Your Wellness Nerd

[sven_inc]

Hey everyone.

If you haven't seen me around the traps, I'm a passionate Physio who's really interested in trying to better understand the root cause of common injuries and issues. Obviously, this closely relates to the AFL and I've popped up in a few places hoping to help others better understand why issues happen in the AFL.

I've got a blog dedicated to putting out what I'm finding out about injuries and issues as I feel like I've gained a unique perspective on things.

This is my blog: Your Wellness Nerd
And here is my YouTube channel: YouTube

I'm putting out content frequently and hope it's both interesting and useful for anyone struggling with their own issues, or wanting to better understand those that happen in the AFL.

Here are some articles that have been really popular so far:
- Hamstring Injuries: Why all Hamstring Injuries are Back-Related (Focus on Cyril Rioli)
- ACL Injuries: Why ACL Injuries aren't an Accident and Likely a Consequence of Ankle Stiffness (Focus on Nic Nat)
- Why You Shouldn't Ice and Injury
- Patella Tendonitis: Why Patella Tendonitis is Back-Related (Focus on Jaeger O'Meara

2

Jaeger O'meara

Age

30

Ht

184cm

Wt

84kg

Pos.

Mid

Career

Season

Last 5

D

22.9

5star

K

12.4

5star

HB

10.6

5star

M

3.7

4star

T

5.5

5star

CL

4.8

5star

D

20.9

5star

K

13.0

5star

HB

7.9

4star

M

3.6

4star

T

4.0

5star

CL

5.0

5star

D

19.4

5star

K

11.4

4star

HB

8.0

5star

M

4.0

4star

T

4.0

5star

CL

4.6

5star

)
- Muscle Cramps: Why They May Have Everything to Do With the Spine

If people find these useful I'd love to keep adding more as well as other broader content.

Hope they help!

An updated list of links:
- How to do the Couch Stretch - One of the Best Exercises You'll Ever Do
- Why I'm at Odds With Evidence-Based Practice
- Why Knee Pain Should Be Considered a Consequence of Something Else

YouTube:
- YouTube AMA: Ask Me Anything about your aches, pains, and injuries.
- Patellofemoral Pain: The Root Cause & Exercises to Address it
- Calf Pain: Treat Your Symptoms & Its Root Cause
- Muscle Cramps: There is a Hidden Cause!
- Frozen Shoulder: Hugely Effective Exercise & Underlying Cause
- Flat Feet: Why The Are More Than Just a Foot Problem
- Gluteal Tendonitis: How to Locate and Solve its Root Cause
- Why Stretching is Ultimately Ineffective if You Aren't Doing This...
- Osteitis Pubis: 2 Hugely Helpful Exercises that Go After its Root Cause
- Meniscus Injury: Exercises for Symptoms & Cause
- Biceps Tendonitis: The Two Areas that Set the Bicep Up to Fail
- Hip Flexor Pain: Exercises for the Hip and its Cause
- Plantar Fasciitis: 3 Exercises to Fix the Cause of Plantar Fasciitis
- ITB Syndrome: 3 Exercises to Help Solve Your ITB
- Top 5 Stretches to Prevent and Help Solve Running Injuries
- RSI: Why it's More Than a Repetitive Strain Injury
- Achilles Tendonitis: How to Self-Treat it at Home
- Common Misconception About Good Posture
- Tight Piriformis: How to Stop it From Coming Back
- Golfer's Elbow: Why It Has Everything to Do With the Neck
- Couch Stretch: One of THE Best Exercises. Period.
- Clicking Ankles: How to Fix The For Good
- Proximal Hamstring Pain: Cause and Fix Explained
- Thoracic Outlet Syndrome: Effective Ways to Self-Treat a Tricky Condition
- Heat vs Ice: Which is Better For Pain and Injury?
- Why Thongs are Junk Food for Your Feet
- AC Joint Injuries: Why a Stiff Upper Back Can Set You Up to Fail
- Hip Impingement (FAI): One Highly Effective to Help With FAI
- Acute Back Pain: A 7-Step Action Plan to Get You Back to Normal
- Anterior Shoulder Pain: Hidden Cause and Crucial Exercises
- Chest Muscle Tightness: Why it's Back-Related (and How to Fix it)
- Ankle Impingement: Important Exercises to Try
- Core Activation: How to Brace Your Spine Effectively
- Shoulder Blade Pain: How to Solve it For Good!
- Foot Muscle Cramps: The Underlying Cause and How to Fix
- Scapular Winging: 5 Must-Do Exercises
- Tennis Elbow: Why its Neck-Related
- Clicking Knees: How to Silence them for Good!
- Why Regular Stretching Just Doesn't Work (and What to do Instead)
- Knee Taping: One Simple & Versatile Technique to Decrease Pain & Improve Knee Function
- Banded Shoulder Stretches: Easily Some of the Most Effective Shoulder Stretches
- How to Properly Foam Roll Your ITB (Hint: Don't Roll)
- How to Tape Flat Feet.
- Shoulder Internal Rotation Stretches: The Missing Ingredient to Most Shoulder Injuries
- Tennis Ball Back Pain Exercise
- Patella Tendonitis: Why it's Back-Related (and What You Can Do)
- Hip Flexor Tightness: How to Fix it For Good
- Sports Hernia: Are You Missing This Underlying Cause?

