Functional Physio: Why Prehab?

Have you got an upcoming surgery or recent change in health that will require intensive treatment? Maybe you should strongly consider the concept of Prehab and how it could benefit your recovery.

What is prehab?

Prehab is rehabilitation performed before your surgery or to prevent injuries in high-risk activities. A regime of planned exercise ideally 6 weeks before the event has been academically proven to improve post-operative function, minimise time to return to normal activities and improve the recovery process. 

Your prehab professional can assess how much help you need currently and after surgery, set a plan for hospital discharge (a great way to manage any pre-op anxieties), improve strength and conditioning and help practise with any walking aids or movement restrictions.  

Conditions that benefit from prehab and following rehabilitation include joint replacements especially in the elderly, cardiac conditions, general surgical, cancer diagnosis and athletes or high level sports that carry a known risk of injuries during a game/ season.

My Mum’s knee prehab

After ongoing complaining about knee pain (and lack of family sympathy) I finally conceded that Mum should go for an MRI. 

As it turns out, she wasn’t making it up! Imaging revealed a meniscus tear with a cyst (associated with larger tears) but otherwise very healthy cartilage and ligaments (not bad for a sixty year old knee!). Small meniscus tears on the outer edges sometimes heal, but as they get larger and towards the centre the likelihood of this decreases due to poor blood supply. 

The next step is a referral to an orthopaedic surgeon, but first, let the prehab begin!

The main aim is to build quadriceps, hamstrings and glute strength, bulk and awareness. After surgery, pain and inflammation decreases your ability to contract surrounding muscles and leads to wasting and compromised control. In mum’s program we try and combine a mix of exercises that produce co-contraction or emphasise the three types of muscle contractions (isometric, eccentric and concentric). 

We have maintained overall strength and fitness with boxing and short runs on a straight track against a thick resistance band. Avoiding pivoting at the knee, bending the knee past 90 degrees especially with weights is essential to avoid aggravating the current injury. A tear with a cyst can compromise the cartilage of the knee joint with repetitive irritation so a professionally planned program is essential for prehab programs.  

To see more from Functional Physio please follow us on FB @functionalphysioqld or Instagram @functionalphysio.

Email courtneybuckley.massage@outlook.com or phone/text 0448131617

Accelerate Health and Performance: Re-Evaluating The Cost of a Personal Trainer

I've been a Personal Trainer for six years now and there is one thing that definitely hasn't changed in that time. "I can't afford it" is still by far the most common reason people give as to why they cannot have a PT. Sometimes this is absolutely the case. Sometimes this is just an excuse or a misunderstanding of the truth. I don't mean that as a sarcastic way of saying it's a lie. I mean it is a misunderstanding of the truth. Keep reading...you'll see!

Personal Trainer's can be expensive, especially if you only look at the cost. But if you look at everything you stand to gain it starts to become quite cheap and extremely good value! It's almost like shares....but better! Keep reading....you'll see!

A couple of months ago I posted a question on my Facebook page just to gauge the thoughts and feelings of people about what is holding them back from their health and fitness goals...the response was FAR more than I expected. I learned HEAPS and it has given me a multitude of ideas that I hope to put into action soon.

So throughout the discussions we were having a girl said the following...
"Every gym is intimidating, no trainer wants to help if you aren't paying them to specifically train you, it's awful, I thought men and women worked at gyms to help people like us who don't know what to do, instead we have to pay even more money to get that.. It's kind of ironic."

In part this pissed me off and in part this just made me sad and frustrated with the Fitness Industry. Gyms can be intimidating. I completely admit that. I don't always feel comfortable in gyms myself. Even the one I work in. To say that absolutely all gyms are intimidating and that gyms are intimidating at all times is just not the case. Not only is it subjective but to a certain extent you've got to cop it on the chin a bit and accept that the gym isn't always going to be your favourite place to be but it's where you want to be or may need to be. I'm not the biggest or the strongest but I have shit I want to do...complaining isn't going to get it done. I suck it up, work hard and move forward. For me, it's worth it.

That comment was posted at about 3:00pm...at 3:30pm I was helping a gym member through a leg session. He is an apprentice electrician. He can't afford Personal Training but he is in the gym most days working hard and trying to reach his goals. He is a good guy who wants to work hard. I offered to help him. He didn't ask. At the end of the session he shook my hand and said thanks and that was it. Three months later we still train legs together every Wednesday...

