Back and Neck - Performance Plus

How to Treat a Disc Bulge?

Posted on April 17, 2023April 4, 2024 by admin

As a physiotherapist, I often work with patients who are experiencing disc bulges. This spinal condition can be painful and can impact daily life, but there are ways to manage symptoms and improve overall function. Here are some physiotherapy tips to help you cope with a disc bulge:

Stay Active

Physical activity is essential for maintaining overall health, including the health of your spine. With a disc bulge, it’s important to engage in low-impact activities such as walking, swimming, or cycling. Your physiotherapist can recommend specific exercises tailored to your needs.

Improve your posture

Poor posture can contribute to back pain and exacerbate disc bulges. Your physiotherapist can teach you how to improve your posture to reduce pressure on your spine.

Use heat or ice

Heat can help to increase blood flow and promote healing, while ice can reduce inflammation and pain. Your physiotherapist can recommend which modality is best for your specific symptoms.

Manual therapy

Hands-on techniques such as massage, mobilization, and manipulation can help to reduce pain and improve mobility in the spine.

Strengthening exercises

Strengthening exercises can help to support the spine and reduce the risk of future injuries. Your physiotherapist can create a customized exercise program that targets specific muscle groups to support the spine.

Stretching

Stretching can improve flexibility and reduce muscle tension. Your physiotherapist can recommend stretching exercises that are safe and effective for your condition.

Education

Your physiotherapist can provide education on proper body mechanics, posture, and lifting techniques to help you manage your symptoms and prevent future injuries.

Modalities

In addition to heat and ice, other modalities such as ultrasound or electrical stimulation may be used to reduce pain and inflammation.

In conclusion, a disc bulge can be a challenging condition to manage, but with the help of a physiotherapist, you can improve your symptoms and overall function. By staying active, improving your posture, using heat or ice, receiving manual therapy, engaging in strengthening and stretching exercises, receiving education on proper body mechanics, and utilising modalities as needed, you can take control of your condition and live a healthy, active life.

The Importance of Doing Your Physiotherapy to get Optimal Recovery

Posted on April 17, 2023April 4, 2024 by admin

Physiotherapy exercises are a vital component of any rehabilitation program, and they are designed to help individuals recover from injuries or illnesses that have affected their mobility, strength, and overall quality of life. While it may be tempting to skip these exercises or only do them occasionally, there are several compelling reasons why you should prioritize them and make them a regular part of your daily routine.

Improve Range of Motion and Flexibility

Physiotherapy exercises can help you regain your range of motion and flexibility, which is crucial for maintaining good physical health. When you have an injury or illness that affects your ability to move, your muscles and joints can become stiff and rigid. Physiotherapy exercises can help to loosen these areas up and allow you to move more freely, which can help to reduce pain and discomfort.

Strengthen Muscles and Improve Stability

Many physiotherapy exercises are designed to strengthen your muscles and improve your overall stability. This can be particularly important if you have suffered an injury or illness that has left you weak or unsteady on your feet. By working on these areas through targeted exercises, you can improve your strength and balance, which can help to prevent further injuries and improve your overall quality of life.

Reduce Pain and Discomfort

Physiotherapy exercises can also help to reduce pain and discomfort in the body. This is achieved through a variety of techniques, including stretching, massage, and strengthening exercises. By targeting specific areas of the body that are causing pain or discomfort, you can help to alleviate these symptoms and improve your overall sense of well-being.

Speed up Recovery Time

When you have an injury or illness, the recovery process can be long and frustrating. However, by incorporating physiotherapy exercises into your daily routine, you can speed up your recovery time and get back to your normal activities more quickly. This is because physiotherapy exercises are designed to target the specific areas of the body that need attention, which can help to speed up the healing process.

Prevent Future Injuries

One of the most important benefits of physiotherapy exercises is their ability to prevent future injuries. By strengthening your muscles, improving your range of motion, and enhancing your stability, you can reduce your risk of getting injured again in the future. This can be particularly important for athletes and individuals who are prone to injury, as it can help to keep them healthy and active for longer.

