Gold Coast Seminar#3 to Become the Ultimate Runner
Tips & Tricks for getting stronger as a Runner to improve your performance: Seminar #3 in the Mygcphysio Running Series
Free Entry for Run@mygcphysio Group Members
Physio Yoga- let us help you slow down, be more mindful & feel better
Do you feel like you rush around all day, every day? Do you sometimes feel busy & overwhelmed? Do you just need to learn how to slow down & be more mindful???
By Physio & Yoga Teacher, Sarah Bombell
In this day and age we are always on the go. Constantly on the move with work, family, social and sporting commitments. We are getting up earlier and staying up later so we can pack more tasks into the day. How often do you allow yourself time to stop and breathe?
And Does this really matter for our health??
Our autonomic nervous system is a division of the nervous system that controls our involuntary bodily functions such as blood pressure, digestion, heart rate and rate of breathing. The autonomic nervous system is split into 2 different divisions: The sympathetic nervous system (SNS) and the parasympathetic nervous system (PNS).
The sympathetic nervous system is known as our “fight or flight” response. From an evolutionary stand point this is our defence mechanism that heightens our awareness and prepares us to either defend ourselves or run away from the threat of a predator. When you’re feeling on edge or anxious your SNS is in control. Your heart rate, blood pressure and respiratory rate will rise, you will get sweaty palms and your blood gets redirected to the muscles which will make you feel tense.
The parasympathetic nervous system is known as our “rest and digest” response. The PNS helps to slow the heart rate and respiratory rate while redirecting the blood to the digestive system all helping us to literally rest and digest. This is how we recover not only physically but also mentally.
Our bodies are in a constant balance between the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems. Unfortunately today’s society causes many of us to be constantly in a state of fight or flight and we’ve lost our ability to rest and digest. The constant sympathetic drive and release of stress hormones eventually take its toll on the body and can lead to poor sleep, poor recovery, anxiety, fatigue and even poor overall health.
So what can we do??
Learn to slow down.
There are many ways we can do this, its all about finding something that works for you. Practicing mindfulness is a great way to calm the mind and body allowing yourself to “rest and digest”. Mindfulness is the practice of focusing your attention on the present moment and becoming aware of what you are feeling in your body. This is achieved by controlling, slowing and focusing on the breath and not allowing the mind to wander. Mindfulness can be practiced in sitting or through movement however it can often be challenging to switch the brain off.
That’s why I love yoga!!
People often think of yoga as just stretching, but it’s much more than that.
The benefits include:
- increase in flexibility,
- improved balance and coordination,
- increased strength and
- stress management through guided mindfulness.
An entire yoga class is dedicated to slowing and controlling the breath while focusing on the body. Every class starts and finishes with focused mindfulness of being still and breathing, with the middle of the class dedicated to controlling the breath with movement. Although it can sometimes be physically challenging, by the end of a class your body will slow down and upon finishing you will feel completely relaxed with your parasympathetic nervous system in control.
For me yoga is not only about being fit, strong and flexible but also about managing stress. I always leave the class feeling completely relaxed and rejuvenated.
Why Try Physio yoga??
Physio yoga is more gentle than a traditional yoga class. My classes are relaxed and non-intimidating. I am able to program and modify movements to suit each person individually, your pain, injuries and your issues. Gold Coast Physio & Sports Health Physio Yoga classes are limited to 8 participants, allowing me to get around to every participant and correct postures, and check in with you individually.
Come and try your FIRST CLASS FREE and feel the benefits.
Bookings are essential, so if you are interested in joining me then give the clinic a call on 07 5500 6470 to book your class. If you have lots of injuries and are unsure if Physio Yoga is for you, ring and leave me a message and we will discuss your individual needs and see how we can make Physio Yoga help you.
How Massage Can Help You Manage Chronic Pain
Using Massage for Pain Management
By Senior Massage Therapist, Anthony Evans (Burleigh Clinic)
People with chronic pain often turn to massage therapy to help naturally improve their quality of life.
Massage releases serotonin, which is the body’s natural production of anti-pain chemicals. Another aggravating factor in pain syndromes can be a lack of deep, restorative sleep. Massage is very effective at increasing deep sleep. With more deep sleep, you have less pain.
Fibromyalgia and arthritis are two chronic pain syndromes that can be positively impacted by massage therapy.
In a study of massage therapy for knee osteoarthritis, a group receiving massage therapy for the pain showed significant improvement in pain, stiffness and physical function. They increased their range of motion and reduced the time it took them to walk 50 feet.
In another study, conducted by the Touch Research Institute and funded by Massage Envy, people with arthritis in their wrist and hand reported less pain and greater grip strength after massage therapy. They also had lower anxiety and depressed mood scores.
For people looking to naturally manage their chronic pain, massage therapy can improve quality of life by impacting mood as well as manage the pain and other benefits.
