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The Ultimate Guide to Safer Squats & Deadlifts

Squats and deadlifts are two fundamental strength-training exercises that target multiple muscle groups, including the quadriceps, hamstrings, gluteals, and core. These movements are highly effective for building lower body strength, improving mobility, and enhancing overall athletic performance. However, improper technique and load can lead to injuries, particularly in the knees, lower back, and hips. Fortunately, the risk of injury associated with weightlifting is comparable to – or lower than – many other sports and hobbies.

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Importance of Prehabilitation Before a Knee or Hip Replacement

Undergoing a total knee replacement (TKR) or total hip replacement (THR) is a major surgical procedure often recommended to alleviate pain, restore mobility, and improve quality of life. While much attention is given to post-operative rehabilitation, pre-operative rehabilitation (often called “prehab”) plays a vital role in enhancing surgical outcomes. Engaging in a structured rehabilitation program before surgery can significantly impact recovery time, reduce post-surgical complications, and improve long-term joint function.

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Healthy Ageing at Home: Exercises for Strength, Balance & Mobility

Ageing is inevitable, but staying active can slow the decline of physical function and significantly improve your quality of life. Research consistently highlights the benefits of physical activity for older adults, showing it reduces the risk of chronic diseases, improves mental health, and, importantly, prevents falls—a leading cause of injury and loss of independence in older Australians.

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Healthy Ageing: How Different Sports Impact Longevity & Health

We often hear that regular exercise is essential for a healthy lifestyle. But can the type of physical activity we choose have a direct effect on our lifespan? A fascinating study of over 80,000 British adults sheds light on how specific sports and exercise types are linked to reduced mortality, particularly from cardiovascular diseases (CVD). The findings suggest that not all activities are created equal—some sports may significantly prolong life more than others.

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Time to Recover from Running Injuries: What Novice Runners Need to Know

Starting a running routine can be an exhilarating journey toward improved fitness, better mental health, and even new social connections. But for many novice runners, the path isn’t without hurdles. One of the most common challenges new runners face is injury. Whether it’s the discomfort of a sore knee, the sharp pain of shin splints, or the relentless ache of Achilles tendinopathy, injuries can derail progress and leave runners frustrated on the sidelines.

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Moving to the Beat: How Pacing Improves Tendon Rehab Outcomes

Tendon Neuroplastic Training (TNT) introduces the concept of pacing through rhythmic external stimuli, like metronomes, to optimise recovery. But why is this seemingly simple addition so effective?

The answer lies in how our brain coordinates movement. When we experience tendon pain, such as in Achilles tendinopathy, our motor control—the brain’s ability to efficiently guide muscles—becomes disrupted. This not only leads to pain but can also impact our ability to perform everyday movements. TNT addresses these motor control issues by helping to “retrain” the brain using external pacing.

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parkour physio rehabilitation injury prevention

Knee-Saving Physio Tips for Parkour

Parkour, the sport of moving fluidly through urban landscapes, is as physically demanding as it is thrilling. But for many athletes, this fast-paced, energy-intensive discipline can take a toll on the body, particularly the knees. The explosive jumps, precision landings, and rapid changes in direction can lead to a frustrating injury known as patella tendinopathy, or jumper’s knee.

This article explores how you can prevent and manage this common overuse injury with smart physiotherapy practices, proper load management, and effective warm-ups. After all, keeping your body strong and healthy is key to mastering parkour and pushing your limits.

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Swimmers Shoulder

Swimmers Shoulder is an umbrella term for shoulder pain incurred from greater training demand, inappropriate load or impaired joint biomechanics during the swim stroke. Pain will typically present in the anterolateral shoulder as a result of impingement, rotator cuff tendinopathy or tear, labral injuries or neurological impingement. Each stroke varies in the musculoskeletal demands which can be refined to ensure performance optimisation.

