What are sets? Are they different to a rep? All the exercise definitions you need to know.26/8/2021  Have you ever been in a gym or group class and all these words are being yelled out and you have no idea what they mean or what you are meant to be doing? We are here to help you understand what all those terms mean to help you feel more comfortable when exercising. Here is our guide to all the exercise terminology you need to know:
This is a beginner’s guide to exercise terminology, if there are more terms you would like to know the meaning of, please get in touch at [email protected] we are happy to help! By, Aleisha Michael Accredited Exercise Physiologist.
0 Comments
  Shoulder surgery can be an anxious time for some particularly if it affects how much work you can do and if it in turn affects your financial situation. The rehab process after shoulder surgery can also be frustrating if it is not going the way you want. It is important to get it right so you can get the best outcome from your shoulder surgery and get back to the activities you enjoy and love! Or maybe just getting back to work. I have put together a few of the more important aspects and factors to consider before and during your shoulder rehab. Expectations and Adherence Expectations play a big role in a successful outcome in shoulder surgery, generally patients tend to overestimate the effectiveness of the surgery and expect a shorter recovery period. When in fact pain and reduced function can last much longer then you expect Up to 85% of patients have unrealistic expectations of how long it will take to get back to sleeping properly, getting back to their normal activities of daily living and returning to a chosen sport or activity. This is a big dilemma for you as when expectations don't meet reality at any point in time this can lead to you getting discouraged which can lead to an increase in symptoms again, patients satisfaction is reduced and no great surprise, this all leads to a decreased adherence to rehab. The reality is, if you don't adhere to your exercises you have been given or you don't adhere to the movement limitations you have been given then you are increasing your risk of the surgery failing or not providing you with a satisfactory outcome. Remember just because things are not happening the way you were hoping does not mean the surgery was a failure as everyone recovers differently and many different factors impact on recovery ability and duration. The important thing is that you keep on track. Listening to your health professional It may seem funny that I have added this in as a factor to consider but in reality the communication between your surgeon and other health professionals is really important in setting those realistic expectations. During a visit with your health professional there is so much information that is needed to be understood and sometimes bits of information can be missed or misunderstood. This is why really listening to your health professional is so important so everything is clear and understood and both you and the health professional are on the same page. Increased pain It is normal to see your pain decreased significantly in the first 3 months after surgery however pain can still exist at 6 months and even 12 months after surgery. Unfortunately some people are more likely to experience pain for longer periods or a greater amount of pain than others and these factors should be considered and discussed prior to surgery. Nowadays our understanding of pain and the mechanism behind pain is much improved and this has led to the understanding that persistent pain after surgery is more highly correlated with beliefs, expectations, knowledge, past history, anxiety and worry than what it is with structure and function. Keeping this in mind, we know that if you have higher than expected pain after your shoulder surgery this does not necessarily mean there is any structural damage. Stiffness Once someone has had shoulder surgery they often worry their shoulder will get stiff and this will impact their recovery and function when they start to try and incorporate their arm into their daily activities. After surgery you are immobilized for a period of time and then on restricted movements for a period of time and depending on who your surgeon or health professional is these time frames vary. With these restrictions of movement it is expected that the function of the shoulder and potentially its range of movement is going to be affected and in 20% of cases after shoulder surgery there is some shoulder stiffness. However of those 20% of people only 5% ever need anything done about it through other techniques. So yes shoulder stiffness can happen but it really isn't as big a deal as we think and can be overcome if it does occur. Understand your safe zones Your surgeon will address this when they see you after your surgery but I believe it is an important concept to understand particularly early on in your shoulder rehab. Safe Zones are there to make sure you are not putting unnecessary stress on the surgical site or undoing the surgeons good work. Each surgery has slightly different safe zones and safe movements as different movements put stress on different parts of the shoulder capsule. Furthermore, different surgeons have different preferences on how to treat each surgery. So for now I have a basic picture for your safe zones with zone A being the safest for the majority of surgeries.  If you are not allowed to move, what to do? Each surgeon or health professional has different shoulder rehab processes, things that could vary are the positions you are allowed to be in, the amount of time in a sling, the amount of movement you are allowed to do during each rehab stage and more. The most important thing is that you listen to your surgeon and what they recommend, not your friend, relative or random person who may have had shoulder surgery also. The surgeon has completed the surgery and has the best idea of what has happened and how to best promote a positive outcome. If your surgeon is being very conservative in his approach to getting you moving, there are strategies you can use to help enhance your rehab including but not limited to using your hand and using your brain. Using your hand  Small simple strategies make a big difference when it comes to rehab after a shoulder surgery, these strategies can be an effective way to make sure you continue to progress when movement may be limited.
