Expert Articles

Osteopath Dr Gerhard van der Merwe has recently opened his Spine Health & Back Pain Centre in George at 2 Forest Road, Heatherlands. Here he treats back pain, musculoskeletal disorders and sports injuries with an integrated approach of physiotherapy, osteopathy, musculoskeletal medicine, exercise physiology and… Read More»

New research from University of Sydney has found home-based video-game exercises can reduce chronic low back pain in older people by 27 percent, which is comparable to benefits gained under programs supervised by a physiotherapist. Published in Physical Therapy journal, this first-of-its-kind study investigated the effectiveness… Read More»

Sciatic pain can stop you in your tracks. If you’re experiencing a flare due a recent or past back injury – or possibly from spinal stenosis or a herniated disk – you know that it can feel like a lightning bolt is running from your… Read More»

Sleep. It’s one of the most natural and nurturing human activities, and it’s something we all require to keep our minds and bodies functioning properly. But did you know you can actually sleep the WRONG way? Think about the last time you awoke with a… Read More»

For many, back pain is triggered by a strenuous activity, such as gardening or weight-lifting. Others simply bend down to pick up a pen and their back gives out. Any back pain or injury should be addressed immediately. Early intervention can help prevent a chronic… Read More»

Do you wake up with a nagging lower back pain? It could be because of your sleeping position. People who sleep in one position the whole night often complain of spine issues. Therefore, it’s important to sleep in a position that doesn’t impact on your… Read More»

Mid-back pain occurs in the thoracic spine — between the rib cage and the base of the neck. Here, there are 12 spinal disks, several vertebrae and many muscles and ligaments. Any of these structures can become irritated or damaged, leading to mid-back pain. Causes… Read More»

When looking at a spine – one of the key components to general wellbeing is the health of the intervertebral discs. If we keep them happy, the likelihood of back pain is much less. Research has shown that the mechanism of disc destruction is predominantly… Read More»

The following factors are linked to a higher risk of developing low back pain: A mentally stressful job Pregnancy – pregnant women are much more likely to get back pain A sedentary lifestyle Age – older adults are more susceptible than young adults or children… Read More»

It can happen when you’re least expecting it: suddenly your calf muscle tightens and contracts, causing excruciating pain down your leg. What you have is cramp. Common as they are and terrible as they can be, the actual cause of cramps is something of a… Read More»