At Inner Outer Health, many of our clients come in for massage and myotherapy seeking treatment for upper back and neck pain. The pain can result in headaches and migraines, and even referral pain or numbness down the arms.

A good percentage of these clients are working in environments that require them to have their arms forward and/or down - sitting at a computer, for example.  This can cause the back to slump and the shoulders to round forward, resulting in tight/shortened pectoral muscles, particularly the pectoralis minor.

This underappreciated muscle is the cause of so much of that pack and neck pain - but luckily, it's easy to stretch, and doing so regularly can help relieve stiffness and soreness everywhere!

Dr Jacob Harden from the USA has posted a fantastic pec stretch on Instagram that is guaranteed to help open up the chest area and alleviate sore shoulders, upper back and neck.

The key to success with this stretch is to make sure you do it every day.  We spend hours in the same position at work every day, so we need to reverse it with multiple stretch sessions throughout the day. Watch the video below!

Here’s how to do it:

• Find a broomstick or long pipe.
• Lay down on your back on an elevated surface such as a bed, table, massage table or weight lifting bench.
• Keep the spine in neutral alignment by ensuring that the ribs don’t rise up and the back doesn’t arch too much.
• First take a wide grip on the stick with boths hands, with the palms facing up.
• Whilst keeping your arms straight, slowly move the stick down towards the floor (above your head)
• If this doesn’t give a strong enough stretch bring the hands in closer to each other slightly and try again. Repeat this until you feel a good stretch.
• Once you have found the right position repeat the movement going up and down with your arms making sure you keep your neutral spine position.  
• Approximately 10 - 15 repetitions is recommended.

Watch the video and read the comments on the side of the video for more information.


For more information about pec stiffness and soreness, or if your pain is persistent, book in for a session with our amazing myotherapists today!

Are you struggling with aches and pains from carrying your growing baby?


Many parents of babies and young children are surprised by the degree of back, neck, hip, shoulder and wrist pain they experience on a daily basis, caused by simple tasks like picking the baby up from its crib, carrying the baby around, lugging heavy nappy bags, nursing, and even pushing a pram. And as your baby grows, the problems can get worse.

But luckily, there are some easy ways to improve your baby-lugging technique and as a result experience much less discomfort! In this post I’ll explore some back-friendly alternatives to the regular actions that are causing you pain, to help you strengthen and care for those crucial baby-wrangling muscles.

How to carry your baby:

The market is awash with ergonomic baby carriers and slings, and there are plenty of products designed to protect your back while you carry your bub. Reading reviews and talking to other new parents can be a great way to sort the wheat from the chaff and find the perfect baby carrier for you.

But what about when you’re just carrying the baby around the house or for short distances?

Research into indigenous cultures around the world conducted by Esther Gokhale indicates that all those fancy contraptions aren’t necessary - that instead, with good posture, and making sure to use major muscle groups to support the baby’s weight, babies can be comfortably carried for long periods in ways that strengthen your muscles and also aid the child’s posture.

• For babies under 6 months of age, she recommends carrying the baby on your side without jutting your hip out, and supporting the baby’s weight using your bicep rather than your wrist or hand, with the hand palm-upwards. Keeping your shoulders open and your spine straight in this position is important for your posture and your breathing, and the palm-up hand position improves circulation through the supporting arm. Switching sides when you begin to tire will ensure that you’re not overburdening one side. This position also encourages an upright spine in the child, which will lessen your load.
• For babies over 6 months, Gokhale suggests using a cloth wrap (or conventional baby carrier if you prefer) to carry the baby on your back, distributing the weight between your shoulders and hips and keeping the baby as close to your spine as possible. As the baby grows you will need to continually readjust the straps of your carrier or the position of your sling to make sure the weight is being borne comfortably.

How to pick up and put down your baby:

Take it nice and slow while you get used to the new motions, and pay attention to which muscles seem to be working the hardest. If you’re bending to pick up your baby from the floor, use your legs rather than your back to bear the load.