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Hypermobility Disorders

The term hypermobility is one easily conceptualised by the general population, there is increased movement beyond the ‘normal’ joint range of motion. Hypermobility has historically dominated the sphere of gymnastics, dance and acrobatics as advantageous skill acquisition. Outside of acquired hypermobility which is often used for performance gains, there is a spectrum of hypermobility disorders from asymptomatic to symptomatic hereditary syndromes. Across this scale there are varying symptoms which are not consistent across each categorisation. This varied presentation can increase time to diagnosis and often limit clients from receiving the care required.

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Running Injuries: Common Training Volume Errors and How to Fix Them

New Run (City of Newcastle Running Festival) is fast approaching!

With approximately 2 months left until this event we thought it might be helpful to give you a timely reminder about the best ways to stay injury free as your running loads increase in preparation for your chosen event.

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Inflammatory back pain

Back pain is a common complaint presenting in > 80% of adults. Low back pain can be classified into acute, subacute, and chronic dependent on the duration of symptoms. Your Physiotherapist will use your consultation to screen for serious pathology and categorise whether the pain is inflammatory in nature, structural, radicular, disocgenic or that of a chronic pain disorder. Inflammatory back pain is oftentimes misdiagnosed as chronic back pain or SIJ disorders. The aim of this article is to clarify the diagnosis of inflammatory back pain and outline the steps needed by both patient and primary care provider for management.

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The Power of Magnesium

Magnesium is one of the body’s seven essential minerals that is crucial for overall health. It enables over 300 chemical reactions that are indispensable for cellular health and function. Minerals help with building bone strength, moderate fluid transfer in and out of cells and transforms the food you eat into energy. Magnesium also works to maintain function of our muscles, heart and brain.

Magnesium is a precursor to the regulation of neurotransmitters by controlling the release of hormones through the body. This in return aids in proper muscle function, synthesises of protein, regulation of blood pressure, blood sugar, as well as reducing the risk of osteoporosis.

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Pelvic Organ Prolapse

The diagnosis of pelvic organ prolapse (POP) can be overwhelming. It can make you question how your pelvic floor will function, child-bearing plans, continence and the impact on physical activity and sex. This article aims to explain the pelvic floor, its function, what prolapse is and what treatment options are available.

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Constipation

Constipation can oftentimes be difficult to discuss, even with a health professional. It is a defecation disorder that can significantly impact daily life and should not be neglected. Normal bowel movements occur up to 3 times per day or 1 to every 3 days. If your bowel movements occur less than twice per week, continue reading.

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“Good” vs “Bad” Posture – An Outdated Paradigm?

Posture has become a contentious topic to discuss as conflicting information can be spread from the media, workplace and different health professionals. This article aims to debunk posture myths and challenge the age old paradigm of ‘good posture’.

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Dance physiotherapy assessment at Peak Physio

Common Dancing Injuries: Foot & Ankle

This article will discuss some of the most common pathologies presenting in dancers that involve the foot and ankle joint. Injuries to the lower extremity in dancers are more common than upper limb injuries due to the amount of range and force required to perform particular movements.

Common Dance-Related Injuries

  • Posterior ankle impingement
  • Base of 5th metatarsal fractures
  • Flexor hallucis longus tendinopathy
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Fibromyalgia

What is Fibromyalgia?

Fibromyalgia (FM) is a condition defined by generalised, chronic musculoskeletal pain for more than three months duration. It is present in four or more different areas of the body (widespread pain) with hyperalgesia (heightened sensation) and psychosomatic symptoms such as fatigue, non-restorative sleep, anxiety/depression, cognitive deficits, headaches, and digestive disturbances. Fibromyalgia primarily affects women between the ages of 20 to 50 years old. It is estimated that 3-6% of Australians suffer with fibromyalgia, as many as one million people.

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Osteoporosis: A Physiotherapist’s Guide

What is Osteoporosis?

Derived from the Greek terms “osteo” (meaning bone) and “poro” (meaning porous), osteoporosis is a disease which occurs when bone becomes weak and brittle as a result of bone density loss. Bone density is an important factor when it comes to bone health and strength, and when this is significantly reduced it places the bone at risk of being fractured with relatively little force. For example, vertebrae affected by osteoporosis lack the capacity to withstand normal strain or forces of everyday tasks such as bending forward or lifting a window. These tasks are known to be a common mechanism of causing a vertebral fracture of osteoporotic bone.

