Physio via Instagram: Is that really possible?

von Vanessa Lämmle

18.08.2024, 15:05

6 Min.

Can it work: physiotherapy via Instagram? Physiotherapist Vanessa Lämmle explains what we need to pay attention to when we treat our pain ourselves.

Brigitte: Physiotherapy at home is really popular right now. Your Instagram account @muskelundverstand alone has more than 180,000 followers. How come?

Vanessa Lämmle: Many people have very little time and are looking for exercises that they can do easily and with little effort at home. Social media now offers a very wide range of options. In many physiotherapy practices, there are now waiting times of several weeks. When you have acute pain, many people don’t want to wait that long and prefer to start treating it themselves.

Isn’t it risky if I treat myself?

I always write in my exercises that if you have acute complaints you should consult a doctor beforehand. But my focus is more on typical aches and pains that annoy us in everyday life: Tension in the back, shoulders or neck, for example, where simple exercises provide quick relief. There’s not much you can do wrong. But if nothing happens for a long time, or if you experience pain during movement, or a joint becomes inflamed and warm, I recommend getting it checked out.

What are the biggest pain points of your followers?

The topic of lower Back is actually always present – ​​I am often asked for tips on how to deal with the pain.

Is this because more and more people are walking through the world hunched over, with their cell phones hanging down, a hollow back, etc.?

Yes, the main problem is clearly our modern working world. We sit for too long – 9.2 hours a day. And many people move even less when working from home than in the office. When we sit, we use our smartphones on top, and here too we see the typical bent-over posture: looking downwards, rounded at the front, the chest muscles and hip flexors are constantly in this approximate position. This one-sided posture is the main problem – it means that in everyday life the same muscles are often active, while others are hardly ever used.

Many then take this attitude with them into their everyday life and their sport. This often makes the symptoms even worse. Our body compensates a lot, but at some point this capacity is exhausted and it complains – usually in the form of pain.

I sometimes get a fright when I catch myself sitting with my back hunched again…

There’s nothing wrong with sitting in a circle every now and then. The problem is when you do it for nine hours a day.

What can be done about it?

Always incorporate small exercise snacks into your daily routine. Stand up straight, strengthen your back muscles and become more active overall. It doesn’t have to be an hour of exercise in the evening, although that is of course great. It helps to change position as often as possible throughout the day. Our body likes variety. It is best to do preventative exercises so that problems do not arise in the first place – even if nobody likes to hear that.

How can I imagine such exercise snacks?

You change your posture throughout the day: you stand up now and then, talk on the phone while walking, raise your arms, sit the other way round on the chair. For example, I like to lie on my stomach in front of my laptop to stretch my lower back. And: move a lot in everyday lifegoing for walks, doing housework, cycling.

This all sounds very uncomfortable. How do I manage to leave my comfort zone anyway?

Short sessions are well received by my followers. I regularly post exercise sequences that only take a few minutes and that you can easily do in between other activities without having to change or shower. This is a good way to start. My tip: try out what kind of exercise you enjoy so that you can stick with it. There are so many great ways to exercise. But everyone likes something different.

So is stretching the new running in the new home office world?

Stretching alone is not the solution. It is crucial to create a balance to everyday life – and that varies from individual to individual. Someone who stands all day needs something different than someone who works in an office. If I sit all day, my back has nothing to do. If I only stretch the front structures, that is not a long-term solution. It is better to strengthen my back, then I automatically stretch the front and the strengthening helps me to stand up straight. That is why I think a combination of mobilizing and strengthening exercises is ideal.

Pretty complicated. Can I do it alone?

First of all: Don’t be afraid of making the wrong movements, especially if you’re not training with weights. Any movement is better than no movement! What you can do, however, is correct your posture. Look in the mirror: Do your knees fall inwards? Do I have a pronounced hollow back? How do I stand when I’m standing normally? Are my shoulders almost at the same height? And then: straighten your spine as if someone were pulling you up at the top of your head. Pull your chin in slightly, your shoulder blades back and your belly button gently towards your spine.

So there is no such thing as a wrong move?

You can’t say that. You should listen to your body, go in slowly and feel it, ideally have good instructions and train in front of a mirror if possible. And stop if you feel pain. If you jog with a bad posture, such as knock knees, I recommend having a doctor or physiotherapist take a look at it first. It makes sense to stabilize the leg axes.

Many people are diagnosed with osteoarthritis – and then prefer not to move at all.

Osteoarthritis has a wide range of symptoms and doesn’t necessarily have to be painful. The question is whether it causes discomfort or not. Many patients feel worse simply because they have a diagnosis.

That’s a shock!

That’s true, but there’s a lot you can do to be pain-free. The most important thing is to move, support your joints, build up your muscles and balance out tension so that the muscles work together harmoniously again. Regardless of the musculoskeletal disorders, I notice that many sufferers are afraid to move – even though that would be exactly the right thing to do. Social media is often not helpful here with sensational headlines like: “Don’t do that if you have arthritis!” or “If you do this exercise, your back will break.” This stirs up fears. There are a lot of self-proclaimed experts on the internet, and I find that really dangerous.

How do I recognize influencers who know what they’re talking about?

I recommend the to check professional background – which is sometimes not so easy, since everyone in the social media world can call themselves whatever they want. But sooner or later you notice whether someone is an expert or not. The type of content, the descriptions or the way they appear can give a lot away. Unrealistic promises like “Do this one exercise and all your problems will go away” are also rather dubious.

How much does stress contribute to the fact that we are often tense?

If you are constantly under constant tension, it affects your muscles, your sleep and your immune system. Stress is often partly responsible for headaches and neck tension. Exercise helps balance things out – some people find yoga helps better, others prefer to work out. My tip: feel whether the intensive session is good for you or whether it is putting additional stress on your body.

Vanessa’s top 3 exercises for good posture

In the quadruped position, alternately stretch the right arm and left leg diagonally and bring the elbow and knee together under the body while rounding the back. 10 repetitions per side

This text comes from BRIGITTE. Get it as a subscription – with many advantages. You can order them directly here.

Brigitte

#Topics