When you live with chronic pain, having a toolbox of strategies you turn to for pain relief is important.
Massage can be a powerful tool for relaxing both mind and body.
Benefits of Massage for Managing Chronic Pain
▪ Increases serotonin, which reduces pain naturally
▪ Naturally increases deep sleep
▪ Increases range of motion
▪ Lowers anxiety and improves mood
More and more people are looking for effective, natural solutions to supplement their pain management. From deep tissue massage to sports massage to Trigger Point Therapy
The effectiveness of massage lies in a simple and direct strategy: working from the external, outer mechanisms of pain to the primary, root cause. Massage therapists utilize a holistic approach, focusing on the entire body system and its relationship to soft tissue. Their care isn’t focused only on the site of pain.
Another benefit of massage therapy is how it helps you become more aware of your body and better familiarize you with the pain you experience. As an experienced massage therapist I not only help relieve muscle and other soft tissue pain, but I can also impact on you by virtue of human touch and care.
This care is especially pronounced for women facing mastectomies and dealing with the outcomes of that surgery – we have female Massage Therapists that can comfortably assist if this is you. Massage will help you feel comfortable once again in your body. This comfort level improves confidence and allows you to better deal with pain, while benefiting from various other forms of massage that focus on lymph drainage and muscle pain, as well as other pain management therapies.
Although more research is needed to confirm the best uses of massage, the potential for a positive impact on both acute, and especially chronic pain is clear.
As it stands, enough research exists to encourage pain management specialists and massage therapists to forge professional relationships. These pain management relationships should exist in the hospital, in clinics, in private practice offices and in home care.
Gold Coast Physio & Sports Health has a Team of very experienced Massage Therapists at both clinics. Anthony himself lives chronic knee pain following being hit by a car while cycling, so he has an in-depth understanding and personal understanding of pain. Anthony uses this empathy to benefit clients and athletes-alike in using massage to assist with pain management.
If you would like an appointment with Anthony or any one of our other experienced and caring Therapists, please phone the clinic on 07 5500 6470, or Book Online
Kokoda Challenge Gold Coast: a physio guide to staying injury free & finishing
Briefing Night Presentation
Sports Physio, Australian Olympic Team Physio & Kokoda 96km Finisher, Britt Caling
“NOT NOW DARLING, I HAVE A HEADACHE”
HOW MUCH ARE YOUR HEADACHES IMPACTING YOUR LIFE?
By experienced Physio, Helen Sibbald who has a special interest in treating Necks, Vertigo & Balance Disorders
Did you know?
- There are over 300 different types of headaches and many issues that may trigger them.
- Physiotherapists, your GP and specialists, like Neurologists, are trained to assess and recognise which headache type you have and target their management appropriately?
THE GOOD NEWS:
Headaches can be debilitating and frustrating, and expensive while you shop around for a “cure”. The good news is: headaches are common, nearly everyone has them, and there are strategies that you can develop to help yourself during a headache or to prevent a headache.
WHAT CAN A PHYSIOTHERAPIST DO FOR A HEADACHE?
If you saw a Physio first, they would actively listen to your headache “story”. Firstly, to rule out so called “red flags” – these are the things that would require us to refer you to a Dr prior to any treatment. Secondly, to diagnose your headache type, based on your history and features of your headaches.
Secondly, the Physio would perform a thorough physical examination and if your examination fulfils the criteria, a diagnosis of Cervicogenic headache (coming from your neck) can be made and appropriate Physiotherapy management planned.
HOW DO YOU KNOW IF YOU HAVE A HEADACHE THAT COMES FROM YOUR NECK?
These headaches are usually one-sided (with associated dysfunction on that side of the neck). They do not shift from side to side during that headache (like migraines can). They are aggravated by neck postures or movements and usually it feels like the pain starts in the neck and moves up to the head. The cause could be poor/prolonged postures; osteoarthritis of the neck joints; previous trauma for example, MVC, sports injury.
WHAT WOULD YOUR PHYSIO FIND IF THE HEADACHE WAS FROM YOUR NECK?
Physiotherapists would find, on examination, a pattern of impairment: loss of ROM of the neck, painful and or stiff neck joints and dysfunction of some of the “core” muscles of your neck – the deep neck flexors. Commonly, tight muscles, poor postural habits, dysfunction of the neck extensor and shoulder blade muscles can also be found. All of these may restrict blood flow to the nerves and change some of the local chemicals, firing off messages up to the brain which then produces pain and you have a headache.
WHAT WOULD YOUR PHYSIO DO?
Depending on what we found, management would be tailored to your needs and would usually consist firstly of education and reassurance.
Studies have shown that if you understand that a major cause of your pain is extra sensitive nerves and if you understand what is causing your pain, your nerves will start to calm down and your pain will lessen.
Manual therapy would be performed to the neck joints and muscles to promote better movement and function.