In conclusion, there are many compelling reasons why you should make physiotherapy exercises a regular part of your daily routine. Whether you are recovering from an injury or illness or simply looking to improve your overall physical health, these exercises can help you to achieve your goals and live your best life. So, don’t skip your physiotherapy exercises – your body will thank you for it!

All you need to know about Spondylolisthesis in 2 minutes?

Posted on March 4, 2022April 4, 2024 by admin

After consulting with your GP on that persistent back pain that’s been driving your crazy for ages, you’ve been given the diagnosis of “Spondylolisthesis”- or Spondy for short.

If all you understand about this condition is that it’s a mouthful, then you’ve come to the right place.

In this 2-minute read we’ll give you a snapshot into what it is, why it happened, and where to go next.

What is a Spondylolisthesis?

Spondylolysthesis is most commonly diagnosed via X-Ray, where it presents as a forward displacement of a vertebra to the one beneath it. This is often located in (but not limited to) your low back, where you have a bit of a natural curve. Having a spondylolysthesis can result in a feeling of instability, pain, or other neurological symptoms. However it could also be completely asymptomatic and an “incidental finding” on a scan.

Why did I get a spondylolisthesis?

Sometimes this condition can be congenital. This means you are born with it. Or it can result from overuse or micro trauma from sports that involve a lot of hyperextension and rotation. Think- gymnastics, rowing, tennis, cricket. A simple explanation for the symptoms that you may be feeling, is that the vertebral slippage can irritate the central spinal cord or nerve roots exiting from the sides of each spinal level. This causes pain, weakness, or changes in sensation.

How do I manage it?

The good thing is, prognosis for a low grade Spondy is very good. Management strategies such as physiotherapy and exercise are very effective. Your healthcare professional should generally recommend at least 3-6 months of dedicated rehab, unless you are experiencing severe and worsening symptoms. The goals of the rehab should be to manage your pain and build up the motor control in your trunk. You’ll also need to progress the global strengthening of the core, back, and legs.

Fun Fact

Spondylolysis and Spondylolysthesis are two different things!

The first one is actually a stress fracture, and looks like a “Scotty Dog” on X-Ray. The latter is usually a progression of this – resulting in a shift of the entire vertebrae.

If you have low back pain, give us a call on 03 9815 2555. Or book online here for an appointment.

Do you know someone with “text neck”?

Posted on September 23, 2021April 4, 2024 by admin

Mobile phones can be seriously bad news for your neck

Using your mobile phone can be seriously bad news for your neck. Take a look around next time your on a train, a tram, in the shops or a restaurant. It’s amazing to see the number of people with their head down, looking at their smartphone. These nifty devices have certainly made many aspects of our day to day life easier, but we definitely need to be smarter about the way we use them.

According to research published by Kenneth Hansraj, Chief of Surgery at the New York Spine Surgery and Rehabilitation Medicine Clinic, when texting on your mobile phone, people often adopt poor neck postures, leading to significant force being placed on the tissues of the neck.

When standing upright, the force on the neck is equivalent to the weight of the human head – which is approximately 4-5kg. When looking down at the screen of a mobile phone, the force on the neck can increase by up to approximately 27kg. This type of posture, if held for prolonged periods, or repeated frequently throughout the day, leads to adverse strain on the tissues of the neck. Over time, neck pain and a range of other symptoms (headache, arm pain, pins and needles or numbness) and/or injuries can creep in.

THE MESSAGE IS CLEAR – to avoid a pain in the neck, be mindful of your posture throughout the day, particularly when using your mobile phone OR other mobile device (tablet, iPod, laptop).

TIPS TO AVOID A PAIN IN THE NECK:

✓ Good posture, when it comes to the neck, involves keeping your ears relatively aligned with your shoulders, while gently drawing your shoulder blades back and together.

✓ Rather than tilting your neck, use your arm(s) and hand(s), and raise your mobile devise to a height where you can maintain an upright/neutral neck position while viewing the screen.

✓ Alternatively, lower your eyes to view the screen, maintaining your neck in a neutral position.

✓ Avoid prolonged use. While mobile devices are designed to be easily accessible, they should be used for short periods only.

So, next time you see your friends or family on their phone or mobile device with their head down, give them a nudge and remind them to stand tall and keep their head up! The same goes for other mobile devices – these can also lead to postural problems.

