Melanie Botha Biokineticist

Go check out these cool iniatives on the following websites https://www.worldobesityday.org/resources/entry/conversation-cards
Conversation cards that you can download, read facts and discuss among colleagues, friends, family (or healthcare provider) about different facts and stigmas of obesity !
There are various biological, psycho-social and structural factors that contribute to an individual becoming overweight or obese.

was on 4 March 2023



Obesity is one of the biggest health crises we face globally, as it can increase your risk for serious diseases like heart disease, cancer & diabetes. Obesity has a negative impact on your joints, which leads to other injuries. Obesity has a tremendous impact on your emotional and psychological well-being ! It has a significant effect on your family and children as well !
So lets talk about it, how can we work together to make a healthier, happier you !

P***c Symphysis Disorder in Pregnancy

Some women may develop pelvic pain in pregnancy. This is sometimes called pregnancy-related pelvic girdle pain (PGP) or symphysis p***s dysfunction (SPD). PGP is a collection of uncomfortable symptoms caused by a stiffness of your pelvic joints or the joints moving unevenly at either the back or front of your pelvis.

Symphysis p***s dysfunction refers to symptoms you feel when the joint between your left and right pelvic bones (p***c symphysis) allows for more movement than usual. Ligaments hold the joint in place so that your pelvic bones aren’t able to move or shift past the point of comfort. During pregnancy, due to hormonal changes, these ligaments loosen, so that the joint becomes flexible enough for your pelvic bones to widen during delivery. All the additional movement in your pelvis can be painful. The pain usually goes away after you’ve had your baby.

The most commonly experienced symptoms are:
- pain in the front center of your p***c bone
- pain in your lower back on one or both sides
- pain in your perineum, the area between the a**s and va**na

A biokineticst can help minimise your pain by improving muscle function, your pelvic joint stability and position, these include exercises to strengthen your pelvic floor, hips, abdominals and back.

Pregnancy Awareness Week 6-10 February 2023

It’s Pregnancy awareness week!

Exercising safely with a qualified biokineticist can not only ensure that you can continue your training but can also assist with conditions such as sciatica, diatasis recti (during and after pregnancy), P***c Symphysis Disorder and Gestational diabetes, to name a few.
Don’t stop your exercise, find a way to do it safely!

Find a biokineticist near you, through our website, who can assist you on this journey

Monday morning encouragement !

28 October - 3 November is Stroke Awareness Week!!

A Stroke can be best described as a "Brain attack"! It occurs when the blood supply to the brain is disrupted and results in an Oxygen need (starvation) that leads to brain damage and loss of function. A stroke can also be caused by a Haemorrhage when a burst vessel causes blood leaking into the brain.

What is expected after a Stroke?
• Loss in Balance and finer motor control (Gait)
• Partial Paralysis
• Impaired Speech, Comprehension and Memory loss

The type and severity of disability is dependent on the part of the brain affected as well as the length of time the blood supply has been stopped.

An efficient way of identifying a stroke is to apply the acronym "F.A.S.T.:
F - FACE (Droopy with a smile?)
A - ARMS (Raising arms at the same level?)
S - SPEECH (Slurry speech?)
T - TIME (Time recorder of above symptoms and call for help)

1 out of 4 adults over the age of 25 years will have a stroke in their lifetime according to WSO (Word Stroke Organization).

Stroke Rehabilitation will be physical activities that includes:
• Motor-skill exercise
• Mobility training
• Constraint-induced Therapy
• Range-of-Motion Therapy
• Functional Stimulation

Rehabilitation after a Stroke is crucial, researchers found that people who participate in a focused stroke rehabilitation program perform better than most people who don't have stroke rehabilitation.

To find a Biokineticist visit www.biokineticsSA.org.za or contact us on +27 (0) 12 644 1506

Be F.A.S.T

Educate yourself on the signs and symptoms of a stroke
Make the changes to minimize the risk for cardiovasciular diseases and a stroke

Osteoperosis can be prevented and treated !!

The 20th of October is World Osteoporosis Day.


Osteoporosis is a disease which makes bones weak and fragile.

Throughout life, bone is constantly being renewed, with new bone replacing old bone. For people with osteoporosis, more and more bone is lost instead of being replaced. This condition increases your predisposition to sustain a fracture with minor falls or bumps. Certain fractures can result in long-term disabilities and can even be life-threatening.

Exercise plays a vital role in bone health and osteoporosis prevention - The best exercises are weight-bearing and weight-training exercises that stress the muscles and bones.

A Biokineticist is a health professional who can give expert advice and develop exercise programmes tailored to a patient’s specific needs.

