Figure and Form Osteopathy
An Osteopathic practice in Beverley. Offering Osteopathy, Dry Needling, Reformer and Mat Pilates
🏋🏼♂️Why is it so important to exercise?🤸🏽♀️
Exercise is incredibly important for both physical and mental health. The benefits go beyond just looking good or losing weight. Here's why regular exercise is so crucial:
1. Physical Health Benefits 💪🏼
Strengthens Muscles and Bones: Exercise, particularly weight-bearing activities (like walking, running, or strength training), helps build and maintain strong muscles and bones. This can prevent conditions like osteoporosis. Ladies pay attention to that particularly, at any age we can reduce issues that arise around the menopause with decreasing bone density and muscle strength.
Improves Cardiovascular Health:🫁Regular aerobic exercise, such as walking, cycling, or swimming, strengthens the heart and improves circulation, lowering the risk of heart disease, high blood pressure, and stroke.
Boosts Immune System: Moderate exercise can help to boost the immune system by promoting healthy circulation, which allows immune cells to move through the body more efficiently, helping to fight off illnesses.
Manages Weight: Regular exercise helps to burn calories and build muscle, which can support healthy weight management. It increases metabolism and helps balance calorie intake with expenditure.
Improves Flexibility and Balance: Activities like yoga, pilates, or stretching routines can improve flexibility and coordination. This reduces the risk of falls, especially in older adults, and improves overall functional mobility.
Better Joint Health: Exercise can help keep the joints healthy by lubricating them and strengthening the surrounding muscles. This is particularly important for conditions like arthritis.
2. Mental Health Benefits
Reduces Stress and Anxiety: Physical activity increases the production of endorphins (feel-good hormones), which act as natural mood lifters. It also reduces the levels of stress hormones like cortisol, which can help you feel more relaxed and less anxious.
Improves Sleep: Regular exercise promotes better sleep quality by helping to regulate the sleep-wake cycle. It can also make it easier to fall asleep and stay asleep, though exercising too close to bedtime might cause sleep disruptions for some people.
Boosts Cognitive Function: Exercise has been shown to improve brain health by increasing blood flow to the brain. It can enhance memory, focus, and even boost creativity. Studies also suggest it may reduce the risk of cognitive decline as we age.
Fights Depression: Physical activity, particularly aerobic exercise, has been shown to alleviate symptoms of depression. It can be just as effective as antidepressants for some individuals in mild to moderate cases, and it often has fewer side effects.
3. Longevity and Disease Prevention
Regular exercise helps lower the risk of chronic diseases such as type 2 diabetes, cancer, heart disease, and stroke. It helps control blood sugar, improve cholesterol levels, and regulate blood pressure.
Improves Life Expectancy: Studies show that people who engage in regular physical activity tend to live longer and healthier lives. Exercise has a protective effect on various organs and systems in the body, helping to prevent premature aging.
4. Enhances Quality of Life
Increases Energy Levels: Regular exercise can improve your stamina and overall energy. It helps your body function more efficiently, meaning you’ll have more energy throughout the day, even for simple tasks like walking or climbing stairs.
Improves Social Connections: Many forms of exercise are social activities, like group fitness classes, sports teams, or even walking with a friend. Social interaction plays a crucial role in overall mental well-being.
Builds Confidence and Self-Esteem: As you get stronger, fitter, and healthier, your self-esteem often improves. Achieving personal fitness goals can lead to a stronger sense of accomplishment and self-worth.
5. Reduces Pain and Improves Mobility. YES! We can improve our pain by moving more.
Helps Manage Chronic Pain: For conditions like lower back pain, arthritis, or fibromyalgia, exercise can help reduce pain and stiffness. Strengthening muscles, improving posture, and increasing flexibility can lead to less discomfort and improved daily function.
Prevents Muscle Atrophy: Regular physical activity helps maintain muscle mass and function, which can prevent or slow the process of muscle wasting (atrophy) that occurs with inactivity, illness, or aging.