Share this article with friends and family to spread the word.

To arrange a postural assessment or review of your workstation set-up and work methods, arrange an appointment with one of our physiotherapists.

Neck Pain & how to get rid of it

Posted on September 15, 2021April 4, 2024 by admin

Neck Pain can be a debilitating health problem. Your head is heavy and balanced on a narrow support made up of seven bones called vertebrae. The vertebrae are separated from each other by discs, stabilised by joints and ligaments and moved by muscles. Because the neck is so mobile, it is easily damaged.

Onset of pain may be immediate or there may be a slow onset – pain gradually increases over several days or weeks. Pain or deep ache of the neck, shoulder or arm (this needs to be differentiated from true shoulder pain, such as tendonitisbursitis). There may be burning or tingling of the arm or hand or headaches. It may be continuous, or only occur when you are in a certain position. The pain may be aggravated by turning your head, looking up or looking down, you may experience stiffness of the neck and shoulder muscles and have a reduced range of motion of the neck.

Neck injuries most often result from motor vehicle, sports or occupational accidents. Damage may occur to vertebrae, joints, nerves, discs, ligaments and muscles. A common neck injury is the acceleration/deceleration injury or ‘whiplash’ where the head is thrown forward or backward.

Bad posture can cause neck pain, ligaments are over-stretched, muscles become tired and the neck joints and nerves are put under pressure. Slouching your shoulders with your head pushed forward, sleeping with your head in an awkward position, or working with your head down for long periods, will all tend to cause or worsen neck pain. If you are experiencing neck pain, it is important that you have your condition assessed by a physiotherapist.

A Physiotherapist can provide an assessment or examination to help determine the source of pain and its behaviour in the body. The location of the pain and how it behaves can provide an understanding of the underlying physiological problem and provide a treatment plan. Your treatment may involve:

Soft tissue massage
Manipulation
Joint mobilisation techniques
Postural re-education
Strengthening, stabilising and stretching exercises to help you manage your problems long-term
Neural mobilisation techniques
Trigger point therapy
Advice and recommendations for ergonomics/desk setup and activity modification

Research tells us that symptoms lasting longer than three months become habitual and are much harder to solve. The sooner you get on top of your neck symptoms the better your outcome.

Seated Neck Stretch

Sit in a chair with your feet flat on the ground.
Extend your right arm along the right side of the chair.
Place your left hand on the top of your head and slowly tilt your head to the left.
Apply gentle pressure with your hand to increase the stretch. To feel a deeper stretch, you can hold onto the seat of the chair. This stabilises the torso and allows you to isolate the stretch on the side of your neck.
Hold on this side for 30 seconds, then slowly lift your head up and repeat this stretch on the other side.

Towards Wellness

Get in touch with us so we can help alleviate your neck pain.

Top 3 positions in the bed…

Posted on September 8, 2021April 4, 2024 by admin

Sleeping Positions and how it affects your body?

People often complain of pain in various body parts when they wake in the morning. Common culprits are the neck, shoulder, lower back and hips. Often these morning aches can be attributed to how we have slept during the night, and can be fairly simply addressed.

Are you a front sleeper?

Sleeping on your front puts a lot of stress through the neck and often results in difficulty and discomfort in turning your head in the morning. Simply needing to breathe means front sleepers will always have their head turned one way or the other, and considering the amount of time you’re asleep that’s a big ask of your neck! Front-sleeping is usually considered the least-desirable option due to the effect it has on the neck. As in intermediate step, you could try placing a pillow under your chest to take some of the pressure off your neck, but the best thing in this situation is to try and train yourself to sleep in a different position (on either your side or back).

Are you a side sleeper?

Sleeping on your side is a better option than front-sleeping, and is usually much better for your neck. A good contour pillow is especially helpful to give side-sleepers adequate neck support. Side-sleepers waking with shoulder pain may benefit from placing an extra pillow underneath their torso (just under the armpit), thereby creating a channel for your lower arm to rest it. If you’re a side-sleeper that wakes with lower back or hip pain try sleeping with a pillow between your knees to take some of the weight off your pelvis and lumbar spine.

Are you a back sleeper?