Find a Biokineticst who can help you increase your bone health at www.Biokineticssa.org.za

16 October is World Spine Day. This year, the theme , highlights the diverse challenges of living with low back pain in all regions, cultures, backgrounds, and across the life course; prioritizing a condition that is more prevalent than cancer, stroke, heart disease, diabetes and Alzheimer’s Disease combined.

Back pain is one of the most common reasons for missed work. In fact, back pain is the second most common reason for visits to the doctor’s office, outnumbered only by upper-respiratory infections.

Experts estimate that as much as 80% of the population will experience a back problem at some point in their lives. Most cases of back pain are mechanical or non-organic—meaning they are not caused by serious conditions, such as inflammatory arthritis, infection, fracture or cancer.

Did you know that Biokinetics uses exercise and movement as a modality for scientifically proven, individualised treatment yielding excellent results?

Find a Bio near you and look after your spine:
www.biokineticsSA.org.za

The feeling of tightness.. great article !

🤨 Why do muscles feel tight? ⁠ Does that mean they are short? ⁠
Or that they can’t relax? ⁠
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🤷🏻‍♂️ And what can you do about it?⁠
⁠
⬇️ Find all the answers in this vastly popular blog by Todd Hargrove

👉🏻 https://www.physio-network.com/blog/why-do-muscles-feel-tight/

What is Arthritis?
- Refers to joint pain or joint disease.
- Symptoms include swelling, pain, stiffness and a decrease in range of motion in
joints.
- Arthritis can also cause permanent joint changes.

Types of Arthritis:
1. Osteoarthritis (OA) by far the most common type of arthritis
2. Autoimmune Inflammatory Arthritis
3. Infectious Arthritis:
4. Gout (Metabolic Arthritis):

What You Can Do:
- Get an accurate diagnosis of what’s causing your joint pain.
- Talk to your primary care doctor about your symptoms.
- Physical activity is a way to manage and reduce arthritis pain and decrease the
likelihood of activity limitations. Talk to a Biokineticist for more information.

A Biokineticist will provide a scientific based exercise program. They will provide exercise guidelines like:
- Start low, go slow.
- Modify activity when arthritis symptoms increase, try to stay active.
- Activities should be “joint friendly.”
- Recognise safe places and ways to be active.

The scientific based exercise program will consist of:
- Joint-friendly activities which put less stress on the body. Examples of joint-
friendly activities include walking, biking and swimming.
- Muscle-strengthening exercises like working with resistance bands and Pilates.
- Flexibility exercises like stretching and yoga are also important for people with
arthritis.
- Balance exercises like walking backwards, standing on one foot, and tai chi are
important for those who are at a risk of falling or have trouble walking.
- A water exercise program is also ideal for people with arthritis and related
conditions. It includes joint range of motion, stretching, breathing, and light
aerobic activities.

Today is World Heart Day, so let’s talk about exercise and heart health.⁠
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Heart disease is Australia’s biggest killer, but it’s often preventable through healthy lifestyle choices. Exercise is one key component!⁠
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Research shows that exercise can help to reduce your risk of developing heart disease, but it can also help with health outcomes if you’ve been diagnosed with cardiovascular disease. ⁠
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In fact, one study looked at cardiorespiratory fitness in people with cardiovascular disease (CVD) and found that those with higher fitness levels significantly reduced their risk of premature death (from both CVD and all causes) compared to their unfit counterparts.⁠
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If you are at risk of or have been diagnosed with heart disease, starting exercise might feel overwhelming. You may be unsure what’s safe or have no idea where to start.⁠
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An Accredited Exercise Physiologist is an allied health professional who is specially trained to prescribe exercise for people living with chronic conditions. They can help you to get you moving safely and create a program that suits your fitness level, goals and health status. To find one near you, visit www.essa.org.au/find-aep. ⁠
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doi.org/10.1016/j.jshs.2021.06.004

Today is World Alzheimer’s Day, so let’s look at the link between physical activity and conditions like Alzheimer’s and dementia.⁠
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A growing body of evidence has found that exercise plays a crucial role in brain health, especially as you age. It not only boosts cognitive performance but can also protect against a range of brain conditions.⁠
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One systematic review collated evidence from 163,000 people and found that those with the highest physical activity levels also had the least relative risk of dementia. They found that the risk of dementia and Alzheimer’s Disease can be lowered by 28% and 45% respectively with physical activity.⁠
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Want to protect your brain? MOVE MORE! 🧠

"Women of all ages who get enough physical
activity can reduce their risk of heart disease and cancer — the
most common diseases women have to worry about."

