Specialist in Neck, Back & Sports Injuries
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Month: April 2019

Rainham Physio2019April
By Jacob 0 Comments Exercises, Medical Monday, Physio, Sporting, Therapy, Work Injury

Shoulder pain rehabilitation

SHOULDER PAIN REHAB

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Rotator cuff injuries are the most common shoulder injuries and occur most often in people who repeatedly perform overhead motions in their jobs or sports. Examples include painters, carpenters, and people who play baseball or tennis.

The risk of rotator cuff injury also increases with age.

Many people recover from mild rotator cuff injury with physical therapy exercises like the ones we’re performing above, which improve flexibility and strength of the muscles surrounding the shoulder joint.

Sometimes, rotator cuff tears may occur as a result of a single injury. In those circumstances, physiotherapy care should be provided as soon as possible. Extensive rotator cuff tears may require surgical repair, transfer of alternative tendons or joint replacement.

The pain associated with a rotator cuff injury may:

  • Be described as a dull ache deep in the shoulder
  • Disturb sleep, particularly if you lie on the affected shoulder
  • Make it difficult to comb your hair or reach behind your back
  • Be accompanied by arm weakness

If you feel like you’re suffering from a rotator cuff injury, contacts us here at rainham physiotherapy centre on 01634 377638 to enquire about booking in for a session.

By Jacob 0 Comments Exercises, Medical Monday, Physio, Therapy

Bicep strain rehabilitation.

💪🏼BICEPS REHAB💪🏼

 

The bicep muscle is one of the most important for your upper body strength. An injury to this hardworking muscle can make day-to-day tasks difficult.

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We most often see bicep injuries at the connection point with your shoulder. Strains or tears can develop in the ligaments. The tendons can also slip out of the groove at the top of the humerus — the bone of the upper arm — that holds the muscle in place.

These conditions result in bicep tendonitis, which is a strain or tear in the tendons that can cause a great deal of pain.

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Since these kinds of injuries usually develop slowly over time, they are hard to prevent. Be sure to listen to your body when an activity is causing pain that goes beyond temporary muscle soreness.

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Advice to speed recovery:

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As with strains in other joints, you can use anti-inflammatory medications such as ibuprofen or naproxen to reduce swelling. Also, apply these three at-home treatments:

* Rest: Take a break from the activity that’s causing pain or soreness.

* Ice: Apply ice packs to the affected area to reduce pain and minimize swelling.

* Elevation: Sit propped up instead of lying flat. Keep your injured joint above the level of your heart.

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Once you feel you can begin to strengthen the bicep again, try the exercise above. Lift a dumbbell with your strong arm and then pass it to the injured arm and lower the weight slowly with good control. Start light and build the weight up when you can comfortably perform 10 reps. The exercise should be pain free, if you feel any pain during the exercise, stop.

By Jacob 0 Comments fit tip friday, Studies

Why it may not be best to eat before bed!

❗️POOR DIGESTION AND EATING BEFORE BED❗️

Dutch researchers wanted to know if lying down after a meal – as opposed to sitting or standing – affected the digestion of protein and amino acid absorption.

To figure it out, they recruited 8 healthy men. The scientists gave the subjects a drink containing 22 grams of protein and 29 grams of carbohydrates on two separate occasions. The solution was also laced with paracetamol to act as a kind of tracer. By tracking the absorption of the paracetamol, they could get an inkling of how well nutrients or chemicals other than protein were being absorbed.

After the subjects finished their drink, the scientists tracked their blood for 4 hours. The first time they drank their drink, the men were required to stay seated for the duration. The second time, they were asked to lie down on a bed.

What They Found

When the men laid down after drinking their protein/carb solution, leucine concentrations were only about 75% as high as what they were when the men remained in a sitting position.

Likewise, plasma levels of essential amino acids were only about 62% as high as they were when the men stayed upright.

The levels of paracetamol were also reduced when lying down, measuring out at only about 58% of what they were when they were sitting.

What This Means to You

The scientists concluded that, “Gastric emptying rate and amino acid (protein) availability are significantly decreased after protein ingestion in a head-down position. Therefore, upright body position should be considered when aiming to boost muscle protein accretion in both health and disease.”

It seems clear that lying down after a meal interferes with the absorption of protein and all other nutrients, and also affects digestion with a lower gastric emptying rate. Ideally, its recommended to eat 1-2 hours before laying down to optimise digestion and nutrient absorption.

By Jacob 0 Comments fit tip friday, Sporting, Uncategorized

Setting SMART Goals For Success

The method of SMART goals is one of the most effective tools used by high achievers to reach any of their goals consistently.

The “SMART” model of goal setting:

S = Specific

M = Measurable

A = Achievable

R = Relevant

T = Time-bounded

Once your fitness goals are SMART, break down each goal into a specific, clear tasks and activities needed to accomplish your goals. It’s important to periodically review your goals and make adjustments if necessary. Goal setting for your fitness goals is an essential tool for success.

An example of SMART goal setting is, if you want to lose weight for a holiday, don’t just state that you want to lose weight, get smart with it. 

How much weight do you specifically want to lose?

What are you going to measure? Just weight lost or are you going to measure calories+exercise too.

Now is it achievable? 1-2lbs of fat loss per week is a good target, much more than that and it starts to become unachievable to sustain.

Next, is everything you’re tracking and doing relevant to your goal? Make sure you’re focusing on the important areas!

And lastly make it time-bound. If you have a holiday then that’s one time frame to have but you can also set smaller weekly/monthly goals which are time-bound to help you stay on track and keep focus.

Implement these goals and track them consistently and you’ll be sure to find success in whichever fitness goal you may have!

By Jacob 0 Comments fit tip friday

LOW CALORIE BREAKFASTS

Breakfast can be tough, especially if you’re looking to lose weight but are still eating food which is not very filling and is filled with sugar like a lot of cereals.

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Try these two breakfast options below as an alternative!

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Rye toast with avocado slices and fried eggs (385 calories)

Avocados are one of the healthiest sources of fat and are loaded with filling fibre too. An egg will give you some nutritious protein to fill you up as well, while rye toast will give you the carb-induced energy punch you need to make your morning awesome.

Ingredients:

  • 2 pieces rye bread (165 calories)
  • 1/3 ripe avocado, sliced (76 calories)
  • 2 eggs (144)
  • Fresh pepper (optional)

Whole grain oat bran with vanilla whey protein powder and blueberries (280 calories)

Oats are a complex carbohydrate that are great for the heart, and oat bran in particular is very high in fiber, which is great for digestion and for staying full. You can add vanilla protein powder for a better-tasting bowl that will keep you full until lunch time, topping it off with antioxidant-rich blueberries for some added sweetness.

Ingredients:

  • 1/2 cup plain oat bran (118 calories)
  • 1 scoop vanilla protein whey protein isolate powder (120 calories)
  • 1/2 cup fresh or defrosted frozen blueberries (42 calories)