Sleeping on your back is ideal, so great work if that’s you! The most common complaint from people sleeping on their back is pain or tension in the lower back, usually caused by tight psoas muscles. Try putting a pillow underneath your knees to take some strain out of the lower back.

Should you be experiencing any of the above and find that these measures don’t resolve the situation, massage may help to treat your symptoms and an assessment of your sleeping position can be beneficial also.

Get in touch with us to book in for a massage or talk to your physio.

Why Rehabilitation is just like a Fairytale!

Posted on November 20, 2020April 4, 2024 by admin

The three bears find Goldie locks asleep in a bed.

Rehabilitation is a complex thing but just like the fairytale Goldilocks and the Three Bears, if you get it just right it can be quite simple.

Just like Goldilocks, finding a fair middle ground is best. I find that the people who go too hard with their exercises do the worst at rehab. All you are doing is stirring up the inflammation which just makes you like a bear with a sore head!

Doing nothing will mean you get sore and stiff. Weakness will soon follow and you will soon be as stable as a house of sticks! We all know how that one ends.

But how do you find the happy ground?

What is the holy grail of rehabilitation?

Unfortunately there is no magic bean to guide us here. Everyone is different. Each day presents different challenges and as time goes on our ability to push harder improves.

Accommodation is the process in which progressive overloading of the bodies structures causes them to strengthen in the patterns in which we move. It’s a vital part of rehabilitation but it needs to be done in conjunction with the natural rates of healing.

Soft tissues generally take about 6 weeks to heal.

Bones, 6- 12 weeks depending upon where they are in the body.

Tendons with their poorer blood supply take ages (up to 12 months).

Throw in age, activity, co morbidities and we get a really complex matrix beginning to form.

Then there’s pain!

Pain is amongst other things physical, chemical, social, psychological. It’s a bit like the seven dwarfs.

How we react and perceive these things will influence how we perceive and react to pain. This is why no two recoveries are the same.

Physios like to talk about good pain and bad pain.

Good pain is more like a stretching and working pain and its generally something tolerable and can be encouraged. It will settle fairly soon following workouts.

Bad pain is more searing and stabbing. It typically doesn’t settle so well and may last overnight and the next day. We like to avoid this pain.

So now you know the variables for recovery, how do you find the best option for you?

Firstly listen to your body. It will tell you how it’s feeling; you just need to learn how to listen to it. When starting with rehab, taste test first.

Start slowly.

See how you recover and if it pulls up well, then next time you exercise you can do a little more.

Be careful because it’s sometimes not sore until you’ve finished and by then its too late. Sooner or later you will learn how the area reacts and you will be able to predict how much to do with more certainty.

Rehab is not linear. Especially not in its micro form. Patients often don’t realise the progression they are making. It’s a bit like watching grass grow. You’ll find others will see your progression more than you. Comments like “you are moving much better” are common.

Working with your physiotherapist is really helpful to help you progress with your rehabilitation. See them more as your teacher or coach who will guide you through the weeks or months in order to get you back to all your normal activities. They will help to remind you that you are on track, when to push harder or when to back off. They are skilled to understand the time frames for recovery and when to commence working different structures following injury or an operation. They understand the “just right in between” balance you’ll need to find.

How Good is your Posture?

Posted on September 2, 2016April 4, 2024 by admin

As a society, in general our posture is declining. Posture is so important in keeping all the muscles and bones in the correct alignment. When this doesn’t occur it can lead to pain and injury with can mean a trip to the Physiotherapist.

Often, poor posture develops because of accidents or falls. But bad posture can also develop from environmental factors or bad habits. This means that you have control.

Today, posture-related problems are increasing. This is because-

We have become a society that watches more television than any previous generation;

We have become a more electronic society, with more and more people working at sedentary desk jobs or sitting in front of computer terminals;

More and more cars are crowding our roads, resulting in accidents and injuries;

And we drive in cars and sit in chairs with poorly designed seats.

Why is my posture bad?

In most cases, poor posture results from a combination of several factors, which can include:

Accidents, injuries and falls,
Poor sleep support (mattress) and positioning,
Excessive weight,
Visual or emotional difficulties,
Foot problems or improper shoes,
Weak muscles, muscle imbalance,
Careless sitting, standing, sleeping habits,
Negative self image,
Occupational stress,
Poorly designed work spaces.

