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Category: Studies

Rainham PhysioStudies
By Jacob 0 Comments Medical Monday, Studies, Therapy, Uncategorized, Work Injury

Do you suffer from Arthritis?

Arthritis is a common condition that causes pain and inflammation in a joint. In the UK, more than 10 million people have arthritis or other, similar conditions that affect the joints. Arthritis affects people of all ages, including children. Osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis are the 2 most common types of arthritis.

Osteoarthritis most often develops in adults who are in their mid-40s or older. It’s also more common in women and people with a family history of the condition. Osteoarthritis initially affects the smooth cartilage lining of the joint. This makes movement more difficult than usual, leading to pain and stiffness. Once the cartilage lining starts to roughen and thin out, the tendons and ligaments have to work harder.
This can cause swelling and the formation of bony spurs called osteophytes. The most commonly affected joints are those in the:
* hands
* spine
* knees
* hips

Rheumatoid arthritis often starts when a person is between 40 and 50 years old. Women are 3 times more likely to be affected than men.
In rheumatoid arthritis, the body’s immune system targets affected joints, which leads to pain and swelling.  The outer covering (synovium) of the joint is the first place affected. This can then spread across the joint, leading to further swelling and a change in the joint’s shape. This may cause the bone and cartilage to break down. People with rheumatoid arthritis can also develop problems with other tissues and organs in their bodies.

There are lots of different types of arthritis. The symptoms you experience will vary depending on the type you have.
his is why it’s important to have an accurate diagnosis if you have:
* joint pain, tenderness, and stiffness
* inflammation in and around the joints
* restricted movement of the joints
* warm red skin over the affected joint
* weakness and muscle wasting

If you feel you have arthritis, book in to see us at Rainham Physiotherapy Centre by calling 01634377638.

By Jacob 0 Comments Exercises, Medical Monday, Personal Training, Physio, Sporting, Studies, Therapy, Treatments, Work Injury

Do you suffer from RSI?

What is RSI?

Repetitive strain injury (RSI) is a general term used to describe the pain felt in muscles, nerves and tendons caused by repetitive movement and overuse.

It’s also known as work-related upper limb disorder, or non-specific upper limb pain.

The condition mostly affects parts of the upper body, such as the:

  • forearms and elbows
  • wrists and hands
  • neck and shoulders

We will focus on the wrist on this post.

Symptoms of RSI

The symptoms of RSI can range from mild to severe and usually develop gradually. They often include:

  • pain, aching or tenderness
  • stiffness
  • throbbing
  • tingling or numbness
  • weakness
  • cramp

At first, you might only notice symptoms when you’re carrying out a particular repetitive action.

But without treatment, the symptoms of RSI may eventually become constant and cause longer periods of pain. You may also get swelling in the affected area, which can last for several

What causes RSI?

RSI is related to the overuse of muscles and tendons in the upper body.

Certain things are thought to increase the risk of RSI, including:

  • repetitive activities
  • doing a high-intensity activity for a long time without rest
  • poor posture or activities that involve working in an awkward position

Cold temperatures and vibrating equipment are also thought to increase the risk of getting RSI and can make the symptoms worse. Stress can also be a contributing factor.

If you feel you have RSI, book in for an initial consultation by calling us at Rainham physiotherapy centre on 01634 377 638.

By Jacob 0 Comments Exercises, fit tip friday, Personal Training, Sporting, Studies, Uncategorized

Is this why you’re not losing weight?

FOCUS ON NEAT FOR FATLOSS!

 

When it comes to fat loss, it’s paramount to focus on calories. In order for any fat loss to take place, you need to burn more calories than you consume on a daily basis.

With that in mind everyone’s first response is usually, do cardio at the gym and eat less… Perfect right?! Yes, quite honestly this is a great place to start but where some fall short with this is they don’t focus on any other movement throughout the day and don’t realise the possible effects on their energy levels in doing this.

Adding cardio and dropping calories is fantastic but if you used to perform 13000 steps a day and now it’s dropped to 4000 because you massively lack energy that’s a big drop in calories burnt through your NEAT ( non exercise activity thermogenesis ). 10000 steps a day causes people on average to burn 400-500 calories. If your daily steps drop dramatically because you burnt 300 calories on the treadmill for 20 minutes, then you’re worse off.

I’m not saying cut the gym out of your routine, it’s amazing for your overall health, but make sure you keep active throughout the whole day to really maximise your fat loss results!

