Welcome to 2011.

We hope that you have had a lovely break over the festive season.

Firstly we would like to say farewell to Emma-Jane Harding who is returning home to the UK. She shall be missed but on the upside will be with her family once again.

A big welcome for the latest addition to our Backfocus team - Sarah Jarvie, who will be working at the Woodend and Collins Street clinics.

2011 promises to be a big year for Backfocus with the installation of TM2 - a computerised appointment, billing and clinical notes program. This will be rolled out across all Backfocus clinics and will ultimately provide improved communication and service for all staff, therapists and most importantly patients.

In this Summer edition of the Infocus Newsletter we have information on massage therapy’s benefits and ergonomic advice for office workers or anyone sitting for a prolonged period.

If you have any questions regarding any of the content our Backfocus therapists are more than happy to offer advice.

WHY HAVE A MASSAGE?

Have you ever noticed that when you bump yourself you instinctively rub the affected area to ease the pain?  Or noticed that you rub your neck when you are tired or have a headache? It seems we instinctively become our own massage therapists.

The practice of massage has been recorded back as far as 3000 BC in China where it was thought to alleviate physical, mental and emotional ailments. One area it has evolved into is remedial massage. This treatment approach finds and treats the cause of dysfunction rather than just treating the symptoms.  During a consultation, you will be asked questions related to the quality, location and contributing factors that cause the symptoms.  This, together with knowledge of your lifestyle (i.e.  work, exercise, age, medical history) helps to determine the relevant area requiring attention.  Often it is not the location of your symptoms.

A remedial treatment works on muscle structures aiming to slowly work through to the core of the problem.  Some techniques can be uncomfortable and it is important for the client to communicate with the therapist to ensure a positive experience.  Most clients will describe the sensation as a ‘good bad pain’.

Remedial massage has been found to be effective at treating stress related dysfunction (migraines, headaches), sports injuries, orthopedic pain, post pregnancy, post surgery, abdominal problems, back and shoulder complaints, temporary and permanent mobility restriction (e.g. stroke, arthritis) just to identify a few.

The initial benefit after a treatment is increased circulation to the treated area.  With this comes improvements in pain and swelling, and faster recovery of injuries.  Treatment of trigger points (aka knots), massage techniques, dry needling and passive stretching all aim to improve muscle tension.  Stress levels should also decrease.  Some people will experience some discomfort at the site of the treatment and lethargy post treatment.  In the long term, people experience improved circulation, better joint and muscle health, improved mobility and stress levels. For those of you who have finished the year with a spike in your workload and hours at the desk, or have decided to get the fitness bug, you may be noticing a few dull aches and some restless nights sleep.  Why not live like a pro athlete or a celebrity and have a treatment?  Each treatment is catered to the individual’s symptoms, lifestyle, recovery and pain tolerance.  Regular treatments can keep the pain in the neck and shoulders at bay or make post gym pain a thing of the past.

Author: Dennyel Smith

Remedial Massage Therapist at the Collins Street Clinic.

Are you sitting at your desk too long?

Living and working in 2010 will have seen us spending more and more time sitting at the computer, whether it is part of our work, studying or even leisure time. An unfortunate consequence of spending long periods of time doing this is that it can cause pain in a number of areas including the neck, shoulders, arms and lower back.

Sitting at a desk for long periods means it is often difficult to maintain good posture for long periods of time.  Many people will have a tendency to lean forward or slouch their shoulders which will put unnecessary stress on the spine leading to pain and fatigue. Repetitive movements such as typing / filing can also contribute to pain by placing your body in awkward positions and increasing the risk of muscle strain.

Simple tips how we can avoid this situation developing and causing pain:

• - Get up every 20 minutes, stretch and walk around
• - Specific stretches to the neck, chest, shoulders and mid and lower back
• - Strengthening exercises Improve the strength of the deep neck muscles, shoulder blade muscles and the deep abdominals that stabilise the lower back
• - Ergonomic assessment. The set up of your desk will have a big influence on the stresses and strains on your muscles and joints.  A few adjustments could make a huge difference to your pain and also prevent future problems developing, for example adjusting your computer screen height.  Many workplaces offer these assessments.  Your physiotherapist will be able to advice you on simple adjustments or even visit your workplace to perform an assessment

If you are in the unfortunate situation of already having pain it is recommended that you address all the above steps immediately.  It is also advised that you take some painkillers and/or anti-inflammatory medication.  Consider using heat packs to soothe tightness and soreness in muscles.  Most importantly, contact a physiotherapist.  Everyone is different, so a physiotherapist will be able to specifically assess your painful area and look at the causes of your pain.  Following this he / she will be able to advise what you can do yourself.  This may include specific stretches and strengthening exercises, adjustments to your desk and correction of your posture.  The physiotherapist will also provide you with some hands on treatment which may include soft tissue massage, joint mobilisation and dry needling to help settle the pain.  Early intervention is the key to ensuring your pain is managed effectively and will normally mean less physiotherapy treatment is required.

Author: Laura Clark - Occupational Physiotherapist

Physiotherapist at Backfocus Flemington and Collins Street Clinics.

Adopting the correct working posture

Use the following guidelines to help you adopt the correct working posture.

Remember to take a break and do a few stretches every 20 to 30 minutes when working in the one position.

• 1. Feet should be flat on the floor. If not, you should use a foot rest.
• 2. Back of knees should be slightly higher than seat. You should have approximately a 90 degree angle of hip and knee.
• 3. Backrest should firmly support your lower back.
• 4. Elbows should be directly below your shoulder, with an angle of 90 degrees.
• 5. Shoulder should be relaxed with body pointing straight ahead.
• 6. Eye level in the top 1/3 of the screen. Line of sight approximately 20 degrees down from the horizontal. Screen arms length away.
• 7. Wrists straight and forearms horizonta.

We hope this provides you with some useful tips for both work and home.  Don’t forget you can always contact one of the Backfocus physiotherapists if you think you need more information or advice with the setup of your work area.

We hope everyone is well, has enjoyed the festive season and is recharged for the new year.