Improving your posture.

Following are some simple ways of improving your posture.

When standing – hold your head high, chin firmly forward, shoulders back, chest out, and stomach tucked in to increase your balance. If you stand all day in a job, rest one foot on a stool or take breaks to get off your feet for a while.

When sitting – use a chair with firm low back support. Keep desk or table top elbow high, adjust the chair or use a footrest to keep pressure off the back of the legs, and keep your knees a little higher than your hips. Get up and stretch frequently–every hour if you sit for long periods of time.

When working on a computer – take a one or two minute task break every 20 minutes when you work at a computer screen. Keep the screen 15 degrees below eye level. Place reference materials on a copy stand even with and close to the terminal.

When sitting in the car – adjust the seat forward so your knees are lower than your hips. Put a small pillow or cushion in the small of your back.

When sleeping – sleep on your side with your knees bent and head supported by a pillow, to make your head level with your spine. Or, sleep on your back, avoiding thick pillows under your head. Use a small pillow under your neck instead. Don’t sleep on your stomach.

When lifting – let your legs do the work in order to prevent injury to your low back. Stand close to the object, then where possible squat down and straddle it. Grasp the object, and slowly lift the load by straightening your legs as you stand up. Carry the object close to your body.

When bending – never twist from the waist and bend forward at the same time. To lift or reach something on the floor, bend the knees while keeping the back straight.

Why is changing posture hard?

When trying to change your posture, sometimes it can feel a little odd. This is because your body has adapted too the bad posture and feels uncomfortable with the change. Don’t worry, we find at Glenferrie Sports and Spinal Clinic that as you persist with the new position, it will become the norm and the bad postures will begin to feel funny.

Physiotherapy for postural issues can involve muscle stretching and strengthening, education and ergonomic advice. There is no reason to have poor posture, take a look in the mirror and if you see your self slumping, give us a call .

Glenferrie Sports and Spinal Clinic is located in Hawthorn. Situated conveniently near public transport and with convenient parking it is central to Camberwell, Kew, Richmond, Toorak and Malvern.

For appointments call 03 9815 2555, or book online here

Sleeping Positions and how they affect the body.

Posted on August 9, 2016April 4, 2024 by admin

best-and-worst-sleeping-positions-for-chronic-pain

Are you a front sleeper?

Front-sleeping is usually considered the least-desirable option due to the effect it has on the neck. As in intermediate step, you could try placing a pillow under your chest to take some of the pressure off your neck. But the best thing in this situation is to try and train yourself to sleep in a different position (on either your side or back).

Are you a side sleeper?

Sleeping on your side is a better option than front-sleeping, and is usually much better for your neck. A good contour pillow (ask at Sustain Health if you need one!) is especially helpful to give side-sleepers adequate neck support. Side-sleepers waking with shoulder pain may benefit from placing an extra pillow underneath their torso (just under the armpit). This creates a channel for your lower arm to rest it. If you’re a side-sleeper that wakes with lower back or hip pain try sleeping with a pillow between your knees to take some of the weight off your pelvis and lumbar spine.

Are you a back sleeper?

Sleeping on your back is ideal, so great work if that’s you! The most common complaint from people sleeping on their back is pain or tension in the lower back. This is usually caused by tight psoas muscles. Try putting a pillow underneath your knees to take some strain out of the lower back.

Should you be experiencing any of the above and find that these measures don’t resolve the situation, massage may help to treat your symptoms. An assessment of your sleeping position can be beneficial also.

Glenferrie Sports and Spinal Clinic is located in Hawthorn. Situated conveniently near public transport and with convenient parking it is central to Camberwell, Kew, Richmond, Toorak and Malvern.

For appointments call 03 9815 2555, or book online here

How to avoid Text Neck

Posted on July 21, 2016April 4, 2024 by admin

Mobile phones can be seriously bad news for your neck.

Using your mobile phone can be seriously bad news for your neck. Take a look around next time you’re on a train, a tram, in the shops or a restaurant. It’s amazing to see the number of people with their head down, looking at their smartphone.

