Randall Cooper

New Program Puts Money Back Into Sport

2012-01-14T20:37:00.000-08:00

Premax has launched a new fundraising program looking to raise thousands of dollars for sporting clubs across Australia. The Premax goSport Program donates 10% of the money spent by customers to their nominated sporting club.

Specialist Sports Physiotherapist and Founder of Premax Randall Cooper says it’s a win-win for sporting clubs. “It costs nothing to join the program, there’s no obligation for minimum sales, and we help the clubs promote the program and products to their members”.

Premax started out in 2006 with a successful range of massage creams for health professionals, and in 2011 added its Sports Performance Range including a Sweatproof Sunscreen, an Anti Friction Cream to help prevent chafing, and a Sport and Muscle Cream with peppermint, eucalyptus, arnica, ginger, and a mild warmth.

The Riverside Cricket Club was one of the first clubs to join the goSport Program. "We're finding that not only do our members purchase the products, but so do extended family members, friends, and work colleagues. Some people who have no association or connection with the club have donated 10% of their online purchase to us, which is just terrific" says Club President Paul Bohan. "Through the program we're looking to raise enough money to purchase some helmets for our juniors. The products are a much healthier fundraising option than selling chocolates, and so much easier to organise than a quiz or trivia night."

All three Sports Performance products are formulated for people participating in sports and exercise. “Having been involved with athletes of all levels for 15 years, I know what they’re after. I’m lucky that I have had access to some of Australia’s best athletes to help get the formulas right. I think we’ve hit the mark” says former Hawthorn Football Club and Olympic Physiotherapist Randall Cooper. Paul Bohan agrees, "The Premax products are fantastic, all of them really well suited to our players. The Sweatproof Sunscreen is especially a hit. It's light, dry and doesn't run into your eyes when you're sweating."

Clinic Profile: Balwyn Sports and Physiotherapy Centre

2011-10-11T16:10:00.000-07:00

Premax massage products are an essential part of many leading physiotherapy, osteopathic, chiropractic, and massage clinics in Australia. The Balwyn Sports and Physiotherapy Centre in Melbourne is one such clinic which exclusively uses Premax for its manual therapy. "Premax is loved by all our practitioners, be they massage therapists or physiotherapists. Now we only need to make one order and everyone is happy" says Director and Sports Phyiotherapist Andrew Wynd.

Practitioners enjoy using Premax products a variety of reasons. "Premax has an excellent range that covers all massage and therapy needs. Patients also like the feel of the product and it doesn't leave them feeling greasy at the end of the treatment".

Our Premax Original is a massage cream with a firm resistance and excellent longevity. Not only is a benchmark product for quality and performance, but as you need only a small amount of cream for each treatment, a 450g jar goes a long way. "You no longer need to keep topping up during a massage like other products, saving time and money" says Wynd.

Balwyn Sports and Physiotherapy Centre provides physiotherapy, massage, podiatry, clinical pilates, bike set up, dry needling, and running analysis services. Here's the link:
http://www.balwynsportsphysio.com.au/

Ever had a sore neck? Then read this!

2011-09-09T23:24:00.000-07:00

Neck pain is common, with somewhere between 30-50% of the population suffering an aching neck each year. Neck pain can be due to injury, but in most cases neck pain is gradual in onset and usually results from poor posture, long periods at work, or bad sleeping positions.

A study just about to be published in the Journal of Orthopaedic and Sports Physical Therapy has highlighted some new insights into the effective treatment of neck pain via manipulation (also referred to as cracking or adjusting) of the thoracic spine (middle part of the spine - between the neck and lower back). This review showed that patients with neck pain benefit from thoracic manipulation treatment by lessing neck pain and improving neck motion.

Image: www.physio2health.com.au

Health practitioners have long known that good thoracic mobility is an important part of human movement, and this study shows the importance of the thoracic spine in people with neck problems.

People can keep the thoracic spine flexible themselves with a few simple exercises such as the exercises in my previous post on swimming injury prevention (posted in November last year).

