Blog Page – Page 8 – Precision Health Spine and Sports Clinic

23AugAugust 23, 2018

Peripheral Neuropathy

We have talked in the past about the the central nervous system in “You’ve got a Nerve”. In that blog we touched briefly on the Autonomic and Peripheral Nervous Systems. Sometimes, one or more of the nerves in the Peripheral Nervous System are damaged, and this condition is known as Peripheral Neuropathy. There are many potential causes, and the symptoms vary depending on the location and number of nerves affected.

Peripheral Neuropathy is the result of damage to your peripheral nerves and can affect one nerve (mononeuropathy), multiple nerves in more than one location (multiple mononeuropathy) or many nerves (polyneuropathy). Generally, it is the hands and feet that are affected by this condition.

Causes

There are a wide range of possible causes for Peripheral Neuropathy. Damage to the nerves may be caused by trauma such as an accident or injury, by pressure such as wearing a cast or brace, or by repetitive activities such as typing.

Environmental factors may include exposure to toxic substances like heavy metals, alcoholism, and vitamin deficiencies, particularly vitamins B, E and Niacin. Some medications – like chemotherapy – can also cause peripheral neuropathy.

Infections, tumors, bone marrow disorders and a range of auto-immune diseases like lupus and rheumatoid arthritis can also be responsible. Inherited disorders such as Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease are also linked to peripheral neuropathy Perhaps the single most common cause of peripheral neuropathy is Diabetes.

Symptoms

Every nerve in your body has a specific function, so symptoms will be dependent upon which nerves are affected. In the hands and feet, these are likely to be the sensor nerves (feeling temperature, pain and touch) and the motor nerves (controlling muscle movement). Symptoms might include:

numbness or tingling in your hands and feet, even spreading up your arms and legs
Extreme sensitivity to touch
Pain – which may be burning, freezing, sharp, throbbing or jabbing
Lack of co-ordination – falling, difficulty in picking things up
Weakness – lack of strength in feet and hands

When Peripheral Neuropathy is present, complications can arise from the lack of strength and sensation in your hands and feet:

You may not feel injuries like burns or cuts. This can lead to infections, particularly in your feet where you may not see them.
You may have trouble with your balance if you do not have good feeling in your feet, particularly on uneven ground. You may even have trouble driving, as your sensitivity to the accelerator and the brake may be limited.
Weakness in your hands may cause clumsiness, affecting your fine motor skills and reducing your ability to lift anything with weight, like a kettle or saucepan.

Treatment

Initially, it is important to address the underlying cause of potential Peripheral Neuropathy before it begins to affect your nerves if at all possible. Managing conditions like Diabetes will help reduce the likelihood of developing this condition.

Maintaining a healthy diet, avoiding smoking and alcohol and getting sufficient exercise will all help in both managing the underlying condition and reducing the impact of Peripheral Neuropathy.

Treatment options to manage the symptoms may include using a TENS Machine (Transcutaneous Nerve Stimulation), casts, splints or orthotics, acupuncture, massage and chiropractic treatment.

If Peripheral Neuropathy is affecting your feet and legs, it is vital to make regular visits to a Podiatrist who will help you manage any motor issues and ensure your feet are free of secondary injuries and infections.

If you have been experiencing any numbness, tingling, pain or weakness and your hands, feet, arms or legs call our Baulkham Hills Clinic today on 9639 7337 to make an appointment to discuss your symptoms and treatment.

By adminacupuncture, chiro, podiatry, wellbeing0 Comments

21AugAugust 21, 2018

Make the most of your Massage

When our patients come out of a massage we often hear “I wish I could have one every week!”. Whilst we are more than happy to see out patients every week for a massage, it does get difficult for them to find in the time – not to mention it would get pretty expensive.

So how do you feel like you have had a massage when you haven’t? Well, you can’t really. But there are some things you can do to extend the therapeutic benefits of your massage, which is almost the next best thing.

Drinking

No, sorry. Not wine or beer. Or even coffee. WATER. Drink plenty of water before and after your massage. Massaging helps release toxins from your muscles, which then move into the lymphatic system. The best way to keep them moving all the way through is with water. 8 glasses if you can.

