Posture pole’s are a long foam roller that can be cut in half to lay flat on the floor. The goal of the foam roller is to be long enough to rest on the full length of your spine up to the back of your head.
How To Correctly Position Yourself On A Posture Pole?
The correct way to position yourself is to lay with your knees bent whilst resting on the posture pole with the back of your head touching and the bottom of your pelvis touching the length of the posture pole. It is then as easy as laying with your arms outwards in a scarecrow position with your palms facing up towards the roof.
Posture Pole Positioning
What Are The Recommendations?
The goal is to lay on the posture pole for as long as 10 minutes at a time. Usually at the beginning it may be uncomfortable meaning that 2 sets of 5 minutes may be better to start with or even 3 by 3 minutes throughout the day. A maximum of 15 minutes is enough to get the body stretched out for the day.
Why Use The Posture Pole?
The reason for using the posture pole is to eliminate tension, increase flexibility and allow the body to relax. It also helps you focus on something other than your electronic devices. Use this time to focus on your breathing and relaxation.
Poor posture can limit breathing capacity and cause increased tension within the upper back and shoulder region. A prolonged posture that is not corrected can lead to uneven weight distribution throughout the body and be a cause of increased wear and tear on bones, discs and joints. This is what our team of chiropractors aim to correct and make changes to so that joint dysfunction and degeneration can be avoided.
Poor posture decreases the amount of capacity within the lungs. This is because the area becomes compressed not allowing the lungs to fill adequately and limits the amount of strength the diaphragm has to operate effectively.
A Chiropractor is a health practitioner that focuses on making changes to the bodies musculoskeletal system. Chiropractors are primary healthcare practitioners which enables them to provide comprehensive healthcare long-term and can be seen without a referral from a general practitioner.
Chiropractors are doctors of their field and use various methods to find the underlying cause of your body. Some methods may include a thorough medical history as well as an understanding of your general health and wellbeing. Orthopaedic tests and other types of examinations are also conducted to get a better understanding of what is restricted or suffering in regards to function. There can also be times when chiropractors may refer for an X-ray. Most times X-rays are done when there is concern for fractures or severe spinal anomalies. When it comes to your health we don’t like to guess what may be the cause and this is when X-rays may be handy.
Education And Qualifications For Chiropractors?
Chiropractors in Australia need to complete a five year university degree which encompasses subjects such as neuroscience, physiology and anatomy, microbiology, pharmacology and toxicology. Chiropractic students also require supervised clinical hours to gain experience and confidence in chiropractic adjustments and other low force methods before graduating.
Does the Chiropractor have a particular area of interest that suits your needs?
Some Chiropractors complete additional training in other areas after finishing their studies. For example, some move into paediatric care or pregnancy chiropractic care, while others move into sports rehabilitation. Finding a Chiropractor that specialises in these fields may help you find a better suit for your needs as a patient.
Does The Chiropractor Complete A Thorough Initial Consultation?
If your Chiropractor takes the time to complete a thorough initial exam you can be sure that they are interested in finding the underlying cause to your complaint and what they recommend moving forward will be of benefit.
Does Your Chiropractor Focus On Symptoms Or Function?
Do you want to be pain free? Or do you want to find out the cause of your pain and stop it from coming back over and over again? As discussed symptoms are the last thing to come about and is usually due to an underlying cause inside our body that needs to be addressed.
Does The Chiropractor Create A Plan To Help Achieve Your Health Goals?
You need to have a goal and and understanding of what your care involves so that you are on the same page as your chiropractor. Being able to understand if you are improving and what each treatment entails will allow you to benefit from the experience.
Does Your Chiropractor Address Your Concerns And Questions Relating To Your Health/ Complaint?
You need to be understood by your chiropractor. You have to feel like you are in the right place to discuss your problems and get them checked out.
Does Your Chiropractor Explain Your Condition And How They Will Help You With Chiropractic Care?
A Chiropractor that wants to explain and show you the reasoning behind your pain is essential. This ensures that you understand what is going on during the process and that you are seeing someone who cares about your complaints.
