In Singapore, the number of traffic accidents resulting in injuries increased slightly from 8,058 cases in 2015 to 8,277 cases in 2016. These injuries can have considerable impact on quality of life, and often carry with them not just significant economic costs, but also tremendous personal and social losses. They can diminish quality of life and lead to functional and occupational activity impairments, as well as psychological problems. Fractures of the lower extremities, in particular, have a major impact on functional status and health-related quality of life.The rehabilitation phase is crucial for a good quality of life and outcome among these patients. Even if the injuries are not life threatening and do not need hospitalisation, they can still make a huge impact on the life of the injured person.

How Physiotherapy Helps

Whether someone has sustained a minor injury or multiple fractures, the objectives of physiotherapy are to enable the patient to return to normal, or desired, levels of activity and participation, and to prevent the development of chronic complaints. One common injury resulting from traffic accidents is whiplash. Caused by the sudden back and-forth motion of the head, whiplash can lead to the damage of ligaments, muscles and joints in the neck and head, thus restricting motion of that part of the body. In acute cases, early physiotherapy has been shown to reduce pain and increase cervical movement. Another common injury from road accidents is bone fractures. A bone fracture that doesn’t need surgery will require rest to heal. Depending on the location of the fracture, you will need either bed rest (vertebral fracture) or a cast (arm and leg fracture). But rest means the muscles will atrophy and the connecting joints will stiffen.

Surgeons know that the faster a person can use the affected part of their body, the smaller these negative effects will be, so they will try to create a situation where the joints have room to move and the bone can bear some weight. A stiff joint can make daily life miserable — try brushing your teeth without bending your elbow or walking without bending your knee! Exercise is key to regaining strength, coordination and range of motion. Usually, your doctor will advise you to do some exercises, and which motions you can and can’t do. But when you are experiencing pain, it is difficult to exercise on your own. How often should I do it? How far can I go? Is it normal to feel this amount of pain? To get the best outcome, you need professional guidance from a physiotherapist in this early rehabilitation period. This is crucial if you suffered multiple fractures.

Exercise and Counselling

The most important physical therapy interventions for patients suffering the consequences of an injury after an accident are counselling and exercise.Counselling involves providing support, information and advice. Exercise, when used in rehabilitation, can start with passive movements and mobilization techniques, progressing towards active movement, then strength training and functional exercises.Don’t take lightly the impacts of a road traffic injury. Make sure you achieve optimal results and consult a physiotherapist, who possesses the right knowledge and experience for such rehabilitations.

 

Image credit: Canva Pro 

Ideal Posture

Good posture, or ”neutral spine” is the proper alignment of the body. Deviations from neutral alignment are identified as excessive curvature or reduction in curvature. Ideal posture indicates proper alignment of the body’s segments such that the least amount of energy is required to maintain a desired position and a minimum amount of strain is placed upon the tissues of the body. It is ideal to maintain a neutral spine whether its sitting or standing!

A Common Postural Imbalance

Most postural deviations occur because the muscles that work to hold a joint in place are imbalanced – one muscle group will be too tight and the opposing muscle group is too weak. Muscles that are in a prolonged, or stretched position can’t function properly and lose strength. A muscle in a shortened position will decrease in length, since it is not being used causing muscle tightness.

For example, people with shoulders that hunch forward often have tight pectoral muscles that pull the shoulders forward and rotate them in towards the midline of the body. Pair tight pecs with weak back muscles and you have an imbalance that pulls the shoulder girdle away from its ideal position. When imbalances like these occur, for a prolonged period of time, overactive muscles compensate for underactive muscles, which causes tension, fatigue, discomfort and injuries.

The above described posture – the forward head posture is one of the most common postures these days. This posture leads to a typical imbalance of the upper postural muscles, described by Czech Physician Vladimir Janda as the upper cross syndrome.

This posture starts a domino effect; the head shifts forward, the centre of gravity shifts forward, the upper body shifts backward, and to compensate that, the pelvis tilts forward. The entire spine responds to the change of the head position. The load on the cervical spine increases from 5.4 kg to 19 kg!

Ways to Improve Your Posture

By understanding proper posture, you can learn about your own postural deviations and determine which corrective exercises will work best to improve your alignment. The easiest and most effective way to correct imbalances is to stretch the overactive, short muscles and to strengthen the underactive, weak muscles. With correct alignment and good posture, your muscles will work more efficiently. You can prevent pain and injury, look and feel better.

