Two days ago I rolled my ankle (rolled, twisted, sprained, strained, came down wrong, busted, stuffed up etc.) and unfortunately I didn’t do it in private. I was at work demonstrating a combined step up with overhead press, as I came down I tuned to talk to my client and awkwardly planted my foot on its side…silly me that’s not how you’re meant to stand! “oh I so sorry my dear, so sorry” my new client said apologetically in a thick accent  “it’s not your fault i’m a klutz” I replied. and sure enough a few other people around me were looking as if to see what I would do next. What did I do? What any embarrassed person would do, pretended it didn’t happen. I continued to demonstrate lunges (omg big mistake) and all sorts of exercises for her session pretending my foot was fine. Well it wasn’t.

Now let me just put this into perspective, it’s just a mild sprain, no biggy, i’ve seen a lot worse and been through a lot

worse but my goodness it’s annoying. That dayI still had to make my way home  then I finally compressed, iced and elevated it. Two days later, it still hurts to walk and drive but not too much swelling.

I’ve rolled my ankle a few times in the past, and the silly thing is I usually continue with whatever i’m doing and then look after it later…. wrong!! One time I continued playing basketball, the other I was doing a step class (I have never gone back! haha) and the other times I’ve done it i’ve been doing something seriously uninteresting and non-dangerous like walking  or stepping up onto a footpath and all of a sudden where’d my balance go whoops i’m rolling my ankle.

Now it’s all well and good to appreciate that it’s only a sprain but it pays to take it seriously otherwise you could be doing yourself serious damage.

First of all let’s define what a sprained ankle is. Most of us have either rolled or twisted our ankles at some point in our lives, the difference is the result, if your ankle is painful and swells up, you have most likely sprained it. A sprained ankle means you have stretched, and sometimes torn the ligaments in your ankle. Even though we see sprained ankles as common it doesn’t always mean the injury is minor.  Sometimes people with severe or repeated sprains can lead to long term joint pain and weakness exposing you to the risk of further injury. treating an ankle sprain straight away can prevent ongoing ankle problems.

Let’s explain the cause of sprains. Most sprains happen when you make a rapid shifting movement with your foot planted. For me it was stepping down from the step deck with a heavy weight in my hand, coming down at a speed expecting my foot planting was correct, when indeed it was not! People usually roll their ankle outward which means their foot turns inward. Here the ligaments in the ankle are stretched and sometimes tear. Less often people roll their ankle inward and this damages the ligaments on the inside of the ankle.

Is it a sprain or something more serious? Sprains vary from mild to severe. With mild spraining you will experience pain after you roll it, experience tenderness, swelling and may feel stiff. It usually feels stable though and you’re able to walk on it with little pain. A more serious sprain will cause pain, tenderness, swelling, sometimes even bruising and feels painful to walk on. In a severe sprain you may experience all these symptoms but you cannot walk on it as it is too painful and feels wobbly or the ankle gives out.  If you hear or feel a tear, snap or pop you have a severe sprain and should be treated straight away. You may experience severe pain at first and may not be able to stand or put your weight on the ankle.

Generally the more swollen and painful the ankle the longer it will take to heal. If you have experienced a severe sprain you may need to get an x-ray or ultrasound done to assess the damage. It is possible to break a bone in your ankle or foot at the same time as a sprain. If unsure, get it checked out!

Here’s what you should do if you sprain your ankle: PRICE

Protect the ankle, don’t walk on it or do anything to aggravate the injury further. You may need an ankle brace or something similar that will support and protect the area.

Rest, take a few days to stay off your ankle as much as possible. You may need to use crutches to take your weight off walking.

Ice, for at least the first 24-72 hours (or until the swelling goes down) 10-20 minutes every hour or two. Remember it is possible for the skin to experience a burn from full on contact with ice, so always make sure there is a thin cloth between the ice and your skin. press the ice pack firmly against the curve of your ankle so the affected area is covered.

Compression. An elastic compression wrap will help reduce the swelling. Wear it for at least the first 24-36 hours. Remember though that compression is support and not protection, protect your ankle from further injury and keep weight off it.

Elevation, Raise your ankle above the height of your heart (a bit hard to do at the office!) for 2-3 hours a day if possible. If not, just do your best and keep your ankle up higher than the floor or hip height. Elevating will reduce swelling and bruising.

