How to Find Ideal Posture?

If you imagine a plumb line dropping from the ceiling by the side of the body. The plumb line should intersect the ear lobe, then run to the shoulder joint, then through the greater trochanter in the hip (the bony bit on the outside of the hip), then just in front of the knee joint and finally slightly in front of the lateral malleolus in the ankle (the bony bit on the outside of the ankle) before it reaches the floor.

If a body part, for example the earlobes is ahead of the line, then the head and neck are not in an ideal position and there is increased tension placed on the muscles in the shoulders such as the upper trapezius - which may lead to neck and shoulder pain. Another example is if the knees are locked back or overextended. In this case the knee joint line is behind the plumb line this can place increased pressure through the knee cap which may lead to knee pain.

Your Bones

There are 206 bones that make up the skeletal body. Bone is a living tissue that is constantly being removed and replaced. Bones need normal sex hormones, calcium, vitamin D, proteins and weight bearing / strengthening exercise to keep them healthy. Peak bone mass is reached at 25-30 years old. After the mid-forties bone density is lost approximately 0.5-1% a year. As we get older and over 50, more bone is naturally lost than is replaced. This causes bones to become fragile and therefore, they can break easily.

Increasing numbers of ‘older’ people are performing regular physical activity including walking, swimming, lawn bowls, golf, Pilates and cycling. This is great news from a health and social perspective, leading in an improved overall quality of life.

But how do we define ‘older’? It has become more difficult to define by chronology due to the variability in health and functional status among those of similar age. The American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) define the ‘older’ person as over 65, or between 50 and 64 with clinically significant chronic conditions and/or functional limitations. We must remember there can be a large discrepancy between how old you are and how old you feel and function.

Physical activity and exercise have an important role in successful ageing. Successful ageing involves longevity and survival free of chronic disease, impaired physical and cognitive functioning as well as incident related disability (e.g. following a fall).

What is Electro Acupuncture?

Electro Acupuncture (EA) is where an electric current is passed through the acupuncture needles. In the clinic there are two types of devices used – the Cefar Acus4 and ETO ES130 EA devices.

What are the Electro Acupuncture devices?

The EA devices are small and portable devices with leads that attach to the needles in order to transfer the current from the machine to the needles. The wires are comparable to jump leads which are used to restart a car engine just on a much smaller scale and with a much more gentle current! In comparison to the point stimulator it provides constant input into the muscle for 10-20 minutes again depending on the treatment dose required and the nature of the condition being treated.

Where is my Coccyx?

The coccyx is the anatomical term used for tailbone which is the bone at the very bottom of your spine, so in your buttock region. The pelvic floor muscles as well the gluteus maximus muscle have attachments into the bone. There are also numerous fibrous ligamentous attachments in this area as well to the sacrum which help hold the bones together and keep them stable.

What causes pain in this region?

Pain in the tailbone region may be referred to as coccydynia and is most commonly is caused by a traumatic event. For example a fall onto the backside or during childbirth. This can cause bony bruising or a fracture of the bone. It can also cause inflammation which can lead to pain and discomfort. Other causes can be degeneration or wear and tear of the joint which links the coccyx to the sacrum or possibly other surrounding joints which can be often overlooked. Instability i.e excess or poorly controlled movement in the joint can also cause sensitivity and pain in the area. Pain in this area may also be referred pain from tight muscles containing trigger points for example the buttock or pelvic floor muscles. 'Sciatica' can also cause pain the tailbone region. In rare cases pain in the coccyx area can be due to tumors and infections.

Image courtesy ofWikipedia

Studies have shown almost 80% of people experience low back pain at some point in their life. Most episodes settle within 4-6 weeks with a course of physiotherapy allowing for a quicker recovery and a reduced likelihood of recurrence and chronicity.

There are body structures which may cause back pain either directly or indirectly, along with help form the central nervous system. These may include overly tense muscles which may contain trigger points, faulty nerves, sensitive joints which may be moving too much or may be 'stiff', possible wear and tear in the joints in the spine or direct injury where a joint in the spine was sprained or fractured or damaged. Back pain may also arise from organ's such as the kidneys, blood vessels and tumours which makes a thorough examination by a medically trained professional essential.

Peripheral nerve pain may result from what is commonly referred to as “Trapped Nerves.” In this blog, I have outlined a few key points in relation to peripheral nerve pain and what to expect in relation to recovery and symptoms.

What are Peripheral Nerves?

The nervous system in the body is divided into two parts the central nervous system and the peripheral nervous system. The central system consists of the brain and the spinal cord. The peripheral system is made up of the peripheral nerves. The peripheral nerves exit the spinal column at the various levels from the spinal cord and each nerve supplies a different part of the body i.e. a muscle, area of skin and/or organs. The peripheral nerves send sensory information to the brain and spinal column to tell the brain - for example the hands or feet are cold, that the object touched is sharp or that a joint or muscle is sore. The peripheral nerves also send signals to the muscles from the brain and spinal cord in order to generate an intended movement, for example, writing or walking. So basically the peripheral nerves communicate information back and forth from the muscles and organs to the central nervous system in order for tasks and functions to be carried out.

(Image courtesy of: Häggström, Mikael. "Medical gallery of Mikael Häggström 2014")

“My pelvis goes in and out of place!” or “my sacrum has gone out!” can be common beliefs for people who suffer from pelvic or lower back pain. This topic was discussed by Dr. Peter O’Sullivan, one of the leading back pain researches, in a recent BJSM podcast.  

As it turns out, up to date research would suggest this is an illusion and there is no evidence to prove that the pelvis or sacrum can in fact go in or out of place, or anywhere else for that matter! 

The facts based on research are as follows:

1. The pelvis and the sacroiliac joint (SIJ) joint are very secure and stable joints and move very little.

Pilates has greatly benefited my Physiotherapy practise as well as benefiting me personally.

Firstly, being knowledgeable in Pilates and the different exercises involved in Pilates has equipped me with another valuable treatment tool. Pilates is very useful in therapeutic exercise prescription and choosing the most valuable and beneficial exercises to address the client’s particular physical problem.

Secondly, being a trained Pilates Instructor has increased my ability to identify abnormal patterns of movement in clients which may be contributing to their pain symptoms for example. When teaching Pilates, I am constantly observing the way people move to ensure that they are moving in the correct way. As a result I have become more observant in my clinical practice in recognising abnormal movements caused by muscles may be weak or overactive, joints which may be ‘stiff’ or overly mobile as well as issues relating to the nervous system’s control of the body.

Our next Pilates course schedule starts on the 12th January and includes our usual Beginner, Improver, Advanced and Aerobilates level classes, plus this term we have introduced a Maintenance and a Relaxation class. 

To view our course schedule please visit our website here - http://mmphysiopilates.com/dublin/join-a-class.html

To learn more about the competency/ difficulty level for the different classes see here - Level Descriptions 

How to join a class

Signing up for one of our courses is very simple. We have a secure online booking system where you can choose your class, register and pay using a debit, laser or credit card to reserve your place immediately. You will receive instant confirmation of the success of your booking.