Oops I did it again?

In clinic we frequently see clients who had an issue with either their neck or shoulder or their lower back that was resolved then a few weeks or months later they are back with the same issue.  So why does this happen?  First, it depends upon the client, as human body is unique and the issue.

What I want to explain below are some influencing factors:

Posture – Because lots of clients come to us in pain, when they walk out of clinic they are very vigilant about their posture.  When they start to feel like the issue has been resolved good posture becomes less of a priority.  More importantly bad posture creeps up on us slowly – particularly slumping at you desk when you have a tight deadline!

Over training – One of the most common questions we get asked, is when “will I be able to go to the gym again?” – clients are always very eager to get back training.  If you are unable to train for a while, you need to gentle easy yourself back into training.  Over training is when the physical trauma from exercising occurs faster than the body can repair the damage.

Overuse – An overuse injury typically stems from: training errors. Training errors can occur when you take on too much physical activity too quickly i.e. when you are training for a marathon you build up your distance and speed too quickly.

Related Posts

  • How to prevent muscle cramps?

    I know previously I have discussed how to minimise the risk factors associate with muscle cramps including during pregnancy. Exercise Related Muscle Cramps May occur during, after or in some case many hours after vigorous activity.  In addition to minimising the risk factors I have previously documented you need to ensure you

    1. Don't exercise when injured - cramps can occur as a protective mechanism following an injury.
    2. Warm up thoroughly
    3. Stretch before and after exercise
    4. Cool down properly
    5. Don't over do it - their is a clear correlation between muscle fatigue and cramps.  In addition if you suddenly place a huge physical demand on the body (e.g. a late spurt to win the race) that it is not used to, your body can react by contracting all the muscle and creating cramps.  So remember to follow a suitable training program before entering that competition!
    Rest Cramps Night cramps and other rest cramps can often be prevented by regular stretching exercises particularly before going to bed.  The most common night cramps are in the calf muscles, to stretch this muscle
    1. Stand about 2 or 2.5 feet away from a wall.  Lean into the wall to place the forearms against the wall with the knees and back straight and the heels in contact with the floor. Hold for 10 to 15 seconds and repeat three times before going to bed.
    2. In bed while lying down, you can try flexing the ankle by pulling the toes up toward the head with the leg as straight as possible.

  • Does massage help tense muscles or muscle soreness?

    A lot of clients visit it us in clinic with tense muscles, which over time can lead to achy muscles and this in turn can then lead to episodes of muscle pain.  Muscle tension refers to the condition in which muscles of the body remain semi-contracted for an extended period.  Muscle tension is frequently caused by the physiological effects of stress.  Massage is well documented to reduce muscle tension  (see top two references).  In addition what is also known to help are

    1. hot baths
    2. yoga
    3. stretching
    Muscle soreness, or to be more precise delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS) is the stiffness and sometimes pain felt in muscles 24 to 72 hours after exercise, sporting or physical activity.  If you are someone that is prone to DOMS reading my previous blog posts may help: Many athletes believe that sports massage helps DOMS and there is scientific evidence to supports this.  (See bottom 4 references). References Longworth JCD.  Psychophysiological effects of slow stroke back massage in normotensive females.  Advances in Nursing Science. 1982 July: 44 - 66 Valentine KE. Massage in psychological medicine - modern use of an ancient art.  New Zealand Journal of Physiotherapy. 1984; 12: 15 - 16 Ernst E. Does post-exercise massage treatment reduce delayed onset muscle soreness? A systematic review. Br J Sports Med 1998; 32(3): 212-4. Ernst E. Manual therapies for pain control: chiropractic and massage. Clin J Pain 2004; 20(1):8-12. O'Connor R, Hurley D. The effectiveness of physiotherapeutic interventions in the management of delayed-onset muscle soreness: a systematic review. Phys Ther Rev 2003; 8(4): 177-95. Wright A, Sluka K. Nonpharmacological treatments for musculoskeletal pain. Clin J Pain 2001; 17(1): 33-46.

  • Massage & Posture