Risa Madeleyn Physiotherapist

05/11/2024

Headache Relief Tip:
Improve posture and reduce tension with simple neck stretches and heat therapy. If headaches persist, see a physio for personalised care!

05/09/2024

Did you know that physiotherapists are first-line practitioners? This means you can see a physiotherapist directly without needing a referral from a doctor.

11/01/2023

05/01/2023

Trapezius muscle
The trapezius is a large muscle in your Upper back and neck. It starts at the back of your head and neck, extends across your shoulders, and down the middle of your back, forming a trapezoid.
Also known as Traps, the trapezius muscles play an important role in posture. They move the shoulders, lift arms out to the side, and protect the neck and spine. You use them when you shrug or pull your shoulders back. It is also known for reacting on emotions like stress, anger, fear and grief.
The trapezius muscle is divided into 3 areas:
1. Upper trapezius
2. Middle trapezius
3. Lower trapezius
Each area has a different use. The upper trapezius arises from your occipital bone in the back of your skull and the nuchal line in the back of your neck. The muscle also has attachments to the spinous processes of cervical level one through six via a strong ligament. Attachments of the lower fibers of the trapezius arise from the spinous processes of cervical level seven through thoracic level 12.
The muscular fibers of the triangular-shaped Traps travel to insert on the the scapula or wing.
Nerve innervation to the trapezius muscle is interesting, as it is served by a cranial nerve. This nerve called the spinal accessory nerve, or cranial nerve XI, arises from your brain stem and travels from your skull down to the trapezius muscle, providing motor input.

Function
The trapezius muscle acts as both a posture stabilizer and a movement muscle.
Common actions you may recognize in which the trapezius is involved include shrugging your shoulders, tilting, turning and extending your neck and keeping your shoulder blades down your back, working to stabilize the shoulder girdle during activities.
When the shoulder girdle is pulled up in a constant and chronic way, it leads to misalignment that can make the upper Traps chronically tight. The result may well be pain, limited movement and a loss of neck flexibility.
Muscle spasms and pain may affect the Traps. For all but the most vigilant of us, living and working in the 21st century can bring about a serious deficit in movement. While this has its conveniences, you should be aware of the drawbacks.
For one, muscles that remain inactive for most of the day are much more likely to go into spasm and cause pain. The Trapezius muscles may be just the muscles that do this. Regular stretching and release of the spasm by your therapist can manage these symptoms and keep you pain-free and moving!!

20/07/2022

Gluteus Minimus (Pain in the butt!)

Gluteus minimus is the smallest muscle of the gluteus group It is located just beneath the gluteus medius muscle.
The gluteus minimus is fan-shaped and is attached on the side of the pelvis running down and attaching to the femur.
The gluteus minimus is predominantly a hip stabilizer. Its main action is to abduct the hip. (Lift your leg to the side) It starts to work when the individual is standing on one limb and works in conjunction with the gluteus medius and tensor fascia lata. The gluteus minimus is engaged on the supported side, which allows the pelvis to remain level during the swing phase of gait.
This important muscle aids in mobility functions such as running, walking and jumping; a fact that leaves no doubt about its importance.

The gluteus minimus muscle can be affected by trigger points. The most common characteristic of the gluteus minimus trigger point is a referred pain starting at the end of the lumbar spine, spreading down the side of the leg and ending at the outside of the ankle (it is similar to the sciatic pain but without the symptoms of weakness and numbness).
Early and meticulous physical examination could lead to an earlier diagnosis and treatment.
Causes of muscle spasm or injury can include
Remaining seated for prolonged periods with legs crossed
Carrying heavy objects while walking
Placing your weight on one side of the body whilst standing
Carrying heavy objects or kids on one side of the hip

Exercises can help alleviate and manage any kind of muscular pain including gluteus minimus pain.
This stretch is done while standing. Using a wall for balance, cross the leg furthest from the wall in front of the other. Place one hand on the wall and the other on the hip. Then lean away from the wall, pushing your hip towards it. Hold for 10-15 seconds, then repeat on the other side.

KEEP MOVING!

08/07/2022

Piriformis Muscle
Piriformis is a small muscle located deep in the back of your hip. It is a stabilizing muscle that helps support your leg with weight bearing. Piriformis syndrome is a condition in which the piriformis muscle spasms and causes buttock pain. The piriformis muscle can also irritate the nearby sciatic nerve and cause pain, numbness and tingling along the back of the leg and into the foot (similar to sciatic pain).
Typical piriformis syndrome symptoms may include:
• severe pain while sitting or squatting
• pain that goes away when you move
• pain that comes from standing, sitting, or walking for more than half an hour
• pain in the opposite sacroiliac joint
• foot numbness
• pain when standing up from squatting or sitting
• pain, numbness, tingling, itching, or burning sensations from the sacrum down the back of the things that oftentimes ceases above the knee.

Physical exam
The physical exam will include an examination of the hip and legs to see if movement causes increased low back pain or lower extremity pain (sciatica pain).
Typically, motion of the hip will recreate the pain. The exam will also identify or rule out other possible causes of the sciatica pain, such as testing for local tenderness and muscle strength.
Physiotherapy treatment after a proper examination can release the muscle spasm and irritation of the sciatica nerve. The symptoms can be reduced or cleared up.
Stretching of the muscle is an important way to lengthen the muscle, prevent spasm and increase joint mobility. This ensures full function of this important hip stabilizer.