These nifty devices have certainly made many aspects of our day to day life easier. However we definitely need to be smarter about the way we use them.

According to research published by Kenneth Hansraj, Chief of Surgery at the New York Spine Surgery and Rehabilitation Medicine Clinic, when texting on your mobile phone, people often adopt poor neck postures. This leads to significant force being placed on the tissues of the neck.

When standing upright, the force on the neck is equivalent to the weight of the human head – which is approximately 4-5kg.

When looking down at the screen of a mobile phone, the force on the neck can increase by up to approximately 27kg.

This type of posture, if held for prolonged periods, or repeated frequently throughout the day, leads to adverse strain on the tissues of the neck.

Over time, neck pain and a range of other symptoms (headache, arm pain, pins and needles or numbness) and/or injuries can creep in.

How do it treat text neck?

THE MESSAGE IS CLEAR – to avoid a pain in the neck, be mindful of your posture throughout the day. This is particularly when using your mobile phone OR other mobile device (tablet, iPod, laptop).

Rather than tilting your neck, use your arm(s) and hand(s). Raise your mobile devise to a height where you can maintain an upright/neutral neck position while viewing the screen.

Alternatively, lower your eyes to view the screen, maintaining your neck in a neutral position.

Avoid prolonged use. While mobile devices are designed to be easily accessible, they should be used for short periods only. So, next time you see your friends or family on their phone or mobile device with their head down, give them a nudge. Also remind them to stand tall and keep their head up! The same goes for other mobile devices – these can also lead to postural problems. Share this article with friends and family to spread the word.

If you have text neck Physiotherapy can help to rectify this.

Glenferrie Sports and Spinal Clinic is located in Hawthorn. Situated conveniently near public transport and with convenient parking it is central to Camberwell, Kew, Richmond, Toorak and Malvern.

For appointments call 03 9815 2555, or book online here

STAND UP…MOVE MORE…MORE OFTEN!

Posted on November 16, 2015April 4, 2024 by admin

As you’re reading this article, STAND UP!!!

The time to get moving is NOW!

You need to Stand up and Move more Often.

According to a recent study released by Medibank Private, in many office based jobs, 77% of the working day is spent sitting.

Couple this with the time we spend driving to and from work, time spent watching television or on the computer at home at night, and it is clear that we have a big problem!

Neville Owen, Professor of Health Behaviour at the University of Queensland indicates that in three or four generations, we’ve gone, for most people, from pretty uniform activity – standing, lifting, doing – to sitting tapping or sitting staring.

Essentially, Australia has become a nation of sitters!

We’ve long known that prolonged sitting can contribute to the development of a range of muscle and joint problems, in particular lower back pain.

A growing body of research is now emerging linking prolonged sitting with a number of chronic health conditions including obesity, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, heart disease and diabetes.

In 2013 alone, more than 7000 deaths occurred in Australia from obesity-related illness. Indeed, Australia’s biggest killer isn’t road trauma. It’s not snakes, spiders, sharks or crocodiles.
According to the Australian Physiotherapy Association (APA), surprisingly, it’s SITTING.

Interestingly and of most concern is research that tells us that even if you exercise regularly outside of work hours, sitting for prolonged periods of time during the day has detrimental effects on your health.

Being at work all day doesn’t mean that you can’t squeeze some physical activity in to keep you healthy.

Standing up more frequently is a great start. Research indicates that the muscle activity needed for standing and other simple movement triggers important processes related to the breakdown of fats and sugars within the body.

When you sit, these processes stall — and your health risks increase. When you’re standing or actively moving, you kick the processes back into action.

Put simply, stand up, move more, more often.

Standing every 20-30 minutes, and taking any opportunity you get to move, will have positive health benefits, both now, and in the years to come.

How do I stand more?

Some simple tips to get you standing and moving more often include:

Stand up when making or taking phone calls.
Take the stairs instead of the lift, even if you just walk a couple of floors and use a different lift.
Take a water break every hour and walk to the kitchen.
Arrange stand up meetings.
Leave your desk at lunchtime and enjoy a short stroll and some fresh air.
If you drive to work, park further away from your office and walk.