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Stretching: Effectiveness of Different Stretching Methods

Stretching is a great way for our bodies to keep moving and prevent stiffness in joints and muscles. Stretching can increase our range of motion (ROM), maintain our activities of daily living and preserve muscle length for sports/activities. Stretching has been debated in regards to its efficacy and who it is most appropriate for. This article aims to discuss the idea of dynamic stretching vs static stretching for warm-ups before sport or exercise.

There are 4 different types of stretching including; dynamic, static, proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation and ballistic.

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The Ageing Shoulder

A healthy shoulder is an integral part of normal daily activities and overall independence. A functional shoulder allows you to wash your hair, put on a shirt, swing a golf club, lift groceries into your boot to name a few. Maintaining a healthy shoulder is an important part of having optimal quality of life.

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Discogenic Low Back Pain

Lets start by breaking down the term ‘discogenic’. The disc is the structure that lies between the vertebrae, discogenic is pain that originates from this structure. Discogenic low back pain presents as pain in the lumbar spine with or without referral that is confirmed via X-ray, CT scan or MRI. Results are commonly reported as ” degenerative disc disease” or “multi-level disc degeneration”. This article aims to explain the role of the disc, what happens when they deteriorate and what it means for you if you have been diagnosed with disc disease or a disc herniation.

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Posterior Tibialis Tendon Dysfunction

Posterior Tibialis Tendon Dysfunction (PTTD) is a common cause of medial ankle and foot pain affecting the tibialis posterior tendon, which – if not effectively treated – can have a detrimental impact on ankle/foot joint integrity and overall function.  The severity of this condition can vary, as the tibialis posterior tendon can become inflamed and painful, or it can continue to deteriorate causing splits/tears within the tendon itself, leading to further complications within the ankle/foot complex. Therefore, identifying and treating this condition early can significantly improve patient outcomes and reduce the need for more radical interventions such as surgery.

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Warm Up: Is It Really Beneficial?

Have you ever been instructed or advised to complete a quick warm up? Or get ready for the game and not sure exactly what to do? Warming up is widely appreciated as a fundamental aspect of physical activity, exercise, and sport. This article aims to explain what, why and how we complete an effective warm up. It will also explore the current literature and evidence surrounding the effectiveness of warmups for performance enhancement and injury prevention.

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Menopause and Training

Menopause discussions are often centred on weight gain and hot flashes, however there are many varying symptoms experienced through this life stage. Removing the stigma around menopausal ‘changes’ provides an opportunity to understand and implement meaningful strategies for overall health. This article aims to break-down menopause, the associated physical and psychological changes and interventions available.

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Achilles Tendinopathy Recovery: Expert Physiotherapy Tips & Treatment Guide

The Achilles is the largest and thickest tendon in the body. It is made up of Type 1 collagen fibres, tenocytes, and proteoglycans which are responsible for the tendon’s tensile strength. These complex interwoven fibres merge from the calf muscles, gastrocnemius and soleus to form the tendon that inserts into the heel bone, the calcaneus. The Achilles is involved in 93% of the plantar force in flexion of the foot. When healthy, this tendon can handle up to nine times the body weight and has a pivotal function in transmitting forces, such as explosive power and control of movements.

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Adductor Strains in the Sporting Population

Groin strains are commonly seen in sports with multi-directional and high velocity demands such as hockey and soccer. As a result, large sporting bodies have published preventative rehabilitation guidelines which are incorporated in pre-game warmups around the world to mitigate strain risk and reduce recurrence rates.

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Anterior Cruciate Ligament Rehabilitation

Where Are We Now?

Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) rupture has occupied a large portion of elite and amateur sporting injuries for decades. Discourse amongst the general population continues to support immediate surgical reconstruction followed by a lengthy return to sport timeframe. Thus, management of either surgical or conservative ACL ruptures necessitates robust rehabilitation protocols and a barrage of objective measures to meet the low return to sport levels and high recurrence rates.

