OPTIMUM EXERCISE PHYSIOLOGY

  • Home
  • Services
    • NDIS
    • Diabetes Education
    • Chronic Disease Rehabilitation
    • Musculoskeletal Rehabilitation
    • Healthy Habits
    • Allied Health Solutions
    • Diabetes >
      • Diabetes Exercise Class
    • Personal Training
    • Group Classes >
      • EP Group
      • Pilates
      • Diabetes Exercise Class
      • Exercise Right Active Ageing
      • Strength Bones & Balance
      • Falls Prevention
      • Healthy Eating Activity & Lifestyle (HEAL)
      • Timetable
    • DVA
    • Workplace Injury
    • Medicare Referrals
    • Telehealth
    • Cardiovascular Disease
  • Referrals
  • Conditions We Treat
    • Diabetes
    • Exercise & Cancer
    • Osteoporosis & Bone Health
    • Chronic Pain
    • Osteoarthritis
    • Stroke
    • Weight Loss >
      • Wellness Packages >
        • Optimum Health & Fitness Assessment
        • Optimum Home Program
        • 8 Week Health Program
        • Optimum Personal Training
    • Pre & Post Natal Exercise
    • Neurological Conditions
    • Mental Health
    • Joint & Muscle Pain
    • Pulmonary Conditions
  • About Us
    • Our Team >
      • Lisa Parkinson
      • Aleisha Michael
      • Izaac Boylan
    • Exercise Physiology
    • FAQ
    • Work with us!
  • Blog
  • Contact Us
  • Home
  • Services
    • NDIS
    • Diabetes Education
    • Chronic Disease Rehabilitation
    • Musculoskeletal Rehabilitation
    • Healthy Habits
    • Allied Health Solutions
    • Diabetes >
      • Diabetes Exercise Class
    • Personal Training
    • Group Classes >
      • EP Group
      • Pilates
      • Diabetes Exercise Class
      • Exercise Right Active Ageing
      • Strength Bones & Balance
      • Falls Prevention
      • Healthy Eating Activity & Lifestyle (HEAL)
      • Timetable
    • DVA
    • Workplace Injury
    • Medicare Referrals
    • Telehealth
    • Cardiovascular Disease
  • Referrals
  • Conditions We Treat
    • Diabetes
    • Exercise & Cancer
    • Osteoporosis & Bone Health
    • Chronic Pain
    • Osteoarthritis
    • Stroke
    • Weight Loss >
      • Wellness Packages >
        • Optimum Health & Fitness Assessment
        • Optimum Home Program
        • 8 Week Health Program
        • Optimum Personal Training
    • Pre & Post Natal Exercise
    • Neurological Conditions
    • Mental Health
    • Joint & Muscle Pain
    • Pulmonary Conditions
  • About Us
    • Our Team >
      • Lisa Parkinson
      • Aleisha Michael
      • Izaac Boylan
    • Exercise Physiology
    • FAQ
    • Work with us!
  • Blog
  • Contact Us

Blog

Why you should drink more water.

27/9/2021

0 Comments

 
Picture


We all know that drinking water is good for us and often get told that we should be drinking more of it. But do we actually know why it is so important for us to increase our water intake and ensure that we are well hydrated? 
​
​


It is very common for individuals to not drink enough water day to day, but it becomes more frequent as we become older due to a decreased sense of thirst. This can lead to additional problems for those who are taking anti-diuretic medications that cause additional fluid loss.

What are the benefits of drinking water? 
  • It assists in transporting nutrients and oxygen around the body to your cells
  • Helps to flush bacteria out of the bladder
  • Aids in digestion 
  • Prevents constipation
  • Can help to lower blood pressure 
  • Helps to lubricate and cushion joints
  • Assists in regulating body temperature
  • Helps in brain function and the prevention of headaches. 