Here's the link to the journal if you want to read more about the study: http://www.jospt.org/

Decision Fatigue: Implications for Health Professionals and Athletes

2011-09-01T18:11:00.000-07:00

A couple of weeks ago author John Tierney published an article in the NY Times highlighting new insights into what has become known as decision fatigue. Recent research has shown that the more decisions we make each day the harder each decision becomes for the brain, and eventually the brain takes shortcuts. One shortcut is to make a reckless decision, or act impulsively, and the other is take the easy option - do nothing!

The Tierney article uses the example and research into an Israeli parole board, which showed patterns of prisoners obtaining parole which wasn't linked to the men's ethics backgrounds, or crimes committed, but more so about the timing of the hearings. Prisoners who appeared early in the morning received parole 70% of the time, whilst those who appeared late in the day were paroled only 10% of the time. The researchers concluded that the judges suffered decision fatigue, and after a day of ruling took the easy option out - not to award parole.

This notion of decision fatigue got me thinking about the implications in the industries I work in, namely healthcare and sports. Healthcare professionals must suffer from decision fatigue. I know at times I have. The group of professionals that immediately springs to mind are young doctors in hospitals. Surely after a 12-14 hour night shift the decisions these guys make are not always the best? It would be an interesting study to look into the timing of mistakes in hospitals as they did with the paroles board.

For those of us in health maybe it might be better to work shorter shifts more often, rather than a few long days? Or could we attempt to stack our more difficult cases towards the start of the day with the easier ones later? As a patient, maybe it isn't worth pleading with your clinician to "squeeze me on the end of your list". Especially if you're having brain surgery.

I also wonder whether decision fatigue plays a part in sports performance. Younger sporting teams and athletes tend to perform poorly when traveling to competitions interstate or internationally. Usually this is blamed on the flight, jet lag, different foods and water, the home town crowd etc. But I wonder whether athletes get to competition in a decision fatigued state. When athletes are at home they can run on auto-pilot, knowing what they're having for breakfast, going for their walk and stretch around the block, the way to drive to the venue etc. But when away, all those decisions have to be made consciously; what am I going to have for breakfast? Will I get lost walking around the block? How am I going to fill in my day? My team mate wants to go to the cafe, should I go? Possibly, by game time, an athlete has made many more decisions than usual, and they're already in a sub optimal mental state before the game starts.

I also wonder whether decision fatigue plays a part in 'form'. When things are going well, you keep on doing everything that works. The coaches will keep you focusing on simple, key messages, and the rest tends to flow. Where as when things are going badly, strategies tend to change. Let's try a different defensive pattern, or when you get the ball you need to do... etc. For the athletes, mentally rehearsing these changes during the week, or before the game must take it's toll. And during the game, if you're continually making additional decisions, or second guessing your next move it must have an influence on your performance.

So maybe for those who work with, or are athletes, controlling decision fatigue may be of benefit. For the young team on the road it might be worth the coaches and management planning out itineraries for each day, and getting into a regular regime that has athletes making less choices. For the athlete or team that is losing games, keep changes to a minimum and rely on the athletes' intuition, rather than have them over processing a new style of play.

For the full article in the NY Times follow the link here: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/08/21/magazine/do-you-suffer-from-decision-fatigue.html?pagewanted=all

New study on knee injury risk factors

2011-08-16T18:38:00.000-07:00

There's a new study just about to be published regarding risk factors for knee injuries. The JUMP-ACL group is an American research group that uses 5,000 people across 3 large U.S. military academies to understand more about what make people vulnerable to knee injuries, in particular Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) injuries.

In their latest study, the overwhelming risk factor identified in their analysis is having a history of a previous ACL injury. People who've already sustained an ACL injury are 6-7 times more likely to sustain another ACL compared to people who haven't.

Other risks factors identified include a body mass index (BMI) of greater than 22.5, strong hamstrings (which is a surprise), and poor biomechanics with landing from a jump. Many of these risk factors have been known for a while, but having a study that has looked at 5,000 people is first.

