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What happens to your muscles when you sit?

SittingMusclesChair sitting is unique in that Gluteus maximi are totally relaxed at the same time as having an upright torso, and they are therefore not able to contribute to lumbar extension and back stabilization as they usually do. Without the help of the Gluteal muscles, the Erector Spinae muscles above become tired and painful in a very short time, and give up fighting to maintain the correct "hollow" in the lumbar spine. The diagram on the left indicates what happens to three key muscles when you spend long periods of time sitting. The Hamstrings (H) are shortened by sitting.  Also, during sitting, the Gluteus Maximus (GM) is relaxed and unable to tension the lumbosacral fascia.  This means the Errector Spinae (ES) muscle group must therefore perform the entire lumber extension workload. This article discusses the link between lower back pain and the following muscle problems:-

  1. Shortening of the hamstring muscle.
  2. Overworking of the Erector Spinae muscle group and the development of trigger points.
  3. Overworking of the Iliopsoas muscle group and the development of trigger points.
Hamstrings are shortened and inactive while sitting causing tension.  This is so common I will write a separate blog most on Hamstrings. Without the help of the Gluteal muscles the Erector Spinae muscles become tired and painful very quickly and struggle to maintain the correct "hollow" in your lower back.  Even thought you may consider sitting an apparently restful posture it is actually an intense workout for the Erector Spinae and the Iliopsoas muscle groups. If you are not using a full and appropriately shaped chair back, your Iliopsoas muscles must pull your torso forward to stop you falling backward, and they have to do that at the short end of their range of contractile length. That is a sure fire recipe for Iliopsoas muscle shortening and development of trigger points. Here are some indications that you have a shortened Iliopsoas
  • Diffuse achy - type pain radiating out from the groin area to the lower back, and possibly around to the side of the hip and the butt area. If the trigger points in the groin are not pressed, the pain is not sharp or stabbing.
  • Relief of pain is often experienced by sitting down.
  • Worse upon lengthening the iliopsoas, i.e. when one stands up, or straightens the hip joint.
  • Worse for doing situps.
  • Worsened by externally rotating the hip (i.e. making the knee cap look outward) when the hip joint is fully extended.
  • In patients with sciatic nerve pain, lying flat on one's back with the legs out straight causes the trigger point tightened iliopsoas to compress the lumbar vertebrae together, with the result that the nerve roots of the sciatic nerve are compressed too.
  • When lying flat on one's back, doing a straight leg raise reveals weakness on the affected side.
  • In patients with sciatic nerve pain due to nerve root compression, lying flat on one's back with legs out straight stretches that trigger point tightened iliopsoas. The result is that the iliopsoas compresses the lumbar vertebrae together, and the the nerve roots of the sciatic nerve are compressed at the same time.
All the side effects of sitting for long periods of time can be addressed by deep tissue massage.
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Whats the most effective recovery strategy from after a run?

 
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Does counting sheep work…

Counting sheep is the age old method of falling to sleep, but does it really work? Those finding hard to sleep often seek distraction and some distractions work better than others, a team at Oxford University has found.   Researchers have discovered that picturing an engaging scene takes up more brain space than the same old sheep.  In addition it is easier to focus on an engaging scene because its way more interesting that sheep. Harvey and her colleague Suzanna Payne asked 50 insomniacs to try different distraction techniques on certain nights, to see which helped them fall asleep more quickly. One group conjured up a tranquil and relaxing scene such as a waterfall or being on holiday, while a second were asked to think of a distraction such as counting sheep. A third group were left to their own devices. On average, those picturing a relaxing scene fell asleep over 20 minutes earlier than on nights they didn’t try the technique. But both the sheep-counters and the controls took slightly longer than normal to fall asleep on the nights of the experiment.  The researches concluded that counting sheep is just too mundane to effectively keep worries away. If you find it difficult to conjure up vivid visulisations, aromatherapy may help.  A few drops of lavendar, chamomile or neroli essential oils may assist you to relax and unwide, and counjure up tranquil springtime fields. References A G Harvey, S Payne (2002) The management of unwanted pre-sleep thoughts in insomnia: distraction with imagery versus general distraction.  Behaviour Research and Therapy vol 40, issue 4, 267 - 277

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How can Reflexology help me?

As a human being, you are a complex, delicately balanced machine that is synergistic … everything working together for the benefit of the whole person.  When each part of you, mind, body and soul works in harmony, you feel at your peak.  At a biological level, this harmony is achieved by a myriad of glands, organs, nerves, chemicals etc. and if one of these gets out of balance then the effects are felt throughout the whole body. Reflexology restores your inner harmony and instils a sense of well being.  It treats the whole person and can be used to tackle a wide range of conditions such as pre-menstrual tension, headaches, migraines, sinus problems, anxiety, tension, insomnia, digestive disorders, backache, stiffness and tension.

