What is the difference between sports and deep tissue massage?

If you remember last week, I shared some tips on how to prevent lower back pain.  These tips were inspired by me straining one of my lower back muscles while on holiday in Bulgaria.  I stated last week that it was sorted out by a combination of massage, stretches and back exercises. So this week I want to share the three simple stretches I used to ease my back. 1. Knees to Chest For the first day this is the only stretch I did. You lie on your back, with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor. Put your hands behind your knees and gently bring your knees towards your chest.  I held this stretch for about 2 minutes and did it 3 - 4 times a day. 2. Two - knee - twist Lying on your back, bend your knees into your chest and bring your arms out at a T. As you exhale lower your knees to ground on the right. Keep both shoulders pressing down firmly. If the left shoulder lifts, lower your knees further away from the right arm. Hold for 1-2 minutes each side.  Again I repeated this stretch 3 - 4 times a day. 3. Thread the Needle Lying on your back, bend both knees with the feet flat on the ground. Bend the right knee like a figure four, with the outer left ankle to the right thigh. Lift the left foot into the air, bringing the left calf parallel to the ground. Thread your right hand between the opening of the legs and interlace your hands behind your left thigh. Hold 2-3 minutes and then repeat on the other side. Again I repeated this stretch 3 - 4 times a day.

Way back when I first started at Barclays, one of the first clients I treated was returning to work after being signed off with Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.  Which is a common and painful disorder of the wrist, caused by pressure on the median nerve which creates numbness and tingling in the fingers.  At its worse it can lead to loss of grip and permanent numbness in the fingers. Repetitive computer use thought to be one of the causes, but scientific studies have shown contradictory results.   A recent review of the scientific evidence found that frequent computer or mouse use can nearly double the risk of developing the condition.  Repeated tapping, scrolling and swiping on your smartphone or tablet can also lead ot carpal tunnel problems.  If these sort of repeated movements are the cause then improving your posture will help.  But it is also worth ruling out other possible causes such as:

• Diabetes
• Arthritis
• Thyriod Disease

The injury to a brian caused by stroke can lead to problems with talking, seeing, thinking, remembering, moving, eating, swallowing and more.  It's no wonder stroke is a leading cause of disability in adults worldwide. Here are some lifestyle tips to cut the risk of suffering a stroke:

1. Eat at least 3 to 5 services of fruit and vegatables a day - the more the better.
2. Exercise most days of the week.  Brisk walking for an hour a day five days a week can cut the risk of a stroke in half.
3. Maintain a health weight, and especially watch out for abdominal fat.
4. Limit alchol to no more than two drinks per day if you drink.
5. Eat more grains such as oats, quinoa and brown rice.
6. Eat more sources of good fats such as fatty fish, walnuts, flaxseed and chia seeds.
7. Destress - psychological stress is a known risk factor for stroke.