De-Influencing

In a world where everyone is pushed to create non stop content, we end up seeing ridiculous fads or unnecessary products. This will be a space where you can come to find out which trends are turds and which ones are actually helpful.

Todays Turd – “7 ways to fix back pain”

I have written several articles over the last 15 years about methods that may relieve back pain. None of them were meant to guarantee anything but to inform the reader that you need a proper assessment which may include a scan and then some of the most prominent problems and some low risk exercises to relieve pain. It might be time to write another full article…

There is no such thing as non specific back pain. In other words, it is never generalized pain, it is always going to be a function of a mechanical flaw or injury. Injuries can be sudden “impact” or they can be of the wear and tear variety. It is also possible that you have something like a cyst, tumor or genetic degenerative disease that is causing pain. You know how to fix all of these things? Because I don’t! Definitely not with “7 exercises” or stretches. Any internet blog telling you that these magical exercises or stretches will heal any and all versions of back pain is pure horseshit. You need an assessment before you figure out what direction to take it – should it be stability focused, mobility focused, general strengthening, postural, fixing exercise form, tension release or do you need surgery? Here is one thing I have learned from the very best back mechanic specialists on th planet, more often than not, you do not need surgery. But without a proper assessment you won’t know what your options are and the vast majority of clinicians have no idea how to properly assess.

Get a scan and go see an osteopath, they have the most holistic approach to assessments I have seen. Or go on backfitpro.com and search for a practitioner near you.

Todays Turd – Facial Yoga

This trend has been the new contagion within my algorithm, I’m not sure what that says about my face…maybe my phone is tracking my facial drooping and is trying to not so gently let me know I’m melting…Or maybe its just part of the cadence of bulljive that social media throws at you.

So is facial yoga worthwhile? As eluded above – not so much. To be fair, the science isn’t yet but maybe it will be eventually. Until then, all it is, to anyones best knowledge is marketing and maybe some strand of “logic” that if you move your face muscles, then the tissue won’t droop. I’m not sold on this, simply because it is not muscle tissue that droops, it is skin and fat cells. As we age the elasticity in our skin reduces – the collagen matrix becomes weaker and so it doesn’t hold up the same way it used to. This along with increased fat stores and reduced hydration can make out faces appear old, maybe older than we are.

There has been 1 study on facial yoga. It included 15 women who enrolled and received the full 20 week facial yoga routine. 32 exercises were involved in the program which was performed 30 minutes daily and each person had weekly follow ups. There was no control group and the results were based on physicians observations of before and after photographs. No biological measurements were taken, so we have no data on whether collagen or muscle tone increased, if fat stores decreased (or increased) or if hydration improved or any other metrics used in studies of skin health. That said, it is possible that muscle tone changed which had an affect on appearance. The results suggested an average of 3 year observable reduction in perceived age. This metric is obscenely subjective so I don’t know what to take from it. Also, the study, while a perfectly fine starter study towards building scientific interest on this subject, is at this point, junk science. I would never spend money getting some unproven online program and waste 30 minutes a day on this. This is 30 minutes that you could spend, drinking more water, adding collagen to a protein shake and doing 25 minutes of real exercise that will undoubtedly make you look and feel younger. There is real science on collagen supplements that has recently made me rethink its usefulness for “anti-aging” effects on skin. Staying hydrated helps and 3.5 hours a week od moderate level exercise will also help you reduce stress, improve circulation, boost immunity and manage your metabolism, all of which help with maintaining youthful appearance and energy levels.

Until further notice, this one is a total turd.