Made to be Mobile

01/03/2026

This infographic is one of the better summaries of persistent low back pain that’s been put out in recent years. It challenges the exact narratives that continue to keep people fearful and inactive.

Persistent back pain is rarely dangerous, rarely linked to ongoing tissue damage, and rarely explained by what shows up on a scan. That alone contradicts a huge amount of what people are still being told. Discs bulge, joints show “degeneration,” and yet many people with those same findings have no pain at all. Imaging findings and pain simply do not correlate in a straightforward mechanical way.

Pain with movement does not automatically equal harm. When pain has been around for a while, the nervous system can become more sensitive to normal loading. That sensitivity does not mean the spine is fragile. It means the system is protective. Gradual exposure to movement and load is one of the most reliable ways to reduce that sensitivity over time.

Getting older is not a diagnosis. Sitting is not a diagnosis. A “weak core” is not a diagnosis. Everyday bending and lifting do not “wear out” the spine. Backs adapt to what they are exposed to. If you avoid movement long enough, they become less tolerant of it. If you reintroduce movement progressively, they become more tolerant again.

Flare-ups are also often misinterpreted. They are common, they are unpleasant, but they are not automatically a sign that something has been re-injured. Stress, poor sleep, reduced activity and increased worry can all amplify pain without any new structural change.

The final point is important. Injections, surgery and strong medication have a place in certain contexts, but for persistent non-specific low back pain they are rarely the long-term solution. Education, reassurance, graded loading and helping people regain confidence in their back is usually far more effective.

If more clinicians consistently communicated this message, we would likely see less fear, less dependency, and more people getting back to living normally instead of treating their spine like it’s made of glass.

17/02/2026

You don’t have to do as many steps as you think to make a real difference to your health.

10/02/2026

How Low Can You Go?

The Minimum Effective Dose of RT (for health)

For too long, strength training has been pigeonholed as a pursuit for "big muscles" or athletic performance. But we need to reframe the conversation: Resistance Training (RT) is not just lifting; it is a full prescription for mobility, combating sarcopenia, metabolic health, and bone density.

While we know aerobic exercise is critical for cardiovascular health, the magic truly happens when the two are combined. The synergy of aerobic work plus strengthening provides the greatest protection against all-cause mortality.

However, we have a compliance crisis on the strength side of that equation.
According to a massive systematic review of over 2.6 million participants, only 22.8% of adults are meeting the guidelines for muscle-strengthening exercise (MSE).

Why? For many, the barriers are time and the intimidation of high-volume routines and “gym culture.”

The result? We have a strength crisis. According to a massive systematic review of over 2.6 million participants, only 22.8% of adults are meeting the guidelines for muscle-strengthening exercise. Bear in mind this is self-report and strengthening exercises often include things like gardening.

But here is the good news: The "dose" required for health benefits is likely much lower than you think. We need to shift the narrative from "maximum gains" to "minimum effective dose."

Here is what the latest science tells us:

1. Resistance Training is Essential Healthcare
It is no longer just for bodybuilders. As highlighted in ACSM’s Health & Fitness Journal, resistance exercise has "come of age" as a primary intervention for long-term health, acting as a buffer against aging and chronic disease.
👉 Read more here https://journals.lww.com/acsm-healthfitness/fulltext/2023/11000/the_coming_of_age_of_resistance_exercise_as_a.7.aspx

2. The Dose is Surprisingly Low
If you are short on time, you don't need hour-long splits. A Jan/Feb 2026 review on minimum-effective doses suggests that meaningful adaptations can occur with as little as:
4 working sets per muscle group per week for hypertrophy.
2-3 working sets per exercise per week for strength.
This makes Single-Set Training (SST) a viable strategy. A full-body session can be completed in just 15–20 minutes.
👉 See https://journals.lww.com/acsm-healthfitness/fulltext/2026/01000/minimum_effective_resistance_training_doses.10.aspx

3. You Don't Need to Train to Failure
One of the biggest barriers for beginners is the discomfort of training to "momentary failure." New data indicates that stopping ~2 repetitions shy of failure (Repetitions in Reserve ~ 2) yields similar results to training to failure for Single-Set Training. You can make progress without the extreme fatigue.

4. No Time? Or Not a Priority?
Time-efficiency strategies are critical for adherence. As detailed in the "No Time to Lift?" review, prioritizing multi-joint movements and reducing volume can effectively maintain strength and health markers even during busy periods.
👉 Check the review here https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s40279-021-01490-1

The Takeaway
If you are part of the ~77% not engaging in strengthening work...
Start small.
One set, twice a week, 20 minutes total.
The best program is the one you do.

Prevalence Data Source: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1728869X24000443

12/10/2025

The best posture is the most comfortable one until it's not comfy anymore, then we change it to the next comfortable one.

10/10/2025

Of exercise was a pill, it would be the most prescribed pill in the world

07/10/2025

It’s easy to convince someone they need surgery for something that doesn’t.
But it’s so hard to convince them to move again when an MRI shows the tiniest flaw.

We’ve learned to fear what we see on a screen more than what we feel in our hearts.
But your body is not broken, its living, breathing, and built to heal.
Pain doesn’t always mean damage.
And stillness doesn’t always mean safety.

Flow gently.
Rise bravely.

Because healing is less about repair and more about remembering your own resilience.

02/08/2025

01/08/2025

You don’t rise to the level of your potential. You fall to the level of your habits.

The body isn’t keeping a diary, it’s keeping score.
Every time you choose movement, you’re investing in your future strength, balance, and independence.
Every time you skip it, you’re borrowing against it.
Aging doesn’t take these things from us. Inactivity does.
So, whether you’re walking, lifting, or stretching, keep going. And if you’ve stopped? Start. Slowly. Gently. But start.

You don’t need to be perfect. You just need to keep showing up.
Because the longer you move, the longer you’ll be able to do everything else.

23/06/2025

A full foot assessment and individualized program is the way to go for plantar fasciitis. Learn how to unload your foot by strengthening it! Face to face and online appointments available

16/06/2025

Just spending 5min per day doing a couple of exercises, and changing your footwear can return your big toe to a position that is far less painful, and you could avoid surgery. Face to face and video consults available.

10/06/2025

27/05/2025

!!!! Now offering telehealth appointments!!!!

If you, or someone you know (anywhere) would like an appointment but can’t get into town, try a video based appointment instead.