It's becoming increasingly obvious that social media does a lot of harm to our productivity, to our attention span, to our sense of self worth, and a lot more besides. I recently learned that there are companies which hire out scenic backgrounds to people for a photo shoot (e.g. one is set up to look like the interior of a private plane) . This is so the client can make it appear that they live a lavish and successful lifestyle, despite what is clearly a more pschologically grim reality. When pressure to look good is driving people to such lengths, I think it is true that we should be trying to lessen our time on social media. Even if we are not going as far as these companies and their clients, it's unlikely we are "immune" to at least some negative effects. Many friends of mine have deleted their social media for this reason. However there are people out there trying to use these platforms for good, and I would like to make you aware of some of them. Many of these individuals are not related to physiotherapy but to health in general, as good physiotherapy is intertwined with sustainable healthy living both physically and mentally. So here we go!
INSTAGRAM @JUST4KICKSBOSTON - BEST FOR YOUNG ATHLETES LOOKING TO MINIMISE LEG INJURY RISK
Julie Hubbard is a physical therapist who works in the renowned Cressey Sporting Performance gym stateside. Her content is simple but informative, and speaks specifically about common sports injuries as well as solid injury prevention advice. While all of her content is great, her post on the FIFA 11+ injury prevention prgramme is absolutely essential viewing for every young athlete and their coach, available for free and for all at the following link: https://www.instagram.com/p/CI7_rMUpHFH/
INSTAGRAM @APFAU - BUILDING A BASIC AND EFFECTIVE GYM PROGRAMME FOR YOURSELF
It is well known at this point that in order to be as healthy as possible, it is necessary to perform some sort of resistance (i.e.weight) training at least twice a week. However, this is much easier said than done. What exercises should you choose, and how do you know if you are performing them correctly? Adam puts out high quality advice and content which is hugely educational while also being concise and easy to understand. If you are new to the fitness lifestyle there is no better place to start your search than here. Adam is someone I recommend to patients all the time, especially teenagers sho ask about gym exercise or who have had back pain.
INSTAGRAM @DR.SAMSPINELLI - FINDING NEW EXERCISES AND GYM ROUTINES
Dr. Sam Spinelli is a strength coach and physical therapist in Canada, and has a phenomenal attitude towards fitness in that he tries to avoid the pitfall of exercise which is that if you focus on one type of exercise exclusively, you will lose other physical skills, e.g. a rower will become quite poor runner, a powerlifter might struggle with jumping and expolosive work, etc.. Sam tries to be a very versatile athlete while also constantly experimenting with new types of exercise and routine to find the most effective programmes and training methods for his clients and other therapists. I have to admit I've gotten quite a few exercise ideas from him! You can sign up to be sent regular gym programmes at citizenathletics.com, which he co-runs with Dr. Teddi Willsey who is also well worth a follow (@stengthcoachtherapy). If you're bored with your gym routine and want a programme which will make you stronger and more athletic while simultaneously making you less likely to experience injury, these are the guys for you.
INSTAGRAM @REHABSCIENCE - LEARN ABOUT COMMON CONDITIONS AND HOW TO START THEIR REHAB
Dr. Tom Walters is a physical therapist in the U.S. who regularly puts up excellent information on common painful conditions such as tennis elbow, ankle sprains, atraumatic back pain, hip arthritis and much more. He also demonstrates some basic exercises for each area to get you started on the road to recovery, all in a very understandable and easy to implement way. If you find the body interesting or just enjoy health and fitness in general, give him a follow (@rehabscience).
YOUTUBE @JEFFNIPPARD - THE BEST SCIENTIFICALLY EVIDENCED GYM & FITNESS ADVICE ON THE INTERNET
What is the one true superfood? Kiwi fruit. Does a high protein diet really put you at risk of kidney damage? No. Where should your elbows be in relation to your wrists when you're doing bicep curls? It depends.
Over the years Jeff had answered hundreds of questions on niche topics through careful and unbiased examination of scientific studies, always summarising their collective findings in a thorough, simple way. To be honest, after watching some of his videos I have more than once found myself thinking "how come I never questioned that before? Therefore, I can't recommend Jeff enough.
TWITTER @SHOULDERGEEK1 - THE AUTHORITATIVE FIGURE ON PHYSIOTHERAPY FOR SHOULDERS.
Jo Gibson is one of the world's leading shoulder specialists, and most of my own philosophies on rehabbing one of the most complicated areas of the body come directly from her. While her online discussion is often a little too advanced for a layperson, to be honest Jo puts the rest of us to shame in terms of her knowledge and experience. If you want to learn more about shoulders, have a craving to see how physios discuss problems and scenarios with each other, or if you are a physio reading this, you should already be following Jo.
@BRETCONTRERAS1 - FOR EVERYTHING YOU COULD EVER NEED TO KNOW ON GLUTE DEVELOPMENT
The glutes are a hugely important part of health and performance, protecting the knees and back while also generating huge amounts of force relative to other body parts when engaged in activity. Therefore training them is hugely beneficial for preventing pain but also improving athletic performance, but in many people they are often an underdeveloped area. Bret has dedicated most of his life to training "the booty", with huge success, and many of the glute exercises you see people doing in the gym were conceptualised by him, most famously the hip thrust which is a progression of glute bridging. His catalogue of exercises is huge, and the thing with glute exercises is that different exercises are effective to differing levels depending on your anatomy and genetics. Because of that, it's recommended you try lots of the different options available, and the exercises you feel in your glutes the most are the ones that will give you the most benefit over time.
And there you have it! Thanks for reading to the end, and remember any feedback is welcome.
Stay Healthy!
Mike.