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balance training exercise

Falls Prevention & Balance Training

Approximately one third of individuals over the age of 60 experience a fall in a given year. This can be attributed to the normal changes in both sensorimotor and neuromuscular systems that occur in healthy older populations. Fortunately, balance training can mitigate falls risk and the implementation of specific exercise programs is strongly encouraged for older Australians.

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Parkrun physio package newcastle nsw

Running: an evaluation of running biomechanics, strengthening programs and injury management

With the year that was, training has needed to be more versatile than ever. With the infrequent access to group fitness classes and gyms, there has been a significant increase in the number of people commencing running or incorporating it into their training regime. There are many factors to consider when getting into this often-addictive sport; how far, how often, how quickly, where and with what shoes. This article aims to present the most important factors to consider on this journey to mitigate injury risk and provide some confidence to make running a lasting activity!

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Exercise during pregnancy

Maintaining an exercise regime throughout pregnancy is becoming increasingly important for Mothers to be. Despite the willingness to engage in physical activity, Women often report confusion regarding clear guidelines for exercise prescription, duration, and parameters throughout the duration of their pregnancy. As Physiotherapists we work closely with Women throughout their antenatal and postnatal journey from a musculoskeletal and pelvic health perspective. Throughout these timeframes, ensuring appropriate prescription is vital for safety and to instil the confidence needed to participate in a training program.

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Ergonomic Assessments Newcastle NSW

Ergonomics: Workplace Health and Why it Matters

We’ve all been there – you get up from your desk at work, you bend over to pick something up, or you go to do that one thing you do at work over and over. Even though it seems like a simple, routine thing, this time you feel an intense pain. Did you do something wrong this time? Maybe. Or maybe this has been the result of a long line of little mistakes?

The solution?

Ergonomics.

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Pain Management: Simple Strategies for Dealing with Persistent Pain

Just about everybody has to deal with pain at one point in their life or another. However, some of us have to deal with pain on a regular basis.

There are any number of conditions that can cause pain and it comes in many different varieties. Some people deal with constant, burning pain. Others deal with occasional dull aches. Whatever the cause of your pain, there are a number of treatment options available.

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fat weight pain physiotherapy

Is Fat to Blame? The Relationship Between Weight & Pain

It has become common knowledge that in this 21st century our society is battling rising rates of obesity. Over the years there have been huge amounts of research that links higher obesity rates with chronic diseases such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, stroke, cancer and… the list is endless. 

However it is less commonly known that being overweight and carrying even a little bit more weight than we should can be linked to experiencing pain.

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dry needling newcastle nsw physio

Dry Needling: Everything You Need to Know

Physiotherapists have a reputation for brutally digging into trigger points (or ‘muscle knots’, as they are colloquially known) with their hands, thumbs, fingers and even sometimes elbows, leaving their patients feeling battered and bruised (temporarily, of course!).

If only there was a technique that could treat trigger points without inflicting the same amount of pain, and without causing grown men to weep. There is, in fact, such a technique and an increasing number of physiotherapists are becoming trained in it, sparing their precious hands and their patients’ pain thresholds at the same time.

It’s known as dry needling.

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Womens health physiotherapy pregnancy

Women’s Health Physiotherapy: The Problems No One Talks About

Historically, physiotherapists have been known mainly for treating back and neck pain or running onto a football field when a player has sustained an injury. However, the emerging practice of “gender health” or “pelvic health” physiotherapy and, specifically, Women’s Health has recently garnered increased publicity. Many patients with pelvic dysfunction are suffering in silence, not aware that help is available. So we think it’s time that we devoted a little more space to the problems that no one wants to talk about.

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Lymphoedema management physiotherapy australia

Physiotherapy Strategies for Managing Lymphoedema

One in every 200 people suffers from lymphoedema. Given that lymphoedema is such a common side effect of cancer treatment and several other conditions, why is it that most health care professionals don’t know anything about it?

