Other - Performance Plus

Whats the best way to treat a hamstring?

Posted on May 8, 2023April 4, 2024 by admin

Hamstring Tears: Causes, Symptoms, and Treatments

Hamstring tears are a common injury among athletes and individuals who participate in physical activities that require intense muscle movements. A hamstring tear refers to the partial or complete rupture of one or more of the three muscles located in the back of the thigh: the biceps femoris, semimembranosus, and semitendinosus. In this article, we will discuss the causes, symptoms, and evidence-based treatments for hamstring tears.

Causes of Hamstring Tears

Hamstring tears can occur from sudden or repetitive strain on the muscles. Some of the most common causes of hamstring tears include:

Overuse: Overexertion of the hamstring muscles can lead to small tears in the muscle fibers, which can accumulate and lead to a larger tear over time.
Muscle Imbalance: Muscle imbalances in the leg, such as weak quadriceps or tight hip flexors, can increase the risk of a hamstring tear.
Poor Flexibility: Limited flexibility in the hamstring muscles can cause them to be more susceptible to tears, especially during physical activities that require sudden movements.
Fatigue: When the hamstring muscles are tired, they are more likely to tear during physical activity.
Previous Injury: A history of hamstring injuries can increase the likelihood of future hamstring tears.

Symptoms of Hamstring Tears

The symptoms of a hamstring tear can range from mild to severe, depending on the extent of the tear. Some of the most common symptoms of hamstring tears include:

Sudden and severe pain in the back of the thigh during physical activity.
Swelling, bruising, or tenderness in the affected area.
Inability to bear weight on the affected leg.
Muscle weakness or loss of function in the affected leg.
A popping or snapping sensation in the back of the thigh at the time of injury.

Treatments for Hamstring Tears

The treatment for a hamstring tear depends on the severity of the injury. Mild hamstring tears can be treated with rest, ice, compression, and elevation (RICE). More severe tears may require medical intervention, such as physical therapy, anti-inflammatory medication, or surgery.

Here are some evidence-based treatments for hamstring tears:

Physioherapy: A physiotherapist can create a rehabilitation plan that includes stretching, strengthening, and functional exercises to help reduce pain and improve muscle function.
Platelet-Rich Plasma (PRP) Therapy: PRP therapy involves injecting platelets from the patient’s blood into the injured area, which can help stimulate healing.
Dry Needling: Dry needling involves inserting a thin needle into the affected muscle to relieve pain and improve function.
Surgery: In severe cases, surgery may be necessary to repair a complete tear of the hamstring muscles.

Conclusion

Hamstring tears can be a painful and debilitating injury, but with proper treatment, most individuals can make a full recovery. To prevent hamstring tears, it is essential to maintain good flexibility, proper muscle balance, and avoid overuse or fatigue of the hamstring muscles. If you suspect you have a hamstring tear, it is important to seek physiotherapy attention promptly to ensure proper diagnosis and treatment. If you would like an appointment to have your hamstring assessed, call us on 9815 2555 or book online here

The Forgotten COVID impact.

Posted on October 28, 2021April 4, 2024 by admin

After going through 18 months of COVID, there is a long list of things we have been continually bombarded with by the media. Most of them are not too good.
However there are some other things that I am seeing as a physiotherapist in my Hawthorn Clinic. These things are quite significant and may have long term impacts for many.

Glenferrie Sports and Spinal was able to continue practicing with restrictions through most of the lockdowns; but we could operate nonetheless. This was a lot more fortunate than many other businesses.

I considered myself lucky to be able to go to work and get out of home. I was able to have human contact and see things other than the 4 walls of home. I made it a priority to move daily and I walked about 50 km a week. This enabled my mind and body to be refreshed and carry on the day to day requirements.

Unfortunately this was probably not the norm. Many people sat for far more time than they would normally. Organic daily movements were not performed.

Younger people hibernated in their caves, eyes glued to screens, adults sat on couches and watched Netflix, and many seniors bunkered down to weather the storm.

Whatever the cause, the result was the same. People sat, got weak and developed poor postures and movement patterns.

The resullt is not good.

People are weak.

People are tight.

People are scared to get out as they are no longer comfortable moving safely as they once were.

As we open up we are seeing a lot of people who are hurting themselves by the most simple activities.

Those tight backs can’t handle the garden as they once did. The poor old shoulders can’t swing a club with force as yet. That dodgy neck is sore from too much time watching Squid Game.

But as we transition into freer times, the mind keeps saying Go Go Go. We’ve missed out on so much, it’s time to make up.

Absolutely; but think slow is fast.

Putting in some ground work and returning to movement gradually allows the body to modify.

