This can be particularly prominent in young or athletic people due to the softness and tendency of their feet becoming moist/sweaty from exercise. This can make the skin around the toenails even softer and easier for a nail to pierce.

Some of us naturally just have nails that are more curved and press into the sides of our toes. This doesn’t necessarily mean we have ingrown toe nails. The general rule for concern is that if they are red, inflamed or painful, then there will likely be an issue.

What can I do to help prevent Ingrown Nails?

• Understand how to cut our nails properly! Straight across, making sure not to trim them too low at the edge or down the side. Leave the corner of the nail so it’s visible above the skin. Run a nail file across the sharp edges avoiding taking the nail too far down.
• Avoid moist feet by rotating your shoes and choosing well-fitting socks and shoes made from natural materials.
• If an ingrown toenail develops, you should apply a clean, dry dressing. Use salt water foot baths or antiseptic cream to prevent infection. A Podiatrist can treat the ingrown toenail including those that are swollen and infected. It is best to seek treatment sooner rather than later as delaying treatment can result in longer-term issues.

What can I do to help prevent Thickened Nails?

• You may find cutting them to be difficult, so instead, try filing your toenails once or twice a week to help keep the length down. You can use an emery board or a nail file made of metal or crystal. All are easily available.
• Avoid using home treatments, such as nail thinning products or electric machines to thin the surface of the nail, as this can lead to more damage and the nail becoming thicker and harder to manage. Seek the assistance of a Podiatrist to help reduce the thickness if you’re finding this hard to maintain on your own.

It may seem like such a easy thing to do – knowing how to cut our nails properly – and while it’s not necessarily rocket-science, it’s often the main cause of issues that we treat on a daily basis. Understanding your nail type and the best practice for cutting them shouldn’t be a “one-size-fits-all” approach.

You can use our FREE ask-an-expert service online to talk to our team of Podiatrists about any issues you are facing, here.

Food to avoid

Foods that cause blood sugar levels to spike cause a brief but intense feeling of euphoria, followed by an energy slump, often having a negative effect on our mood, energy levels and sleep. This is why when we consume our favourite chocolate bar, pack of sweets or fizzy drink, we initially feel great and then fall into a lull. This is one of the most common reason’s for lack of productivity and motivation in the workplace.

Depending on where we work and the hours we work, eating healthily can seem a little more difficult and we tend to comfort eat.

The foods to avoid if we have a low mood, have trouble sleeping or have poor energy levels are refined sugary foods, such as, cakes, sweets, pasties, pastries, crisps, biscuits, white pasta, white rice and sugary cereals.

The above foods are digested quickly and then the glucose surges into our blood stream causing a peak of energy, and often change in mood. However, this doesn’t last long and our blood sugars start to drop quickly which causes our bodies to have an energy slump.

Food that’s good for our mood

What we ideally need is slow release energy foods, such as, nuts, seeds, brown rice and pasta, lots of vegetables, lentils and pulses.

These foods digest at a slower rate, resulting in a more balanced release of energy. If we can manage to add a portion of one or two of these in our meals to create a plate full of slow-release high fibres, this will help improve our energy levels, sleep quality and mood. Here are 9 more foods that are good for our health.

Did you know…

Serotonin is a feel-good Neurotransmitter found in the brain that is directly linked to our gut! In fact, up to 90% of serotonin comes from the gut! What does this mean? Our gut health (which is determined by the foods we consume) is one of the biggest factors for how we feel mentally.

We have a specific amino acid (Tryptophan) that is converted into Serotonin and travels from our gut to our brain. There is scientific evidence to suggest that depleted levels of Tryptophan have a negative effect on mood, depression and anxiety.

Foods with a high Tryptophan levels

Nuts, seeds, lentils, beans, oats, tofu, fish, turkey, eggs and dairy foods.

What depletes serotonin?

Nicotine, drugs, alcohol, sugar, sweeteners, poor diet and prolonged stress.

This in no way suggests that just eating healthier alone will reverse depression, however food that’s good for our mood should not be ignored as they do have an impact.

