While bone stress injuries in the lower back are uncommon in distance runners, they often occur in sports that involve lumbar extension (back bending) combined with rotation and/or compression, such as landing after a jump. These injuries are particularly prevalent among youth athletes, who are skeletally less mature and frequently experience rapid spikes in their training and competition loads. Common Sports Affected Some of the sports where we frequently see these injuries

On this episode I discuss "shippu" or topical pain relief patches, which are particularly popular here in Japan. What are they, and do they actually work? https://open.spotify.com/episode/30w6gmITXNWFHIv0tkDd0f?si=3BL5U6xXSimWB1lRlttG7Q #tokyo #pain #backpain #physiotherapy

(To view the video version, head over to our instagram page: https://www.instagram.com/reel/DPKsJcBEv93/?igsh=NHF4Zng3N210dHN4 So when we stretch we are able to move a joint further so that must mean we're making the muscle longer. With all the research that has been conducted in relation to mechanism of flexibility increase post stretching, the only mechanism that has been rigorously supported is increased tolerance to stretch. So essentially the brain and nervous system is

For the video version, check out our instagram page: https://www.instagram.com/reel/DNrPhiLZino/?igsh=MWQxdDlrZXQ1ZW56Ng== At Club360, we often hear clients describe their discomfort not as pain , but as a feeling of stiffness  or tightness . This is an important distinction—and one worth revisiting, particularly when it comes to the lower back. Many people live with lower back discomfort for months, even years. A common belief is that if a certain movement or stretch feels t

For the video version, check out our instagram page https://www.instagram.com/reel/DMRE3tFz6NC/?igsh=MWVlaWFlZ3Iwa2RkbA== When most people think about improving their flexibility, stretching is usually the first thing that comes to mind. It seems obvious: if you want to get more flexible, you should stretch more. But research suggests this isn’t the whole story. In fact, strength training through a full range of motion — especially exercises that focus on the eccentric phase

Hamstring injuries are one of the movement common issues we see in running and change of direction sports. We have previously discussed the importance of maintaining sprinting volume to decrease the likelihood of injury. Improving local strength and capacity in the muscles can also help with injury prevention. In this post we go through some basic exercises to help build hamstring muscle capacity. Check out our instagram page for details: https://www.instagram.com/p/DMJodOjz_

School’s out for the summer!!! For international school students in Tokyo, the summer is long and for student athletes the break between seasons is even longer. School sport often wraps up weeks before the end of the academic year and doesn't get started for several weeks after classes recommence. This means that players will often have up to 3 months at a time without structured practice or games. Whilst this does provide a chance to rest and recover both physically and ment

Stretching is important for Injury Prevention (Video version here: https://www.instagram.com/reel/DKdJJyPTP7t/?igsh=MWl5N3hleXk0dGRsbw== ) It's a common misconception is that stretching is important for decreasing the likelihood of injury. In the clinic we often have people come to us believing that the reason they injured or are suffering pain is because they don't stretch enough. However the research doesn't support this. Across-the-board just stretching more in general doe

Are you one of those people who experience back  when driving? Sometimes this is just due to prolonged sitting, often in a less-than-ideal carseat. A lumbar roll or lumbar jacket can help with this. However in some cases it is the way in which we use the leg that puts extra pressure on the lower back. A simple change to our technique can make a big difference here. Give this a go and let us know if it helps: https://www.instagram.com/reel/DFG8PI_Tvfh/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_l

To see visual descriptions of the movements and exercises, check out our latest instagram post: https://www.instagram.com/p/DEifvY-zz51/?img_index=1 Many cases of lower back pain are direction specific, meaning the pain will be worse with spinal movement in a certain direction😩. Forward bending, as well as 🪑 or putting on 👟, are what we call an flexion-based tasks. Flexion refers to the forward bending movement of the spine. If you experience pain with forward bending, try

Are you like most of the population and sit all day? Do you have a bit of discomfort? Adding in some "movement snacks" throughout the course of the day can help mix up the loads on your spine and make huge difference in terms of sitting comfort. In this second volume we introduce 3 basic lower back movement snacks: Seated Pelvic Tilts Standing Back Extensions Seated Back Flexions For the video version please check out our instagram page: https://www.instagram.com/reel/DDbanuH

Lower back pain with rotational sports may indicate a lack of rotational mobility in adjacent segments and a lack of rotational stability through the trunk. As such, a rehab program for back pain in people participating in these sports should focus on optimising these characteristics. Check out the videos for the exercises in the link below: https://www.instagram.com/p/DC2df2HTBb7/?igsh=bHBkNGk0cHQ5OXQ3 It is sometimes useful to prime the hips for rotational movement by using

Are you like most of the population and sit all day? Do you have a bit of discomfort? Adding in some "movement snacks" throughout the course of the day can help mix up the loads on your spine and make huge difference in terms of sitting comfort. In this third volume we introduce 3 basic lower body movement snacks: - Seated hamstring stretch - Seated buttock stretch - Standing hip flexor stretch Check out this video clip for details: https://www.instagram.com/reel/DCkstZ-o1hn/

Many cases of lower back pain are direction specific, meaning the pain will be worse with spinal movement in a certain direction. Check out this post for videos and explanations: https://www.instagram.com/p/DBcc256z2vl/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link Locomotion is what we call an extension-based task. Extension refers to the back bending movement of the spine. If you experience pain with back bending, try repeated forward bending movements and see if this helps. If so try to rep

Are you like most of the population and sit all day? Do you have a bit of discomfort? Adding in some "movement snacks" throughout the course of the day can help mix up the loads on your spine and make huge difference in terms of sitting comfort. In this first volume we introduce 4 basic upper body movement snacks: https://www.instagram.com/reel/DBKl1wtoA-D/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA== 1) Chin tucks 2) Band pull aparts 3) Banded shrugs 4) Upper back exten

Being injured and going through rehab isn't fun. For starters, you're in pain, which by definition is an unpleasant experience, your often taken away from doing the things you enjoy, and it can also be time and money consuming. However, as physios we do commonly see some hidden benefits that people don't often consider when starting. In some cases we've seen people that weren't particularly active, or hadn't resistance trained in the past  really start to enjoy strength train

Annoying neighbors are never fun, and when you have back pain there are usually some "noisy neighbors" that are contributing to the problem. The lower back's noisy neighbors are commonly the upper back and hips. If you have lower back pain with a certain movement or task, check how well the hips and upper back are moving in that same direction. Pain with walking or back bending? You may need to work on extension of the hips and upper back. Pain with rotational movements like

Both with acute and persistent pain conditions, nighttime pain can be an annoyance and also interrupt the healing process. In some cases some simple pillow hacks can help us get into a more comfortable position and get a better night's sleep. Try these out and let us know if they help! Disclaimer: Night pain can also be indicative of a more sinister underlying pathology. Give these hacks a go but if you are still experiencing pain, check in with your doctor or physio for a th

New Youtube clip! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=leodEeuZzNg&t=11s What big media doesn't want you to know about your back! Our clinical director and head physiotherapist, Sam, will expose back pain myths and explain the actual facts! #backpain #tokyo #physio #physiotherapy #myths #rehabilitation #lowerbackpain #lowbackpain

Most people will suffer at least 1 bout of acute lower back pain during their life. Here are some important points to ease the burden. #lowerbackpain #backpain #physiotherapy #lowbackpain #opioids #physicaltherapy #chiropractic #osteopathy