When we don’t drink enough water, you can become at risk of dehydration. This can have negative side effects such as dizziness, weakness, low blood pressure, confusion, headaches and discolored urine.
How much water should I drink per day? 
​So how much water should we actually be consuming? The aim is to consume two to three cups per hour for healthy individuals, although this amount will vary if you are sweating through exercise, if temperatures are warmer or even just variation in our individual needs. 
​

There is also the possibility of consuming too much water particularly if you have certain health conditions such as thyroid disease, kidney, liver or heart complications. It is also possible if you are taking particular medications that may cause you to retain water, such as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, opiate pain medications and some antidepressants. If you believe that you may be affected by one of these conditions or medications, please discuss your water intake with your GP.
Picture
Tips to increase water intake. 

  • Purchase a reusable water bottle to take with you to school, work or when leaving the house so that you always have water accessible to drink. 
  • Try adding some healthy flavoring's to your water to encourage you to increase your intake. For example, fresh sliced lemons or oranges, strawberries, mint or cucumber are all delicious. 
  • Try adding some prompts into your phone or watch a few times every hour to remind you to have a few small sips of water. Another alternative can be drawing target lines on your water bottle to indicate how much you should have drank by each hour of the day, as shown here.​

By Aleisha Michael,
Accredited Exercise Physiologist

0 Comments

Disc bulge & back pain

9/9/2021

0 Comments

 
What is a disc bulge?
Did you know that almost 80% of the global population experience an episode of low back pain at some point in their life, with degenerative disc disease and lumbar disc herniation (disc bulge) being the most common.

A disc bulge is also known as a bulging disc, slipped disc, or disc protrusion and is a condition during which a nucleus pulposus is displaced from intervertebral space.  This can happen in the lumbar (low back), thoracic (mid back) or cervical (neck) spine.


Picture
Here, the side and cross sectional views of a herniated disk are shown.  In a herniated disc the soft, jelly-like centre of the disc can push all the way through the outer ring (source).  This can cause pain, and may or may not press on the adjoining nerve, which can cause pain to travel down our thigh or leg, and even down to the inside or outside of our feet.

Should I be concerned, will my disc bulge get better?

Most occurrences of a bulging disc (disc herniation) resolve with conservative treatment and resolve within as little as two to eight weeks.  85 to 90% of cases will resolve within this time-frame and without substantial medical intervention.

It can be scary when you have back pain, or have been informed you have a bulging disc, but there is really good evidence to show that it will get better, without the need for surgery.

Disc Bulges - a normal part of ageing process??

Recent 
evidence has found that disc bulges and degenerative back conditions are a normal part of ageing, just like grey hair and wrinkles on your skin.  We should not fear them as being a life sentence, rather just a normal part of life.  Furthermore, they don't always result in pain.

The study below shows that when 20 year olds WITHOUT back pain were scanned, 37% of them had disc degeneration, and 30% of them had a disc bulge.  However, with increasing age, this number continues to increase, and in our 60's 88% of people WITHOUT BACK PAIN were shown to have disc degeneration, and 69% WITHOUT BACK PAIN shown to have a disc bulge.
Picture

What should I do?

Listen to your body and stay as active as you can within your own pain limits.  You may find paracetamol helpful in settling your pain in the initial stages.

You may find that sitting is better than standing, or vice versa, or standing and arching your back a little, or maybe even laying down and swaying your bent knees gently from side to side.  Whatever movement you find that is comfortable for you, and your pain remains below a 2 out 10, continue to do.

As your back starts to feel better you may be able to go for some walks, or extend your walks.  Backs love movement, and the latest research now tells us that rest is not the best remedy.  Deep breathing has also shown to be beneficial in relaxing the musculature of the back, helping to decrease pain.

What are the long term solutions for disc bulge and back pain?

Following on from the initial recovery phase, an essential part of helping back pain is strengthening and this is what Exercise Physiologists are the experts at!   If we can help to strengthen your back, it is less likely that physical load will irritate it, this means that you have a decreased chance of recurrence and less severity of symptoms of future episodes.

We now know that pain is multifactorial, this means there are multiple aspects that affect our pain, including psychological and social stressors, nutrition, sleep and physical aspects.  We can help to assess your pain and help you to understand your pain, and the things you can do it decrease pain, and improve  your strength to help you to live an active life.