Adaptation is where the body responds to any stress. It’s really good at working out how it can deal with what you are asking it to do.

A good example is a bodybuilder. Progressive loading allows them to lift more and more weight. But if they go too hard too soon they get injured.

The same applies here.

Ease back into activity.

Dont try and do the garden in one hit.

Go down to the range and hit a small bucket of balls.

Walk around the block instead of going for a 10km run.

Remember that your organic movement will also increase as we open up. You can now go out to the shops. You can now stand at a bar. You can now go for a picnic at the park.

If you keep going to the well, it’s going to run dry.

So try and reach a balance between increasing your exercise, and increasing your social life.

Otherwise you may be spending more time on my table than you like.

How to prevent falls

Posted on September 9, 2021April 4, 2024 by admin

Falls are an ominous yet very real part of life for people over 65 and many falls
can be prevented once the causes are determined. Over 400 risk factors leading
to falling have been identified including lack of physical activity resulting in loss
of muscle tone, decreased bone mass, poor balance, and reduced flexibility;
impaired vision, medications, disease including Parkinson’s, dementia, stroke and
arthritis, surgery, and environmental hazards.

The risk of falls and associated complications rise steadily with age and can be a
marker of increasing frailty. Frailty is not clearly defined but is widely accepted to
include a comibination of weight loss, fatigue, reduced grip strength, diminished
physical activity or slowed gait associated with increased risk of falls, hospitalisation,
loss of mobility and independence, increasing disability and death.

The Stats:
The Australian Bureau of Statistics has found that the number of elderly people
who die each year from falls has quadrupled over the past decade. 1530 people
over the age of 75 died from falls in 2011, compared to 365 in 2002. Falls are also
the leading cause of injury-related hospitalisation in persons aged 65 years and
over in Australia. In 2011–12, 96,385 people aged 65 and over were hospitalised
for a fall-related injury. The increasing rate of fall-related hospital admissions
reflects Australia’s ageing population. The number of fall-related hospitalisations
for older people has increased 2.3% per year between 1999–00 and 2010–11.

Physios have become increasingly aware of and concerned about the risk of
falls and the hazardous long term effects on the older generation. Physios have
seen the devastating effects falls can have on an individual and their loved ones.
More often than not they result in serious injury, loss of confidence, and reduced
mobility. All of these can subsequently cause loss of independence and quality of
life. For anyone dealing with falls or the risk of falling it can be frustrating and lead
to feelings of helplessness and lack of self-esteem.

Physiotherapists can play a crucial role in the prevention of falls in older people.
There is evidence that appropriately prescribed interventions can prevent falls.
The strongest single predictor of future falls is a history of previous falls. This is
probably because an individual’s reason for falling the first time is likely to recur.
Assessment of physical functioning is the next strongest predictor.

Exercise programs for balance, strength and falls prevention:
Exercise is a fall prevention intervention because impaired muscle strength and
poor postural control are known to increase the risk of falling and are amendable
to change with exercise. The programs involve exercises targeting gait, balance, functional tasks, strength, flexibility and endurance.

Evidence shows us that home-based exercise programs containing some form
of balance and strength training are the most important intervention strategy to
effectively decrease falls.

Strength Training:

Strength and balance retraining is the most long-term, effective fall prevention
measure that has cardiovascular, metabolic, and self-confidence benefits in
addition to greater stability. Research has shown that falls can be prevented by
retraining your balance and improving your muscular strength, endurance and
flexibility.

Physiotherapy helps you maintain your vital independence with the
implementation of individual, class and home exercise programs for balance,
strength and falls prevention.

Our program consists of an individual assessment. Tailored exercise programs
such as those set out for you by a Physiotherapist, have been shown to be more
effective than general programs at helping people regain good balance. Gentle
strengthening, mobility and balance exercises with our Physiotherapists will help
you maintain your independence and confidence.

It is never too late to start exercising, if you or a member of your family are
concerned with your safety and balance, we would love the opportunity to
assist you. Get in touch with us or book in for a chat.

YOU WILL GET BETTER RESULTS IF YOU DON’T SIT ON YOUR BALLS…. Spikey balls that is!

Posted on September 2, 2021April 4, 2024 by admin

The Spikey Ball can give great temporary release to any soft tissue tension you target, so providing your condition is a soft tissue one, releasing soft tissue tension can get you through most challenges. Fascia shrinkage and muscle fibre trigger points are common causes of soft tissue fatigue/tension that result from soft tissue ‘over use’ or ‘under use‘.

Spikey balls and stretching are easy ‘no cost’ ways of managing soft tissue tension. Post activity compression and pro-active sports massage are two other simple ways to effectively speed recovery and prevent soft tissue injury that can come from stored soft tissue tension/fatigue.