• Bend your knees and squat, keeping a straight back.
• Lift up your baby and pull it close to your body.
• Straighten your knees to stand.

This will prevent your from straining your back, neck and shoulders. Since this is a motion most parents do many, many times a day, every little bit adds up.

The method for putting your baby to bed is very similar.

• Hold the baby to your chest.
• Stand with your feet hip-width apart in front of the crib.
• Bend your knees before lowering the baby in your arms.
• Tuck your tailbone and tilt the pelvis to activate your core, and avoid twisting where possible.

To pick your baby up from the crib, perform the same action in reverse.

How to nurse:

Sit in a straight-backed chair rather than slumping on the couch, and try to keep an upright spine. Placing a rolled up towel or a pillow behind you can help. Bring the baby up to you, rather than hunching to reach the baby. Pillows and other methods for propping up the baby can assist with this.

Other helpful tips:

• Regular massage or myotherapy can help you to reset your body, relax your muscles and prevent long-term pain and injury from the day-to-day strain of carrying your child. These services are not a luxury - they are a crucial part of taking care of your body, which is just as important as taking care of your child’s health!
• Stretching can make a huge difference in counteracting pain and injury as well as improving your posture and baby-carrying technique.
• Use your baby, the weight you will be carrying most often, in your strengthening exercises! These simple exercises, using your baby’s weight to strengthen your core, back and legs, are an easy and practical way to fit some exercise into your busy parenting schedule, and to make sure your body is primed for the movements it performs most often.

Let us know in the comments if you’ve discovered any other tricks or tips that work for you. And don’t hesitate - book in for regular myotherapy and massage and take care of your body! Where would you, or your baby, be without it?

Do you suffer from knee pain? Did you know knee pain does not only affect sporting people but the aging population as well.

There can be multiple causes of knee pain. Some of these include:-

• Type of exercise you do (jogging etc)
• Over weight/obesity
• Hereditary reasons
• Referred pain from the back or hip
• Type of work
• Injuries
• Arthritis and
• More

Due to the shock absorbing nature of the knee, everyday wear and tear can take its toll on the joint. Not to mention the functionality of the knee makes it nearly impossible to immobilise and keep still.

Your knee is designed to absorb the pressure from gravity and your body to move the leg. Under this enormous pressure, the structures of the knee can be compromised. As you would know, it does not take much to dislocate or injure a knee enough and cause copious amounts of pain.

If this is sounds familiar to you or you know someone that does Myotherapy may be your solution.

As our society advances, so does our understanding of health care and the human body. It is for this reason that many people have now turned to a more holistic and preventative approach to their health, such as Myotherapy. Rather than taking medication that will only help once your health is already compromised. Myotherapy can be used to prevent injuries to the body, and aid the body to recover on its own.

Myotherapy can be used to treat a wide range of disorders including:

• Overuse injury such as tennis elbow or shin splints
• Sports injuries
• Tension headache
• Pain caused by poor posture
• Chronic back pain
• Joint pain, such as shoulder impingement syndrome
• Muscle sprains
• Stress

A lot of the time, people are only aware of a problem with their body once they are already in pain.  Regular myotherapy visits can help reduce the cause of muscle pain, tension and even injuries before they become problematic.

By targeting trigger points in the body your myotherapist can release pain and tension.

Trigger points are generalised as the irritability in muscles and their associated fascia. Trigger points are activated directly by overloading the muscle, overworking, fatigue and direct trauma. Myofascial trigger points can create different types of pain. It could be knife-like or stabbing, dull and achy, burning, numb or even tingly.

Trigger point pain can include headaches that are often diagnosed as tension, sinus or migraine, neck pain that radiates into the arm and forearm and into the lower back, thigh and leg.

Not only can a myotherapist treat you during a consultation, they can also teach you and show you many techniques to promote wellbeing and allow you to help yourself and strengthen your own body against illness and injury.

Click here to book and see for yourself.

Treatment for lower back pain is often pain medication is the first option people think about when treating back pain to get quick relief. This may be fine for short term, however until the cause is addressed and treated, the symptoms will continue to appear.