"no trainer wants to help if you aren't paying them to specifically train you, it's awful, I thought men and woman worked at gyms to help people like us who don't know what to do" - BULLSHIT. This bit just pissed me off. I am not the exception to the rule. I am one of many. Yes there are arseholes in the industry. There are arseholes in every industry. No, we aren't all arseholes. Please don't paint us all with one brush.
"instead we have to pay even more money to get that.. It's kind of ironic." ...This bit pissed me off too.
Gyms actually don't make a huge amount of money once all the overheads are covered. How much do you think a gym membership would cost if gyms started paying their PT's a wage? Some gym do run this way. Those gyms are small and few and far between and for good reason.

Do snacks come complimentary with your movie ticket? Didn't think so. Yes, you do have to pay extra for a Personal Trainer. I've known this girl for a while and I trained two of her Aunties and her cousin for years. She's a very nice girl and I have a lot of time for her. Her opinion is valid, as everyone's is, but I think it's a little misguided. Like I said...it kind of pissed me off at first...but then it got me thinking further which was the whole point of the exercise in the first place...

Why do people think that Personal Training is just a cost and not an investment?

Most PT marketing and sales articles will tell you that Personal Training is a "numbers game" and that you have to talk to everyone and try to sell to everyone...I HATE THAT SHIT and I hate that people have the perception that all Personal Trainers are like that. Some are...I can't deny that...but I am not.

Money is without a doubt the number one reason people give when asked why they would not be able to engage in Personal Training. And it is often a valid reason. Money doesn't grow on trees...trust me...I've tried!

But is it really not worth the sacrifices? If there was some way that you could make it work wouldn't you want to give it a red hot go?

* Only old people will get this Phil Collins/Sacrifice reference. #sacarafice

Standard dialogue with a Personal Training enquiry...
Enquirer: "I really want to lose some weight because I'm not happy with my body and I want to get a bit fitter and healthier because I'm always really tired and I get sick all the time and I'd like to get a bit stronger because I'd like to be able to do a push up and one day a chin up. Do you think that's possible?"
Personal Trainer: "Absolutely. They're really good goals. If you train hard and smart you will be able to get there. I'd be happy to help you!"
E: "Ok, cool! I was thinking of doing two sessions per week to start and then maybe adding a third session when I'm fitter. How much would that cost?"
PT: "Two sessions per week will cost you 'x' dollars."
E: "Oh...I can only afford 'y' dollars. I'll have to think about it and get back to you."

They don't get back to you unless you follow it up. I've had that conversation 4,000,000 times.
Let's break it down...Let's jam!

* Having a jam with my sister circa 1989 - Rain hat & truck PJ's #fashionable *

The client wants to lose weight, be healthier, be fitter and be stronger...
Short list, right? Not quite...
What comes with achieving all those goals listed?

Losing weight will breed self-confidence which will flow through the rest of your world and lead to huge gains in the work place, in your home life and even in your love life. More confidence means you're more outgoing at work and more likely to gain more shifts or even gain promotion. All of a sudden you could be financially better off quite directly from engaging in Personal Training!
Being happier in your work life will make you happier at home...more money, less stress will always make for a better home and social life. That needs no explanation. And as for romance...bom chicka wow wow! If you're looking better and feeling better about yourself and how you look you're more likely to attract a lady/man friend. Again...I don't need to explain how that works out well for you...bom chicka wow wow!

So all of a sudden you're making more money, having more fun and getting more sex?

 

But what about the health benefits?
This one is EASY...
Being healthier means less days off work, less days wasted in bed, less trips to the doctor, less trips to the chemist.
"But Mitch...being healthier is only giving me less of stuff!?"
With all of the above comes more time at work which means making more money which means more money to do fun stuff and because you're less sick you can indeed do more fun stuff!
#signmeup
"But Mitch...will I be fitter and stronger?"
BLOODY OATH!...AND that will make all the cool stuff above even more fun because you will be able to do funner stuff and more of it!

Rather than looking at how much a trainer will cost you, look at what you can get out of it. Look at the things that you will cut out of your life in order to maximise the positive effect of your training. Look at how happy and satisfied you will be when you reach your goals. Look at how much that will improve your life. Now put a price tag on how good all that good stuff will feel...How much is it worth now???

