Category: Injury Prevention

Sprain or Strain

A muscle sprain or strain may hurt like hell and often stop you from enjoying the activities you love.

In this article, I will discuss what sprains and strains are. Some preventative measures and what you can do if you have a sprain or strain.

Firstly, what is the difference?

Well, let’s get down to the bones of the matter. Our bones are connected to other bones by fibrous bands of tissue that are tough and somewhat flexible (Ligaments).

The role of ligaments is to support and stabilize our joints. An overstretched or torn ligament is known as a sprain. One common sprain occurs when you roll your ankle.

Movement of a joint occurs when a skeletal muscle contracts. When a muscle crosses a joint and contracts concentrically, the fibers shorten and pull one bone closes to the other creating movement at that joint.

Individual muscles are made up of thousands of thin muscle fibers aligned alongside each other longitudinally. At the ends of each muscle a tendon forms which attaches the muscle to the bone.

Tendons of larger muscles feel strong almost like bone, yet they are flexible and have some give.

Make a fist,  you will feel them pop up in your wrist. Or feel the back of your ankle (Achilles tendon), they are firm but also movable, unlike bone.

Overstretched or torn muscle or tendon is known as a strain. Strains can happen within the muscle, where the tendon attaches to the bone or more commonly where the muscle and tendon join (musculotendinous junction). Common strains occur in the hamstrings or lower back.

what causes a Sprain or Strain?

A Sprainsor strain can occur as a result of either an acute injury due to a sudden trauma or chronic issue causing repetitive micro-tearing or overstretching of the tissue.

Acute Sprain or strain

  • Inadequate warm-up.
  • Pushing too hard in training or muscle fatigue.
  • Sudden twisting or jerking movements.
  • Lifting a heavy object. Especially in awkward positions.
  • Uneven ground, losing footing.
  • Fall or tackle.

Chronic Sprain or strain occur with low-level overexertion, poor posture and repetitive activities that cause micro tears or overstretching of the muscle or ligament.

These conditions cause a constant state of low-level injury and reinjury. It feels like a constant niggling pain that can increase with fatigue. A lot of the time the body desensitizes and the pain begins to feel normal.

The problem with this is the soft tissue structures are in a weakened state, they are not functioning optimally and are creating an imbalance.

This like a ticking time bomb, ready to go off!

Like a snow-covered mountain peak, just the smallest amount of external influence can cause an avalanche

What are the symptoms?

Its not easy to differentiate between a Sprain or strain, as they have similar symptoms. It is basically an overstretching or tearing of the soft tissue (ligament, muscle or tendon) involved.

Common symptoms of sprain or strain:

  • pain
  • swelling
  • limited flexibility
  • difficulty using the joint’s full range of motion
  • Instability

Strains are more likely to cause muscle weakness, spasms and cramping anywhere in the affected muscle. Whereas sprains will only be around a joint and pain may not be felt until weight is applied or when stretching.

First Aid

The first thing to implement if you sprain or strain your tissue is the P.R.I.C.E protocol. This will reduce further damaging the area and will aid in the healing process and recovery time.

Mild sprains and mild strains are treated with the same technique.

More severe sprains and strains may require surgery to repair the damage.

Protection

Protect the injured area from further damage. Stop activity!

Rest

Immediately cease the activity you are doing and avoid using the muscle. The amount of rest required will depend on how severe the sprain or strain is.

With a mild strain generally, a day or two will be enough however pain and stability will really be your main indicator.

Ice

Immediately after the injury apply ice to the area as this will help to minimize swelling, constrict blood flow to the area and reduce bruising. Never apply the ice directly to the skin, wrap it in a cloth to avoid ice burn.

You can repeat icing the area for the next 2-3 days to control swelling.

Icing for 20 minutes at a time allowing  2-3 hours in between so fresh blood flushes through the area.

Compression

Compressing the area with an elastic bandage will also help to reduce swelling. Just be sure not to wrap the area too tightly. Reducing too much blood flow deprives the area of oxygen and nutrients, further damaging structures in the area and below.

