Archive for category Health Tips

What is Cardiovascular Fitness?

Cardiovascular fitness is the ability of the body to generate energy through the circulation of blood and oxygen to the muscles of the body. Exercise increases the strength and endurance of the heart, allowing more blood to be pumped to the muscles whilst increasing oxygen distribution to the tissues of the body.

Cardiovascular fitness reduces, amongst other conditions, the incidence of heart disease and type 2 diabetes and is important for a sense of overall physical and mental wellbeing.

How do I get started?

• Before commencing any exercise program it is important to see your GP to ensure there are no medical issues that need addressing
• Set goals. Be specific and realistic and give yourself a time frame
• Set aside a time to exercise each day and make it a habit. Accountability is important, tell your family and friends so they can encourage you or even better, find a training partner
• Start slowly and build up. Going too hard too soon is difficult to sustain and increases the likelihood of you giving up. Remember, you are trying to make a long term lifestyle change

How hard do I need to Exercise? (Think FITT)

The American College of Sports Medicine recommends the following guidelines.

F: Frequency: 3 – 5 times per week

I: Intensity: 50-85% of your maximum heart rate (HRmax). A rough method for working out your maximum heart rate is 220 – your age. For example, to work out 65% HRmax if you are 40 years old: (220-40)*0.65=117 beats per minute. A simpler method is to use the ‘talk test’ where you maintain an intensity where you can talk, but not sing.

T: Time: 20 – 60 minutes

T: Type: Continuous exercise involving large muscle groups e.g. walking, running, swimming or bike riding.

Don’t forget the rest

Muscle strengthening and flexibility are also important components to your exercise regime. A physiotherapist can help tailor a fitness program specific to your needs.

Gait analysis is the assessment of the way we walk or run. A “normal” gait pattern is important because it allows us to move efficiently, with minimal energy costs. An “abnormal” gait pattern may be the result of compensating for an underlying disease e.g. stroke, or may be the result of certain symptoms, e.g. plantar fasciitis or low back pain

The gait cycle consists of a stance phase, where the foot is in contact with the ground, and a swing phase, where it is not. Abnormalities in the gait pattern may occur in either or both of these phases.

Causes of “Abnormal Gait” Patterns

• Muscle weakness – due to disuse (e.g. following the removal of a cast for a fracture) or neurological impairment (e.g. stroke or muscle disease)
• Muscle shortening or contractures
• Spasticity – e.g. following a head injury or any lesions of the central nervous system.
• Pain
• Sensory impairment
• Altered biomechanics (e.g. leg length discrepancies or over-pronation of the foot)

Examples of Gait Abnormalities

• Hip hitching or swinging the leg out for the foot to clear the ground
• Toe walking
• Hyperextension of the knee
• Over-pronation of the foot
• Alterations in pelvic movement

Gait Retraining

A physiotherapist can observe your gait and determine any abnormalities and their causes. They can then prescribe exercises and treatments to correct these problems. Where appropriate, they can advise on correct footwear and orthotics.

Ergonomics is the study of designing or arranging work spaces, equipment and devices, to fit the people using them. Proper ergonomic design is an important factor in preventing repetitive strain or overuse injuries.

Some important points to consider when planning your work environment:

Your chair

• It is important to adjust your seat height so that you can place your feet flat on the floor with your knees level with or slightly lower than your hips
• It is equally important to adjust your backrest to ensure your upper and lower back are well supported. If you do not have this facility in your chair a lumbar support roll placed behind the small of your back may be useful
• The seat length should be short enough so that the front edge of the seat isn’t pushing into your legs
• The chair should be well padded

Your computer

• The keyboard should be directly in front of you and close to your body. It should be at a height where your shoulders are relaxed and your wrists and hands are in a neutral position
• The screen should also be centred, with the top of the screen 5 – 8cms above eye level
• Documents should be directly in front of you between the keyboard and screen, or adjacent to the screen in a document holder

Environmental factors

Don’t forget to plan for things like adequate lighting, space and temperature control.

The importance of regular breaks

Even if you are working at the most well designed work station, regular breaks are essential! Every 30 minutes, take 1 -2 minutes to stand up, walk around and stretch. Try to vary your tasks if possible. Always be aware of maintaining correct posture and don’t forget to rest and refocus your eyes periodically to avoid eye strain.

Everyone’s feet move differently so there is no single ‘best shoe’. Your biomechanics, your weight, the surfaces you walk on, and most importantly the shape of your feet, all mean that one person’s ideal shoe is not necessarily right for another person.

Understanding which shoe is best for you begins by understanding the biomechanics of your feet. Wetting the bottom of your foot and walking onto a dry floor or piece of paper can help you understand the amount of stability you might need in your shoe.

The Normal or “Neutral” Foot

Normal feet have a normal-sized arch and will leave a wet footprint that has a flare with the forefoot and heel connected by a broad band. A normal foot lands on the outside of the heel and rolls inwards slightly to absorb the shock.

Best shoes: Stability shoes with moderate control features.

The Flat Foot

The flat foot has a low arch and leaves a print which looks like the whole sole of the foot. It usually indicates an over-pronated foot – one that strikes on the outside of the heel and rolls inwards (pronates) excessively. Over time, this can cause many different types of overuse injuries.

Best shoes: Motion control shoes or high stability shoes with firm midsoles and control features that reduce the degree of pronation. Be careful to stay away from highly cushioned, highly curved shoes which lack stability features.

The High-arched Foot

The high-arched foot leaves a print showing a very narrow band or no band at all between the forefoot and the heel. A curved, highly arched foot is generally supinated or under-pronated. Because it does not pronate enough, it is not usually an effective shock absorber.

Best shoes: Cushioned shoes with plenty of flexibility to encourage foot motion. Stay away from motion control or stability shoes, which reduce foot mobility.

Having your feet assessed during standing, walking and running by an experienced physiotherapist is the best way to determine your foot type. There are also many shoe stores with experienced professionals who can assess your feet eg Athlete’s Foot.