In this post we discuss whether overuse or underuse is the best way to think about musculoskeletal (MSK) issues, through the lens of cardiac rehabilitation. In the 1950s heart attacks were thought to be caused by ‘overuse’ of the heart. If you saw somebody jogging you’d think they had a death wish. Patients were routinely […]
Training
Why strengthening beats stretching (even when done badly)
In this post we explore why strengthening beats stretching (even if your technique isn’t perfect) using an interesting case study. Here’s an instructive story for you. A gentleman was referred to me with discomfort at the back of his knee. He’d been managing this situation with massage, stretching and orthotics for the past 7 years. […]
How to tell if a muscle is tight or weak and what to do next
In this post we discuss how to tell if a muscle is tight or weak and give you some suggestions to reduce any discomfort you might be feeling. So you have a sensation coming from a muscle, how do you decide if it’s being caused by tightness or weakness? And therefore whether you should stretch […]
A different approach to resistance training
In this post we discuss a different approach to resistance training and why it can and should be adapted for everybody. What type of person comes to mind when I say Pilates? A woman perhaps? Tall and thin? How about Yoga? Maybe also a woman? Bendy with a tattoo placed somewhere tasteful? Right, how about […]
Why Stone Age workouts won’t save your middle-aged body
In this post we discuss why Stone Age workouts won’t help you in middle age and other common fallacies in the rehab and training world. Let me start with a quote from a recent Times article on how to stay fit and injury free in middle age. “I don’t think it’s a coincidence that a […]