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Happy Tuesday! Hopefully everyone’s enjoyed their October holiday break and none of us have come back feeling any worse for wear. Last weekend, I found myself at the 2017 Oceanic Championship Jiu Jitsu Tournament run by Events BJJ as both a physiotherapist assisting at the event and as a competitor.  On the mats, it was a great day of competition and an interesting experience being the first tournament that I’ve participated in myself. Having previously worked at or spectated previous events, I’ve had some idea of what to expect from the competition watching from the sidelines. However, nothing quite prepares you for the mixture of nerves, anticipation and rush of adrenaline that you feel once you step out onto those mats.  Unfortunately, at the end of the day, I didn’t quite get the result that I was after but it was a great learning experience which has helped to highlight some of the flaws in my technique and has identified areas in which I need to better prepare myself for in the future.  It was also an interesting day on the table as the theme appeared to be upper limb and shoulder discomfort, mostly borne from posting out onto an outstretched arm, landing on the point of an elbow or from getting dumped onto the point of the shoulder. Now these aren’t particularly uncommon positions to find yourself in with most contact sports (think getting tackled in rugby) or everyday life (falling and protecting yourself with your arm) but it seemed to be an issue that was prevalent amongst jiu jitsu competitors due to the nature of the stand-up game.  One of the more common conditions I came across on the day was AC (acromio-clavicular) joint tenderness which is caused by shearing of the AC ligament as the head of the humerus gets jammed into the glenohumeral joint and causes movement of the acromion away from the clavicle. As a result, in most cases it becomes quite uncomfortable to actively flex or raise the arm overhead and positions involving rotation at the glenohumeral joint are often also quite uncomfortable. Thankfully for those involved on the day, the fix was relatively simple and a quick trigger point release of the upper trapezius, pectoralis minor and deltoid seemed to clear most things up.  If you have found yourself in similar positions in that past, here are some quick easy stretches that you might be able to try out to help alleviate some of the symptoms. Of course, as with any injury if the symptoms persist it may be a good idea to contact your local physiotherapist to provide you with a proper assessment and rehabilitative program. 
Just before the end, drop your fingers down you should feel a notch, this is your coracoid process which forms an attachment point for the pec minor. Position the ball just below this point on the muscle and lean into the wall applying pressure against the ball. Hold this position for up to 30 seconds or until desired effect is achieved, as the tissue may be tense this may feel quite sensitive. 
With your opposite hand pull your head further across to intensify stretch. Hold this position for up to 30 seconds or until desired effect is achieved, as the tissue may be tense this may feel quite sensitive. 
Once you’ve found your spot, position the ball on point of the muscle and lean into the wall applying pressure against the ball. Hold this position for up to 30 seconds or until desired effect is achieved, as the tissue may be tense this may feel quite sensitive. Brazilian Jiu Jitsu is a form of martial art and combat sport system that focuses upon grappling and ground fighting. The central theme of the sport is to utilise leverage and proper technique to control an opponent in ways that force them to submit via joint locks or chokes.  Steve Ngo
Practice Principal at Activ Therapy Sans Souci Physiotherapist for combat sports, martial artists and grappling athletes Training at Kings Academy Moorebank
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Maybe you're new to exercise and want to join your friends at the gym, Or are you just coming back to it after taking some time off? Whatever your situation, exercise is well known to have many health benefits including weight management, improved insulin sensitivity, elevated mood and increased resistance to cardiovascular disease. It is ESSENTIAL for keeping healthy! But before you start, here are a few things to consider so that you can get the most out of your training: #1 IntentionBefore embarking on a mission to improve your health, you need to set some goals. Ask yourself: WHY am I doing this? It's important to have a clear idea and focus on making this goal as specific and personal as possible. Compare the following for example:
Which of these will resonate more with you when you don't feel motivated to go and exercise? Take some time to really understand the real reason you have decided to start exercising. For some people, starting is the easy part - continuing through with it can prove to be the most difficult challenge... And that's when you remind yourself what's at stake Without setting your intentions, how do you know if your exercise program is effective or not? #2 PlanGreat! So you have set your goals. Now how are you going to achieve them? This is where consulting with a good personal trainer can help you out If your intention is to lose weight, you are (generally speaking) going to be doing more cardio than someone whose goal is to put on some size What type of cardio do you like? Do you prefer running outside or on a treadmill? Or do you enjoy spending time on the crosstrainer? Perhaps you enjoy lifting weights, or doing circuit classes as a group? Whatever it is (and there is no wrong answer) you need to set a plan of action For most people, your program will look something like this:
#3 Technique Is your technique faultless or do you need some help to improve it? Do you need help with the machines at the gym, or advice on the best way to train a certain body part? ... Do you know what you're doing? This really important if you are to exercise for a long time! There is NO SHAME in asking for help... the alternative is that you end up hurting yourself because of poor technique which can eventually lead to a a visit to your local Physio or Doctor Save your time and frustration and do something about your technique before starting A quick movement screen that we use in our clinic are:
If you are struggling with any of these basic movements, can you think of how that will impact your training? If you're new to lifting weights, we have a few guides for the most popular movements you will do at the gym. Here's one for the deadlift.(http://www.activtherapy.com.au/blog/4-steps-for-a-ground-shaking-deadlift) #4 AccountabilityLast but not least - be accountable to yourself This means being consistent with your training routine and not missing sessions for crappy reasons Some of the most common crappy reasons are:
It's harder than it sounds... that's why Step #1 is so important One way to help you stay motivated is the Seinfeld Method The rules are simple:
 Hopefully these tips helped you out in making your exercise journey more successful, and a big Congratulations for making the effort to invest in yourself and your health! If you liked this content and would like to find out more, follow us on Facebook @ActivTherapyCasula for the latest updates.  About the Author:
Lawrence Khuu is a qualified Physiotherapist and Movement Specialist. His mission is to help motivated clients perform at their highest level through a combined hands-on treatment and exercise rehabilitation approach. He currently treats clients at Activ Therapy Casula.  Like many, my holiday period consisted of eating too much and doing too little. As a result I have come back determined to get back in shape (again).
Each year I get a steady stream of my patients at Activ Therapy asking me for advice on 1) what is the best option for them and 2) whether they should wait until they are pain free to start exercising? In Moorebank and Chipping Norton alone there is an anytime fitness, a plus fitness, crossfit, F45, pilates, curves as well as running clubs, sports teams, boot camps and martial arts academies. No wonder its hard to decide. My answer to 1 is always to go with what will interests you and motivates you and to consider your goals. I always encourage people not to go by price. At the end of the day paying a lot of money to never go is a lot more costly in my mind that paying a little more to actually train and achieve your goals. Ultimately it does come down to what kind of exercise you will enjoy and have the best chance of sticking with (at least long enough to see some actual progress!). Part 2 is a bit more straight forward. Exercise is always appropriate, its just a matter of doing things the right way and at the right intensity. If you have a current injury then it isnt difficult for a therapist to assess you and give you a list of things you shouldn't do which you can then take to your trainer. Your trainer will have a 101 ways to punish you for being overly festive over the holidays so simply eliminating what isnt appropriate wont get in the way of constructing a program that will work for you. Also it should be noted that a good trainer will be able to help you with exercises that will actually help your condition. So it's another reason to get moving sooner. So if you are still procrastinating about getting yourself fit again this year, hopefully reading this means you have one less excuse to make to your personal trainer.
Regardless of how the question is worded we have always seen this in one way. We want to provide the most effective treatment techniques available so why not take advantage of the different streams of knowledge in this country?
When it comes to whether someone should see a physiotherapist or a chiropractor for their particular problem our opinion is that it doesn't matter so much that someone has completed a particular degree. The majority of a practitioner's knowledge and treatment approach is really developed through their clinical experience so two physiotherapists can have far more differing treatment approaches to each other than sometimes a physiotherapist and chiropractor might. Our answer is always that it's all about the therapist. Has your therapist got experience in treating that particular problem? Do they take the time to assess and diagnose your problem? Do they apply a treatment approach specific to your injury? These are good signs that they will get a result for you. If your therapist doesn't do an assessment or tends to treat every condition with the same pre-packaged approach then chances are they won't get you the best results. So if you are wondering about who you should see for your injury and pain then don't worry too much about whether a physio or a chiro is the way to go. Rather see if your therapist takes the time to assess you, uses a specific treatment approach for your problem and most importantly make sure they gets real results that matter to you. Welcome to the Activ Therapy Blog. Stay posted for information on health, self care and all things physio and chiro.
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