Stretching

Massage heats up your muscles much as a warm-up would. So right after a massage is a good time to do some stretching exercises. You will achieve a nice deep, effective stretch, and help continue that relaxed feel a massage provides.

Moving

Sometimes muscles feel stiff and sore after a massage. Light exercise, like walking, can help alleviate both by keeping the joints mobile and the blood flowing.

Soaking

A good old-fashioned Epsom Salts bath can do wonders after a deep tissue massage! Watch the temperature (not too hot), especially if you have a specific injury with swelling or inflammation. And whilst I would love to be able to say try a nice glass of wine – no. Stick to water!

Rolling

If you have a particular area or muscle that gives you trouble, talk to your therapist about whether a foam roller, or even a tennis ball, could help keep the area loose between appointments.

Sitting

Many of our aches and pains come from poor posture, or poor movement practice during work or sport. The days following a massage are a good time to try and change some of these bad habits. Talk to your therapist about what you might be doing wrong, and how you can improve it.

Scheduling

Here’s the good news! Put another massage on the horizon. Something to look forward to. Talk to your therapist about how often you should have a massage, and book a few up in advance. Not only will it help you get the time and day that’s most convenient for you, but it will make sure you don’t let important self-care slip through the cracks.

At Precision Health Spine & Sports Clinic we have three highly qualified Remedial Massage Therapists who provide Sports, Remedial, Swedish, Pregnancy and Injury massage. We service the Baulkham Hills, Castle Hill and the wider Hills District. If you would like to book a massage, call the clinic on 9639 7337.

By adminmassage0 Comments

16AugAugust 16, 2018

How long is this going to take?

King Julian might not have been talking about healing when he uttered the immortal line “How long is this going to take?” in Madagascar, but anyone who has had a soft tissue injury will surely have wondered the very same thing. Not to mention wondering why their Chiropractor wants them to keep coming back, even when they ‘feel better’.

The answer is both simple and complicated. Not all soft tissue injuries are created equal. Different tissues in the body heal at different rates. And those rates differ for every person, depending on the severity of the injury, your level of fitness, age, your individual body chemistry and the presence of other health conditions. So, the answer to the question is – as long as it takes.

What Happens During Healing?
The process of healing happens broadly in three phases:

Acute Inflammation – at the onset of the injury there is pain, swelling, heat and redness. This is caused by the release of chemicals required for the healing process. During this process damaged cells are broken down ready to be replaced with new ones. Collagen synthesis decreases, and the number of inflammatory cells increases.
Repair – As the number of inflammatory cells decreases, collagen fiber production increases. New collagen fibers are laid down in an unstructured pattern, which is not as strong or flexible as normal tissue.
Remodeling – in the final stage of healing, the collagen fibers begin to align more normally and tissues begin to regain their original strength, allowing the tissues to accommodate increased loads until eventually normal function is restored.

Muscles

Muscles are made up of soft, elastic tissue containing protein filaments of actin and mosin. Muscles generally have a good blood supply, which is essential for healing.

Muscle strains can be divided into three categories:

Grade 1 – is a mild strain and will usually heal within 3-6 weeks

Grade 2 – is more severe and will take weeks to months to heal

Grade 3 – is a full thickness tear or rupture, and will often require surgery. Healing time for this type of injury can be many months

Tendons & Ligaments

Tendons attach muscles to bones, whereas ligaments attach bone to bone. Tendons and ligaments have a much lower blood supply than muscles, which is one of the reasons they heal much slower. They are also much denser tissue, made up mostly of collagen fibers and fibroblasts, which synthesise extracellular matrix and collagen. Ligaments are generally more elastic than tendons. Consequently, damage to a tendon or ligament will heal much more slowly than damage to a muscle.

Grade 1 – should heal in 2-8 weeks

Grade 2 - healing may take between 2 and 6 months

Grade 3 – 6-12 months healing likely

Tear/Rupture – will require surgery and take a minimum of 4 months, up to over 12 months to fully repair

Of course, this is assuming the appropriate treatment for the injury is being received.

What can you do to speed things up?

