Do you sometimes feel a pain in your hip or the outside of your knee after sitting for a while? Maybe when you stand up or when you run? It could be that you have a tight Iliotibial Band (ITB).

The ITB is a thick band of fascia that runs down the outside thigh. It starts at the top of your pelvis, runs over the hip and attaches to the outside of the knee. It also attaches to some of the buttock and hip muscles allowing it to co-ordinate how these muscles work to stabilise the hip and knee. Fluid sacs, called bursae, located at the hip and knee, provide cushioning between the ITB and the bones beneath. If the ITB is tight it can irritate the bursae causing inflammation and pain.

An inflamed bursa at the hip is called a Greater Trochanteric Bursitis and at the knee it is known as ITB Friction syndrome or Runners Knee.

The ITB shortens when sitting for prolonged periods. It can also tighten if the muscle is overworked. This occurs with sudden increases in exercise load or volume or if pelvic control is poor due to weak hip and glute muscles.

Because the ITB is a thick, fibrous band rather than an elastic muscle it requires a longer lighter stretch than most muscles.

The use of a foam roller can also be quite helpful in increasing the flexibility in the ITB. A YouTube search of “foam roller + ITB” will yield videos of how this can be done. For the fitness of you,

Linda R

The figures are staggering and there’s little awareness that more than 413,000 people in Australia live with dementia. By 2050 that figure will rise to almost one million.

“Dementia can’t directly be prevented or cured but reducing risk is important,” Alzheimer’s Australia chief executive officer

Maree McCabe says. “Many people are not aware of what they can do to reduce the risk of getting dementia.”

Look after your heart: Look after your heart health by regularly checking your blood pressure, cholesterol and blood sugar levels.

Challenge your brain: Exercising your brain is also important. Find something that involves learning new skills – and keep on learning. Try a new sport, learn a new language, start a course, study for a new qualification at work or take up a new hobby.

Be active: “Being physically active increases blood flow to the brain and this stimulates growth of the brain cells and the connections between them,” Maree says.

Enjoy social activity: Social activity has benefits in a range of areas, including cognitive function. Make time to catch up with family and friends, join a social club or interest group, or volunteer in your community.

Follow a healthy diet: “We need a balanced diet to maintain brain health and function, and some foods may be more directly linked to dementia and reducing your risk,” Maree says.

For more information, call the National Dementia Helpline on 1800 100 500 or visit yourbrainmatters.org.au

By Sarah Marinos

Maintaining a healthy weight is vitally important to staying healthy as you grow older.

Being overweight can increase the risk of many health problems, including diabetes, heart disease and strokes, high blood pressure, sleep apnoea, kidney disease and osteoarthritis.

Gaining a few kilos during the year may not seem like a big deal. But these kilos can add up over time.

If you are considered to be overweight, losing as little as 5 percent of your body weight may lower your risk for several diseases, including heart disease and type 2 diabetes.

Eating a balanced, nutritious diet and being physically active is the best way to stay healthy and help reduce your risk of disease. To maintain a stable weight, your energy (kilojoule) intake needs to equal the energy you use. If you use more energy than you consume, you will lose weight. On the other hand, if you eat more than you use, you will gain weight.

For some, the answer to losing excess body fat is to make small healthy changes to your eating and exercise habits.  These changes should be things that you can maintain as part of your lifestyle – that way you will lose weight and keep it off.

However, some people may need help to lose those extra kilos and the team at Flannery’s Pharmacy can help you with information, advice and a range of meal replacement and weight loss products specifically formulated to help you lose weight.

If you would like help to lose weight, call in to Flannery’s Pharmacy for information and advice and let us help you on your weight loss journey.

Want to quit smoking? Have you tried before with little or no success?

If this sounds familiar you might like to take advantage of the offer of free nicotine replacement therapy and extra support to help you quit.

Tobacco Treatment Specialist, Maria Willis, from the Forbes Health Service will be instore at Flannery’s and Life Pharmacies during February and March to help people to quit smoking. Maria is a Nurse Practitioner who assists community members who have diabetes, respiratory and heart conditions.

Community members can make an appointment to see Maria at either pharmacy.

During the appointment smoking habits will be assessed and free nicotine replacement therapy will be offered. Maria will also be able to assess the patients concerns and provide helpful information and advice on how to quit smoking.

“It is also important to remember your GP, pharmacists and QuitLine can provide support to quit,” said Maria.

“Smoking is more addictive than heroin and cocaine so understandably it is not easy to quit,” said Maria. “However, quitting smoking is one of the most important things you can do for your health and it is never too late to quit, increase your life expectancy and improve your quality of life.”

“There is no safe level of smoking. Even the occasional cigarette is doing you harm.”

To book an appointment to begin your journey to quit smoking, call Flannery’s Pharmacy on 6852 1111 or Life Pharmacy on 6852 2001.

Don’t miss this great opportunity to get all the help you need to quit for life!