Cycling stardom awaits Steph McKenzie

When Aucklander Steph McKenzie first started cycling she had to literally re-learn how to ride a bike.

Six years later she is one of this country's most exciting sprinting talents.

The bubbly 17-year-old came from a gymnastics background, but the rigours of the sport meant she was making weekly visits to an osteopath.

Her osteopath was also a cyclist and he believed McKenzie had the ideal build for cycling.

The only problem was, McKenzie had basically forgotten how to ride a bike.

She turned up to a track session armed with little more than some curiosity after watching Sarah Ulmer win Olympic gold on the television.

"I hadn't ridden a bike for ages. I used to do the Weet-Bix triathlon and that sort of thing. It was fun, an adrenalin rush.

"I think the second time on the track I got up to the top and that was fun."

McKenzie became involved in a Peter Snell programme and was almost immediately marked down as a sprinter.

A talented athlete, McKenzie started dabbling in weightlifting in 2008 to improve her strength and did so well that she was considered a lifter for the future if she had chosen to continue with the sport.

Now, however, she's on the fast track to international cycling stardom.

She won silver at the junior world championships in Italy this year in the team sprint, an eye-catching result given McKenzie still has a year left at junior level and was sent to the event to gain experience.

She won the under-19 sprint final at the Oceania championships in Adelaide recently and took out three titles at the March national championships in Invercargill.

Source: stuff.co.nz

Open day aims to raise awareness of back pain treatment

People were able to bone up on taking care of their back at an open day in Bath.

Around 60 people dropped into an information day held by the Oldfield Osteopathic Clinic at Green Park Station to find out what they could do to limit the risk of back pain.

A range of therapists were available to answer questions, while Chris Cook, a Bath Rugby academy player, and Danielle Goodman, who represented Great Britain in the triathlon, spoke to shoppers about their experiences with pain.

The event was held to mark Back Awareness Week, and osteopath at the Oldfield Park clinic Dave Inman said: "Back pain can really affect a person's life and make it hard to do simple, everyday tasks."

It is estimated that four out of five adults will experience back pain at some point in their lives.

The British Osteopathic Association found that simply changing the way you sit or being more aware of your posture could reduce the risks of back pain in later life.

Will I feel better straight away?

The answer to this question depends on the condition the patient presents with. It is possible to leave an Osteopathic treatment pain free, but this is very rare as the majority of patients present to an Osteopath as a last resort, after having been in pain for a long time. The earlier you visit your Osteopath, the quicker they can get you better.

 

Osteopathy for babies

Osteopathic treatment can be invaluable for treating a wide range of health conditions in babies. The gentler, non-manipulative techniques, commonly known as ‘cranial osteopathy’ are especially suitable for treating young children, including newborn infants.

Birth is a very physical and perhaps stressful process on a baby’s body. At birth, much of a baby’s skeleton is more like cartilage, especially the plate-like bones that make up the skull. These ‘plates’ are quite soft and malleable, and are designed to overlap and glide over each other, enabling them to sustain the forces of labour and allow the head to pass through the birth canal. However, this pliability may mean that they are susceptible to strain and ‘moulding’, which is often evident after birth in babies that have asymmetrical, flattened or markedly pointed head shapes.

A degree of moulding is normal, and usually resolves within the first few days after birth along with the normal processes of adapting to breath in air, crying, and sucking. However, in some cases the moulding can be retained, and will need attention. Left untreated, the bony plates may remain overlapped, pulled apart, or under excessive strain. This in turn can cause tension or pinching in the delicate membranes that cover the brain and nervous system. Overstrain of tissues and compression of joints in the head, neck and upper back may also occur as a result. This may affect the nerves which come from the base of the skull and help in such body functions as feeding, digestion and breathing, and may cause other imbalances in the rest of the body.

What conditions do Osteopaths deal with?

Osteopathy treat of a wide variety of musculo-skeletal problems, but it also has a role to play in the management of a number of other conditions. The most common complaints for which patients consult Osteopaths include: 

• back and neck pain,
• sciatica,
• headaches,
• pains in peripheral joints such as shoulders, knees and ankles, tendinitis and muscle strains,
• work-related and repetitive strain injuries, and
• sports-related injuries.

However, Osteopathy can also play a significant role in pain management or when used in conjunction with medical treatment. 

Many mothers-to-be find Osteopathic treatment very beneficial both to reduce back pain during pregnancy and also to help prepare the body for birth. In addition, there is a wide variety of gentle non-manipulative techniques for use on infants and small children.

