I recently asked "If you've ever been injured or stuck in pain - What's your biggest challenge in trying to recover?"Here are the answers people gave: Being patient and allowing my body to heal Knowledge on how best to manage it Not listening to what the doctors say you will never be able to do again The mental part of having to rest up and rehab properly The pressure of having to keep going financially was also mentioned. Do you agree with these answers? Would you add anything else based on ...

You've likely heard of the term 'muscle memory', but is it a real phenomenon or simply a popular myth?There are in fact 2x types of muscle memory: Neurological = Performing movements or actions automatically eg. brushing your teeth, riding a bike, knitting, playing a musical instrument or sport Physiological = The ability of previously trained muscles to regain size and strength faster than initially gaining them The first type is actually slightly misnamed as muscles are the slave of ...

The use of painkillers to keep exercising through the pain barrier is common practice in the fitness world. NSAID's (Non-steroidal anti-inflammatories) are legal in sports and many professional athletes use them routinely to train and compete.  The benefits of exercise for physical and mental health are widely documented, but does taking painkillers in order to stay active start to do more harm than good? There's a study which showed that ultramarathon runners who took Ibuprofen before their ...

Many people assume that getting an X-ray or MRI scan will show them why their back is hurting. But is this actually the case? Actually there's more evidence that having an X-ray or MRI scan can make your outcome worse, especially if it's done within the first 3 months of the pain starting. A recently published study of low back pain patients found that early disc degeneration seen on an MRI scan did NOT predict future pain or disability at a 30 year follow up. However there are times when ...

When it's part of a bigger movement pattern! The reason why pain can linger, despite ALL the treatments, is when that part of the body that's hurting ISN'T the root source of the pain. Humans don't use just 1 muscle at a time and we rarely move only 1 joint in isolation. We use our whole body to create fully integrated movement patterns. Three of those full body movement patterns are the stress reflexes - Green Light, Red Light and Side Trauma reflex. It was one of these stress reflexes that ...

You've got a chronic injury or pain that won't go away. You feel trapped by your pain, and it's controlling your life, dictating what you can do.You're stressed, frustrated and anxious, wondering if life will always be this way or whether you'll ever feel like the old you before you got injured ever again. In my personal and professional experience there is a formula to successfully find relief from chronic pain, and the good news is that everyone is capable of applying it.Here are the 4x ...

A 2020 research paper found that in 3 double-blind, placebo-controlled studies healthy, young adults taking a widely used, over the counter painkiller were more willing to take risks. Acetaminophen, perhaps more commonly known as Paracetamol, is the active analgesic ingredient in familiar painkillers like Tylenol, Panadol and Calpol. According to the results of these 3x studies, acetaminophen seems to reduce risk perception so people don't feel as scared. It's also been shown to reduce both ...

This might be controversial!In my experience many people who see a therapist (physio / osteopath / chiropractor / massage therapist) for back pain, sciatica, or other types of chronic pain or injury remain in pain to some degree.Why?Typically the therapist examines you, does treatments appropriate to their expertise and prescribes you some homework.Now, there are 2 main problems with this scenario: You're a passive participant in the process - the treatments are often done to you with zero ...

Traditional stretching typically involves targeting a single muscle or muscle group. For example, the hamstrings, quadriceps and hip flexors. BUT there's a fundamental flaw in this reasoning, and it's a big one! The brain isn't capable of only moving 1 muscle in total isolation from any others. Movement happens in patterns, involving multiple muscles.  That's why traditional stretching techniques only have a temporary effect on stiffness or muscle tension. Most people notice that they feel ...

If you know why injuries happen you'll have more knowledge to better prevent one from occurring in the first place.Prevention is a less painful and frustrating road than recovering from an injury.Injuries happen when a tissue encounters a big enough load over a period of time to cause structural failure. One of the most common causes of sports injuries is training error: Too much or too little Too often or not often enough Part of a training programme to increase fitness, stamina and strength ...