When treating your upper body from shoulders to hips the Spikey Ball should be placed between your body treatment area and a wall. Then by leaning into the spikey ball and lowering and raising your upper body by bending/straightening at the knees you will produce a rolling action through soft tissue. Combine this action with upper body rotation and you will cover all treatment areas through back, upper arms, chest and glutes including lateral glutes. As you self-treat this way you can vary the pressure through the SB by leaning into or out from the wall. What you are looking for is a twitch/response from muscle and when you feel it, you’ll know instinctively, you reduce your movement to “very specific” over the point for about 5 to 10 seconds…….then move on.

Legs and arms require a different technique. For legs, use both hands to roll the spikey ball through quads, hamstrings, calves and shins (front of lower leg) and always treat the non-weight bearing leg. With quad’s, if you are treating the right side lean to the left side and treat the right quad. With hamstring/calf and shin, place the foot of the side for treatment on a chair then treat with the two handed technique. Upper arms can be treated as the upper body, forearms can be treated as the legs, but with a single hand obviously.

Another spikey ball technique is instead of the rolling motion, you hold the Spikey Ball in one hand and press the spikey convex side into the area for treatment applying good pressure as you want to target the fascia beneath the skin then with the spikes gripping the skin and fascia begin a rotating up and down, back and forth movement, without allowing the ball to roll or slide. Do this for 5 seconds then move on to the edge of the last area treated and repeat the action. This technique is great for arms, legs and glutes.

When using a Spikey ball you can treat directly onto your skin or through clothing…… easy!

Another use of the spikey ball is when driving, especially long distances, when your posterior shoulders and lumber areas ache from the poor posture of driving. Place a Spikey Ball between your ache and the back of the driver’s seat and wriggle around a little, I think you will be happy with the relief you get!

If you need any more advice, get in touch with us and book in for a massage!

What are shin splints? And do you suffer from them?

Posted on September 1, 2021April 4, 2024 by admin

Medial tibial stress syndrome also known as shin splints is pain along the shaft of the tibia (usually at the inside of the shin). This syndrome is often seen in active athletes who participate in activities such as running or high impact sports such as basketball, football or netball. Shin splints occur when there are high amounts of force placed upon the shin which can be caused by many factors. These forces usually cause micro trauma and overuse by small repetitive loads.

What causes shin splints?

Flat feet
Tight Muscles / Achilles Tendon
Poor footwear
Poor biomechanics
Poor running/training surface
Previous Injuries Treatment for shin splints can be as simple as a modification to one or all of these factors.

What does it feel like?

A Sharp pain over the inside of the lower leg.
Pain at the start of exercise which often eases as the session continues
Aching pain often returns after activity and may be at its worse the next morning.
Sometimes some swelling
Tender to touch

For example, finding better footwear and a softer running surface can prove helpful. Changing your training type or loads to better suit your biomechanics and body type can settle pain quickly. Customised orthotics is an easy way to offload muscles and joints to promote better biomechanics. It is best to see a podiatrist to properly diagnose these symptoms, assess your training / playing and construct an in depth treatment plan.

If you are experiencing any of these symptoms, get in touch with our podiatrists and make an appointment today.

Getting back into exercise

Posted on August 18, 2021April 4, 2024 by admin

We now know about the benefits of physical activity, but it can seem overwhelming to start, especially in these times when we have lost our routine. Below I have listed a few ways to help support bridging this gap and important considerations to remember when starting.

Start slowly and build up progressively: people often make the mistake of going too hard, too quickly. This is a key reason we see patients coming to see us, as this approach often leads to injury and pain. Building up slowly will help mitigate the chance of injury. Remember any exercise is better than nothing; you can start with a walk around the block and build from there.

Find a friend: Having someone to hold you accountable and motivate you can make a big difference. If you don’t have someone within your 5km radius at times like these, organise a virtual run with friends or join Strava so you feel more supported and inspired to exercise. Incorporating a social element will also be beneficial for your social and mental health (remember to stay 1.5m away from each other though).

Be organised and plan ahead: With the busy lifestyles we lead and the complexities of lockdown now, it can be daunting even thinking about engaging in physical activity. However, if you structure your day and set aside time to exercise, it decreases the stress of trying to fit it in or not doing it at all. I personally find it easier to exercise in the morning because by the end of my day I always feel too tired and drained to be physically active.

Set goals for yourself: Setting goals gives you something to work towards. There are always going to be days where the kids are being demanding, you’ve had a tiff with your partner or work is stressful, so are lacking the will and energy to exercise. Having a goal will help motivate you to work hard during your session. Your goal may be a certain HR, it may be time based, lifting a certain weight at the gym, or it may be as simple as setting a distance for yourself. Some patients enjoy signing up for events as it keeps them accountable.

