Is Having A Butt Wink Bad? How To Optimise Your Squat.

What is a butt wink squat?

There has been plenty of debate as to whether having a “butt wink” even matters that much.. Is it bad? Does it matter? Is it associated with pain?

Well, let’s talk about some of these things.. BUT FIRST.. Let’s talk about what exactly IS A BUTT WINK??

Fig.1 Often starting position has a straight and stiff spine (top) as they squat down, their tailbone tucks under creating a change in spinal position and a loss of stiffness in the spine.

Well..

Moving the hips and the knees, whilst maintaining “stiffness” through the spine is ideal - so as to most load the hips and knees.

A “butt wink” occurs when there is a shift in spinal or pelvic position throughout the squatting movement creating a ‘tucking under’ of the lower back and pelvis.

So does having a butt wink when you squat matter?

1. Mechanically speaking, this position doesn’t provide the best of leverage to get up from the bottom position, and if the weight is too heavy, it can pin you down OR force you to lift the weight using a less optimal strategy to lift the weight. The glutes have been shown to take on the largest load and force generation when squatting below parallel, but tucking the pelvis under in a butt-wink takes away the leverage to allow this to happen.

2. The shift in spinal and pelvic position also indicates a loss of ‘stiffness’ in the abdomen and through the spine. In order to lift effectively and transfer force, we need to build intra-abdominal pressure (IAP). IAP, is when you fill the abdominal cavity with air pressure and contract the surrounding muscles creating a pressurised cylinder through the core and pelvis. This allows the hips, knees and ankles to push against the floor without leaking energy through the abdomen and the spine… So… if your spine moves… then it’s safe to say you’ve leaked some of the energy that you should be holding onto in the abdomen.

3. The movement of the spine and pelvis also indicates that there may have been a shift in centre of gravity. The best bet when squatting is to find the most efficient, and straightest bar bath possible for the lift to occur whilst maintaining optimal movement efficiency. A butt-wink can indicate that the lifter’s centre of gravity started off too far back and thus has to shift relatively forward throughout the movement. This makes the bar deviate from centre, and thus, the bar needs to travel further throughout the squat movement.

Fig.2 A typical “butt wink” as depicted by Girls Gone Strong

So, does a butt wink matter?

Well, based on these points, it matters as it can affect the efficiency of the movement and thus one’s performance of the squat.

Fig. 3 On left: Position of spine. On right: Bar path starting and finishing in front of the persons centre of gravity

Can a butt wink cause pain?

Put simply, there is nothing to suggest that having a “butt wink” will cause back pain.

However, if someone comes into the clinic with back pain, then the “butt wink” might be one of the things we will look at to help get the person back to squatting again asap.

Often, pain from lifting can originate due to the load administered being too great for the capacity that the tissues have to bear the load. This can lead to a protective response, a strain, a sprain or just some inflammation.

Making a movement efficient is one way to mitigate this overload.

All too often we see people lifting with poor technique or inefficient movement, but that doesn’t always mean they will have pain or injury.

But when someone does come in with pain or injury, technique and movement efficiency is a critical point that needs to be looked at when looking to return someone back to sport, and in this case, back under the barbel.

So what’s the final verdict of the butt wink and optimising your squat?

• Does it cause pain? NO

• Do we think it’s important? YES

Thanks for reading, and if there is anything I can personally do to help you, whether that’s to help you through pain, improving movement, or to get you back under the barbel confidently, be sure to book a time with me, at either our Norwest or Bondi Junction clinics.

Role of the hamstrings during the squat

The hamstrings are often overlooked due to its lesser contribution to hip extension during the squat in comparison to the glutes and adductors. However, the hamstrings have an important role in pelvic orientation and control under load during the squat. Before we proceed to discuss about the role of the hamstrings, let’s review the anatomy of the hamstrings, as this will provide you a good insight into the function of the hamstrings during execution of the squat. 

The hamstring muscle group consists of 3 main muscles: biceps femoris, semimembranosus and semitendinosus. The tendons of the long head of biceps femoris, semitendinosus and semimembranosus arise from the ischial tuberosity (i.e., lower portion of your glutes), which then course inferiorly to insert into different regions of the knee and upper leg region just below the knee. Due to these muscles crossing both the hip and knee joint, they function to extend the hip, flex the knee, and half of them also contribute to internal rotation of the thigh at the hip joint. On the other hand, the short head of biceps femoris only acts about the knee joint.

Hamstrings relationship with the pelvis during the squat

But first… hip extension is so much more than a glute contraction.

To summarize how we get into hip extension, during hip extension, our center of mass passes over our femur as it rotates back towards our body. The shape of your pelvis requires it to internally rotate to pass over the femur. Even though the glutes play a role in hip extension, hip extension itself is an internal rotation phenomenon. Your adductors and hamstrings both contribute to internal rotation and hip extension. 

In addition, some lifters I see tend to display pretty poor control over their pelvis under load, whether it’s squatting or deadlifting, resulting in leaking of energy and compromising control of positions. A lot of people are unable to extend their hips correctly, as demonstrated by them using their back or tipping their pelvis forwards. Your hamstrings work to control your pelvic position through hip extension, by posteriorly tilting the pelvis. Together with the adductors, they both work together to better orientate and control your pelvis in the sagittal plane, which will in turn create a better orientation of the pelvis to allow more efficient extension of the hip. 