 

[sven_inc]

If anyone is struggling with any form of hip pain, knee pain, or back pain give the Couch Stretch a try. It's easily one of the best stretches due to its versatility and ability to make an immediate impact on tightness and stiffness. Here's the rundown:

The Couch Stretch: How to Do One of the Best Exercises for Knee Pain,

The Couch Stretch is one of the best exercises to add to any mobility routine. It's as versatile as it is effective and does not disappoint!

yourwellnessnerd.com

 

[sven_inc]

For those dealing with Patello-Femoral Joint pain, here is the broader underlying cause, and how to go about resolving it!

 

[sven_inc]

With Orazio Fantasia and Jonno Patton succumbing to calf issues this week, here's a video I put together discussing ways to treat some of the hidden features associated with calf injuries. As always its almost more important to go looking away from the calf (the ankle, hip, low back etc) for clues as to why those calves aren't tolerating the very things they're designed to do. Hope it's interesting!

 

[sven_inc]

From what I see clinically, we often take a really narrow focus towards Achilles Tendonitis. I mean, your Achilles hurts so we spend the majority of our time treating the Achilles. However, the root cause of Achilles Tendonitis means we need to look at the entire leg or risk missing the bigger picture entirely.

Here's what I've come to understand about how a dysfunctional leg sets the Achilles up to become sore:

Why the Best Treatment For Achilles Tendonitis Involves the Whole Leg - Your Wellness Nerd

Your Achilles tendonitis is more than just an injured Achilles. Find out which mechanical issues directly set your Achilles up to fail and how to fix them.

yourwellnessnerd.com

 

[sven_inc]

This one is more for those who value research in any kind of decision making or professional field. In my field, Evidence-Based Practice rules. And rightfully so. However, from what I see clinically, and from the impression I get from the wider industry, the balance may be completely off.

Not only do we seem to place far too much importance on the results of studies, but we do so at the expense of clinical expertise and patient feedback. Not only this, but the environment around the "show me the research" culture is becoming increasingly toxic.

Here's why I'm currently at odds with the current Evidence-Based model:

Why I'm At Odds With Evidence-Based Practice in 2021 - Your Wellness Nerd

Evidence based practice is critical to support clinical decision making. But it feels seriously unbalanced at the moment. Here's why I'm at odds with it:

yourwellnessnerd.com

 

[sven_inc]

If anyone is struggling to shake their knee pain, here is some important information to know. Any knee pain must be considered within the context of the broader leg itself. So much so, that I find the majority of all knee pain (trauma or no trauma) is a consequence of something else not working properly. Here's why!

Why Knee Pain is a Consequence of Something Else

The true cause of knee pain can present as a mystery. Interestingly, most non-traumatic knee pain is a consequence of something else. Here's why:

yourwellnessnerd.com

 

[sven_inc]

One concept I think that will evolve a little over the next few years is our understanding of the root cause of muscle cramps. For me, the current model of thinking feels like it's missing a few layers. For example, when we think cramping, we often default to the usual ideas - dehydration, deconditioning, lack of electrolytes, heat, etc. However, these ideas are broad, systemic ideas and aren't specific enough to explain why a calf or hamstring cramps. Technically, if the above ideas were all cramping is, then we should see a full body cramp in theory, not a highly specific area or two. Interestingly, I'm finding that cramping relates to spinal dysfunction. The level and side of spinal dysfunction matches up with the area of the body that's been cramping. Here's more!

 

[sven_inc]

A frozen shoulder can be just as frustrating as it is persistent. But for anyone struggling with a stiff shoulder - a la Ablett from a few years back - there are some really simple things you can do to try and wrestle back your function. Here's one super-powerful, yet ridiculously simple shoulder joint stretch to try and some info on a cause of frozen shoulders.

