Blog

Exercise safely throughout the wave

Keeping fit and healthy in an ever changing environment
I have recently returned to work following maternity leave. When we met our first little human some 4 years ago I embarked on my return to fitness like most would - in a gym and with friends on the sports field. This time round I have had to be a little more self disciplined and creative as I try to avoid the dreaded lurgy in social engagements. Even more so at this stage with this mama bear trying to keep her newest addition safe and healthy through the 3rd (and not so final wave)
The importance of keeping healthy and fit has never been so important. Training regularly is the best way to prevent injury and avoid too many visits to your Physio or Chiro, but how do we get this done without spending too much money and in between bath times, family time and work? I am going to share some tips below for you to keep healthy and fit in your home.

1.) Don't neglect your core
2.) Mobility is key
3.) Strong muscles get you through the day

A quick little routine below for you to do before you hop in the shower in the morning or at night. I found this the most acceptable and easiest time to whip through a couple exercises.

Core 3x12 each
1.)Butt lifts and hundreds
Mobility deep breathe and repeat with flow x 5
2.) Cat and camel
Forward fold - chest openers - side bends
Strong - 3x12
3.) Squat
Lunge

Push up

Stretch - 3x30sec
4.) Quads
Butt

Go for walks on the weekend and try fit at least one other walk in during the week - its good for your head and great for gentle cardio. It will make you a nicer person too :).

Disclaimer - if you have any injury or medical conditions or are unsure of the movements please chat to us before embarking on this little program. Listen to your body and never train through misunderstood pain.

Looking after your lungs on your return to activity post COVID

COVID - 19 causes chest tightness and fatigue at the very least with more severe chest complications in some that are affected. Pneumonia in the short term and some speculate chronic lung damage in others.

ARE YOUR LUNGS GETTING THE RECOVERY THEY NEED?

After my personal brush with COVID I feel the need to educate on best lung care and recovery practices. We don't know as much as we would like to regarding the long term effects of COVID-19, but we do know that after having it we need to help our body and most specifically our lungs recover to get back to what we love to do best - whether that is exercise or just walking up the steps to the canteen without feeling out of breathe.

Tips:
1.) While you are sick make sure to do regular deep diaphragmatic breathing to prevent the recesses of your lungs from collecting fluid or collapsing from poor full inhalation - this may help to keep a secondary pneumonia infection away.
2.) Do short regular walks all the while monitoring your heart rate and SATS (how much oxygen you have in your blood).
3.) Steam or nebulise 3 times per day to make sure your lungs remain healthy - your doc can prescribe meds or saline if you don't have serious symptoms can be helpful.
4.) Rub your chest with good old vicks vapour rub to aid airways.
5.) Keep your chest cavity mobile by doing big arm movements and thoracic stretches.
6.) Listen to your body and allow for adequate active rest.

This is by no means an exhaustive list, but for those of you who'd like to keep your lungs as healthy as you can in these uncertain times these are useful tips.

Please feel free to call us should you need more information or help in your post COVID recovery return to sport and activity of daily living.(ph: 033 345 4020)

Written by Claudia Lepera Bloy

MSc Physiotherapy, Wits

BSc Physiotherapy, UCT

Hands off therapy in COVID -19 times

We are living through a part of history none of us are likely to be unaffected by. We will speak of these times as a changing point in our world's and personal lives one day. How we navigate this period is of course up to us. We know that the virus affects those with a weaker immune system more frequently and harshly than those with a healthier consitution. As professionals working in the health industry it would be remiss of us to ignore the necessary changes required of us within our industry. Sports events are being cancelled and goals and aspiring achievements being cancelled in order to stem the tide of the spread of COVID-19. Amidst all this we must find a balance in our physical conditioning and maintenance of our fitness and health levels. We cannot train in large groups any more and have had the looming races, events and tournaments removed from the immediate horizon. This all serves to remove many of our established incentives and accountability relationships with regards to exercise.

I am a well experienced relatively proficient athlete and physiotherapist, but still find it difficult to discipline myself into rigorous home exercise regimes. Advice for those fellow battling athletes is to set weekly goals, use online training partners, immediate family members and whats app groups to help encourage eachother. change the set up of your house to suite your current needs. Change that lounge where you used to entertain guests into your family gym. Set up a daily routine for all to be included in the exercise times you used to dedicate to gym after dropping kids at school. Kids are going to need parents to guide them through this; Make clear and present boundaries and establish routine for exercise, outdoor time, academic time, free time.

At Balance sport and wellness we continue to run small exercise groups in an environment that is disinfected after each client or group makes its way through. No group is bigger than 8 people, and we screen each person coming through for exposure to travel/those having travelled or to sick people. We will be working toward video call consults should you have any injuries requiring professional opinion and advice, but are restricted in terms of your travel. We will post a work out of the day on our instagram and facebook page for you to follow in your homes. Let's work toward helping SA control the spread of this virus while at the same time maintaining a semblence of sanity and personal fitness. Please call us if you have any questions or concerns. We continue to keep our doors open and disinfected for as long as possible.

