A new study has shed light on the impact of texting on the joints in your neck. A surgeon in the US used a computer simulation to measure the increased weight forces of the head on the neck as it bends further forward. The results were pretty dramatic. Here are a few choice quotes from the article:
“As the head tilts forward the forces seen by the neck surges to 27 pounds (12.2 kilograms) at 15 degrees, 40 pounds (18.1 kilograms) at 30 degrees, 49 pounds (22.22 kilograms) at 45 degrees …

Lately I’ve been seeing a lot of people with injuries related to the sudden desire to quickly get in shape. Their exercise regime drifted a little over the winter months but with Summer approaching they need to get their bikini body back. Bravo I say! But, we need to temper that enthusiasm/desperation with a little common sense. If you’re trying to fit 6 months worth of training into the next 6 weeks read on.
I think the most common times people get injured is when they start a new activity, or …

I just read an article on the Medical Observer website which said that the Therapeutic Goods Administrator (TGA) “will ramp up warnings on NSAID packages after a safety review found over-the-counter diclofenac was associated with liver damage and that NSAIDs in general were linked to adverse cardiovascular effects”.
The TGA has now suggested that these medications come with the following warning: “Warning: In rare cases, diclofenac has been associated with serious liver injury”.
A couple of choice quotes from the article:

Doctors have also been warned to avoid using prescription NSAIDs in patients with previous …

Last week 60 Minutes ran a story on the perils of prolonged sitting. For a long time I’ve been a firm believer that the length of time you spend sitting is a lot more important then the position you sit in. This is true for musculoskeletal conditions like back pain, neck pain and headaches, but now we’re seeing that this is true for general health conditions like cardiovascular disease, obesity and diabetes. This only takes 12 minutes and is well worth your time. Get up and move Australia!
To watch the story click here.

What an amazing country! I just got back from 2 1/2 weeks in India and I had an absolute ball. I was introduced by The Baby Whisperer Jo Ryan (http://babybliss.com.au/) to a friend of hers who lives in Mumbai and is a food and travel writer. Well, you can imagine my delight. What a wonderful person to meet – the person who knows where to eat and what to do. If you are ever going to India check out her site http://rakheeghelani.com/, she is a wealth of knowledge. And in all …

I guess a lot of you saw the recent articles (such as this one in The Australian) questioning the effectiveness of Paracetamol for back pain. This is newsworthy because it is probably the first thing a doctor would recommend for back pain, so we want to know if it actually works. It has very few side effects, if any, so it’s almost certainly not going to be dangerous to take, but according to this new research, there may not be much point.
The study in question looked at 1,600 people with …

I’m really excited to be heading to India next month! After speaking at a conference earlier this year I was approached to go and do a short work/teaching placement at an elite Sports Medicine Hospital in Mumbai. I’ll be doing 10 days working in the clinic, which will involve a combination of treating patients (apparently it’s where the Indian Cricketers and Bollywood Starlets hang out), and running daily lectures/seminars on sports injury management.
I’ve never been to India so I’m really looking forward to being able to go someplace new and …

Soothes a dry sore throat. Welcome to Cold and Flu Season. I’ve been laid low the last couple of days with a flu that would kill a grizzly bear (spoken like a true man I know) and as I was lining up my potions and vitamins and other drugs I remember an article I’d read on Manuka Honey.
According to the article, published on the BBC website, Manuka Honey’s antiseptic properties can help enhance the effectiveness of antibiotics. It was tested on hospital strength bacteria.
Here are a couple of choice quotes …

Thanks to the internet, we have access to more information that ever before. Unfortunately, it’s not always easy to figure out whether something we read on the internet is true or not. Wikipedia is a site that always comes up very high on search engines, so if you’re ever looking to come up with a diagnosis or learn more about why your shoulder/knee/hip/head hurts, it’s a common place to end up. Sadly, a recent study has shown that the site is “riddled with errors”.
An article titled “Is Wikipedia Dangerous To …

Pictured is the Astronaut Position, which is a great way to relieve back pain. In this post I’m going to discuss the results of a study which has found that when you suffer a back injury you are better off staying active than resting.
Now, it may not seem terribly important, I mean, how bad could a couple of days on the couch be? Well, here are the stats: “more than three quarters of individuals will have a recurrence of their symptoms within a year from the initial onset, and up …