Your Wellness Nerd

[sven_inc]

If haven't already, do yourself a favor and give the Couch Stretch a go. This beauty is by far and away one of THE best and most useful stretches you can do! I challenge you not to feel better for it

Here's a more advanced version!

 

[sven_inc]

Ankles click for a variety of reasons, most of which are not serious. Clinically the overwhelming reason for ankles that click is the presence of basic mechanical dysfunction. Whether it be ankle stiffness, surrounding muscle and tendon tightness, fascial restrictions, etc. These issues force a change in the way the ankle moves and is used, causing the mechanical click we hear so often.

With this in mind, its important that we go after these mechanical issues in order to stop the ankle from clicking over time. There’s no evidence to suggest that clicking ankles lead to injury, but it is a strong sign that all is not working correctly in the area.

There are a number of simple exercises anyone can do that target the basic dysfunction associated with clicking ankles.

Here’s a video I put together for my patients that goes through some of these helpful tips!

 

[sven_inc]

Anyone suffering from some upper hamstring pain? Clinically, I find the majority of proximal hamstring injuries appear to be a consequence of low back dysfunction and also some hip dysfunction. Essentially, the body changes the way we load the hamstring in order to cope with this higher dysfunction. Therefore, any attempts to truly solve proximal hamstring issues needs a broader approach beyond the obvious things like hamstring strengthening, stretching, etc.

If it helps, I've put together a video for my patients with a few things to make sure are ticked off beyond the standard hamstring-specific exercises.
These simple ideas hope to address the hidden, underlying issues that may set your hamstring tendon up to become sore in the first place.

 

[KermitJagger]

If haven't already, do yourself a favor and give the Couch Stretch a go. This beauty is by far and away one of THE best and most useful stretches you can do! I challenge you not to feel better for it

Here's a more advanced version!

A fantastic stretch and one I need to be doing more regularly. Absolute gem for people with sedentary and seated jobs.

 

[sven_inc]

I spend a lot of time trying to give out advice but don't often ask what everyone is dealing with! I've created a YouTube AMA of sorts where I'd love to try and make my content as appropriate and helpful as possible.

If you have any specific questions about injuries, aches, pains, and dysfunctions - whether it be yours, someone you know, or someone from the AFL, please feel free to hop over and ask in the comment section of the video. Obviously, you can leave them here as well!

 

[Chief]

Or just post the questions here.

 

[sven_inc]

Thoracic Outlet Syndrome: Often a nasty and complicated condition. Here are some simple reasons why it happens and some effective ways to self-treat it!

 

[sven_inc]

It's a common question. Is heat or ice better for pain and injury? Well, the answer is probably neither depending on your individual goals!

 

[sven_inc]

Thongs are insanely convenient and comfortable, but they come at a cost. Here's why thongs might be robbing you of your foot and ankle function and setting you up for lower leg pain and injury.

 

[sven_inc]

AC joint injuries rightfully fit under the umbrella of contact-related injuries. But, the state of your upper back may hold the key to whether your AC joint buffers that contact enough to avoid injury or becomes damaged. Here's an interesting insight:

 

[sven_inc]

Is anyone struggling with hip impingement/groin pain at the moment?

From what I've come to understand clinically, hip impingement relates heavily with hip capsule stiffness - something I think is missed a lot, especially in the AFL. There's a really potent hip capsule stretch you can try and it's also great for anyone just looking to open up those hips and move better athletically. Here's a basic video to help explore first hand how involved a stiff capsule might be in your symptoms. Hope it's helpful!

 

[sven_inc]

Back pain can strike at any time to anyone - depending on how well you use and/or load your back during your day-to-day life. And despite how common back pain has become, many are still unsure of what steps they should immediately after hurting themselves. In this video, I go through a 7-step action plan to implement as soon as you hurt your back to help you get back to normal as soon as possible. Interestingly, something as simple and mundane as deep breathing has the potential to completely re-shape how our back pain experience.

