Massage Therapy and Postoperative Care

Massage Therapy and Postoperative Care

The use of massage therapy has been shown to improve outcomes in post-op patients. One recent paper published in the journal PM&R, looked at the use of fascial manipulation following total hip arthroplasty. Another recent study published in The Journal of Knee Surgery looked at the effect that soft-tissue treatments with hand-held instruments have on post-surgical knee stiffness. In the study soft-tissue treatments was shown to improve knee flexion deficits by 35° and knee flexion contractures by 12° in a small cohort of individuals who had failed to respond to traditional rehabilitation and manipulation under anesthesia. 

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Exercise changes the way our bodies work at a molecular level

Exercise changes the way our bodies work at a molecular level

"You may think that “molecular” changes may not be that much of a big deal. Surely it is fat loss and muscle gain that are the best outcomes of exercise? Actually molecular changes affect the way genes and proteins are controlled inside cells. Genes can become more or less active, while proteins can be rapidly modified to function differently and carry out tasks such as moving glucose into cells more efficiently, or protect cells from harmful toxins."

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How vitamin D can improve muscle strength

How vitamin D can improve muscle strength

"One of the most important vitamins for your health is vitamin D. It allows the body to absorb calcium and phosphate from your diet, which are essential for the development of healthy bones. However, we have found that increased levels of active vitamin D in the bloodstream can also be associated with improved muscle function in healthy people."

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The effects of plantar short foot muscles exercises on long-distance runners

The effects of plantar short foot muscles exercises on long-distance runners

The plantar intrinsic foot muscles play a crucial role in supporting the medial longitudinal arch, providing the foot stability and flexibility for shock absorption.

Researchers suggest that when intrinsic foot muscles fatigue, there people may move more easily into the pronated position. This excessive pronation, may cause overloading of the knee joint or may be the cause of other changes in proximal part of the lower extremity.

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Improving health and fitness with minimal exercise

Improving health and fitness with minimal exercise

"When it comes to exercise, if there was a way to get more health benefits by doing less, then it’s likely a lot of people would be interested. This is probably the reason that high-intensity interval training (HIIT) gets a lot of attention. HIIT can improve health and fitness, but with much less time spent exercising. Much less time when compared with much lower intensity aerobic exercise, that is."

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Are shorter, more intense workouts worth the extra sweat?

Are shorter, more intense workouts worth the extra sweat?

"Everybody knows that to lose weight you need to eat less or exercise more – or ideally do both. The evidence supporting the benefits of regular exercise and eating less is overwhelming, but for people looking to lose weight, it remains unclear whether there are extra benefits to be gained from increasing the intensity of workouts."

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