If you would like any advice or have any questions, please feel free to get in touch with our Nutritional Therapist using our free online service, here.

Unfortunately, low back pain is one of the most common pregnancy problems, however, this does not mean that we have to suffer throughout our pregnancies. Due to increased weight and a growing bump, our posture will change to accommodate the weight-related changes and alteration to our centre of gravity. As a result, more pressure and strain may be placed on the lumbar spine (the bottom of the back) to help maintain balance with our growing bumps.

There are certainly things we can do to help minimise and reduce the likelihood of developing low back pain. Minding our posture and using a lumbar roll when sat can help take some of the pressure and strain off of the lumbar spine. Completing gentle pelvic tilts can help alleviate pressure and stiffness in the area. Regular gentle aerobic exercises, such as swimming can help keep your back mobile and reduce tension on the muscles. When stood for periods of time, placing our foot up on a step can help reduce ache and pressure.

We can seek advice from a Physiotherapist who can review our posture and provide us with tailored exercises and stretches to reduce low back pain. They can also give advice on day to day activities, posture in work, review lifting techniques and provide hands-on treatment to reduce the aches and pains.

Symphysis pubis dysfunction

Symphysis pubis dysfunction (SPD) is characterised by pain in the centre of our groin, directly onto the pubic bone, radiating down the inner thigh. This is one of the most common pregnancy problems thanks to hormonal changes.

Quite early on during pregnancy, our bodies produce a hormone called relaxin – this hormone is responsible for the relaxation of ligaments and soft tissue throughout the body, preparing us for labour and delivery. Located centrally to the pelvis between the legs is a cartilaginous disc which connects the two sides of the pelvis. Typically, this joint is rigid and does not move unless we are pregnant due to relaxin.

SPD symptoms may include: a bruised bone sensation (even with light pressure), burning or altered sensation along the pubic bone, sharp pain radiating down the inner thigh or grinding/clicking noises from the pubic bone. Although we cannot stop the production of relaxin during pregnancy, there are things we can do to reduce and alleviate SPD.

As the pain is caused by the increased movement of the two halves of the pubic bone, it is important to keep our lower limbs moving symmetrically and with minimal torsion.

Getting in and out of bed – we should roll to our side, slide our legs off the bed as one and then sit ourselves up.
Walking – we should reduce our stride length and pace so our legs are not as far apart.
Climbing stairs – we should take it one step at a time or go up the side of the steps on, again, helping to reduce leg separation.
Sitting – we shouldn’t cross our legs as this can put increased pressure on the sore area.
Carrying – we must try to keep the weight of the object central to our body rather than carrying it on the hip, helping to maintain symmetry.
Resting – we can apply something cool to the centre of the groin to reduce ache – we just need to ensure that our skin and bump is protected with a towel.
A Physiotherapist will be able to review how we are moving and give advice on our posture and activities, as well as, reduce muscular tension around the pelvis and lower limbs through treatment.

Pelvic girdle pain (PGP)

Pelvic girdle pain usually involves all pains around the pelvis, this can be the front or back of the pelvis and can radiate up the back, into our bottom or down to our legs. Due to hormonal changes in pregnancy and the added weight and pressure of our bump, pains around the pelvis can be common. The joints within the pelvis may feel bruised, stiff or very mobile.

A Physiotherapist will be able to assess us and determine if we have PGP and which joints are affected. They can give us advice and education about how to move, postural advice when standing, sitting and lying down, and manual therapy to help alleviate the aches and pains, as well as exercises to keep things mobile and comfortable.

Carpal Tunnel and De Quervain’s Tenosynovitis

During pregnancy, our bodies take on a substantial amount of fluid retaining water due to hormonal changes. Because of this, swelling of the hands and feet can commonly develop. Due to the increased pressure within the hand, altered sensation, pain and hand/grip weakness can occur which makes this one of the more common pregnancy problems.