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physiotherapy treatment rehab knee injuries ACL meniscus

Knee Pain? Physiotherapy for Common Knee Complaints

The knee is the largest joint in the body, comprising the junction where the thigh bone (femur) meets with the shin (tibia and fibula) and the knee cap (patella). It is classified as a ‘hinge joint’, meaning its predominant movements are bending and straightening, although there is a small amount of rotation that occurs in the joint as well.

Due to the high load and significant impact placed through the knee, in conjunction with the twisting mechanisms involved in various sports and activities, it is unfortunately one of the most commonly injured joints in the body.

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Pilates physiotherapy exercise programs rehabilitation

How Pilates Can Help Clients of All Ages, Shapes & Sizes

Cities are full of studios dedicated to it, most gyms have several classes and new Mums take their bubs along to baby friendly sessions. Pilates is a health trend that has stayed the course and it certainly doesn’t look like it is going away anytime soon. So, what exactly is Pilates and why does everyone rave about it?

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Ankle sprain physio treatment physiotherapy recovery

Treating Ankle Sprains: Why Physio is Critical

Ankle sprains are undoubtedly one of the most common injuries we see as physiotherapists. The vast majority of active people will have experienced an ankle sprain during their lifetime and, unfortunately, sprains have a nasty habit of recurring if not managed well in the first instance.

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Sports Physiotherapy Cricket Injuries Rehabilitation

Sports Physiotherapy: Classic Cricket Injuries

Summer in Australia means sun, sand, holidays, family and Christmas. On the sporting front, it means dropping the Steedens and Sherrins and trading them in for those shiny red Kookaburra cricket balls. Since we’re in the middle of the cricket season, we thought it was time to take a look at the sport through the eyes of a physiotherapist.

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exercising older australians over 50 seniors exercise classes

Why Exercise Is Even More Important as We Age

What if we were tell you that there’s a single, proven way to enhance your cognition, pain, balance, heart health, muscle strength, bone health?

Sounds too good to be true?

It’s not. Exercise is the best, cheapest and most effective medicine we have. Its benefits are unmatched in the holistic perspective of health.

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Joint Knee Replacement Physiotherapy Guide Treatment

A Physiotherapist’s Guide to Joint Replacement

Once fairly rare, joint replacements now seem to be almost a rite of passage among the older population. Given the growing popularity of joint replacement procedures, we thought it was time to take an in-depth look from the perspective of a physiotherapist.

Let’s start with the basics:

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Shoulder injury rehabilitation physiotherapy Newcastle NSW

Five Common Shoulder Injuries and How to Treat Them

The shoulder is an especially complex area of the body, anatomically speaking, and unfortunately that means there are many potential areas for injury. The shoulder joint encompasses the junction where the upper arm bone (humerus) meets the collar bone (clavicle) and the shoulder blade (scapula) at the back.

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Can’t Sleep? Leg Cramps? Read this…

Do you have a problem with leg cramps during the night?

Do these cramps cause pain, and disturb your sleep?

If this sounds familiar you are not alone. Up to 33% of the general population over the age of 50 experience nocturnal leg cramps. Read more

Remedial Massage

Low Back Pain

If you are reading this and are suffering from low back pain, you are not alone. Currently you are a part of the club with 540 million other people, or 7.3% of the global population, suffering from low back pain at any one time. So what’s the current evidence guiding practice? Read more

Headaches: Why Your Neck May Be The Cause

With over 200 types of headaches and migraines now classified, research has shown that different headache and migraine conditions may share a common disorder, i.e., they are not separate conditions.

So, if we can effectively learn to treat headaches by influencing that common thread that defines them, that means we may be able to have an effect across the entire range of headaches that exist.

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Craniosacral Therapy (CST)

“Everything in the human body is connected”. You may have heard this phrase before, and it is particularly relevant when talking about the connective tissues and the fascia. This is the basis of Craniosacral Therapy (CST). Read more

ACL Injuries in Australia

Australian rules football, rugby union, rugby league, netball, soccer, and skiing are all sports synonymous with winter time in Australia. What you may not know is that these sports are also the most frequently associated with anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) ruptures within Australia (Janssen et al, 2011).

What is the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL)?