For more encouragment, check out this infographic from the US DHHS Office on Women's Health (just the top portion is shown below): https://owh-wh-d9-dev.s3.amazonaws.com/s3fs-public/documents/nwhw_infographic_get-active.pdf (or access here: https://www.womenshealth.gov/patient-materials/resource/infographics)

World Duchenne Awareness Day is observed every year on September 7. An initiative by the World Duchenne Organization, this day aims to raise awareness about Duchenne and Becker Muscular Dystrophy. Caused by mutations in the dystrophin genes, these are devastating genetic conditions that produce symptoms such as learning disabilities, frequent falls, waddling gait, and many more. It significantly impairs one’s ability to function normally in their daily life.

A Biokineticist can perform a clinical assessment, and prescribe scientifically proven, individualised exercise for strength, fitness, balance, and maintenance and improvement of physical abilities.

Find a Biokineticist on www.biokineticssa.org.za

Exercise post polio is an important component of a patients recovery.

Exercise aims to increase muscle strength, cardiorespiratory fitness and will add to a patients sense of wellbeing. Muscle weakness must be addressed and exercises are constructed accordingly to build stamina and reduce fatigue.

Find a Bio near you to assist with treatment of disease, or the effects thereof on www.biokineticssa.org.za.

Today is Osteoathritis Awareness Day! Let us look at protecting your joints:

- FACT! Exercise does not wear out joints, but rather strengthens and protects them.
- Always warm-up and cool down when engaging in physical activity - Skipping your warm-up can put your joints at a higher risk of strain and overloading on your muscles and joints, putting them at risk for injury.
- Listen to your body’s cues - Joint pain after exercise is telling you there is something wrong (we suggest then to consult with a Biokineticist to prescribe an individualised program).
- Balancing low-impact exercises with your higher impact activities to strengthen the muscles that help protect your joints.
- Increase the flexibility of your joints by warming and stretching before and after exercise - When a joint is stiff, it can alter the stresses seen during activities and it’s more prone to swelling, which can weaken the muscles protecting the joint.
- Plan to quit smoking - Smoking and to***co use are risk factors for cardiovascular problems to cancer and can hamper your joints.
- Replace energy drinks and soda with water - Water makes up about 80 percent of your body’s cartilage (the flexible, connective tissue that cushions your joints).
- Don’t let extra weight overtax your joints
- Wear the right shoes - Regardless of the activity, shoes should provide cushioning, stability, and comfort while being flexible.

Find a Biokineticist on www.biokineticssa.org.za to assist you in preventing or treating osteoarthritic conditions.

A lot of people living with knee pain avoid exercise, particularly walking, because they worry it will make their pain worse. But yet another study has shown this isn’t the case.

The new research looked at over 50s living with knee osteoarthritis and found that walking a few extra steps a day can actually help to manage pain. In fact, those who reported walking for exercise had 40% decreased odds of new frequent knee pain compared to non-walkers.

Findings from the study also indicate that walking for exercise may be an effective treatment to slow the damage that occurs within the joint.

Living with osteoarthritis and not sure how to start moving safely? An Accredited Exercise Physiologist can help! Visit essa.org.au/find-aep to find one near you.

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DOI: 10.1002/art.42241

Dit word beter.....

Kaalvoetkinders se skoolskoene pas nie reg – navorsing | Maroela Media Talle kinders in Suid-Afrika loop die risiko om voetafwykings te ontwikkel omdat hulle skoolskoene dra wat nie behoorlik pas nie.

Anaerobiese intensiteit..

Hypertension is a serious medical condition in which the force of the blood against the blood vessels and heart are too high.

Hypertension significantly increase one’s risk for developing heart and kidney diseases as well as a stroke.

Hypertension is diagnosed when a person has a systolic blood pressure of ≥ 140 mmHg and/ a diastolic blood pressure of ≥ 90 mmHg measured on two different days.

PHYSICAL ACTIVITY is important in the prevention and management of hypertension by addressing certain risk factors like overweight, obesity and physical inactivity.

Regular physical activity makes the heart stronger, enabling it to pump more blood with less effort – the force of the blood on the blood vessels therefore decreases and lower the blood pressure. It also lowers your cholesterol and weight which is beneficial in treatment of Hypertension.

Biokineticists can:
* Help you to plan your exercise program properly without adding additional strain on your heart.
* Help you to detect changes in your blood pressure leading to early diagnosis and treatment
* Regularly check your blood pressure prior to, during and after exercise to ensure safe exercise participation
* Help you with the correct breathing techniques to avoid increases in blood pressure during resistance exercises
* Help you to choose the appropriate weight for resistance exercises and the correct intensity for aerobic exercises
* Detect adverse signs and symptoms that requires exercise to be stopped and medical intervention to take place

To find a Biokineticist near your visit the BASA website at: www.Biokineticssa.org.za