Photo by Alora Griffiths on Unsplash

How do I improve hamstring function in the squat?

To learn how to control your pelvis using your hamstrings, there are many starting point exercises, such as the 90/90 hip lift. This exercise allows the lifter to understand how to posteriorly tilt their pelvis to neutral from extension together with 360 degree breathing. It also allows the lifter to feel correct oblique recruitment upon exhalation to control the rib cage and pelvic alignment required for heavy squats. Further progressions of the 90/90 hip lift include exercises which integrate concentric and eccentric action of the hamstrings with hip flexion and extension movement patterns.

How can I help you?

• If you’re never able to “find your glutes” or struggle to “feel the tension” during squats and deadlifs

• Keep getting hip flexor tightness and pinching at the hip

• Tendonitis and ongoing muscle pain

• Lower back pain

• Patella tendon pain and quad strains
  

If you’re based in Sydney and this is something you would like help with, click below to book with us.

Oldies need our help to stay feeling young

Written by Nick Papastamatis - Practice Leader

As people progress in age, they seem to be less concerned about their future selves, and more motivated to feel good about themselves and do things they enjoy. Whether that’s spending time with their kids and grandkids, playing golf, dancing with their spouse, going for walks or whatever it might be… They don’t spend too much time and energy dwelling on things that don’t enhance their present time mood. 

The amount of times I've seen an older person limping, or clearly physically restricted and asked them, 

“How is your hip going?” 

and their answer is… “It’s fine… why do you ask?” 

Almost as if the problem didn’t exist… 

More often than not, they have pain or at the very least, some sort of health condition… but if their condition doesn’t stop them from doing the things they love, then they don’t seem to be phased by it.

Photo by Johnny Cohen on Unsplash

There is a flip side though… 

There are older folk that really do become defined by their problem. They come into the clinic, very regularly, and use it as an opportunity to complain about it, to have it as their reason for not being able to participate in life. Once they’ve made up their mind that their problem isn’t going away - and it really wont, no matter how hard you try with them inside and outside the clinic. 

So we have one set of older people who are bullet proof despite their limitations and the other set of older people go into their shell because of their limitations. 

That’s a seemingly large gap between the two groups. 

Here’s why this gap exists:

According to a 2021 research paper by Condon et al. (https://doi.org/10.1080/13607863.2019.1673308)

The older population, whilst highly motivated to sort it out while their pain is fresh, generally become more despondent to solving their issue the longer it is sustained and in fact, chronic pain in adults makes them 2-4 times more likely to enter depression. 

Every mechanical problem can be managed in some way, even though as we get older, problems might be a bit more progressed than they were 20 years ago, but nevertheless, improvement can always be made. The difference is actually their MIND and how they FEEL! 

There’s a strong link between pain intensity and one’s emotional intelligence. Emotional intelligence is your ability to recognise and manage one’s feelings and be able to mould behaviour and thoughts to get the outcome one wants. So the higher your emotional intelligence is, the lower your pain intensity will be. 

And, you can measure it!

Condon et al. 2021, classifies four different factors associated with their thoughts and feelings for the older population: (and believes it’s different for younger people)

1. CONFUSION about feelings

2. ACCEPTANCE of feelings

3. REJECTION of feelings

4. INSIGHTS about feelings

As stated in the paper, there are various statements that the older population say that are categorised under these factors which are as follows along with my thoughts on how we can apply this clinically but also, important for patients to become aware too:

Confusion:

• I can never tell how I feel

• When upset, I realise all the good things in life are just illusions

• I can’t make sense of my feelings

• Sometimes I can’t tell what my feelings are

• I am usually confused about how I feel

• My beliefs and opinions change based on how I feel

• Although sometimes happy, I mostly have a pessimistic outlook on life

It’s critical for patients to be able to make sense of what they are feeling and why they are feeling it. That can be with respect to their pain, but something that occurs that’s worse than the pain, is that it gets them feeling down about life. We need to be able to help them navigate through building an understanding of why they are in pain, and further (commonly missed), WHY their pain is getting them down. 

Photo by Sven Mieke on Unsplash

Acceptance:

• I pay a lot of attention to how I feel

• Feelings give direction to life

• I often think about my feelings

• I believe in acting from the heart

• The best way to handle feelings is to experience to the fullest

Listening to a patient whilst they are telling you how they feel about their problem is what allows them to feel listened to and is crucial in building an alliance between the patient and the practitioner. Things might be explained well to them, but if they don’t feel a connection or an understanding from you, they may feel despondent. 

Rejection:

• One should never be guided by emotions

• Feelings are a weakness that humans have

• People would be better if they felt less and thought more

• I don’t think it’s worth paying attention to your emotions

• I never give in to my emotions

Feeling strongly about not feeling things is a feeling in itself. The greatest pushback would be when encouraging someone who is not willing to explore feelings, to in fact, explore them. Although the research suggests that they’ll have a better outcome if they can moderate their feelings, it may well have a worse outcome, to force the patient to explore their feelings, when you don’t have their permission. 