Pilates is a good form of exercise that can help with postural correction. You can get a postural assessment and work with your instructor to correct your muscle imbalances.

Posture can signal both the enduring characteristics of a person (character, temperament, etc.), and his or her current emotions and attitudes. So, if your health is not enough reason to improve your posture, then the way you look might be?!

The Physiotherapist from The Moving Body can assess your posture and check for imbalances. Contact us at The Moving Body if you feel that you need help with improving your posture or if your misaligned posture has already led to an injury.

All our physiotherapists at The Moving Body are Pilates trained. Pilates is a good form of exercise that can help with postural correction. Our Pilates instructors can also do a postural assessment and work with you to correct your muscle imbalances. The physiotherapists and instructors work closely together and can refer you to each other in case they feel you are better off with the other discipline, to ensure the most optimal outcome for you!

Article written by Nienke Assink, Physiotherapist

 

Image credit: Canva Pro

 

Massage has a long history and was recorded in China from 3,000BC. It has been practiced in various parts of the world from India, Japan. As time evolved, different massage techniques were developed.

Massage is not just an indulgence it has healing properties. The different massage techniques can help with different conditions or just simply for relaxation. A massage can also help complement your exercise or rehabilitation regime.

1. Swedish Massage – Long sweeping strokes with pressures applied at certain points.
2. Aromatherapy Massage – Combines the therapeutic benefits of using essential oils with some Swedish massage techniques.
3. Sports Massage – Medium to hard pressure focusing on muscular releases and stretches. Pre-sports massage helps athletes to prepare their bodies for optimal performance, while post-sports massage helps to normalize the body’s muscular tissues.

Other Forms of Bodywork

1. Manual Lymphatic Drainage (MLD) – Gentle basic strokes known as the “stationary circle”, “pump”, rotary” and “scoop” techniques are designed to manipulate lymph nodes and lymphatic vessels with the goal of increasing their activity and promote the flow of lymph. It is recommended for stress, water retention, post-surgeries, swelling, tiredness, obesity, migraines/headaches.
2. Remedial Therapy – Combination of Swedish massage with neuromuscular technique, muscle energy techniques, soft tissue release and connective tissue massage. It encompasses various advanced massage techniques such as myofascial releases, trigger points releases that are used to treat musculo-skeletal injuries and improve the body’s repair mechanisms. Clients who are experiencing muscle stiffness or previous muscular injuries can choose remedial massage to improve their condition. This form of treatment is tailored to individual needs and varies from customer to customer, especially the common ones such as stiff neck, lower back pain, piriformis syndrome, frozen shoulders, knee pain and plantar fasciitis.

Contra-indications to massage:

1. Skin diseases that are contagious
2. Cancer (require doctor’s clearance)
3. Fever/ Flu
4. Diabetes (partial)
5. Pregnancy (only 2nd trimester and after)

*It is recommended that massages be done by qualified therapists.

 

Image credit: Canva Pro 

Running form is commonly being discussed and debated in the running world today. But how will you know what is the appropriate running form? Here are some useful tips on better running form to be more efficient and therefore reduce your likelihood of injury.

5 Tips for better running form

1. Running Posture:

• Stand tall with torso upright with toes pointing outwards.
• Shoulders should be low and relaxed.
• Run with head up and gaze ahead, don’t look down at feet.
• Elbows 90o and imagine you’re carrying a potato chip in each hand without crushing it.

2. Optimal Cadence:

• Ideally your foot should be striking the floor 180 per min.
• This reduces your ground contact time and reduces injury risk.
• Less time on the ground, mean less energy needed to propel forward thus making you more efficient.
• To calculate, count your right foot strike for 20s and multiply by 6.
• Run light and avoid pounding.

3. Avoid heel striking:

• Heel striking is simply explained as your hips behind your feet.
• Slow cadence is often linked with heel-striking.
• Heel striking makes it very difficult to push off because your foot is in front of your hips. Your hips should be over your feet in order to propel forward.
• Heel striking and over striding lead to breaking and increases risk of injury.
• Mid foot landing is optimal for running, so attempt to land more midfoot rather than heel or forefoot. Forefoot running can lead to strained calves or Achilles injuries.