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Headaches Treatment & Prevention – Part 2

After introducing headaches, I then explored the downside of orthodox treatments and how massage can help.  Now I want to share with you how other complementary therapies may help. Nutrition We all know that if you suffer from headaches you need to avoid becoming dehydrated. But what can be equally important is to control your blood sugar balanced by avoiding sugars and refined carbohydrates (i.e. anything sweet, fluffy or white!) . Certain food substances – such as histamine, tyramine and phenylethylamine – can trigger headaches or migraines. These foods include cheese, citrius fuits, red wine, chocolate & coffee. There is a time lag between eating these foods and an attack, as the problem arises when the food reaches the liver. Some research has been done on the benefits of Omega (3, 6 & 9) essential fatty acids will help control pain & inflammation for migraine sufferers. [Harel Z, Gascon G, Riggs S et al. Supplementation with omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids in the management of recurrent migraines in adolescents. J Adolesc Health 2002 Aug;31(2):154-61. 2002.] Bowen Technique The Bowen Technique is a hands on therapy that is applied using very gentle pressure. The practitioner uses thumbs and fingers on precise points of the body to perform Bowen's unique sets of rolling-type moves which stimulate the muscles and soft tissue of the body. In association with the Migranie Action Assocation some research was carried out into the effectiveness of receiving Bowen Technique treatment to allieviate migraines. All study participants had been diagnosed as migraine sufferers by their GP. 31 out of the 39 study particpants experienced a positive result of either

  • Reducation in frequency of migranies
  • Reducation in the degree of pain experienced
  • Reduction in both the frequency of migraines and the degree of pain experienced
For more information on the study see http://www.bowenmigraineresearch.co.uk/
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Do you have tight hips? – part 1

Many of the clients we see exercise regularly but I have never heard anyone mention including in their workouts exercises that focus on the hips.  Yet, this is extremely important, as sitting for long periods of time can cause your hip flexors to become tight  or weak or both leading to problems with posture and back pain.  In addition weak hip flexors contribute to foot, ankle and knee injuries. Sitting is a primary culprit in tight hips and thighs because the muscles are rarely extended (although they may also become tight from working out). To lengthen and strengthen these muscles, try this move created by Suzanne Bowen, creator of BarreAmped, an internationally taught barre technique chosen by Fitness Magazine and Natural Health Magazine as the best barre workouts in 2015. You'll need a chair or kitchen counter for support. Start out in a kneeling lunge position with your right foot in front and leg bent at the knee in a 90-degree angle. Your left knee should be a few inches behind your left hip. To do the exercise, Bowen recommends:

"1. Press forward a few inches into your right leg just until you feel a gentle stretch in the opposite hip.
If you have very tight hips, this might be as far as you go. (Protect the front knee by making sure it doesn't extend out beyond the toes.) For a more advanced stretch, straighten the left leg behind you and then press forward.
2. When you're ready to move on, reposition the rear leg as needed so you can stretch your right leg straight out in front of you.
Keep your back straight and lean a few inches forward from the hips and feel the stretch in the right hamstring."
Hold each position for two to five deep breaths, then switch sides. References Los Angeles Times January 9, 2016 Pop Sugar April 17, 2016 Men’s Health January 28, 2016 Greatist December 15, 2011 Clin J Sport Med. 2005 Jan;15(1):14-21. Los Angeles Times January 9, 2016
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Hypertension – Dietary Factors

Following on from my introduction to hypertension and lifestyle factors, I want to explore the link between diet and hypertension in this blog. Optimise your Gut Flora Compared to a placebo, people with high blood pressure who consumed probiotics lowered systolic blood pressure (the top number) by 3.56 mm Hg and diastolic blood pressure (the bottom number) by 2.38 mm Hg1.  Including taking probiotics, its is helpful to avoid sugar and processed foods.  I should mention that naturally fermented foods in your diet, may contain about 100 times the amount of bacteria than found in a bottle of high potency probiotics. But I appreciate form a practical point of view, buying probiotics is much easier! Eat a Healthy Diet I appreciate this is very common advice.  In 1998 in the journal of Diabetes reported that nearly two-thirds of the test subjects who were insulin resistant also high high blood pressure.  Insulin resistance is directly attributed to a high sugar, high carbohydrate diet especially if combined with inadequate exercise. Avoiding processed foods (due to their being high in sugar/fructose, grains, trans fat, and other damaged fats) is my number one recommendation if you have high blood pressure2. Instead, make whole, ideally organic, foods the focus of your diet. As you reduce processed foods, and other sources of non-vegetable carbs, from your diet, you’ll want to replace them with healthy fat. Read Part 4 References 1 Hypertension July 21, 2014 2 Metabolism. 2012 May;61(5):641-51.