Carpal tunnel specifically refers to the wrist area, while De Quervain’s tenosynovitis refers to the base of the thumb. We may notice that hand/thumb pain or numbness predominantly occurs at night. This is likely due to the position the wrist or arm is resting in while we sleep. Pressure can build in the small joint spaces if our wrists remain bent for a period of time.

A Physiotherapist will be able to assess the painful areas and provide exercises, stretches, manual therapy as well as advice on the use of splints and activities during the day.

Hip pain

Hip pain is another frequent problem during pregnancy. As previously mentioned, soft tissue can become more lax thanks to the hormone, relaxin. This can lead to more movement around the hip joint which can cause pain. Commonly, we can experience hip pain at night when lying on our side due to the gradual pressure applied to the hip bones.

To help alleviate hip pain, good symmetrical alignment of our lower limbs while led in bed or sat upright should be considered. Sleeping with additional padding under our hip bone, as well as, placing a pillow between our legs at night can help reduce the strain on the hip joints. Keeping active and maintaining strong muscles will help support our joints regardless of relaxin.

A Physiotherapist can help guide you on appropriate exercises, stretches, sleeping positions and posture.

Diastasis recti

Diastasis recti refers to the separation of the superficial abdominal muscles during pregnancy. Due to the pressure and growth of our bumps, the abdominal muscles will do their best to stretch to accommodate the growth. Diastasis recti commonly occurs during the third trimester of pregnancy simply due to growth. We may feel discomfort or pain in our abdomen where the muscles have separated into two halves. As well as discomfort, we may also notice doming (a peak or bulge running vertically and centrally along the abdomen when moving in a sit-up position).

A Physiotherapist may be able to help. After a thorough assessment, they will be able to give us advice on posture and movement, as well as exercises to help stabilise the core during pregnancy and strengthen after pregnancy.

Pelvic floor weakness & incontinence

Due to relaxed ligaments and muscles, as well as the added pressure and weight of our babies, the pelvic floor can become weak leading to leaking urine (incontinence) – this is surprisingly high on the list of common pregnancy problems so do not be worried if you experience this. This can occur when changing position when coughing, sneezing or laughing or during sudden jarring movements like jumping.

It is important to spend some time completing pelvic floor exercises to help keep the muscles strong and prevent incontinence. The muscles of the pelvic floor are a combination of fast-twitch and slow-twitch muscle fibres. This is important because it means the muscles need to be trained in two different ways. The first exercise is a quick squeeze of the pelvic floor – try to complete three sets of ten repetitions. The second exercise is a slow, long squeeze of the pelvic floor – aim to hold the squeeze 10 seconds before relaxing.

If we become concerned about having a weak pelvic floor or suffer from incontinence, we can seek advice from either our midwife or a Physiotherapist. A Physiotherapist will be able to ensure you are completing the correct exercises, help increase your awareness of the pelvic floor and how to engage these muscles, as well as give you advice on diet and lifestyle, which may contribute to a weak pelvic floor.

1. Try not to ‘eat for two’. Dramatic excess weight gain can put extra stress on your muscles and joints which can lead to pain around the trunk, pelvis and hips! The NICE guidelines recommend an additional 200 calories per day in the third trimester. Still treat yourself to those pregnancy cravings in moderation but try to balance it out with plenty of fruit and vegetables. If you are concerned that you are not getting enough vitamins and nutrients within your diet, remembering to take a prenatal multivitamin can help to provide you growing baby with everything she needs to grow.

2. Keep active! Moderate-intensity physical activity will not harm you or your unborn child. In fact regular exercise during pregnancy has a whole host of benefits! These benefits include better sleep; increased energy levels; reducing stress levels; as well as preparing the body for childbirth and allowing a faster recovery following delivery. Exercise can also help to lower your risk of pregnancy-related complications such as gestational diabetes and preeclampsia.

If you are not used to regular exercise, it is best to begin with no more than 15 minutes of continuous exercise, three times a week, such as walking or swimming. This can be gradually increased to daily 30 minute sessions. If exercise is a regular part of your lifestyle, you should be able to continue with no adverse effects (although it would be wise to find alternatives to contact sports to ensure the safety or you and your baby).

