Better Bodies OSTEO

20/03/2026

Ever wondered WHY poor posture happens? 🤔

It’s not just about sitting — it’s about how your body adapts over time.

In this video, I explain upper cross syndrome and why certain muscles become tight while others switch off… leading to that rounded shoulder, forward head position.

Once you understand the why, fixing it becomes much easier. 💡

09/03/2026

Desk workers, try this quick posture and shoulder mobility test.

Lie on a foam roller and let your arms drop back.
If your hands don’t reach the floor, tight chest or lat muscles may be pulling your shoulders forward from too much sitting.

Try loosening those muscles, then test again.

Did yours improve?

05/03/2026

Shoulder pain isn’t always a shoulder problem.

When your upper back rounds forward, the shoulder joint has to work harder to stabilise and lift.

Over time, that increased load can lead to irritation, tightness and pain.

Most people stretch or strengthen the shoulder.

Few address the position that’s driving the strain.

Fix the posture → reduce the load.

This is especially important in workplace lifting and repetitive tasks.

26/02/2026

Stiff neck after hours at the desk? 😖

Here’s 2 simple stretches for your traps & scalenes that actually work.

Follow me for more mobility tips and simple effective stretches that save your back, neck & shoulders.

08/02/2026

When I treat headaches, the first thing I look for is tension — not just where the pain is.

This is step 1 of a simple approach I use manually in clinic, plus advice I give people to support it at home.

Full explanation (all 3 steps) is in the comments 👇

03/02/2026

If you are getting lower back pain when you wake up, try this 60-second routine and notice a difference! How to sit up at the end is really key as well :)
If you find it helpful, give this post a like or comment on YouTube, so more people see it 👍
👉 Watch here:

Lower back pain first thing in the morning?Try this 60-second morning routine to help free up your spine before you even get out of bed.In this short video, ...

20/01/2026

Back at work now after a beautiful break up around Mathesons Bay, Goats Island, Tawharanui and Matakana with the family 🌊🌿

From snorkelling 🤿 🏊 walking 🚶, reptile park🦎, reading 📖 and just relaxing doing nothing, I’m feeling refreshed, grounded… and very grateful. The quick reel shows a few snippets 🎥

If the holidays have left you with a few aches, stiff spots, or something that just doesn’t feel quite right, I’m back in clinic and ready to help. Bookings are open online — your body will thank you.

Otherwise, hope you’re well and have a great year ahead in 2026!

22/10/2025

3 exercises to instantly improve posture and mobility 👇

Feeling tight through your shoulders or stiff through your upper back?

These 3 quick exercises will help open you up, improve posture, and keep your body moving the way it’s meant to.

Try them today — your desk job doesn’t stand a chance 👊. Follow and like for more tips 👌

20/08/2025

Big send-off to .mctaggart as he flies out to India tomorrow to represent New Zealand at the 2025 Commonwealth Weightlifting Championships 🇮🇳🏋️‍♂️🇳🇿.

It’s been a privilege supporting his prep here at Better Bodies Osteo — keeping him moving well, lifting strong, and competition-ready.

Go well next Friday, Cam — the silver fern’s behind you all the way! 🙌🔥

14/01/2025

Let’s talk about mental health and sleep. It turns out that sleep is the first (and apparently the most important) pillar of mental health. I had a great nights sleep last night and actually woke up around 5am (before my alarm went off). It was an early start, I was able to do some reading, feed the chickens, water the plants, it was fully booked with work and I’m about to go to gym. To me it showed the link between good sleep and mental health. I now know that if I actually take some practical steps to improve my mental health (and I’m intentional about it), I really do feel productive, sharper and have a ‘good’ day. So let’s look at some of the science, to show us why sleep is so important.. ⬇️

• Sleep is essential for brain function 😴: It plays a vital role in memory consolidation, learning, and emotional regulation.

• Restores brain chemicals 🧠: Sleep replenishes neurotransmitters that help maintain mood balance and mental clarity, such as serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine.

• Sleep and stress regulation: Adequate sleep helps the brain manage stress and regulate the body’s response to stress, reducing vulnerability to anxiety and depression. 😔

• Memory consolidation: Sleep strengthens memories and learning, making it crucial for cognitive functioning and problem-solving abilities (important for Osteo work) 🤓

• Neuroplasticity: Sleep enables the brain to rewire itself and adapt, a process critical for emotional resilience and cognitive health. ⚡️

• Deep sleep and emotional regulation: Slow-wave sleep (deep sleep) helps stabilize emotions, making it easier to manage daily stressors and negative feelings 😢.

• Sleep deprivation leads to mental health issues: Chronic lack of sleep contributes to conditions like anxiety, depression, cognitive decline, and increased susceptibility to emotional instability. 🤪

• Quality over quantity 💤: It’s not just about the amount of sleep, but the quality—getting restorative sleep, especially in the deeper stages, is key for optimal mental health.

• Sleep hygiene: Maintaining consistent sleep patterns can improve sleep quality and mental well-being.

07/01/2025

Seriously, what practical steps are you taking to help improve, or boost your mental health and wellbeing?

Follow us over the upcoming weeks as we explore different aspects that can either hinder, or enhance your mental health. Some of this content will be from a range of different sources (such as 2 hour podcasts summarised into simple, clear content) to help you be a better version of yourself and at least have some practical knowledge on what you can do. The content will be backed up with science, and recent studies that have been done 🤓

11/12/2024

I just realised it’s been nearly 4 months since I’ve posted 🤫 So here a quick anatomy 1 on 1 talking about arthritis. Osteoarthritis, not rheumatoid arthritis. This is an X-ray of a knee taken in 2016, and then again in December 2024 (recently).

Instead of a smooth, slow ‘bind’ to the end of range in knee flexion, it felt sudden and more like a joint restriction than a muscular restriction, so I sent my patient away for an X-ray which confirmed what we were thinking. In fact, there were more signs of osteoarthritis than expected, given he’s healthy, active and fairly young (many, many years away from retirement).

Some signs you might see in arthritis:
• Joint space narrowing (loss of cartilage height - bones get closer together, compare the 2 X-rays)
• Sclerosis (whitening of the bone) - as the shock absorbing properties of the cartilage are no longer doing its function well, outcome.. more impact on the bones and hardening / more white on X-ray.
• Bone spurs 🦴 - also called ‘osteophytes’ which you can clearly see in the 2024 X-ray with the knee bent.
• Sub-chondral cysts (not seen in these X-rays). Where its bone on bone and little cysts can start to form in the bone structure.

Now you have a better idea of how to read your X-ray report if you ever get one, or how to check for key words that might indicate some osteoarthritis. Anatomy 1 on 1 🤓