Medical Acupuncture (MA) is a form of therapy in which fine needles are inserted into specific points on the body to bring about various processes within the body. Benefits include pain relief, tissue healing and tension release from tight muscles.

What is Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome (PFPS)?

PFPS is a term used to describe pain in and around the knee cap (patella) (Brukner & Khan, 2007). It is also known as ‘Anterior knee pain’, ‘Patellofemoral maltracking Syndrome’ and ‘Chondromalacia Patellae’ (Brukner & Khan, 2007). It is often cause by muscle imbalance and biomechanical dysfunction of the lower limb coupled with and increased activity load on the knee.

Aims of treatment

The overall aim is to allow the knee and and knee cap to move and function as normally as possible to as to remove mechanical stresses which may lead to the development of or perpetuate the symptoms of PFPS.

Apparently it is safer to ride to work on your bike, contrary to the beliefs of the Dublin public who feel commuting by bike is inconvenient, not enjoyable due to the wet climate, and is dangerous.

Public initiatives in cities around the world are trying to convince more people to drive less and bike more. This is not an easy task according to a new study in the Journal of Public Policy & Marketing, co-authored by a Marius C. Claudy from UCD. The authors point out that despite the public view about the weather, Dublin actually has a drier climate than many cities in the Netherlands, a country having a strong bicycle-commuter community.

The positive reasons in favour of converting from 4 to 2 wheels include cost-saving, improved physical fitness and health as a result of being more active as well as reducing C02 emissions.

You may have noticed a lot of news in recent years about rising obesity levels and apparently decreasing activity levels. Sugar and carbohydrates continue to be scrutinised for their weight-gain effects while the debate between the contrasting low-fat vs the low-carb-high-fat diets continue.

Understandably, alcohol is gaining more attention in this regards too and is considered to contain 7 calories per gram. In our more health-conscious society today it makes sense we could benefit from knowing the calorie content of our frequent tipple.

Due to the fact that alcoholic drinks are not recognised as food they are exempt from food labelling. However, before the end of 2014 the EU commission is due to make a decision about extending nutrition labelling, including calorie labelling, on alcohol.

Despite the clocks having changed for the so-called purpose of ‘daylight saving’, it hasn’t done much for me personally in obscuring the noticeable onset of the shorter, darker days of the coming winter.

This seasonal change has brought to my attention once more the important consideration about sleep. Specifically how our sleep duration and quality affects not only our physical performance but all aspects of our lives.

The other night I noticed I was starting to feel sleepier and ready for bed earlier than usual. I justified to myself (as we do) it was due to the earlier onset of darkness in the evening, that’s all. It got me thinking - should I consider going to bed earlier in line with this shift in season?

Such a change in routine doesn’t really suit me because despite the change in season my daily routine and commitments have not changed. Therefore how would it benefit me, or be possible, to try and live more in rhythm with the environment. That is the ‘natural world’ environment, not my local in-home environment where multiple devices are contributing to the excess of ‘blue light’ in our living room. Such light in the blue end of the spectrum just so happens to be the type that does an effective job at disrupting our natural body clocks.

How would you define healthy? Perhaps being an XS or skinny size trouser type person. Maybe you perceive healthy as a diet restricted to leafy greens and fruit, perhaps combined with a hyper-disciplined exercise regime demanding many hours each day in the hot and sweaty zone. Such pursuits don't conjure up a sense of 'balance' and in my view are more likely to result in long-term inconsistencies, both in your commitment and motivation.

'Consistency' is the key factor here, as is the concept of 'lifestyle'

When a way of being becomes very much a part of your way of life - it becomes easier to sustain in the long run. This is the major problem with crash diets or fitness fads - resulting benefits don't seem to last because the commitment required is either not sustainable or are too extreme that they are unable to become integrated lifestyle habits.

Our next Pilates course schedule starts on the 3rd November and includes Beginner, Improver and Advanced level classes. We also have a new class called Aerobilates which includes a more aerobic element to the class for a higher intensity workout.

We have just added an additional Beginner class due to demand which currently has 4 places left. This class is a Thursday evening class between 7pm-8pm, running for 7 weeks from the 6th November.

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

How to join a class

Dr Mike Evans presents another of his usually wonderful videos. This video's subject - Save Brains.

Dr Mike focuses specifically on young brains so if you have children this video will be of great interest to you.

Some of the key messages are provided here plus the video:

• The first 1000 days is best time to stimulate a young brain
• A combination of health, good nutrition and play-based responsive stimulation are the best ways to stimulate a young brain
• Stress and adversity is a part of life and a child is more likely to have a healthy response to such stress if well supported by family and a community

Different types of stresses include:

Age-old exercise wisdom has always included stretching as part of the pre and post activity discipline. We've believed that a good stretch will help reduce injury, aid recovery from the stresses of exercise and even improve our performance during the event.

While some exercise specialists still hold these physiological benefits of stretching to be true the efficacy of such effects are being challenged by others.

Earlier this year Lorraine posted an article titled Important Tips For Stretching Properly

Some key points from the article:

Time to throw out the bread! A low-carb diet IS the most effective way to lose weight – and it cuts the risk of heart disease, too.

Zoë Harcombe, nutritionist-researcher-writer, has a no-nonsence approach to addressing obesity. Her personal insights and reviews of information published in main-stream media are always refreshing and challenging.

Zoë recently discovered some breaking news coming from the US on the back of a study looking at the effects of low-carbohydrate and low-fat diets. My interest peaked when I noticed her surprise that the study was 'refreshingly void of conflict' giving opinion that it is a rare thing to find a drug or food study genuinely independent and run so well. The results are intriguing.

I first began suffering the pain and symptons of patellar tendonitis near the start of this year. It has taken a long time to recover from this painful condition and every now and then I still feel a 'tweak' of pain in my knee.

Naturally, I find myself wondering how long it could take before my patellar tendonitis eventually heals completely.

Image: "Blausen gallery 2014". Wikiversity Journal of Medicine. DOI:10.15347/wjm/2014.010. ISSN 20018762.