These simple exercises can be done at home to help you keep your back mobile!

1. Roll Down

a) Stand up tall with your feet about hip distance apart and a soft bend in your knees.

b) Start to walk your eyes down the wall in front of you and along the floor until your chin is close to or at your chest.

c) Start to round you upper back and shoulders as you imagine you are peeling your spine off a velcro wall behind you one piece at a time.

d) Leading with your arms (like they are heavy weights) continue to peel your spine off that imaginary velcro wall behind you. Rounding your upper back, mid-back and eventually your lower back.

e) Lower yourself as close to the floor as you feel comfortable going. Let your body hang heavy (like a Rag Doll).

f) If you feel tension in the back of your legs bring your weight towards the front of your feet.

g) Slowly roll yourself back up into standing.

h) Repeat 3 times.

2. Cat Stretch

a) Starting on your hands and your knees, bring your chin towards your chest.

b) Round your shoulders and your upper back, then round your mid-back, your lower back and lastly tuck your tailbone underneath you.

c) Then start to go the opposite direction - stick your bum up towards the ceiling, drop your stomach, drop your chest and look out in front of you.

d) Repeat this cycle 3 times.

*Members of JennyPhysioPilates click here to see a detailed video on how to do the exercise correctly & how to make adjustments for certain injuries or issues.*

3. Hip Stretch

a) Lie on your back and hug your right knee towards your left shoulder. You should feel this stretch in the outside/back of your right hip. Hold for 20-30 seconds.

b) Repeat on the opposite side.

*Members of JennyPhysioPilates click here to see a detailed video on how to do the exercise correctly & how to make adjustments for certain injuries or issues.*

Note: You should not feel any pain doing these exercises. You may feel the area working or stretching but it should not be painful - please stop the exercise immediately if pain occurs.

Falls are one the leading causes of mortality and reduced quality of life among those over the age of 65. Research shows 1 in 3 community-dwelling older adults fall at least once per year and this increases with age. As a physiotherapist, I see a lot of injuries that are the result of a fall, often though what impacts the person more is the effect the fall has on their confidence. This can create a fear of falling which means the person becomes more sedentary and tends not to leave the house as often which has an impact on their social engagement and quality of life.

International health guidelines advise the use of exercise to help prevent falls, mainly consisting of balance and strengthening exercises. It is recommended that these exercises are done at least twice a week on an ongoing basis for them to have an effect.

Ways we can reduce the incidence of falls:

1. Improve your balance.
2. Keep your muscles strong.
3. Maintain bone density.
4. Wear non-slip shoes with a rubber sole (no slip ons!).
5. Make sure your clothing isn’t too long for you & trailing on the ground.
6. Discuss any medication side effects (e.g. dizziness) with your Doctor.
7. Regular vision check ups.
8. If you have low blood pressure, always take your time when standing up.

How to make your house a fall-free zone:

1. No mats or rugs in the house as they are a trip hazard.
2. Make sure you have adequate lighting.
3. Keep all cables and leads against the wall.
4. Plan your day - so you don’t end up doing too many things at once!
5. Clean up any spills straight away.
6. In your kitchen keep all equipment you use regularly in easy-to-reach places.
7. When using the stairs avoid carrying large loads.
8. Make sure your chairs are a suitable height for you and easy to get out of!

Information based on:

Sherrington, C., Michaleff, Z., Fairhall, N., Paul, S., Tiedemann, A., Whitney, J., Lord, S. (2017). Exercise to prevent falls in older adults: An updated systematic review and meta-analysis. British Journal of Sports Medicine., 51(24), 1750-1758.

Sherrington, Catherine, Tiedemann, Anne, Fairhall, Nicola, Close, Jacqueline CT, & Lord, Stephen R. (2011). Exercise to prevent falls in older adults: An updated meta-analysis and best practice recommendations. New South Wales Public Health Bulletin., 22(4), 78.

What is it?

Whiplash results from the head being suddenly jerked backwards and forwards. It can result in injury to bones or soft tissues in the upper body which are collectively referred to as Whiplash-Associated Disorders.

How does this happen?

Whiplash-Associated Disorders most commonly occur after a road traffic accident where the car you are travelling in is rear-ended. They can also occur from sports, diving and other activities.

What are the symptoms?

Other symptoms which can also occur include:

• Restricted movement of the neck
• Stiffness in the upper body
• Pain around your jaw
• Fatigue
• Tingling, pins and needles or numbness in the arm
• Muscle spasms

 

How is it diagnosed?

Whiplash-Associated Disorders are diagnosed by an assessment from a healthcare provider (e.g. Doctor, Registered Physiotherapist etc). This assessment typically starts with some questions about how this injury occurred, your symptoms and your past medical history. You may be asked to fill out a questionnaire to give your healthcare provider further insight into how this injury is affecting different areas of your life. 

 

A physical exam will then be carried out during which you will be asked to perform simple movements like looking to the left/right. Your healthcare provider will carry out certain tests to check what structures are involved. You may be sent for an x-ray to rule out bony injury. It is rare that a MRI or CT scan will be required. 

 

After all of this your injury will be classified depending on the severity of it and the structures involved. Whiplash-Associated Disorders are graded from 0 - IV, with 0 being the least severe and IV being the most severe. Typically in clinical practice we mostly see grade I - II. 

 

What treatment will I need & how long will it take to recover?

Research shows that the earlier you attend a healthcare provider after your injury and the earlier you start a treatment programme the better your recovery will be.

Initial treatment may involve medication to help reduce pain levels.

Evidence-based guidelines recommend starting gentle movement exercises as soon as possible which will help reduce pain and improve your function.

The video "Neck Pain" in the Masterclass Section will take you through tips and strategies on managing neck discomfort, while keeping yourself moving. The "Neck Stretching" video goes through some gentle movement exercises.

 

 

Treatment for the majority of people will consist of exercise. Studies have shown that Whiplash-Associated Disorders respond best to:

• Movement or mobility exercises for the neck, upper back and shoulders.
• Strengthening of the upper back, mid-back and neck.

The Niggly Neck Rehab Series is a progressive series of classes which includes all of these exercises. It is suitable for Whiplash-Associated Disorders (> 6 months previous).

 

 

The most important piece of advice for a quick recovery is to keep moving!!! Research shows that if we move as normal and go about our daily lives as normal (within pain limits) that it aids a speedy recovery. 

 

Recovery time frames vary as there are many factors involved. Approximately 50% of people recover within one year. For a more severe injury it can take up to three years to see full resolution.

 

TAKE HOME MESSAGE:

Keep moving, stay active and return to work as soon as possible to promote a smooth and swift recovery!

 

Information sourced from:

Pastakia, K., & Kumar, S. (2011). Acute whiplash associated disorders (WAD). Open access emergency medicine : OAEM, 3, 29–32. 

National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) (2018). Neck Pain - Whiplash Injury.