Sitting on the floor is the new mobility movement. Sitting at the desk and sitting on the floor. Working in the office is a challenging task for the body, and in the last few years, something made this task even worst. Covid-19 forced millions of people worldwide to work from home. Consequently, many people reduce their daily movement activity and start increasing their stress response to work and everyday life. But what does covid-19 have to do with seating on the floor, you may ask yourself? Well, for convenience, and other rules, such as hygiene too, we nowadays spend most of our time sitting on chairs. At least within Western cultural settings. Asian Squat But as we all know, floor seating is an ancient practice in the East side of the world. In our collective mind, we all can refer to Asian people squatting anywhere they can, and with not much problem. In the West, squatting is associated with going to the gym, training, and being sporty. It is funny, isn’t it?! So, that’s where covid-19 is linked to seating on the floor. I am working from home and sitting on the floor. Due to the covid pandemic, many people have started working from home. But the home ergonomics for office work differ from those in the office. In addition to this, we have to add that as big and comfortable as a chair can be, it is always a chair. Indeed, the chair is a silent killer. Sitting on a chair limits our ability to move around as discomfort arises. Think now about sitting on the floor and standing back up. For the average adult, doing this task is not a comfortable thing. Why so? Well, because we are not used to it. All this year, sitting on a chair did reduce our body adaptability to the ground sitting. Sitting on a chair for long hours would: stiff up the hips, which are in constant flexion increase pressure on the Lumbar back arch the thoracic area, with an increase in kyphosis reduce the necessity for mobility In fact, within 20 minutes of no movement, a muscle would adapt to the shape it is sitting into. On the other hand, as the muscle starts losing its neuroplasticity, the joints controlled by those muscles would start stiffening up too. This is such a domino effect that it would break the equilibrium along the stability/mobility joints chain. How to prevent this? Well, sitting on the floor is a good start. Sitting on the floor comes with the benefits of more mobility options. As we may feel uncomfortable with the sitting position, changing position would be a spontaneous and comfortable act once on the floor. But as we are so used to sitting on chairs, starting sitting on the floor for 8 hours a day can be challenging. So, rather than sitting on a chair all day, initially switching between floor sitting, chair and standing up is good. This process would allow the body to slowly break the bad habit of rounding onto the desk from the stiff chair seating. Also, the body is not designed to either sit on a chair or stand up for so long for so many days. So the habit of changing position would improve mobility, and with it, many other things would come down to and ease. In conclusion, to improve the Upper Cross Syndrome (UCS) presentation of someone who spends long hours sitting at a desk, the steps to take are: reduce the symptoms of pain and discomfort in the Cx area start losing up the thoracic area Improving hip mobility allows the person to spend more time on the floor. The work that needs to be done within the thoracic area is to lose the vertebrae by doing some mobs and reducing tension on the lat dorsi muscle. In this next post, we will look into the following: How to sit on the floor and how to stand back up Exercises that can help to improve the floor seating time. Would you like to improve your mobility? Book Now a Thai yoga class with Giovanni or a Massage session to learn more about what can help you.
