However, when I ask my female patients if they do their pelvic floor exercises, most have heard that they should be doing them, but they are unsure whether they are doing them correctly or would like more information how to do them.

When I ask my male patients, they are far less informed about the pelvic floor, even though it is very important for them too.

So what is the pelvic floor and what does it do?

The pelvic floor is a muscle that forms a broad sling in your pelvis.

The function of the pelvic floor muscles are:

· To support the pelvic organs (eg. Bladder, uterus, rectum)

· To control the outlets ie. Urethra, vagina, anus.

· Sexual function

Our pelvic floor muscles can become weaker due to lack of exercise, the menopause, as a result of chronic constipation or a chronic cough, being overweight, persistent heavy lifting, pregnancy and childbirth.

Weak muscles give you less control and you may leak urine (urinary incontinence) especially with exercise or when you cough, sneeze or laugh. It can also give you reduced sensitivity during sex or may contribute to difficulty controlling wind and bowel function.

Pelvic floor exercises can improve this condition. Like any other muscles in the body, the more you use and exercise them, the stronger the pelvic floor will be.

A physiotherapist can teach you how to activate your pelvic floor correctly, and teach you a program that builds endurance of the muscle and helps them react more quickly when, for example, you sneeze or cough. They can also provide tips and advice on lifestyle changes that will help with the condition.

So, women AND men – you don’t have to accept problems arising from the issues with weakened pelvic floor muscles!!

Sites worth checking out:

http://www.holditsister.com/

http://www.continence.org.au/

http://www.womhealth.org.au/factsheets/urinaryincontinence.htm

Image 1 from: Image: Ambro / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Image 2 from: Image: Ambro / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Image 3 from: Image: photostock / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

About World Physical Therapy Day

World Physical Therapy Day falls on 8th September every year, and is an opportunity for physiotherapists from all over the world to raise awareness about the crucial role their profession plays in making and keeping people well, mobile and independent. The day was established in 1996, by the World Confederation for Physical Therapy – the profession’s global body representing over 300,000 physiotherapists in 101 countries.

This September, the United Nations will also hold its first ever summit on non-communicable disease – only the second such meeting to focus on global disease. The summit is an official recognition that non-communicable diseases (cardiovascular diseases, chronic respiratory diseases, diabetes and cancer) are an increasing global health challenge. Our profession helps millions of people every year to prevent these conditions. This summit provides an opportunity for physiotherapists around the world to use World Physical Therapy Day on 8th September to demonstrate the enormous contribution of physiotherapy in countering non-communicable disease (NCDs).

What do physiotherapists do?

Physiotherapists are experts in developing and maintaining people’s ability to move and function throughout their lives. With an advanced understanding of how the body moves and what keeps it from moving well, they promote wellness, mobility and independence. They treat and prevent many problems caused by pain, illness, disability and disease, sport and work related injuries, ageing and long periods of inactivity.

Physiotherapists work with people affected by a wide range of conditions and symptoms, for example:

• painful conditions such as arthritis, repetitive strain injury, neck and back pain
• cancer
• strokes, Parkinson’s disease and spinal cord injury
• heart problems
• cystic fibrosis and cerebral palsy
• trauma, such as road traffic accidents and landmines
• incontinence

They work in a variety of settings, including hospitals, health centres, sports centres, education and research centres, hospices and nursing homes, rural and community settings.

Here are some examples of how physiotherapists make a difference. They:

• use their skills to treat the underlying causes of pain and limitations in movement and function
• use many treatment approaches to help individuals regain their mobility and maximise their potential
• promote healthy lifestyles and exercise
• treat each patient/client as an individual and thoroughly assess them to identify their needs
• treat sports injuries and promote safe and healthy activities
• work with children with coordination, balance and other movement problems to improve and maximise their independence.

To achieve all this, physiotherapists are educated over several years, giving them a full knowledge of the body’s systems and the skills to treat a wide range of problems. This education is usually university-based and at a level that provides full professional recognition and allows them to practise independently. Continuing education ensures that they keep up to date with the latest advances in research and practice. Many physiotherapists are engaged in research themselves.