Treating your sprain properly and using rehab will help the ankle heal right. If left unattended the ankle may become unstable and you may develop chronic pain. This leaves your ankle weak and more likely to be reinjured. Stay away from sport or unsafe exercises until your ankle has had a chance to heal and has been rehabilitated. A good way to measure this is if you are able to hop on one foot without pain. It is strongly recommended that going back into sports and exercise you use taping and/or bracing for your ankle. Wearing shoes with a high collar such as hiking boots or other high top, lace up shoes will also help support the area.

If  after rehab the area is still weak, unstable  and ligament damage is severe you may require further intervention such as surgery – avoid at all costs!

Now you know what a sprain is. Remember there are degrees of sprains, they can be mild or severe, sprains are not something to shrug off, they are serious and should be treated as soon as possible (I need to take my own advice!). If left untreated it can lead to weakness,  joint pain and further injuries.  If unsure, always check with a health professional.

Look after yourself and your body! 🙂

 

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A few weeks ago a client had to cancel our session because she was severely sunburnt. the next time I saw her she was still red which made me wonder what she looked like when it first happened. Youch!

Before we go any further let this message be driven home – put sunscreen on before you go outside, wear clothing that will protect your skin and try and stay out of the sun for lengthy periods of time. 

We all know that getting sunburnt is bad for you. Just one bad sunburn can increase your risk of skin cancer. Don’t let it become a habit.

If you’re burnt you’ve already damaged the cells in your skin Now it’s just a case of managing it. Here are a few methods that will help:

Pain relief

Take panadol to ease the pain and heat of sunburn. If this does not help try ibuprofen which is an antiinflammatory.

Ice Ice baby

Soak towels in ice water then apply to your sunburn areas. Apply for 20 minutes at a time, four to five times a day.

Bathe in Oats

Yep, oats! If your sunburn requires a full body soaking this is the best way to do it. Fill your bathtub with cool water (as cool as you can handle comfortably) let the water run through a sieve of raw oats. Or, you could fill an old stocking with oats and let it soak in the bath with you. This will have a soothing affect. Alternatively it’s also believed pouring a cup of white wine vinegar in the tub will help soothe as well.

Get your Aloe on

Once your sunburn has been soaked apply a generous amount of aloe vera gel onto affected areas. You need the real stuff though, the green goo in a tube! Lotions which have small amounts of aloe in them won’t do the trick. Also, suing too many lotions will clog up your sunburnt skin and that is the last thing it needs!

Nutrition

You can lessen the severity of the sunburn and aid the repair process by eating foods rich in antioxidants. These include but not limited to – green & black teas, fruit and vegetables, red wine, dark chocolate and nuts.

Watch out

If your sunburn has patches of purple or excessive blistering you are beyond self care. See a doctor as you may have serious skin damage.

You hear skin cancer alot. I’ve been mentioning it in recent posts, and they are really pushing the skin cancer ads on T.V. Summer is a time when we are outside a lot more, we go to the beach, play outdoor sports and activities and soak up the sun on the sand (well I don’t i’m the one under the umbrella trying to stay huddled in the shade! haha). But skin cancer is not an empty phrase. When you hear the words skin cancer, think flesh being cut from your skin. Doctors appointments, waiting rooms. Damaged skin with numerous spots and growths. Think about possible cancer treatment and the reality that it could take your life. Skin cancer isn’t something to be ignored or treated as a harmless ailing.

There are a great range of broad spectrum sunscreens which also include moisturiser. I used to only use sunscreen when I knew I would be outside or going to the beach/pools. However over the past 5+ years i’ve made it a habit to wake up wash my face then apply my 30+ sunscreen moisturiser. It’s very light, doesn’t clog up my skin and doesn’t smell like normal sunscreens. It also acts as a primer for my make-up when I use it. Too easy!

