Advice
Use it or lose it, they say, and as we get older, it certainly becomes something worth considering.
Sad facts:
- We start having slower reactions from the age of 25.
- Muscle mass loss starts in our 40’s and 50’s.
- Hospital admissions through falls are higher as we get older.
Balance your way to better health – if we incorporate exercises to support or recover our balance, we can help our balance but also our posture and confidence to walk longer and help reduce the risk of falls. Read more below:
“If you don’t use it, you lose it!” This is certainly very true where muscle flexibility and strength are concerned. We tend to lose flexibility as we age and by stretching, we can help to avoid injury and to produce mood-boosting chemicals in the brain, helping us both physically and mentally. Read more below:
World Menopause Day is a global awareness day takes place each year on the 18th of October and this year’s theme is on Bone Health. The campaign aims to raise awareness about the effects of menopause on health and well-being around the world, encouraging early diagnosis and treatment of related conditions such as osteoporosis which often affect postmenopausal woman more than others in the population due to lower bone density levels after years without periods.
Read more below:
It’s reported that we have been 40% less active during this last winter lockdown period. We are now seeing more neck and back injuries often associated with increased sitting. There is now no walking to the office, just to the kitchen instead! So, if you don’t want to be a statistic, read our tip below:
Why not read about what made us teach Clinical Rehab Pilates at St Judes.
It’s debateable whether stretching after a workout will stop you getting muscular soreness or help prevent injuries, but it’s undeniable that muscles are warmer and more pliable therefore after a workout.
Keeping one’s flexibility is important at any age but becomes more so as we get older and potentially stiffer. Therefore, after a workout/walk “make hay while the sun shines” and make sure you get those stretches in. Read more below.
Winter is on the way and with the cold weather it is important to ensure that your feet stay warm and dry. This is particularly important to those people in higher risk groups, such as diabetics, those with poor circulation, have medical conditions such as Raynaud’s disease, or whom may be more susceptible to damage from falls. Here are some tips that will keep your feet looking and feeling healthy this winter. Read more below:
During the first lockdown the good weather was on our side and exercise was one of the things most of us did to help us through, whether that was exercising online, or getting out in the fresh air for a walk or a run. But, as time has passed, maybe the novelty and motivation for online exercising has worn off or you have picked up a niggling injury, or found yourself stuck at your home desk for too many hours, working in less than perfect postures. You are not alone - recent statistics from the charity Versus Arthritis are alarming - 23% of home workers were said to be getting musculoskeletal pain most of the time and 40% were taking painkillers, with back pain being the most common complaint at 50% followed by neck 36% and shoulder pain 28%.
Read more below:
We all know that being fit and having a healthy diet can help prevent or manage a variety of medical conditions, such as: heart disease, type II diabetes, back pain, osteoarthritis and depression, but when do we find the time? How do you fit 30 minutes of exercise into each day to help your health and wellbeing? Follow our handy tips below.
10 to 20 years ago, you could be forgiven for thinking Pilates was just for girls - you may not have even heard about it or even how to pronounce the name! However, most people now have heard about Pilates and how it is good for the “core.” Newspaper or magazine articles write about how Pilates helps with problems such as back pain and how by strengthening and stabilising your body you can prevent problems and generally help your posture.
Read more below
In Chinese Medicine, it has long been accepted that hormonal imbalance problems such as menopause symptoms, menstrual problems and bladder problems to name a few, can be helped by acupuncture.
In more recent times, research has suggested potential positive effects in such conditions and has looked at how stimulation of points may affect nerves that supply organs such as the bladder, helping to normalise bladder tone; or create effects that may help with the hormonal regulation of problems such as hot flushes.
Similarly, there is good evidence to support acupuncture as a safe treatment in pregnancy for the relief of lower back and pelvic girdle pain and to relieve morning sickness in pregnancy.
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Modern day living can make us all more sedentary if we let it and make it more likely that we become one of the 80% of the adult population who get back pain at some stage in their lives.
Stats like “more than 30 million working days are lost per year due to back pain and that back pain costs the NHS more than a billion a year” can just float over our heads with a “oh dear but that’s not me” … but it could be.
Simply thinking smart about your day can increase your daily activity and bring many health benefits, not just those associated with keeping your back healthy.
Read more about how reflexology could help you in this article below.
Three physiotherapists have got together to create the first guidelines for physios and other healthcare and fitness professionals on post-natal women returning to running. Read more about this in an article by Moira D'Arcy, Practice Principal and Women's Health Specialist at St Judes.
As we approach International Women’s Day (March 8th) Moira D’Arcy, Chartered Physiotherapist and Principal of St Judes Clinic in Leighton Buzzard looks at the benefits of us ladies looking after our assets.
Read more below
When we run, our feet make contact with the ground and the impact is partly absorbed by the pelvic floor. Over time, this can stretch and weaken the pelvic floor muscles and the ligaments that support the pelvic organs. These connective tissues are already vulnerable after birth due to the hormonal changes of pregnancy so anything we can do to lessen the impact on the pelvic floor is a bonus! Here are some top tips:
Read more below;
During pregnancy, certain ligaments have to stretch and the stomach walls have to make space for the growing baby. The stomach muscles are made up of 4 layers. The top layer is called the rectus abdominus and runs from the bottom of the rib cage down to the pubic bone of the pelvis.
Read the article below on how getting the right podiatry treatment helped get explorer, Dan Tye, back on his feet. See below.
As we age it gets harder for our muscles and tendons to work efficiently and to absorb shock and load.
Here are some really simple ways below we can help our tendons stay healthy at any age:
How many of us confess to having an old pair of comfy trainers that we use tirelessly?
Old footwear can cause or worsen underlying problems in load-bearing tendons. There is no exact guidelines on how frequently training shoes should be replaced but most people keep using their running, training or walking shoes far longer than they should.
Read more below:
Cycling has become very popular over the last few years and more and more of us are feeling the benefits. Read our article on bike set-up, when things go wrong and what you can do to get back in the saddle.
Read more below
Does your child ever complain of backache? Do you just put it down to growing pains or one of those things that will pass? There are numerous reasons why children may develop backache or pain but some of the causes could easily be avoided.
read more below:
The best time to build healthy bones is when you are young - exercises such as jumping and skipping in your teenage years can help promote denser bones and prevent fractures when you are older. (So get your children/grandchildren off their PlayStations and get moving!) However, there are ways we can help ourselves.
1st October is UK Older People’s Day – a day to celebrate the positive contribution older adults make to our society. St Judes are working with The Chartered Society of Physiotherapists, offering FREE expert advice and support from our physiotherapy and podiatry staff to help you live a healthy and active life.
Read more:
The summer holidays are nearly here with hot sunny days, holidays and swimming to look forward to. It is very important to check your child’s feet year-round but the summer months, in particular, can cause foot problems that may also affect their overall health and development. Common problems include poorly fitted or incorrect shoes and the increased risks of blisters and verrucae.
Read more below:
Those of you with arthritis, neurological or vascular conditions tend to have 'high risk' feet and should see a Podiatrist regularly. Poor feet can be helped using a range of treatments together with professional footwear advice and possibly the use of orthoses (specialist devices placed in your shoes to change your foot position and the way you walk.)
A recent scientific study* has shown that using acupuncture to treat chronic back pain is more effective than standard treatments alone.
From our forties bones gradually naturally lose their density. 1 in 2 women and 1 in 5 men over the age of 50 in the UK will break a bone, mainly due to osteoporosis. This literally means “porous bones” and occurs when the mesh-like structure within the bones becomes fragile and breaks occur with minor falls and injuries.