There are many different options for treating back pain, and depending on the cause, a combination of different therapies may be required. Since everybody is different, what works for one person may not work for the next, so it is important to find what works for you.

Trigger Points in Lower Back

Myotherapy is extremely helpful in reducing pain and tension through the body, as when muscles are tight, they can affect posture, and therefore tension throughout the whole body. Tightness through the psoas, quads, rectus abdominus, gluts and diaphragm tend to be muscles that are neglected in treating lower back pain. Working through these soft tissues with your myotherapy can bring about great results, even after one session.

Risk Factors for Developing Lower Back Pain
There are certain factors that can increase your risk of developing back pain, or aggravate it once you have it, including:

• Being stressed or anxious
• Poor posture
• Standing, sitting or bending down for long periods
• Lifting, carrying, pushing or pulling loads that are too heavy, or going about these tasks in the wrong way
• Having a trip or a fall
• Being overweight
• Weak core muscles
• Wearing incorrect shoes
• Sleeping on a mattress that is not suitable for you body
• Using the incorrect pillow - you should consider a pillow and sleep consultation at the clinic

Self Care for Lower Back Pain  
If you are suffering lower back pain, these are some of the things that your myotherapist can recommend to you to help, it if you can’t see a health professional straight away.

• Cool or Heat Therapy - Ice is best in the first 24 to 48 hours after an injury because it reduces inflammation. After 48 hours, you can switch to heat which will help to relax the muscles, as well as providing some pain relief. Whether you use heat or ice — take it off after about 20 minutes to give your skin a rest. If pain persists, talk with your myotherapist.
  
  

• Natural Pain Relieving Gels -  Sombra is a fast acting natural pain relieving gel that brings temporary relief to lower back pain and other forms of pain.
  
  

• Keep moving - As much as you may not feel like it, it is important to keep moving – keep doing your daily activities where possible. Moving will stop muscles and joints from stiffening up, which will only make the pain or discomfort worse. Only do what you can, don’t overdo it. Gentle movement such as walking and swimming are great ways to keep mobile. As you get better, increase your activity levels and your myotherapist will recommend exercises to help strengthen the muscles around your spine, pelvis and core muscles, as this will increase your back support.
  
  

• Stretch - Gentle stretching can really help your muscles to stay flexible and can help to reduce tightness. If you are sitting a lot, getting up to stretch your legs is important as inactivity (especially sitting for long periods) will only make your back pain worse. Or you can also try sitting on a firm chair instead if your soft couch.
  
  
• Watch your posture - Slumping makes it harder for your back to support your weight. Be especially careful of your posture when lifting heavy objects. Never bend over from the waist. Instead, bend and straighten from the knees.

Call Your Doctor If:

• You have weakness or numbness in your legs, or you have trouble standing or walking.
• You lose control over your bowels or bladder.
• Your low back pain is severe, doesn’t go away after a few days, or it hurts even when you’re at rest or lying down.

These could be signs of a nerve problem or other medical condition.

Preventing Lower Back Pain

It is good to take note of what you have been doing (or not doing!) that affects your back pain. Some ways to prevent lower back pain include:

Lower back pain does not have to take over your life. In many cases, there are ways to get the help and support you need, if you choose to find it. If you are suffering from lower back pain, why not try myotherapy and see for yourself how it can help you. You can make a booking online or you can call us on 9440 9453.

About Back Pain
Back pain is one of the most prevalent health conditions affecting at least one in ten Australians at any time. According to the Medical Journal of Australia, “up to eighty per cent of Australians will experience back pain at some point in their lives and 10% will experience significant disability as a result. Lifetime prevalence of low back pain is reported to be as high as 79.2% in Australian adults and 84% in adolescents”. One in four adults with back pain are reported to have fair to poor physical health, compared with one in nine of the general population. Back pain has been reported to double or even triple feelings such as sadness, worthlessness, hopelessness, as well as feeling like everything is an effort.

There is also a link between chronic pain and depression, and they commonly occur together. Depression is often associated with decreased function due to chronic pain, as people are unable to do the many things they would normally have been able to do without pain.