There are a few key things you can do to speed up your recovery:

Seek immediate first aid treatment when you are injured – proper management of an injury can make a big difference to your recovery.
Ensure you seek treatment as soon as possible. The sooner your rehab starts, the sooner you will be back to normal.
Follow orders! Your Chiropractor will provide you with advice, a treatment plan, and possibly exercises. Stick to them! The advice you are given is designed to get you back to normal in the optimum time, so listen to the experts. And if this means sitting out a few games or races – just do it. You will be happy you did in the end.
Eat well. In the early stages Turmeric and Curcumin will help with inflammation. Vitamin C will help with collagen production, flush lactic acid from your muscles, and zinc helps with wound healing.
Be patient. It will take as long as it takes.

So, next time you injure yourself and your Chiropractor suggests a treatment, rehab and exercise approach, try and stick to it. Otherwise how long it will take will be much, much longer than you might like.

If you have an injury, call our Baulkham Hills Clinic on 9639 7337 to make an appointment for assessment and treatment by our experienced Sports Chiropractor.

By adminchiro, wellbeing0 Comments

14AugAugust 14, 2018

Joint Hypermobility Syndrome

We’ve all seen those people who can touch their forearm with their thumb, or bend their fingers right back. People often call this ‘double jointed’. But what it is, in fact, is hypermobility.

What is Hypermobility?

Hypermobility can affect any joint in the body, and is caused by abnormal collagen content in the fibres of the ligaments, causing an increase in elasticity. It is generally an inherited trait, and is more frequent in women than men. Where there is hypermobility in multiple joints, accompanied by joint and muscle pain, and sometimes fatigue, the condition is referred to as Joint Hypermobility Syndrome.

There is no prevention or cure available, although generally as we age joints and ligaments become less flexible and mobile, so the condition can reduce. Knee, ankle and shoulder joints are most likely to be affected, and osteoarthritis can develop as a result of weakened joints.

Joint Hypermobility Syndrome is often present with other syndromes such as Down or Marfan Syndromes.

The Beighton Score

Hypermobility is diagnosed using the Beighton Score. Here’s how to check if you might have the condition

For every on of the things below you can do, give yourself one point. Can you:

Bend your knee backwards
Bend an elbow backwards
Bend a thumb backwards onto your forearm
Bend a little finger back more than 90 degrees
Put your hands flat on the floor with your knees straight

If you scored 4 points, you are likely to be hypermobile. If you scored 4 points, and experience joint or muscle pain regularly, you could have Joint Hypermobility Syndrome

Symptoms

Often there are no symptoms – other than your ability to move your body in ways others can’t. However, people with Hypermobility are at much higher risk of injury of sprains, strains, subluxation (where a joint slips out slightly) and dislocation (where a joint slips out completely). Recovery from injury can also take longer where Hypermobility is present due to the reduced amount of collagen in the ligament fibres.

Sufferers of generalized Hypermobility might also find they have trouble with balance and co-ordination. And of course, this compounds the tendency towards sprains and strains.

Hypermobility can also affect the arches of your feet, causing them to flatten.

Treatment

Possibly the most important aspect of managing and treating Hypermobility is preventative. Maintaining strength in the muscles around the joints will reduce the likelihood of injury.

If pain is present, there are a number of things that can be done:

Take anti-inflammatories to ensure the tissues around the joints remain healthy
Warm baths and heat packs will reduce pain
Use heat-rub creams like arnica to reduce any pain and swelling
Regular chiropractic treatment to ensure proper alignment, and keep the muscles strong
Visit a Podiatrist to ensure your foot arches are supported correctly
Regular massage to improve blood flow in the muscles
Strengthening and balancing exercises – it is very important to keep the muscles strong, particularly the core, and those around the affected joint. This will help avoid injury.

Do’s and Don’ts

Low impact exercise – yoga is great, but care should be taken not to overextend joints
Maintain a healthy weight
Take care choosing shoes – if you have flat feet consider orthotics
Make regular visits to the Chiropractor to ensure your joints are as healthy as possible
Have a Podiatrist check out your feet to ensure your arches are up tot the task, and consider orthotics if they are not

Don’t

Do high impact exercise
Overexercise
Be tempted to overextend your joints as a party trick or whilst doing yoga

If you think you may have Hypermobile joints or Joint Hypermobility Syndrome, call our Baulkham Hills clinic on 9639 7337 to have a full assessment and treatment plan developed by our experienced Chiropractor.