Keep an eye on the fingers and toes when bandaging limbs. If you notice they change to a bluish color, feel numb or pins and needle-like symptoms, it is a clear indicator that the bandage to too tight.

Elevation

When possible raise the injured area above the level of your heart. Doing so will allow gravity to assist in moving fluid away from the site, decreasing swelling and pain.

Just remember a small amount of inflammation is a natural way of protecting and healing an injury and is necessary. However, if it is excessive and causing pain, Non-Steroidal Anti-inflammatory medication may be needed for a short period. Consult your Doctor or Pharmacist for this.

*Too much rest can weaken the muscle and prolong the healing process, and this is where the new acronym has come in P.O.L.I.C.E

  • P: Protect
  • O: Optimal
  • L: Loading
  • I: Ice
  • C: Compress
  • E: Elevate

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-5cT6_PFV80

Personally, I believe P.O.L.I.C.E to be the right course of action, however, what does that mean? How much loading? How much movement? What is safe? What is causing more damage?

I recommend following P.R.I.C.E initially and booking into your GP, Myotherapist or physiotherapist to assess how significant your injury is. They will be able to guide you with how much movement or loading is safe to implement without causing more damage.

How significant is your sprain or strain?

Your Doctor may request X-rays or an MRI to determine the extent of damage and to rule out any bone breaks or fractures.

With a physical examination, we can grade how severe the injury is.

  • Grade 1: Only involves a few fibers that are torn or overstretched. Approximately less than 5%.

Sprain: Small amount of laxity and pain at the joint.

Strain: Mild damage, mild pain. Strength will not change much.

These will generally take between 2-3 weeks to improve.

  • Grade 2: A moderate amount of fibers that are torn or overstretched.

Sprain: There will be significant pain, swelling, and laxity of the joint.

Strain: There will be a significate loss of muscle strength with a grade 2 strain, the pain will be more severe and felt when contracting and stretching the muscle as well as at rest.

These will generally take between 3-6 weeks to improve.

  • Grade 3: Complete rupture

Sprain: The joint will feel really unstable. Pain and swelling can be quite intense and all the muscles surrounding will tense up to compensate for the instability.

Strain: Initially this will cause a great deal of pain but then it is likely to subside as there is no tension pulling on the other end of the muscle. There will be a complete loss of muscle power and a bulge may be seen under the skin as the muscle recoils towards its attached end.

Surgery will be required to reattach the muscle.

This is a complete rupture and can take around 3 months to rehabilitate but may not recover 100%.

Treatment

Approximately 2-3 days of P.R.I.C.E / P.O.L.I.C.E protocol, the swelling should have subsided. After the swelling has gone down heat may be applied to relax the muscle and reduce pain. Heat also draws more blood to the injury site, helping with healing as fresh blood delivers with it fresh nutrients and oxygen.

At this time and perhaps even sooner depending on pain levels, some light stretching, and isometric strengthening can be started. These will help the recovery process, increase strength and reduce stiffness that may have developed.

As the body is healing, it is laying down new cells to repair the site (scar tissue). This is the time where you should book in with your Myotherapist. Scar tissue that doesn’t align in the same direction as muscle fibers create a weakened spot that is prone to reinjury.

Your Myotherapist can develop a stretch and strengthening regime to suit your stage of rehabilitation. Slowly increasing your level of activity is essential, you don’t want to go too hard too fast and cause reinjury.

Massage at this point will aid in warming the tissue and increasing blood circulation and waste removal.

Return to full activity is indicated when pain-free, as well as having full range of movement and strength.

*If you are unable to bear weight on and or bend the affected joint, or if you experience numbness or tingling around the area, or pain that is excruciating to touch, book in to see your Doctor.
If your skin becomes shiny, red and tight seek medical attention immediately.

Prevention

As with everything, Prevention is better than cure!

So what measures can you take to reduce injury?