Back pain can refer to both upper and lower back pain. Upper back pain affects the mechanics of the lower back, so sometimes they will co-exist. This blog will focus on lower back pain.

What is Lower Back Pain?
Acute Back Pain vs Chronic Back Pain

Lower back pain can be experienced as pain or tension around the lower back area (lumbar spine) and can affect the spine, joints, ligaments and muscles as well as nerves.

The causes of lower back pain are varied, from either irritation to a nerve or muscle, to tightening of the myofascia (connective tissue covering a muscle) to physical damage or dysfunction of the spine… it can be either an acute or chronic condition, with different types of pain of varied intensities.

Generally acute back pain is considered pain lasting a few days up to 6 weeks, sub-acute back pain lasts 6 weeks to 3 months, and chronic back pain lasts longer than three months.

Anatomy of Lower Back
Lower Back Pain – Lumbar Facet Joint

Your back (spine) provides you with support, mobility and protects the spinal cord. The vertebrae articulate with each other via the facet joints along the spine, and are also separated from each other by a “shock absorber” known as an intervertebral disc.

The vertebrae are held together by ligaments, and create the site of attachment of the back muscles. Spinal nerves exit at the side of each vertebrae, which send messages to the muscles, organs and the brain.

The lower back refers to the lumbar spine area. It is a complex structure composed of the vertebrae (the bones of the spine), muscles, nerves, ligaments, and other soft tissues. Lower back pain can result from either injury and damage to any of these structures, or can also be caused by the spine and body being in mis-alignment due to tension in some muscles as well as the connective tissue (myofascial tissue / fascia).

Sometimes, it is actually not just muscular tightness, but fascial tightness that is the problem. Fascia is a web of connective tissue throughout our body that literally connects everything. It covers muscles, creates tendons and ligaments, covers organs and connects muscle to bone. It is a highly adaptable tissue, with elastic properties. Deep fascia can contract and is affected by the stress response. Fascia tightens, which creates tension. After the period of stress has passed, the fascia and muscles may remain in a state of tension, which can lead to damage, trigger points, adhesions and even create scar tissue over time.

 Commonly, the muscles that are responsible for creating pain in the lower back area, include:

• Psoas
• Quads – particularly Rectus Femoris
• Quadratus Lumborum
• Latissimus Dorsi
• Adductors
• Rectus Abdominus
• Gluteals

Fascia connects via Myofascial Lines or “Fascial Trains”, whereby muscle fibres that run the same direction connect via the fascia. Looking at the picture of the Superficial Back Line (one of 12 different Myofascial Lines”), you can see that fascia connects your head to your toes – literally! Fascial line tightness can contract not only the fascia covering the muscle, but can contract a whole line of fascia, creating overall tightness throughout the body, which creates musculoskeletal imbalances.

The thoracolumbar fascia is a diamond shape of connective tissue that is located directly over the lumbar spine area. It forms the attachment of the Latissimus Dorsi Gluteal muscles, and the Transverse abdominus muscle (core). This area can also become tight and contract, creating postural imbalances.

Causes
It’s sometimes hard to know exactly what causes back pain. It’s usually thought to be related to a muscle strain or mechanical dysfunction in one of the structures in your back, rather than just a nerve problem.

For many people with back pain, there isn’t any one specific underlying problem or condition that can be identified as the cause of the pain. Lower back pain can have many causes including:

Symptoms of Lower Back Pain
Symptoms of lower back pain can depend on the cause. Some common symptoms include:

• Muscle spasm and tightness
• Muscle cramps
• Stiffness
• Pain around the back and buttock areas
• Numbness
• Tingling
• Aches
• Muscle Spasm
• Locking joints creating a limited range of movement (ROM)
• Weakness

If you are experiencing these symptoms, book online now to see our Myotherapist today who can start treating you for your lower back pain.

In “Part 2″ our next blog will cover treatment options, self care and prevention of lower back pain, so stay tuned!