Monthly Archives: October 2022
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Oct
Mobility is the degree to which a joint can move before being restricted by surrounding tissues. Not all the joints taught are considered mobility joints. The Mobility and Motility Joints Theory Starting from the big toes joint and moving up the body to the upper cervical joints, we can count one by one a mobility joint alternating with a stability joint. So this would be like this: Big toes – M. Metatarsal – S Ankle -M Knee – S Hip – M Lumbar -S Toracic – M Lower Cervical – S Upper Cervical – M Shoulder – M Elbow – S Wrist – M Tarsal – S Fingers – M The major differences are: A Muscular structure surrounds mobility joints Stability joints are surrounded by ligaments and tendons Mobility joints move in more planes than stable ones. The stability joints, indeed are essential to the body mechanics to ensure that gravity and force applied to the body by its own weight are well distributed. First thing first. Now, if we plan to strengthen our body, like by going to the gym, running or doing any sports activity, ideally we would like to ensure that the mobile joints can deliver the minimum required of ROM. Why? Well, if the mobility joints are stiff or not mobile enough, the priority of moving would not diminish and the stability joints, are going to do their best to compensate. But let’s see this with an example. Mark (name of fantasy) who is an office worker, spends about 40 hours a week at his desk, and to reduce the work and life stress decided to start a routine run 3 to 4 times a week for 1 hour per time. Mark thinks that to go for a run, you don’t need training and has no clue about the mobility, stability and strengthening chain. After a few weeks that is enjoying his new routine, Mark start experiencing knee pain. Mark also didn’t realise that due to the long hours of sitting at the office, his hips joint are tight, and his external rotators, such as the gluteus max and piriformis, are tight. As per consequence, when Mark stands up, the angle of the gate (AOG), which refers to the rotation of the foot in a standing position, is up to 4 toes per side. (3 toes is the max AOG we expect in the foot). Now, what happens next is that when Mark goes running, his ankle mobility and hip mobility are visibly restricted. So, he will lean forward with the upper body, by having tight hips, and strike the floor with the feet externally rotated, so all the body weight will be loaded in the middle of the foot. As a result, the Stability Joint that sits between the ankle and hip, so the knee, will compensate for the other two joint dysfunctions. In this case, the knees would take extra pressure medially and stretch out laterally. So, what should Mark do?! Well, initially, to stop the pain from happening, stopping running would be a good idea. Said so, that would not fix the problem. What Mark should do, is: Massage to boost the change within the tight joints and reduce the knee pain Start a mobility program to improve the Hip and Ankle functionality Exercises that aim to reduce tension in the external rotator reinforce the internal rotator (Gluteus Med and Min) Train on how to run These are the basic steps to implement a model of Mobility, Stability, and Strengthening. Does this model apply to other sports activities? Of course, it does. Visualise your body as a giant mechanical machine made of rope and hinges. The mechanical result will not be ideal if the hinges are stiff and the ropes are tight. To improve the result, each component needs to be looked after. So what message would be the most recommended? Along with Melbourne Massage and Treatment services, Thai Massage, Remedial Massage, and Myotherapy are soon the most recommended services Giovanni offers to improve the body’s mobility. Regarding mobility training, Thai Yoga is also an effective way to improve joint mobility, as these exercises focus primarily on improving joint mobility. What there is to consider is the patient’s presentation, medical history and pre-existent injuries. If there are no significant concerns, I suggest Thai Massage as the best approach. For people who have presentations such as Diabetes n1 or hypertension, Myotherapy treatment or Remedial Massage is mainly recommended.
Arthritis can be described as the swelling and tenderness of one or more joints. Arthritis symptoms and types Symptoms include: joint pain stiffness reduce Range of Motion (ROM) Major Types: Osteoarthritis Rheumatoid-Arthritis Said so, Arthritis can be a consequence of another type of disease, like: Ankylosing spondylitis Gout Juvenile idiopathic Psoriatic A. Reactive A. Septic A. Thumb A. Those types of Arthritis manifest in different body areas and can display simultaneously. Symptoms can worsen with the ageing process. What is Osteoarthritis, and what causes it? We refer to osteoarthritis when the cartilage between the bonds that form a joint does wear out. Cartilage is a hard, slippery tissue that sits between 2 bonds, like the knee cap and femur, or between the bond of your fingers and toes. When this protective layer that keeps the two bonds separate does work out, the joint starts swelling due to an inflammatory process, and pain is consequently reproduced. The cause can be joint overloading due to chronic injuries or imbalance within the musculoskeletal system. For example, wearing high heels, or having a high foot arch, can lead to wear in the cartilage of the big toes. There is no cure for this type of arthritis, and pain management, through manual therapy and or medications is what so far can be done. What is Rheumatoid Arthritis, and what causes it? Rheumatoid A. is a disease type where the immune system attacks the joints. For rheumatoid arthritis, there are fewer known reasons why it can happen, but there are some factors that can play a role, such as: Family history Gender Obesity Joint injury Age Diagnoses To diagnose arthritis, you would have to see your GP and go for further investigations such as an X-ray, blood test or other medical investigations process. Massage and Treatment for Arthritis. For this type of condition, massage can be a useful therapeutic tool to reduce the pain sensation and manage the presentation. No massage technique can cure the presentation itself, but techniques like MLD are probably the most effective in pain management and symptom relief. Thanks to the direct stimulation of the Lymphatic System, MLD can inhibit the pain signal and relieve the person. As arthritis is often present in older people, we must check for any other condition or presentation that is an absolute contraindication to this type of treatment before commencing treatment. If this post is talking to you, and you need a massage, book your next session by clicking here.