  • Ensure you are warming up before activity. Gentle Dynamic stretching
  • Take time to stretch out muscles after activity and cool down effectively. Static stretching is best.
  • Wear appropriate fitting footwear that is supportive.
  • Bend with your knees when lifting heavy objects.
  • Don’t lift and twist at the same time.
  • Listen to your body, allow recovery time. Fatigued muscles are prone to strain and injury.
  • Get enough sleep.
  • Stay hydrated.
  • Watch out for potholes ha-ha.

In addition to all the above, book in for regular treatments with your Myotherapist.

We can assess your biomechanics, address muscle strength/imbalances, ease tight tense muscles, and prescribe corrective exercises to get you in prime form.

Thanks for reading, I hope you have found this article to be useful.
If you have any questions or would like to book in a Myotherapy or massage session you can contact me via the below information.

By Rachael Sloothaak  

How to stay healthy and fight illness and body aches and pain in winter.

As winter sets in, it seems illness and body aches and pain come along for the ride. We instinctively want to curl up into a ball and slide into hibernation.

The simple act of getting out of bed in the morning feels like a chore. I know I’m guilty of retreating back under the doona when met with the cold chill.

It seems like common sense to hide from winter’s chill. Doesn’t it?

Heating gets crancked up and the couch and Netflix beakon. along with this, cravings set in, and we long for salty carbs or suger. Comfort foods, good old bag of chippy’s or chocy.

As tempting as it all is, we really need to find ways to balance it. We need to find ways to include more activity into our day.

So, what do we do to avoid illness and body aches and pain?

Nutrition

  • Water:  Drink water! Seems like a no-brainer! But in winter we just don’t feel thirst as much.This results in not gettin our reccommended amount. Thirst signal’s us to drink , however your body actually needs water long before you feel thirsty.

Water is essential for every function in our body, for every organ and cell. It makes up about 60% of our body mass and about 80% of our blood. So when water is low in our body and blood, it starts to deprive it from our muscles.

This conservation leads to sore, tight muscles. These tight muscles constrict and  reduce blood flow. Leading to dehydrated, unhealthy muscles that become susceptible to injury.

Blood transports fresh oxygen and nutrients to every organ and muscle. Blood also transports metabolic waste away and helps the liver and kidneys flush out these by-products from our body. Water enables our blood to pump through our system with ease.

Water also increases the fluid between our joints (synovial fluid). Synovial fluid is the lubricant of our joints. It allows our knees, shoulders, hips etc to move with ease. Smooth movement with miniamal  friction reduces aches and pain as well as wearing of that joint.

It’s also critical for sufficient brain function. For concentration and to avoid tiredness and headaches. We are prone to headaches when dehydrated.

On average 8 glasses or 2 litres per day is what we should be aiming for. This amount varies depending on how much activity we do, or how much is lost in persperation.

The best indicator however is the colour of your urine. A pale straw-clear colour is a sign you are adequately hydrated. Whereas darker yellow and stronger smelling indicatesa degree of dehydration.

carry a water bottle with you.
sip away throughout the day.
  • Vitamin D:  Vitamin D is produced in our body from exposure to sunlight. It’s also available in some foods and of course supplements.

During winter alot of people become vitamin D deficient. Generally because the days are shorter, and we tend not to be outdoors enough to absorb adequate amounts from the sun.

According to the cancer council, the UV index level is below 3 in winter and autumn in southern parts of Australia. Meaning it is quite safe to spend some time outdoors during these months without sun protection. Especially to promote vitamin D production.

Vitamin D is needed for muscle and bone health. It supports the immune system, brain, and nervous system. Aswell as being required by the body to help absorb calcium.

The US Institute of Medicine recommends adults have around 400-800IU daily.

Some of the best food sources that naturally contain Vitamin D are fatty fish like salmon, tuna and mackerel. Cod liver oil is another great source and small amounts are found in beef liver, cheese, egg yolks and some mushrooms.

Keep in mind that its difficult to get your daily recommended intake from these alone.

are concerned about your Vitamin D intake?
Make an appointment with your GP, they can test your levels and discuss options.