Headaches are not just a pain in the neck for many of us, but they are an increasingly common health problem in Australia. Even 18 years ago in 1995, having a headache was the illness or condition most commonly reported by individuals according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics survey. Almost 15% of the Australian population reported taking medication to treat their headaches and the age group that was most likely to report having a headache was between 25-44 years. Headaches are described in a variety of ways and occur for a variety of reasons.

The most commonly described headaches are tension headaches, migraines, cluster headaches and sinus headaches.

Tension Headaches are frequently caused by muscle contractions or spasms over the neck and head, and can be precipitated by emotional or physical stress, by worries or anxiety such as pressure at work or a family argument. People describe tension headaches as a tight band of pressure around their head as a weigh on top of their head or shoulders. The pain tends to worsen during the late afternoon and evening.

Migraines are a severe, throbbing headache which often affects only one side. Migraines can be triggered by certain foods, sounds or emotions. People who suffer from migraines often experience nausea, vomiting, and sensitivity to light and noise at the same time. One of the distinguishing features of a migraine is that the person experiences a warning sign known as an “aura” sometimes up to an hour before the onset of the headache itself. The aura manifests as flashing lights or tingling and/or numbness down one side of the body.

Cluster headaches are not the same as migraines. They occur in bouts or clusters lasting for 10 minutes up to 3 hours and can occur again several times within a 24 hour period. A cluster headache can cause severe pain behind one eye or one half of the head, with accompanying redness and watering of the eye and sometimes blockage of the nostril on that side.

Sinus headaches are caused by an increased production of mucus within the sinuses or in more serious cases, the increase in mucus causes blockage of the drainage system of the sinuses. The sinus headache produces a severe feeling of pressure building up over the face and eye. Ear aches sometimes go hand in hand with sinus headaches.

Common Causes of Headaches 

There are many possible causes of headaches. As pain receptors are located in the head or neck, when something stimulates these receptors headaches can occur. Possible triggers of the pain receptors can include:

• Stress (physical, mental and emotional)
• Muscle tension, particularly around the neck, back and shoulders
• Dehydration
• Postural imbalances
• High blood pressure
• Jaw/TMJ problems
• Dental problems
• Diet – certain foods can create stress and inflammation or trigger responses
• Eye problems
• Sinus inflammation/Allergies
• Hormonal changes
• Infection
• Medications – can be side effects
• Nervous System disorder
• Spinal injury or head/neck injury
• Extremes in temperature
• Loud noise
• Hangovers from alcohol or drugs
• Temporal arteritis
• Meningitis
• Arthritis

Treatment of Headaches

Your Myotherapist may use a variety of options to treat your headaches depending on the cause and type. Some of the treatment options include:

• Trigger point release
• Muscle manipulations
• Dry needling
• Stretches
• Self-treatment techniques
• Recommended stress management and relaxation techniques
• Dietary changes including increasing hydration
• Supplementation of magnesium and other nutrients for nerve and muscle health
• Treatment of an underlying medical disorder
• Eliminating / changing medications causing headaches
• Recommendation to other health care professionals

If you are experiencing headaches or any of the symptoms described here, we can help you, so please contact us to make a booking for your initial myotherapy session.

• Do you ever suffer from muscle pains or stiffness?
• Do you exercise regularly / rarely / not at all?
• Is your work too light / too heavy / monotonous / one-sided?

 If you answer “YES” to any of the above questions, you can help your body by stretching!

Stretching will enable your body to perform better at day-to-day activities because the muscles are tough, strong and supple for everyday ease of function. By incorporating stretching as a part of your daily routine, you will start feeling better in your body and feel more flexible in your daily movement.

Why do muscles tighten up?

There are many reasons why muscles contract and get shorter, stiff and tight. Some common reasons include:

• Heavy work
• Hard physical training
• Poor co-ordination of movement
• Poor posture
• Lack of activity
• Injury and pain
• Monotonous and/or one sided movement

Benefits of Stretching

As we age, our muscles naturally become shorter and tighter, limiting our overall flexibility. This limitation in movement can create pain, and make you more susceptible to injuries. Did you know regular stretching can:

• Maintain or improve flexibility. Increased flexibility aids your capacity for physical movement, and improves your physical abilities.
  

