For all you runners out there - how aware are you of your running style?

In this short 18 second video chrisjohnsonpt.com demonstrates how a runner with dysfunctional lower body mechanics employs an unusual upper body motion to compensate.

As indicated by the author such a running style is not sustainable.

Continue to view the video.

Whether it is researching a medical condition online, asking a question in a member forum or inputting health information into a mobile application - we, the patient, have gone digital. These are relatively simple everyday tasks but the future promises much greater interactivity between you and your digital doctor.

The doctors seem to be keeping up too and leading some innovative developments. 

Catch a glimpse of this evolution in this infographic below.

Coconut oil is one of those ingredients that got a bad rap for a long time because of its high saturated fat content. But as we are now learning not all saturated fats are created equally and in fact some of them (the good type) are essential for our health.

The oil of the tropical coconut is supposed to consist of the really good stuff. If you want to read the how's and why this is so - read this article

Before you do that however have a browse through the infographic below

Sticking a needle into a tender muscle may sound like madness but it often does help! 

A very common condition we treat effectively with dry needling is pain and dysfunction within the muscle and connective tissue often centred around trigger points - a condition referred to as myofacial pain.

In this article I aim to describe why we use dry needling, how it works and the risks involved with some of the adverse reactions we may encounter.

What could stress, chocolate addiction and exercise have in common? The answer to this came to me while reviewing our six most popular tweets. If you are not sure what a tweet is - it is a 140 character (max) message shared on the Twitter social network. I find Twitter useful for quick health information updates, perhaps over a cup of coffee between clients.

It was fascinating to discover what topics captured the greatest interest across a wide audience. Although these were all separate stories from very different sources I noticed some common connections.

Is it really possible to become addicted to chocolate?

As if we needed more excuses to indulge in chocolate treats!? We know dark chocolate with a higher cocoa level is supposed to be better for our health but not everyone fancies the extra bitterness. In my experience it is possible to curb the sweet tooth and maybe this infographic will add that extra motivation needed for you to go dark.

Where cocoa comes from, how many beans go into a single bar and what is the recommended intake for the proposed blood pressure and blood flow benefits - take a look below for the answers.

So you think you know how to tie your shoes laces? Maybe not. 

I remember many years ago an assistant from a specialist running store in South Africa showing me this lace tying technique. I had forgotten so was chuffed to discover this article and video. Over at Chris Johnson PT the article describes how and why lace tying can be an important factor in post injury running. Although, I bet it is a good technique to use generally. Take a look at this short video here...

Let’s take the tension headache for example, a common condition. There is some debate as to whether this type of headache is curable, or whether the best we can do is help sufferers manage their symptoms.

From my experience the extent to which a patient can manage stress, lifestyle factors and posture has much to do with how successful we are in in treatment as these are all known to drive tension headaches.

Firstly I want to explain here the three most common types of headaches. The cervicogenic (neck related), migraine and tension type headache.

Okay I get it… currently it's non stop news about the risks of inactivity and why and how we should be moving more for optimal health.

I love a catchy infographic although this one is a topic that bugs me at the moment - sitting. Why it bugs me - well I, like a great many people, do most of my work at a desk and sitting down. It's not the kind of work I can simply adapt to standing or doing while on the trot! Of course I buy into the risks of inactivity and I commit to an exercise activity at least twice a day - but even that is not good enough according to some 'authorities'.

If you are like me and sit most of the day - break it up with regular stand up stretches and find a reasonable excuse to move about more often.

The internet is great, isn't it? 

Despite its many benefits there is the issue with information overload and how we are adapting to consume more data and stretch the limits of multitasking. But what is that doing to our brains?