surffit – Pottsville Physiotherapy Helping you to be active, healthy and pain-free!

Showing posts from tagged with: surffit

Joel’s Birthday Blog

05.10.17

Why do you love Pilates? I enjoy being able to strengthen and stretch out my body..... any chance to take off shoes is welcome! I have had first hand experience with immediate relief. What is the best thing about being a physiotherapist? I enjoy the mental Challenge of problem solving with clients in a vulnerable situation, helping them understand whats going on ans what we can do to assist. De – escalating someone who has thought the worst of their situation, Instilling in them optimism and confidence is a great outcome and good feeling. Why work at Pottsville and Cabarita physio? I have grow up in a small coastal village - I enjoy the friendly village feel. The vibe around town and in the clinic is fantastic. Over the past 4 years I have watched the growth of the town with this and the advancements in technology, The Clinic at Cabarita has come into its own. Best relaxation tip To relax I enjoy Surfing and gardening. I also enjoy spending time with my wife and Chocolate Labrador Raz. Our Fruit trees are pumping out the good stuff at the moment, when I get home I wander outside (after taking off my shoes!) and pick the fruit and enjoy. Its a great way to slow down and switch off after a full day. Best lifestyle tip Many people will know that I have been studying for my Masters in Physiotherapy, I have been practising during this time to take time out and have a surf or do something I love. If you are going to do post graduate study, my advice is to do it slowly, take your time. Favourite activity To go for a sunrise surf with friends. Favourite recipe My Nachos and Tacos .. I cook - however I'm the only one who likes it! A typical Sunday An early morning surf, followed by a bike ride with my wife to go and have Mexican!.. I do this every day... except for the Mexican... So wonderful living and working in paradise!

Common Surfing Injuries – Ankles

25.07.17

Common Surfing Injuries - Ankles

Ankles are one of the most common joints injured whilst surfing and having adequate ankle mobility and stability are very important for surfing performance. Research has found ankle injuries to be increasingly prevalent, particularly amongst competitive surfers due to the demands of aerial surfing and other progressive manouveres. Important elements of the prevention of ankle injuries include having adequate ankle range of movement. Having good ankle range of motion helps to protect the ankle against injury sustained from forceful landings, and also assists in the prevention of other lower limb injuries such as knee and hip conditions.

How do I improve my ankle mobility?

There are many ways to increase ankle mobility, stretching is a simple solution that will help with this and lead to increases in ankle mobility.

Soleus stretch: keeping your heel planted, try and touch your front knee to the wall.

Gastrocnemius stretch: hold your leg straight behind you and lunge forward.

Ankle Stability

Ankle stability is another important aspect of the prevention of ankle injuries. Proprioception describes the awareness of where the body is in space and is an important aspect of the stability of a joint. Ways to train ankle proprioception include training on unstable surfaces such as the surf set or bosu ball. Other functional ways to increase ankle stability include practicing tasks like landing onto unstable surfaces and maintaining adequate lower limb strength. Our surf performance Pilates classes focus specifically on training specific movement patterns and functional strength training to match the requirements needed whilst surfing. We integrate dynamic movement patterns and proprioceptive training tasks to increase balance, core stability and help to increase surfing performance and decrease risk of injury. To find out more about our surf performance classes, visit our website CLICK HERE you can book online or call us on (02) 6676 4000. http://pottsvillephysio.com.au/services-pilates-fitness-programs/

As Father’s day approaches we have taken time to reflect on the influences that our Father's have had on us.

Dan,Matt, Joel and Kai have been interviewed, below are their responses:

Dan

The 3 things you love about being a father; 1. Being able to watch your children grow and develop into their own personalities 2. It gives you the privilege of being able to see the world again through a child's eyes. Kids teach us to see the beauty in little day to day things that often we forgot to notice in our busy lives 3. I also love being able to share things that I love with my children. I get more joy out of seeing them catch a great wave or make it to the top of a mountain hike than I would if I was doing it myself

Matt

The most Important things my father taught me... How to drive, swim, tumble turn in the ocean and how to not catch any fish What it would mean to be a father.. Being a father (especially for the first born) would undoubtedly be the highlight of a man's life What is your favourite tradition with my Father? Growing up it was the New Year's Test at the Sydney Cricket Ground. Favourite activity to do with my Father Favourite activity is to be out in the ocean with Dad watching him negotiate the waves on his standup paddle board What is your Dad's favorite story about you as a Child? Favourite story would be about how I was running and jumping out of the cot by the age of about one. . Who are some other important Men in my life to recognise on Father's Day? Fred Hollows / My Granddad fishing

Joel

The most Important things my father taught me... Patience If things don't make you happy don't do them Go with the flow What is your favourite tradition with your Father? Surfing and going to Farmers market in Bellingen Favourite activity to do with your Father ? Surfing and laughing with him as he goes over the falls How would you describe your Father in 3 words Classic Aussie Larrikin What is your Dad's favorite story about you as a Child? Hiding behind his leg because I was shy Who are some other important Men you would like to recognise on Father's Day? Huey ~ God of waves Poseidon ~ God of water poseidon-1