Discs respond to load and like getting stronger, just like muscles.  It has been found that in people who run or lift weights, that their discs are stronger, fatter and healthier!!  What a great reason to exercise!!

We'd love to help you with your back pain!!
Please get in touch or book online to book with an Exercise Physiologist who has a modern and evidenced-based approach to disc bulge and back pain.


0 Comments

Simple Strategies for Healthy Aging

6/9/2021

0 Comments

 
Picture
We all age, it is a part of life. Ageing affects us in all different ways. Some people fight against the slower pace and changes that come with ageing while others really embrace it. However you look at it, ageing is inevitable and what's more important is that we put our overall health first and make sure we can enjoy what we love doing for as long as we can. 

Keep moving 

Physical activity and exercise are a really important part in healthy ageing. Exercise is proven to be a great way of reducing your risk of developing health issues or managing existing health issues. Exercise or physical activity can improve sleep, brain function, strength, mental health and energy levels, meanwhile reducing your risk of falling, stress and anxiety. 

One of the main excuses we hear in the clinic is that you don't have time, so why not incorporate physical activity into your day by walking somewhere instead of driving and catching up with your friend while walking instead of coffee.

It is recommended that Australians over the age of 65 years participate in 30 minutes of moderate physical activity on most but preferably all days of the week. If you think 30 minutes is too long, start smaller and work up to 30 minutes, but bottom line is you want to get moving.

Some is better than none, but more is better. 
Picture
Stay connected 

It is easy to lose contact with friends and family as we age but it is important to stay connected. Feeling lonely or isolated is found to increase your risk of stress, anxiety and depression and we all know this negatively affects your health. If COVID-19 and lock downs are anything to go by we can stay connected no matter what. So pick up the phone, organise a coffee, set up a zoom chat or go for a walk with your friend. 

Challenge your mind 

Keeping your mind active and challenging it is important to keep functioning the best you can. Believe it or not your brain is similar to your body in that if you don't use it you lose it. So to keep your brain busy you can try reading new books, learning new things, online brain challenges or the crossword puzzle in the paper. 

Sleep well

Sleep is the time where your body is recovering and repairing and is vital for your body to feel good and stay free from injury. It is suggested that around 7-9 hours sleep is a great amount for your body to rest and improves your health outcomes.
Picture
Eat well

​Eating well and fuelling your body with the right nutrients is vital in ensuring your body can function optimally and age healthily. Try to avoid food with high amounts of saturated fats, sugar and refined carbohydrates and try to incorporate plenty of vegetables and wholegrain and organic foods. 

At the end of the day it is all about a well rounded holistic approach to your health. It is important to stay active, find things to do you enjoy and ensure you have a good social connection around you.

​If you need any further tips to your current situation our Exercise Physiologists would be happy to speak to help move you towards healthy aging. 

​Izaac Boylan 

Accredited Exercise Physiologist 

0 Comments

    AuthorS

    Lisa Parkinson
    ​Accredited Exercise Physiologist, Diabetes Educator

    Aleisha Michael
    Accredited Exercise Physiologist
    ​
    Izaac Boylan
    Accredited Exercise Physiologist

    Archives

    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    July 2019
    July 2018
    December 2016
    September 2016

    Categories

    All
    Active Ageing
    Asthma
    Back Pain
    Cancer
    Cardiovascular
    Chronic Pain
    Diabetes
    Disability
    Education
    Ergonomics
    Falls Prevention
    Foam Rolling
    General Health
    Goal Setting
    Heart Health
    High Cholesterol
    Hypertension
    Injury Prevention
    Liver Disease
    Low Back Pain
    Mental Health
    Motivation
    Muscle Soreness
    Neurological Conditions
    Obesity
    Osteoarthritis
    Osteoporosis
    Pain
    Parkinson's Disease
    Pilates
    Rehabilitation
    Rheumatoid Arthritis
    Running
    Shoulder
    Sleep
    Strength Training
    Stress
    Stretching
    Type 2 Diabetes
    Walking
    Weight Loss

    RSS Feed

Copyright © Optimum Exercise Physiology, 2020. All Rights Reserved.