3. Relax! Preparing for your new addition can be a stressful experience. For many months during pregnancy it is natural to be quite anxious regarding the health of your baby, as well as having to adapt to your changing body and preparing your home for the new arrival. It is normal to feel a little stressed and overwhelmed sometimes, however if you are stressed and anxious day in, day out, ask your midwife or doctor for help. That’s because the stress hormone cortisol can cross the placenta and influence the building blocks of your baby’s emotional development (Lereya and Wolke 2012). Allow yourself some ‘me’ time; if you’re tired give yourself an early night, talk about your feelings to your partner or friends, or treat yourself to a funny movie or a pre-natal massage.

If you are suffering from pregnancy-related pain and you are struggling to self-manage your symptoms, then it is time to seek professional advice from your GP, Midwife or Physiotherapist.

• The GP would perform an assessment based on your presentation and would give you the best advice regarding medications that are safe to take during pregnancy as well as referring you on to other health professionals if necessary.
• Your regular appointments with the midwife will ensure that baby and mother are managing well during the course of your pregnancy, through numerous assessments and tests.
• If you decided upon seeing one of our physiotherapist’s here at Physiofusion, we would perform an assessment to gather information regarding your pregnancy and symptoms and to determine the cause and source of your pain. This would involve looking at your posture, observing the movement around the lower back, pelvis and hips, as well as having a feel of the joints and muscles local to your symptoms. We can then tailor our advice and treatment to you as an individual, in order to facilitate a relief of symptoms during or after your pregnancy.

Try using our FREE Ask-A-Physio service online to ask the experts any questions you have or book an appointment with a specialist on 01282 453 110.

Caroline (Chartered Physiotherapist)

As one of our Physiotherapists and a Mum-to-be for the second time, Caroline feels now is the perfect time to discuss the natural changes to our bodies during pregnancy and ways to help alleviate the strains and pains we go through.

It is estimated that between 50% and 80% of women experience some form of back pain during pregnancy. However, this is not to say that pain should be accepted as part of the process. With appropriate advice and treatment, pregnancy-related lower back and pelvic pain can be minimised to help ensure an easier pregnancy and to facilitate an easier delivery.

Pregnancy-related lower back pain and pelvic pain are often due to a combination of factors: weight gain, hormonal changes and an altered centre of mass (due to that growing tummy)!

Weight gain is a healthy and essential process during pregnancy; ensuring that our bodies are taking in enough energy to help grow your baby as well as developing extra body tissue; including larger breasts and uterus, the placenta and extra blood and fluid. During pregnancy most women will gain between 18 and 30 pounds on average, with most of that weight gain after week 20. Gaining a substantial amount of weight over a relatively short period of time can place the muscles and joints under excess strain which can in turn lead to the development of pain as a symptom.

With a growing tummy, comes a change in posture! As the baby becomes bigger (typically in the second and third trimesters), your centre of gravity is shifted forwards. To compensate we often find ourselves extending at the lower back. This can cause the muscles either side of your lower back to overwork, causing them to become tight and sometimes painful and achy. It can also cause the joints at the back of the spine between the vertebrae to overly compress which can also lead to pain. Due to your growing bump, the abdominal muscles are stretched which stops them from working as efficiently to support the spine.

On top of all of that, a hormone called relaxin is released during pregnancy, particularly during the first and third trimesters. Relaxin does exactly what it says on the tin by increasing the water content within the connective tissues (such as ligaments) which results in increased elasticity of the connective tissues, causing the joints to lose their stability.

Despite the above changes being necessary parts of pregnancy, there are also a host of things which can be done to help ease aches and symptoms.

If you would like to discuss your symptoms with one of our experts such as Caroline, try our Ask-A-Physio service for FREE.

Alternatively, you can call us on 01282 453 110 to arrange an appointment or a call with one of our Physio’s.

Caroline (Chartered Physiotherapist)