Therapeutic exercises will be prescribed as well as home exercises to keep the neck moving well. Self -management strategies (to calm the nerves down) would be demonstrated.
DID YOU KNOW THAT YOUR POOR BALANCE, VISUAL DISTURBANCES AND YOUR HEADACHE MAY BE LINKED?
A portion of people with cervicogenic headaches also experience a feeling of light headedness, unsteadiness or visual disturbances. Your Physio would do a battery of tests that test balance, gaze stability, eye follow, and neck joint position sense and movement sense. Specific exercises to address these impairments would be prescribed.
YOU MAY HAVE A NECK ISSUE AS WELL AS A MIGRAINE/TENSION TYPE HEADACHE:
Some people have more than 1 type of headache or a mixed headache type and even if your headache is not cervicogenic/ or is a migraine or a tension type headache (for which, you may have seen a Dr for medication), you may also have co–existing neck pain that could respond well to Physio. The self -management strategies that your Physio will discuss with you can help all types of headaches.
If you have a headache, Vertigo, Dizziness, Nausea, Visual Disturbances or Poor Balance, come and see Physio Helen Sibbald for a Consult. Helen consults from our Runaway Bay/Labrador Clinic. For bookings phone 07 5500 6470 or Book Online
Private Health Rebates for Pilates
Has your Health Fund told you they are no longer giving rebates for “Pilates”?
Do not fear- we can still help you!
Have you been notified by your Health fund that “Pilates” as an exercise program is being removed from receiving a Private Health Fund Rebate? From 2019, private health insurance will no longer cover natural therapies, including Aromatherapy, Bowen therapy, Buteyko, Feldenkrais, Herbalism, Homeopathy, Iridology, Kinesiology, Naturopathy, Reflexology, Rolfing, Shiatsu, Tai chi, Yoga and Pilates (provider by Pilates Instructors).
This move comes after a recent review by the Commonwealth Chief Medical Officer found there was no clear evidence of the efficacy of these therapies. An expert committee will be established to consider the issue of ballooning and often opaque out-of-pocket costs.
BUT, DON”T DESPAIR! You can still claim your Private Health Rebates at Gold Coast Physio & Sports Health.
At Gold Coast Physio & Sports Health our “Physio Pilates” service is really just a name given to a subtle Exercise program in disguise. We have experienced Physio’s delivering your Rehab Exercises, Posture and Movement Control Exercises, Exercise Program needs and a Physio Pilates program of Exercises. The delivery of these exercises in clinic can be as done as:
1. A one-on-one appointment, for either 30min or 45min with your Physio
2. A small group appointment with your Physio for 45min, with a maximum of 3 clients per 45min session (so you receive at least 15min individualised attention). This session ensures you get individualised exercises prescribed to your goals, and individualised feedback on your technique and performance of the exercises.
There is significant research evidence indicating the benefits of exercises in a supervised and controlled setting for many health needs, including:
– reduced joint and muscle pain
– eliminating the need for many expensive and often risky surgeries
– better post-operative outcomes after surgery
– reduced medical morbidities
So, because we have Physio’s that individualise your exercises, perform assessment and reassessment within your session and a plan a specific exercise pathway for you based around your physical and health goals, plus we document your individual pathway, we are able to ensure you will continue to receive a Physio Health Fund rebate for your “Physio Pilates/Exercise appointment” in clinic.
Our “Fitness Pilates’ small group classes conducted by Pilates Instructor & Massage Therapist, Katie Harders however will NOT continue to receive Health Fund Rebates under these changes. However, these classes are significantly cheaper than the Physio Exercise Sessions and are aimed at non-symptomatic individuals with less specific rehab needs, so these sessions are made very affordable without Health Fund Rebates in any case.
If you are unhappy about these Government Private Health Rebate Reforms, the best thing to do is to complain to your Health Fund. Below are the Direct Contacts for some of the bigger Health Funds:
Private health insurer contacts:
BUPA: Natalie Dubrowin <Natalie.Dubrowin@bupa.com.au> (03) 9937 4595 0408 988 833
HBF: Gemma Librizzi <Gemma.Librizzi@hbf.com.au> (08) 9265 6490 0425 427 519
HCF: Julie Macey <JMacey@hcf.com.au> 02 9290 0200
NIB: Donal Byrne <D.Byrne@nib.com.au> 02 4914 1805 0424 750 960
MEDIBANK: Rebecca Bell <rebecca.bell@medibank.com.au> 07 3026 0500 0466 770 376 or Craig Drummond < craig.drummond@medibank.com.au>
Don’t forget about our Physio Pilates/Exercise Packs for Purchase to reduce your costs further. Details here
Check our Timetable here
Otherwise, we look forwards to continuing to help you into 2019 and beyond with your Activity, Health & Sporting Goals. Phone us on 07 5500 6470 for enquiries or Bookings.
