Howard Poon                 B.App.Sc (Sport and Exercise) 
Accredited Exercise Physiologist

Location: Thai Kanteen (541 Military Road, Spit Junction, NSW, 2088)

Date/Time: Thursday 4th of July @ 6:30pm

Type of Dinner: Buffet

Cost Per Person: $42.00 (BYO wine only, corkage included in price)

HOW DO I REGISTER OR BOOK?

Come on into MediGYM and speak to one of the staff to register. Cash or cheque payment required to confirm spot. Refunds are not available, but another person may take your place.

Family, friends and prospective members all welcome :)

Limited spots avaiable, so book yours early!

Smartphones are an essential part of the new world that we live in. They help boost productivity and enable us to stay connected. On the flip side, excessive use of smartphones can cause a variety of problems. Neck pain, back pain, and tenderness in the joints of the hands can at times, be attributed to excessive use of smartphones. In fact, 'text neck' is a phrase that's used to describe headaches, shoulder pain and arm pain due to excessive text messaging.

Individuals who spend hours slouched on the couch using their phones for texting, emailing, or even gaming tend to experience the most discomfort. This can also lead to constant pain in the thumbs and wrists due to inflammation of the tendons. This is a condition called De Quervains disease. Physical therapy offers a number of treatment options for patients with this type of joint pain and inflammation.

Although the impact of smartphones seems trivial, it is not something that should be taken lightly since it can result in pain, discomfort and lost productivity. Physical therapists not only help with treatment, but also with prevention of smartphone induced neck and back pain. Your therapist can offer a variety of treatments to help patients with 'smartphone induced' symptoms, allowing them to experience pain relief and regain normal function. Medical treatment helps to reduce pain and inflammation, but physical therapy plays a vital role in the restoration of joint mobility and muscle strength.

Physical therapy treatments include:

• Splinting – Offers rest to the joints in the hands and restricts active movement, which facilitates healing.
• Hot/cold packs – Increase blood flow and reduce inflammation as needed.
• Muscle stretching - Muscles in the neck and hands can become tight, which results in movement restriction. Stretching exercises can help reduce pain and inflammation while increasing range of motion.
• Resistive exercises - An increase in muscle strength helps reduce pain and restore the ability to complete normal, daily activities.
• Manual therapy – Soft tissue massage (to target deep muscles in the neck and shoulder region) and joint mobilizations are specialized treatments by physical therapists. These treatments have a significant impact in pain relief and range of motion.

The physical therapist may also determine that posture is an issue that needs to be addressed. For example, if you spend several hours cradling the phone between your head and neck, your therapist will teach you important strategies like switching sides, stretching and the use of headsets. Simple things can save you a pain in the neck. For example, setting down the phone every 20 minutes and standing up from your desk, stretching the muscles every 30 minutes and taking a break to allow your eyes to relax are easy and powerful strategies to protect your body from the impact of smartphones.

Never before have we depended so much on technology to help us with everything in our daily lives. The problem is - an increase in technology may result in a decrease in physical activity and movement. If you depend on technology like smartphones (and other devices like laptops, computers), consider the long-term impact on your posture, joint movements and muscle strength.

The truth is - innovation and technology are growing faster than anyone ever imagined. This makes it even more important to take care of the body, and protect it against the inadvertent, yet harmful effects of smartphones and other devices.

Give our office a call if you are experiencing any discomfort, swelling, or pain as a result of your smartphone. You may be surprised to find that the culprit is that tiny little device you've become so dependent upon in recent times. There is a lot that physical therapists can do for you that you probably didn't even know about. You'll be surprised with the extent to which physical therapy can change your life.

MediGYM™ is a multi-award winning community health care centre servicing Mosman, Cremorne and Neutral Bay areas for over 10 years. 

The team here are passionate about giving you back your optimal sense of well-being.

Read our story and then call us at (02) 9960 6166 to organise your first complimentary time-tabled session.

Please Note:

Physical Therapy in our newsletters means Physiotherapy and Exercise Physiology

Physician = Doctor

There is also a very educational video that you can access through the web.

Please go to www.medigym.com.au/blog and click on the appropriate topic to see the video.