Category: Headaches

Are Your Kids Finding Studying a Pain?

Back Pain Headaches Physiotherapy No Comments

As we head towards the final part of the school year, our school kids are studying for school exams and carting ever increasing amounts of text books home. Unfortunately for a lot of kids, the long hours spent hunched over the books results in neck pain, back pain and headaches.  Sitting puts a lot of strain on the spine, especially when combined with the flexed postures often seen when using a computer or reading for prolonged periods.  Despite the need to study, there are ways to minimise the strain on the spine and prevent the pain and headaches from occurring.

Firstly, having a good posture and desk set-up for studying are essential.  Make sure that you are sitting with your bottom as far back in the chair as possible and if your lower back is sore, place a small cushion in the curve of your lower back to support it.  If your feet cannot touch the ground, get a small stool to place them on.  If you have an adjustable chair, ensure that the height of the chair allows you to look at your computer screen without looking up or down too far.  When reading textbooks, use a book support or place them on a cushion, bringing them closer to your eyes and requiring less forward bending of the neck and rounding of the shoulders.

Secondly, taking mini breaks every 30-60 minutes allows some relaxation and stretching of the muscles which become tight when studying.  Make sure you stand up, walk around and stretch the neck and back muscles.  These short breaks will allow you to continue to study for longer with less pain.  In addition to mini breaks, ensuring that you get regular exercise is important for numerous factors.  Exercise has many positive effects including keeping your muscles strong and flexible, improving your concentration and memory, as well as improving your sleep quality.  Despite these positive effects, many people stop exercising when they are studying due to time constraints.  As you can see though, a small time sacrifice for exercise will be outweighed by the benefits.

If you are suffering with neck or back pain from studying, get some assistance as soon as possible so that you are not sitting through exams in pain.  Seek assistance from your local qualified health professional. Hinteractive Physio has experienced therapists who can assess and treat the cause of your pain as well as offering a youth Yogalates class which combines yoga and pilates to improve posture, flexibility and strength. Hinteractive Physio can be contacted on 5442 5556 or visit our website: www.hinteractivephysio.com.au

Taking the Pain out of The Road Trip

Back Pain Headaches Physiotherapy No Comments

Well school holidays are just around the corner and Christmas is less than a month away, so many of us will be packing up the cars and starting the traditional road trip. For many people though, the thought of long car drives makes them cringe, with the memories of back aches and neck stiffness flooding back quickly. But it needn’t be such a painful experience! With some easy tips and a few exercises, you’ll be arriving at your destination full of the Christmas spirit instead of a belly full of paracetamol.

But like most things, preparation is the key. If you have any niggling problems, get them sorted out before you go away. This way, you are starting your trip in good physical condition, rather than having to stop half way for urgent treatment. If you have room in your vehicle, be sure to pack your own pillows. This reduces those “wry” necks when you wake on the first morning of sleeping in a strange bed with a strange pillow. Next step- check your car set-up. Make sure that your seat is adjusted to provide optimum lumbar support and reduced arm straining to reach the steering wheel. Headrests need to be positioned so that they are not pushing the head forward, as this will cause neck pain and stiffness.

Most people, and especially those with back pain, will find that the in-built lumbar support in their car seats is not enough to support the lower back on a long drive. Lumbar rolls (round or d-shaped foam rolls) are a cheap and effective way to support the lower back while driving. They are simply placed in the curve of the lower back between the chair and the spine, and help to hold the natural lumbar curvature of the spine. Place your backside as far back in the chair as it will go, to help reduce “slouching”.

Try and stop every hour or so to reduce muscle and joint fatigue. Simply go for a short walk and try the following stretches.

  1. Place your hands in the hollow in the lower back and gently arch backwards as far as comfortable. Repeat this 5-10 times.
  2. Place one heel on the ground with the toes pulled back. Lean forward, poking the bottom out the back until you feel the stretch in the back of the thigh. Hold 20 seconds and sway sides.
  3. Stretch your neck by looking on a diagonal into your armpit. Hold 20 seconds and swap sides.

Obviously, if you have any specific problems you should consult a therapist before you go, to get more specific exercises for your body. So with regular breaks, not only will you be protecting yourself from driver fatigue, but you will be doing your body a favour.

For more information on back supports or exercises, contact your health professional. Craig and Rebecca Steele own Hinteractive Physio and can be contacted on 5442 5556.

What is Physiotherapy and Can it Help Me?

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As physiotherapists, we are often asked what we do and how it benefits the client. Physiotherapists primarily deal with movement. Another words, we ensure that your body functions and moves in an optimal, pain free and effective way. Problems with movement can be related to congenital (birth) issues, be a result of an accident, sporting or workplace injury, or be due to a major medical event such as a stroke or neurological condition. So whether you are young and active or elderly and sedentary, chances are at some stage in your life, you may benefit from physiotherapy.