Written by Claudia Lepera - Physiotherapist

How to choose the correct school bag

Children often have to carry many books, lunch and sports clothes and equipment around with them at school. This added load can often lead to strain on the developing spine, and therefore increase the risk of developing spinal injury.

It is important for parents to help their children understand the importance of carrying their bags correctly and maintaining a posture that is as close to optimum as possible.

Follow the pointers below:

A back pack that can be worn over both shoulders is better than a carry bag, or wearing a bag over one shoulder. A wheelie bag is also a great option.
The back pack should have wide, padded, adjustable straps.
Padding along the back of the back pack ( the part that rests on the child’s back) cushions the back from the items in the pack.
The back pack should sit snugly along the curve of the spine, between the shoulders and the lower back.
An added strap around the midriff is ideal.
Pack the bag correctly – heaviest items closest to the body, and the weight must be evenly distributed across the bag. The back pack should not weigh more than 15% of the child’s body weight.
Carry the bag with equal weight across the back.
If your child has to carry extra luggage or sports equipment, teach them to distribute the weight equally in each hand. For example the hockey stick in one hand and sports bag in the other.
Try to get your child to stand upright, rather than lean forward to try to compensate for the weight on the back. An upright posture allows the joints in the spine to sit in their neutral position and therefore reduce the strain on the joints.
When your children are standing or sitting (even at home) encourage them to sit upright so that the ear, shoulder and hips are in roughly the same line. If they form the habit of sitting and standing correctly from a young age, the chances of developing poor posture and spinal injury are decreased.

Written By

Dr Helen Schlebusch,

Chiropractor

Good Agility Habits

I was watching my 2year old stand up from sitting in the bath the other day. He did so without the use of his arms or a huff and a puff. It was a smooth transition from knee sitting to standing on a hard surface. I often treat clients who say "I've never been able to..." referring to touching toes or crouching into a deep squat or stand up from the floor without using hands or complaining of sore knees.

Well next time you have the privellage of watching a small young human, set your mind on the fact that you too could do these things once. Our habits and exposure to exercise and movement leaves us with the body we have today. The more agilie and mobile we keep our bodies the less likely we are to complain of early morning aches and pains. Some good habits are to always put your shoes on standing up - this encourages balance and good mobility - if you cant, gradually work your way toward this goal, dont just admit defeat; get onto the floor to play with your kids and/or grandkids; join a pilates or yoga type class that encourages good mobility and stability. Even if you are a seasoned athlete these are good habits to get into. It is the older athlete that most often starts to get frustrated at their bodies, asking the "how did this happen?" question more frequently than not. At Balance we offer Pilates and stretch conditioning classes. Look after your body and live like you want to look - Form will follow function. The way you function will determine your form.

Yoga as a recovery and strength tool

As an older athlete I have had to find ways to keep up speed as well as prevent injury in order to keep enjoying team sport. I love to play Ultimate Frisbee as well as compete in Crossfit events. These get a little tougher to stay good at the older we get because they require a large amount of fast twitch fibre work as well as power. Muscles are only ready to deliver speed and power when they are elastic.

As we age our elasticity is reduced as our collagen type changes to the stiffer of the two. That is why we need to work harder off the field or court to keep from hurting ourselves and maintain performance. I discovered Yoga on my return from the World Utlimate championships in 2016. My body was sore and stiff and I was battling to get back into the swing of things. After just a month of regular training I noticed a spring creeping back into my sprint and the early morning aches starting to ease. I started to feel stronger and faster and nothing hurt. Even more, the classes I found challenged me physically and this was just perfect to keep me coming back. As an athlete I would recommend finding a good physical yoga class to maintain strength, control, speed and flexibility to keep performing at your best. For questions on maintaining performance in the aging athelete please contact us at the clinic.

Counting down toward race day. – Comrades marathon

As one trains towards a running race or any major event, you will likely have created a program you follow to make sure your body is at its best on the big day. Comrades is an important event on most runner’s calendars.

You have worked toward that first 21km then finally cracked that 42km and then pushed your legs to complete the big Ultra all in an attempt to make sure the 90 odd km that is the comrades marathon is a day filled with elation. There are a few must do’s in the last few weeks in the count down toward 10 June. Make sure your mind is ready, your body is at its best (that it can be) and that you have made a plan for the big day.

Body – your body has been on a journey to make it ready for this day. You may have a really tight relationship with your Physio, Bio or Chiro – or all three in an effort to make sure you are physically the best you can be. Making sure that the niggles don’t turn into problems is so important. The repetitive nature of running means that small repeated problems can become big problems if left unchecked so make sure you have a good chiro/physio team to support you. What does a good one look like though? In my opinion, your manual therapist should be just that – manual - machine based work does not gain the results an athlete so needs to keep fascial lines optimal, muscles and scar tissue mobile and joints aligned. While machines have their place in acute therapy and the appropriate use of them is invaluable for your early phase rehab – be aware that it may compliment your therapy, but shouldn’t be the basis of it all.