Insights:

• I usually know my feelings about a matter

• I almost always know exactly how I’m feeling

• I am often aware of my feelings on a matter

• I am rarely confused about what my feelings are

• I am usually very clear about my feelings

When a patient is clear on the impact a problem is having on their life, it makes it very easy to set measurable goals working towards breaking down the limitation. It gives purpose to the sessions and sets the intention behind prescribed exercises.

Condon et al 2021 strongly informs this piece, and various experiential inferences have been applied to it based upon my experiences as a clinician over the past ten years. 

It’s important as clinicians that we make every effort, not to intentionally build a patient’s emotional intelligence, but to at least, help them make sense of what they are feeling, and why they are experiencing those feelings. 

Ultimately, their mindset stands between you and whether or not you’re able to help them achieve their outcomes and feel themselves again.

Written by Nick Papastamatis

Practice Leader

Ref: Shelley E. Condon , Patricia A. Parmelee & Dylan M. Smith 2021 Examining emotional intelligence in older adults with chronic pain: a factor analysis approach Aging & Mental Health 25:2, 213-218

Do you need to look at my MRI?

Written by Nick Papastamatis - Practice Leader

It’s a journey of discovery for the patient

“You are not your MRI…” 

This sentiment is thrown around A LOT by people in the industry. 

My experiential contrast is.. 

“I have never regretted sending someone for an MRI”

Patient’s are often driven by the fact that they now know what’s wrong so they can move through it.

In any case.. Patients take away meaning from their diagnosis and what is written on the report - even what the scan looks like..

So how does one handle a conversation around scans and what they mean? 

Well, here is how I’ve handled it over the past 10 years.

The outcome of the conversation is moderated by two very important factors:

1. The type of conversation you have about the MRI

2. The attitude shown towards the MRI

Let me explain… 

If you’re in healthcare looking after patients, we have all had someone come in with a pile of scans and they say.. 

“Right.. So I’ve brought everything with me, and I’m hoping you can help me with this problem that no one seems to have any idea how to solve…”

If you’re a patient reading this.. Ask yourself… what would you want the practitioner to do with those scans?

If you’re a practitioner reading this.. Ask yourself… what have you/would you do in this situation?

I can tell you what I’ve done:

• Gone through each one individually

• Pushed the scans aside and carried on asking questions

• Looked at the scans whilst they’re talking to me

• Take a closer look after the consult when they’re not in the room

• Don’t look at them at all

• Tell them that the scans often don’t reflect the problem

• Be pinpoint about the diagnosis

• Point out specific things on the scan

• More more more

I’ve tried many different approaches - and of course I can’t tell you which one is the best. 

REGARDLESS.. 

The moment a patient brings you a scan (practitioners need to keep in mind)… 

The patient THINKS that it’s important. 

The patient is walking in with a pre-conceived idea. 

The patient has gone to the effort to get it done, remember them, they are hoping you can help them build better meaning!

If patients knew what it all meant, then they’d just tell you what is wrong and leave the scans at home - but they don’t. They bring them, they are looking for someone to help them make sense of what is going on. 

So let’s go back to the 2 very important moderating factors:

1. The type of conversation you have about the MRI

The most important thing: Start by identifying what their narrative is about what their scans mean to them. This enables you as a practitioner and an expert guide, to understand the layers that need to be ‘de-educated’. (‘De-educated’ refers to the reversal of thoughts and beliefs that aren’t helpful)

• Acknowledge why you’ve brought the scans in

• Recognise that this has taken time and effort (without result)

• A series of questions regarding whether the scan and what it says is relevant or not

• A detective-like explanation of the deduction or conclusion that your discussion might suggest

• An opportunity for the patient to ask questions and concerns about the scans and what they mean.

• Proposed next steps, including an assessment and a plan of action to solve the problem as discussed. 

The issue I’ve seen, and the issue I believe at large - is that practitioners are too quick to draw conclusions before considering that the patient is actually a PERSON, who has needs that require YOUR attention. 

1. The attitude shown towards the MRI  

How you handle the envelope. Behaviours such as:

• Carefully take them out?

• Throw them on the treatment table?

• Keep them in order? 

• Put them up against a light box? 

• Nonchalantly hold them against the ceiling light or window?

If a large majority of communication is non-verbal.. Then really, it’s what you don’t say that means the most. 

Both of these moderating factors I personally take into account and can honestly say that there is no correct way of going through it… My approach will vary depending on the person in front of me and how important they believe the scans are… 

The bottom line is - our approach allows us to deliver the message the patient NEEDS to set them up for success.

Written by Nick Papastamatis - Practice Leader

That's Where I hold My Stress!

Workplaces have been intense this year. Whether business have suffered, or in some cases boomed, there have been so many external factors influencing the place we know to call 'work'. With the surge in work from home arrangements, staggered staffing and endless amounts of 'zoom' conferencing, it would be understandable if you had said that 2020 has left the mind a little stressed out...just a little.

