Movement Milestones at 3 months

Developmental movement Milestones

At three months, your baby's motor strength continues to develop. They will reach for small toys and try to shake or put them in their mouth. You'll notice better head control and lots of kicking and pushing down when their feet are on a hard surface. Here's a quick checklist of baby's Movement Milestones at 3 months​​​​​​​

• Raises head and chest when lying on tummy​​​​​​​​

• Supports upper body with arms when lying on tummy ​​​​​​​​

• Stretches legs and kicks out when lying on tummy/back​​​​​​​​

• Opens and shuts hands ​​​​​​​​

• Brings hands to mouth ​​​​​​​​

• Swipes at objects/toys with hands ​​​​​​​​

• Grasps and shakes small toys ​​​​​​​​

• Pushes down on legs when feet on firm surface ​​​​​​​

Movement milestones Red Flags

If you notice your baby isn't meeting one or more of the following movement milestones, contact your healthcare provider to discuss your concerns​​​​​​​​

• Can't support his/her head well by 3 months​​​​​​​​

• Doesn't reach for and grasp toys by 3-4 months​​​​​​​​

• Doesn't bring objects to his/her mouth by 4 months​​​​​​​​

Osteopathy and Babies

How can your osteopath help? ​​​​​​​​
Osteopaths take a detailed history and assessment to identify areas of tension or restriction in the musculoskeletal system. We assess: ​​​​​​​​

• Primitive reflexes and neurological evaluation​​​​​​​​

• Orthopaedic and osteopathic evaluation​​​​​​​​

• Developmental milestones​​​​​​​​

Osteopathic treatment aims to restore normal function and optimise healthy development for your baby ​​​​​​​​(Read more about osteopathy and babies).
Dr. Michelle Sherriff works in conjunction with general practitioners, maternal health nurses and lactation consultants and can make a referral when indicated. ​​​​​​​​

osteopathy near me

Dr. Michelle Sherriff consults at Portland Osteopathy and Wellness Group,

Contact details

Subacromial Bursitis

What is subacromial bursitis?

A common shoulder condition we see as osteopaths is subacromial bursitis. The subacromial bursa is a fluid filled sac which sits under the acromion and “itis” simply means it is inflamed. 

Symptoms of subacromial bursitis

~ shoulder pain, especially on raising your arm overhead

~ shoulder pain that is aggravated by repetitive activity 

~ sensitivity and tenderness over the outer shoulder, especially when pressure is applied (eg lying on that side in bed) 

~ pain that radiates to the outer aspect of the arm (but not past the elbow)

~ as the condition progresses, you may experience pain at the end-range of all movements of the shoulder. 

what causes subacromial bursitis?

The bursa may become inflamed as result of

• Subacromial impingement

• Repetitive overhead activities/overuse

• Direct trauma

• Crystal deposition

• Subacromial hemorrhage

• Infection

• Autoimmune diseases (e.g., rheumatoid arthritis)

You may be at greater risk of subacromial bursitis if your occupation or sport involves repetitive overhead activities. It can also be age-related due to increased subacromial impingement. Sub-optimal posture may contribute to poor biomechanics of the shoulder complex. 

tips for subacromial bursitis

Conservative treatment of subacromial bursitis include

~ Rest, particularly from overhead, repetitive activities 

~ Ice 

~ NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medication) 

osteopathy and subacromial bursitis

This first step is to confirm a diagnosis of subacromial bursitis. 

Your osteopath can confirm the diagnosis by taking your medical history and assessment of the shoulder.. Subacromial bursitis may present on its own, or in conjunction with other conditions. Often we’ll see subacromial bursitis alongside rotator cuff tendinopathy, biceps tendinopathy or subacromial impingement syndrome.  It is also important to exclude the cervical spine as a cause of referred pain. 

Once a likely diagnosis of subacromial bursitis is made, the aim is to reduce pain and facilitate healing. 

Osteopathic treatment is always based on the following principles 

• The body is a whole, integrated unit  

• Structure is related to function

• Each system is inter-related

• The body has self-healing and self-regulating mechanisms

Osteopaths use a range of techniques aimed to

~ improve biomechanics and range of motion of the shoulder complex

 ~ address muscle imbalances of the shoulder

~ improve mobility of the thoracic and cervical spine

~ minimise postural strain on the shoulder

~ improve lymphatic drainage and reduce inflammation 

~ reduce sympathetic tone and restore balance to the whole. 

home exercises for subacromial bursitis

~ You osteopath can provide you with a home exercise program for all stages of subacromial bursitis

osteopathy near me

Dr. Michelle Sherriff consults at Portland Osteopathy and Wellness Group

Contact Details

alternative treatment for subacromial bursitis

Corticosteroid injection under ultrasound  or surgery may be performed if your symptoms don’t respond to conservative treatment. We can refer you to your G.P. for further investigations (eg x-ray or MRI)

Faruqi T, Rizvi TJ. Subacromial Bursitis. [Updated 2020 Jun 29]. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2020 Jan-. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK541096/

Shortness of Breath in Pregnancy

Shortness of Breath in Pregnancy

An estimated 60-70% of women experience shortness of breath during pregnancy, especially during the last trimester.  