 

[sven_inc]

Anyone struggling to shake pain or discomfort at the front of the shoulder? If so, there's one highly underrated mechanical issue that could be at play - a lack of internal rotation. In this video, I discuss why this is crucial and what you need to do to rectify it!

 

[sven_inc]

Interestingly, tight chest muscles are actually a product of upper back stiffness. As strange as this sounds, by freeing up the ribcage at the back, we can set the conditions for the chest muscles (that attach to these very same ribs at the front) to release for good. We still obviously need to invest in some effective chest muscle stretches, but there's a hidden step we miss which leaves us having to keep stretching those chesticles indefinitely!

 

[sven_inc]

Ankle impingement can often lead to potentially avoidable surgery in some cases. Here are some really effective and simple exercises to try in an attempt to restore normal mechanics to the area.

 

[sven_inc]

Learning to effectively brace your spine is a critical part of injury prevention, rehab, and optimal athletic performance. Here's how to do it and what you need to focus on.

 

[sven_inc]

Shoulder blade pain is more than just knots and trigger points. Often, it has much to do with hidden joint dysfunction in the upper back. Here's what you can do to solve it for good!

 

[sven_inc]

Many commonly held beliefs as to the cause of cramping make sense on the surface. Dehydration, electrolyte imbalances, fatigue, heat etc, all can account for the reasons why people cramp. However, I find that these ideas aren’t specific enough and often distract us from deeper, more specific issues that we easily miss.

In terms of foot cramps, my experience as a PT has shown me that the deeper cause is actually lower back related. Our usual explanations are broader issues and don’t really explain why one specific part of one specific area of the body is affected and not the entire thing. For example, if we are dehydrated, our entire body is potentially affected, not just the very specific muscles in the feet. There has to be more to the conversation and the lower back is a great place to start.


Here’s what you need to know and how to go about fixing those cramping feet!

 

[sven_inc]

The most common form of scapula winging is often the result of simple mechanical dysfunction at the shoulder and upper back. Through poor, slouchy postures and positions, the muscles and joints of the upper back and shoulder can become stiff, tight, weak, and dysfunctional ultimately shifting the position that the shoulder blade naturally sits at rest. In order to reverse this issue, we need to recognize when and where our good posture deserts us and go after any accumulated dysfunction.

Here’s what to look for and how to essentially reverse a winged scapula!

 

[sven_inc]

Tennis elbow has more to do with subtle neck dysfunction than many realize. If you or someone you know is struggling to shake a persistent tennis elbow, do yourself a favor and check your neck out. It could literally be the missing piece to your lateral epicondylitis puzzle!

 

[sven_inc]

If your knees click, it's important to understand two things. 1. It's likely NOT a consequence of Arthritis. And, 2. There's absolutely something you can (and should) do to change it.

Here's what I find helps to resolve those clicking knees:

 

[sven_inc]

Despite the common perception, basic stretching just doesn’t do the job we expect it to. It certainly doesn’t make you more flexible immediately after doing them. Passively holding a stretch for 30 seconds - as has been the tradition for so long now, doesn’t respect the idea of what muscular tightness actually is.

The majority of muscular tightness is the brain and nervous system’s response to something dysfunctional - whether it be a subtle weakness, a poorly loaded area, a stiff/overloaded joint, poor stability etc. Its not just an elastic structure that's become randomly tight as many think.

With this in mind, the best way to stretch a muscle is via the Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation (PNF) model. This model asks you to actively engage the tight muscle while stretching to bring in your brain and nervous system to the conversation.

Here’s a simple video explaining how to do it and why you should have seriously high expectations of what it can do for you and your flexibility.

 

[sven_inc]

If you suffer from any kind of knee pain or dysfunction, give this simple knee taping technique a go. It can help support the knee in a way that improves the normal loading pattern. Here's how to do it:

 

[sven_inc]

If you have shoulder pain, or just want better functioning shoulders, make sure you give these different banded shoulder exercises a go!

Easily some of the most impactful stretches I've seen as a therapist!

 

[sven_inc]

For those who love to roll out your ITB, here's the most effective way to do so. SPOILERS: It does NOT involve rolling.