Physiotherapists use a variety of techniques to ensure the optimal functioning of the muscles, joints and nerves. These include joint mobilisation or manipulation, muscle releases/massage, muscle retraining, exercise programs, electrotherapy to speed up healing and reduce inflammation, strapping and assistance with using various aids or braces. These techniques are used to help treat a variety of problems, including:

*Back pain
* Neck pain, headaches and whiplash,
*Arthritis
*Sports Injuries
* Rehabilitation from neurological disorders such as stroke, head injuries
* Upper limb pain including RSI, rotator cuff strains, tennis elbow etc
* Childrens problems such as cerebral palsy
* Pregnancy pain and weakness as well as incontinence

When you visit a physiotherapist, they will take a detailed history, perform a thorough physical examination, provide hands on treatment to address the problems found, advise you on the best course of management for your condition, and provide a home exercise program for you to optimise your physiotherapy consultation. The number of consultations required will depend on the severity and duration of your problems. If you have any queries about how physiotherapy may help you, please call your local physio who will be more than happy to answer any questions.

Rebecca Steele owns Hinteractive Physio in Cooroy and can be contacted on 5442 5556.

Are Your Kids Finding Studying a Pain?

Back Pain Headaches No Comments

It’s at this time of the year that our high school kids are studying for their most important school exams. Unfortunately for a lot of kids, the long hours spent hunched over the books results in neck pain, back pain and headaches. Sitting puts a lot of strain on the spine, especially when combined with the flexed postures often seen when using a computer or reading for prolonged periods. Despite the need to study, there are ways to minimise the strain on the spine and prevent the pain and headaches from occurring.

Firstly, having a good posture and desk set-up for studying are essential. Make sure that you are sitting with your bottom as far back in the chair as possible and if your lower back is sore, place a small cushion in the curve of your lower back to support it. If your fee cannot touch the ground, get a small stool to place them on. If you have an adjustable chair, ensure that the height of the chair allows you to look at your computer screen without looking up or down too far. When reading textbooks, use a book support or place them on a cushion, bringing them closer to your eyes and requiring less forward bending of the neck and rounding of the shoulders.

Secondly, taking mini breaks every 30-60 minutes allows some relaxation and stretching of the muscles which become tight when studying. Make sure you stand up, walk around and stretch the neck and back muscles. These short breaks will allow you to continue to study for longer with less pain. In addition to mini breaks, ensuring that you get regular exercise is important for numerous factors. Exercise has many positive effects including keeping your muscles strong and flexible, improving your concentration and memory, as well as improving your sleep quality. Despite these positive effects, many people stop exercising when they are studying due to time constraints. As you can see though, a small time sacrifice for exercise will be outweighed by the benefits.

If you are suffering with neck or back pain from studying, get some assistance as soon as possible so that you are not sitting through exams in pain. Seek assistance from your local doctor or qualified health professional.

Rebecca Steele owns Hinteractive Physio a Cooroy based Physiotherapist and can be contacted on 5442 5556.

Is your Headache a Pain in the Neck?

Headaches No Comments

Headaches where the pain originates in the cervical spine (upper spine), neck and upper shoulders are often referred to as a “cervicogenic” headache. Many times, these headaches can be a byproduct of injuries such as whiplash, joint or muscle trauma and more commonly due to poor prolonged posture or even cases of severe stress.

Headaches are one of the most common ailments in modern society, approximately 12-15% of the population suffers from headaches each year. Usually these are minor stress or tension related headaches, and in some people are more severe migraine headaches. Unfortunately, one type of headache that is often overlooked and misdiagnosed is the cervicogenic headache.

Cervicogenic headaches are one of the most common types of headache, and are clinically defined as pain that is present in the head, but which originates in the cervical spine. The pain associated with this condition is an example of referred pain. This occurs because the nerves that supply the sensation in the upper neck also supply the skin overlying the head, forehead, jawline, back of the ear and behind the eye. Pain that begins in the base of your neck in the cervical spine and then progressively spreads upwards into the head is a typical symptom of cervicogenic headache.

There are two symptoms that are classic to those with cervicogenic headaches.

 

  • The first is that the headache can be made worse or actually onset by head or neck movement.
  • The second is that there is marked tenderness in the suboccipital (base of head) region.

A thorough examination by your physiotherapist or doctor is usually sufficient to diagnose cervicogenic headache. Occasionally further investigations may be required, such as Xray or CT scan / MRI if there are some complicating symptoms and circumstances. These headaches arising from the neck generally respond quite quickly to treatment and a complete resolution of symptoms can be expected if there are no underlying causes still present. In some cases where the headaches are quite long-term (chronic) your physiotherapist may have to address your posture (study, work and sleep), spinal stiffness, muscle weakness / tightness and imbalances, along with advice on exercises, pillows for sleep and other lifestyle factors. Immediate treatment is the best management for all headaches caused by the neck that do not resolve within a few days of rest and analgesia.

Local physiotherapist, Craig Steele, has had extensive experience in treating headaches and neck / jaw problems related to cervicogenic headaches. He can be contacted at Hinteractive Physio on 5442 5556 for consultations and further advice regarding your treatment.

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