And that's just one simple example off the top of my head...give me any scenario and I am confident that I can explain how and why investing in your health with a good Personal Trainer can help. Not just me either...if you're anywhere in Australia I can refer to someone I would trust to train you in about ten minutes flat.

Yes, Personal Training can be (I prefer "seem to be") expensive. It can be a luxury that you simply can't afford. I can't deny that. Personal Training can also be PRICELESS. With a good trainer Personal Training can be far more than just coughing up dough at the end of a session and sore legs the next day. It can be a new lease of life, new friendships and new perspectives on the world that you simply cannot buy.

Talk to a trainer and talk about their product and how it can help you. You might find it's far less costly than you think...you might also find that it's the other stuff in your life that you can no longer afford.

Leave a comment...share it...like it...whatever you need to do. As always please refer all complaints and hate mail to the admin of this page.

Mitch
Accelerate Health and Performance
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/acceleratehealthandperformance/
Instagram: @mitchellknightpt

Kylie (TEAM SCH&F Admin): How To Get Motivated and Stay Motivated.

 

Weight gain can be attributed to a bunch of factors; genetics, hormones, behavioural tendencies, disorders or lifestyle choices. A tonne of research has been conducted looking at the difference between individuals who are successful and unsuccessful in weight loss attempts. The most common trait between those individuals who lose weight and sustain the weight loss over time, is commitment. Making a mental commitment to genuine lifestyle change is the single most effective way to produce sustainable results. Attitude is everything!

Take a classic new years resolution. We all start off excited. Stoked because we've made the leap to join the gym (No joining fee in January... Tis the season). Stock up on active wear with inspirational quotes using those Christmas gift vouchers and a shiny new pair of kicks. I'm ready to become the next Wonder Woman (cue theme song)! For the first six weeks, the shine slowly wears off. Gym visits are less frequent. The active wear gets shoved up the back of the drawer. Those new runners still have all their tread in tact... By Valentines Day its all but over... Oh well. Try again next year. Right?

In the world of psychology, we view motivation as a process that initiates, guides and maintains goal-oriented behaviour. Im particularly interested in the reasoning behind initiating lifestyle change and appropriate goal setting. In developing my business, I have been talking to heaps of people about their health. Are you happy with your body? What would you change? What have you tried? What are you willing to do? What are your main barriers?

The resounding feedback was that most just lacked motivation. Anyone can join a gym or go to a trainer. But the reasons WHY you choose to change your lifestyle is just as important of a variable in developing strong, sustainable motivation over time. Let me explain. There are two kinds of motivation, extrinsic and intrinsic. In a nutshell, extrinsic motivation is produced by an external source, like buying smaller clothes or people noticing you've lost weight. These are great initially, but doing things for recognition or for external validation is only satisfying for a finite period of time. Intrinsic motivation on the other hand is more about personal reward and gratification from an activity, such as exercise. By aiming to improve fitness and starting to see yourself achieve those goals you are rewarding yourself, creating a cycle of positive reinforcement and more importantly a desire to continue to grow and improve.

Setting practical and realistic goals is also a huge factor in keeping us motivated. I may want to be a bikini model, with super low body fat and great muscle tone after doing a six week weight loss program, but it just isn't going to happen like that. What's worse, if i don't achieve that goal, im likely to feel guilty, discouraged and am significantly more likely to give up. By setting healthy, realistic and attainable goals I can work hard, achieve some results and start a cycle of internally rewarding behaviour, in which my efforts are rewarded by increased strength, loss of body fat or whatever the goal may be . This doesn't mean I shouldn't push myself to get faster or stronger. But having realistic short and medium term goals allows room for developing competency, forming habits and learning to accept that exercise and good nutrition are not only important, but essential in both physical and mental health.

So, if you are struggling to get motivated here's a couple of things to consider:

• Make sure you are doing it for the right reasons. External motivation only works short-term. Remember the benefits of living a healthier lifestyle, how good you feel from all the pleasure chemicals post exercise and the impact it has on your physical and mental health.
• Aim to find ways of keeping active that you enjoy and that have some way of measuring your competency. If you feel like you are getting better, you increase motivation levels even more!
• Set realistic, attainable short and medium term goals (The long term goals can be as big as you want!). If you happen to reach them, set new ones. But dont let the goal be so huge that you end up discouraged.

Kylie (SCH&F Admin)
Follow my personal and professional development of this community on @alifestyleproject