Stretches for Gardeners:
Pick the word that doesn’t belong in a gardening scene:
a) Weeding b) Planting c) Stretching d) Watering [Read more…]
Bike Position: How to improve your neck, shoulders, wrists and body position on your bike
Are you wanting to improve your bike position? Common problem areas for cyclists are the head & neck, shoulders, wrists and body positioning. In this article, I’ll take a look at these areas and how to improve your position and prevent injuries.
Spring has definitely arrived, bringing with it the best time of year to get out and about on your bicycle! Whilst those hardy commuters throughout winter have braved the Canberra chill, the rest of us now have a great chance to go mountain biking or road cycling once again. The outline of this particular topic revolves around the oft-forgotten art of upper body positioning; involving your neck, shoulders, arms and wrists.
Don’t forget to have a read of Sophie’s article on 5 Core Strength Exercises for Cyclists. Our resident core specialist, Sophie, has produced an excellent article regarding the importance of abdominals and back muscles when riding.
An amazing statistic I found whilst researching for this topic was that 57% of participants in this particular survey indicated that they had never done anything to reduce any discomfort whilst cycling. Whether you have purchased your bike new or off Gumtree, I find this astounding. It is highly unlikely that the bike will fit your body type perfectly, straight out of the crate. You will also not be exactly the same build as the seller. [Read more…]
The Thoracic Wedge: Easiest Way to Improve Your Posture and Flexibility
Poor posture and a stiff back is one of the most common complaints we treat at Sport and Spinal Physiotherapy. With the modern lifestyle and workplace involving a lot of sitting and not a lot of moving, it is becoming apparent that we as a population are not doing the best job at looking after ourselves and our postures.
Here’s what you will learn about in this article and how the thoracic wedge can help you:
- The thoracic spine (the middle of your back)
- How modern lifestyle is affecting the thoracic spine and posture
- How the thoracic spine and posture affects the rest of your body
- The Thoracic Wedge: Easiest way to address a stiff thoracic spine and improve your posture
13 Steps to the Ultimate Computer Workstation Setup
If you are suffering from headaches, back ache, neck, wrist and/or shoulder pain it may have something to do with your posture and your workstation setup. Making small changes to your workstation setup can reduce or prevent injuries associated with sitting at your desk. With further technological advances, people are using computer workstations more frequently and with increasing duration. A large proportion of the population, particularly in Canberra, are spending the majority of their working day using a computer workstation.
At Sport and Spinal Physiotherapy we often treat people for chronic back, neck or arm pain that can be directly associated with a poor computer workstation setup. Furthermore, computer use is not just limited to work which further increases the effect of a poor workstation. How often do you come home from work and use your home computer, laptop or phone for social media, shopping, checking the weather, email, communicating with friends and family or playing games?
Parents – What You Need to Know About Scoliosis
Scoliosis is commonly known as a curvature of the spine. Scoliosis is not seen as a diagnostic term but more as a description of a sideways curvature accompanied by a vertebral twist. Scoliosis is rarely found as a significantly debilitating condition.
The curve of the spine in healthy individuals is meant to be vertical or straight up and down when looking from behind. A healthy resting neutral spine from a side view has a mild curve inwards at the neck (Cervical spine), a mild rounded curve at the mid-back area (Thoracic spine), and a mild curve inwards in the lower back (lumbar spine).
In individuals with a scoliosis, a curve to the left or the right can be seen when looking from behind. Scoliosis Australia explains that most scoliosis or spine cures are seen in the thoracic spine. Most curves are quite mild and only 2 to 3% have curves of 10 degrees or higher (moderate curves). Of these less than 0.1% have curves of 40 degrees or higher (http://www.scoliosis-australia.org/).
Come and try one of our free classes this term! You can choose from Matwork Classes, Strength and Conditioning and our new CycleFIT class. If you’ve never tried one of our classes before, this is a great opportunity to check it out!
- 1. Matwork – City West: Tuesday 5.30pm OR Friday 12pm
- 2. Strength & Conditioning – Gungahlin: Monday 5.30pm
- 3. CycleFIT – Gungahlin: Tuesday 4.30pm
Call 6262 4464 to book your place today!
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