Undertake more incidental exercise: as discussed in the previous blog, walk to the supermarket down the road instead of driving, walk in your lunch break, take the stairs instead of the elevator, get off public transport a stop early. Every bit of physical activity is beneficial for you, it doesn’t always have to be a structured 5km run.

Pick physical activity you enjoy doing: some people love running, others enjoy going to the gym. Some people prefer a hill climb on their bike, whereas others enjoy yoga and pilates. I know myself I love chasing a ball and playing competitive sport, so I opt for this option of physical activity as much as possible. Some people enjoy online classes for convenience and time benefits, whereas others like to get out into nature. You are more motivated to undertake physical activity if you enjoy it and this optimises compliance and maintenance. Variety and a mix of all different activities is critical for some people so they don’t lose interest.

Warm up, stretch and cool down: Warming up and stretching is important to increase the blood flow and oxygen to your muscles and get them ready for physical activity. It also helps you get in the mental headspace ready to be active. Cooling down optimises recovery and it also a good time to be mindful and reflect on your good work.

Recover well: Eating well and hydrating are critical to optimise performance but are also important for building strength and endurance when recovering. They also help to decrease the chance of injury. Sleep is the most important form of recovery for the human body. It allows the body to heal and recover, build physical strength and improves our mental wellbeing. Other beneficial habits for recovering may include reducing stress, undertaking mindfulness and being kind to yourself.

Technique cannot be forgotten: Individuals often think just undertaking physical activity is enough. However, it is important to be mindful of the way we perform movements. Injuries are commonly sustained by incorrect technique or rushing through a program without concentrating on what we are doing. Squatting with too much weight, deadlifting with poor technique and over striding when running can all increase the chance of injury. It is important to slow down, breathe and focus on the quality of what we are undertaking.

Get in contact with us if you need any advice with your exercise program.

The benefits of exercise in lockdown

Posted on August 12, 2021April 4, 2024 by admin

Everyone has dealt with lockdown differently. It has created significant changes to a lot of our lives and impacted us in many ways. Whether you’re working from home, trying to home school kids, or struggling financially with business, everyone has their own unique experience. On top of all of this, gyms have been shut, and community sport halted. It makes exercise and physical activity a challenge. Some people have joined online exercise programs, whereas others, like me, have turned to baking sourdough.

The World Health Organisation recommends 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity, or 75 minutes of vigorous physical activity, for adults between 18-64 years. Reducing physical activity and exercise can have detrimental effects on the human body; physically, socially and mentally. We all know the strong association between inactivity and an increased risk of heart attack, diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, stroke and a number of cancers. However, inactivity also increases our chance of suffering from mental health issues. Physical activity is a great strategy to feel more energised, motivated and to increase endorphins during these unprecedented times. Physical activity and exercise have shown to improve mood, reduce anxiety, reduce depression, and improve sleep. Furthermore, in isolating times like these, it is a great way to get out and get some form of social interaction, alleviating feelings of isolation people may be experiencing. I personally think I have visited every park within 5km of me in every direction. Some of the other benefits of physical activity include:

Decreased risk of osteoporosis: physical inactivity decreases the load placed on the body and consequently bone density decreases. This puts individuals at risk of developing osteoporosis and therefore at a risk of fracture.
Weight management: Those extra COVID kilos will put increased stress and strain through the joints putting individuals at risk of developing pain and osteoarthritis. Physical activity helps to burn more calories and supports a healthy metabolism.
Increased strength: Physical activity supports the development of muscle strength and endurance. It also helps reduce muscle loss as we age. This helps put all those flat packs together we’ve been doing while in lockdown.
Optimise brain health: Physical activity improves brain function and protects against memory loss. It enhances blood flow and oxygen supply to the brain optimising brain structure and function and preventing the development of conditions such as dementia.
Decrease falls risk: Physical activity has been shown to decrease falls risk. Falls place a huge burden on the healthcare system and have a high mortality rate in the elderly. They also place a significant risk of hip fracture.

Lastly, recent research has shown regular physical activity reduces the risk for severe COVID-19 outcomes among infected adults in addition to other communicable diseases. This highlights the importance of physical activity on the immune system. So, if for no other reason to exercise at the moment, this is the one! Walk instead of driving to the supermarket, take the stairs, use your lunch break to be active instead of watching Netflix and use the time you normally take the train into the city to start your morning with a walk instead. Catch up with friends (inside your 5km radius of course) over a walk instead and lastly, be kind to yourself. Any physical activity is better than none. Start small and build up.