• Increased range of motion in joints. This can aid muscular balance as well as freer movement and can protect from musculoskeletal injury.
  

• Improve circulation. Stretching increases blood flow to the muscles.
  

• Reduce stress. Stretching can clear stress-related tension from the muscles, and help you to relax and unwind.
  

• Alleviate muscular pain including lower back pain and neck pain. Sometimes the pain we experience in our body is due to over-tight muscles, or over-taut muscles, that are essentially taking too much load due to postural or other imbalances in the body. Stretching can reduce muscular tension, allowing the muscles to go back to a relaxed state.
  

• Decrease risk of injury. Flexible muscles with increased range of movement can decrease the risk of injury as the tendons and ligaments have more give and are better conditioned and have more elasticity.
  

• Improved posture. Muscular balance is required for good posture. Many postural imbalances are the result of muscular tightness! Regular stretching can improve muscle length and condition, as well as elasticity and range of motion.
  

• Improved athletic performance. If you are regularly active, and/or compete in sport, no doubt you are familiar with the idea of stretching. Regular stretching can assist in conditioning the muscles, enhance your recovery, as well as improve your overall technique and movement. Also, increased muscle length, elasticity, endurance, metabolism can all be experienced with regular stretching.

 
What stretches should I do?

Your Myotherapist can help you know which are the best stretches for your body. Depending on your imbalances, specific muscle stretches may be required.

When you come in for a session at inner outer health, we will be able to tailor a stretching program for you that is practical and functional, to be incorporated into your daily lifestyle. We may end up giving you one or several stretches specific to your problem/area of pain.

Here are a couple of common areas that we suggest stretching daily:

Chest Stretch (pecs):

Neck Stretch:

Happy stretching.

Are You Experiencing Back OR Neck Pain? The problem could simply be the pillow you’re sleeping on.
Since we spend 1/3 of our lives sleeping, it’s really important to find a pillow that supports you! Imagine waking up in the morning feeling refreshed, no aches and pain, no headaches, no stiffness through your neck, shoulders or back, having more energy and feeling refreshed when getting out of bed.

Choosing the RIGHT PILLOW makes all the difference! You CAN wake up feeling rejuvenated!

Let us help you figure out if your pillow is part of your neck or back pain!

Do you wake up during the night or in the morning feeling:

• A headache
• Feeling stiff and tight through your neck, back or shoulders
• Not getting enough sleep
• Feeling tired once you have woken up
• Finding yourself sleeping in an awkward position

Does your pillow cause you to sleep with your neck at an angle, too high or too low, too soft or too hard?
The therapeutic memory foam pillow could be your solution. At Inner Outer Health we are here to help you! Simply bring in your old pillow so that we can assess your neck and shoulder position, to see whether your current pillow is right for you.

If your current pillow is good, then we can look at a different solution for your discomfort or pain. If your pillow IS part of the problem, we provide you with a range of high quality therapeutic pillows to choose from to support you, and help you to get a good night’s rest. We will help you find the best pillow for your needs, and if none of our pillows are right for you, we will educate you to know how to choose the right pillow so you can look around elsewhere.

You spend one-third of your life with your head on a pillow, so it’s vital to choose the right one to keep your neck and shoulders in good shape.

At Inner Outer Health, we stock a range of Complete Sleeprrr Pillows, so you are sure to find the right one to suit you.

CompleteSleeprrr ‘Original’
Adjustable Memory foam neck pillow

Regarded by health professionals as the perfect memory foam cervical neck support pillow. One size suits all. Adjustable to suit all physiques.

Luxurious cervical neck support pillow features removable foam inserts, giving you as many as 12 adjustment options so you can create the pillow to suit your comfort needs.

