Getting a good night’s sleep has a greater impact on our happiness than getting a significant pay rise.

That’s according to new research, which suggests the most content people feel well-rested “most of the time”.

The Living Well Index, created by leading researchers at Oxford Economics and the National Centre for Social research, also found that health of relatives and feeling connected to the local community all impact our overall wellbeing.

However, sleep was found to have the largest impact by far, with getting enough shut-eye having a greater impact on happiness than a 50 percent raise.

Researchers asked a panel of more than 8,000 people questions relating to 18 topics, grouped into six major themes: community connections, finances, relationships, health, lifestyle and environment.

Participants were then given a “Living Well” score out of a possible 100, equating to the highest possible level of happiness and wellbeing.

The researchers concluded that the average person currently has a Living Well score of 62.2 out of a maximum of 100.

Those “living best” are defined as the 20 percent of the population with the highest scores – falling between 72 and 92.

By comparing the lifestyles and behaviours of those living best with the typical person, the index reveals the critical factors behind living well.

Income has surprisingly little impact on how we feel. For the typical person, a 50 percent rise in disposable income contributes to just a 0.5 point increase in their Living Well score.

In contrast, a good night’s sleep has the strongest association with how well we feel we are living. For the typical person, improving their sleep to the level of those who are living best would be equivalent to them having more than four times as much disposable income.

These were among the factors found to separate a typical person from those living best:

1. A Good Night’s Sleep: With a typical person only feeling rested after sleep ‘some of the time’, the research found that sleep quality can explain 3.8 points of difference between their Living Well score and those who are living best in the top 20 percent of the index.

2. Job Security: Among working people, 43 percent of those with the highest index scores experience a very high degree of job security, almost twice the national average.

3. Health of Close Relatives: For the typical person, worries about the health of close relations emerges as a significant barrier to living very well.

4. Community Connectedness: Stronger connections with the people we share a community with is an important factor for those who experience the highest quality of life.

(source: www.huffingtonpost.com.au)

Lateral ligament sprains of the ankle are one of the most common sports injuries, and because they are so common they are often managed too casually and many go untreated. From a clinical point of view the problem with a lateral ligament sprain of the ankle is that they have a very high incidence of recurrence. Gribble et al, 2016, Attenborough et al, 2015 and Tanen et al, 2014 (references can be supplied upon request), found 30-50% of the athletic population and 20% of the general population will go on to suffer from chronic ankle symptoms. These symptoms are often referred to as chronic ankle instability and include pain, swelling, laxity and instability.

The contributing factors to the development of chronic ankle instability include:

not seeking medical attention for the primary lateral ankle sprain; and returning to sport when pain has decreased but function has not been fully restored. The absence of pain does not mean that you are ready to return to sport. Decreases in strength, range of movement, proprioception and balance need to be restored.

Doherty et al, 2016 found that exercise therapy when performed in high doses (5 x 30 mins per week for six weeks) reduced the chances of recurrent lateral ligament sprains in the ankle by 42% and bracing/taping reduced the risk by 62%. It is currently recommended that you brace or tape your ankle for every game and training session for at least six weeks.

The decision to return to sport after a lateral ligament sprain should be based on strength, balance and hop tests rather than time or absence of pain.

For the fitness of you

Linda Reilly

Whether due to trauma or degenerative changes, a torn meniscus will often present with pain and swelling in the knee joint and difficulty straightening the knee. Sometimes there may also be a history of painful clicking or locking. Manual testing and MRI can confirm the diagnosis of a meniscus tear.

Whenever possible, physiotherapy is considered the first line of treatment when there are symptoms of a meniscal tear. This involves strengthening exercises, icing to reduce swelling and avoiding activities that put pressure on the joint such as pivoting, squatting or repetitive bending of the knee.

One of the main functions of the knee joint meniscus is to absorb shock. Luckily, the muscles around the knee also function as shock absorbers. Research has shown that as muscle strength around the knee increases bone stress decreases and therefore pain and dynamic stability improve.

If, after a few weeks of conservative management, pain and dysfunction are still present your doctor may recommend surgery.

This is usually day surgery and involves arthroscopic repair or removal of the torn piece of cartilage. As part of the recovery process the muscles around the knee must be strengthened in order to minimise secondary degenerative changes.

