Crunches are bad for your back

Any repetitive exercise, with or without load, where the lumbar spine is allowed to flex, round, or flatten, will over-stress the discs and ligaments.Stuart McGill, a professor of spine bio-mechanics at the University of Waterloo, Canada.Crunches…

Dem bones, dem bones, dem dry bones: your bone health

When Sophy Kohler had her first, and as it turned out last, ju-jitsu lesson, the martial arts instructor fractured her sternum. Kohler, who is now 29 and works in publishing, felt “strangely thankful” towards him, because it led to her diagnosis…

Don't Foam-Roll-Massage your Iliotibial Band (IT Band)

Foam rolling has become increasingly popular as a method of self-massage in an effort to work out muscle knots and tension. However, rolling out your iliotibial band, up and down, is likely to make you grimace in pain.Anatomically, the IT band…

Osteopathy – hands-on therapy for your child

‘As the twig is bent, so grows the tree’ ~ William Garner Sutherland (1873 – 1954) founder of cranial osteopathyOsteopathic philosophy is based on the idea that the body works best when it moves as nature intended.FROM THE BEGINNINGBirthing…

Static Pull-ups – Key to neck and shoulder health

“You can’t fire a cannon from a canoe.”This expression, refers to the fact that the production of great force requires a solid platform — a concept that holds as true for the human body as it does for artillery.The scapula is commonly…

Osteopathic treatment for fertility

While modern technology enables doctors to enhance parts of the conception process, the price tag is high and investigations do not always find the reason for infertility. However, in recent years, health care consciousness is shifting from…

Scrum Posture for Children

“The scrum and the tackle are the two really contentious areas of the game. If you get those two aspects right, most rugby matches will work in your favour.” Alan Lewis – Rugby union refereeSafety in the scrum is of absolute importance…

Cycling Neck & Shoulder Pain

45 per cent of cyclists suffer from chronic neck pain, which is often worse after a ride”Wilber et al. 1995Cycling posture requires bending forward at the low back and hips and maintaining the neck in an extended position to see the road ahead.…

The rule of the artery is supreme

“When blood and lymphatics flow freely, the tissues can perform their physiologic functions without impedance. With the occurrence of trauma (physical or emotional), the tissues contract, twist, and compress. The fluid flow becomes obstructed.”Dr.…

You’re only as young as your spine

“If your spine is inflexible and stiff at 30, you’re old. If it is flexible at 60, you’re young.  A man is as young as his spine.”  Joseph PilatesA key difference between a youthful individual and an aged individual is the ability…