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Plantarfascitis

April 8, 2024 by Julie

Plantar fasciitis is one of the most common types of foot pain and affects both sedentary and athletic people.

It is typically most painful in the morning when people first start moving, eases off for a little while and then intensifies again as the day progresses.

Recently the condition has been renamed Plantar Fasciosis as the chronic condition has been found to be more of a degeneration of the fascial tissue. joint and muscular function than an inflammation.

Often corticosteroid injections are prescribed but although this may relieve initial symptoms other approaches such as exercise and stretching have been proven to be more beneficial for long-term relief and prevention of reoccurrence (Schwartz & Su, 2014).

Other factors such as heel spurs, calcaneal stress fractures and fat pad atrophy should be considered and ruled out also as possible causes of pain.

Loss of stability and movement have also been found to be shared in people with plantar foot pain, and weakness not only in the foot itself but in the muscles of the lower leg (Barreto Rabelo et al., 2023).

With these results in mind, a comprehensive program of stretching and strengthening is needed for the foot, ankle and lower leg. Plantar fasciitis

Patience and persistence are also required as with many chronic pain problems this is not an overnight fix.

References

Barreto Rabelo, D., Coelho Figueira Freire, A. P., Colen Milagres Brandão, F., Oliveira Melo, S., Ocarino, J. M., Saldanha dos Anjos, M. T., Schleip, R., Souza, T. R., Simoneau, G., & Zambelli Pinto, R. (2023). Myofascial stiffness of plantar fascia and achilles tendon in individuals with plantar fasciopathy: An observational cross-sectional study. Musculoskeletal Science and Practice, 66, 102781. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.msksp.2023.102781

Schwartz, E. N., & Su, J. (2014). Plantar fasciitis: a concise review. The Permanente journal, 18(1), e105–e107. https://doi.org/10.7812/TPP/13-113

Shoulder Pain & Frozen Shoulder

October 28, 2023 by Julie

Shoulder pain and Frozen Shoulder

Shoulder problems stem from various causes, falls and direct trauma or misuse.

Those with jobs reaching overhead can overuse the area, leading to dysfunction and pain. Working overhead

Poor posture, such as slouching at the computer (death at the desk), our passion for texting on the go and our love of tablets (the zombie walk) can all play a part in shoulder problems. We are shaped by what we do (or don’t do), our peers, jobs, fashion, and hobbies.

The overall prevalence of shoulder pain is that around 7% of the population will experience shoulder pain and/or movement limitation, which rises to around 26% in the elderly.

More women than men are affected, and there is a higher incidence in those who do repetitive overhead motions.

Many suffer (50%) in silence, and 40-50% have ongoing symptoms and functional impairment.

Most people who consult the GP are affected by problems in the soft tissue surrounding the shoulder.

More women than men are affected, and there is a higher incidence in those who do repetitive overhead motions.

Restricted range of motion and not pain seems to be the main reason people consult with their GP.

Common Causes of Shoulder pain

Rotator Cuff Tear
Bursitis
Shoulder Impingement
Rotator Cuff Tendinitis
Shoulder Dislocations
Frozen Shoulder
Shoulder Muscle weakness or imbalance
Rotator Cuff Related Shoulder Pain
Tendinopathy

How does Pilates help shoulder pain and frozen shoulder?

rotator cuff We are possibly the first point of call for many of those not seeking medical help. We will most likely be part of the rehabilitation process for anyone who has seen another therapist.

Clinical Pilates sessions will help to help educate you on more efficient movement patterns; they will give you exercises and releases to help balance the soft tissue and muscles.

How can Myofascial massage and Remedial Massage help Shoulder pain and frozen shoulder?

Treatments can help to release any soft tissue restrictions around the shoulder, which may be limiting movement and causing muscle imbalances.

It is also very important to address structures outside the shoulder itself, such as the upper spine and neck, which can also have a profound effect on shoulder position, stability and mobility.

In essence, to get to the root of a problem, we often need to look at the body as a whole and assess and treat areas that, although they may not be painful, are contributing to the pain and movement restrictions to achieve long-term results.