Physio Sarah, and receptionist Krissy, going for a run in lockdown 5.0

If you have any questions regarding an appropriate home exercise program, strengthening exercises to do during lockdown, posture advice for working at home or any physical activity advice, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with one of the Physiotherapists at GSSC.

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.

Sleep and Sport

Posted on June 6, 2020April 4, 2024 by admin

Do your sleeping habits impact on performance?

How well do you sleep? Did you know that sleep, or more importantly lack thereof will have a serious impact upon your performance on the baseball diamond. Lack of sleep can come from a variety of ways. Perhaps you’ve just had a baby, you have stress at work, you are travelling to a tournament and it’s all exciting. There are many ways that sleep can be disrupted, however there are thankfully many things that you can do to help.

People have genetic dispositions to how they sleep. Some are night owls and struggle to sleep until late at night, others are known as larks. They like to rise and go to bed early. But what if the routine does not suit this? Lack of sleep creates what is called a sleep debt; for example if you need 8 hours sleep and you only get 7, then you are one hour in debt. This can accumulate over time, and needs to be paid back at some point. Too much sleep debt can have a negative impact upon your cognitive, physical and social wellbeing.

For teenagers the more sleep the better. If you have less than 5 hours sleep a night for a week, your testosterone levels will drop by 15%. This will have a severe impact on your ability for developing strength and power.

If you have an hour less sleep than you need you will have nearly 2 times more chance of injury. Sleep is also the best tool for recovery, so it will take you longer to feel better after competing or injury. You also have poorer motor learning when you are tired, so learning new skills will be more difficult. Think about that the next time you go to a tournament and you are up all night.

The latter part of the night is also where REM sleep occurs, if you are cutting this off you are losing a ton of quality sleep. So get to bed earlier if you need or are likely to wake up early.

So what are the obstacles that are preventing you from sleep? Phone and tech, noise, light, distractions and pain are some. In order to sleep well you need to first address the obstacles. Life (and Baseball) is based on routine. Make sure you have consistent sleep hygiene or patterns. Train yourself to sleep well, develop a routine. Here are some tips to help you with this.

Be consistent: Establish a consistent sleep schedule by going to bed and waking up at the same time every day. Our bodies like regularity and with a regular sleep schedule, it will naturally start to anticipate sleep.

Sleep in a cave: Make your bedroom cave-like–dark, quiet, and cool. Blackout curtains are strongly recommended. Earplugs can minimise noise, and a fan can circulate air while blocking out other noises. Cooler temperatures are better for sleep, so start at 20 degrees and decrease the temperature a few degrees each night until you find the right temperature for you.

Establish a routine: Develop and stick to a 20- to 30-minute routine before bed. Adopt a practice such as reading or listening to music so that your body knows sleep is near.

Bathroom before bed: Hydrate during the day and minimise liquids one to two hours before you sleep. Use the bathroom before bed to cut down on awakenings.

Avoid electronic screens: Stay away from TV, laptops, and video games one hour before bed. The emitted light can prevent sleep.

Avoid caffeine and alcohol: Refrain from caffeine after 3 p.m. Alcohol can prevent REM sleep and fragment sleep during the second half of the night.

Watch your diet: Cherry Juice can help; some Major League teams use this to also assist with recovery. Melatonin has varying benefits across individuals; it can work well for some but not others. Quality control can be an issue with manufacturing processes and therefore may disrupt rather than help your sleep. Avoid fatty and sugary foods just before bedtime.

For sleep only: Reserve your bedroom and bed for sleeping only. Don’t watch TV, eat, or do work in bed.

Get enough sleep: Obtaining eight to 10 hours of sleep every night, and not just before a game or competition, is critical. Ten- to 30-minute power naps provide a two- to three-hour boost in alertness and performance. Be cautious of longer naps, which can result in sleep inertia (feelings of grogginess) upon awakening from deep stages of sleep. Eliminate naps if you have difficulty sleeping at night.

Pay off your sleep debt: Chronically obtaining less sleep than your body needs builds a sleep debt over time. For optimal functioning and sports performance, you should eliminate your sleep debt by gradually extending your sleep duration, such as increasing from your typical seven hours per night to seven and a half hours for one week, then eight hours per night the following week.

Be patient: Reducing your sleep debt takes more than one night or weekend of good sleep!

So now you know how important sleep is for your baseball, are you getting enough?

Glenferrie Sport and Spinal specialise in managing baseball injuries. Located centrally in Hawthorn, they are well situated to manage all your baseball injuries

Plyometric Exercise

Posted on February 13, 2018April 4, 2024 by admin

A plyometric exercise is a specialised movement used to create and improve power.

Power is when the elements of strength and speed are combined to perform a quick and forceful movement.

These movements use the elasticity of muscles to increase the force of the muscles contraction.