Injury is the mother of invention

For the first time in 15 years, I can't run. I have a stubborn case of iliotibial band friction syndrome, which causes knee pain about five minutes into my run. It also hurts when I go downstairs and sometimes while walking. The problem, according to my osteopath, isn't the knee, it's the hip. My pelvis tilts forward, which tugs on the iliotibial band, which in turn tugs on my kneecap.

I'm no stranger to the aches and pains of running. But to date, I've always managed to keep running by modifying my training and paying attention to my pre-and post-run habits. I ran through a bout of plantar fasciitis (heel pain), three weeks after abdominal surgery, through a flare-up of piriformis syndrome (pain in the butt) and the occasional bout of non-specific knee pain (patella-femoral syndrome).

To be truthful, my knee has been bothering me on and off for years, but I've usually been able to manage it with extra stretching and reducing the volume and intensity of my workouts. If the pain still wouldn't abate, a tune-up at the osteopath did the trick.

I followed the same strategy when the knee flared up this time. In fact, I was able to run with little or no pain through most of the summer as long as I didn't run every day, kept my time to an hour and, on the advice of the osteopath, stayed away from hills.

That was all well and good until I went on vacation in the middle of August, and was surrounded by hills and country roads. To make matters worse, the roads were banked, which means one leg was always lower than the other -a no-no for anyone with IT band problems.

Yet despite the perfect storm of conditions that were guaranteed to make the knee worse, I ran. My husband has long claimed that runners are crazy. My dentist, who is a runner, prefers to describe runners as stubborn. I plead guilty to both.

The results of my folly were predictable. One week after returning from vacation, my knee called it quits 10 minutes into my run. I hobbled home and have been struggling through pain ever since. Four weeks and several visits to the osteopath later, I am still not running.

Not being able to pull on my shoes and go for a run has been a big adjustment. One of the reasons I love running is that it can be done anywhere, any time and with a minimum of preparation. I also love exercising outdoors, especially in the fall.

The first week without running, I headed to my local outdoor pool. I'm a swimmer, so it's an easy form of cross training, and a 2,000-metre workout is an adequate substitution for an hour pounding the pavement.

But with the closing of the outdoor pools, my motivation to swim waned and I climbed on a stationary bike. At the gym I use one of the Expresso bikes, which offers a tough virtual ride that is challenging and engaging. And on those days when a gym workout doesn't happen, I spend 45 minutes in my basement pedalling away while watching reruns of HBO television series on my computer - a horribly boring way to work up a sweat.

I also decided to venture outdoors on my bike, which until now has been used strictly to get from here to there. More of a touring bike than a road bike, it's not built for speed or performance, but on a beautiful fall day it beats the heck out of cycling in my basement.

I am by no means an efficient cyclist, and I admit that cycling alongside traffic and city buses takes some getting used to, but 90 minutes on my bike outdoors is a breeze compared to the 45 minutes I spend cranking the pedals on the stationary bike in my basement. And despite the limitations of my old touring bike, an outdoor ride beats the indoor version by a long shot.

Another part of my self-improvement plan is a commitment to dial back on the cardio and do more complementary workouts. So I am struggling through power yoga once a week in hopes of stretching out my chronically tight hamstrings. I've also revitalized my core workout and added some more upper-body exercises to my weekly routine.

The message in all of this is that sometimes it takes an injury to force you into doing what you should have been doing all along. It may take years, but bad habits will come back to haunt you, so take a look at your fitness routine and start mixing it up. Being fit means finding the right balance of activities so that your body reaps the rewards of exercise without the stress of too much repetition.

Variety is a runner's best friend. Stubbornness is not.

Author: J. Barker Source: montrealgazette.com

Why Osteopathy?

Osteopathic manual practitioners assess and treat your body as a whole, because:

• symptoms sometimes show up in a different part of your body from where the problem actually is
• there may be several factors contributing to the symptoms you experience

Osteopathic treatment is efficient, which helps to minimize the number of visits you need. Practitioners go through many years of training to develop their highly refined palpatory skills.

Examples of conditions and problems that osteopathic manual practitioners can help treat.