4. Increase joint mobility:

• Decreased range of motion at a joint can limit your speed, reducing your cadence thus increasing risk of injury.
• If there is a restriction in mobility in the lower limb when running, then there is a higher risk of injury.
• Full mobility is needed to run fast and efficiently.
• Joints that need full range motion for running are: the thoracic spine, the hips and the ankles.

5. Lean:

• Momentum is important in running in order to propel you forward. This can be achieved through forward lean.
• If you lean from your ankles without bending at the waist you generate increased momentum when running.
• This allows you to use gravity to your advantage and propel you forward and minimises bouncing up and down during running.
• Flexing at the ankle reduces the unnecessary strain caused during toe off.

Exercises to do to improve your running form:

1. Posture: Clasp hands and reach overhead to try to reset posture prior to running. Stand up against a wall with heels against the wall and try keep head, spine and heels against the wall.
2. Cadence: Calculate your cadence and try to increase it to between 170-180 strides per min whilst taking shorter and lighter strides.
3. Midfoot: March on the spot with emphasis on midfoot landing underneath your hips rather than in front.
4. Mobility: work on some running specific mobility exercises to mobilise the thoracic spine, hips and ankles before your run, but focus on static muscle stretches after your run.
5. Lean: work on ankle mobility exercises to increase the range of motion. Then practice leaning your body weight forward in a straight line whilst standing.

 

Image credit: Canva Pro

Physiotherapy dates all the way back to 460 BC, with Hippocrates advocating the use of massage, manual therapy and hydrotherapy to treat those with bone and muscle-related disabilities. Physiotherapists have come a long way since then, with specialists in neuro-muscular disorders, heart and lung-related disorders, and paediatrics. At the end of the day, we are experts in muscles, bones, their neurological connections, and exercises.

Physiotherapists are commonly consulted to rectify aches and pains. These may be secondary to an injury, or may have developed for no apparent reason. Interestingly enough, most patients complain of back and neck pains, which “just woke up in the morning”. Questions on their lifestyle (at home, work and recreation), coupled with a musculoskeletal assessment, give clues as to what may have happened.

Such “random” pains seem to be largely due to anomalies in posture and alignment. These irregularities may occur due to unequal forces applied on the skeletal system, for example, repeatedly using one side more than the other.

This got me thinking — what if the muscular imbalances were identified in advance? Addressing these differences would thus prevent seemingly innocent movements from triggering such aches and pains. Muscular weaknesses and tightness could be used to PREDICT the development of postural anomalies, misalignments and points of degeneration (in weight—bearing joints).

I believe that today, the role of the physiotherapist is not restricted to pain management alone. It is also to PREVENT the deleterious effects of an imbalanced musculo-skeletal system.

Over the next three months, we will discuss the concept of Preventive Physiotherapy in the following areas:

1. Degenerative diseases (osteoarthritis,spondylitis)

2. Slipped disc

3. Before pregnancy and postnatal

In the meantime, move holistically! Consult one of our physiotherapists to identify your muscle imbalances and rectify them.

Article written by Aparna Shah, Physiotherapist

 

Image credit: Canva Pro

 

We caught up with our Senior Instructor Audrey, founder of The Moving Body Group and also a Master Trainer to share her experience with Pilates and the history of The Moving Body Group.

 

1. Can you share with us what got you started with Pilates?
I began my journey in Pilates when I began to suffer from back pain in 2002 when I was working as a fitness coordinator in one of the major gyms in Singapore. I was teaching between 6 – 7 high impact gym classes a week. That was when I discovered that I had a scoliosis and that the excessive high impact exercise was causing compression in my lower back.

2. What made you want to start The Moving Body?
I wanted to offer a solution to people who were suffering from physical injuries and conditions that were looking for an alternative answer besides surgery or medication. The Moving Body is all about the fact that when one has an injury or condition, resting and not moving is not always the answer but moving the right way can actually improve one’s physical, mental and emotional wellbeing.