If osteoarthritis is also present in the affected knee, as is often the case with degenerative meniscus tears, surgical treatment may not provide the pain relief or return to optimal function normally expected of arthroscopic repair. In fact, the research indicates that arthroscopic surgery for this population offers no advantage over physiotherapy for relief of symptoms or improvement in function.

For the fitness of you.

Linda Reilly

Flannery’s Pharmacy will be hosting a Bone Density Clinic in-store on Wednesday, 29th August.

Your bones are living tissues that are both flexible and strong. They act to support and move your body, protect your organs, create white and red blood cells and to store essential minerals like calcium and phosphorus. Throughout your life your bones are always changing and remodelling. You can think of it like a bank account, into which you make deposits and withdrawals.

“Osteoporosis occurs when too little bone is formed, too much bone is lost, or a combination of both occurs,” said Tracey Edwards, Pharmacist at Flannery’s Pharmacy.

“When this happens your bones become more brittle and can fracture more easily,” said Tracey. “Ideally, you will have made more ‘deposits’ than ‘withdrawals’ during your early years to create the strongest bones possible”.

Risk factors for osteoporosis include increasing age, being female (especially post menopausal), a family history of osteoporosis and/or a history of fractures as an adult. Lifestyle risk factors include low dietary calcium intake, low vitamin D intake, low levels of physical activity, excessive alcohol intake, smoking and low or excessive body weight.

“The heel ultrasound test offered by the pharmacy is a screening test that gives a snapshot of your bone health,” said Tracey.

“Screening tests alone cannot accurately diagnose osteoporosis but they can be used in conjunction with your personal risk factors so that you and your GP can decide which course of action is best for you”.

If you would like an appointment for the Bone Density Clinic, please call instore or phone Flannery’s Pharmacy on 6852 1111.

Cost is $20 and bookings are essential.

Being active doesn’t just make you feel good, it is good for you. The list of benefits is long and sweeping as almost on a daily basis, scientists identify new health perks of regular physical activity.

To make exercise part of your routine you need to prioritise and commit.

Start small: Think about your current fitness level and start with something achievable, but slightly challenging.

Aim to be active for 20 to 30 minutes per day. If you want to do more, gradually increase the duration.

Make it a non-negotiable: Rather than viewing exercise as a ‘nice to have’, treat it like any other element of your daily routine.

Like having a shower, eating breakfast and going to work – you don’t really think about it, you just do it.

Set a goal: Having an exercise goal to work towards, such as a fun run, gives your training focus. Plus, you’ll enjoy a real buzz crossing the finish line of an event you’ve dedicated time working towards.

Find a buddy: Having a friend to meet regularly and train alongside keeps you accountable, provides a social aspect to your activity and means you can motivate and support each other on tougher days.

It’s too cold: There’s no such thing as bad weather if you’re prepared for it. Cooler weather actually provides the best conditions for exercise. You only get cold if you’re standing still.

It’s too hot: In really hot conditions think about taking your activity indoors, or choose to get your exercise via a refreshing swim.

By Claire Burke

Within the normal knee joint are two C shaped discs of cartilage called the medial and lateral menisci. They have a unique wedged, kidney shape and a blood supply only to their outer third which decreases as you age. Almost 70% of each meniscus is made up of water. These unique properties allow the knee to function as well as it does but they are also the reason why meniscus tears are one of the most common knee joint injuries.

The wedge shape of your meniscus assists with the rotational stability that is created by the anterior cruciate ligament especially during pivoting movements. The large water content allows them to act like a shock absorber. As you walk, jump or run the knee absorbs large forces with the amount of force increasing exponentially as the speed of movement increases. Your meniscus helps to disperse these compressive forces over the whole knee therefore minimizing the damage to the cartilage that lines the bone surfaces.

Meniscal tears are often classified as either traumatic or degenerative. In the younger population, meniscus tears are usually due to trauma by twisting on a slightly bent knee.

The traumatic type of meniscal injuries is most often sports related. Commonly there is pain and a ‘pop’ is heard. The knee joint swells and occasionally the athlete will report a locking or painful clicking sensation.

Degenerative tears occur in the older population due to natural age-related degeneration and often the person is unaware of the cause of pain and swelling.

Stay tuned for my next column which will address the management and rehabilitation for the torn meniscus.