Glenferrie Sports and Spinal Clinic is located in Hawthorn. Situated conveniently near public transport and with convenient parking it is central to Camberwell, Kew, Richmond, Toorak and Malvern.
For appointments call 03 9815 2555, or book online here

Why do I have back pain and how to manage it?

Posted on November 6, 2015April 4, 2024 by admin

Low back pain is really common and can usually be readily fixed by Physiotherapy.

Acute low back pain can be caused by many factors such as:

Trauma (fall, car accident, lifting)
Muscle imbalances (postural issues)
Existing medical conditions
Rheumatological conditions

Injuries can happen when you do something new, different or strenuous, such as lifting heavy items or playing a new sport.

The pain may also occur because of a build-up of stress on the back that gradually turns into an injury. This can be in the form of conditions such as a disc bulge, degeneration or even a spondylolisthesis.

Although serious causes of back pain are rare, it is important that you have your condition assessed by a qualified health professional such as a physiotherapist.

This is particularly important if your back pain is associated with other symptoms like fever, unexplained weight loss, pins and needles or numbness, or if your pain was caused by a high velocity trauma such as a car or sporting accident.

If you are experiencing back pain, get one of our experienced physiotherapists to assess your problem and get back on track.

Glenferrie Sports and Spinal Clinic is located in Hawthorn. Situated conveniently near public transport and with convenient parking it is central to Camberwell, Kew, Richmond, Toorak and Malvern.

For appointments call 03 9815 2555, or book online here

Do you have TEXT NECK?

Posted on October 30, 2015April 4, 2024 by admin

Do you have Text Neck?

How much time do you spend texting, emailing from your phone, flicking through social media, or just generally looking down at your phone?

Text neck is a repetitive strain injury, and one that is seen in a growing number of patients over the past few years.

An increasing number of teens and adolescents are experiencing aggravating muscle pain in their necks, shoulders, and occasionally their lower backs as well as a result of hunching over their smart devises.

So why does text neck happen?

Looking down and dropping your head forward changes the natural curve of your spine and neck.

Repetitive misalignment causes muscles to strain and cause wear and tear on the structures of your neck.

What can you do if you are already showing the signs and symptoms of Text Neck?

The first thing, and best thing you can do is improve your posture.

What we recommend is using these two simple prevention rules:

Look forward! Don’t tilt your chin down to look at your smart devices, try moving the devise up towards eye level, just like your desktop screen should be.
Straighten on up! If your posture isn’t perfect, try doing shoulder extensions. Arch your neck and upper back backward, pulling your shoulders into alignment under your ears. This simple stretch can alleviate stress and muscle pain.

If you are experiencing any symptoms of Text Neck, the next step is to be assessed by your Physio.

This is where we can recommend a series of specific exercises to help strengthen both your neck and back muscles, and then come up with a comprehensive treatment plan specific for you and your needs.

This plan could include regular adjustments, massage therapy, a range of exercises dependent on the extent of your injury.

If Text Neck is preventing you from performing the activities you enjoy, or if you believe the way you are using your phone placing you at risk of developing further neck pain in the future, please call our clinic for an appointment with one of our experienced therapists today.

Glenferrie Sports and Spinal Clinic is located in Hawthorn. Situated conveniently near public transport and with convenient parking it is central to Camberwell, Kew, Richmond, Toorak and Malvern.

For appointments call 03 9815 2555, or book online here

Stay Active

Improve your posture

Use heat or ice

Manual therapy

Strengthening exercises

Stretching

Education

Modalities

Improve Range of Motion and Flexibility

Strengthen Muscles and Improve Stability

Reduce Pain and Discomfort

Speed up Recovery Time

Prevent Future Injuries

What is a Spondylolisthesis?

Why did I get a spondylolisthesis?

How do I manage it?

Fun Fact

Sleeping Positions and how it affects your body?

Are you a front sleeper?

Are you a side sleeper?

Are you a back sleeper?

Why is my posture bad?

Improving your posture.

Why is changing posture hard?

Are you a front sleeper?

Are you a side sleeper?

Are you a back sleeper?

How do it treat text neck?

Essentially, Australia has become a nation of sitters!

How do I stand more?

Do you have Text Neck?

So why does text neck happen?

What can you do if you are already showing the signs and symptoms of Text Neck?

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