New research is suggesting that bacterial infections might be the source of disc related pain. It’s an interesting mechanism – the bacteria, which exist in the mouth and hair, can be moved into the bloodstream by brushing of the teeth. They can be deposited into the disc as part of the body’s response to injury and once there can proliferate and be a source of pain. According to researchers, this could potentially be involved in up to 80% of back pain cases. The full article can be found here . I know …

With the weather staying this beautiful I know what I’ll be doing this weekend – getting out in the sun for a run down by the beach. Apparently this will provide yet another benefit – exercise improves cognitive functions like memory. A new article on the New York Times website has all the info you need:
http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/04/10/how-exercise-may-boost-the-brain/?ref=health

This article came out late last year but I’m a little slow I guess. A study which followed nearly 10,000 adults found that those who regularly used natural supplements to reduce inflammation had the following results:

intake of glucosamine decreased inflammation by 17%,
chondroitin led to a 22% decrease in inflammatory markersand
fish oil lowered levels of inflammatory markers by 16%

It;s good news for anyone looking to limit or reduce the use of pharmaceuticals, as some medications have been linked to an increased risk of cardiac events.

I get asked about those shoes that look like gloves all the time. People bring me copies of those books about the mountain men of Chile running barefoot and get all philosophical about how our ancestors ancestors ran barefoot and it’s more natural and better for us and for the environment. I look outside at all the concrete and wonder if they’ve considered how hard the environment has become lately.

I’ve never personally been a fan of the “barefoot” running idea. I see a lot of people with a lot …

Hey guys, just read an interesting article about a study which compared the health benefits of running and brisk walking. Now, if you’re training for a fun run or a triathlon this probably won’t apply to you, but for the average person just trying to improve their health this is worth a read. Some of the key stats:

Running reduced the risk of heart disease by 4.5% while walking reduced it by 9.3%.
Calorie for calorie, walking also had a stronger impact on heart disease risk factors. The risk of first-time high …

Poor ergonomics causes a lot of musculoskeletal injuries like back pain, neck and shoulder pain, RSI, carpal tunnel syndrome, headaches and eye strain. It also causes people to fatigue quicker, makes them irritable and generally less productive. So how should they set up their desk, chair and computer?
The chair should be adjustable so their feet touch the floor (or a footrest) and they are at a good height relative to the desk. The desk should not be too high so they are reaching, or too low so they are slumping …

I have been talking with the nursing and physical education staff at some of the schools here in the Eastern Suburbs with a view to developing a guide for students on posture and general back health. The idea is to develop good habits at an early age as while your children are still growing. During childhood and adolescence their backs are not yet strong and it’s easy for them to suffer an injury that could affect the way their spine grows.
A lot of research has come out in the last …

Pictured is Joycey, my grandmother, who came to visit me in Singapore. She could only stay 36 hours as she was on her way to Budapest to get on a cruise that went through Austria, Germany, The Netherlands etc. As you do. She is enjoying a Singapore Sling (the first of many that day I’d like to point out) at the famous Raffles Long Bar.
Working as an Osteopath in Singapore was very different to working in Sydney. In Sydney the average person at least knows what an Osteopath is for …

And the winner is….
Osteopathy! A new article (published January 3, 2012) compared the effectiveness of spinal manipulation with medications and exercises for neck pain. The medications in the study included aspirin, ibuprofen, muscle relaxants and narcotics.
Neck manipulation was proven to be statistically significant to medication at the 2 month follow up, and again at 3, 6, and 12 months, with nearly two thirds of people receiving neck manipulation reporting a 75% reduction in pain. The exercises (basic stretches and neck retractions) were also proven to be more effective than medications, …

Hello,
For those of you training for the Standard Chartered Singapore Marathon (or anyone running in any event for that matter), over the next couple of months I’m going to share my thoughts on common injuries you might run into as you build up your training. I’ve recently written a book on this and before that gets published I’m going to leak a few excerpts. I’m going to talk about ITB Syndrome as this is a common injury for those of you stepping up your mileage.
Understanding: Iliotibial Band (ITB) Syndrome is …