By adminchiro, podiatry0 Comments

09AugAugust 9, 2018

I love a Sunburnt Country*

the second driest continent on earth…

Sadly, the famous poem by Dorothea Mackellar extolling the harshness of Australia’s landscape is all too accurate. Australia is, in fact, the second driest continent on earth – following Antarctica. Droughts seem to be a common occurrence, but many farmers are saying this is the worst drought since 1902.

This week, 100% of NSW, nearly 60% of Queensland and large parts of northern Victoria have been declared to be in drought. The Autumn rainfall for 2018 was the second lowest since recording began in 1900, following a record breaking year of heat in 2016/17.

Farmers right down the eastern seaboard are having to hand feed their stock with hay and grain because there is no grass left. And that feed is having to come from South Australia. Some experts believe that by December, even that will be difficult as stocks of feed dwindle.

This may seem like a country problem, but when we consider that 93% of our food is grown by Australian farmers, not to mention wool and cotton for our clothing, it is an everybody problem. If it were a flood or fire - a natural disaster - the government would be stepping in with massive aid packages. But what could be a more natural disaster on the second driest continent on earth that drought? And whilst the government is starting to come up with packages, the problem is now so widespread that this just won't be enough.

One organization that has been helping farmers in drought since 2013 is Buy A Bale. Since its inception it has delivered over 160,000 bales of hay to farmers – and stock – in need. Since starting with hay bales, the organization has now joined with Rural Aid and expanded to include gift cards to help feed the farmers and their families, and two innovative programmes – Farm Army and Farm Rescue.

The Farm Army programme is for people who would like to volunteer their time helping farmers. This is particularly aimed at tradies. It can often be difficult for farmers to get tradies in remote and rural areas and this initiative helps farmers keep their farms operational.

Farm Rescue is a little like the reality tv shows you sometimes see. You can volunteer your time to join a team helping out a farmer with whatever needs doing – hand feeding stock, mending fences, repairing buildings or equipment.

At Precision Health Spine and Sports Clinic we would like to do our part to support the farmers. We invite all our patients to please consider making a gold coin donation when you next visit the clinic. We will match dollar for dollar every donation by a patient. We would love to raise enough for at least 5 large bales of hay, so please be generous.

And if, over the coming weeks, you have an appointment on a Monday or Thursday you may be lucky enough to stumble upon a Bake Sale to help the cause. And who can resist a cupcake or a home made toffee…

So next time you visit the Clinic, have some coins ready to give those who keep this country fed a helping hand until this ‘opal-hearted country, a wilful, lavish land*’ sees fit to rain on them again.

* I love A Sunburnt Country by Dorothea Mackellar

By adminwellbeing0 Comments

07AugAugust 7, 2018

A bit about Bursitis

Bursitis is a common and painful condition. It is caused by the inflammation or irritation of the bursa. Hmm. So what is a bursa?

What is a Bursa?

We all have around 160 bursa in our bodies. They are tiny sacs filled with fluid called synovial fluid, which is rich in collagen and proteins. These sacs of fluid provide cushioning in areas of friction – for instance in moving joints.

What is Bursitis?

Bursitis is the inflammation or irritation of one or more of the Bursa in a particular joint. Generally, the joints most affected are the shoulder, elbow, hip, knee and heel. Sometimes these sacks may also become infected, and this is known as Septic Bursitis, which is more common in bursa close to the skin, or in those with suppressed immune systems or diabetes.

Causes

There are essentially three types of causes for Bursitis:

Chronic – this is where a regular, repetitive movement causes damage over time. This could be throwing a ball, typing, or kneeling for long periods. This is known as a Repetitive Motion Disorder.