3. I understand that you are already a Master Trainer, could you share what this means and what it takes to be a Master Trainer?
I often feel awkward to use the word Master trainer in relation to myself as it makes me sound like I know it all but in fact I find that I still have a lot to learn and always will be learning from others around me, even my students.
I have a passion for teaching and mentoring young instructors. I went through the journey myself of being a fitness instructor, from teaching general fitness classes to the role of a Pilates instructor where I was teaching people exercises that would be more corrective to their posture and this had large effects on their daily lives.
Being a Pilates instructor is not about teaching exercises alone to your clients, in many ways you need to address the mental and emotional state of your clients too. My mission is to educate young Pilates instructors that they are not exercise instructors alone, they play a more holistic role in their clients’ lives.

4. Since you started doing Pilates to now being a Master Trainer, what have you learnt throughout the years? What advice would you give to people that are hesitant about Pilates?
You would never know unless you try!

5. Tell us more about yourself when you are not teaching
I am a busy mum to my young active children, I like to bake because it calms me. I like that baking requires patience, precision and practice which are qualities that are important in life.

6. Aims and goals for the future both on a personal level and also for the company.
I want to achieve better work life balance both for myself and for our clients. We will look into offering new Pilates programs at our studios so that the whole family can enjoy together.

Fitness is an important aspect any sport, as much as nutrition and diet is. Sports therapy came into existence to cater to a need of sports professionals exclusively. Depending on the kind of sport, the possible injuries and their consequences are many. Hence, it is important to have specialized therapists who understand the injury, the why and how of it and what can be done to prevent or treat it. So, a sports therapist is a professional who specializes in preventing and treating sports related injuries.

The sports therapist job profile 

What all can a sports therapist help you with? They could guide you to excel in your chosen sport, by avoiding the possible injuries associated with it. If any injury happens, they are fully qualified to provide you first aid. They are also competent to provide you long term assistance in terms of training support, specialist advice and treatment to suit your sport, appropriate massages etc.

They can also help you get back to your normal training and competitive state, in case you are injured in any way as they know best, what’s good for you. In short, a sports therapist is like a true partner for a professional sportsman in order to keep going and be successful in their field of sport.

Why it is important to find the right ones? 

Many people mistake sports therapy for mere physiotherapy, whereas this is much beyond that. If you choose the wrong person as your sports therapist, then you could end up with more trouble than you bargained for. It could cost you more psychologically, physically as well as financially, if you make a wrong choice. It is important to find proper, certified and trained sports therapists who really understand the principles of sport and can guide you properly.

This is where The Moving Body Group can make a huge difference. The sports therapists here are fully qualified to help you out and guide you and help you with your training and rehabilitation needs. They can efficiently handle all the common muscular complaints such as mobility problems, back pain, postural issues, etc. They can work out your fitness schedule that is meant to get you back to your full performance in the optimum time. It is important not to do it a rushed manner and many athletes may end up making this mistake, thus worsening the injury.

The benefit of engaging with a sports therapist

Here is a list of specialized treatment options that sports therapists Singapore can help you with for your fitness and performance benefits.

• Specialized sports massage
• Muscle strengthening and stretching techniques
• Taping (Strapping)
• Core stability training
• Proprioception training

To know more about these and how you can sign up and benefit from these, visit contact us here and talk to the experts. They are highly customer centric and can listen and guide you to choose the best possible way forward.

 

Image credit: Canva Pro

Pain in the lower back has become a common complaint. We hear everyone from 11-year old children to 80-year old grandparents complain of lower back pain. A survey conducted by the Back Society of Singapore shows that 1 out of every 5 Singaporeans suffer from either a back or neck pain. The same study indicates that 1 out of 10 Singaporeans experienced such pain at least once a month. That is a very high incidence rate.

What are the effects of this pain?

1. Restriction of movement
2. Restriction of functionality and participation in recreational sporting activities
3. Reduced participation in social, community and family events
4. An awareness of the fragility of the back
5. Feelings of being old

While the pain can be physically debilitating, it can have an even more profound effect on the mental and emotional well-being of the individual. An inability to physically keep up with one’s peers may result in feelings of inadequacy. Depression is often seen as a “complication” of a chronic pain (pain that lasts for more than 3 months). Thus the saying

“You are only as young as your spine is flexible.”
-Joseph Pilates

What prolongs an acute lower back pain and makes it chronic?

We all have our tool kits to manage back pain – Yoko Yoko, stretches, “tui na”. Most of these remedies address lower back spasms. Reduction in pain is considered good; and a reason to return to functional and recreational activities with full vigour. Until the next attack of lower back pain.