What's been interesting across all our clinics, is the rise in the frequency of people presenting with neck pain. Of course, that may well be from being less (even less) mobile than before; and perhaps a less than advantageous work from home setup... but what has been consistent, is increased stress. 

A 2016 study by Oretgo et al. reviewed and categorised research performed to assess the association between stress and generalised neck/shoulder pain.. When collating their findings, there was a strong association found between stress and neck/shoulder pain, with the proposed causing mechanism being "cognitive-emotional sensitisation". (visit this study here - or ask us for the full copy)

"Cognitive-emotional sensitisation" refers to the "overstimulation of pain related areas in the forebrain and brainstem regions'' due to psychological stress...

Yes, your pain may have become more noticeable because of stress.. but that doesn't mean it's all in your head. 

Psychological factors create a hypersensitivity of nerves, and so your brain detects more signals being fired, in comparison to less stressful circumstances. 

Here are some questions about stress and how it relates to your pain: 

- If stress is related to my pain, will treatment help? Yes, not only will it help you achieve some targeted relief, but with the release of endorphins that come from receiving treatment, you'll also have a chance to change your state of mind. It has been documented that after receiving treatment you have an increase in serotonin, dopamine and oxytocin - which are all hormones which make you feel good.. Of course, this feeling is temporary, but it gives you a chance to improve your thoughts and actions in the short term. 

- Why do I 'feel my stress' in my neck? There are multiple causes for this.. It may be that you already have an existing issue in the neck and stress is sensitising it; it may be that you're also straining your jaw which has a strong relationship with the neck; it's common to take short shallow breaths when you're stressed, so it may be that you're not breathing through your nose, and neck pain is linked to breathing shallowly through your mouth; it may be that you're staying in a fixed position all day, looking at your computer creating a "compter vision syndrome" (check out our instagram post about it)... We could continue coming up with reasons why it's your neck that becomes irritated, and it's largely dependent on your unique situation. 

- So my pain won't go away until I stop stressing? I'm always stressed... Stress is a normal part of life. It's unreasonable to ask any person to "stop stressing", but what we need to look at is how you're managing that stress. Do you have enough strategies in place to help you deal with the psychological load placed on you. Firstly, it's ok to not be ok.. but you need to speak up.. especially to help you manage the people or events around you that can afford to ease up and let you ride out the wave of stress. Try not to manage to many high stress things at the same time - this is very dependent on your personal ability to tolerate stress - know you're limit. You're pain can go away if you learn how to manage your stress levels. 

- If I can't reduce my stress, how can I manage it better? 4 easy ways that you can do right away... 

1. Exercise - this immediately changes the way your brain is working. 

2. Food - Get to know which foods you should avoid for your gut health and have a good balance of protein, carbohydrates and fats to help nourish your brain with the fuel it needs to function - (comfort foods taste good, but lead to more discomfort). Also if you need a good nutritionist, let us know. 

3. Breathing exercises - breathing in for 6 seconds repeatedly will allow you to take control of you breath and your mind - as the breath is one of your body's indicators of whether you're in a relaxed or stressful state. We like to take 3 drops of RocketFuel to clear the upper airways and nose breath 6 seconds in (letting it out) for 90seconds every morning and every night. (Ask us about our get to sleep routine). 

4. Meditation - building awareness and leanring to manage your emotions is a skill that can be learnt. Meditation allows you to face them and wrestle with your mind so, long term, you can learn how to control your mind. If you manage to do all 4 stress management strategies we have put forward here, you have given yourself a fighting chance to manage and control the stress you have in your life... Especially if you can't lower the causes of your stress. 

Our Chiropractors and Physiotherapists are always here for you, ready to Make a Difference to your life, and to your family and friends. If you know someone that could do with our help in Castle Hill, Bondi Junction, Brookvale, or Penrith OR, if you know someone on the northside of Brisbane, in Virginia, feel free to Make a Difference to them by sending this to them and we hope to be able to help them the same way we have helped you - to the best of our abilities.

I've Been Told That My Hips Are Out of Alignment Because One Foot is Longer Than The Other…

"I got told that I've got one leg longer than the other, and that's why my back is always out"... 

We hear that, SO OFTEN. 

Truth is, by design, we are asymmetrical…

So it really isn't logical to think that we should function symmetrically, and frankly, we don't... 

People are commonly told these things to try and put a simple and appreciable reason as to why their pain continues to return. Like a miracle, you even up those leg lengths again by 'straightening' out the pelvis and you definitely need "that spot" treated, and that should set you straight for about a month or so… 

Does this sound familiar? 

Now, there is nothing wrong with receiving care for the management of an issue or to continue working on something that you would like to improve upon... but to require your leg lengths to be restored to symmetry at the mercy of the skills of a professional? I think we can do better than that... 

So perhaps it would help if we explained why our leg lengths are different in the first place....

If you use one side of your core and trunk, differently to how you use the other side, you will automatically preposition the hip socket differently which can act to 'shorten' or 'lengthen' the leg. This didn't happen yesterday... You've been functioning like this for most of your life... So why did it start hurting all of a sudden?... 

