Neck pain from poor posture at your desk? You're not alone! Whether it's from long hours at your work desk or scrolling on your phone, postural neck pain is super common - but totally treatable. TOP TIPS TO EASE THE ACHE: 1. Keep moving - Avoid long periods of sitting still. Take regular breaks when you can. Getting up every 30-60mins reduces stiffness and muscle tension. Just 1-2 mins of stretching or walking can improve circulation and prevent pain. 2. Chin tucks exercise - Realign your neck & improve posture. These exercises help strengthen deep neck muscles - Gently draw your chin straight back (like making a double chin) without tilting your head. Hold for 5 seconds. This relieved neck strain from forward head posture. 3. Strengthen your upper back - Support better posture for the long haul. Strong upper back muscles = better posture & less neck pain. Try: 1. Scapular squeezes (pinch shoulder blades) 2. Wall angels 3. Resistance band rows Do these 3-4x/week for best results! 4. Stretch it out - Release tight neck & chest muscles. Tight chest & neck muscles pull posture forward and strain your neck. Stretch daily! 1. Chest (doorway stretch) 2. Upper traps (side neck stretch) 3. Levator scap (look to armpit stretch) Start small, stay consistent and your neck will thank you!

When you're injured or in pain, the first instinct is often to stop moving completely. But in most cases, too much rest can actually slow your recovery. Here's why: Movement boosts healing Gentle movement increases blood flow, stimulates muscle and tissue regrowth & promotes healing of the injured area. Maintains strength, mobility & overall fitness Total rest can lead to stiffness and weakness, making it harder to get back to your normal activities. Pain doesn't always mean damage Often, moving in the right way is safe and helps reduce inflammation & pain over time. Guided activity speeds recovery A physio can help you find the balance between rest and the right type of movement. Remember - It's not always about stopping, but about moving smarter

Are you managing your osteoporosis? Medication is not the only way to help your bone density! Resistance exercise has been shown to have comparable bone density gains in just 8 months of regular training. Check out our osteoporosis program for evidence based exercise therapy lead by our first class physiotherapy team. Treatment options for improving bone density MEDICATION: BONE DRUGS 1. Bisphosphonates - Anti-resorptive agents 2. Anabolic agents - Stimulate new bone formation HORMONE OPTIONS Selective to specific patients Medications also come with side effects such as gastrointestinal disruption, musculoskeletal pain, hypocalcemia and fractures LIFESTYLE: NUTRITIONAL SUPPORT Calcium/Vitamin D diet +/- supplementation EXERCISE Not all exercise is beneficial ** and must be purposefully prescribed and dosed NOT ALL EXERCISE IS BENEFICIAL FOR IMPROVING BONE DENSITY We offer an osteoporosis program that supports you in learning how to perform safe resistance training and best manage your condition What's included? A detailed assessment to understand your history and determine your current exercise capacity Education resources on osteoporosis management 2 x weekly small group exercise sessions tailored to meet your individual needs Minimum 12-week commitment, 12-months recommended for the best outcomes

After a 12-week training intervention comparing seated (long muscle length) and prone (shorter length) leg curls, the seated group showed significantly more hypertrophy in the hamstring muscles - especially the biceps femoris long head. Maeo, S., Huang, M., Wu, Y., Sakurai, R., Sugiyama, Y., Kanehisa, H., & Miyamoto, N. (2021) Greater hamstrings muscle hypertrophy but similar damage protection after training at long versus short muscle lengths.

Tip 1. To strengthen bones, weight training must be heavy, low-rep and focused on compound lifts like squats, deadlifts and overhead presses. These load the spine, hips and shoulders - areas most at risk of bone loss. Tip 2. Light jumping or skipping is a good start, but for real bone benefits, impact must be progressed. Short sharp movements like bounding or drop jumps provide the stimulus bones need to adapt. Tip 3. Bones need fuel to grow. Prioritise calcium, vitamin D and protein from whole foods like dairy, leafy greens and fish. A balanced diet supports bone repair and prevents breakdown. Osteoporosis often goes unnoticed until a fracture happens - but with the right approach, osteoporosis is manageable, preventable and even reversible. Building stronger bones takes more than walking or supplements. It requires targeted strength and impact training, along with sodium and nutrition. Weight training must be heavy, low-rep and focused on compound lifts like squats, deadlifts and overhead presses to stimulate bone growth where it's needed most - in the spine, hips and shoulders. Impact training is also key. Light hopping and skipping are a good start, but bones respond best to short, sharp forces. Progressions like bounding or drop jumps deliver the load bones need to adapt. Nutrition underpins it all. Calcium, vitamin D and protein are essential, but overall fuelling and whole-food intake support bone repair and growth, especially as we age. At BeachLife Physiotherapy we run a dedicated Osteoporosis Program for people who need to build and protect their bone strength.

Before the growth plates in a growing skeleton are closed a child may develop a condition called apophysitis. This is an overuse injury where the growth plate becomes inflamed and painful due to high loading. This can occur at any growth plate in the body, upper and lower limb, but is most common at: - Achilles (Severs disease) - Patella tendon at the shin (Osgood-Schlatter disease) - Patella tendon on the patella (Sinding-Larsen-Johansson disease) - Tendons on the inside of the elbow (Little League Elbow) As the skeleton of a female matures earlier than the male, males experience growth plate injuries 1-2 years later than females. Is your child complaining of re-occuring pain after playing sport? Book in and get them checked out so their sport's participating isn't affected!

Welcoming a new baby is a beautiful (and exhausting!) journey - so don't forget to look after yourself and supporting your body post-birth: 1. Rest when you can Recovery takes time. Listen to your body and take the pressure off - healing doesn't happen overnight. 2. Reconnect with your pelvic floor Start gentle breath work and pelvic floor activations early. A women's health physio can guide you safely. 3. Prioritise Posture Feeding and carrying bub can wreak havoc on your neck and back. Use pillows for support and keep shoulders relaxed. 4. Ease back into exercise Start slow and steady. Walking is a great first step - wait for clearance before high-impact workouts. 5. Don't be afraid to ask for help Whether it's emotional support or physical care, you don't have to do this alone. Book a postnatal check-up with us to feel strong, supported and confident in your recovery!

5 Tips to run strong at Beach2Beach! Getting ready for the Beach2Beach run? Our Physio's at BeachLife have put together 5 must-know tips to help you stay injury-free, improve your technique and cross that finish line feeling strong. Whether you're aiming for a PB or just running for fun, these insights will help you run smarter and recover better. Tip #1 Over striding increases load through the legs and reduces power Tip #2 An upright posture can increase your running efficiency Tip #3 Relaxing your shoulders improves breathing and reduces neck muscle tension Tip #4 Correct arm swing improves body mechanics and helps keep rhythm Tip #5 No evidence shows heel or forefoot strike being more beneficial Correct running technique reduces injury risk and improves performance!

Sick of hearing your physio say these things all the time and you don't know what they mean? Here's our top quotes explained! Motion is lotion Our bodies produce a product called "lubricin" which as it sounds is a lubricant for our joints, muscles and tendons The quality and quantity of this product increases with movement! So if you're feeling stiff, get moving to put some lubricant in those joints! A bit of pain is okay Pain is a warning mechanism for the body and comes on before there is any danger of injury. When an injury occurs, the warning threshold lowers. During recovery, we sometimes have to push into low pain ranges to desensitise this warning while performing safe exercise. The best exercise is the one you'll actually do You could be given the best program in the world, but if you don't follow it, then it is pointless. There's no magic exercise - if you aren't going to do a specific exercise, let your physio know so they can change the plan!