The importance of good, straight posture can’t be down played. However, by simply sitting up straight you will not correct incorrect postures.
5 Reasons Why Posture Is Important:
1) Good posture helps you perform better 2) Your body position looks and feels better 3) An optimal posture helps your body function at a higher level 4) Good posture limits abnormal wear and tear on joints throughout the body 5) Your internal organs are able to function better/no unneeded compression through the ribs affecting lung capacity
Given that these benefits are associated with good posture habits, who wouldn’t want to have good posture! Here at The Melbourne Chiropractor, we meet patients who need help correcting postural problems, including sway back. military posture and text neck. As chiropractors our goal is to help manage and correct these postural issues.
Some Common Posture Problems We See Include –
Sway back posture
Lumbar lordosis
Thoracic kyphosis
Forward head posture.
Bad postures tend to put extra pressure and stress on your spine, shoulders, hips, and knees.
Can you relate to any of the postures in the image below?
Sway Back Posture also known as hyper lordosis exaggerated the curve in the lower back increasing pressure. When standing the stomach looks to pull forward and the hips tilt forward to compensate.
Chiropractic adjustments and mobilisations help to increase mobility and functional capacity through the affected joint segments
Soft tissue therapy allows us to decrease the muscle tension throughout the areas of concern and in turn improve postural areas.
An exercise and rehabilitation program that is specific to the area which will include a series of stretches and low force exercise to begin with before getting into strengthening the area of complaint.
Proper nutrition is key to maintaining a healthy lifestyle. One of the biggest nutrients when it comes to musculoskeletal health is magnesium. This Micronutrient is fantastic at mitigating muscle tension and alleviating cramps. Magnesium also plays a role in energy production and bone mineral density. This nutrient is stored in both muscle and bone and is used for various functions throughout the body including increasing the absorption of calcium.
5 Benefits Of Taking Magnesium
Decrease Muscle Cramping/Spasms
Improved Sleep Improve sleep: Magnesium has a muscle relaxing effect, it is often used to relieve tension in the body before sleeping.
Reduction in Stress and Anxiety
Overall Increase Of Energy Levels
Increase Bone Density Improving Bodily Structures (Increases Calcium Absorption)
Usually there is a reason for first coming into the chiro. Whether it is because you have lifted something in a funny way or twisted suddenly and heard a noise there is always a reason for coming into your first visit. Maybe a family member or friend have recommended a chiropractor in the past and have told you about their results or maybe you feel like their is more to the problem than just a “tight muscle”
Our Job as Chiropractors at The Melbourne Chiropractor is to find the underlying causes to your complaint and giving you an idea of how we can better the problem at hand. Usually symptoms that include pain are just a way of letting the body understand something is wrong. The problem with this is that we don’t know exactly how the pain started unless there is a mechanism for the injury or we do a little more digging to figure out what you could be doing to create this issues with daily activities.
After people get their initial concern dealt with they will tend to find that there are other areas that may be effecting them throughout daily life. Usually posture is the biggest issue when continuing care. This is when we try to reverse poor posture and release tight areas that may be causing ongoing stress.
Maintenance Care
Chiropractic Maintenance care involves fortnightly or monthly treatments depending on severity and intensity of your daily activity. You may find that seeing a chiropractor to get on top of pain/stiffness will help rid you of any aches or pains and allow you to continue living to the best of your abilities!
Deep breathing is a great way of releasing stress and calming the mind. Also known as Diaphragmatic breathing it is a common exercise that involves stimulation of the diaphragm with slow deep breaths based on certain time intervals.
What happens during deep breathing exercises?
Diaphragmatic breathing involves both slow inhalation and exhalation over a period of time. By doing this repetitively you are using your diaphram muscles that contract and relax throughout the task as well as surrounding musculature as shown in the diagram below!
Muscles Used During Inspiration & Expiration
Benefits Of Deep Breathing
Decrease Stress
Increase Breathing Capacity
Relaxation
Lower Blood Pressure
Improve Sleep
Increase Energy Levels
Improve Mood
Increase Productivity
Best Way To Perform A Deep Breathing Exercise
Double Breathing
Use A Sitting or Laying Position
Breath in for 2 seconds through your nose
Exhale for 4 seconds through your mouth
Repeat these breaths 5 – 10 times
*The aim of double breathing is to exhale twice as long as you inhaled. For example = Inhaling for 3 seconds would mean exhaling for 6 seconds!