How much Vitamin D should you take for optimal health
https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/how-much-vitamin-d-to-take

Vitamin D
https://www.cancer.org.au/preventing-cancer/sun-protection/vitamin-d/

Top Vitamin D foods + their 5 major benefits
https://draxe.com/top-10-vitamin-d-rich-foods/

Body health

  • Exercise:  Don’t be tempted to cease exercising when the cold hits.  Arthritis, sciatica, lower back pain, restless leg and calf cramping are among a few conditions that seem to feel worse in winter. Winter increases all aches and pain.

When temperatures drop, our bodies knowingly kick into survival mode. Regulating our core temperature to protect our vital organs. It does this by increasing blood flow to our organs and reducing it to limbs.

This explains why our fingers and toes get so cold.

The blood is also reduced to our skin and muscles. When our muscles cool, they constrict, they shrink. Leading to them feeling tight and having less flexiability.

Consequensly, tight muscles pull at the jointand reduce the (intra-articular space) space inside the joint. The reduction in space causes restriction in movement. It also can cause friction, leading to painful joints that are injury prone.

Warming up and exercising increases blood circulation. The contracting muscles  assist the heart with pumping your blood back to your heart and lungs. And the warmth does the opposite of cold, it opens and dialates rather then constricting. This warmth and aided circulation means blood flow gets distributed evenly through your entire body.

Just 20 minutes of moderate exercise per day is great for the health of your body and mind.
  • Massage:  Get regular massages! If you find your hands and feet are often cold massage helps improve circulation similar to exercise. It encouragies blood to flow to your extremities and brings with it fresh oxygen and nutrients.

Massage also influences immunity. Firstly by increasing lymph flow, which helps  fight off infection. And secondly it lowers the stress hormone cortisol. Which in high levels is counteractive, as it suppress the effectiveness of the immune system.

While lowering the stress hormone it also increases the feel good hormones(serotonin and dopamine). One study showed that massage increased these good hormone levels by about 30%.

The key to optimal body function is warmth, movement, and adequate blood flow. Exercise and massage are great ways to combat this issue. So, rug up, get moving and get massaged

Cortisol decreases, and serotonin and dopamine increase following massage therapy.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16162447

Environmental health

  • Fresh Air:  One major factor of illness in winter is poor air quality. Attempting to steer clear of the cold, we frequently stay indoors and crank the heating.

When too little outside air circulates, indoor pollutants build up, having an ill effect on our health. It increases allergy issues, flares up asthma as well as creating an environment where cold and flu germs multiply.

Opening doors and letting cold air in seems counter-intuitive to staying warm but it is vital that the home and office are aired.  Just opening a few windows in the warmer part of the day will allow fresh air to circulate and the nasty germs to escape.

  • Mold:  Condensation is big problem in winter, as it is warmer inside and cooler out you will notice condensation, especially on windows. Mold easily builds up on the sil and causes havoc on our health. Airing the home helps evaporate the excess moisture.
White distilled vinegar is great for cleaning. use it in a spray bottle or straight on a cloth to wipe excess moisture away, it’s natural, cheap and is said to kill up to 82% of mold species.

Mental health

So now we have our body and environment working for us avoiding illness, aches and pain. It’s equally important if not more to consider our mind.

SAD (seasonal affective disorder) otherwise know as winter blues, is a condition that affects many of us through winter in varying degrees.

We all know if our head isn’t in the game, all the above seems so much harder to implement. Creating a vicious cycle of ill health and bad moods.
SAD is a type of blues that saps our energy and leaves us feeling moody, unmotivated and sometimes depressed.

It is thought that the reduced sunlight hours effect our biological clock (circadian rhythm), and levels of serotonin and melatonin. This disruption is what effects our moods and sleep patterns.