By Jacob 0 Comments Exercises, fit tip friday, Personal Training, Studies

Healthy food shopping mistakes

USE THESE 10 TIPS FOR A HEALTHIER FOOD SHOP!

 

Healthy eating is easier if you plan what you buy. Select wholesome and nutritious foods and beware of packaging flaws or food that is not stored safely.
Here are some tips to help you make healthy food choices when shopping.

1. Make a list. Before you go food shopping, plan your meals for the week. This will help you stick to your diet and stop unnecessary junk food going straight in your basket.
2. Choose the low-fat option. For example, select low-fat milk, cheese, yoghurt, salad dressings and gravies.
3. Buy leaner cuts of meat. If unsure, look for the Heart Foundation tick of approval.
4. Opt for ‘skin off’. Chicken skin contains loads of calories and saturated fat, so skinless chicken breasts are a healthier choice.
5. Beware of salt hidden in processed meats. Limit your consumption of salami, ham, corned beef, bacon, smoked salmon, and frankfurts.
6. Purchase fresh or frozen vegetables. Canned and pickled vegetables tend to be high in added salt.
7. Check the date. Avoid the risk of eating unsafe perishable foods, especially chilled or frozen items. A ‘use-by’ date shows the date by which a product should be consumed, while a ‘best before’ date indicates the date until which the food will remain at its best quality.
8. Don’t shop when you’re hungry! This is key when you’re trying to stay healthy! It’s all too easy to walk past your favourite treats that are on sale and next thing you know, there’s two boxes I your trolley of food items you don’t need!
9. Look for food bargains. Bulk-buy nutritious meal ingredients at markets and supermarkets. Non-perishable options with long shelf lives include dried vegetables, beans, legumes and dried pasta.
10. Limit takeaway and convenience foods. These are expensive, high in fat, high in salt and low in nutrition, and leave you hungry again a few hours after you eat them.

Give these tips a try and you’ll be healthy food shopping like a pro in no time!

By Jacob 0 Comments fit tip friday, Personal Training, Studies

Intermittent Fasting to suit your schedule

WHAT IS INTERMITTENT FASTING?!
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Intermittent fasting is having an eating window for instance, between 11am and 5pm, and only eating in that window.

In the scientific literature, it’s been found to better fat loss and cardiovascular health, it’s also shown a decrease in cancer risk, large neuroprotective effects and increased lifespan.
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Many of these benefits are independent of caloric restriction alone and the reason they believe is preconditioning stress.
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What is meant by this is that hunger is a small stressor which will help the body cope with bigger future stressors. Similar to exposing yourself to small doses of germs which can enhance immunity to them germs.
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You may also find that once settled into TIme restricted eating, your hunger will be blunted. This is because we tend to get hungry when we’re used to eating. Because you’ll have a stable routine of when you eat and fast, once in the diet, you’ll simply become accustomed to the time frames you set.
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You also shouldn’t worry about muscle loss. 4 studies independent from each other, between 2005-2006 found that up to 40hours of fasting didn’t negatively affect negative regulators of muscle mass, causing no significant muscle loss and liver glycogen was depleted by less than half and no muscle glycogen was lost anymore than normal over that time frame. Simply put, fasting won’t cause muscle loss.
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Lastly, intermittent fasting is great at actually just dropping the calories you consume. If you eat 3 meals a day with snacks here and there and struggle to be in a caloric defect, simply skipping one meal drops your daily total instantly.

By Jacob 0 Comments fit tip friday, Personal Training, Studies

Don’t Drink Your Calories

IS THIS STOPPING YOUR WEIGHT LOSS?

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Empty calories. Whenever you look at your nutrition you should focus on nutrient density. What does this mean? You want to get the best bang for your buck — so choose food that has the most nutrients per calorie. A good example of a nutrient dense food is broccoli.

Broccoli is packed with vitamins, minerals, and phytonutrients and is low in calories. On the other hand, a vanilla latte is a good example of something with a poor nutrient density, very little consumed for a lot of calories.

 

Liquid calories do not help you feel full. Fiber, healthy fats, and protein help us feel full. Sugar sweetened drinks do not have fibre, healthy fats or protein So are just adding unnecessary calories to our daily total.

The best option I can give you is to switch to diet, zero calorie sodas and limit the amount of coffee and alcohol you consume. If you must keep drinking calories, make sure you’re tracking your calories and still staying on target, but be warned, if you drink a lot of calories in, you will feel hungry a lot more than you need to!

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.