Plyometric movements are common to a number of sports and help athletes improve their performance, whether it be to jump higher, run faster or tackle harder.

Therefore, plyometric training can be performed by individuals from your average weekend warrior to a high performance athlete. They are also specific for daily functional activities and are considered a high intensity form of exercise.

Plyometric exercise should be blended in with a strength and conditioning program as well as endurance work to develop a well rounded exercise program.

They can also be added by the Physio at the end stages of rehabilitation to assist in the return to sport following an injury.

Plyometric exercises comprise of two main components.

It starts with a muscle lengthening component (eccentric muscle contraction) where a high load is on the muscle, and is followed immediately by a muscle-shortening contraction (concentric muscle contraction).

When performing a squat, bending your knees from the start position to the squat position is considered the lengthening phase. When you jump back up you undergo the stretch-shortening phase and this produces the explosive movement of contracting the muscles.

Before commencing plyo exercises it is important to have a baseline level of strength.

Plyometric exercises are high intensity and loaded exercises that require this minimum level of strength.

In addition, it is important to have at least 48 hours rest between each session when these exercises are undertaken as individuals often pull up sore and need this recovery time.

Below is an example of some plyometric exercises in three different stages that can be performed as seen in the links attached with each exercise. Videos provided by 5.2 Ninja.

Plyometric Prep

Preparation for plyometric exercises is essential to begin with to ensure adequate landing and squat technique is present. Without this basis, injury can occur. These exercises are to be performed:

3 X 10 reps
3-4 times per week
2 minutes rest between sets

Double leg landing exercise
- Importance of standing up tall up on toes and making sure body is aligned with limited side or forwards lean, using a mirror if required.
- Pull actively down into a strong squat position.
- Focus on ankle movement, knee position over midfoot (not collapsing in), and activation through glutes so a strong base position is held.
Single leg landing exercise
- As above into single leg squat position.
- Stability with glute activation is even more crucial as balance is challenged.
- Maintain knee position over midfoot, and not bending inwards.
- Backside backwards, not leaning forwards over knees

Plyometric basics

These exercises are to be performed:

3 X 6 reps
2-3 days per week
2 minutes rest between sets

It is important to commence box jump and box drop on/off a 15cm box initially to ensure correct motor patterning and technique. Do not progress these exercises too quickly as your body will need time to adapt. Technique is king!

Plyometrics advanced

Advanced Plyometrics should only be considered when the basics have been mastered otherwise injury or discomfort can occur. With the advanced plyometric exercises focus now changes to concentrating on a low contact time on the ground with quick and powerful release back up.

These exercises are to be performed:

3 X 6 reps
2-3 times per week
2 minutes rest between sets

Triple hop
- 3 contiguous hops forward
Continuous lunge jumps
- Continuous lunges with landing and spring back up as quick as possible reinforcing low contact time.
Box drop and jump 15cm
Box drop and jump 30cm
Box drop and jump 60cm
Box drop and jump single leg 15cm
Box drop and jump single leg 30cm
Box drop and jump single leg 60cm

Undertaking these exercises correctly can be a difficult process and should be done with the guidance of trained professionals such as a Physiotherapist, Sports Chiropractor or a Personal Trainer. Glenferrie Sports and Spinal Clinic located in Hawthorn can assist in ensuring that you transition into a plyometric program safely and effectively. Contact us at 9815 2555 or www.glenferriessc.com.au.

By Sarah Forsyth. Physiotherapist at Glenferrie Sports and Spinal Clinic, Hawthorn.

Reading Food Labels

Posted on April 28, 2017April 4, 2024 by admin

Reading front of pack labels can help people to make healthier choices, if they are easy to understand!

Understanding how to read the Nutrition Information Panels (NIP) will help you identify healthy choices that are:

Lower in Energy (kJ/Cal)
Lower in Saturated & Trans Fats
Lower in Sugar
Lower in Sodium (salt)
Higher in Dietary Fibre

Here are a few quick tips that will make shopping for healthy food a whole lot easier and quicker!

WHAT TO LOOK FOR

On the side or back of food packet you’ll find the NIP, which offers the simplest and easier way to choose and compare the healthiest foods. It shows the amount of energy, sugar, fibre, etc. per serving (and shows what a serving size for that food is) and per 100g.

Serving sizes will differ between foods, so it’s important to compare foods using the ‘per 100g’.

source: https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/healthyliving/reading-food-labels-tucker-talk-tips

INGREDIENTS LIST

All ingredients in a food product must be listed on the label in order from largest to smallest by weight. You can use this to spot if a food is high in salt, sugar or fat.

source: https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/healthyliving/reading-food-labels-tucker-talk-tips

The three main ingredients will be listed first, so if sugar or another name for sugar, is listed within the first three ingredients, most of the energy (also known as calories or kilojoules) will be coming from the high amount of sugar in that food.