Sunburn not only increases your risk of skin cancer but it also damages your skin. I understand that a tan makes people look healthy and glow but in fact a tan is actually the melanin in your skin coming to skin’s rescue trying to prevent more damage. A tan is your body’s defence mechanism. Is it possible to move away from tanning being the ideal way to look good? I’m a girl, a girl with fair skin who isn’t able to tan very well. I understand a tan makes you look good, makes clothes look better and hides away some imperfections. But i’m also a girl who doesn’t want skin cancer or to age prematurely – who wants wrinkles or leather skin?? There are so many good products out there for fake self tanning and the option to get a spray tan. Yes I see the array of oompa loompas roaming around with streaks and missing tan patches, but hey practise makes perfect right? And in absolutely no circumstance use a solarium to get a tan, there is nothing healthy or safe about it.  Practise and perfect your fake self tanning or have someone do it for you, give your skin a rest and protect it.

 

 

I know, it feels like i’ve just told you to stay out of the sun with my article on skin cancer checks and here I am telling you to get out into it. This article however has been a while in the making. It started with me noticing a few of my clients (darker skin in origin) had vitamin D deficiency, as it doesn’t have strong symptoms, its easy to forget about and push to the side. Then when I started doing corporate health checks I was seeing an abundance of people and started asking questions about their Vitamin D levels. The increased incidence of Vitamin D deficiency is scary to me. But makes sense. A lot of us work indoors during most sunlight hours and we are staying out of the sun more to avoid skin cancer. I make a point now to ask all clients and all corporate client checks about their Vitamin D levels. It’s like a personal crusade or something of the like, I feel that not everybody really understands just how important it is. So now i’m taking the education to the website and hope you benefit from reading about it.

Slip Slop Slap – we’ve got it drummed into us that we need to cover up and stay out of the sun to reduce risk of skin

cancer. What’s happening though is we forget about the importance of (suitable) sun exposure. There seems to be a very fine balance you have to achieve, we all need sun exposure for Vitamin D but at the same time we need to limit our sun exposure to reduce risk of skin cancer. How do we do it?

Well first off let’s learn a little more about what Vitamin D is and why it is so important…

Vitamin D is vital for good health, growth, strong bones, calcium absorption and immune function.Vitamin D is essential for the normal development and growth of cells, bones and teeth. The sun’s rays are the primary source of Vitamin D but exposure needs to balanced to reduce the risk of skin cancer.

Vitamin D deficiency is a common condition in which the body has inadequate stores of vitamin D.
Untreated vitamin D deficiency can lead to serious complications, such as bone fractures and bone deformities, lowered immune function. It has also been linked to Parkinson’s disease, obesity, asthma and heart disease.
Vitamin D deficiency is treatable with supplements and adequate exposure to sunlight. After a simple blood test your doctor will advise treatment through supplementation and/or sunexposure.

Where do we get Vitamin D?

The best source of Vitamin D is UVB radiation from the sun. 90 per cent of our vitamin D is made in the skin with the help of sunshine. UVB sunlight converts cholesterol in the skin into Vitamin D. We need to expose bare skin though to the sun This is confusing considering we need to be careful not to get too much sun in order to avoid skin cancer. Staying out of the sun at the most dangerous time in the middle of the day (10am-2pm) is best especially during summer, but a balanced approach to sun exposure is necessary to avoid the risk of skin cancer and yet get an adequate dose of sunshine.

How much sun exposure we need?

There are many factors you need to think about when calculating how much exposure to the sun you need including, geographical location, the season, time of day, your age and skin type. As a general guide, during summer most people need a few minutes of exposure every day, outside of the hottest times 10am-2pm. In winter, in the south of Australia, you’ll need about two to three hours over a week. In the north of Australia normal outdoor activity should be sufficient.
Most foods contain very little Vitamin D naturally, small amounts however can be obtained through certain foods such as fatty fish, fish liver oil, and eggs.

How it works?

Vitamin D helps calcium and phosphorus in our diet to be absorbed from the gut, these are both essential for the structure and strength of bones. So,Vitamin D is crucial to good bone health and muscle development. Without an adequate supply bones can become brittle, thin or misshapen.

Musculoskeletal conditions that can occur due to Vitamin D deficiency include:

• Rickets – softening and weakening of the bones in children.
• Bone and muscle aches and pains.
• Osteoporosis – thinning of bone tissue and loss of bone density and strength.

There is also an increased risk for developing other health conditions such as cancer, diabetes, heart disease and cognitive dysfunction (brain fog).