 

[sven_inc]

Flat feet are closely linked to a number of foot, ankle, knee, hip, and even lower back concerns - all of which are commonplace within the AFL. As a result, the industry often focuses on trying to correct the arch itself. However, it might surprise you to know that flat feet are not just a foot problem, they're actually the end result of a broader issue with your leg mechanics. Here's why!

https://youtu.be/-CKcOn6ycKY

 

[sven_inc]

Anyone with some lateral hip pain or gluteal tendonitis? From what I find clinically, the root cause of this pain has everything to do with some subtle low back dysfunction - an area often missed when trying to treat the more specific hip symptoms. So if you or someone you know is having some hip pain, make sure they're having their low back assessed for some covert stiffness and tightness that might be setting the hip up to fail. Here's another simple video to help explain things further, hope it helps!

 

[sven_inc]

Stretching is an interesting concept. Currently, we stretch and keep stretching without necessarily ever getting to the point where we don't have to do it anymore. It can become a vicious cycle highlighted by a lack of meaningful progress. In today's video, I discuss why it's important to look for the hidden underlying cause of muscle tightness - associated weakness, deeper joint stiffness, poor mechanics, or posture if you're hoping to stop needing to stretch altogether!

 

[sven_inc]

Osteitis Pubis (OP) can debilitate even the best athlete in the AFL. Thankfully it doesn't appear as common in the AFl as it once was even though Joey Daniher hasn't had a great time of it recently. In this video, I discuss why we need to take a slight step back from our usual symptomatic treatments and exercises, and instead add in some exercises that address some of the more hidden root causes. Clinically, I find low back dysfunction and hip stiffness plays a huge role in the onset and persistence of OP. Genuinely hope this helps anyone struggling to overcome a very nasty condition!

 

[sven_inc]

If you're dealing with a Meniscus injury, think of it as more than just a knee issue. If your ankles are stiff and hips tight, the knee is constantly set up for failure long-term. Here are some exercises to help both the root cause and your meniscal symptoms:

 

[sven_inc]

Does anyone have a sore shoulder/biceps tendon? From what I find clinically, Biceps Tendonitis has much to with a stiff upper back and a lack of shoulder internal rotation. These restrictions change the way we load the shoulder, setting the bicep tendon up to fail. Here's a video that hopes to add some important depth to your recovery by focusing on the broader issues at play!

 

[sven_inc]

If you're having issues with hip flexor pain, here are some hugely effective ideas to consider. These exercises go after the pain itself, but also the potential reason for it being there in the first place.

 

[sven_inc]

Plantar Fasciitis (PF) can become a really frustrating issue for a lot of people. Clinically, I find the main reason for this is that we often neglect the bigger picture as to why PF occurs. AFL footballers are by no means immune to PF, but the reason why they get it is no different from anyone else. So its really important to not only treat your PF symptoms but work hard on rectifying their original cause as well!

 

[sven_inc]

ITB syndrome is usually met with a range of knee-specific exercises. In this video, I cover three really helpful exercises that look to address the underlying cause of any ITB pain to provide long-term relief!

 

[sven_inc]

Running injuries are an interesting thing. Many of them occur while running, but not BECAUSE we run. Often, running doesn't create something new, it just exposes some hidden dysfunction we've taken into running. And this is particularly important considering how often our AFL players are injured without contact.

In this video, I go over five really important stretches that aim to short-circuit some of the most common areas that set us up for injury when we go out and run around.

 

[sven_inc]

RSI is far more than just local repetitive strain. In fact, it has much to do with dysfunction in the neck and upper back. Here are some things to help anyone with a repetitive strain injury!

 

[sven_inc]

Achilles Tendonitis is more than just a sore Achilles tendon. It's often a consequence of how your broader leg is actually moving. So, in order to conquer a sore Achilles, we need to make sure the broader leg is dong what it should. Here are some things to do at home to correct the way you load that Achilles tendon allowing it to recover more quickly.

 

[sven_inc]

One of the most common misconceptions around good posture is that it requires you to pull your shoulders back and DOWN. Interestingly, when considering the direction our shoulders go when slouching thanks to gravity, we actually need to pull them back and slightly up! Here's why:

 

[sven_inc]

Solving muscle tightness & tenderness takes perspective. Here's how to fix one of the most common areas of tightness & tenderness on the human body - the piriformis. Watch it go away, and more importantly, STAY AWAY with these few simple exercises and ideas!

- Grant

 

[sven_inc]

Golfer's Elbow has so much more to do with the neck than many people realize. Here's something to help anyone struggling to overcome their Golfer's Elbow gain a little more perspective and some added answers!

 

[sven_inc]

Here's a little insight into why I think the majority of leg muscle cramps are an expression of back dysfunction. It seems so obvious but also often missed!

Why Leg Muscle Cramps are Back-Related

Clinically, the hidden, underlying cause of leg muscle cramps may actually be low back dysfunction. Here's why and what you can do about it!

yourwellnessnerd.com