Oct
Joint mobilisations are manual therapy techniques that improve joint mobility and flexibility and reduce joint pain. Joint mobilisation can be applied to many body joints. Some contraindications have to be taken into consideration for mobilisation: Joint swelling Osteo Arthritis Bone Fracture Bulge disk (if the mobs are intended on a vertebra) Mobilisation VS Adjustment. Mobilisations are different from Chiropractic adjustment. The difference is that Chiropractic adjustments are fast movements applied with more significant pressure. Mobilisations are constant slow, repetitive movements applied to the joint. Along with a Myotherapy treatment, Giovanni would evaluate if mobilisation is the proper treatment for your condition. For example, mobilisation along the spine is recommended when someone presents with a stiff back in the sacrum, lumbar, thoracic or lower cervical area. Giovanni would always double-check with you about what the mobs felt like. Types of Mobilisation. As we already know, the body is made of different types of joints. Given the different types of joints, like socket joints, plane joints and more, others are the type of mobilisation. For example: For a joint like the hip, we can apply mobility like a distraction, anterior-to-posterior pressure or posterior-to-anterior pull, internal rotation or superior-to-inferior pull. Some of these techniques can be applied to other joints, and each way of using a mobilisation aims to improve a specific range of motion. So, all up, the type of mobilisation that we have are: Superior to Inferior; Inferior to superior; Distraction; Posterior to Anterior; Anterior to Posterior; Posterior glide; Anterior glide; Lateral glide; Medial glide. Mobilisation Belt. A mobilisation belt can be used to deliver the mobilisation based on the joint we aim to work on. A belt is a tool wrapped around the designated joint we want to work on and is used to apply stretches that would not be as easy to achieve by hand. An example is a hip distraction. For distraction, we refer to it as a force that pulls a joint apart. In the case of a hip, the head of the femur is pulled away from the hip’s socket from the medial to the lateral direction. As you would imagine, using bare hands for applying this technique not only could result in an uncomfortable approach to the intimacy of the patient, but it would requireFr too much effort for the therapist, resulting in poor mobilisation delivery and risk of injury. Therefore, the best tool is a belt wrapped around the patient’s hip and the therapist’s waist. Why use the mobilisation technique? The mobilisation technique aims not to reproduce pain, cracking sound, or sharp sensation. Indeed, the aim is to reproduce a firm pressure/pull on the joint area. Regarding the thoracic area, if any of those vertebrae reproduce pain or sharp sensation, applying the mobs along the vertebrae/ribs joint would be better. Doing so would still possible to affect spine mobility indirectly. Giovanni’s training for this type of modality started during the Advance Diploma in Myotherapy at RMIT and continued at the Bachelor of Health Science at Torrens University. Mobilisations technique can be applied to Big Toe, Ankle, Shoulder, Feet, Hip, Wrist, Elbow, Vertebrae, SIJ joint, Facet Joint, Clavicle and other body areas. An example of joint mobilisation for the feet. Mobilisations at the ankle area are used for improving ankle mobility. Indeed, improving ankle mobility is to better support during the walk, standing and or running. Always talking about the feet area, the mobilisation applied to the Big Toes is used along the Metatasolphalangeal Joint. Do you feel your joints stiff? Your booking for a Myotherapy treatment with Giovanni is just a click away. This mobilisation is applied by creating a distraction movement within the joint, pulling the toes away and then using it for passive flexion and extension. As mentioned in another blog post about wearing bear foot shoes, the Big toes are meant to extend from 65° to 70°. Conclusion The Big Toes are the feet joint that should push the most in the feet strike as we walk. In conclusion, mobilisations are a great way to increase mobility within a joint allowing better movement and improving the range of motion.
