• The worst abs exercises for a bad back Researchers tell us that people who sit for long periods develop weaker lower abdominals. This means the abdominal wall below navel level – particularly the internal oblique muscles and transversus abdominis – is under-active, giving an unsightly soft, pouchy underbelly below the belt-line. Unfortunately the gym culture doesn’t quite get this and continues to prescribe regimes of sit ups, crunches, the plank and the nothing-more-disastrous double-leg lifts. Sadly, these sorts of abdominal workouts cause back problems - even if you didn't have a back problem. Excessive upper abdominal exercising bears down on the pelvic floor, stretching it and weakening it, and making it less competent in its roles of both sphincter control and dynamic abdominal support. A weaker pelvic floor can also lead to prolapse. Conversely, the best abs exercises recruit the lower abdominals, below navel level and also the all-important PC muscle. There are 4 Particularly Bad Abs Exercises for a bad back: Crunches Sit ups Dubble leg lifts Plank Believe it or not, breathing difficulties may arise from the worst abs exercises There's a strong correlation with the increased incidence of breathing problems – asthma, blocked nose, sleep apnoea and even panic attacks – and the obsession with keeping the belly cinched in. Breathing difficulties may also be related to weak pelvic floors. Free function of the diaphragm is impaired by over-activity of the upper abdominals. The diaphragm is the flange-like breathing muscle that separates the thoracic from the abdominal cavity. To activate an in-breath this huge dome-shaped muscle contracts and flattens. As it descends into the abdomen - rather like drawing down a syringe - it pulls air in through your nose. The bases of the lungs inflating with air pushes your belly out. Reference: ://www.simplebackpain.com/the-worst-abs-exercises.html. #bloemphysio #backpain #breathing #abdominalworkout
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    The worst abs exercises for a bad back Researchers tell us that people who sit for long periods develop weaker lower abdominals. This means the abdominal wall below navel level – particularly the internal oblique muscles and transversus abdominis – is under-active, giving an unsightly soft, pouchy underbelly below the belt-line. Unfortunately the gym culture doesn’t quite get this and continues to prescribe regimes of sit ups, crunches, the plank and the nothing-more-disastrous double-leg lifts. Sadly, these sorts of abdominal workouts cause back problems - even if you didn't have a back problem. Excessive upper abdominal exercising bears down on the pelvic floor, stretching it and weakening it, and making it less competent in its roles of both sphincter control and dynamic abdominal support. A weaker pelvic floor can also lead to prolapse. Conversely, the best abs exercises recruit the lower abdominals, below navel level and also the all-important PC muscle. There are 4 Particularly Bad Abs Exercises for a bad back: Crunches Sit ups Dubble leg lifts Plank Believe it or not, breathing difficulties may arise from the worst abs exercises There's a strong correlation with the increased incidence of breathing problems – asthma, blocked nose, sleep apnoea and even panic attacks – and the obsession with keeping the belly cinched in. Breathing difficulties may also be related to weak pelvic floors. Free function of the diaphragm is impaired by over-activity of the upper abdominals. The diaphragm is the flange-like breathing muscle that separates the thoracic from the abdominal cavity. To activate an in-breath this huge dome-shaped muscle contracts and flattens. As it descends into the abdomen - rather like drawing down a syringe - it pulls air in through your nose. The bases of the lungs inflating with air pushes your belly out. Reference: ://www.simplebackpain.com/the-worst-abs-exercises.html. #bloemphysio #backpain #breathing #abdominalworkout
  • Effect of sleep and your immune system? A study found that people who slept less than five hours a night are 4,5 times more likely to have a cold than those who sleep 7 hours. #sleepplease #bloemphysio #wecareaboutyou
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    Effect of sleep and your immune system? A study found that people who slept less than five hours a night are 4,5 times more likely to have a cold than those who sleep 7 hours. #sleepplease #bloemphysio #wecareaboutyou
  • Breaking bad habits There are a few bad habits I am trying to break and I have been trying to break them for years now. I am sure I am not alone in this. One of my bad habits is snacking outside of meal times or eating while I prepare food for my family. Even when it is healthy food I am nibbling on, it does not change the fact that it is a bad habit I want to break. I eat when I am not hungry and then when it is time to sit down with my family, I have no appetite. This spoils the fun to sit around a table and to enjoy a meal together as a family. And due to the lack of my self-control, as soon as there is something that might have the slightest resemblance to chocolate in the house, it will soon disappear in my mouth without me even mindfully enjoying it. So how do we tackle this thing of breaking bad habits? A book named Switched by Chip Heath and Dan Heath, discusses a study done on self-control. The researchers came to the conclusion that there is a limit to a person’s self-control. You can only make a certain amount of conscious decisions a day that takes self-control before your self-control runs out and the temptation will win. Therefore we shouldn’t try to break all 10 bad habits in one week. Choose only one. Don’t make it impossible. Choose to use your self-control wisely so that you don’t have to consciously battle temptations the entire time. In my case, I try not to buy unhealthy food at all and if there is unhealthy food in the house I try to hide it out of eyesight. In a book written by DR Caroline Leaf, Switch On Your Brain, she speaks about building new pathways. Think about your beautiful green lawn. The shortest path between your car and your front door is straight through the middle of the lawn. If you walk this path every day soon the grass will wither and a natural footpath will form. If you now decide to walk a different route to your door, it will take a long time every day to take exactly the same route for a new pathway to form and for the old one to disappear. Good luck and enjoy your new healthy habits.