Children's Issues

• colic
• spitting up
• sucking difficulty
• delayed development
• birth trauma
• otitis media

Pain

• neck pain
• back pain
• sciatica
• headaches and migraines
• jaw pain and TMJ syndromes
• pain resulting from motor vehicle accidents
• pain resulting from over-use and sports injuries

Systemic Problems

• neurological syndromes
• digestive disorders
• genitourinary problems
• chronic infectious disease
• circulatory problems

Pregnancy Issues

• back pain
• digestive upset
• edema and swelling

Respiratory Illness

• asthma
• bronchitis
• pleurisy
• allergies
• Ear, Nose and Throat Problems
• chronic ear infections
• recurrent sore throats
• frequent colds
• glaucoma
• sinusitis
• tinnitus

Note: It is important that you speak with your medical doctor for the complete diagnosis of any medical condition.

 

Common questions

Does Osteopathy Hurt?

Techniques used by Osteopaths should not hurt you at all. If techniques do hurt, tell your Osteopath, so they may adjust their technique. Sometimes, if your tissues are very inflamed due to injury, treatment may seem a little sore because your tissues are so inflamed and tender.

Can Osteopathy damage my back?

Applied correctly, Osteopathic techniques cannot harm you. Ensure that your Osteopath is registered with the General Osteopathic Council, and you will know you are in safe hands.

Will I feel better straight away?

The answer to this question depends on the condition the patient presents with. It is possible to leave an Osteopathic treatment pain free, but this is very rare as the majority of patients present to an Osteopath as a last resort, after having been in pain for a long time. The earlier you visit your Osteopath, the quicker they can get you better.

Osteopathic Solution to Migraine

We find the most common cause of structural oriented head pain is the TMJ or jaw. The mandible is a moving structure that is prone to alignment problems. One cause of this alignment is 'bruxing' or clenching the jaw. This is a very common problem as people live under greater degrees os stress and tension - jaw clenching is a result of this phenomena.

Another cause is dental work. After extractions the membranes at the back of the jaw can be left in tension, A small bony protrusion as part of the sphenoid bone can become locked in the wrong position and needs releasing. this technique is one of the most dramatic as it provides immediate relief. Another cause can be cervical alignment issues. The upper vertebrae can be pulled into a lateral position which causes blood restrictions and local neck pain radiating up to the base ofd the skull.

Another cause can be tension head aches. These usually originate in the neck and back muscles. There are points behind the scapula and upper shoulder that are very tight and will refer pain to the back and over the front of the head.

We treat all of these conditions regularly. The most common result is - pain free after one session. 

So we offer you another option to clear your pain - find a good experienced cranial osteopath or join our family of patients. We have them travel from all over Australia - even from major cities up to Brisbane. Staying over the weekend they receive treatment on a Friday and the Monday then travel back - Migraine free.

Osteopathic medicine

Osteopathic medicine is similar to traditional, or allopathic, medicine but it places a much greater emphasis on the role of normal body mechanics and the musculoskeletal system. One of the principles of osteopathic medicine is that the patient's illness and traumas are stored within the structure of their bodies

The osteopath, like a chiropractor, is trained to palpate (touch) the body to detect tissue texture, flow of fluids, and motion of joints, and to seek out impairments caused by traumatic injuries and chronic or acute illnesses. The objective of the osteopathic physician is to restore the body to its normal or full function by applying a precise amount of force to promote movement of fluids, (a rhythmic flow of cerebrospinal fluid in the brain and spinal cord), decompress joints and bones , and increase tissue function.

Like chiropractors in their philosophy and approach, osteopaths use only their hands to diagnosis and treat, sees the body as a single functional unit, and values the wisdom of the body's ability to heal itself.

The body is a unit where dysfunction in one areas can affect another area. For example, a disc problem in the neck can pull the legs and affect the way we walk. Treatment for the legs can significantly reduce the neck pain.

Why See an Osteopath?

The most common complaints for which patients consult Osteopaths include back and neck pain, sciatica, headaches, pains in peripheral joints such as shoulders, knees and ankles, tendinitis and muscle strains, work-related and repetitive strain injuries, and sports-related injuries. Other conditions for which Osteopathy can play a significant role in reducing the severity of symptoms include asthma, gynaecological dysfunction, arthritic conditions and chronic fatigue.

When visiting an osteopath for the first time, a full case history will be taken as well as an examination. This generally requires the removing of some clothing and the performance of a simple series of movements.

The Osteopath will use a highly developed sense of touch, called palpation, to identify any points of weakness or excessive strain throughout the body. Osteopathic treatments are tailored to the requirements of the individual patient, and techniques are selected which are appropriate to the patient's needs. For some acute pain, one to two treatments may be all that is necessary. Chronic conditions may need ongoing maintenance averaging six to eight sessions.

