My Blog
Use your head – Shakti Headbands
Many of you will be aware of the very popular Shakti Mat. If you haven't already seen our blog about these, you can check it out here Shakti also make a headband! We are all big fans here and wanted to share our experience with you.The Shakti Headband I received my...
Sleep and pain, pain and sleep Part 1
Photo: https://pixabay.com/images/id-993059/ The value of sleep cannot be overstated enough! There’s a reason that it’s one of the so-called 4 main determinants of health (along with exercise, nutrition, and social connections). While a lot of people know what it is...
Pain and stress – how it affects your body in lockdown
Pain and stress in lockdown (and tsunami evacuations!) Here, André offers his professional explanation of how stressful situations can bring on body pain. André teaches Pain Science on the osteopathy course in New Zealand. He shares some hints and understanding of how...
Inspiring stories: Cycling over 3000km after back surgery!
Simon and Lyndal cycled the Tour of Aotearoa this February. They are both back surgery patients who had chronic pain. They had to give up their jobs prior to the surgery as it was debilitating. Hear their story of how they transformed their lives. We sponsored them...
Google Scholar. The better version of Google.
Photo credit: Image by Wolfgang Claussen from Pixabay Here's how it plays out in the clinic. Patient: I have sciatica. Ben: Let's see if it is sciatica and we can do some testing. Patient: Google told me that it's 'sciatica' because the symptoms match. Ben: Well, leg...
Movement Hacks: Exams and studying – modifiable desk.
I've been using a beer crate for three years. My body feels amazing. I can now squat and sit cross-legged without any knee pain. I don't need to mobilise or stretch after work because I do it all day. I am an endurance athlete and I rely on this daily practice for my...
It’s Spring!
Spring Photo Credit. It has been an absolutely magic day. Though Spring has been revealing itself quietly, in verdant leaf shoots and insects we haven’t seen since this time last year, it feels like something has truly clicked over. As I harvest the first...
The Shakti Acupressure Mat – find your health through plastic nails!
The Shakti Acupressure Mat. A question I get a lot is ‘are the Shakti mats any good?’ Firstly, for people who haven’t heard of the now pretty popular Shakti Mat. It as an acupressure mat that simulates lying on a bed of nails. A method used in eastern...
Ice is out! No more icing your sprained ankle.
I am an endurance athlete. Most of you know that. I loved icing my muscles after training, racing and whenever I sprained a joint. I LOVED IT!!!! When I came to New Zealand six years ago I was confronted with the idea, from a wise student of...