The BOSU® Balance Trainer was developed in 2000 and has since become extremely popular in exercise and rehabilitation because it integrates several training aspects:

1)      Core Stabilization and Neutral Spinal Posture http://www.bosu.com/images/CoreStabilizationan%20NeutralPosture.pdf

2)      Functional Training http://www.bosu.com/images/UnderstandingandDefiningFunctionalTraining.pdf

3)      Balance Training

 http://www.bosu.com/images/TheScienceBehindBalanceTraining.pdf

This makes the BOSU a perfect tool for injury prevention and management.

Joe showed us how versatile, fun and challenging (!) the BOSU ball can be. He took us through a series of exercises, each set focusing of different aspects of the body. These included:

1)      Legs

2)      Chest/arms

3)      Back

4)      Balance

5)      Core/trunk

6)      Abdominals

7)      Flexibility 

Each exercise has the option of new challenges for continued progression.

The session taught us that the BOSU ball can be used in hundreds of different ways and is suitable for everyone – no matter what age or ability.

Bobbie- Jo and I are looking forward to using the BOSU more with our clients and seeing fantastic results! 

Check out Joe’s website…

http://www.inspiretrainers.com/

Ankle sprains, ankle sprains, how common they are!
As common as having a Toyota Rav car!

Football pitch, netball court or falling down stairs,
There is no avoiding those terrible tears!

Swelling, bruising, unable to walk,
it can be so painful that you can’t even talk. 

Well, there is a solution to help you along,
It’s called physio, so your symptoms don’t prolong.

Shown to improve outcomes and speed up recovery,
We will get you back to action, on the road of discovery!

Best seen in the first week, this is the key,
To ensure that the result is a ‘whooopee’!

So remember one thing, the next time you fall,
Whilst playing soccer or on a pub crawl,

There is only one possible notion,
The best thing to do is come to Pivotal Motion!

The Reading Centre Newmarket , situated on the corner of Enoggera Road and Newmarket Road, is a fantastic shopping centre which opened in 2005. The centre contains around 40 stores, including a Coles Supermarket, post office, bank, coffee shops, eateries and several specialty shops. There is a large car park downstairs which is free and always has spaces, so there is no need to worry about where to park like there is in the city! Pivotal Motion Physiotherapy is on the 1^st floor of the centre, above Vinnie’s coffee shop, with easy access either by stairs of lift.

There are several methods of transport you can use to reach us.

Via Train: Newmarket Railway Station and Wilston station provide access to regular Citytrain services on the Ferny Grove railway line arranging travel to the Brisbane CBD, Beenleigh and Ferny Grove.

Via Bus: Newmarket is serviced by Brisbane Transport buses to Chermside, Mitchelton and to The City.

Here are some of the main bus routes:

• Bus 390, stopping at 15/14, Enoggera Rd far side of Newmarket Rd,
• Bus 345 – Cultural Centre Buz Via City 345 stopping at 15/14, Enoggera Rd far side of Newmarket Rd
• Bus 325 – Cityxpress 325 stopping at Newmarket Station
• Bus 353 – City Via Mcdowall 353 Abuklea Street stopping at 19, Lamont Rd approaching Newmarket Rd
• Bus 360 stopping at 20, Enoggera Rd (approaching Newmarket Rd)
• Bus 373 stopping at 57 Enoggera Rd far side of Edmonstone St
• Bus 372 stopping at 15/14, Enoggera Rd far side of Newmarket Rd

Via Road: Newmarket’s main arterials are Enoggera Road which is the main corridor for motorists travelling to The City and Alderley, as well as Newmarket Road which is the main corridor for motorists travelling to Lutwyche.

Via Bike: If you have been inspired by my recent blog on cycling to work then there are several bike routes. Enoggera Creek, which forms the southern boundary of Newmarket, contains a linear park and bikeway off the roads. Click on this link for a map of the bike routes:

http://www.brisbane.qld.gov.au/bccwr/facilities/documents/bike_map_5.pdf

Pivotal Motion is the perfect place to get to for your next physiotherapy appointment!