The ACL is one of the four major ligaments in the knee responsible for stabilising the joint. The anterior cruciate is arguably the most important of these ligaments and, if injured, is certainly the hardest to recover from. An ACL rupture (complete tear) is one of the most-feared athletic injuries, as it generally requires surgery and a 7-9 month recovery period.

Prevalence of ACL injuries in Australia

A recent study conducted by Zbrojkiewicz, Vertullo, and Grayson (2018) looked at the rates of ACL reconstruction for young Australians between 2000-2015. As the winter sports season has just kicked off, it is important to be aware of their findings and how they may impact you.

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Pain? What is Pain?

You have just rolled your ankle, you heard a ‘crack’, now your ankle is starting to swell and go red, and the pain is building up. Maybe you first noticed your pain after a hard gym session, or a day in the garden. Or maybe you don’t know how your pain started, it just did. All you know is that you feel pain and want it to go away. But what is pain? Why does it start? And what can we do to fix it?

The Traditional Model of Pain

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Benefits of Exercise in the Ageing Population

Are you climbing your number of years in age faster than you can climb the stairs? 

Do you feel that your body is not what it used to be?

Have you had any recent falls or perhaps a near miss?

Do you feel that your physical capacity and ability is hindering other important aspects of your life?

We can help!

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Clinical Pilates

Pilates Origins

Pilates developed the exercises with the goal to avoid strain or pain through attention to detail and precision. Flow of movement is sustained as well as using full range of motion to encourage lengthening out of your body as you work it. Read more

Physiotherapy and Neck Pain

Physiotherapy is a healthcare profession that is aimed at helping people feel better, move better and stay pain-free by means of assessment, diagnosis and treatment of simple, and/or complex conditions. Read more

Benefits of Exercise in the Older Population

Are you climbing your number of years in age faster than you can climb the stairs?


Do you feel that your body is not what it used to be?


Have you had any recent falls or perhaps a near miss?


Do you feel that your physical capacity and ability is hindering other important aspects of your life?

As we grow older, our bodies grow older. This is not something that you should be ashamed, nor deterred by. There are known physiological changes that occur in our body as a result of the ageing process.

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Sports Physiotherapy

To Brace or Not to Brace – Pros and Cons of Bracing

If you overstretch, overstress, strain, sprain, tear or rupture an anatomical structure in your body, the rehabilitation process can sometimes seem painful, overwhelming and daunting. Factors such as time off work for both rest and appointments and time away from competitive sport or training can feed into the negative conundrum of injuring oneself. Sometimes, it is challenging to know how to self manage your injury, leading to questions such as; do I use ice or heat?, do I rest it or move it?, should I go and get a scan?, should I use a brace? Rest assured, you are not on your own and this article chooses to answer one of those questions in particular; should I use a brace or not?

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Physiotherapy

PRP Injections

Patients commonly ask our physiotherapists about Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP) injections, which have come to prominence recently as a strategy for improve healing for certain conditions.

So, what are PRP Injections? Are they safe? What populations are they used on? What are they used for? What does the current research indicate for dosages, applications, and prognosis?

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Pilates – Who, Why, and How

Pilates is not just for middle aged women in colour coordinated Lorna Jane outfits with a latte date to boot (skim milk only thanks). Pilates can be performed by both men and women, of any age, from any level of exercise tolerance or background.

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reformer

Pilates: Origins, Contemporary, and Peak Physio

Pilates has grown exponentially in popularity in recent years, so you might be wondering, what’s is all about?

Pilates Origins

The Pilates method was founded by Joseph Pilates in 1925. He himself was a sickly child who was determined to overcome his weak state. He went on to experiment and train in yoga, gymnastics, skiing, self-defence, dance, circus and weight training.

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Physiotherapy

Healing Timeframes – What to Expect After an Injury

So you’ve had a sprain, strain, tear, or tweak? No matter what the cause of a soft tissue injury, your healing is certain to follow a specific series of events in order to heal. The timeframe for each of these events will vary a bit depending on factors including your age, genetics, and current health, as well as the tissue or area injured. It will also be very dependent on treatment and management. However, in general you can expect the healing process to occur as follows:

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