Oct
A bunion is a bond malformation at the base of the big toes. The leading causes for bunion are: foot stress high foot arch wearing high heels narrow shoes A bunion is often correlated to Osteoarthritis. Osteoarthritis is due to the cartilage degeneration that separates 2 bonds. In this case, the 2 bonds are at the base of the big toes. This result in pain at big toe extension and during walking. Bunion’s Symptoms Visible malformation, like a bump, on the side of the big toes joint; Sharp pain in the thumb; Difficulties in walking; Stiffness; The big toes point laterally towards the other toes Intervention About what to do for a bunion presentation is to get in touch with a podiatrist as soon as possible. Massage therapy is recommended too, but it is a limited tool for helping in fixing the issue. Along with Remedial Massage, Thai Massage, Myotherapy and MLD treatment, what can be done to alleviate the pain is to treat the surrounding structures, such as the plantar of the foot and the metatarsal area. So, can it alleviate bunion pain and or invert the condition? Yes, it is. Today’s blog post is called “Happy Bunion Story”. So, back in Dec. ’21, Steph start having foot pain, due to osteoarthritis. The reasons behind her conditions are: High foot arch Long hour standing up for work (she is an amazing Wedding and Fashion photographer) Wearing high heels (she used to do modelling) The combination of those resulted in a degeneration of big toes cartilage and a bunion forming. As Steph complained about pain in the big toes, I told her what possibly was happening there. Soon after, she visited her GP and got some X-Ray done, and the result was not much of a surprise. After finding out about her new condition, Steph consulted a podiatrist, who suggested starting a daily routine of exercises for her big toes. Resisted big toes flexion (with a rubber band) Wearing spacer in between the toes Toes abduction from a seated position. But this is not all. The podiatrist even told her to wear an insole in her shoes. Furthermore, she was recommended to buy specific shoes that “protect her foot”. I saw the shoes myself, and I can tell you they didn’t look good. They were thick, big, and didn’t look comfortable to wear. Another podiatrist opinion A few months passed, and I went to see Andy, a podiatrist promoting barefoot wear for my own flat feet condition. As I was talking to Andy about my feet, I couldn’t resist getting an opinion in regard to what Steph was going through. Andy, without much hesitation, suggested that she wear barefoot shoes and continue the exercises. Next, we went down to Sole Mechanic, in Hampton, a shoe shop specialising in barefoot wear. Beforehand we researched different brands and decided to give a goal to the barefoot shoes, “Vivo Barefoot”. Sole Mechanic Experience The experience at Sole Mechanic was a positive one. We booked an appointment for 2 of us, 1 hour all up, so the staff has enough time to guide you through what barefoot is about and the best option. We went through the ankle and toes Range Of Motion and barometric platform test and tried a couple of shoes each. Vivobarefoot, given its ethical approach to shoe wear, was since the start our choice, and so far, the best option we could go for. At this stage, we have a couple of shoes each from Vivo barefoot, one for everyday wear and one for hiking. Back to the “Happy Bunion Story” So, after all this time, Steph now enjoys walking pain-free. The bunion, thanks to the exercises and to Steph’s determination in practising them daily and the new shoes that have a wider shoe box, is reduced, as the Big Toe is now diverging towards the medial side (away from the other toes). Osteoarthritis is a condition that can’t be fixed. Still, when Steph occasionally feels pain we do an MLD session which can help reduce the inflammation symptoms and help in pain management. Said so, the pain is a rare thing and not a daily issue. Furthermore, Steph is not wearing the insole anymore. As suggested by the Sole Mechanic staff, removing the insole is a process that can be done step by step. So, since Feb ’22 when we bought the first pair of Vivobearfoot shoes, took her approximately 2 to 3 months to abandon the insole, and now it is about three months that she is not using it anymore. Hopefully, this post gives you some hope and insights into what’s happening with bunions. If you are in pain and need to reduce the inflammation response to the bunion, MLD may be best for you as a short-term solution. Otherwise, book an appointment with Andy to find out the best way to adjust the shape of your foot as much as possible.