By the last month of your training you are likely to have reduced the big mileage and started to taper in an endeavor to allow your body to heal and strengthen – yes, strengthen in rest and recovery. Now is the time to make use of your physio to break down fascial restriction and muscular tension and your chiro to make certain your alignment is optimal. We are so often asked who to pick – but they work so well together so if time and budget allows – use a team rather than an individual to get you to the start line ready to go and injury free.

Mind – sports Psychology is an invaluable part of sports. We as a society have only really discovered this in the last few years, but more and more we see the value in an holistic approach toward our preparation. Strategies to help you through the tough times when your “physical” has let you down. Or to just combat that little voice in your head that says you “cant”. Who would have thought it would have taken one man to beat the 4 minute mile for the rest of the world to realise what was possible? Roger Bannister’s record only lasted 46 days before it was broken – that’s the power of the mind for you. So plan your mantra, have your support systems on the road, and choose to enjoy the race.

Have a plan – before you get on the road make use of all your resources. Have a goal in terms of the time you’d like to do and then structure your walks, food, hydration, running speed accordingly. Coach Parry has a great structure to follow and can be found at http://www.comrades.com/marathoncentre/training. Just have a plan and be sure those legs rest as well as work.

Written By:

Claudia Lepera

Physiotherapist

Paediatric Physiotherapy for colds

Winter is approaching and it’s a time when we see a lot of our little kiddies going down with the sniffles. Upper respiratory tract infections irritate the airways and causes mucus to be secreted.

This can lead to an irritable cough and runny noses, which can result in more serious chest conditions. Babies are restless and don’t sleep well, which can become quite a stressful time for parents.

Chest physiotherapy for these babies and children helps to move the mucus to the middle airways and with special techniques we assist them to cough and clear the mucus, which in turn improves lung function and breathing. This enables the antibiotics to work quickly and babies heal faster. With a clear chest and easier breathing sleeping is no trouble!

So, what are the techniques? One of the most common, Cupping, is used alongside positioning of the infant depending where the most mucus is trapped. Cupping is gentle but firm patting of the chest wall with a cupped hand. This is not painful to the child but causes a vibration within the chest which helps the mucus to slide along to be easily coughed out. Nebulisation can be used before the start of treatment to help further loosen the mucus and open the airways. Our nebuliser is very quiet, quick and gets deep into the lung, which is child friendly and efficient.

Written By:

Amy Belbin

Physiotherapist

Incorrect office chairs could lead to back problems

It is important to have a well supported office chair considering that we spend most of our working day sitting in front of the desk and/or computer.

There is a large amount of strain on our spines in the seated position, so the more support our chairs provide the lower the chance of developing those aches and pains at the end of a long day in the office.

When choosing a chair follow these few points:

Your chair should have a full back rest that curves to support your lower back. When your lower back is properly supported, the rest of your spine is in its correct alignment leading to reduced tension in the shoulders and neck.
There should be a height adjustment as well as adjustable armrests.
Tension adjustment is also something to look for as this allows adequate support regardless of your size.
Wheels on the chair allow you to move in and out of your work space without twisting your spine, therefore reduce the amount of strain on your spine.
When sitting on your chair, your buttocks should be right at the back of the chair.
Your knees should be at the same level as your hips. If your feet do not reach the floor in this position, place your feet on a block underneath your desk.
Your arm rests should be the height of your elbows when your arms are relaxed by your side, but lower than your desk so that you can slide your chair right underneath the desk when working and prevent leaning forward to reach your desk.
If your chair is the best money can buy and you have followed the correct seating posture, yet you still suffer from aches and pains, you probably need to have your spine and muscles assessed by an experienced professional.

Written by: Dr Helen Schlebusch
Chiropractor

Lifting

Bending forward and picking up objects puts a lot of strain on your lower back. Even though lifting in the correct way may take a little longer, you will successfully avoid injury to your lower back.

If your job entails lifting all day it is vital to strengthen the small support muscles that lie right near the spine (the core muscles). To achieve contraction of these muscles, pull your belly button in towards your spine and up towards your ribs. Try to hold this contraction with breathing normally for 30 – 60 seconds. A very good way to strengthen your core muscles is to join a Pilates class.

Pointers to remember when lifting objects:

Keep your back upright.
Stand with your feet apart and one leg just in front of the other.
Contract your core muscles. (This provides support to your spine, preventing any injury)
Bend your knees and hips, keeping your back straight.
Keep the object close to your torso.
And lift straight up, don’t twist your back
When placing the object in its new position, bend at the knees and hips again, keeping the object close to your torso.
If you are lifting objects repetitively it is important to take regular breaks and stretch out your back regularly.
Do NOT try to lift a heavy object on your own, rather wait for assistance.
If you are needing to move a piece of furniture, sit on the floor and push the furniture away from you with your legs, your thigh muscles will take most of the strain and save your back from injury.

Written by: Dr Helen Schlebusch
Chiropractor