In the absence of a traumatic event, it's likely that the problem is related to something in your lifestyle, or better yet, multiple factors within your lifestyle... Your stress level, your sleep patterns, your activity levels.. All it takes is for one small activity (that you don't normally do) to tip your tolerance over the edge and now you've irritated/sensitised something.. Did it have anything to do with your asymmetry? I think not... Your asymmetry has been there and will continue to be there. 

So here are some things that you should keep in mind: 

1. Ask your practitioner for some exercises that you can do to help address this asymmetry long term.

2. Take note of the extra activities you've done, or you're planning to do and take into account appropriate rest to ensure your recovery. 

3. Continue working with your health professional regularly to work on other factors of your wellbeing and lifestyle (like sleeping, exercise, nutrition and stress management) so you can gradually eliminate the ongoing stressors that you have in your life, to allow room to tolerate unexpected spikes in activity. 

With 4 clinics in Sydney and our new clinic in Virginia (Brisbane North), and working with some great health and fitness professionals, we are always here to get to know you, find the cause and work with you to make a plan. Whether it's Chiro or Physio as your preference we have you covered, and no matter whether it's lower back pain, neck pain, shoulder pain or post surgical, we can help you, or anyone you know.

How Do You Know If You're Recovering Enough?

We've worked with hundreds of athletes... 

Different sports

Different levels

Different shapes

Different sizes 

Across the board, there are common themes they all share, and in particular, the simple fact that they all need adequate recharge and recovery.

So let's talk about recharge and recovery in 3 different aspects:

1. Manage fatigue

2. Managing fight/flight

3. Managing mental health

Managing fatigue:

There are 3 kinds of fatigue as a result of training - mechanical, metabolic and neurological.

Mechanical fatigue refers to the amount you’ve accumulated in terms of volume and load. Metabolic fatigue refers to the biochemical processes required to deal with constantly producing and recovering from the usage of energy. Neurological fatigue refers to how intense your workout is or how much concentration was required. 

Your workout tends to lean towards one over the other, but you can have all three. There are physiological processes involved in the recovery of each one. There are some ways you can naturally expedite your recovery, but the best way is to simply respect the process involved. 

The amount of recovery required is hugely contextual and dependent on what you did compared to what you’re conditioned to do. 

Keep in mind, recovering from fatigue induced by the strength and conditioning program, does not mean you can return to training when you are ‘mentally’ ready. 

The best way to manage this recovery is to program it, and the best way to program it, is to work with a strength & conditioning coach who understands what type of fatigue they’ve just induced. 

Managing fight/flight:

Training can be stressful... It’s either your competitive side OR it’s your perfectionistic side. 

The competitive side comes out whether you’re racing against the clock or if you’re up against your training partner. The perfectionistic side comes out when you’re trying to master a skill or you’re in preparation for an event. 

Either way, it’s stressful! 

This fight/flight state is moderated by calming your nervous system down. Whether your tool is to use breathing exercises, meditation or supplementation, part of recovering well is moving from “fight/flight” to “rest/digest”. 

Managing Mental Health:

Training is a great way to manage your mental health… It improves our thoughts, it changes our hormonal profile, changes brain activity, empowers us. 

But, here we broach a crucial topic, that we see all too often...

So for people that NEED to train for their sanity, without understanding their mind, we see them heavily overtraining, and if they take a break, it causes them psychological adversity… so they become a slave to training.

More recently, we have also seen professional athletes suffer from psychological distress after the end of their careers. 

Learning about yourself, and understanding how to manage your mind, is absolutely essential. It is absolutely healthy to seek psychological support from a professional. Understand yourself first, so you can stay in control of your exercise and your decisions about training. 

If you need recommendations, let us know. 

Why Do My Shoulders & Neck Always Feel ' Tight'?

Patients come to us time and time again..

“My neck and shoulders are just constantly tight and nothing I do helps”

Usually these people have seen multiple Chiros and Physios and some “get it” better than others… It’s not really until we start to dive deeper and ask a simple question.. “Did you injure your neck? Or did this develop gradually?” most people say, “...it developed gradually”.

When a problem is not traumatic, and is behavioural, we need to look at why YOUR behaviour creates pain, rather than trying to find a ‘fix’ or a solution in the clinic.

The solution is already in your hands 

Here are 3 main things we find as significant contributors to this constant neck and shoulder tightness: 

Prolonged positions. Even if you have 'good posture', not moving for extended periods of time is not something to be proud of. Let's put it this way... Would you drink stagnant water? Conceptually we need to think of our bodies the same way; constantly moving, dynamic and fresh, like a flowing stream of water.

Staying stuck in a position also forces some muscles connected to your neck and shoulders to over work to maintain an upright position, especially if you're also in a seated position all the time. You don't have the support of your hips helping you out and you're mainly looking in one direction.

Not only that, but ‘Computer Vision Syndrome’ is something that people start to experience because of prolonged positioning, but also adding the strain of constant eye focus on the screen of your computer. So, a combination of not putting demands on your body along with an overuse of only a few muscles to keep your position constant and glaring at a screen can result in always feeling 'tight' in the shoulders and neck.  

