2022August 22, 2024 by Linda Shacklock

A muscle strain, or pulled muscle, occurs when your muscle is overstretched or torn. This usually occurs as a result of fatigue, overuse, or improper use of a muscle.

Muscle strains are categorised as Grade I, II, or III. A small strain is classified as a Grade I tear, whereas a complete rupture or tear, is classified as a Grade III tear. Grade II tears are partial ruptures or tears. Severe Grade II and Grade III tears will cause loss of normal muscle function and you will probably see bruising around the area of your injury.

Grade I Strain

After a Grade I strain, it is possible to continue use of the affected muscle or muscle group. Grade I injuries tend to be mild and they mostly fully heal. With appropriate rest and physiotherapy rehabilitation, you can reduce the healing time of your strain.

Grade II and III Strains

A Grade II or III strain will cause you severe pain and thus all activity of the muscle should be ceased to limit pain and further injury; most likely you will not be able to move the affected muscles. Grade II tears can heal with physiotherapy rehabilitation, although your healing time is going to be longer. In the case of a Grade III tear, most likely a gap has formed in the muscle fibers of the quadriceps or hamstrings, you may not be able to bend or straighten your knee. Grade III tears usually require surgery and physiotherapy rehabilitation for full recovery.

Quadriceps strain information

A thigh strain or quadriceps strain is essentially a small tear in one of the four quadriceps muscles located the front of your thigh. Muscle strains can feel like a mild ache up to a severe pain or even result in the inability to run or walk, constricting movement of the affected muscles. A quadriceps strain can also be called a pulled quad muscle or a strained thigh.

What are the signs and symptoms that indicate one has a pulled quad muscle?

You will feel a sudden, sharp pain at the front part of your thigh
You will feel swelling and a bruise may form on your thigh indicating inflammation from the strain.
You may also feel a lump or muscle spasms in your thigh

Hamstring strain information

Hamstring muscle injuries — such as a “pulled hamstring” — occur frequently in athletes. A pulled hamstring or strain is an injury to one or more of the muscles at the back of the thigh. A hamstring strain can be a pull, a partial tear, or a complete tear. Most hamstring injuries occur in the thick, central part of the muscle called the muscle belly, or where the muscle fibers join tendon fibers.

In the most severe hamstring injuries, the tendon tears completely away from the bone. The tendon may even pull a piece of bone away with it as it separates.

What are the signs and symptoms that indicate one has a hamstring strain?

You will notice a sudden, sharp pain in the back of your thigh.
You will feel swelling in the first few hours after injury.
Bruising and discolouration may also form on the back of the leg, below the knee over the first few days.
Weakness can also persist in your hamstring for weeks.

In the case of a Grade III tear, most likely a gap has formed in the muscle fibers of the quadriceps or hamstrings, you may not be able to bend or straighten your knee.

Common causes for quad strain and hamstring strain

A quadriceps strain or hamstring strain are common during running or jumping movements, especially during sudden movements or if you are starting and stopping quite suddenly, which can occur in some sports. However, you could just as easily pull your quadriceps or hamstrings while weightlifting, working out in your garden or falling over into a hole.

What will increase your risk of straining your quadriceps muscle or hamstring muscles?

You will increase your risk of straining any muscle by not warming up adequately before you run or exercise

Hip flexor or quadriceps muscle tightness can increase your risk of muscle strain. Poor muscle recruitment and activation or weakness in your gluteal or buttock muscle will overload your quadriceps predisposing you to injury.

In the case of hamstring strains, muscle imbalance from an overdeveloped quadriceps muscle leads to a faster rate of fatigue and higher chance of injury. Muscle overload is the largest cause of hamstrings strains, so weak and poorly developed ones will buckle under the stress of the stronger quadriceps. Focus on stretching and strengthening the hamstrings to reduce risk of injury.

Pushing yourself too quickly, e.g. running too fast when you haven’t trained for the activity or intensity; performing exercises that your quadriceps muscles are not used to or haven’t performed previously; overtraining and not allowing proper time for rest and healing.

Contact us today to enquire about an appointment. Call 8212 4886 or book online for an assessment from one of our qualified and highly experienced physios.

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