For the fitness of you,

Linda Reilly

This year during Dental Health Week (6 to 12 August), the Australian Dental Association (ADA) is reminding everyone to #WatchYourMouth, in the light of the latest national survey conducted by the association that showed Australians are not prioritising their oral health.

It follows the launch earlier this year by the ADA of Australia’s Oral Health Tracker which was developed in response to data showing that just over 52 percent of Australians are only brushing once a day instead of the recommended twice daily and nearly two in five (38 percent) never floss or clean in between their teeth. Australians also need more regular dental check-ups, with 69 percent only going to the dentist when they have a problem.

This is especially concerning given the fact that tooth decay is Australia’s most common disease, with one in five adults having untreated tooth decay and one in five also have gum disease, with oral cancer rates also on the rise.

To help combat these figures, Dental Health Week 2018 is stressing these four key tips for good oral health:

• Brush twice a day with fluoridated toothpaste

• Clean in between your teeth with floss or interdental brushes

• Eat a healthy diet, limit sugary foods and drinks

• Visit your dentist regularly

ADA President, Dr Hugo Sachs said Dental Health Week is an opportunity for people to take a look and learn more about why a healthy mouth is so important. “Good oral health is vital to good overall health, so watching your mouth will help maintain your general wellbeing. Watching your mouth means brushing and flossing, eating a healthy diet, lowering our sugar and alcohol intake, stopping smoking and seeing your dentist for regular check-ups. These good habits will greatly reduce the risk of oral disease.”

Ask your dentist about the Child Dental Benefits Schedule to access benefits for basic dental services (capped over two years).

The benefits include check-ups, X-rays, cleaning, fissure sealing, fillings, root canals and extractions. Your child may be eligible if they are aged 2 to 17; they are eligible for Medicare, and you or your child are getting Family Tax Benefit Part A or certain other government payments.

When you think about how much we use our hands especially when playing ball sports, it’s not hard to understand why hand and finger injuries are so common.

Most of these injuries heal spontaneously, which is why they are often neglected by athletes. Many people don’t seek help until it is too late for effective treatment. However, an early, accurate diagnosis to identify potentially serious injuries can prevent long term functional impairment and deformity.

Knowledge of the mechanism of injury or how the injury happened can also help with an accurate diagnosis. A punching injury often results in a fracture to one of the metacarpal bones, commonly the base of the fifth metacarpal. A direct blow to the point of the finger often causes a dislocation or sprain of one of the finger joints. Sometimes the finger flexor tendon can pull a plug of bone off its attachment causing an avulsion fracture. This most commonly involves the ring finger and occurs when a player grabs an opponent’s clothing during a tackle.

As a general rule of thumb, if there is any deformity present, either with the hand open or closed, persistent swelling or any of the hand or finger joints don’t move as they should, it is important to have the injury checked out by a professional. Some fractures may require surgery, some immobilisation or splinting. Sprains or dislocations may require swelling management with ice or an oedema glove and exercises to prevent loss of range of motion.

An early diagnosis and appropriate management can prevent a lifetime of deformity and loss of function.

For the fitness of you,

Linda Reilly

If you have ever been hit hard in the thigh with someone’s knee or shoulder, you most likely know how painful and debilitating a corked thigh can be. A cork, or a muscle contusion as was formerly known, is a common occurrence in contact sports, as well as sports like cricket and hockey when a player is hit by the ball.

Contusions result from blunt trauma to a muscle such as when two players collide and one is hit in the thigh by the knee of the other. The underlying muscle and connective tissue are crushed without breaking the skin. This causes bleeding within or between muscles resulting in a haematoma. A cork may result in immediate pain, weakness, muscle spasm and stiffness.

Most contusions are minor and heal quickly, however if you lose joint range or power in the leg, have trouble with explosive bursts or kicking, it is time to come off the ground and not return to play.

It is important that treatment of a muscle contusion starts immediately, with the first 48 hours post injury the most important.

Immediate treatment for a corked muscle should include ceasing activity, icepacks applied every two hours for 15 minutes, bandage the corked muscle with an elasticized bandage, elevate the injured limb above heart height whenever possible and avoid exercise, heat, alcohol and massage in the first 48 hours.

Range of motion is a good indicator as to the severity of the injury. Difficulty flexing the knee past 90 degrees may suggest a more severe injury that requires a physiotherapy assessment.t.

For the fitness of you,

Linda Reilly