5 SmartMoves - Tired or Tipsy?, Stress Less, “fear” our own worst enemy, injury nutrition, Bosu Ball Basics & more

Are you drunk? Or just had a bad sleep?

We've all experienced it - that feeling of fogginess when we don’t get a good night sleep. Staring at the clock rather than focusing on the task at hand.

Poor sleeping habits can reduce reaction time and lead to poor decision making. 17 hours without sleep has been shown to have the same effect on general cognition as a blood alcohol level of 0.05 (just on the legal limit to drive) 28 hours without sleep was found to be the equivalent of 0.1%. Think of what the cumulative effect of numerous sleepless nights will have on your brain function. Reaction times were found to be down by 50% in some subjects.

Some of the decisions made when sleep deprived may be similar to those made after we’ve had a few drinks – like searching for that late night kebab or pizza delivery!

Another study found that when surgeons got less than 6 hours of sleep, the likelihood of surgical complications would increase. If you ever do need surgery, ask your surgeon how well they sleep!

How massage can help during pregnancy

 

Pregnancy massage has become increasingly popular over recent years with more and more women turning to massage for relaxation and muscle tension relief during their pregnancy. Pregnancy can put a lot of stress on the body which can cause significant discomfort and may also be quite draining.

Pregnancy massage involves many massage techniques that are going to benefit the mother by using a level of sensitivity and gentleness by the therapist which factors in the baby as well. It is also great for improving blood flow & lymphatic drainage which can help with swelling of the leg’s ankles and feet.

Pregnancy massage differs from normal massage in a few different ways including how we make accommodations for your positioning on the table to ensure that we are always protecting the baby. We will position you on your side propped up with pillows and well draped to keep you warm and comfortable while on the table.

While we may be able to use deeper pressure in areas distant from your stomach like your shoulders the overall pressure may be lighter than usual which creates a very relaxing and calming massage experience and leaves you feeling nurtured, serene and tension free.

If you are thinking about a pregnancy massage and still unsure, have a chat to your doctor or come in and see our trained massage therapist Candice who can talk you through everything that you need to know.

Candice Smart

Fear - the greatest barrier to a life without pain

The Fear Avoidance Model has become a hot topic in physio circles as our understanding of pain science deepens. This model above is a great way we can start to understand chronic pain a little better, especially for the most common chronic pain experience in our community, chronic lower back pain.

Simply put this model illustrates the two pathways we can journey on once we succumb to injury. If we stay in a positive mindset and confront the injury with belief systems centered on resilience and independence we will reach our recovery goals quicker! Alternatively, if we follow the pain experience down the path of pain catastrophizing we may get stuck in the fear avoidance loop. Misinterpreting or catastrophizing pain then leads to fear which then leads to avoidance and hypervigilance and then further down the path towards disuse, disability and depression. Ultimately leading to a reduced threshold for how pain is felt and interpreted.

Alas, the vicious cycle repeats itself. This is a psychological understanding, much like how we understand depression, however now applicable to how we understand and process physical pain. Within this vicious cycle lies the stigma and myths associated with lower back pain and can often prevent people from moving out of this loop towards recovery. With our expertise at SmartMoves Physio, we see the patterns that emerge, the stories that people tell themselves, its our job to show people the path towards recovery and turn fear into hope and confidence. As many have come before you in the exact same position, you are unique though not alone in your experience and your body is more resilient and stronger than you think!

Sam Mullany

Eating and Diet whilst recovering from injury

Nutritional intake is an important factor when recovering from injury. Due to the simple fact that your body needs to use more energy for the physiological processes of healing it is important to consume more energy (calories) than your usual diet (prior to injury). How much you ask? Well your body with roughly use up 1.4x more energy whilst recovery from injury than when uninjured. So as a rough guide make sure you are getting in at least 20% more calories than pre-injury or your “normal”.

Not only is it important to increase energy intake when recovering from injury it is important to match macro and micro nutrients to your injury. For example, if you have suffered from a muscular injury, lets say a hamstring tear, it is important to consume higher levels of protein, fats and carbs as opposed to a bone injury which you may consider consuming more calcium, vitamin D and iron. All in all, just like mum said, eat ya veggies! Vitamin C is another one micronutrient which is really helpful at managing the inflammation associated with your injury.

Sam Mullany

Bosu Ball Basics