In 1859 Charles Darwin published his highly controversial work “On the origin of species” and shortly after, the phrase “survival of the fittest” was born. The term is used to describe intergenerational survival of traits better adapted to the environment. When used literally, in relation to an individual’s longevity based on cardiorespiratory fitness, “survival of...
Diets: Confusion may reign supreme here but let’s try to unravel some of the mysteries Diet is an interesting topic which I usually avoid discussing if I can. Discussions can tend to be quite emotive and devolve in to arguments which support each position. In many instances it is adversarial in nature which is disappointing....
We should have gone to POLICE long ago! We all know and quote the acronym RICE for injury first aid. Rest, Ice, Compression and Elevation has long been used as the preferred treatment for nearly all acute injuries. There has been some debate regarding the use of ice and I explain my thoughts on this...
What recreational athletes should and shouldn’t learn from the professionals. I am often asked how a certain player came back from injury so quickly. The answer is always multifactorial. Professional athletes tend to be genetically gifted, highly motivated, fit and healthy. Clearly professional athletes are genetically gifted in terms of their individual performance. Many of...
Injured athletes dilemma Most athletes have extraordinary high levels of discipline for training when they are healthy but many come unstuck when they are injured. I think that part of the problem is the lack of an appropriate and well considered plan which provides adequate time for injury recovery. This needs to be balanced by...
A few patients from the massive netball carnival, came to clinic on a Saturday afternoon. Private xray facilities had closed but needed imaging done ASAP. Lucky SCNQ is one of very few medical centres with after-hours xray privileges at the Townsville Hospital!!! Referred for after-hours xray meaning they avoided a several hour wait to see...
The use of ice for injury and training recovery. In the last decade there has emerged quite a lot of controversy regarding the use of ice for both injury management and recovery from training. Ice (cryotherapy) is a low cost treatment which is extremely popular to the point of being standard practice in medical and...
Part 1 – Radiation exposure Should I get that scan? Getting a scan sounds simple and straightforward but it is actually a more complex decision than most people would be aware. Using my own experience working in sports medicine, I order many scans. I am requested to order more than are required from my perspective...
Should I get that scan? Getting a scan sounds simple and straightforward but it is actually a more complex decision than most people would be aware. Using my own experience working in sports medicine, I order many scans. I am requested to order more than are required from my perspective while patients refuse others I...
Why your brain is the reason you need knee surgery! Many sport injuries are caused by an athlete’s loss of protective mechanisms rather than due to trauma. Patients come to me often perplexed at how they suffered a serious ligament injury and say “no one even touched me”. The reality is that’s exactly how the...