So here’s the interesting thing about lower back pain – every time the body experiences such pain, the core muscles “switch off” a little and they just don’t switch back on. Even when the pain disappears. We lift, carry and run and the pain reappears. A vicious cycle of pain and no pain is started off. This is when an acute pain becomes a chronic pain.

What do the core muscles have to do with breaking this cycle?

The core muscles are situated between the diaphragm (breathing muscle that separates the ribs from the abdomen) and the pelvic floor. These muscles

• Stabilise the lower back and pelvis
• Even transmission of weight from the upper body to the lower body, thus preventing this weight from getting “stuck” in the lower back

Training these core muscles to activate at the right time and in the correct ratio will thus form a strong foundation for efficient movements; thus breaking the pain cycle.

What is effective core training?

Core muscles (Diaphragm, Pelvic Floor, Transversus Abdominus, Multifidus) are always working. If they didn’t work, we would just be a pile of bones. Thus they don’t need to be “switched on.” These muscles need to be trained to vary their levels of activation based on the load that is being placed on the trunk.

Thus core training would involve the following in different functional activities:

• Teaching the Pelvic Floor to switch on JUST before the Transversus Abdominus and Multifidus
• Teaching the Pelvic Floor how to respond to the Diaphragm

What is effective core strengthening?

Loading a core that has been taught to activate in a timely manner and in the right ratios for all functional activities.

How do we stop lower back pain from recurring?

By doing specific core training exercises before rushing into core strengthening exercises.

Interested to find out more about our Singapore Physiotherapist or our Pilates services? Call us today!

 

Image credit: Canva Pro

 

A top-notch physiotherapist in Singapore is invaluable to improve the well-being of every patient. For physiotherapy centre, having a professional physiotherapist can help boost the reputation of the business. But the question remains, “what makes a first-rate physiotherapist?” Physiotherapists are specialists in the body movement, helping patients recover from joint or muscle dysfunction caused by wear and tear, disability, ageing or accidents.

Being a physiotherapist is not only about completing a diploma or undergoing several training programs, though these are very important. Aside from excellent skills, a good physiotherapist must have an engaging manner, patient-centred focus and dedication to the profession in order to provide the best result to all their patients.

The following attributes make a quality physiotherapist stand out from the rest.

Balanced approach

Just like other health practitioners, a physiotherapist should have the right balance of firmness and care to each of his or her patients. A top physiotherapist will be caring and sensitive in approach while adhering strictly to the treatment processes which need to be taken for the patient to recover faster. For some lazy patients, these types of physiotherapists can be annoying or uncomfortable to work with since they will seriously stand firm on the right steps of the treatment. However, they will ensure that the patient will get the best possible results of the treatment.

Works as part of a network

A reliable Singapore physiotherapist fully understands that most of the patients require a strong support framework around them. Depending on the case of the patients, some might require allied health professionals, medical specialist, and general practitioner throughout the course of physiotherapy treatment. The support of any of these health professionals is very important to monitor the improvement of the patient. Being a good team player is likewise important for any physiotherapist working within a health practice to ensure proper communication with colleagues, admin, and reception in order to operate with great efficiency. If a physiotherapist doesn’t communicate with other staff, how can they provide the best treatment?

Patient-centred focus

Sometimes, you might find physiotherapists who are not that dedicated to helping their patients get well, especially if the patient doesn’t have the motivation to do the treatment. If the patient says he or she doesn’t want to perform a particular exercise, the physiotherapist will just nod and follow what the patient wants. Meanwhile, a good physiotherapist works with the “whole person” and not just on areas where the problem exists like back, shoulder or leg. To diagnose properly and come up with the right solution, the physiotherapist will be keen to know more about other factors in the patient’s life which can contribute to the problem. It is essential for a physiotherapist to investigate the problem instead of just treating the symptoms, which might return if not addressed properly. In general, the primary focus of the physiotherapist is to find the best possible solution to his or her patient’s problem and help them recover in less possible time.

Dedicated to professional development

Ongoing professional development is one key to becoming a successful physiotherapist. This is why many physiotherapists in Singapore continue taking up training and seminars in physiotherapy to stay at the top of their field. They grab further training opportunities and seek mentors or more experienced professionals who can help them in their career development.

 

Image credit: Canva Pro