COLOUR CODING

Colour can also be used to highlight whether a particular nutrient is high or low in that food. For example, the traffic light system is often used to show ‘green’ if that food is low in sugar, or red if it’s high in salt.

The BUPA Food Switch app is a great tool to take around the supermarket with you if you want help deciding which product is healthier. By scanning the barcode, the traffic light system is used to identify if the product is high, medium or low in certain nutrients. You can check out the app here: http://www.bupa.com.au/health-and-wellness/tools-and-apps/mobile-apps/foodswitch-app

NUTRIENT CONTENT CLAIMS

Sometimes labels feature nutrition content claims like ‘low fat’, ‘reduced salt’ or ‘high fibre’. Food labelling regulations allow only if the foods meet certain criteria that they can feature these on their products.

FOR MORE INFORMATION….

Want more information about food label reading? Visit www.foodstandards.gov.au

If you would like to discuss your individual dietary needs and concerns, book an appointment to see Pamela, the Dietitian at GSSC, call on 9815 2555

REFERENCES

https://www.eatforhealth.gov.au/eating-well/how-understand-food-labels

http://healthyweightweek.com.au/understanding-food-labels/

https://www.baker.edu.au/Assets/Files/Baker-IDI-label-reading.pdf

https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/healthyliving/food-labels

https://www.health.qld.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0027/145476/diab_labels.pdf

What is Sesamoid Pain?

Posted on January 13, 2017April 4, 2024 by admin

HOPPING MAD AFTER THE SUMMER HOLIDAYS?

For many of you the working year is getting back into full swing and you probably spent a few hot days over the festive season at the beach or local pool in thongs or even barefoot. For the social butterfly’s amongst you it’s time for champagne and high heels as summer finally arrives. With these activities and minimal protection from suitable footwear there is a fair chance you are putting excess stress through your forefoot and the ball of your foot can scream out with pain!

How does it Feel?

Initially it may only feel like a sharp pain when wearing specific shoes (heels, thongs, ballet flats) or when playing a specific sport (tennis, basketball) and then goes away. As the pain increases it may become more constant during weight bearing activity and also when resting. There may be swelling, redness and pain around the whole big toe area. You may feel you need to walk on the outside of your foot to help relieve the pain.

What is it?

Sesamoids are 2 small isolated bones that lie under the big toe joint in your foot. If these bones, which lie just below the surface of the skin, get too much stress through them they start to hurt. Pain usually occurs through these bones when you’re on your feet, also with forced bending of your big toe joint or poking the area.

How do they get injured?

Pain and injury occurs when one or both sesamoids are subject to repetitive stress. This can occur from sports involving increased movement of the big toe joint i.e. basketball, sprinting, ballet, dancing, football. The injury can be to the surrounding tendon (tendonitis), acute fracture of the bones, stress fractures or bursitis of the joint.

It can be a result of different foot abnormalities/alignment which increases stress through this area. Footwear, biomechanics, activity modification and rest all need to be addressed to treat this injury.

If you’re having to hop back into work because the ball of your foot is sore, then get in and see the Podiatrist asap. These injuries can be slow to heal and extremely painful if not treated correctly.

Come and see our Podiatrist Ben Holland at Glenferrie Sports and Spinal Clinic in Hawthorn. Call us on 9815 2555 for an appointment.

Know your limits

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

Know your limits

Wellness is a massive part of an athletes profile. Most professional athletes are often monitored on how they are feeling physically and mentally to allow their coaches to modify training and performance.

Have you ever wondered why sometimes when you train or compete you feel really good and then other times you feel tired and sore even though you have worked just as hard to prepare your body for the rigors of rowing? The tendency, especially of young athletes, is to keep pushing and training to overcome these barriers in the hope this conditions an individuals body to cope with the fatigue associated with activity. However what consequences should be considered if an individual is to keep pushing themselves and not allow for the required recovery time? Mental and body fatigue is a major contributor which increases the likelihood of injuries occurring. As our mind fatigues our concentration decreases leading to lapses in technique and therefore increases in injuries as our body tries to find ways to adapt to tired muscles.

So what should we do before this occurs? LISTEN TO YOUR BODY AND MIND! Your body knows best and is best at telling you when it needs a break. An easy and simple way to monitor your body and mind is to fill out a subjective questionnaire prior to performance such as the example below. If your scores are trending more towards the lower end of the scale, then training adjustments to decrease load may be advised. It is worth discussing with your coach strategies to implement to prevent body and mind fatigue.

