Exercises and info
Workstation safety at home
After the last lock-down I saw many people suffering with a “lock-down sitting disorder” - here is some advice. When working or studying the home Take a break more than once an hour to get out of your seat. We should spend at least 5 minutes an hour away from...
Tread Lightly on the Earth
Almost daily I am instructing people on a different and hopefully better way of walking. The Basic Rules are:• Organise your core so your pelvis is efficient.• Balance the leg and hip muscles especially thigh and gluteal muscles.• The knees should be kept soft when...
Physiologic stretching
Stretching is to change the length of muscles or to reset the ‘length reflexes’ in the muscles.This will help maintain a balance in the body and increase performance of muscles. To stretch most people pull hard on a musclePeople under 25 can often do this “Stretch or...
Safe Abdominal Exercise
For those beginning or those with a weak back. Upper Abdominal Crunch Secure your lower back Bring your knees up toward your chest and cross your ankles and let your knees spread apart.Adjust the position of your legs until your back is almost flat.At this point the...
Thigh Stretch
Lengthening the muscle down the front of the leg is the most important leg stretch. If the thigh muscle is tight, it will tilt the pelvis forward and create a sway in the lower back. A simple technique is The Two-Chair Method. Arrange two chairs facing the same...
Lower Back Care
If the sway in your lower back gets too large then the back starts to buckle and give pain. Tuck your butt in! Place your hands on your hips. Tilt your pelvis back and forward (tailbone down, pubes up) until your lower back feels more comfortable or less painful. Many...
Head Balance
Step 1: Getting started. I recommend that you stand relaxed or sit comfortably upright in a chair. Identify where your head joins the top of your neck. This can be done by nodding your head up and down gently. Step 2: Find the balance point for the muscles at the top...
Exercises
The human body is designed to be moved. A recent study of teenagers showed that they often sit for 95% of their waking day. At this clinic we encourage people to be physically active. Physical Activity can be physical work (e.g.Building) or chores (house work) or...
Osteopathy is about connection
The great trees of New Zealand grow by interconnecting their roots with the other dwellers of the forest. When asked to explain Osteopathy I often feel challenged because it is not so much what we do but how we think about what is going on. Many patients report that...
Feeling movement in trees
Finding movement in trees - an experiment Notice that trees sway in the breeze but they also twist slightly in their trunks. This twisting is a result of the young trees twisting to allow the leaves to have better access to the sun. The twisting is part of the...