We all have days where we are feeling a little off, being aware of why you may feel the effects of SAD/winter blues means you are able to implement steps to help ward it off.

https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/seasonal-affective-disorder/symptoms-causes/syc-20364651

It’s always important to look after ourselves and especially through the winter. Keeping warm, hydrated, having a healthy dose of sunlight and fresh air. Adequate exercise, massage and a clean environment will help you get through the chill if winter. And you will have more bounce in your step and avoid unnecessary illness, aches and pain.

Thanks for reading, I hope you have found this article to be useful.
If you have any questions or would like to book in a Myotherapy or massage session you can contact me via the below information.

By Rachael Sloothaak  

Muscle Cramps

Muscle cramps occur when one of your muscles suddenly and forcibly contract and is unable to relax from the contractile state. This action is involuntary, meaning you have no control over it.

Cramps can last anywhere from a few seconds, up to 15 minutes and in some cases even longer. Often you can see and feel the muscle bulging under the skin, especially if the whole muscle is contracting and not just a few fibers. Cramps are quite painful and can be temporarily debilitating.

The calves and hamstrings are the most commonly affected muscles, as are the intrinsic muscles in the feet. However, cramps can occur in any muscle of the body.

What causes muscle cramps?

Nearly everyone will experience a muscle cramp at some point in their life. Either during activity or nocturnal cramps that wake you from your sleep. They often become more frequent with age.

There is a multitude of reasons your muscles could cramp and often it is a combination of a few.

Dehydration

If your muscles aren’t adequately hydrated they are not as efficient in functioning, they tend to constrict and this may contribute to cramps.

Vigorous activity

This can certainly lead to muscle cramping, especially if you are unaccustomed to the level of activity. Or when you exert yourself to the point of muscle fatigue. Cramping can occur during the activity, or come immediately or after many hours post-event.

Nutritional  Deficiency

Too little calcium, magnesium, potassium or sodium can be a contributing factor in muscle cramps. Your muscles need an adequate supply of nutrients to create energy to move.

Inadequate blood supply

This causes the same type of effect as being nutrient deficient. As the blood is the transport system that delivers nutrients and oxygen to the muscles. Both of these are essential for muscle function, health, and repair.

Nerve compression

Electrical signals that travel from the brain to muscles are effected if the nerves are compressed or irritated, particularly in the lower back, and can result in muscle cramps.

Sensations of numbness, burning, tingling or shooting pain are associated with nerve involvement.

Injury or imbalance

Injury will cause muscles will spasm, in order to protect an area from further damage. Muscle imbalances can also cause the muscle to spasm. This spasm of the muscle ultimately can lead to cramps.

How do you ease muscle cramps?

Muscle cramps will resolve on their own, generally in a few minutes or so but those minutes can be quite painful. When a cramp begins stop whatever activity you are participating in and slowly stretch the muscle.

Because the cramp is a sudden contraction (shortening) of the muscle, gently completing the opposite action (lengthening) will help to resolve the cramp quicker.

Applying heat and massaging the muscle will also help to ease the cramp by relaxing the area.

Always consult your doctor if muscle cramps are severe or occurring quite often without an obvious cause. Seek medical attention if they are associated with tight, shiny, red skin and swelling of the area.

What to do to prevent future muscle cramps.

Water

Keeping your water intake up. Fluids help your muscles contract and relax easily by keeping muscle cells hydrated. It also reduces muscle irritability, especially if participating in vigorous activity.

Aim for around 8 glasses per day. If exercising especially in the heat will cause you to lose fluids so you may require more.

Electrolytes

If you find that you are excessively perspiring it may pay to get a sports drink into you to replenish any electrolytes lost.

Or perhaps a banana. There have been studies done that show the benefits of bananas could outweigh the benefits of sports drinks. As they offer a healthier blend of sugars, potassium, vitamin B6, and fiber.

Magnesium

Bathing with Epsom salt or magnesium flakes in the water may be just what your muscles need.  The warm water combined with the magnesium will relax muscle aches and pains.

The magnesium is absorbed through your skin and helps to balance your body’s PH levels. While also loosening tight muscles and supplying nutrients.