So it seems more important than ever for those who have sustained an ACL injury to not only complete their rehabilitation thoroughly, but also to engage in an on going injury prevention program such as the PEP Program or the FIFA11+ to help prevent future injuries.

For those who would like to listen to a podcast of an interview with the author of the study go here: http://podcasts.bmj.com/bjsm/2011/08/02/the-jump-acl-study-with-anthony-beutler/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+bjsm%2Fpodcasts+%28Latest+from+British+Journal+of+Sports+Medicine+podcasts%29

Physical inactivity: the biggest public health problem of the 21st century

2011-08-07T04:06:00.000-07:00

I was lucky enough to attend the Fred Better lecture this past week, an annual lecture put on by the Olympic Park Sports Medicine Centre honouring the late "father of Australian sports medicine" Dr Fred Better. This year's lecture was presented by Professor Karim Khan, and he discussed the importance of physical activity in the general population.

It's an area of increasing interest to me, and I was both shocked and encouraged by some of the evidence that is emerging. There is now very strong evidence that regular exercise has both important and wide ranging health benefits including reduced risk of heart disease, diabetes, and some cancers. Believe or not, low fitness kills more people than smoking, obesity, and diabetes combined. Yes, you read that correctly - combined.

Another study of men with type 2 diabetes has shown that obese men who were moderately/highly fit had less than half the risk of dying from cardiovascular disease than normal weight men who were unfit.

So rather than thinking about exercising to lose or maintain weight, people should exercise for fitness, as the activity will be very important to the person's health whether or not they lose the weight.

Professor Steven Blair has referred to physical inactivity as the biggest public health problem of the 21st century. If you'd like to read some of his work start here: http://bjsm.bmj.com/content/43/1/1.full

Ski Injury Prevention

2011-05-05T02:55:00.000-07:00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6vDtLpyVqYg

Practicing what you preach: Oxfam Trailwalker

2011-01-25T14:09:00.000-08:00

Late last year I was asked if I would like to do the Oxfam Trailwalker in Melbourne (thanks Brett!). The Oxfam Trailwalker is a 100km walk (or run) through mountainous terrain which must be completed within 48 hours. The Melbourne event is in early April.

Oxfam is a terrific cause, so the humanitarian side of me was very keen, but as a physiotherapist I often see people who develop injuries building for these endurance events, so I was initially reluctant.

If you want more info on the event and Oxfam, or you'd like to donate here's the link: Oxfam Trailwalker Melbourne Our team is the X-Men.

I decided it would be a great challenge for me for an excellent cause, so I signed up. I injured my knee 20 years ago as a teenager and required an ACL reconstruction. I haven't had any issues, but I know I have some early stage arthritis in the knee, so as well as applying the usual principles in building up my training for the event, I have to make sure I look after my knee. I have to now practice what I preach.

So here are some of the strategies I've employed to help me get to and complete the event in one piece:

1. Vary my walking and running training. I do one longer walk (and some jogging), and two shorter sessions each week. The longer walk in just time on my feet, and probably the most important session of the week. I make sure I feel fresh before I start this session and ensure my knee feels good and strong all the way through. The two shorter sessions are higher intensity, but I vary the speed, pace, and terrain to distribute the stress/load on my muscles and joints.

2. Cross train. Luckily I enjoy swimming, so I do 3 sessions in the pool each week. It gives my legs and knee a rest but helps with my aerobic fitness. If I had a little more time I would add a bike session in too.

3. Strengthen my legs. You can never have too much of a good thing, and muscle strength around joints with some wear and tear change is a good thing. A couple of times each week I do a series of squat (the arabesque squat below is a favourite), lunge, balance and hopping drills to improve the condition of my legs. Striking the balance between doing too much or too little here is important, so as I often say to my patients - "listen to the body". So far so good.