Phone Julie: 0416864841 or email: bodyworkevolution@gmail.com

Anatomy Trains Structural Integration

October 12, 2023 by Julie

Structural Integration

A “re-boot for the body – peeling back the layers of forgotten pains and injuries to renew balance and restore your natural alignment”.
Does your body feel tired, heavy, stiff and full of aches and pains? Would you like to feel more upright and balanced with a greater freedom of movement?

Why Do You Need Anatomy Trains Structural Integration?

We start life as a blank canvas, the things that happen in life shape our bodies physically and emotionally. Common strain patterns come about from inefficient movement habits caused by our body’s response to poorly designed cars, desks, shoes and other surroundings. Individual strain patterns come about from: imitation when we are young, emotional trauma and stress, physical injuries, surgeries and our body’s response to traumatic episodes. All of these will create a neuromuscular response causing tissue to contract, shift, thicken and glue itself to surrounding structures leading to immobility and pain.

What is Anatomy Trains Structural Integration?

Anatomy Trains Structural Integration springs from the pioneering work of Dr Ida Rolf and has been developed by Thomas Myers. The ATSI recipe is based around the Anatomy Trains Myofascial Meridians concepts which are explored in the book written by Thomas Myers and is now used worldwide in the teaching of many forms of bodywork and movement.
Modern anatomy now recognises the importance of the myofascial network, until recently regarded as ‘the Cinderella of musculoskeletal research.’ This network not only gives our body it’s shape it plays an essential role in transmitting, enhancing and restricting movement. It is the glue and fabric that holds our body together, it surrounds and connects every muscle fibre, every organ, in fact almost every structure in our body.

It truly is a continuous connection throughout our whole body. Imagine it is like a spiders’ web, when it is pulled in one area it transmits tension to another.
The body does this very well and in most cases symptoms manifest themselves some distance from the root of the cause, a bit like pulling on a bit of clothing the tensions can be felt far from the initial tugging.

Benefits

Can ease chronic pain and stiffness.
Restores natural alignment, length and ease.
Restores natural alignment, length and ease.
Improves posture, movement and energy.
Unwinds strain patterns residing in your body.
Can improve and enhance athletic performance.

What does it involve?

Anatomy Trains Structural Integration takes place over 12 progressive sessions. Times may vary but a session can take up to 1 1⁄2 hours. Each session is a hands’ on treatment with a postural/movement assessment at the beginning and during each session, although following the 12 session recipe each session is designed to address individual needs.

Assessments and treatments are done in underwear or swimwear.
The first 4 sessions aim to free up the front, back, and sides, freeing the shoulders from the trunk, freeing the breath and finding support through the feet.

The middle four sessions address the ‘core’ of the body, working into the central stabilisation muscles closer to the spine to find support from within.

The final 4 sessions integrate the ‘core’ and the ‘sleeve’ to improve co-ordination and posture. This new alignment simply becomes part of who you are, not something you have to work at or repeatedly see a practitioner to maintain.

It will leave you with a lasting and progressive change that will echo throughout the rest of your life.

To learn more go to Structural Integration

From the bottom up

September 5, 2023 by Julie

Starting at our feet, we need both stability and mobility.

Did you know there are 28 bones in the foot, 19 intrinsic and 10 extrinsic muscles, plus multiple ligaments and joints?

Not surprisingly, things can go wrong, especially as we stuff them into shoes and tend to walk on flat surfaces most of the time.

Give your feet some therapeutic TLC using a ball roll from front to back through the sole of your foot. Let your feet drape over the ball and feel the joints open.

Focus on any areas that feel stiff and tight; it doesn’t need to be hard and painful to be effective.

Pain in the hip

September 5, 2023 by Julie

Pain in the hip area could stem from a lack of support from above or below and weakness or immobility in hip pain the pelvic area.

Instability or immobility in the foot can be one of the causes of pain in the hip; we have 28 bones and many muscles, joints and ligaments in the foot, which contribute to bottom-up driven movements, which are reflected in movements in the pelvis above.

Equally, compression and stiffness from the upper body can limit top-down driven movements, pressure nerves and joints and result in inefficient movement and pain.

[Read more…] about Pain in the hip