Kai

The most Important thing (or things) my father taught me... The most important thing my Dad has taught me is just to always try my best, try your hardest, don't worry about the outcome or results, just do your best. Dad has always had the best advice for me when I have needed it the most. Whenever I am really struggling and whenever I have faced my biggest challenges in life. Whether it was playing sport when I was younger or going through exams at University or just when it comes to big life and work decisions, Dad has always had the best advice and helped me to focus on take on any challenge the best I can. Favourite activity to do with your Father Favourite activity would probably be surfing or kite surfing with my Dad. Dad taught me to surf and kite surf and it is always awesome going out and enjoying those activities with him.

What is the best training for surfing? – Kai Allison

15.03.17

There are many different ways to train for surfing, each one with it’s own strengths and limitations. Surfing is a challenging sport that incorporates a number of physical skills and abilities. Much of the training for surfing has previously involved isolated movements and lacked specificity and functional relevance to the sport. People in the past have said that surfing itself is the best form of training, due largely to the difficulty in replicating the demands of surfing on dry land. Whilst nothing will ever replicate the same thrill, uncertainty and excitement unique to surfing, the surfset is a way to increase the functionality of training for surfing. The surfset is specifically designed for surfing training and can be seen as a more functional approach to training for surfers, as it enables replication of the movements and perturbation challenges inherent in surfing. The surfset consists of a modified surfboard set upon unstable surface, which creates a functional platform to replicate the dynamic integration of body systems required in surfing. The surfset is designed to engage the core and stabilising muscles, through challenging the body in a dynamic environment. Exercising on the surfset is a full-body approach to training, moving away from training in isolated and non-functional ways. Training in this way helps to develop functional movements sequences and functional muscle activation patterns specific to surfing, resulting in improved function and surfing performance. Workouts on the surfset can be specifically designed to develop aspects of surfing performance such as aerobic fitness, along with muscular strength, power, endurance in addition to balance and coordination. Workouts can also be designed to isolate specific movement sequences in surfing such as the pop up and allows replication of the dynamic balance and proprioceptive demands of surfing. In addition to being a challenging full body workout, exercising on the surfset is also a fun, engaging and unique way to exercise.

Is there any evidence for exercising with the surfset?

Completing exercises such as squats on unstable surfaces such as a surfset has been found to increase core muscle activation, along with an increase in lower limb muscle activity, making this type of training particularly effective and functional for this population (Nairn, Sutherland & Drake, 2017). Specific benefits of surfset training can also be related to common injuries in surfing. Ankle injuries and sprains are one of the most common injuries in surfing and training on the surfset can be targeted specifically to rehabilitate functional stability, range of movement, balance and proprioception for these injuries (Nathanson, Haynes & Galanis, 2002).

To summarise, the benefits of training on the surfset include:

Increased dynamic balance
Improved core stability
Greater lower limb joint proprioception
Development and refinement of surf specific movement patterns
Increases in muscular power, strength and endurance
Greater aerobic fitness

Training on the surfset provides the opportunity to incorporate functional movement sequences unique to surfing, whilst incorporating the same dynamic balance demands and challenges involved in surfing. Thus, the surfset is a highly functional and specific way of training for surfing and has the potential to result in increased surf fitness and greater performance, which is essentially what we are all searching for. To find out more go to: http://www.surfsetfitness.com To book a surf fitness class go to: http://pottsvillephysio.com.au References Nathanson, A., Haynes, P., & Galanis, D. (2002). Surfing injuries. The American Journal of Emergency Medicine, 20(3), 155-160. doi:10.1053/ajem.2002.32650 Nairn, Sutherland and Drake. (2017). Motion and Muscle Activity Are Affected by Instability Location During a Squat Exercise. Journal of strength and conditioning research. 31(3). DOI: 10.1519/JSC.0000000000001745