There are several factors related to shortness of breath during pregnancy.  Osteopathic treatment can help your body adjust to some of these changes, allowing an easier more efficient breath.

Factors to consider: 

• Uterine distension 

• Changes in lung volume

• Altered thoracic biomechanics

• Elevation of the diaphragm

• Increased progesterone

Uterine distension from a growing baby causes gradual changes in lung volume due to altered thoracic biomechanics and elevation of the diaphragm muscle. The diaphragm is a large, dome-shaped muscle located at the base of your lungs.  It is the principle muscle of breathing and has attachments to the xiphoid process (the bottom of the sternum), the inner costal cartilages of ribs 6 to 10, the arcuate ligament and the lumbar spine.  During pregnancy the diaphragm moves up approximately 4 cm from its normal position which leads to mild compression of the lungs.  Hormonal changes can also contribute with an increase in progesterone, resulting in a deeper breath. 

How can your osteopath help? 

Osteopathic treatment may involve joint articulation of the thoracic spine and rib cage to release any restrictions. The diaphragm muscle can be released directly or indirectly to improve function. Osteopathy in the cranial field restores balance to the whole body including the sympathetic nervous system and nerve supply to the diaphragm.

What can you do? 

• Being mindful of your posture through pregnancy (avoid slouching)

• Pillow props in bed or at rest

• Diaphragmatic Breathing or (belly breathing)

• Stress management including meditation/mindfulness practice

  For example Insight Timer Meditation: Breathe to Relax during pregnancy, April Lovett

• Listen to your body, don’t overexert yourself if you are feeling short of breath.

If you need more help with managing shortness of breath during pregnancy make an appointment with your osteopath

Read more about osteopathy and pregnancy

osteopaths near me

Dr. Michelle Sherriff consults at Portland Osteopathy and Wellness Group

127 Percy Street, Portland, Victoria

Contact details

The fourth trimester

⠀Postnatal care

It is vital that mothers receive support and care following the birth process, especially if the birth was traumatic. Pain and discomfort can be aggravated by postural strain related to feeding, holding, and settling your baby. Sleep deprivation, biomechanical, and hormonal changes may also contribute to your pain. ⠀
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Osteopathic treatment is integral to support the wellbeing of mothers during this time. Treatment aims to restore balance, improve mobility, and to release tension in the muscles, joints, and ligaments. Gentle techniques allow a shift in the nervous system to a more restful state. ⠀
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Conditions that may present during the post-natal period:⠀
~ Low back pain⠀
~ Pelvic, sacral and coccyx pain⠀
~ Neck pain and headaches⠀
~ Thoracic spine pain⠀
~ Repetitive strain injury⠀
~ Thoracic outlet syndrome⠀
~ DeQuervain's syndrome⠀
~ Pelvic instability ⠀
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If you are currently pregnant, now is a good time to start building your village of support in preparation for the postnatal period. ⠀

Hip Pain

Anatomy

The hip joint is a ball and socket joint. It has a high degree of stability and range of motion.

The “acetabulum” is composed of 3 components of the hip bone; the ilium, ischium and pubis which merge together in a Y-shaped cartilage. 

The peripheral edge of the acetabulum is deepened by the acetabular “labrum” (a rim of fibrocartilage) which further enclose the femoral head.  The joint capsule attaches around the labrum and to the neck of the femur. The capsule is loose to allow movement but is extremely strong.  

Stability of the hip joint is enhanced by ligaments, including:

• ligament of the head of the femur (ligamentum teres) 

• the iliofemoral ligament

• pubofemoral ligament

• ischiofemoral ligament

How does hip pain present? 

Hip pain tends to affect certain age groups more commonly; the young (0 to 15 years old) 

and people over 45 years old.  Hip pain may present in the buttock, groin, inner thigh or sometimes the knee.  The pain can be dull or sharp. There may be associated stiffness, locking or catching of the joint. Pain may be worse lying on the affected side, or at night. The symptoms may be aggravated by prolonged standing, sitting or certain movements such as stepping out of a car or climbing stairs.  Hip pain may be acute, or chronic (lasting more than 3 months). 

Hip Conditions

There are several common conditions that affect the hip and muscles. However, it is important to exclude referred pain from the spine or other pathology which may require further investigation.  During your examination we assess your gait, posture, lower back, pelvis, hip, knee and ankle joints.   We use osteopathic, orthopaedic and neurological examination to determine a diagnosis for your symptoms.

The most common causes of hip pain that we see include: 

• Osteo-arthritis of the hip joint 

• Tendinopathy affecting the gluteus medius muscle insertion

• Trochanteric bursitis 

Osteopathic treatment aims to restore balance to your whole body, not just the symptomatic region.  We look to:

• increase mobility of the lumbar spine and hip joint

• decrease myofascial tension of the gluteal, piriformis and ilio-psoas muscles

• improve lymphatic drainage

• address strains of the pelvis, sacro-iliac and the lower limb joints

• restore balance and a sense of neutral to your whole body, allowing healthy function.

Depending on your diagnosis, we may recommend heat, ice or specific stretching and strengthening exercises to to help you manage your pain.