Acute – where an accident like a blow or a fall damage the bursa

Medical – where another medical condition, such as rheumatoid arthritis, gout or diabetes causes irritation to the bursa

Symptoms

If Bursitis is developing you will notice pain and tenderness around the affected area, which likely becomes worse with movement, and at night. There may be swelling, redness and heat. Often, the joint becomes difficult to move and range of motion is reduced. In the case of Septic Bursitis you may also experience a mild to moderate fever.

Treatment

Treatment of Bursitis will involve both management of the symptoms and addressing the cause. First and foremost, you must rest the affected joint in order to allow the bursa time to heal. If your Bursitis has been caused by repetitive movement – like golf, tennis, gardening or typing, it is important to stop the activity at least until you see some improvement.

Management of the pain will include ice, to reduce inflammation, compression and elevation where possible, and anti-inflammatory medications. Your chiropractor will recommend some gentle stretching exercises, and use dry needling to help with the pain an inflammation. Soft tissue work will assist with returning the joint to better range of motion, and also with decreasing inflammation. Once the condition has stabilized remedial massage may also be recommended.

Particularly in the case of Chronic Bursitis, it is recommended that you maintain a regular schedule of treatment with a chiropractor in order to keep the condition manageable.

If there is an infection in the bursa, you will likely need antibiotics, and the affected bursa may need to be drained with a needle.

If you think you may have Bursitis, call our Baulkham Hills Clinic on 9639 7337 to see our chiropractor for a diagnosis and to discuss treatment.

By adminchiro0 Comments

02AugAugust 2, 2018

Resilience

Sometimes there seems to be a synchronicity in what happens. That happened to us last week. On the day I was writing the blog Be Prepared, about how to get ready for your first appointment, I head a radio interview about the new app Get Prepared. Whilst we normally write about chiropractic, podiatry, massage and related subjects, we are also all about the general wellbeing and welfare of our patients. So this week we are going right off script and talking about a new initiative that we believe is really important.

A recent worldwide research study by The Rockefeller Foundation identified that by 2050, 75% of the world’s population will be living in a city. By their very size and nature, cities can be very vulnerable to a range of stresses. The study found that one of the most pressing social issues is resilience. The media often talks about resilience of the individual – particularly instilling it in children – but the resilience this study focused on was the resilience of cities, and the communities within them, to withstand the pressures of the future. And so, the 100 Resilient Cities initiative was formed – a group of 100 cities worldwide were chosen to join this network – and Sydney is amongst them.

The initiative aims to assist cities in planning for - and learning from – stressors on not only their own city, but others in the network. The objective is to increase the ability of cities to withstand both acute crises – like terror attacks, heatwave conditions or infrastructure failure; and chronic situations – like homelessness, crime and poverty.

Each city will appoint a Chief Resilience Officer – Sydney has already done so – who will help develop a Resilience Strategy in consultation with public, private and NGO partners.

As part of this strategy, the Chief Resilience Officer, in partnership with the Red Cross, has released an app called Get Prepared. This app aims at helping households and families to develop their own Resilience Strategy by giving you information and tools to develop a plan and checklist of actions, and a network of support in the case of emergency. If you are interested in downloading this app, you can find it here:

https://www.redcross.org.au/get-help/emergencies/preparing-for-emergencies/get-prepared-app

In many ways, resilience is about being prepared and acting before a crisis, rather than responding to one. And this brings us to a new level of synchronicity. Often people wait until they are in pain or having trouble moving before making an appointment with the Chiropractor. But as we age, and pick up small injuries and niggling pains on our way, visiting your Chiropractor should be seen as preventative maintenance – regular check-ins that help ensure you are not surprised by an acute attack of pain, and that should the worst happen and you injure yourself, you are in the best possible condition to weather the storm.

Think of Precision Health Spine & Sports Clinic as a partner in your Resilience Strategy and consider making a regular visit to our clinic to ensure your physical resilience. Call our Baulkham Hills Clinic today on 9639 7337.

By adminwellbeing0 Comments

31JulJuly 31, 2018

Be prepared

Your first visit to a Chiropractor or Podiatrist can be a little daunting. You don’t know what to expect, and that can make you anxious and unsure. Especially if you have heard horror stories from ‘well meaning’ friends or relatives. But there are some things you can do to prepare for your appointment that might help.