Prolonged fight or flight.  Have you ever been told that you "need to reduce your stress"? And how likely is that? I'd say not very.

Stress is a normal part of our lives. Without it, we're all comfortable. It really does come down to getting to know yourself well enough to know how to manage that stress that's incoming… but even the best of us aren't perfect and we can creep into a chronically stressed state... and that's one issue that leads to a range of deleterious health effects and with respect to tightness in the neck - an increased sensitivity to pain signals and an upregulation of perceived environmental threat.

Sensitivity to pain signals - anything that was just a little bit tight, can start to feel painful. Mechanically it will 'feel' tighter but that's often because of the chronically stressful state rather than what's happening mechanically.

Upregulating perceived environmental threats - our nervous systems are geared for survival - in nature, we're smart, but we're not exactly hunters.... So really, if we hear something loud, or see something moving fast, we have reflexes that tighten our neck and shoulders so we can react quickly...

This is the same stress response we are eliciting when sitting at your computer, so your neck and shoulders are tightening up in preparation to fight or flight... That's why stretching them out doesn't really work - you need to change your state and change your environment to help you reset.

Poor breathing patterns. Let's combine stress with prolonged positioning, now let's just slouch a little too - now there is no room for your diaphragm to lower.... but you still have to get the air in - so you breathe through your chest by elevating your shoulders.

The way you breath tells your nervous system what state it's in, so when you combine everything we've talked about so far - you can see that it's a vicious cycle. Remember, your shoulders and neck are busy sustaining your position all day, but the added extra is that we take around 25,000 breaths a day, so if you're raising your shoulders to do so, now your shoulders and neck are working hard to help you breath AND sustain your position WHILST your in a stressful state...

I hope that explains why your neck and shoulders feel tight all the time!

We’re here for you, providing Chiropractic and Physiotherapy in 4 locations in Sydney - Norwest, Bondi Junction, Brookvale and Penrith and our brand new location in Virginia QLD - so hopefully we’re close to you or someone you know. 

Whether it’s neck pain, headaches, shoulder pain or just need some tips, we can help.. And if you’re not sure, feel free to reach out via email admin@balancehp.com.au or give us a call on (02) 9899 5512. 

I Got Told My Glutes Don't Turn On... What Does That Mean?

If only it was that simple - then we could flick a switch and go from "off" to "on". 

Believe us, your glutes work! 

Really what is happening here is a description of how you prefer to move or perform a task - a movement pattern or mapping pattern. Think about it this way... 

How many ways are there for you to drive to the beach? 

You could probably find 2-3 ways quite easily right?... Well, the same could be asked of your brain - how many different ways can we use our body to kick or throw a ball? 

There are many ways to do this, but the way YOU throw a ball would reflect the most learnt way of doing it, or your most preferred way to do so. It’s not always efficient or technically sound, but you can use so many different parts of your arm to throw the ball, but really, who's to say which is the 'best' way? 

So if someone said that your pec doesn't "turn on" when you throw.. you could easily reply with "so what?". So here's the real issue... 

We as humans in the 21st century have adopted behaviours, such as sitting for extended periods of time, that choose NOT to incorporate our glutes in daily activities.... But saying your 'glutes don't turn on' is unhelpful to help move us towards how we can improve. 

For argument's sake, if you NEVER used your glutes in your life and you also NEVER had an injury or pain - who is to say that using your glutes would be better for you? 

Let's go back to the map analogy of getting to the beach. If you only used one road to get to the beach, what happens if the road you take is closed? Do you have alternative routes to take? 

To be robust and resilient humans, we need multiple strategies to get from Point A to Point B, so we can accomodate for unexpected changes along the way.

Not using your glutes frequently, is like not using a highway frequently.

But to start learning how to use them, you need to learn how to incorporate them into your behaviour patterns - so doing 10,000 glute bridges won't necessarily teach you to switch them on more frequently. So a better thing to be told is… 

"We need to build more strategies for your movement which incorporate your glutes.."

or “Let’s create more alternative routes to get to the beach”.

Your exercises need to target the pattern you're trying to build! We, as Chiros and Physios, don't flick any switches, but we can help fast track your remapping.

Why Do I Feel 'Out of Whack" and What Does That Even Mean?

Have you ever had the sense that you’ve felt 'out of whack'? 

A lot of people get told that "one leg is longer than the other'' or that their "pelvis is twisted"... These phrases (or anything similar) are just narratives we use to help us explain what this feeling is, or why we have this sense of not being 'in line'. Long term though, these narratives and explanations aren't helpful... Your behaviour will naturally create asymmetry and activities in life are not symmetrical. 

So why should we expect our bodies to be symmetrical?!

So, you can feel 'centred' but be mechanically asymmetrical... And that is perfectly normal... But, how do we explain the feeling of being 'out of whack'? Let's explain this with a practical example... 

We are supposed to strive towards taking 10,000 steps per day, but how many of those steps did we consciously think about? We're more likely to detect mis-steps or steps that were unexpected, rather than notice all the thousands of steps that went according to plan... Walking is a reflex, and so is standing, so is sitting and so is working at your desk... So if part of your body isn't functioning the way it used to, your brain detects that there has been an interruption to your normal reflexive patterns. But how does that even happen? 