To be honest I bet most of you know this anyway! But the bottom line is exercise is more than just a way to stay fit; it's a vital part of maintaining and improving your overall health, mental well-being, and quality of life. It strengthens your body, helps prevent disease, and promotes a happier, healthier mindset. Whether you’re lifting weights, going for a walk, practicing yoga, or playing a sport, the key is consistency and making exercise a regular part of your lifestyle.
Shoulders!
Oh, we’ve seen a lot of should issues recently in clinic. It’s a cheeky little joint the Shoulder with so many things that can go wrong.
Shoulder issues are common and can result from injury, overuse, or underlying medical conditions. The shoulder joint has sacrificed stability for mobility, which makes it prone to problems. Here are some common causes and types of shoulder issues:
1. Rotator Cuff Injuries - four muscles around the shoulder keeping the joint in place!
• Rotator cuff tears: These involve damage to those muscles and tendons that stabilise the shoulder and enable its wide range of motion. Tears can be partial or complete.
• Rotator cuff tendinitis: Inflammation of the tendons, often due to overuse, repetitive motions, or aging.
• Impingement syndrome: This occurs when the rotator cuff is pinched or compressed during shoulder movement, leading to pain and inflammation.
2. Frozen Shoulder (Adhesive Capsulitis)
• This condition causes stiffness and pain, leading to limited shoulder movement. The exact cause is unknown, but it can develop after prolonged immobility due to injury, surgery, or conditions like diabetes.
3. Shoulder Dislocation and Instability
• Dislocation: The shoulder joint can dislocate due to trauma, such as a fall or sports injury. It happens when the humeral head (upper arm bone) pops out of the socket. Thankfully not something we see a lot!
• Instability: Chronic instability occurs when the shoulder is prone to repeatedly dislocating or slipping out of place be careful all those who love contact sports
4. Arthritis
• Osteoarthritis: This type of arthritis occurs due to wear and tear over time, leading to degeneration of the cartilage in the shoulder joint.
• Rheumatoid arthritis: An autoimmune condition where the immune system attacks the joint lining, causing pain, swelling, and stiffness.
5. Bursitis
• Inflammation of the bursa, a fluid-filled sac that cushions the shoulder joint. This condition is often linked to repetitive overhead motions and can cause pain, especially during movement.
6. Labral Tears
• The labrum is a ring of cartilage that surrounds the shoulder socket. Tears in the labrum, often due to trauma or repetitive stress, can cause pain, catching, or clicking sensations during shoulder movement.
7. Fractures
• A break in the bones of the shoulder, such as the clavicle (collarbone), scapula (shoulder blade), or humerus (upper arm bone), often results from direct trauma or falls.
Symptoms of Shoulder Issues
• Pain: Often felt during movement or at rest.
• Limited range of motion: Difficulty raising the arm, rotating the shoulder, or reaching overhead.
• Weakness: Decreased strength in the shoulder and arm.
• Swelling: Inflammation and swelling around the joint.
• Popping or clicking: Sensations of catching or grinding when moving the shoulder.
Diagnosis and Treatment
• Physical examination: We assess range of motion, strength, and signs of instability.
• Imaging tests: X-rays, MRI, or ultrasound may be used to confirm diagnosis and assess damage.
• Treatment options: Rest, physical therapy, anti-inflammatory medications, cortisone injections, and, in severe cases, surgery (e.g., rotator cuff repair, shoulder replacement, or labral repair).
Prevention
• Strengthening the shoulder muscles, maintaining flexibility, avoiding overuse, and proper techniques in sports or physical activities can reduce the risk of shoulder problems.
💪🏻 There’s some exciting things I have been planning over the last few months. Keep your eyes peeled on how figure and form osteopathy is going to evolve as this next year progresses. 💪🏻
Don’t worry though I’m always first and foremost and osteopath but I’m driven to help as many people as I can “future proof” themselves.
So we can stay has healthy and mobile as we can for a long as we can!
Everyone follow her too!
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