Middle Back Pain

Scoliosis Myths

This year, International Scoliosis Awareness Day falls on Saturday 27^th June. There are many common myths about scoliosis which are addressed below:

Myth #1 – “Scoliosis is caused by…”

There are a lot of ideas out there regarding the causes of scoliosis. Carrying a heavy backpack does not cause scoliosis. Nor does participating in certain physical activities. The fact is that the vast majority of scoliosis cases are idiopathic, which means there is no known cause.

Myth #2 – Scoliosis is preventable

Again, because we don‘t...

The Spine

The spine is a truly amazing part of the human body. It is one of the differentiating factors that define humans. The spine has three important functions:

• To support the weight of the body
• To provide flexibility for movement,
• And to protect nerve roots and fibres and form a protective surrounding for the spinal cord.

We’ve gathered together the following fascinating facts about our brilliant backbones:

1. When we’re born, our spines consist of 33 individual vertebrae. In a newborn baby, the vertebrae begin as cartilage. It usually only become fully made up of bone (a process called “ossification”) by...
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Meniscus Injury

The knee is one of the most complex joints in the human body. As many sports place extreme stress on the knee, it is also one of the most common sites for sports injury, meniscus being one of them.

Knee joint

The knee is a hinge joint, structured to perform two principal actions, flexion (bending) and extension (straightening). The muscles which act at the knee are predominantly the quadriceps (extension) and the hamstrings (flexion).

Meniscus tear is a common injury that affects the knee joint. The meniscus...

The differences between Rheumatoid Arthritis and Osteoarthritis

Arthritis is an umbrella term used to describe inflammation of the joints. However, there are different kinds of arthritis, including rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and osteoarthritis (OA).

Although RA and OA both affect your joints, they’re very different forms of the same broader condition. RA is an autoimmune condition, where OA is primarily a degenerative joint condition.

Rheumatoid Arthritis

RA is an autoimmune disorder, which means your body attacks itself. If you have RA, your body interprets the soft lining...

With a new school year commencing take a moment to check your daughters using the National Self-detection for Scoliosis method. The best time for detecting scoliosis is just after the onset of the adolescent growth spurt. This corresponds to Years 5-7 for the majority of girls. There’s never been a case made for scoliosis screening of boys or for that matter any other forms of spinal deformity in both sexes.

In the 70s, screening of schoolgirls commenced in many countries worldwide, but there was considerable debate about the cost-effectiveness of the programs. Apart from the cost...

More than half of all Australian adults are not active enough and need to move more.

Physical inactivity is the second greatest contributor, behind tobacco smoking, to the cancer burden in Australia. To move more and be physically active, therefore limiting your sedentary behaviour every day, is essential for your health and well-being.

The basics.

Physical activity – any activity that gets your body moving, makes your breathing become quicker and your heart beat faster. You can be physically active in many different ways, at any time of day.

Two out of three Australians will be diagnosed with skin cancer by the age of 70 so this week is an important reminder to use sun protection and to know the importance of early detection for all Australians.

Each year more than 2000 people in Australia die from skin cancer and the Cancer Council estimates that Australia spends more than $1 billion per year treating skin cancer.

Most skin cancers can be prevented by the use of good sun protection. During National Skin Cancer Action Week, all Australians are urged to...

So, you want to take up cycling. That’s great. Now you’ll need some cycling tips. Cycling has so many health benefits like improving mental health, it builds muscle, boosts brainpower and promotes better sleep. Cycling should also be fun. We’ve compiled some useful cycling tips for beginners to make cycling safer and more enjoyable.

1. Set your seat height right

Of all the cycling tips out there, this one is pretty important. Experiencing pain in the front of your knee? Your seat might be too low, causing you to under-extend during your...

During Breast Cancer Awareness Month, take the time to get to know your breasts. The best chance of surviving breast cancer is finding it early. Finding breast cancer early means there are more treatment options and the chances of survival are greatest. It’s important for women of all ages to know what they can do to help find breast cancer early.

Breast Awareness

Breast awareness is important for women of all ages, even if you’re having regular mammograms.

Take the time to get to know your breasts as part of...

A proven way to reduce stress, anxiety, and panic is to learn how to relax your muscles. It can also improve most stress-based conditions. When you’re under stress, your muscles tend to tense up. This is a natural mechanism in order to protect you from pain and injury when you’re in danger. Tension headaches, back, shoulder, and neck pain are so common. It becomes normal to have that pain, but it’s not. We have become...