1 in 5 people in Australia have arthritis, a disease that causes major pain and disability, as well as significant emotional and social implications and affecting quality of life. It costs the economy billions every year.

At Pivotal Motion Physiotherapy we see people every day who have arthritis – it affects people of all ages and from all walks of life, including children. Arthritis is not an inevitable part of getting older.

Arthritis is often referred to as a single disease. However, it is an umbrella term for more than 100 different types of arthritis. It is a condition that affects the musculoskeletal system, specifically at a joint. Most forms of arthritis are thought to be a reaction of the body against its own joint tissues.

The three most significant – osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis and gout – account for more than 95 per cent of cases in Australia. Other common forms of arthritis are:

• Ankylosing spondylitis
• Juvenile arthritis
• Systemic lupus erythematosus (lupus)
• Scleroderma

People with arthritis often have pain, stiffness, inflammation and damage to joint cartilage and surrounding structures. This can lead to joint weakness, instability and deformities that can interfere with the most basic daily tasks such as walking, driving a car and preparing food.

There is no cure as yet, but there is a lot that can be done to manage the disease. Research has shown that exercise is one of the best forms of treatment. Rest can make pain and other symptoms much worse. That is why Pivotal Motion Physiotherapy is offering a free exercise class this week, worth $15! Come along to one of our Strength and Balance Classes and see how much fun you can have, whilst also learning how to manage your arthritis more easily.

Go to Arthritis Australia’s website (www.arthritisaustralia.com.au) which provides information and support for people with arthritis and also their friends and families.

I have previously been a cycling commuter, when living in London for 4 years. However, the main reason for that was that I hated getting on the tubes, squashed in under someone’s armpit, and it was a faster way to get to work. It was also very cold, and at times I would wear virtually the entire kit I would wear when snowboarding in the Alps – balaclava and all.

So, I felt that the challenge was again possible; I mean the sun shines on average 300 days a year here in Brisbane… yet I was not looking forward to it for some reason. I had spent time and money on shipping my bike thousands of miles across the world, yet was hesitant. I think my main concern was that I felt the drivers here in Brisbane were not ‘cyclist aware’ – they don’t give you much space on the road and are not particularly used to having commuting cyclists on the road. This is in contrast to London, where although there are far more cars, there are also far more cyclists and you can’t help but be aware of them!

Well – I have to admit that all my worrying/moaning was unnecessary. I have been reminded about the benefits and enjoyment of cycling, and getting to work feeling fresh and ready to go. That feeling of satisfaction and even the fun of cycling!

There are heaps of reasons why more people should cycle to work. I am sure you know them all but here is a reminder.

Obviously there are great health benefits. Cyclists typically have a level of fitness equivalent to being 10 years younger (1). One study found that cyclists actually live longer (2). A study by Anderson at al (2000) took place in Copenhagen, Denmark over 14.5 years. It found that cycling to work (an average of 3 hours cycling per week) decreased risk of mortality by about 40% compared to a sedentary control group. This study involved 30,000 people. The study took into account age, health status, and socio-economic factors such as education. It also found that older people gained even more from physical activity than younger people. The full report can be found at:

http://archinte.ama-assn.org/issues/v160n11/full/ioi90593.htm

I like to run, cycle, do Pilates and yoga, yet cycling offers a different form of exercise. It provides interval training with all the hills around in Brisbane which is great for cardiovascular fitness and reducing your risk of coronary heart disease. It is low impact on your joints, and it provides you with an important daily dose of Vitamin D (just wear your sunscreen). It also builds stamina as well as those very important calories! It is such an easy way of getting your 30 minutes of exercise a day. You also can’t ignore the importance of general well-being and I really think cycling offers this. Cycling is less stressful than driving, and can be very relaxing. For a long time researchers have found a link between exercise and treating depression, and studies have also looked at the specific mental health benefits of cycling.