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    Breaking bad habits There are a few bad habits I am trying to break and I have been trying to break them for years now. I am sure I am not alone in this. One of my bad habits is snacking outside of meal times or eating while I prepare food for my family. Even when it is healthy food I am nibbling on, it does not change the fact that it is a bad habit I want to break. I eat when I am not hungry and then when it is time to sit down with my family, I have no appetite. This spoils the fun to sit around a table and to enjoy a meal together as a family. And due to the lack of my self-control, as soon as there is something that might have the slightest resemblance to chocolate in the house, it will soon disappear in my mouth without me even mindfully enjoying it. So how do we tackle this thing of breaking bad habits? A book named Switched by Chip Heath and Dan Heath, discusses a study done on self-control. The researchers came to the conclusion that there is a limit to a person’s self-control. You can only make a certain amount of conscious decisions a day that takes self-control before your self-control runs out and the temptation will win. Therefore we shouldn’t try to break all 10 bad habits in one week. Choose only one. Don’t make it impossible. Choose to use your self-control wisely so that you don’t have to consciously battle temptations the entire time. In my case, I try not to buy unhealthy food at all and if there is unhealthy food in the house I try to hide it out of eyesight. In a book written by DR Caroline Leaf, Switch On Your Brain, she speaks about building new pathways. Think about your beautiful green lawn. The shortest path between your car and your front door is straight through the middle of the lawn. If you walk this path every day soon the grass will wither and a natural footpath will form. If you now decide to walk a different route to your door, it will take a long time every day to take exactly the same route for a new pathway to form and for the old one to disappear. Good luck and enjoy your new healthy habits.
  • Sports Advice: 5 Tips on Minimizing Chance for Injury. 1. Warm up before and cool down after your sport. Warm-up before a workout dilates your blood vessels, ensuring that your muscles are well supplied with oxygen. It also raises your muscles’ temperature for optimal flexibility and efficiency. Stretching allows for greater range of motion and eases the stress on the joints and tendons, which could potentially prevent injury 2. Correct equipment. Have you checked/replaced your running shoes lately? Is your tennis racket too heavy? There are external factors to consider when you try to reduce risk of injury. 3. Healthy and well balanced diet It’s important for athletes to eat a well-balanced diet full of fruits, vegetables and proteins. Healthy snacks inbetween are also key. Low GI foods sustain energy longer. 4. Hydration Have adequate water before, during and after play. Buy a water bottle that you fancy and carry it with you. 5. Rest Rest between training, practices, gym sessions and games. Sleep enough, as a lack of sleep and muscle fatigue predispose an athlete to injury. One of the most common injuries seen in athletes are overuse injuries— too many sports and not enough rest. Plan off-season, giving yourself adequate time to recuperate before the next season.
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    Sports Advice: 5 Tips on Minimizing Chance for Injury. 1. Warm up before and cool down after your sport. Warm-up before a workout dilates your blood vessels, ensuring that your muscles are well supplied with oxygen. It also raises your muscles’ temperature for optimal flexibility and efficiency. Stretching allows for greater range of motion and eases the stress on the joints and tendons, which could potentially prevent injury 2. Correct equipment. Have you checked/replaced your running shoes lately? Is your tennis racket too heavy? There are external factors to consider when you try to reduce risk of injury. 3. Healthy and well balanced diet It’s important for athletes to eat a well-balanced diet full of fruits, vegetables and proteins. Healthy snacks inbetween are also key. Low GI foods sustain energy longer. 4. Hydration Have adequate water before, during and after play. Buy a water bottle that you fancy and carry it with you. 5. Rest Rest between training, practices, gym sessions and games. Sleep enough, as a lack of sleep and muscle fatigue predispose an athlete to injury. One of the most common injuries seen in athletes are overuse injuries— too many sports and not enough rest. Plan off-season, giving yourself adequate time to recuperate before the next season.