Continual use of your hand on your affected side is a small strategy you can use to enhance your rehab, by doing so you can continue to use the pathways that connect your hand and your brain. In really simple terms, your shoulders are there to facilitate movement for your hand to be positioned to do tasks. By using your hand to do tasks during shoulder rehab you can influence your muscles around your shoulder and influence the brain-muscle connection. When using your hand it is important that your arm is supported and you are not actually using your shoulder. Really simple exercises are a ball squeeze, using the remote to change the TV channel, eating with your elbow supported and washing your hair leaning forward. Making use of your brain Did you know you can use it to enhance your shoulder rehab after you have had surgery. During shoulder rehabilitation we as health professionals try to use a concept called cross education. Cross education involves using your non affected arm in shoulder exercises and movements to try and enhance your affected side. Believe it or not it works, and it works by improving the brain's connection with the arms no matter what arm you are using. Some exercises you can do are bouncing a ball on the ground or wall, catching and throwing a ball or simple one armed gym exercises. What to do now? The above advice is general in nature and again the most important thing is that you listen to your surgeon. When you're going through rehab after a shoulder operation it is important you get help to get you on the right track but more importantly that you have realistic expectations of how you will progress. If you want any help with starting or progressing in your shoulder rehab after surgery contact the clinic and book an appointment. Izaac Boylan Accredited exercise physiologist Regular stretching enables muscles to maintain flexibility, strength and overall health. This promotes a full range of movement at our joints and reduces the chance of muscles becoming tight and shortening. This can decrease the strength of the muscle and reduces the muscles ability to fully lengthen and extend when needed. That increases the risk of joint pain, muscle damage and strains. How do I start stretching?
 Child’s Pose = Start by kneeling on the ground with your knees and feet together. Reach your arms out long in front of you and lower your chest to your knees and your head to the ground. Try and reach as far as possible whilst simultaneously reaching your bottom back to your sit on your heels. Think about elongating your spine as much as possible.  Cat and Cow Stretch = Start with all fours on the ground, your knees sitting underneath your hips and hands underneath your shoulders. Begin arching your spine up towards the ceiling by tucking your tail bone between your legs and folding your neck so that your head is between your arms, looking back towards your knees. Then switch the pose to curve the spine inwards and turn your tail bone up towards the ceiling and move your head to look up and straight ahead. Continue to move through spinal flexion and extension.  Hip Twist = Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet on the floor, and move your arms out wide to also lay on the floor. Keeping your knees and feet together try moving your knees over to the left of your body whilst turning your head to look out towards your right arm. Then switch this movement to move your knees to the right of your body and turn your head over towards your left arm. Continue to move from side to side.  Knee to Chest Stretch = Lie on your back with both legs extended out straight. Keep your left leg straight and draw your right knee in towards your chest, interlocking your hands behind your thigh or at the top of your shinbone. Switch legs extending your right leg back out and pulling your left knee into your chest. Focus on lengthening through your spine and avoid lifting your hips.
Disclaimer – These exercises are a guide only. If you have any pre-existing injury or pain please consult your local practitioner before trying at home. Aleisha Michael Accredited Exercise Physiologist  Do you want to find ways to keep active and maintain function with Parkinson's? Do you want to know what to focus on? You know exercise is beneficial for everyone regardless of health. You know Parkinson's is a specific neurological condition that affects not only movement but cognition and mood. And you may fear that you're seeing a decline in function of yourself or your loved one. Luckily organizations such as the American College of Sport Science and Exercise and Sport Science Australia have published guidelines for exercising with Parkinson's Disease. These guidelines help us work out what to focus on and how to do it. With a recent update from the American College of Sports Medicine and the Parkinson’s Foundation of the most up to date recommendations for safe and effective exercise treatment for people with Parkinson's, we thought we would give you an update as well. What should you do? People with Parkinson's should find ways to participate in regular exercise which includes aerobic fitness, muscle strengthening and flexibility. It is now recommended more than ever that balance, agility and multi-tasking activities be included in exercise therapy with Parkinson's. What does this mean? Well people with Parkinson's need to focus on different aspects of their movements and health to optimise their function. This means participating in:
It is recommended to see an exercise professional with experience in working with people with Parkinson's for an evaluation and recommendations to ensure the best outcome. Safety first! When exercising with Parkinson's it is important to understand the safety considerations. Specific safety considerations for Parkinson's include:
If you are even a little worried about any of these, supervision is the best way to avoid anything going wrong.  Some tips for getting someone started in an exercise program are:
Remember, it is recommended to see an exercise professional for a safe and effective exercise program. If you have any questions about the latest updated guidelines and would like to know how to get started do not hesitate to give us a call. Izaac Boylan Accredited Exercise Physiologist. |
AuthorSLisa Parkinson Archives
November 2024
Categories
All
|
RSS Feed