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Enjoy an injury-free swim season

With the warmer weather and longer days fast approaching I’m sure you’re all keen to head back to your favourite beaches or pools and hit the water to enjoy a refreshing swim!

Swimming is often regarded an ideal form of exercise as it is low impact, combines both upper and lower body strengthening, improves core strength and is a great form of aerobic exercise that can be enjoyed at any age.

Usually considered a low- risk of injury sport it does have a few that both competitive and recreational swimmers can develop.  Swimmers are most prone to developing pain in their shoulders, neck, lower back or knees.

Common injuries in swimming

• Swimmer’s Shoulder is the most common injury caused by swimming (Rotator Cuff Impingement / tendonitis or Sub-acromial Impingement / Bursitis)
• Neck or Lower Back Strains
• Breaststroke Knee  (Chondromalacia Patellae or Medial Collateral Ligament Strain)

Common causes of injury

• Sudden increase in training distance or intensity
• Incorrect technique
• Inadequate rotator cuff strength in the shoulder to stabilise the humeral head position in the socket
• Inadequate core muscles and trunk control make harder work for shoulders
• Unilateral breathing leading to developing a muscle imbalance in the neck and overuse of one side

Tips for enjoying a long injury free summer in the water

• As with any type of exercise when you’ve had some time away, always ease back into it!
• If you’re new to swimming, it’s a fantastic way to exercise!  You may however want to consider having a few lessons with a trained professional to avoid developing any bad habits with your technique right from the start. Always harder to change old habits!
• Stretching particularly of your upper body before and/or after swimming
• Core Stability training as always, if the core is strong you’ll reduce you chances of developing an injury while swimming
• If you feel pain while swimming, stop swimming! If it doesn’t settle with a couple of days rest or re-occurs next time you swim, seek the medical opinion of your physiotherapist or doctor.

Wishing you all fun in the sun this summer, stay safe!

Tips to maintain exercise motivation

With the weather warming up and daylight saving starting it’s time to get into exercise and enjoy the sunshine!

Here are some tips on how to stay motivated this season:

• Participate in exercise you enjoy.  You don’t have to take up soccer or netball, lace up your sneakers and go out for an evening stroll with a friend.
• Exercise with a friend.  Nothing helps accountability more than keeping a friend waiting at the gym or park.
• Get into some tunes.  Not only is it more enjoyable exercising to music but in a recent study participants were able to exercise for 20% longer and consumed less oxygen when listening to music.
• Make it social.  If exercising is not your thing, get involved in a social group that does rockclimbing or ten-pin bowling and you will forget you are even exercising!
• Pay someone.  At the end of the day sometimes we need someone to motivate us.  Enrol in group training or personal training sessions and before you know it you will be fighting fit.
• Routine, routine, routine.  Nothing helps more than forming a habit.  Once you have your exercise regime stick with it!

Barefoot Running – the new trend

An article in this weekend’s “Good Weekend” debated the emerging trend of barefoot running.  Barefoot running has been around for decades (even centuries, didn’t we all do it as kids?) but has gained popularity in recent years with many “experts” now instructing sessions on how to run barefoot.  As its name suggests the method involves running without shoes, as done by the extremists, but many runners prefer to don “barefoot-inspired” shoes marketed by the large sports shoes companies.

The theory behind barefoot running is to get back to nature, by increasing sensitivity and strength in the foot and adopting a more natural running style without the support (some would say over-support) of a running shoe.

Reportedly 60% of recreational runners suffer from injury each year, a figure which has not decreased over the past 40 years despite all the R&D invested in running shoes.  Many barefoot runners claim their injuries have reduced or been totally eliminated since shedding their running shoes further promoting the barefoot running movement.

But before you discard your runners ask yourself the following questions as it may not be for everyone.

• Do you get injured running in your shoes?
• Have you got an appropriate surface such as an oval near by?
• Are you a frequent runner?
• Are you in a desk-job and therefore have weak glut muscles?
• Have you been told by a physio, podiatrist or exercise physiologist that you have poor stability and poor biomechanics?

ITB Friction Syndrome

With the Blackmores Running Festival on this weekend, many Sydneysiders are out training hard in preparation.  One injury which can cause frustration and prevent runners from competing is ITB Friction Syndrome.  The most frustrating part is most of the time it is preventable.

The ITB (Iliotibial Band) is a thick band of connective tissue running from the hip to the knee.  When you bend and straighten the knee it runs over a bony part of your knee which can lead to friction and inflammation of the band.

Symptoms:

• Pain on the outside of the knee
• Pain during and following activity
• Swelling around the outside of the knee
• Possible clicking or snapping of the band

Causes:

• Running on uneven surfaces
• Inadequate warm-up or cool-down
• Excessive up-hill and down-hill running
• Sudden increase in training
• Muscle imbalance and joint stiffness

What to do:

• Correct poor biomechanics (running technique), a physiotherapist can assess and advise technique modifications
• Strengthen weak muscles including the gluteal (buttock muscles) and inner quads
• Roll on a foam roller along the ITB
• Replace worn out or unsuitable joggers
• Reduce running time, distance and/or terrain

Mosman Daily Editorial

It has been an exciting 10 months at Physio On Miller – growing to a team of 3, treating many wonderful clients and receiving referrals and recommendations from local doctors and friends and family.  So we were thrilled when we had an editorial piece in the Mosman Daily.  Click here to check it out!