Our lifestyles are generally sedentary, and with the rise of people working from home, people are less and less active. When we stop moving part of our body, your brain stops receiving signals from the areas that aren't being used. It's clever, your body takes on and uses what it needs... So it will only build and maintain what it needs based on what demands are placed on it... In this way if you don't move your spine all day, you'll feel 'stiff' even if you've got the flexibility of a gymnast. 

The way to combat that, is to constantly remind the brain, how to use the joint and muscles to their fullest potential... Move, move, move. 

It doesn't mean you need to be a fitness freak, or super strong - it just means you need to MOVE. So when your behaviour only puts demands on one side of your pelvis, or on one side of your neck, what can happen is your perception of how well one side functions compared to the other is skewed, in comparison to how you have felt previously... We as humans, describe this process, as a feeling of being 'out of whack'... 

If you feel 'out', a great solution is to get MOVING, but you can always see a chiro or physio to help those areas that aren't moving to get a little push along, so it's easier to move it... 

The easiest, fastest, simplest and best solution is to MOVE. 

So, next time you're told that your 'hips are out of whack' or 'one leg is longer than the other', please know, that's completely normal, and what you need to do more of, is shake what your mumma gave you more often! 

Whether it's Chiropractic or Physiotherapy, we at Balance Health & Performance, have your back... Literally! In 4 locations in Sydney - Norwest, Bondi Junction, Brookvale &n Penrith.. AND our BRAND NEW SPACE in Virginia in QLD, we're here for you

Why does Balance Not differentiate between Physio and Chiro?

Is my problem a "physio" thing? or a "chiro" thing?. We get asked that a lot. Historically, there has always been a perceivable difference - going to the Chiro if "you're out of whack" and heading to the physio to recover from a “pulled ligament” or “strain”. 

Thankfully, we've come a long way, and we thought that rather than just share what the differences are, why don't we look at the similarities of what Chiros and Physios do here at Balance; and what we hope will also shape the future of this wonderful industry that helps Make a Difference to People's Lives. 

Here is what a Chiro or Physio will do at Balance Health and Performance. 

1. Get to Know You - we want to spend the time it takes to understand you and how the problem is affecting you. Sometimes, the pain is more than just 'pain' - it can enter your conversations, can leave you feeling like you're whining all the time and can even leave you feeling unmotivated and frustrated. The better we get to know how the problem is affecting you, the better we will be able to guide you through the process towards being back at your best. 

2. Find the Cause - regardless of whether you're a Chiro or a Physio, an important component of identifying where to start, begins with answering the question..."Is the problem due to behaviour or trauma?"... If the problem is due to trauma, a clear diagnosis and a management plan would need to be in order (like an ankle sprain or repair from surgery - yep Chiros do that stuff too)... and if the problem is due to behaviour, then it's less about what is 'injured' and more about what habits are 'injuring' it, or as we prefer to refer to it these days - makes the area "sensitised". Once we unpack the cause and get clear on whether the problem is a diagnosis like a sprain or strain; or something to do with your lifestyle, the next step is to... 

3. Make A Plan - it comes down to your goals. Your goal might be to just get out of pain, and return when you're back in pain again; or your goal could be athletic performance; or you need to feel good to be able to work; or to be able to look after a newborn; or you just want to feel young again...the list goes on. Whatever the goal may be, we want to work with you to set a target and work towards it. 

4. Follow Up - we want to ensure that we are with you along the way. We really do care about helping our patients, but just generally, we love helping people. We are keen to keep the conversation going, whether you’re in clinic or at home or work - as long as that's ok with you. 

5. Helping Family and Friends - it's common that your pain creeps into your daily conversations, and if it's been going on for a while, your partner knows about it, maybe even your boss and probably your friends too. We really do understand the impact of pain and it's why we take our roles so seriously. It means the world to us that if we can ‘Make A Difference’ to your life, then we can help you be better for all those around you - and better yet, we can help them feel their best too.... 

Now, knowing all this... Do you still want to know the difference between a Chiro and a Physio? Most people are ok with it... but if we want to look at some finer details... 

a)  Physios are trained to rehabilitate post-surgically within hospitals, and Chiros aren’t.  

b) Chiros are trained to manipulate joints and only some Physios are trained to do that. 

c) Chiros are trained to look at how they can impact the nervous system and physios are trained to look at how they can impact the musculoskeletal system.

d) They have a different certificate.

e) That’s about it.

The result, is always that you are cared for and are progressing towards achieving better health and optimising performance.

Across our 4 locations in Sydney: Norwest, Bondi Junction, Brookvale and Penrith; we ensure that all our teams are trained and professionally ready to build a relationship with you.

We're also opening in Virginia, North of Brisbane, Queensland, where we will be building a team there too. 

So if you know anyone, we'd love to help them up there.  

Running - The Importance of Load and Capacity

“It is estimated that 60% of all running injuries are due to training errors” - Hreljac, A; 2005.