Neck Pain

 

 

 

 

A popular response to neck pain is taking drugs to cover up the problem (aspirin, analgesics, pain pills) or treating its symptoms (muscle relaxers, massage,hot packs). But neck pain isn’t caused by a lack of aspirin or drugs!

The osteopath approach to neck pain is to locate its underlying cause. This begins with a complete case history and thorough examination. Special attention is given to the structure and function of the spine, and its affect on the nervous system.

• Is the proper spinal curve present?
• Are the nerve openings between each pair of spinal bones free and clear?
• Is the head balanced?
• Are the shoulders level?

These and other considerations are used to create a plan of specific chiropractic adjustments to help improve the motion and position of spinal vertebrae. 

With improved structure and function, neck pain often diminishes or totally disappears — without addictive drugs or harmful side effects!

A common health complaint.

• Is it hard to look over your shoulder?
• Is there a constant pulling or throbbing pain in your neck? 
• Do you notice a “grinding” sound as you turn your head? 

Osteopaths are experts in the care of the bones, nerves, muscles and connective tissues that make up about 60% of your body. All of the joints in your body are part of this musculo-skeletal system and its optimal function is necessary for overall good health. Ask your Osteopath for more information about a care program that may include specific spinal adjustments, exercise recommendations, nutritional advice or other conservative methods of care based on your health history, age, current condition and lifestyle.

Osteopathy Tips - Making the most of your Osteopath visit

Good results don't just happen. In order for your osteopathy treatment to be a success you will need to be an active partner in your treatment - so to help ensure you get the most out of your visit to the Osteopath we have pulled together a 'Top Tips' list.

Prepare for your osteopathy appointment

It will increase your chances of leaving well-informed and satisfied. Write down your concerns or symptoms in advance, so you don't forget to talk about them. Also bring a list of all prescription and non-prescription medications you take, plus any vitamins or supplements. You may also want to jot down notes about your diet and exercise habits - factors important to your overall health not just your back pain or sports injury.

Wear appropriate clothing

If you are worried about stripping down to your underwear, bring along some exercise gear. Your Osteopath will need to be able to see and feel your back in order to treat you successfully.

Take notes

Bring a pad and pen to your Osteopath visit as you will certainly end your appointment discussing an osteopathy treatment programme for your back pain or sports injury.

If you have questions or concerns, speak up!

Your health is too important. Don't be embarrassed that you don't understand anything your Osteopath has said - ask that it be explained.

Educate yourself about your diagnosis and osteopathy treatment plan

If you are diagnosed with a specific kind of back injury do a little web research or borrow a book from the library. It never hurts to have a more thorough understanding of your condition or treatment.

Once you agree on a treatment plan, follow-through

Osteopaths help your body to heal itself. The exercises that your Osteopath asks you to do at home will be a vital part of the overall osteopathy treatment plan to relieve your pain or resolve your injury so you are mobile, active and pain-free as soon as possible.

Do not ignore the lifestyle issues which may contribute to your susceptibility to back pain

Many of the root causes of back pain are lifestyle related. In particular increasingly sedentary work and recreational practices and long hours at the computer are frequently found to be contributory causes of back pain and increase the likelihood of suffering a sports injury.

Osteopathy and Pregnancy

Being pregnant is a unique and powerful life experience. It is a time which can, and should be enjoyed. During pregnancy the body undergoes immense physical, hormonal and emotional changes.

These changes occur over a relatively short space of time, and the body has to continually adapt to accommodate these changes. Up to 10 kilograms in weight of baby, placenta and fluids may be carried, putting a fair amount of physical strain on the body.

Many pregnant women find osteopathic treatment very helpful throughout their pregnancy for pain reduction and preparation for labour. As well as helping to reduce back, hip or leg pain, osteopathy can also assist the body in preparation for labour and delivery. 

A woman’s body is constantly changing during pregnancy.  The effects of hormonal softening of ligaments, the position of the growing baby, postural changes and increases in weight can put additional pressure on joints and muscles of the spine or pelvis. Osteopathic treatment can help to alleviate these stresses, and by ensuring that the movement of the pelvic girdle is balanced and the hormonal control of the labour is at an optimum, it can aid the process of labour and delivery.

Even before pregnancy, your osteopath can evaluate your body, paying particular attention to the spine and pelvis, to ensure that there are no pre-existing or underlying restrictions, which may cause problems further into the pregnancy. We would recommend a pre-conception osteopathic check up to help make sure your body will cope with the changes of pregnancy and help it to adapt as smoothly as possible.