Often there are no symptoms of Vitamin D deficiency besides general aches and feeling tired. Which can often be blamed on other things, so easy not to make the connection. In severe deficiencies more obvious symptoms of bone deformities will occur, with severe pain and weakness.

Who does it affect?

• Elderly people and those who are housebound.
• People with darker skin require more sun exposure to achieve the same Vitamin D synthesis as the pigment in their skin naturally reduces UV penetration.
• People with osteoporosis.
• People who cover their skins due to religious beliefs.
• Babies whose mothers are Vitamin D deficient.
• People on medications which interfere with Vitamin D metabolism – eg those who are obese or have coeliac disease (which causes fat malabsorption).

How to treat it

A simple blood test will determine your Vitamin D levels. Depending on your results you may be required to take supplements or advised how to get safe, natural sun exposure. After about a month of treatment you need to be reviewed. People who are at greater risk of Vitamin D deficiency should get regular check ups. Going to the doctor isn’t the best way to spend your time but check ups are simple and essential to good health.  You may not be worried about your Vitamin D levels now, but your future self and body may wish you had done something now. When you get old it’s of great benefit to you to have strong bones and body.

 

If you are getting your levels checked for the first time, I recommend making the most of your appointment. In your blood test request that a full blood count be taken, you can check your cholesterol, iron, glucose, thyroid in a simple blood test. It doesn’t hurt to get checked out! 🙂

 If you are unsure about your Vitamin D levels or have questions please see your doctor or health practitioner. Please help me increase the awareness by simply sharing this post 🙂

 

Extra Info

For more detailed info on Vitamin D deficiency http://www.vitaminddeficiencyguide.com/

From the cancer council http://www.cancer.org.au/preventing-cancer/sun-protection/vitamin-d/

About sun safety http://www.sunsmart.com.au/default.asp

 

 

Image credit :Men’s Health

I have to say I currently feel very disappointed with the attitude of GP’s towards skin cancer checks. When I went for my annual check up of everything with my GP I told her I was thinking o getting a skin cancer check. I was getting everything else checked why not my skin? I have fair skin with many freckles/moles I wouldn’t be able to tell you without them being in an obvious place whether I get new ones or not and whether they are an odd shape or not. What constitutes an ‘odd’ shape or colour? The doctor responded by telling me that it was too expensive and I shouldn’t worry about it, only to show her if there were any I was worried about. Well as I said I don’t know what I should and shouldn’t be worried about and whether there’s any in a hard to reach/see area.

About 2 months ago I noticed one of my little moles had changed colour and was raised. Is this something I should be worried about I wondered? The ads of ‘Wes’ the

young man who died from melanoma ran through my head – better get it checked just to be safe.  This time, another doctor, without looking at it all too well decided to have it biopsied and gave me a referral for a dermatologist. Again I asked whether I should have a full body skin check to which she said no, not to worry about it only get something checked if you’re worried. Telling my story to my sister she said that her doctor once told her she was too young to worry about melanoma… really? What about 26 year old Wes?

I wasn’t able to get an appointment with the dermatologist for over 3 months, this didn’t sit well with me, if it was something wouldn’t  an extra 3 months be detrimental? So I began to research skin clinics. I was disappointed to find that there are places which charge quite a bit for skin checks, the doctor was right about that. But then someone referred me to a health specialist clinic which specialised in skin cancer checks. AND they bulk billed.

The appointment was extremely easy. I met with a pleasant, thorough doctor who took a history and was more than happy to answer any of my questions. He looked over my whole body, around my scalp, in between toes, behind the ears – the lot. It didn’t hurt, he used a special bright light and glass and then another tool which was like a small magnifying glass with a light for any moles he needed to double check. For peace of mind he suggested I have the questionable mole out, not because it looked like anything but for own reassurance.  A few days later he cut the mole out himself which was again easy and very little pain. He did a great job and it healed beautifully… no more questionable mole. He was right the results came back and it was nothing, but I felt a sense of relief.

I appreciated that he took the time to explain what I should look out for and be aware of and that if I was every worried about anything to come back and have it checked.  I got my answers, was not left out of pocket and I would recommend them to anyone. In fact after speaking to more people, a few people I know have been to the clinic and had skin cancers removed. Again, peace of mind and reassurance.