This statement illustrates that when it comes to running, a huge factor in injury prevention is seen in setting up their technique and managing a person's volume of training. That is the total amount of training, not just running, in a program and may include frequency, duration, and intensity. This is referred to as the load of training.

“Have you ever felt like you can’t recover, or constantly feel tired?”

“How much training load is going through your body?”

When looking at training load, you need to appreciate that all training is, is creating a demand or stress. Your body has the ability to adapt to these training loads, which include muscles getting stronger, an increase in bone density, and tendons becoming more resilient. Load has 2 components that you need to take into account also: internal and external. Internal components are very dependent on the yourself, for example, factors like mood states, bloods (sex hormones, thyroid function, athlete monitoring systems), and rate of perceived exertion/RPE. External factors are influenced by creating physical, psychological or physiological demands like the training distance, frequency, time, speed and elevation.

As you could imagine by now there are a lot of factors to take into account, especially as a practitioner, when dealing with running and related injuries.

Most commonly people present with a disengagement in the training load and create overload. This is seen as pain or injury!

The 3 most common types of overload injuries in runners include:

1. Medial tibial stress syndrome (shin splints).

2. Achilles tendinopathy.

3. Plantar fasciitis.

“But why do you feel like you are getting injured all the time even when your diet, sleep and other factors are managed, while others rarely see an injury?”

It all comes down to capacity and recovery.

Capacity is your ability to absorb load and adapt to it. Much like when going to the gym. You lift a certain weight for 4 weeks and the weight becomes easier. Your body has adapted to the load and increased its capacity to lift more. Much is the same with running.

When looking at someone's training load it's important I see areas of increased volume with areas of decreased volume. Your recovery should be illustrated in your training schedule as well as incorporated into periodization.

What is periodisation you ask?

It’s the systematic planning of training. It is made of building blocks with variable loads and recovery to overall increase your capacity and assist in your performance. It is known as a chronic training base, and is made up of layers of foundation building.

Now, if you’re the person who doesn’t have a coach and usually programs for yourself, listen up! This will be useful. The 10% rule. It allows you to add 10% to your weekly training load to steadily increase your capacity to load. Yes it is still dependent on yourself and any prior training base building you’ve established to have a starting point (chronic training load), but generally is a helpful guide to training volume.

Where do I as a practitioner come into effect? I am here to mitigate any loading errors you may develop, while still increasing your capacity to load. Essentially, you increase your training capacity while staying relatively pain and injury free.

Sounds pretty good doesn’t it?

Concussion

In sports these days concussion is taken extremely seriously. Have you ever seen a big hit in the footy and the person gets up groggy and stumbling? Chances are they have some form of concussion.

Now people sometimes recognise concussion as a result of someone being completely knocked out! Which is true to some degree. However, there is a large scale of what is considered to be concussion, so let’s discuss why that is and the return to sport process.

In the US alone there are 3.7 million concussions each year. Of these cases, 10-30% suffered impairment or symptoms for months to years.

Pretty staggering stats!

Firstly, let's identify what concussion is and the forces involved in concussion.

In recent years, concussion has been difficult to define due to the range of symptoms that can occur with traumatic brain injury (TBI). B. Ferry (2019) described this difficulty because they “have varying severity, ranging from mild, transient symptoms to extended periods of altered consciousness, and the fact that most symptoms are self-limited.” Loosely it is deemed a disturbance of brain function due to trauma. 

Like I said, very broad and of large scale.

There is also current debate into what actually occurs in concussion. We know that concussion occurs due to a rapid acceleration and deceleration force and not just impact to the head, but some of the ideas proposed of the physiology of what occurs during this event include shearing of axons (brain cells) on one another, coupled with the proposed chemical imbalance that occurs post trauma. We could go down a rabbit hole here, so let’s leave it as food for thought.

Let’s have a look at some common scenarios and compare them to a concussion.

The forces involved in a concussion range between 82G and 116G (~98Gs).

A seatbelt force in a car crash at 50km/h - 60Gs.

The average football impact - 30Gs.

A sneeze - 3G, hence why they say don’t open your eyes when you sneeze.

Reflecting on these figures, you can really appreciate how much force the human body can absorb and deal with. The most common causes of a concussion are motor vehicle accidents (whiplash), and high impact sports e.g. hockey, rugby, footy.

Now let's have a look at the symptoms that CAN occur in a concussion, and remember, people have a myriad of symptoms and each case is variable.

• Headache

• Dizziness/Balance Problems

• Weakness or numbness in arms/legs

• Cognitive Disturbance/Slurred Speech

• Seizures.

• Memory/Concentration Impairment

• Visual Disturbances

• Fatigue/Drowsiness

• Psychological Distress

• Nausea/vomiting

• Neck Pain (in some)

See how all these symptoms are subjective and each symptom can have a large range of severity. That is why the definition and austerity of concussion is so broad! Nowadays, practitioners on and off the field need to identify this, and a great tool to do so is the ‘SCAT5’ (Sport Concussion Assessment Tool 5th Edition). It is a standardized tool for evaluating concussions. Click here for more information on the SCAT5.