* It is recommended to repeat this exercises twice a day to get the best results in a shorter time frame
*Note: If you are someone who is looking for help or wants to find out more about our services don’t hesitate to reach out to our team of practitioners! Online bookings are available online and we are available 7 days a week at our Broadmeadows, Westmeadows and Fawkner Chiropractic Clinics! https://themelbournechiropractor.com.au/book-now
FIFO also known as fly in fly out is an occupation that enables people to travel out to the jobsite whether it is in mines or deep sea waters with rotating rosters. This means that there is usually no set schedule for the year unlike most jobs you might not get certain holidays or may be working in interstate for weeks on end before getting a short break. Majority of these jobs are highly strenuous and involve operation of heavy machinery and tools for long hours to get the job done.
Common Health Concerns Of FIFO Work Include
Inconsistent Sleep
Heavy lifting and
Overuse of certain body movement
Fatigue
Headaches
Low Back Pain
Long Periods of sitting
Being in awkward positions on the job
Mental Health implications from being away from home
Can Chiropractic Care Help?
Chiropractic Care is a great way of dealing with aches and pains. Due to the ongoing pressures working as a FIFO worker it is common to see the common headache and migraine like symptoms as well as neck and low back pain.
Chiropractic adjustments to help decrease those aches and pains.
Using a pillow that suits you best
Try and find a job that works with your family’s lifestyle.
An exercise and stretching routine to help decrease tension and increase mobility
Deep breathing exercises
What Can Our Team Do To Help?
Depending on the severity of the injury or area of concern our practitioners in our Broadmeadows, Westmeadows and Fawkner Clinics will treat accordingly to your complaint. Treatments that may be provided but are not limited to include:
The Melbourne Chiropractor Fawkner provides specialised therapeutic techniques to help with all types of musculoskeletal problems. Our team of chiropractors strives to decrease pain, increase function and create solutions to your problems which will be long term. Our team strives to get patients back on their feet as quick as possible with ongoing support if it is essential.
Our Fawkner and broadmeadows clinics offer chiropractic services which also include modalities such as dry needling, cupping, sports taping, trigger point therapy, Stretching and exercise prescription.
Our Fawkner chiropractic practice also accepts referrals from GP’s for chiropractic services. If you are given a CDM or EPC plan you are eligible for up to 5 chiropractic visits per year!
The Melbourne Chiropractor Treament Room
Chiropractors Education
Five years of university training, along with ongoing research and training has increased our teams ability to give you the right advice. Evidence based practice increases our safety and effectiveness.
What Is Chiropractic?
Chiropractic Care is internationally recognized as being a way to help alleviate pain and increase a person’s functional well-being. A chiropractor may help you achieve a healthier lifestyle by giving you strategies to overcome stress, injuries, pain, and other musculoskeletal conditions.
The Melbourne Chiropractor
What Can Chiropractic Help With?
Both our Fawkner Chiropractors and Broadmeadows Chiropractors can help you with various conditions including:
What Can You Expect On Your First Visit To Our Clinic?
First Visit or First Treatment at either of our Fawkner or Broadmeadows health clinics includes a case history, posture scan, movement analysis, pain assessment, orthopaedic testing and a full body treatment. Referral for X-ray imaging (if required) is bulk-billed through Medicare.
Our FawknerClinic
Our Fawkner Clinic is spacious and easily accessible by car, bus and train. Onsite Parking is available and is within 10km of Melbourne CBD
7 Facts About Fawkner
Population 14,274
Fawkner was first established in the 1908
Average age is 34
Fawkner’s area is 5.1 km²
Fawkner is 12 km north of Melbourne’s Central Business District
Fawkner is named after an early settler
Suburbs We Service
Predominately Northern Suburbs but not limited to:
Craigieburn
Roxburgh Park
Greenvale
Tullamarine
Essendon
Niddrie
Ascot Vale
Moonee Ponds
Aberfeldie
Fawkner
Cambellfield
Mickleham
Reservoir
Epping
Lalor
Wollert
Clarkefield
Airport West
Attwood
Westmeadows
Meadow Heights
Jacana
Glenroy
Pascoe Vale
Hadfield
What Can Our Team Do To Help?