4. Recovery. The body needs time to recover and repair itself after exercise sessions. So I ensure I have at least 1 day between my shorter sessions, and have 2 days off my legs after my longer walk/jog. I also make sure I eat well, refueling with a low GI but high carbohydrate meal after each session. In the pool the following day I make sure I do some easy-moderate kicking work to help the legs recover too. I do some stretching of key muscle groups (such as the glut stretch below), but really should do more!

Oxfam also has some excellent generic training tips on their website: Oxfam training tips

Anyway, so far so good. The often used "he that fails to plan, plans to fail" is something that rings true with me and training for this event. It's a interesting experiment following my own advice, and something that I'm sure I learn from.

I let you know how I go.....

Is the end near for LARS?

2010-12-02T15:02:00.000-08:00

Last week David Rodan from the Port Adelaide Power re-injured his left knee in a traning mishap. David made headlines last year after returning quickly and very successfully from a LARS ACL reconstruction. The recent training mishap was apparently a 'minor' incident. "It was just a pretty innocuous movement which he has done a thousand times since he's had the operation," Port coach Matthew Primus said.

Rodan has undergone a second LARS ACL reconstruction this week.

The LARS procedure has gained much publicity in recent years. LARS (Ligament Augmentation Relacement System) uses an industrial strength polyester fibre which is threaded through the injured ACL. The LARS graft in theory is supposed to act as a scaffold for the native ACL to heal around it, but at the same time allow a quick return to sport as the synthetic graft is strong from day 1.

For more information on the LARS go to their webiste: http://www.larsligament.com/

The two issues that must be considered a blow for advocates of the LARS in Rodan's case are:

1. That it was reported that the LARS graft was 'frayed'. For this graft to fray with a minor incident less than a year after implantation is not a good sign. Back in the 1980's synthetic grafts became popular for a while until it was realised that the synthetic material failed in a relatively short time frame. Although the LARS uses a different material, maybe the lifespan of the graft is not as long as first thought.

2. That the native ACL in Rodan's knee must not have been healed well. For the surgeon to repeat the surgery both the synthetic graft and ACL must have been in bad shape.

Dr Peter Larkins made the following comments in the Herald Sun about Rodan's injury; "It's really unfortunate for David - it was the setback we were not wanting to have - but one of the major hesitations doctors have had with LARS is whether it's suitable for all types of sports. The fact he only got 11 months out of it suggests it probably isn't," Larkins said. "The demands on a knee in AFL footy are quite different from some of the other sports where LARS has got a good reputation in Europe. David's setback absolutely throws a question mark over this type of surgery for AFL players."

Time will tell whether the LARS is a fad or here to stay.

Swimming Injury Prevention Tips

2010-11-30T03:26:00.000-08:00

With the open water swimming and triathlon seasons just about to start here in Australia our swimming pools are busy places with many people building up their training.

For most, the only pain they feel is the burning in the back and shoulders during a tough session. But unfortunately, some people develop injuries from swimming. The most commonly injured body part in swimming is the shoulder, and the most common shoulder condition in known as swimmer’s shoulder (an impingement condition). Other body regions that are frequently injured in the swimmer are the neck, elbow, and lower back.

From my perspective most injuries in the pool are caused by either over training, poor posture, or a combination of both. I know it’s very boring to say, but build your training gradually. If you haven’t swum for some time I usually suggest 3 sessions per week is a good start. Try 30-40 minute sessions at a moderate intensity and keep your speed no greater than about 70% of your maximum for the first couple of months.

If you have been swimming for a while and want to build, use the “20% rule”. That is, only progress both your volume and intensity of your training by a maximum of 20% per week. Volume is easy to work out, but intensity is a subjective rating. One system we use in elite sport is to self-rate the ‘hardness’ of each training session out of 10, with 10 being the hardest-ever training session and 0 being no effort at all. Give yourself a total training hardness score for the each week, and apply the 20% rule.