For more information on these benefits, take a look at Kate Mytanwy’s website. She has spent many years working in Mental Health in Australia, and has written several pieces on suicide prevention and the promotion of physical activity for mental health reasons. Her article, ‘Get a buzz from a bike’, surveys both clinical and non-clinical studies into depression and cycling. The full story can be found at: http://www.depressionet.com.au/articles/exercise.html

I have also found that I am much more aware of my surroundings on the bike. Instead of getting into the car and putting the radio on, I instead take note of the sounds and sights along the way, being aware of the bird song, weather and noticing shops, cafes, places that I have never seen before. It is great thinking time too. Cycling has numerous advantages that can directly affect quality of life, as it provides benefits both physically and emotionally.

Now, if these benefits don’t tempt you, then the cost benefits might! The money you save in not using your car or paying for petrol should pay for the bike within a year. The pleasure you can take in knowing that you are doing your little bit for the environment should make you smile too. As a society, cycling reduces noise, pollution, and danger.

Some people worry about getting to work sweaty and taking their clothes with them in a bag. I don’t have access to a shower at work, and never have. I don’t really find this to be a problem though. I shower before I leave and I pack my clothes, folded, into a pannier (a bag that clips onto the side of the bike). This means my back doesn’t get sweaty and I find it easier to cycle with than a backpack. I know some people drive once a week and take all their clothes for the week in on that day – just another option.

I would love Brisbane to be much more ‘cyclist aware’. Safe though cycling is by comparison with other common activities, it has been shown that cycling becomes safer still the more people who do it – for a doubling in cycle use, risk decreases by a third (3)(4). So, get cycling!!

There are several good websites if you are keen to get started cycling to work, check them out for more information on getting started:

http://ride2work.com.au/

http://changelog.complete.org/archives/716-how-to-start-bicycling-to-work

http://www.bikeradar.com/fitness/article/top-tips-for-cycling-to-work-29900/

Let me know your cycling stories too.

References:

1) Tuxworth W et al. Health, fitness, physical activity and morbidity of middle aged male factory workers. British Journal of Industrial Medicine vol 43. pp 733-753, 1986.

2) Anderson, Lars Bo “All-Cause Mortality Associated With Physical Activity During Leisure Time, Work, Sports and Cycling to Work” Archives of Internal Medicine Vol 160 No. 11 June 12, 2000.

3) Jacobsen PL. Safety in numbers: more walkers and bicyclists, safer walking and bicycling. Injury Prevention, 2003;9:205-209.

4) Robinson DL. Safety in numbers in Australia: more walkers and bicyclists, safer walking and bicycling. Health Promotion Journal of Australia, 2005;16:47-51.

I had been warned to take my thermals, and I needed them! The championships were in Gawler, on the edge of the Barossa and it was pretty chilly down there! There was no time for wine tasting however, with 130 athletes to look after with games running from 8.30am to 1am on some days!!

Many of these athletes are with the QAS (Queensland Academy of Sport) and several are even AIS athletes (Australian Institute of Sport) who had travelled up from Canberra for the event, where they live and go to school whilst having daily coaching and training. These juniors are the future of volleyball.

Injuries were plentiful, with teams playing 1-2 games a day for 6 days. I treated lots of sore backs and over used shoulders, jumper’s knees, sprained ankles, thumbs and fingers. Unfortunately, one player broke his thumb (check out the photo below). However, I was lucky to be working alongside great physiotherapists from all over Australia, making friends and also learning lots from those who have been in the sports industry for many years.

I was extremely impressed with which the spirit of the tournament was carried out and how well all the athletes performed. They gave 100% effort throughout the whole week, even when feeling sore and tired.

The efforts paid off as Queensland won 3 Gold medals; the U21 Women’s, the U21 Men’s and U19 Women’s. They also came back with the Presidents Cup – a great victory!! Go Queensland!

These guys can jump high! Match shows NZ vs QLD U21’s.

can you tell which one is broken?

Looking forward to my next adventure – Lydia Bartram