Depending on the severity of the injury or area of concern our practitioners in our Broadmeadows, Westmeadows and Fawkner Clinics will treat accordingly to your complaint.
*Note: If you are someone who is looking for help or wants to find out more about our services don’t hesitate to reach out to our team of practitioners! Online bookings are available online and we are available 7 days a week at our Broadmeadows, Westmeadows and Fawkner Chiropractic Clinics! https://themelbournechiropractor.com.au/book-now
Majority of tennis injuries are due to overuse of a muscle or joint and the rest are due to traumatic type injuries such as sudden twisting or turning of the knee joints, wrists or shoulders!
Below are some common types of tennis injuries and how our practitioners at The Melbourne Chiropractor can help treat them!
Tennis Elbow
Tennis Elbow is a form of overuse injury that causes extension of the elbow. The forces from hitting a tennis ball causes this type of impact continuously throughout a game of tennis and therefore is the most likely cause of injury whilst playing!
Symptoms of Tennis Elbow
Pain and tender elbow joint that may cause pain when lifting, clenching the fist tight or straightening the arm into an extended position. Swelling may also be present depending on the severity of the injury.
How To Prevent Tennis Elbow
Easiest way to avoid Tennis Elbow is to strengthen the surrounding muscles using either a stress ball or gripper. Other ways are to stretch the muscles in the forearm and triceps area to ensure they do not tighten up to the point they start causing pain!
Treatment For Tennis Elbow
Stretching can help although our chiropractors can help decrease tension within the area by using soft tissue therapy and trigger point therapy to help alleviate the stiffness within the area. Our chiropractors can also use dry needling and mobilise the joints within the area that are not moving adequately!
Subacromial Pain Syndrome
Common shoulder injury or concern that is due to overuse or weak musculature within the area. Usually muscles become irritated and cause inflammation within the joint causing clicking sounds and an inability to lift the arm up above the shoulder.
Symptoms of Subacromial Pain Syndrome
Can be soreness and possible swelling depending on the extent of the injury. Usually clicking can be heard when raising the arm and can be painful on movement.
How To Prevent Subacromial Pain Syndrome
Strengthening the surrounding muscles of the deltoid using bands to begin with is a great way to get started. Stretching and warming up the upper body before training or competing is always a great way to prevent injury.
Treatment For Subacromial Pain Syndrome
Chiropractic Care involves dry needling, soft tissue therapy, mobilisations and other forms of adjustments in surrounding regions to help free up the area and decrease inflammation within the shoulder joint.
Subacromial Pain Syndrome / Shoulder Pain
Muscle Strains
Common Injury that can occur to anyone who plays a sport. Common reason can be the lack of stretching or poor conditioning.
Symptoms Of Muscle Strains
Muscle Stiffness
Bruising or Swelling
Weakness and Pain
How To Prevent Muscle Strains
A warm up is always a great way of combatting such an injury. Stretching throughout the weak and ensuring that correct posture is being used throughout daily life can help prevent strains from occurring.
Treatment For Muscle Strains
Ice or Heat is great for as soon as the injury occurs. Compression of the strained muscle can also help sooth the area. Elevation is also a good way to reduce swelling depending on the severity of the injury.
Our team of Chiropractors are able to help stretch, mobilise and adjust areas of concern. Pelvic instability can be an issue in most athletes and therefore would be something to look more into. As for postural issues everything plays a part in bodily movement which means there can be other factors which may be playing a part.
*Note: If you are someone who is looking for help or wants to find out more about our services don’t hesitate to reach out to our team of practitioners! Online bookings are available online and we are available 7 days a week at our Broadmeadows, Westmeadows and Fawkner Chiropractic Clinics!