It baffled me why GP’s wouldn’t support and encourage people to get their skin checked. According to Cancer Council “Australia is the skin cancer capital of the world. More than 10,300 Australian men and women are diagnosed with a melanoma each year, and an estimated 434,000 people are treated for one or more non-melanoma skin cancers. More than 1850 Australians die from melanoma or non-melanoma skin cancer each year.”

Living in a country like Australia I am also surprised that we don’t have more bulk billing skin checks, it took an expert less than 10 minutes to check my whole body, is that such a drain on the system? wouldn’t we save money down the track, better to prevent than treat etc?

Here is what I learned:

• To be aware of my own skin, to take notice of changes and actually pay attention
• Changes that I should be suspect of – colour changes to moles and irregular shapes (moles/freckles are usually roundish in shape)
• Not to always listen to my doctor. If I am worried about something I should pursue it and not settle for anything less. This mole did turn out to be nothing, but better safe than sorry.

Sun exposure is the cause of around 99% of non-melanoma skin cancers and 95% of melanomas in Australia. However, exposure to small amounts of sunlight is also essential to good health. A balance is required between avoiding an increase in the risk of skin cancer by excessive sun exposure and achieving enough exposure to maintain adequate vitamin D levels. We will be exploring the essential role of Vitamin D in an upcoming post.

For more detailed information about skin cancer and prevention please visit http://www.cancer.org.au/cancer-control-policy/position-statements/sun-smart/

The clinic I visited was Health Specialists http://www.healthspecialists.com.au/SkinCancerServices.html

Remember your body and health is up to you, no one can tell you what to do. If you feel like something is wrong, seek answers and never settle for second best. Please help raise the awareness of the importance of getting your skin checked by sharing this post onto others. Happy sun safety! 🙂

Have you ever done a really hard workout or perhaps  a new set of exercises and the next day wake up with some serious muscle pain? Most of us have! Chances are you’ve got DOMS – Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness.

DOMS is muscle pain or stiffness experienced in the muscles several hours to days after exercise. Most commonly linked to introducing new exercises to your workout or raising the intensity of your workout. The good news is that it’s normal, it doesn’t mean you’re super unfit or should avoid exercise (the opposite is true really). The fittest of the fit can always be challenged in a new way and pushed, experiencing a degree of DOMS.The most severe cases of DOMS though seem to occur with those new to training, so always make sure you seek advice prior to starting weight/strength training for the first time. There is no shame in asking for help, think of good technique during exercise like ‘pre-hab’. And absolutely do not jump in the deep end and use too much load if you’re not used to it.

Here are my tips for dealing with DOMS

• Before you finish your workout ensure you complete an appropriate cool down and thoroughly stretch your whole body (for a guide to stretching your whole body click here). This is particularly important if you have done any new exercises or have increased the intensity of your workout.
• Several hours after your workout, warm up/mobilise your joints and muscles again and complete another set of stretches.
• If possible I strongly recommend a light walk later in the day (if trained legs) to keep your legs moving and preventing stiffening up.
• The next day when you wake up you may feel very stiff, the best thing you can do is push through the stiffness with caution and increase your activity. You most likely won’t want to you’ll want to lay down and not do much at all but this is actually the worst thing you can do. Doing nothing will prolong the DOMS experience.
• Don’t train sore muscles. Now there are various opinions when it comes to this point of view but personally I believe if you have a seriously stiff sore muscle leave it alone, if it has DOMS the muscle has not recovered yet. If you push it you are increasing your risk of injury and you most likely won’t be able to complete the exercise with the correct technique and ROM (range of motion) due to your stiffness so won’t get the full benefits anyway. Also keep in mind that when you exercise your muscles contract and shorten….adding to your stiffness. Don’t use it as an excuse though there are other forms of exercise you can do.
• I absolutely do recommend light cardio and other forms of exercise when you have DOMS. For instance if your legs are stiff, go for a walk, go swimming, rowing etc. depending on how much of your body has succumbed to DOMS you will be able to challenge other parts of your body and still get a great workout!
• Coming back from DOMS increase your intensity gradually, if you keep overloading the muscles this will lead to overtraining – a nasty problem we will explore soon.

Remember these tips and above all listen to your body, it will tell you what’s going on. Happy exercising!

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