Quadratus Lumborum: Long Name, Pain in the Back.
The quadratus lumborum (QL) is actually an ab muscle that is located IN our lower back (either side of the spine). It connects our lowest rib to our pelvis and is used to sit, stand and walk. It contributes to spinal stability and helps us to bend sideways and extend our back as well as helping to stabilise our ribs and assisting our diaphragm with inhalation. Because of this, and its location, the QL is one of the prime sources of lower back pain.
Stress - Part 2 – How we respond to stress.
This week we will look at the types of stress and the phases of how we react. Small amounts of stress where we go to the alarm phase and are able to calm down, can help us build resilience to stress. However, when the stress becomes frequent or chronic, we go into the exhaustion phase and prolonged high adrenaline and cortisol levels can negatively affect our mental and physical health
Can Exercise Reduce Your Stress?
Recently, there has been an increasing amount of research suggesting that exercise-related intervention can improve mental health and reduce stress and burnout. In particular, exercises which combines strength and aerobics training and are more strenuous appear to improve the cognitive benefits. Exercise has been proposed to reduce stress through both psychological and biological mechanisms. So, in these stressful times why not get out there and do some exercise.
Help Protect your Back and Knees be Addressing Tight Quads
In our daily lives of sitting, walking and running, our quads can get tight and cause issues in our backs and knees. These mobility, foam rolling and yoga techniques will help you to loosen them and help restore your posture and movement.
How Exercise Affects Your Immune System
This week, we will look at how exercise affects our immune system. The study of how exercise affects the immune system and the consequences in terms of disease is called exercise immunology. Moderate exercise, and vigorous exercise less than 60 minutes, has been found to increase immune function. Exercise activates the sympathetic nervous system which leads to increased heartrate, blood pressure and the release of hormones such as epinephrine and norepinephrine. So moderate exercise can improve your immune system and improve your ability to fight off illness. Why not give some exercise and go and boost your immune system?