Chiropractor

Firstly, think about why it is you are seeing the Chiropractor. Have a list of questions and concerns to talk over with your practitioner so they have a good idea of the overall picture of your condition
Gather together any scans or x-rays that might be relevant, and a list of medications, as these might impact your treatment or the reasons for your condition
If you are the sporty type with an exercise related injury, our Sports and Exercise Chiropractor would like to see footage of you in action. This will give your practitioner an idea of where you might need help, and why you are experiencing discomfort.
Wear comfortable clothes that are easy to take off. Think about what area of your body you want your Chiropractor to treat and make sure they will be able to access the area easily in your clothing, particularly if you are concerned about undressing
Most Chiropractors will want you to fill out an initial consultation form that may include some medical history, so try and arrive a few minutes early. This will also allow you time to be relax and be comfortable in your surroundings before your appointment

Podiatrist

As with the Chiropractor, think about what has caused you to make the appointment, as well as any other concerns you might have in relation to your feet and ankles.
Scans, x-rays and medication list will help your Podiatrist see the whole picture, particularly if you have any underlying health conditions such as diabetes
Bring your work or walking shoes with you, particularly if your concern is orthotics related. The Podiatrist will want to have a look at what you are wearing and how you are walking.
If you are seeing the podiatrist for orthotics, try and wear or bring shorts that show the knee, so your practitioner can watch how your knees move while walking
Don’t paint your nails or get a pedicure before your appointment. Your podiatrist will want to look at your nails, and may end up ruining a good paint job, so wait until after your appointment. If your nails are already painted, try and remove it before your appointment – it will save time. Depending on why you are seeing them, they may also want to take a nail sample, so don’t cut your nails either.
Do wash your feet if at all possible. If your appointment is after a long day of work, try and remember to take something to spray on your feet to freshen them up – there are plenty of sprays containing peppermint or eucalyptus that you can use

Being prepared is not so difficult, and can help you get the most from your appointment with any health practitioner. If you would like to make an appointment with a Chiropractor or Podiatrist, call our Baulkham Hills Clinic on 9639 7337 today.

By adminchiro, podiatry0 Comments

26JulJuly 26, 2018

You are only as old as your feet!

Our feet take a bit of a pounding over the course of our lifetime. Carrying all our weight, walking, running, jumping, wrapped up in socks and shoes, hopping over hot sand. We really ask a lot of them. And as we get older, some of that wear and tear – not to mention general aging - starts to cause problems. But this doesn’t have to be the case. So we thought we should have a look at what aging does to your feet, and how you can avoid some of the more uncomfortable consequences.

Circulation

As we age, our circulation slows, particularly in our extremities, and this can be exacerbated by conditions like diabetes and arterial disease. This slowing of circulation makes healing slower. So cuts and blisters take longer to heal, and infection can set in, which in turn can lead to ulcers.

Solution – Massage is great for increasing blood flow and maintaining good circulation. As you age, it is a good idea to have a regular Neurovascular screening to ensure your circulation is not compromised. And it is important to have cuts, blisters and other problems treated quickly by a Podiatrist to avoid the risk of infection.

Tendons Tighten

As we age, the water content of our tendons – which attach muscles to bones – reduces and they dry out, causing them to stiffen. This leads to a greater risk of tear or rupture. This condition can also affect our ligaments.

Solution – Staying active and including stretching exercises in your daily routine can avoid stiffening of the tendons.

Ligaments Lengthen

Ligaments connect bones to other bones. Over the course of our life, these begin to stretch, flattening our feet and leaving us at risk of ankle sprains.

Solution – Again, staying active and exercising will help, as will shoes that provide good support.

Foot Size and Shape Change

Our feet can change size by half a size or more as we get older, and the shape of our feet can change to reflect the shape of our shoes.

Solution – it is important to always have your shoes properly fitted. Sorry – buying shoes on the internet is never a good idea.

Arthritis

Our feet have 30 joints! And all of them can be affected by arthritis, although most commonly it is the big toe or the midfoot joints that are affected. Arthritis will generally cause pain as well as stiffness in the morning and evening.