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Bates Method – Part 2

In Part 1, I introduced the Bates Method. It was created as result of over three decades of clinic practice as an ophthalmologist. It is based on the theory that errors of focusing are temporary abnormalities which, due to the inability of the eyeball to change shape and when exposed to the healing powers of the body, can be reduced in severity or eliminated.   While conventional wisdom is based on the work of Hermann von Helmholtz states that errors of focusing are due to the inability of the lens to change shape. Dr W H Bates postulated that focusing problems where the result of strain, either emotional or due to “trying” to see. The logical anti-dote to strain is rest, hence he developed palming a technique for resting the eyes. As I know lots of my readers spend long ours in front of computer screens which can strain the eyes. I wanted to share with you this simple version of palming. palming

  1. Cover your eyes with your cupped palms.
  2. Add a pillow under your elbows if more height is need to keep your back relaxed and straight.
  3. Breathe deeply while you palm for a few minutes.
Some people have found palming helps with headaches and dry eyes.
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Common Triathlete Injuries – Part 1

Some most common triathlete injuries can be described as:

  • Rotator Cuff Tendinitis
  • Chondromalacia Patella
  • Shin Splints
  • Plantar Fasciitis
  • Achilles Tendinitis
Over the next few weeks I will be looking at these injuries one by one. Today I will focus on the Rotator Cuff Tendinitis and Chondromalacia Patella injuries. The Rotator Cuff is the most common of injuries occurred in the shoulder. As the athlete, you would notice a pain when lifting your arm above your head. To recover from this type of injury it is important to rest, ice the area for up to 24 to 48 hours and use non-steroidal anti inflammatory drug. You should also focus on strengthening and flexibility exercises. Such as:
  1. Sidelying External Rotation Lie on side with arm resting on stomach and a small rolled up towel under the arm. Slowly rotate arm upwards and stop when forearm is in a position just above horizontal. This exercise can be initiated using a 2-3 pound dumbbell.
  2. Prone Horizontal Abduction Lie on stomach with arm hanging over side of table and the thumb facing forward. Slowly raise arm straight out to the side and stop when arm is parallel to the body (going higher can cause excessive strain to the front of the shoulder).
Chondromalacia Patella is to do with the knee. This occurs when there is pain when bending the knees, doing full squats or sitting for long periods with the knees bent. To recover from this injury it is important to rest, ice and use non-steroidal anti inflammatory drug as well as focusing on a weight training programme to work the inner quads (thighs).      
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How to prevent gallstones

Although no definite preventive technique for gallstone development has been discovered yet, research shows that there are ways people can lower their risk for these stones.

Refrain From Taking These Medications

If you are taking any of these medications, remember that the following can increase your risk for gallstones:
Cholesterol-lowering drugs: Medicines like gemfibrozil (Lopid) and fenofibrate (Tricor) can increase your gallstone risk. Although they may decrease your blood cholesterol levels, these medicines can also increase the amount of cholesterol released in bile. Hormone therapy: HRT is a general term referring to the administration of estrogen or a combination of estrogen/progestin therapy. Increased estrogen levels can cause the body to produce more cholesterol and raise the levels of it in bile. As such, if you are a woman who is undergoing HRT or is taking high-dose birth control pills, talk to your doctor about your gallstone risk and ask if there are other hormone-related medications that are better for you.

A Healthy Lifestyle Can Lower Your Gallstone Risk

Decreasing your risk for gallstones begins with a healthy lifestyle, specifically by following these habits:
Maintaining a healthy weight: People who are overweight or obese have a higher risk of gallstones. Boost your diet with these foods:
  • Unlimited amounts of fresh, organic and vegetables, especially fiber-rich options (just make sure to introduce these foods slowly into your diet, since they can prompt digestive discomfort, especially in those who have had gallbladder surgery).
  • Moderate quantities of high-quality protein from meat ideally organic.
  • High portions of healthy fats from sources like avocados, coconut oil, organic butter, pastured egg yolks and raw nuts like macadamias, pecans and pine nuts.
The following common practices can also raise your gallstone risk, so it's best to avoid them:
  • Skipping meals or fasting for long periods of time. As much as possible, try to stick to your usual mealtimes.
  • Following diets that promote rapid weight loss.  By rapid I mean aiming to lose more than 1 to 2 pounds, or 0.5 to 1 kilogram, per week.
• Exercising regularly: Research shows that moderate physical activity can help with increasing the body’s levels of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL) or “good” cholesterol.
References
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