Waves Sports Massage

26/01/2026

Frozen Shoulder - "Soft-tissue release accelerates healing."
Why releasing surrounding muscles & fascia is the real game-changer!
Better ranger of movement, reduced night pain & faster response to exercises

31/12/2025

𝗡𝗼𝘁 𝗔𝗹𝗹 𝗖𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗧𝗿𝗮𝗶𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗜𝘀 𝗖𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗘𝗾𝘂𝗮𝗹: 𝗔 (2025) 𝗚𝘂𝗶𝗱𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗧𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗟𝗼𝘄 𝗕𝗮𝗰𝗸 𝗣𝗮𝗶𝗻

𝗡𝗼𝘁 𝗔𝗹𝗹 𝗖𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗧𝗿𝗮𝗶𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗜𝘀 𝗖𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗘𝗾𝘂𝗮𝗹: 𝗔 (2025) 𝗚𝘂𝗶𝗱𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗧𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗟𝗼𝘄 𝗕𝗮𝗰𝗸 𝗣𝗮𝗶𝗻

■ Chronic non-specific low back pain (CNSLBP) is a leading cause of disability worldwide, affecting over 600 million people globally.
■ While exercise is widely recommended over medication, patients and clinicians often face a confusing dilemma: Which type of exercise is actually best?
■ A major new systematic review and meta-analysis published in October 2025 provides the first comprehensive comparison of the three most popular core training modalities.
■ By analyzing 57 randomized controlled trials involving 7,705 participants, the researchers have determined that while all core training is beneficial, the "best" method depends entirely on your specific goal: pain relief or functional improvement.

🧩 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗧𝗵𝗿𝗲𝗲 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀

■ Pilates Training: Focuses on six core principles, including movement control, breathing, and postural awareness.
■ Core Resistance Training: Involves progressive resistance exercises engaging the trunk, abdominals, erector spinae, and glutes to build strength.
■ Core Stability Training: Based on the "spinal stability model," this focuses on activating deep muscles (like the transversus abdominis) to control the spine's neutral zone.

🎯 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗩𝗲𝗿𝗱𝗶𝗰𝘁: 𝗣𝗮𝗶𝗻 𝘃𝘀. 𝗙𝘂𝗻𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻

⭐ The Winner for Pain Relief: Pilates

■ If the primary goal is reducing pain intensity, Pilates proved to be the superior intervention.
■ Why it works: Pilates does not just strengthen muscles; it integrates breathing control, postural awareness, and precise movement patterns. This "neuromuscular re-education" activates descending pain inhibitory pathways and helps break the cycle of fear and tension often associated with chronic pain.

💪 The Winner for Daily Function: Core Resistance Training

■ If the goal is to improve the ability to perform daily activities (lowering disability scores), core resistance training demonstrated the most significant and stable effects.
■ Why it works: This method follows the principle of progressive overload. It directly enhances muscle hypertrophy (growth), tendon strength, and the spine’s load-bearing capacity. Increased raw strength translates directly to better performance in physical tasks of daily living.

🎛️ The Role of Core Stability Training

■ While effective for both pain and function, traditional core stability training generally showed moderate effects compared to the other two.
■ It excels at improving fine motor control of the spine but may lack the "holistic integration" of Pilates or the load-bearing strength benefits of resistance training.

⏱️ 𝗧𝗵𝗲 "𝗣𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗰𝗿𝗶𝗽𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻": 𝗢𝗽𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗮𝗹 𝗗𝗼𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗘𝗮𝗰𝗵 𝗠𝗲𝘁𝗵𝗼𝗱

🏋️ For Core Resistance Training

■ Frequency is King: Training frequency was the strongest predictor of success.
■ Protocol: 3–4 sessions per week.
■ Duration: 30–45 minutes per session.

🤸 For Pilates Training

■ Quality over Quantity: The study found that simply adding more hours did not linearly increase benefits. Instead, success relied on the quality of instruction and movement precision.
■ Protocol: 2–3 sessions per week.
■ Duration: 50 minutes per session.
■ Length: An intervention period of 8–12 weeks is ideal.

🧩 For Core Stability Training

■ Duration Matters: Session length was a key factor here to ensure adequate muscle activation time.
■ Protocol: 3–4 sessions per week.
■ Duration: 40–60 minutes per session.
■ Length: Short-term protocols (6–8 weeks) were highly effective.

🧘 𝗔 𝗡𝗼𝘁𝗲 𝗼𝗻 𝗠𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗹 𝗛𝗲𝗮𝗹𝘁𝗵

■ It is important to manage expectations regarding the psychological impact of these exercises.
■ Despite the physical benefits, the review found that none of the three training modalities produced significant improvements in the mental health components of quality of life.
■ This suggests that if a patient is suffering from depression or anxiety related to their pain, physical training should be paired with psychological interventions for a complete treatment plan.

📝 𝗦𝘂𝗺𝗺𝗮𝗿𝘆

■ The "one-size-fits-all" approach to back pain is obsolete.
■ This 2025 review provides a clear clinical roadmap:
■ Choose Pilates if the patient is in significant pain and needs to relearn movement patterns and reduce symptoms.
■ Choose Core Resistance Training if the patient needs to return to work, sports, or demanding daily activities and requires functional strength.

🚗 𝘼𝙣𝙖𝙡𝙤𝙜𝙮

■ Think of the spine as a high-performance vehicle.
■ Core Stability Training is like calibrating the sensors and steering alignment—it ensures the parts move correctly in relation to one another.
■ Pilates is like the driver education course—it teaches the brain how to operate the vehicle smoothly, reducing the wear and tear (pain) of bad driving habits.
■ Core Resistance Training is like upgrading the engine and suspension—it reinforces the chassis so the car can haul heavier loads and handle rougher terrain without breaking down.
■ To fix the car effectively, you must know whether the problem is the driver, the alignment, or the engine's horsepower.

