Now’s about the time of year that that we see a few ‘dicky’ elbows walking in the door at the clinic.

So what is tennis elbow, how does it happen, and above all, how can we manage and treat it?

Welcome to summer, and what a start. Drizzly 15 degrees and onshore one day then 40 degrees the next- I can’t keep up! Ah well, after a quick run and swim the other day, my confidence in the water temperature is well and truly boosted and I’m looking forwards to keeping at it, last year it took me until May to don the wetsuit!

Hoping that you’re all the same, and like to keep fit and wet, I’ve put together some basics of recovery that may assist you in getting something extra out of yourself, as well as preventing any injuries that can come out of endurance swimming.  There is no shortage of Open Ocean swims coming up if you’re looking to challenge yourself. You may have chosen one, or if your keen, a few of swims like the Pt Leo Swim Classic, Anglesea Rock2Ramp, Mornington 5km Swim, Danger 1000m, Ripview Swim Classic, Lorne Pier to Pub…. and more!

During the winter, our health focus tends to be around staying warm, getting enough vitamin C and D, eating hearty food and trying to stay clear of the coughs, colds, sniffs and snuffles and all other lurking illnesses. 

During the summer, it is easier to feel and stay healthy. 
We tend to get outside more, increase our exercise and we crave the lighter, leafier meal options. 
Nevertheless, health during the summer is just as important- if not more so, to ensure we are promoting health that can sustain us later into the year. 

Here are my top tips to promote health during the summer. 

I love ocean swimming, especially this time of year when the water’s starting to heat up again and the sun’s up that little bit earlier. For those that enjoy swimming regularly, you’d often find that once you’re in the water and swimming, the body frees up, breathing is easy, and everything flows. I get a kick out of seeing others enjoying this as much as possible and enjoy helping them with osteopathy so they can get out there and ‘’just keep swimming’’.

As a follow on from our previous article on keeping mobile and ready for the cricket season, here is a brief overview of three of the most common cricketing injuries.

There are many different exercises and ways to manage each of these areas and muscle groups. Here are some commonly stressed regions, some basics of management and the areas to work on next time you hit the gym or cricket training

So it is a winter Saturday, the courts are a little damp, there’s a cool breeze on your back and those white knee caps are starting to feel the pinch of cold seeping in. Or maybe its Friday night, inside, the stadiums alive and you’re ready to hit the court before the weekend.

Either way, once you run out on that netball court, no matter what position you play, there will be plenty of stop-start, stop-start running. Usually not such a problem for the juniors, but seasoned veterans will tell you those knees of yours will cop a beating.

I have had so many questions, both in and out of clinic regarding the pros and cons of lifting. For many people, the prospect of weight training is daunting due to the element of the unknown, and some recent negative light that has been cast upon it - despite growing recognition as to its benefits. 

I thought it was time to weigh in from the perspective of both osteopath and lifter.

As a general rule of thumb, most people know the basics of an injury or trauma, rest and time then some sort of exercise that gets you back to pace. Here’s a simple rundown of injury 101.

We all know that preparation and keeping yourself in good order will help you get the best out of this season. But staying at 100% during the season can be hard, I get it.
So to give you a starting point, I’ve included a few tips and training ideas for you to consider.

In a society where a sedentary lifestyle is common, so too are low back problems. 

Whether it be at school, uni, work, or home, the vast majority of us spend most of our day sitting. We do not utilise the full hip movement available, often resulting in tightness through the surrounding musculature. To combat this, in many occasions the lower back must work even harder. It is my experience, both in clinic and in my own life, that improving hip function can greatly improve low back pain.

Here are a few of my little tips to improve hip mobility, muscular tightness and ease your lower back pain. 

Well done, you’ve made it this far!

After a massive pre-season effort, and probably a few seasons of development to build your team, you’re ready to tackle the finals season. It's time to hold the much coveted premiership cup.

With all that hard work under your belt, you want to make sure you get yourself and your team reaching your potential. It's important to minimise any injuries, risks or setbacks that might be in your way.

Here are a few of my tips for finals prep.

From my personal experience in the gym and in the clinic, time and time again I see the importance of gluteus muscle strength.  Improving glute strength has been seen to improve over all performance in weight training (like the dead lift) and symptoms of low back, pelvic and hip pain. Here are my top 3 workouts for your buttocks.

For most, we do something like horse riding because of the way it makes us feel. However, as with every sport and past time, injuries and compensations can occur within the body. Through my experience as an equestrian and osteopath, most horse riders experience similar types and areas of pain. 

I ignored a niggly pain in my lower back last month.  There were no appointment times that suited me, so I took the “she’ll be right” approach.  Mistake.  Two weeks later I was cancelling appointments with my clients because I couldn’t work.

Now, I’m fortunate.  I’m an osteopath.  I know low back pain, I know other osteopaths.  I was able to get things back under control fairly quickly.

But a lurking thought kept creeping in:  What if it hadn’t just been a niggle?  What if I’d hurt myself seriously?  What if, rather than needing a long weekend off work, I’d needed a few weeks?

It’s a sobering thought to think about how you’re going to pay the bills when you’re an injured sub-contractor.

Meditation – that’s that sitting thing for monks, yogis and hippies, right?  I mean really, who has the time?  You don’t understand, my To-Do List is a mile long, there are other, more important things I need to do!  Like sleep, or the dishes, or return that phone call…

As an Osteopath, understanding an injury is the key - we ask endless questions to grasp the details of where it hurts, what it feels like and how it happened.