Other than building your training gradually, my top 5 swimming injury prevention tips are:

1. Work on your technique

Swimming is about efficiency, not brut strength. The better you glide in the water, the less effort it is, and the lower your chance of injury. Start each session with a warm up, stretch, and some technique drills. Single arms, catch up, kicking, and sculling drills are great. Ask your/a coach or have a look at some videos on the web for some good drills. Also, don’t forget to kick! Although kicking only produces about 10% of the forward propulsion force, a good kick gets the body into a hydrodynamic position, reducing drag, and reducing the stress on the shoulders.

2. Take care when fatigued

Being fatigued is part of training. Fatigue in the right amount is a good thing, as it’s what makes you improve your condition. However muscular fatigue and poor technique in the pool is a bad combination. For most swimmers, when fatigue sets in their technique starts to falter, with the legs dropping in the water, additional side to side (snaking) movement, and a heavy and short stroke. All these things increase drag force, and that combined with muscular fatigue creates a sudden overload on the body parts mentioned above. The key to swimming in a fatigued state is to maintain your form. It’s a skill that can be learnt, but the harder things get, the more you need to concentrate on your stroke, body position, and efficiency. Think back to your technique drills during these phases, not only will it help you prevent injury, but you just might start swimming faster as well.

3. Improve your thoracic flexibility

The thoracic spine is the section of your spine between the base of your neck and the upper part of your lower back. The thoracic spine is the kingpin in swimming efficiency, and having enough thoracic extension (straightening) is of high importance. An extended thoracic spine during swimming allows for a great body position, takes stress of the neck and lower back, and opens up the shoulders increasing the space between top of the humerus (arm bone) and the acromium (tip of the shoulder) where impingement usually occurs. One test to see if you have enough thoracic extension is known as the combined elevation test. Try this: lay face down on the floor with your forehead on the ground and your arms up over your head joined at the hands like you’re going to dive into a pool. Keeping your head on the ground, lift your hands up into the air as far as you can. If you can’t lift your hands up you’re too stiff – get to work on improving your flexibility! My favourite thoracic extension exercise is in the video below.

4. Improve your posture (all the time!)

Good posture in the pool is important for swimming efficiency, and most of the time it’s easy to remember to adopt a good posture whilst swimming. However being hunched over the computer all day long, or sitting poorly in meetings for hours on end can tighten up muscles such as the pecs and hip flexors, and stiffness joints in the spine. Tightness and stiffness in these areas leads to a suboptimal position in the water, so being mindful of your posture throughout your day will benefit your swimming and reduce your chance of seeing someone like me. Once thing I say to many of my patients is to think about sitting or standing tall, just as if you’re having your height measured. This will bring your shoulders back, straighten up your thoracic spine, and bring back that forward pointing chin.

5. Know good pain from bad pain

There is such a thing as good pain, believe it or not! It’s also known as DOMS (Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness), which occurs in muscles that have undergone unaccustomed or intense exercise. DOMS is a minor form of muscle damage, but the muscle adapts (strengthens) in a response to prevent further damage. DOMS is generally accepted as being ‘good’. Most people know the feeling of DOMS, a dull ache in muscles usually a day to two after a heavy exercise session. Muscles are usually stiff and tender. DOMS is more common is weight-bearing sports, running especially, but it can occur in swimmers. This is good pain. Bad pain is pathological pain with people describing their pain sensations as catching, piercing, burning, or throbbing. With swimmers it’s important to distinguish these different types of pain particularly around the shoulders. Good pain is good, bad pain needs to be checked out sooner rather than later.

Self Massage

2010-11-26T20:10:00.000-08:00

Last year I asked Australian Olympic skier Katya Crema to help out with an article on self massage techniques. It was published in the Herald Sun in Melbourne. Have a read!

Hello

2010-11-26T16:18:00.000-08:00

G'day!

And welcome to my blog and extension of the Premax website. In this blog I hope to put together some coherent and useful views on current trends, topics, and issues related to our physical health and well being.

I'm looking forward to this blogging journey, and I hope you enjoy my posts.