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⚠️Disclaimer: Sharing a study or a part of it is NOT an endorsement. Please read the original article and evaluate critically.⚠️

Link to Article 👇

28/12/2025

𝗦𝘁𝗿𝗼𝗻𝗴 𝗠𝘂𝘀𝗰𝗹𝗲𝘀, 𝗥𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗹𝗶𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗕𝗿𝗮𝗶𝗻: 𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝗥𝗲𝘀𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗧𝗿𝗮𝗶𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝘁𝗲𝗰𝘁𝘀 𝗔𝗴𝗮𝗶𝗻𝘀𝘁 𝗡𝗲𝘂𝗿𝗼𝗱𝗲𝗴𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻

⬜ While aerobic exercise is often praised for its cardiovascular benefits, growing evidence highlights resistance training (RT) as a distinct and powerful intervention for preserving brain health and reducing the risk of Alzheimer’s Disease and related dementias. Reduced cerebral blood flow and vascular dysfunction frequently appear long before memory loss, and RT directly targets these early changes, helping the brain “resist” cognitive decline.

⬜ Unlike the steady, continuous demands of aerobic exercise, resistance training produces rapid, high-magnitude oscillations in blood pressure. This unique hemodynamic stress may condition cerebral arteries to regulate blood flow more effectively and dampen pressure surges, thereby protecting fragile brain microvasculature from long-term damage.

⬜ Beyond vascular effects, habitual resistance training lowers oxidative stress and systemic inflammation, including key inflammatory markers such as IL-6 and TNF-α, which are known drivers of neurodegeneration. At the same time, RT stimulates the release of neurotrophic factors such as BDNF and IGF-1, supporting neuron survival, synaptic plasticity, and overall brain resilience. These adaptations appear to protect the hippocampus from atrophy and may enhance blood–brain barrier integrity, improving the clearance of toxic amyloid-beta proteins.

⬜ Importantly, gains in muscle strength are consistently linked to better executive function and memory performance. High-intensity resistance training, in particular, has demonstrated lasting benefits for memory retention, reinforcing the idea that stronger muscles support a healthier brain.

⬜ To maximize these cognitive benefits, resistance training programs should emphasize progressive overload while prioritizing safety through proper supervision and breathing techniques, avoiding the Valsalva maneuver. Even for older adults, machine-based or resistance-band exercises can improve cognitive outcomes and sleep quality, further supporting the brain’s ability to clear metabolic waste.

⬜ Think of cerebral arteries as the shock absorbers of the brain. Just as controlled speed bumps strengthen a car’s suspension, the pressure fluctuations during resistance training condition brain vessels to better absorb stress, ensuring a smoother, more protected environment for neural circuits as we age.

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⚠️Disclaimer: Sharing a study or a part of it is NOT an endorsement. Please read the original article and evaluate critically.⚠️

Link to Article 👇

01/12/2025

Sciatic Pain vs Piriformis Syndrome - Understanding the Difference Matters

Radiating leg pain is a common issue I see in the clinic. While the symptoms can feel very similar, Sciatic Pain and Piriformis Syndrome come from different sources meaning they require different treatment approaches.

Sciatic Pain (Spine-Related)
Often originates from the lower spine due to disc irritation, nerve compression, or inflammation around the lumbar joints.

This pain is linked to how the spine moves, loads, and responds to pressure.

Piriformis Syndrome (Hip-Related)
Begins in the hip and glutes, where the piriformis muscle can tighten, spasm, or compress the sciatic nerve.

Here, the muscle not the spine is the main source of nerve irritation.

Even though both conditions cause radiating leg pain, treatment must target the correct area. A thorough assessment determines whether the irritation comes from the spine or the piriformis, leading to a more effective, personalised rehabilitation plan.

How Soft Tissue Therapy Helps

• Improve spine and hip mobility
• Reduce nerve irritation
• Manual therapy for tightness or joint restrictions
• Strengthening for long-term support
• Education on posture, movement, and daily modifications

27/11/2025

26/11/2025

When the pelvis is tilted or unstable, it affects everything from your lower back to your knees and even feet. Think posture, gait, and chronic pain all linked. Before jumping into heavy lifts or dynamic workouts, train pelvic stability. Use breathing, isometrics, and controlled movement to build a strong foundation

25/11/2025

Your core starts with your Pelvs. The pelvis is more than a bone it's the central hub connecting your spine, hips, and lower limbs. It stabilises your core, balances posture, and transmits force during movement.
True core training begins with pelvic alignment, pelvic floor engagement, and deep stabilizing muscles like the transverse abdominis and multifidus

24/11/2025

Meet the Fibularis Muscles 👇

When most people think about ankle problems, they immediately jump to ligaments: a sprain of the anterior talofibular ligament (ATFL), overstretching of the capsule, or residual instability. But many chronic ankle issues are not ligament problems at all—they are soft tissue issues related to a dee...

11/11/2025

What is the rotator cuff?
The rotator cuff is a group of muscles and tendons around your shoulder joint.
There’s one rotator cuff surrounding each of your shoulders. It connects your shoulder blade (scapula) to your upper arm bone (humerus). You use your rotator cuff to raise your arm overhead and to rotate your arm toward and away from your body.

04/11/2025

levator scapular, crucial for neck and shoulder movement and is a common source of pain and stiffness

21/10/2025

Rotator cuff muscles
"SITS" 👇
Supraspinatus
Infraspinatus
Teres Minor
Subscapularis