Stretch and strengthen

It is incredibly important to keep your muscles healthy strong and flexible. A routine of stretching and exercise is a must for optimal muscle health and reducing the occurrence of cramps.

Make sure you allow adequate warm-up time (brisk walk and dynamic stretches) before exercise. And equally important, cool down afterward (slower walk and static stretching).

Massage

Regular massage dramatically reduces the occurrence of cramps. It does this by increasing blood circulation, working out tension and trigger points in the muscle and inducing relaxation.

Massage received after vigorous exercise not only reduces the chance of cramps but also reduces after exercise soreness (DOMS- Delayed muscle onset soreness).

Myotherapy

And last but definitely not least, working with your Myotherapist to assess and identify any muscle imbalances. Following that discussing a treatment plan with a stretch and strengthening program.

Muscles work in opposing pairs (agonist and antagonist) or in groups helping each other (synergistically). Imbalances occur when one muscle becomes overdominant, leading to the antagonist or synergist becoming weakened. These imbalances predispose injury.

If you are suffering from an injury it is a good idea to consult your GP as well as your Myotherapist for advice on ways to reduce recovery time, improve the healing process and avoid further injury or future re-injury.

Always consult your doctor if muscle cramps are severe or occurring quite often without an obvious cause. Seek medical attention if they are associated with tight, shiny, red skin and swelling of the area.

Thanks for reading, I hope you have found this article to be useful.
If you have any questions or would like to book in a Myotherapy or massage session you can contact me via the below information.

By Rachael Sloothaak  

Isometric Muscle Contractions

Before we dive into how Isometric contractions can benefit you, I will explain briefly the different types of muscle the contractions they do.

Types of Muscles

There are 3 types of muscle in our body, Cardiac, smooth and skeletal.

Cardiac muscle is the main tissue in the walls of our hearts. These muscles contract and relax to pump our blood. These muscles work without our conscious control.

The second type of muscle is Smooth muscle. Smooth muscles make up the walls of our organs like the stomach, bladder, and arteries(visceral organs). These muscles also work without our conscious control.

And the third type of muscle is skeletal muscle. Skeletal muscles are the muscles that allow body movement. When they contract they maintain posture, act on bones like a pulley system and generate body heat. These muscles function mostly under our conscious control.

Note: This is all possible due to muscles being able to contract and relax in opposing pairs.

Types of Muscle Contractions

  • Concentric

Concentric contractions cause the muscle fibers to shorten when they contract. For example, lifting an object from the ground requires a concentric contraction. The biceps in your arm will shorten to lift the object, like a weighted bicep curl.

  • Eccentric

Eccentric contractions allow the muscle fibers to lengthen while contracting. They allow movements to be controlled while resisting gravity. Like what is needed to lower an object to the ground rather than simply dropping it. 

Similarly, they work to slow down the velocity of an opposing muscle. 

For example, when kicking a ball, the front of the thigh (quadriceps) concentrically contract to bring the foot forward in the kicking motion. If the opposing muscles (hamstrings) did not have eccentric control it could not slow that motion down. There would be nothing to prevent your leg from continuing forward and kicking you square in the face.

  • Isometric

The third type of contraction is an isometric contraction. Isometrics will be the focus of this article.

What is an Isometric contraction?

An isometric contraction is a contraction where no movement occurs. Otherwise knowns as static, your muscle fibers are activated but are holding steady.

An example here is when we carry an object. We are simply holding that object steady, not lifting, not lowering just holding it in place.

So isometrics hold, they are critical in maintaining posture. 

Without the ability to perform isometric’s we would just be a pile of bones and muscles on the floor. There would be no tensile support to hold us upright.

What are the benefits of performing Isometric contractions?

Avoiding injury

Skeletal muscles aren’t all designed for the same job. There are two types, ones that cause strong contraction for a short amount of time. And others that contract weakly yet are required to contract for long periods of time.

Let us think of them as sprinter vs marathon runners. Power vs endurance.

Sprinting muscles create great force in short bursts. These muscles are normally the larger muscle groups needed for actions like lifting, catching, throwing, running, etc.