  • Different types of headaches TENSION HEADACHE Tension-type headache (or simply tension headache) is the most common type of primary headache and is widely prevalent in the general population. It ranges from mild to fairly disabling, with significant socioeconomic impact. Although tension headaches—as the name suggests–are frequently triggered or aggravated by stress, they can also stem from poor nutrition, fatigue, insufficient sleep, temporomandibular joint dysfunction, alcohol use, hormonal fluctuations, and weather changes. CERVICOGENIC HEADACHE The pain of cervicogenic headache is usually unilateral; it originates in the neck and then spreads to the oculofrontal-temporal areas of the head. The headache initially presents as intermittent episodes and then progresses to an almost continuous pain. Pain may be triggered or exacerbated by neck movement or a particular neck position; it can also be triggered by applying pressure over the ipsilateral upper part of the back of the neck or the ipsilateral occipital region. MIGRAINE These headaches are intense or severe and often have other symptoms in addition to head pain. Symptoms associated with a migraine include: Nausea, pain behind one eye or ear, pain in the temples, seeings spots or flashing lights, sensitivity to light and/or sound, temporary vision loss, vomiting When compared with tension or other headache types, migraine headache pain can be moderate to severe. Some people may experience headaches so severe they seek care at an emergency room. Migraine headaches will typically affect only one side of the head. However, it is possible to have a migraine headache that affects both sides of the head. Other differences include the pain’s quality: A migraine headache will cause intense pain that may be throbbing and will make performing daily tasks very difficult. Your physiotherapy evaluation will help determine what your treatment will entail. https://www.healthline.com/health/migraine/migraine-vs-headache#headaches
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    Different types of headaches TENSION HEADACHE Tension-type headache (or simply tension headache) is the most common type of primary headache and is widely prevalent in the general population. It ranges from mild to fairly disabling, with significant socioeconomic impact. Although tension headaches—as the name suggests–are frequently triggered or aggravated by stress, they can also stem from poor nutrition, fatigue, insufficient sleep, temporomandibular joint dysfunction, alcohol use, hormonal fluctuations, and weather changes. CERVICOGENIC HEADACHE The pain of cervicogenic headache is usually unilateral; it originates in the neck and then spreads to the oculofrontal-temporal areas of the head. The headache initially presents as intermittent episodes and then progresses to an almost continuous pain. Pain may be triggered or exacerbated by neck movement or a particular neck position; it can also be triggered by applying pressure over the ipsilateral upper part of the back of the neck or the ipsilateral occipital region. MIGRAINE These headaches are intense or severe and often have other symptoms in addition to head pain. Symptoms associated with a migraine include: Nausea, pain behind one eye or ear, pain in the temples, seeings spots or flashing lights, sensitivity to light and/or sound, temporary vision loss, vomiting When compared with tension or other headache types, migraine headache pain can be moderate to severe. Some people may experience headaches so severe they seek care at an emergency room. Migraine headaches will typically affect only one side of the head. However, it is possible to have a migraine headache that affects both sides of the head. Other differences include the pain’s quality: A migraine headache will cause intense pain that may be throbbing and will make performing daily tasks very difficult. Your physiotherapy evaluation will help determine what your treatment will entail. https://www.healthline.com/health/migraine/migraine-vs-headache#headaches
  • Why Your Child Should Be Playing With Balls You can introduce them to your child very early on because they immediately strengthen motor skills and familiarize little ones with their environment. Early on, little ones gravitate toward things that roll. Your infant will be fascinated by a ball's continuous movement. Balls allow children to feel in control of something other than their own movements. Rolling a ball back and forth is a way to build a social bond between two people, and it's also a very introductory lesson of cause and effect. Toddlers will discover a ball's abilities and the different effects of bouncing, rolling, tossing, kicking, and dropping it. A ball will remain an entertaining toy as your child transitions from independent play and parallel play to collaborative play which is vital in developing social skills, learning how to share, how to follow rules, and how to negotiate. https://www.verywell.com/why-your-child-should-be-playing-with-balls-289705
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    Why Your Child Should Be Playing With Balls You can introduce them to your child very early on because they immediately strengthen motor skills and familiarize little ones with their environment. Early on, little ones gravitate toward things that roll. Your infant will be fascinated by a ball's continuous movement. Balls allow children to feel in control of something other than their own movements. Rolling a ball back and forth is a way to build a social bond between two people, and it's also a very introductory lesson of cause and effect. Toddlers will discover a ball's abilities and the different effects of bouncing, rolling, tossing, kicking, and dropping it. A ball will remain an entertaining toy as your child transitions from independent play and parallel play to collaborative play which is vital in developing social skills, learning how to share, how to follow rules, and how to negotiate. https://www.verywell.com/why-your-child-should-be-playing-with-balls-289705