Pain pain, go away

Do you ever take the time to listen to your body? There's the quote which says:

if you listen to your body when it whispers, you won't have to hear it scream

Wise words. But most of us are busy in our day-to-day lives and on auto-pilot that we don't listen to that back niggle when we are unloading the dishwasher. Or that tightness in our neck after a big day sitting at a computer. Or that twinge in your lower back when you turn around in the car to pass something to the kids. These are whispers from your body... and a warning perhaps.

I feel I am fairly good at listening to my body. Partly because I work in a physical job now and I want to keep my body in good condition. I am also fortunate to live above my Pilates studio so I have easy access to equipment if I feel my body needs a certain movement. That said, I'm only human and find that at the moment, if it's not my glute or my knee, it's my hip - all on the left hand side of my body. Never at the same time but clearly all connected. And I just can't get it feeling good again (yet).

Recently I had a call from Sam Brown, Osteopath, at All About Movement. Sam was calling to give me some tips on how I can help one of our shared clients who is both a Wellspringer and attends osteopathy services at his clinic. So I took the time to book myself a session and get checked out.

Being in pain lately has been humbling. It helps me feel grateful for my body which is mostly pain-free and also I can put myself in the shoes of my clients. I believe I am a person with compassion and genuine care for all of the Wellspring community but being in pain myself again recently gave me greater insight to those of you who are battling an injury or overcoming surgery and re-gaining your strength again.

It is HARD. I see you. Keep turning up. The mindset is more than half the battle.

I recently attended an educational workshop with Benjamin Brashleigh about the application of strength in the Pilates studio. As the Wellspringers will know, I am very focused on increased weight this year so we can build lean muscle and improve bone density. We are training for the mathathon of life and making sure when we are in our 90s, that we can open jars of food, sit/squat to the lounge and toilet and reach down to tie our own shoelaces.

What I learnt at this workshop was that gaining strength should be uncomfortable. And usually our mind will give out before our body. Now I realise we aren't elite athletes so our mindset at Pilates is a little bit different! But I challenge you to push yourself that little bit harder. Could you increase that last rep by 1 more? Could you slow that movement down even slower to help build muscle? Often I see clients rush through an exercise to get it done. But Pilates isn't about ticking a box. It's about building strength, alignment, connection with your body, mindfulness, breathing - all of that requires slow, controlled movements.

And if you find something doesn't feel right, go and see someone! Don't just tolerate how you are feeling. Allied health professionals are experts in their field. One of the reasons I like All About Movement osteopathy is that Sam, in his own words, says he enjoys "helping with patients who are not getting better, or have more complex cases”. So you if you feel like this is you, then reach out to All About Movement. I asked Sam if he'd have some insight to add to this blog. This is what he said...

When it comes to treating musculoskeletal and neuromuscular conditions, a treatment is only as good as it’s diagnosis, and the diagnosis is only as good as the information gathered by the practitioner. This is what I took away the most during my Masters of Osteopathy education. In a world of so many professions, health options and YouTube, I often feel a good diagnosis and patient specific education is lacking and hence patients do not get better.

Osteos are taught not to look just at the site of pain, but holistically examine the body’s mechanics to help understand the true cause of the pain or issues. This can be other areas with restricted movement, muscular weakness causing joint instability and increasing load into the painful area, or simply your old left knee injury is making you put more weight on the now painful right knee. Osteos usually provide a very hands-on treatment, which appealed to me as I am partially blind. Most practitioners also treat with dry needling, taping and exercise rehabilitation.

We also refer for medical imaging including x-rays, ultrasounds and MRIs if needed. All About Movement Osteos will also refer to your GP for further assistance if required to ensure your best care. Most patients also need an integrated approach to their health. Having exercise professionals like Holly are essential for us to manage your health.

As mentioned, I enjoy using my knowledge to assist those with complex musculoskeletal cases and am fortunate enough to get a lot of these from local GPs and health professionals who are not improving. We can’t fix everything, but with a good understanding of the condition or conditions we can map out a logical plan of attack that you understand and can trust.

So to wrap it up - pain sucks, we all want to be strong and do the things we love. You don't have to be in pain forever, there may be something you can do about it. Listen to your body and keep moving!

See you in the studio, Wellspringers.

Till next time,

Holly

xx