Author: Amanda Goodie, Women’s Health Physiotherapist at PhyxMe Physiotherapy & Rehabilitation

Pelvic health physiotherapy is a specialised area in the physiotherapy profession that has been gaining more public attention in the last few years. And with good reason too- up to 70% of women suffer from leaking of urine when they cough, sneeze or laugh, or are unable to hold on if they are rushing to the toilet. Pelvic floor physiotherapy is also useful during and after giving birth to help strengthen the pelvic floor muscles. But there are many other things that your pelvic health physiotherapist can help you with that you may not know about. Read more

Tropic Magazine Issue 16

FEBRUARY – MARCH 2019

Opinion column, by Megan Thomas

“First one in the shower wins!” I call out to my two children in order to achieve the first step in the evening routine as quickly as possible.

They race off, pushing and shoving their way past each other to the bathroom. Neither of them ask “wins what?” – all that seems to matter is one of them will be first, and to my relief, that’s enough to drive the evening shower motivation.

So, what is it about a challenge that we love so much?

‘Nothing,’ I hear some of you say. I beg to differ. I think there is an in-built competitive drive in all of us, just some (like me) are more wired than others.

The aspect of challenge is what makes us successful, no matter how small the success is (from passing a test, getting a date, being fit, or even beating your sibling to the bathroom).

Read more

Grace Rosenfeldt

Illustrator, textile & graphic designer

www.roseycreative.com

How and why did you start clinical classes at Q Pilates

I have long-term low back pain and tightness, but love working out and challenging myself. In the past I have enjoyed Pilates but had to give up regular group classes because of my back issue. My new Q Pilates program not only incorporates Pilates principles but it also addresses other areas needing strengthening (not just my lower back).

Read more

It may not be as bad as you think

By Megan Thomas, Senior Physiotherapist

When it comes to community beliefs about low back pain (LBP)

50% believe pain in the back means that the back is damaged

almost 90% believe that ignoring pain can damage the back and

70% believe there is ongoing weakness in the back following an episode of LBP (Darlow et al 2000)

Despite these popular beliefs, the spine is a strong structure and serious underlying structural causes are rarely the cause of LBP. Furthermore, the association between MRI findings of disc degeneration, disc bulges and LBP disability are weak (Deyo 2002).

Read more

Reducing the risk for adolescent sports people

Injury rates in active sports playing children and teenagers are on the rise. As training methods advance and competition increases in intensity, our children are in turn placing more demand on their bodies.

Recent research by Raisanen et al., in 2018 found that half of all children between the ages of 11 and 16 engaging in competitive sports had sustained at least one injury in the previous 12 months.

Read more

APRIL – MAY 2019 Opinion column, by Megan Thomas

Birthdays are good for you. Statistics show that the people who have the most, live the longest. Just about every day in the PhyxMe clinic, I see people of all ages injure themselves as a result of the stress that the milestone birthday (usually over 40) can cause.

So many of my patients injure themselves in the struggle to achieve fitness goals prior to the big 40, 50 or 60 birthday celebrations. Luckily by the age of 70 they finally seem grateful to be there and stop trying to be younger than they are.

Read more

How we get netballers back on the court

By Lauren Sambell, Physiotherapist

Netball is the most popular team sport in Australia; it also has the highest rate of female participation in the world.

And I love it!

Netball is dynamic, fast-paced and involves sudden changes of speed and direction, jumping, landing and pivoting; as a result it is no wonder injuries are very common.

In fact in 2012, 4% of all sports related injuries admitted to hospital were from playing netball and 60% of those injuries related to the knee and lower leg.

Treating sports people at PhyxMe is what we do every day, so what injuries do we commonly see with our Netballers?

Read more

By Simon Morris, Senior Physiotherapist

January, oh January. The Christmas bells have ceased ringing, the lights and decorations are down and the scales seem to be out of calibration and reading too high!

However, we are still buzzing from fresh New Year’s resolutions and revitalised after some downtime with family and friends. We are ready to tackle the year ahead, whether it be starting pre-season training for your winter sport, that drunken commitment to the 70.3 at a Christmas party or the New Year fitness regimen.

Read more