The Importance of Posture in Rowing

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

Rowing is a sport which places great strain on an individuals body especially through their spine and shoulders. The constant bending and extending and pushing and pulling of the spine and shoulders during rowing can cause for aching joints and overused muscles. Therefore the importance of postural mechanics, in combination with the hip and shoulder joints, is vitally important to prevent injuries in rowing.

Firstly the lower part of the spine is the most commonly injured area due to over bending and over extending of the back. If we repetitively over bend in the lower spine this can lead to disc injuries as the tissues supporting the disc become stressed and weak. Oppositely, if we repetitively over extend the back the joints of the spine become inflamed and weakened and may lead to stress related injuries.

To prevent these injuries occurring it is important that rowers concentrate on producing the forwards and backwards motion by rocking through the hips. The flexibility of the hips required for rowing should allow an individual to perform a full squat keeping their heels down.

Secondly the upper part of the spine and neck need to work in conjunction with the shoulders to prevent any neck or upper back injuries. The common occurrence we see with rowers is they adapt a forward head posture and rounded shoulders due to the motion these parts of the body when trying to generate maximum power during a stroke. A forward head posture and tendency to use the bigger neck muscles can create ongoing neck pain whilst rounding of the shoulders can create shoulder, shoulder blade and upper back pain. It is vitally important that smaller muscles of the neck and muscles especially behind the shoulder and scapula are positioned and trained to prevent long term problems.

Hay fever in Athletes

Posted on November 23, 2016April 4, 2024 by admin

Summer is finally on the way and many sports enthusiasts are looking forward to getting out in the open air – unless their noses run and their eyes water. After all, athletes suffer from hay fever too.

Hay fever can cause the eyes to water, itch or burn and the nose to run. Frequent sneezing is also common. It can also lead to allergic bronchial asthma, resulting in a shortage of breath or coughing. Other typical symptoms include skin rashes or swelling.

Hay fever can weaken nasal flow by up to 80%, impairing breathing and adversely affecting your cardiovascular performance. It also affects your concentration, as the body is more tired thanks to the immune system working overtime. Although Rowing with Hay fever is not harmful, it can be very tough and could hinder your performance.

Studies of hay fever in elite sports people have found that many do not realise what is wrong with them and even if they do most do not treat it appropriately. Athletes can put up with symptoms year after year just thinking that they had recurrent colds.

Hay fever will affect sports performance in many ways including:

Vision

This will be impaired if the eyes are itchy and runny. Conjunctivitis can develop if a person is touching their eyes frequently. This can take days to clear and can detract from performance.

The increased tear production in hay fever tends to make eyes more sensitive to light so it can be difficult to keep the eyes open and see normally in strong sunlight

Concentration

Cardiovascular performance will not be optimal if breathing is impaired by a runny or blocked nose. Hayfever typically involves some inflammation in the nose and the capacity to breathe through the nose is reduced. In many sporting events, (e.g. swimming, rowing, and even running), athletes must, or choose to, link the duration of each breath to the cadence of their limb motions, this fundamental reaction will be limited if the nose is runny, blocked or congested because of hayfever.

Tips for Elite Athletes for overcoming problems with Hay Fever

Training strategies to avoid high pollen counts.

Weather: Check Pollen Counts.Pollen counts will be highest on dry, warm days with a moderate wind. Strong winds tend to disperse and dilute the pollen load more. Counts will be lowest on cool, windy wet days. However if this weather follows a dry spell the allergen load in the air could still be quite high as the allergen on the pollen can be transferred to water droplets etc.

Times of day: On warm dry days grass pollen counts are highest in the early morning and late afternoon due to the fact that this is when most grasses release their pollen. During the middle of the day convection currents help to disperse and dilute the pollen load.

Places: It is not often possible to choose where to train. Avoid places with flowering grass such as verges. Avoid places with high air pollution loads. The air pollution in large cities can make the symptoms of hay fever worse even though the pollen counts may be lower than in rural areas. Know the pollen forecasts.

Get enough sleep (at least 7 hours per night) as this helps the immune system.
Pay attention to nutrition, especially vitamin intake. A number of nutrients get depleted when we are stressed, including zinc, magnesium and pantothenic acid. Taken at levels of 100-500mg, vitamin B5 has been shown to reduce allergic symptoms
Wear sunglasses to help keep pollen out of the eyes. Rinse eyes after being outside
Don’t dry washing outside on high pollen count days as it will collect pollen from the air
Brush or wash your cat or dog as they can carry a lot of pollen in their fur
Change clothes and wash hair after being outdoors
Keep windows and doors closed to help keep pollen out, keep windows closed in the car.
Talk to your GP or pharmacist about treatments and remedies