07/06/2022

Iliopsoas! The muscle of the soul

There are three muscles that make up the “Iliopsoas”: Psoas major, Psoas minor, and Iliacus.
The Iliopsoas is part of the group of muscles known as hip flexors, and it is the largest and strongest muscle in that group. As a whole, hip flexors contract to pull your thigh and torso towards one another. As you can imagine, this is a very important function.
Not only does the Iliopsoas play a major role for the hip flexor, but it also helps stabilize the lower back.
One part of this muscle – the Psoas– travels from your lower back, across the front of your pelvis, and attaches to the femur (thigh bone).
The other part of this muscle (the Iliacus) travels from the Iliac fossa (the pelvic bone) and crosses over the hip joint (directly affecting the SI joint) to attach to the femur.
Both muscles are responsible for general stability and for hip flexion (lifting the knee, as in marching or going up stairs). Due to its insertion to the spine (low back), the psoas is also responsible for arching your lower back.
Although the Psoas and the Iliacus both contribute to hip flexion motion, their primary job is to hold together the hip, pelvis, and lower back area and acts as a powerful stabilizer. Any situation that challenges these joints will lead to a challenge to the Iliacus muscle and possibly the development of chronic tightness, which are merely a side effect of modern living.
When you sit for eight hours a day, you are contracting (shortening) the Iliopsoas. Do this long enough, and the muscle gets stuck trying to hold this position, so that when you stand up or lay down, this muscle will react resulting in a triggered muscle spasm. Some repetitive activities can also cause tightness and muscle spasm in Iliopsoas. It’s not worth getting frustrated with the Iliopsoas; it's just trying to help you, and it needs some TLC and attention to relax.
When it comes to stress and anxiety, the Iliopsoas reacts to stress and anxiety just like the neck and shoulders do. So if you are stressed, your psoas may become tight. Regular stretching will release and lengthen a tight muscle.
Remember that stretching should never be painful and uncomfortable!!

26/05/2022

Stretch of the week!!

Quadratus Lumborum “The Joker”
The Quadratus Lumborum comes into play in the function and stability of your spine. It assists in forward-backward and side-to-side movements as well as assisting the diaphragm during inhalation.
Sitting for prolonged periods of time affects the stabilizing muscles of the vertebrae, effectively shutting them off. The Quadratus Lumborum will then become over active trying to assist the stabilizers.
Over time, overuse of the QL results in fatiguing the muscles, tightness, decreased blood flow, and adhesions. This can be compounded by a rounded posture in the upper back that causes the QL and its surrounding muscles to work even harder in a seated and standing position.
The resulting tightness in the QL can be a source of pain in the lower back and active trigger points can refer pain as indicated in the 2nd diagram.

How to Effectively Stretch Your Quadratus Lumborum

An easy, effective and safe way to stretch Quadratus Lumborum is to stand with your back against the wall, feet slightly apart and about 20 cm from the wall.
Slowly slide your hand down your leg until you feel a comfortable stretch on the opposite side of the lower back. Hold the stretch for 3 to 10 seconds and repeat on the other side. Repeat 3 times to each side. Include this into your daily stretch routine. Opposite arm can be stretched up to increase the stretch on the side.

17/05/2022

Stretch!!

Maintaining Flexibility with Age
Even though our bodies start to degenerate with age, it doesn’t mean that you can’t maintain strength and flexibility as you are getting older. Aging causes different issues, such as a reduction in skin elasticity, stiffer tendons, a loss of muscle tone, and decrease in bone density. All of these issues can be contributing factors that result in a loss of flexibility.
Usually, flexibility problems are noticed in the shoulders, hips and spine first. These parts of the body start to tighten up, and can have a domino effect on other movements throughout the body. These issues become more noticeable with age because flexibility issues contribute to chronic pains, aches and injuries.

If you are proactive with maintaining flexibility in your younger years, then it’s easier to keep this routine as you age. Don’t worry if you don’t already have a good
flexibility routine. You can add these practices into your routine at any point.
Inactivity with age compounds problems in the body. For example, if you aren’t exercising or maintaining a good stretching routine, then you will notice more problems in the body. Seniors who are proactive about fitness and stretching tend to have better mobility and healthier bodies overall.

Remember that a few small changes can have a noticeable impact on your overall flexibility. Here are a few things that you can do to improve the results you get from a regular stretching routine:
• Start Slow: Stretching should be a gentle exercise. Don’t set expectations about how far you should be able to stretch. Instead, be slow and deliberate in your movements to listen to the cues in your body. Find your “edge” – the point where you can feel the stretch without causing any pain or discomfort.
• Try Variations: There are many ways to stretch the same muscle groups. Switch things up by trying different types of stretches. Avoid following the same routine. Variety works the muscles in unique ways and helps by decreasing the risk of injury.
• Warm Up the Muscles: While stretching is a form of warmup, many people find benefit by moving their muscles gently before stretching. For example, walk for 5 or 10 minutes before stretching your leg muscles.
• Don’t Jerk or Bounce: Stretching should be a still, slow movement. It’s safer to stick with smooth, easy motions when you are stretching. Never jerk or bounce to try to get deeper into the stretch.
• Focus on Your Breathing: Don’t hold your breath when you are holding a stretch. Instead, visualize your breathing moving into the part of the body that you are stretching. When you continue to breathe, it helps you relax a little more so you can get a better stretch.
• Stay Consistent with Your Routine. Make a promise to yourself to maintain a stretching routine. Ideally, you should set aside 10 to 15 minutes for stretching. Hold each stretch for 20 or 30 seconds before moving onto another stretching position. Be consistent about stretching at least 3 to 4 times per week.
• Apply Localized Heat: Are there parts of your body that are painful or tight to stretch? You might find it beneficial to place a heating pad on that part of the body before stretching. The heat helps to loosen up the muscles.
• Pay Attention to Your Body: Watch for signs that stretching is having a positive impact on your health and wellness. Over time, these habits can significantly improve how you are feeling.

Follow this page for easy, safe and effective stretches to start your routine with.