Marathon runners, on the other hand, need endurance. They need to be active for long periods of time but with less force. Our postural muscles support and stabilize our joints throughout the day and prevent us from flopping over. They are like marathon runners.

If the postural muscles are not strong enough or if they activate incorrectly our sprinter’s kick. The sprinters are not prepared to hold for sustained periods and fatigue rapidly.

Tired and fatigued muscles don’t function at optimal levels. They can cause imbalances, cramps and put you at risk of injury.

Activation and neuromuscular firing

Sometimes a muscle can in a sense “turn off”. This could be due to inactivity, injury or imbalances. Whatever the reason, in order to complete a required movement, the body will recruit other muscles that are simply not designed for the role.

An example of this is when Gluteus maximus (Glute max a buttock muscle) turns off in a sense. Excessive sitting causes the muscle to sit inactively and in a stretched position for long periods. This is common in office jobs and other occupations like truck driving.

Incorrect activation of Glute max while walking and moving your lower limbs can cause pain and sciatic like symptoms. As other muscles try to work harder to make up for the strength lost.

Another muscle located in the buttock (the piriformis) is responsible for this scenario of sciatic type symptoms. (The shooting pain down the back of the thigh).  As the piriformis is not cut out to do the job of glute max, it fatigues. It will then irritate the sciatic nerve if it spasms or cramps. This is known as piriformis syndrome and is not true sciatica.

What to do?

Glute Max needs to be strengthened. This is where isometric strengthening is useful.

Isolating the muscle and isometrically contracting will cue it to wake up and activate. This type of work encourages the nervous system to communicate with the muscle, Like a wake-up call (neuromuscular firing).

Rehabilitation

It is sometimes recommended to avoid movement for a period of time after an injury. And sometimes the pain alone will cause to avoid movement of that body part. In these situations, the muscle or muscles can weaken and begin losing mass within weeks. 

While it may be necessary to keep the affected joint immobile it is also important to maintain a level of strength to minimize muscle wastage. Isometric contractions permit strengthing without causing any movement at the joint.

In addition, the contraction of the muscle also helps move fresh blood to the area. And this is helpful as the blood transports oxygen and nutrients that aid the healing process and reduce recovery time.

How do you perform isometric contraction?

Isometrics require no special equipment therefor can be performed almost anywhere.  You only need to tense the area you want to work in.

its recommended to perform Isometric contractions in short bursts holding for 10 seconds at a time. While holding the contraction ensure you maintain slow, deep breaths. 

The number of repetitions and force of the contraction that suits your individual circumstance can be discussed with your Myotherapist.  It will be different depending on if you are recovering from an injury or wanting to simply “switch on” (activate and strengthen) a muscle.

Here are a couple to try

Core engagement

Do this standing or seated.

It’s as simple as contracting (Tightening) your stomach muscles.

  1. Draw your belly button back towards your spine and slightly up in the direction of your head. (Core activation/TVA)
  • To increase resistance, activate core then lift your feet slightly off the ground (while seated).
  • Use your hands to push your knees back towards the ground, matching the resistance.

Isometrics are great at strengthening your core and you can do them anywhere, any time.

Neck strengthening

Do this standing or seated.

  1. Clasp your hands together behind your head.
  2. Draw your elbows and shoulder blades backward.
  3. Push your head back into your hands at the same time as pushing your hands forward into the back of your head. (DO NOT tilt head! Simply draw it backward, creating a double chin, to meet resistance)

This strengthens upper back and neck muscles while stretching the front of your chest

 

Isometrics temporarily restricts blood flow to the region and can cause blood pressure to spike. So consult your doctor prior to commencing any new exercise routines. Especially if you are pregnant, have high blood pressure or heart disease.

Any unusual symptoms such as headaches, nausea or dizziness stop immediately and consult your doctor.

 

Thanks for reading, I hope you have found this article to be useful.
If you have any questions or would like to book in a Myotherapy or massage session you can contact me via the below information.

By Rachael Sloothaak