Hi Everyone,
It’s Easter time and at last the rain has come and the Summer temperatures have lowered. It’s a great time of year to be active and to work on your Wellness choices. Wellness includes physical health, emotional health and mental health. Stress can be a big contributor to “disease” within the body. Cultivate the art of being still at times, observing your body, emotions, mind and breathe. Relaxed deep breathing helps the body release tension, enhances the circulation to all organs/limbs and feel peaceful. Often over time pain and spasm will reduce or disappear.
If it has taken time to get out of shape for whatever reason, expect it will take time to get into shape. Start slowly and progress bit by bit with realistic achievable goals. Boot camp exercise programs and fad diets are dangerous when the body is simply not used to such extreme changes. Training needs to be targeted, progressive and safe for the cardiovascular system and also to prevent injury to muscular/ligamentous soft tissue.
Any of our physiotherapists at focus on physio would be happy to get you started.
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Our popular Easter Special will run for the month of April only. This is a great opportunity to buy your exercise class passes (Pilates, Hydrotherapy, Aquabones, Falls Prevention) and Massage at reduced prices.
focus on physio welcomes physiotherapist Sarah Anderson to the Team. Sarah’s passion is helping women with Women’s Health issues (incontinence, urgency, prolapse).
Physiotherapy
Did you know that putting a lumbar support in your car or office chair will improve the posture of your neck and reduce both neck strain, pain and the development of headaches? It is common with age to see degenerative changes on X-ray of the neck, particularly if there has been trauma from contact sports or whiplash type injuries. This doesn’t mean that your pain can’t improve or disappear with physiotherapy treatment which gets to the root causes by mobilisation of joints, lengthening tight muscles, facilitation of inhibited postural muscles and self-care management for sleeping, travelling, at home, at the office or when playing sport.
Neck pain that is not addressed progresses to radiating pain into the shoulder or arm. Untreated neck pain can also cause debilitating headaches which affect concentration and sleep.
Hydrotherapy “Pool News”
Our hydrotherapy pool has been popular with many orthopaedic patients working on their programs alongside their physiotherapy treatment. Recovery rates following shoulder, feet, hip and knee surgery are accelerated by working in warm water as the buoyancy of water makes early movement easy without causing pain or swelling. The warmth of the water creates relaxation of protective muscles in spasm and patients experience the confidence to achieve movement with minimal discomfort. Water is heavy so movement in it creates a resistance allowing the strengthening of muscles.
Hydrotherapy programs designed by physiotherapists are a cost effective rehabilitation tool, which many health funds partially rebate as a separate item under Physiotherapy Programs. We also offer reduced-price hydrotherapy passes such as our Easter April special, which assist patients to use the pool and rehabilitate quicker.
Pilates
Pilates is a great way to cross train for flexibility, strength and co-ordination if you play a sport such as golf, tennis, swim, dance and paddling. Throwing sports require rational strength and flexibility of the torso on a stable lumbar spine. Physiotherapists understand the complexities and subtle patterns of movements associated with sports and how to train the body to correct for postural abnormalities and muscle imbalances so commonly seen as a result of overtraining in a sport. Most Health Funds (depends on level of cover) partially rebate Remedial Pilates as it is remedial exercises class coded and delivered by a physiotherapist.
Women’s Health
All our women attending our exercise classes receive education and instruction on the activation and strengthening of the pelvic floor muscle groups.
Our Pregnancy land/hydrotherapy classes, “Pregercise” is run when we have enough “Mother’s to Be” to form a class. Young pregnant women are keen to look great and be fit for birth. Delivery requires stamina, strength and breathing control, so energy is conserved and pain control is modulated. Make certain you tell Young Mums about these classes – they can take a look at our website or ask for details at Reception.
Don’t forget if you are young or an older women with urinary incontinence (leaking when you laugh) or run to the toilet or have prolapse, that maybe you need a Pelvic Floor check up with Sarah or Anne. Pelvic Floor Wellness is important for all women.