• Made in Australia
  
• Designed to encourage side sleeping
• Temperature-sensitive viscose elastic memory foam ‘feeling is believing’
• Viscose memory foam responds to your body’s warmth and moulds and shapes to your head and neck giving your spine support
• Encourages the natural alignment of your spine by providing even support
• Super-soft cervical neck support pillow
• Comes in a ‘breathing’ open weave cover

Complete Sleeprrr… the totally adjustable memory foam contour neck pillow that is designed to help reduce snoring through side sleeping.

CompleteSleeprrr ‘Plus’
Adjustable memory foam neck pillow

Slightly firmer feel than the original version. Popular with males and broader shouldered individuals, or those who prefer a firmer memory foam pillow.

Luxurious neck support pillow which features removable foam inserts, giving you as many as 12 simple adjustment options so you can create the pillow to suit your comfort needs.

• Create the perfect pillow to suit your comfort needs
• Memory™ PLUS responds to your body’s warmth and moulds and shapes to your head and neck
• Encouraging the natural alignment of your spine by providing even support and optimum comfort
• For those of average to above average physiques who seek a full-bodied pillow
• Comes in a ‘breathing’ open weave cover

CompleteSleeprrr Deluxe ‘Traditional foam’
One size suits all!

Luxurious pillow which features removable foam inserts, giving you as many as 12 simple adjustment options so you can create the pillow to suit your comfort needs.

• High quality traditional foam
• Encouraging the natural alignment of your spine by providing even support and optimum comfort
• A super-soft pillow and also for those requiring a lower pillow.
• Comes in a ‘breathing’ open weave cover

Benefits for the CompleteSleeprrr

• Features ‘higher’ and ‘lower’ sides as well as contour variance for maximum individual support and comfort for side or back sleeping
• Pillow’s clever design encourages side sleeping which is beneficial in enhancing breathing, and minimizing snoring
• Scalloped under-edges allow shoulder (when side sleeping) to slip snugly under pillow for close-knit fit
• Head and neck are cushioned and supported during sleep
• Designed to help alleviate and avoid neck and shoulder stress and muscle stiffness
• Foam ‘noodles’ in core foam surface can be removed to make for an even softer
• May assist asthma sufferers and others who require clear breathing patterns
• Pillow’s contour may help stop snoring by enhancing the airway through encouraging better spinal alignment
• Channels in core foam surface, combined with the open-weave inner cover, allow air to
• Circulate, for cooler, healthier sleep
• Recommended by the Chiropractic, Physiotherapy, Myotherapy and Osteopathic professions

So, to find out whether YOUR pillow is causing you unnecessary pain, just bring in your old pillow when you come in for your pillow and sleep consultation with our myotherapist. We will look at your present pillow and how it is or isn’t working to support you, and find the right pillow to suit your needs.

If you would like to make a booking with our myotherapist, click here. Or, if you would like to know more about purchasing a new pillow, you can also contact us or call us on (03) 9440 9453.

Women and high heels. It can be a love-hate relationship.

We love what they look like, and how they make us appear taller, sexier, our legs slimmer and our calves and butt appear firmer. They make us feel confident, sexy and fashionable.

We love the multitude of beautiful designs and colours that they come in. Open any woman’s wardrobe (or shoe-cupboard!) and it becomes apparent that we do love to own a variety of shoes including heels for different occasions that may look something like this… a few pairs of stiletto’s for evening wear & cocktail parties, kitten heels for work, pumps for that hot date, wedges to add some glamour, sling-backs for summer… the list goes on! Women do love their shoes.

The part most women DON’T love, is the feeling at the end of the day when they get home from a long day at work… or perhaps at the end of a long evening/night out!

We curse & whinge under our breath that our feet ache, we have blisters or sore knees or an aching back, or we twisted an ankle when our stiletto heel got stuck in a crack in the pavement… unfortunately high-heels are not your body’s friend. In fact, they can do a LOT of damage. (Especially, if you were to wear shoes like this. I don’t know that anyone would actually wear these…)

If you are a woman who chooses fashion over function, i.e. wearing high heels regularly, perhaps after reading this, you may decide to restrict the amount of time you wear them and leave them in your wardrobe until you have a special occasion. After all, you can choose to change your shoes when they wear out, but you only get one pair of feet, and they deserve to be loved and looked after!