Solution – Supportive footwear and shoe inserts can help, as will losing weight if you are a bit on the heavier side.

Fat Disappears!

In what seems to be a cruel twist of fate, as we begin to struggle to keep the fat off our bodies, the fat begins to disappear from our feet. The bottom of the foot is lined with adipose tissue, the role of which is to provide cushioning and insulation. As we age, this tissue, which is relate to collagen production, thins, causing our feet to feel sore by the end of the day.

Solution – Well cushioned shoes, insoles or gel inserts will help with this condition.

Toes Deform

Years of being squashed into shoes can cause toes to develop curls, lumps and bends they didn’t originally have. Hammer toes, corns and calluses can change the shape of toes and are largely caused by footwear.

Solution – be careful with your choice of shoe. Avoid pointy toes, and limit high heels to special occasions. As long as you spend the bulk of your day in shoes that provide sufficient room and support, you should limit the problem. It is also important to have any corns or calluses that do develop treated by a Podiatrist as soon as possible – before they get out of hand. Or should I say foot?

Dry Skin

As with the disappearance of the fat pads on the bottom of the feet, the reduction in collagen production, as well as reduced sebum production can cause dryness in the skin of the feet and cracking in the heels.

Solution – Stay hydrated! Both internally, by drinking plenty of water, and externally by using a quality moisturizer on the feet twice a day.

Thick Toenails

Toenails tend to grow more slowly as we age, and this can lead to them thickening and becoming more brittle.

Solution – Regular visits to a Podiatrist will help keep your nails looking smooth and healthy and not like bear claws!

Swelling

Feet and ankles can develop swelling. This can be due to a range of conditions including poor circulation, cardiovascular disease or even be a result of a medication.

Solution – Massage is always a great solution for swelling, but it is also wise to check with your GP about what might be the underlying reason for the swelling. Compression stockings might also be useful.

If you want your feet to feel as young as you do, please give our Baulkham Hills Clinic a call on 9639 7337 to make an appointment with our expert Podiatrist.

By adminpodiatry0 Comments

24JulJuly 24, 2018

Chiropractic and Massage go together like movies and popcorn

People often call us and say “I don’t know if I need chiropractic treatment or a massage”. The answer is – you probably need both. Because Chiropractic treatment and massage go together like movies and popcorn. So why is that? And should you have the massage first, or the chiro?

Why Massage and Chiro go together

Our bodies are made up of a complex system of soft tissue, muscles, tendons and bones, all working together to provide strength and mobility. This is known as the muscular-skeletal system. In broad, basic terms, Chiropractic treatment generally addresses the function of joints, while massage works the soft tissue and muscle that holds those joints in place. If either is not working properly, it will have a negative impact on the ability of the other to operate optimally. Having both treatments maximizes the effectiveness of both – so the sum of the parts ends up being greater than the whole.

Massage Before or After Chiro?

This is a tricky one. On the one hand, having Chiro first allows the massage therapist to manipulate your muscles around the newly adjusted joints, ensuring they do not pull the bones out of alignment. On the other hand, having a massage before Chiro relaxes all the muscles, which allows for a more effective adjustment of the joints. In the end, the best course of action is to talk to your Chiropractor and ask what would be most beneficial for your own specific circumstances.

When to have one and not the other

Whilst Chiro and massage treatments complement one another perfectly sometimes, it is not appropriate to do both at the same time:

If you have an acute injury with a great deal of instability, pain and/or swelling it may not appropriate to have a massage in the early stages of treatment
Sometimes your practitioner will suggest alternating Chiropractic and massage appointments in order to avoid extended gaps between appointments, especially when you are pressed for time
Certain conditions – such as the early stages of pregnancy – can be contraindicated for some treatments

As with most things, the best course of action is to find a practitioner you trust, and follow their advice. Sometimes life will get in the way and you won’t be able to follow the optimum treatment plan to the letter. But if you and your practitioner communicate honestly, you will find a balance that works for you.

If you think you might need chiropractic and/or massage treatment, call our Baulkham Hills Clinic on 9639 7337 to make an appointment.

By adminchiro, massage0 Comments