Birthday Blog – Kai

14.03.17

Why do you love Pilates? Pilates for me, is the most important and effective form of exercise you can do. It’s the only form of exercise I’ve ever done that feels like every single repetition you do is doing you good. Pilates helped me to become active again after 3 years of not being able to run due to back pain and I’ve seen it help so many other people with injuries to be pain free and achieve their goals. I love the challenge of Pilates and the dynamic nature of the exercise, there are so many ways to push yourself and improve your fitness, strength and core stability. What is the best thing about being a Physiotherapist? The best thing about being a Physiotherapist is being able to help people in need and have a positive impact on someone’s life. It’s awesome to be able to help people understand what is causing their pain and particularly when someone has that light bulb moment when they understand exactly what is going on with their body. It’s also great to be able to meet a wide range of people and to help people achieve their goals. Why work at Pottsville and Cabarita Physio? Pottsville and Cabarita physio is a great place to work, full of like-minded people all striving to do their best for their clients and help people on their journey from pain to performance. There are some really great, experienced physios who are fantastic to learn from as well as a great work environment that encourages personal development and excellence. It’s such a supportive and positive atmosphere and really enjoyable to be a part of. Best relaxation tip Best relaxation tip would be to find something that takes your mind off everything and allows you to relax and unwind and to incorporate it into your daily routine. It may be something simple as reading a book or watching a movie, anything that averts your attention and enables you to escape and relax. Exercise would be my other big suggestion. Running always helps me to relieve stress and eliminate my anxiety. You might not want to push yourself to go for a run or go do some Pilates at the end of a big day, but you’ll always feel much better after having done it. I think that having that surge of activity and pushing yourself to exercise always enables you to relax much more afterwards. Best lifestyle tip Find your own form of personal expression. I think It’s important to invest your time and energy into things that allow you to express your feelings and passions and who you are as a person. It can be as simple as practising a sport or hobby, or planting a garden but I think its great to have a creative outlet or something to channel your energy into in a positive way. I also think it’s extremely important to have a consistent exercise routine. I think the importance of exercise is still underrated, and its critical to exercise every day and you’ll feel much better for doing it, and will be much healthier and happier in the long run. Favourite activity For me, I love to surf. It’s been something I’ve done my whole life since I was a little kid. I’ve always loved the challenge and unpredictable nature of surfing, there are so many variables and every session and wave is different to the next. There’s nothing that can come close to the exhilaration and adrenaline felt when you pull into a big barrel, or land a trick you’ve been trying for ages, or just do a really big turn. It can be frustrating at times but I love the challenge and will always be drawn back to the ocean and the anticipation of the next wave. Favourite Recipe Something sweet for sure. I’ve got a very big sweet tooth and love a spot of baking. Favourite recipe would have to be gooey chocolate brownies with raspberry sorbet. Not great for the waistline, but so, so good. A typical Sunday A typical Sunday would involve a nice long sleep in, followed by a big breakfast whilst catching up with the news of the day. Then I’ll head out for a surf and hopefully spend most of the day bobbing around in the ocean getting some waves. I’ll spend the rest of the afternoon cooking up something for dinner and then might enjoy a sneaky glass of white wine while I watch some TV or a movie. Not the most exciting routine, but a nice way to finish the week and get ready for the week ahead.

Everyone needs a good stretch .. here are some stretches for Surfing, Skiing, Hockey... any twisting sport!

Perform each of the stretches shown on the video
Hold stretches for 20 - 30 seconds.
Hold stretches only to the point of tension (you should not feel pain).
Repeat stretches on muscle groups that are especially tight.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R1xnu94eToY

Surfing injuries

Being out at the sea, riding the mountainous waves, listening to the surf pounding in your ear can be an exhilarating experience. That, together with advances in surfboard technology, has made surfing an increasingly popular sport. However, it can be hazardous especially if you are starting out or if you are not physically fit. Even seasoned surfers may push their skills to the limit by tackling bigger waves and making daring manoeuvres that can land them into difficulty. Many people are injured while surfing. Some common surfing injuries are: Lacerations and/or contusions Cuts and bruises to the head, legs and feet can result from coming into contact either with their own or another surfer's board, the ocean floor, rock or debris. Sprains and strains involving the lumbar (lower back) or cervical (neck) regions, the shoulder and ankle are also common. Fractures Fractures to the head, ribs and shoulder may occur as the surfer comes into contact with a reef, rock or the ocean floor. In some cases the nose or teeth may be broken. Ear and eye damage The surfer's ears and eyes are also subjected to injury from direct trauma or from the UV rays of the sun reflecting on the water. A "wipe-out" may also perforate the eardrum. Over time, surfers can develop bony growths within the outer ear, a condition known as surfer's ear that leads to deafness. Overuse injuries Overuse injuries take place as a result of paddling for prolonged periods face down on the board. The shoulder, neck and back are most affected. Surfing injuries can be prevented with the use of protective equipment. Nose guards attached to the front of the board can prevent injury if you come into contact with the board. Helmets are necessary when surfing over large waves or reefs; wet suits worn for warmth will guard against cuts from fins, and hoods can protect your ears during a wipe-out. Booties are worn for warmth by some surfers and these can also protect the feet from cuts. Anyone wanting to engage in this sport should be a strong swimmer, be physically fit and have a good understanding of what surfing entails before getting into the water. A physiotherapy program can help prepare the beginner for his new sport. If you have suffered injury, your physiotherapist will work on balance, flexibility, proprioception (sense of your own body position and orientation) and strength. Range of motion particularly in the legs and core muscles and shoulder will help. This, together with use of protective gear, will help you make a safe return to surfing. Surfset