Read on to learn what the true effects of wearing high heels… ladies, ignorance can be bliss, however there are some things about wearing high heels that every woman needs to know. You don’t want your feet to end up like Victoria Beckham‘s

or like any of these celebrities who have paid the price of high fashion in the form of feet deformities… it just ain’t worth the pain!

1. POSTURE. High heels shift your pelvis and spine out of alignment. They redistribute your body weight by pushing your centre of mass forward, creating an anterior tilt in your pelvis, tightening the muscles in your lower back which can lead to back pain. Depending on the height of the heel, as the height increases, so does the pressure on the ball of your foot. This extra pressure can cause foot problems, such as Metatarsalgia.

2. FOOT PROBLEMS. Extra pressure on the feet and toes can cause problems such as Morton’s neuroma which is where the tissue around a nerve in between the toes thickens, causing pain and inflammation. Bunions are commonly formed by wearing shoes that are too tight, and cause a bony overgrowth that pushes the big toe inward towards the other toes, causing pain. Hammer toes are also a common deformity caused by high heels.

3. ANKLE PROBLEMS. Not only do high heels wearing heels affect your feet, your ankles are also at greater risk for injury due to the unbalanced nature of high heels. You could also end up with a Haglund’s deformity (also called “pump bump”) where irritation over time causes a small bony growth, often caused by the pressure of pump-style heels.

4. SHORTENED CALF MUSCLES & ACHILLES TENDON. Wearing heels contacts and shortens your your calf muscles and Achilles tendon. Wearing heels often can actually lead to a permanent physical shortening over time, as the muscle fibers remain stuck in their contracted state over time. This can set you up for walking difficulties, and postural dysfunction.

5. KNEE PROBLEMS. Due to the change in overall posture when wearing heels, a greater amount of pressure is put on the inside of the knee. Over time, this can lead to osteoarthritis, by the increase in joint pressure. Osteoarthritis is twice as common in women as it is in men.

6. HIP & BACK PROBLEMS. Your pelvis and especially hip flexors (located around the top front of your thighs), are affected by wearing heels. The hip flexors are forced to work harder when you are wearing heels, and can also permanently shorten over time. This can set you up for a flattening of the natural lumbar curve in your back, increasing your risk of back pain and spinal problems.

SO… is it really worth it? Are your beautiful, precious & functional feet worth the price of fashion? Short answer: No!

TIPS FOR HAPPY FEET!

To show your feet some love and appreciation since they hold you up all day long, and take you wherever you want to go, try doing some of the following:

• Limit your use of high heels to special occasions.
• Take a spare pair of flat shoes/flip-flops with you if you can.
• Wear flat, comfortable and supportive shoes most of the time.
• Walk around bare foot when you can.
• Stretch your calves and hip flexors after wearing heels.

Also, come and see us at inner outer health for some Myotherapy to assist your body to regain musculo-skeletal balance from the effects of wearing high heels. Myotherapy can be helpful to bring back balance to your pelvis, knees, ankles and help to align your entire posture so that your feet can happily support you.

You can read more about Myotherapy here, and make online bookings here.

There are three types of sleeping posture. Find out what you are by reading below.

A Melbourne Myotherapist explains...

An explanation of myotherapy by Inner Outer Health, in Bellfield, Melbourne-based myotherapist, providing treatments for neck and lower back pain, tennis elbow, muscle tightness, sport injuries and restricted movement.

Myotherapy

Do you suffer from any aches, pain, muscle spasm or injuries? Are you looking for myotherapist, sports massage, remedial massage, deep tissue massage, pregnancy massage, dry needling or trigger point therapy in Melbourne?

Myotherapy can help to reduce:

• Lower back pain

• Neck pain

• Headaches, migraine

• Tennis elbow

• Muscle spasm

• Muscle tightness and fatigue

• Sports injuries

• Restricted movement

• Incorrect posture