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All Posts in Category: New Knowledge

We are still OPEN during lock-down…

We are still OPEN during the lock down period from 16th July 2021 …with some restrictions and Covid-safe procedures of course to keep us all safe!

The Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) in Victoria, have made it very clear that during stage 4 lock down restrictions, you should still seek the healthcare you need, which includes physiotherapy.

There has been some confusion in the general public about what is and isn’t allowed for physiotherapy services in Melbourne currently. The main points that you need to be aware of are:

👨‍⚕️ You DO NOT need a GP referral to see our physiotherapists

🚙 You CAN travel outside the 5km radius to receive healthcare (use your appointment SMS as proof of service) You can also accompany someone for treatment if you are a parent, guardian or necessary support person.

🤒 DHHS have encouraged everyone who needs healthcare to continue to receive healthcare. However you may only attend the clinic in person if the absence of care will mean that your condition and function may significantly change/deteriorate resulting in an escalation of care

☎️ Telehealth exists for all patients, no matter what condition you may be dealing with. Please do not underestimate your condition! Recently, we have had people attend our clinic with what they thought were minor issues, and they turned out to be serious injuries, some being stress fractures.

If you are unsure whether or not you should attend, but you are in pain, then we would prefer to see you for a face-to-face consultation. This will allow you to gain a firm diagnosis and plan for your recovery. Where required, we’ll continue to see you in the clinic for face-to-face consultations. If we feel your condition doesn’t require further immediate care, then we can review you via telehealth to continue to provide you physiotherapy care. Otherwise, we will give you a plan to help you get through until you are able to attend again face-to-face, when the restrictions ease.

If you need us, we are here to help you! 🙂

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Working from home during iso? Tips & tricks from Emma Selbie…

Here are some simple tips/tricks to prevent neck and back pain when working from home…

  1. Posture

Our desks/seats are generally designed so that we sit in a slumped, forward head posture. Believe it or not, your head actually weighs about 5kg! If your head isn’t positioned correctly over your neck, this weight can increase the pressure on the joints, ligaments, and muscles of the neck.

Imagine that you are drawing a line from your earlobe down to your shoulder, then down to your hip. If your ear-lobe is sitting forwards of your shoulder, you may need to gently tuck your chin in. If your shoulder is sitting forwards of your hip, you may need to think of opening through your collarbones.

Our bodies are designed to conserve energy and use as little of it as possible. Sometimes, you may find your lower back slumping into your chair. It can be helpful to place a rolled-up towel or lumbar support behind your back. This will act as a prompt, and encourage you out of the slumped position.

  1. Daily exercise/activity

The WHO (World Health Organisation) recommends at least 30 minutes of moderate intensity exercise at least 5 days per week for adults aged 18-64. This doesn’t mean you have to go for a 10km run. Breaking up your day with a short walk in the morning, and short walk in the afternoon may be enough to help prevent aches and pains. Find a type of exercise that you enjoy!

  1. Regular movement/stretching

Motion is lotion. Joints like movement. When we sit for long periods, particularly in a slumped/flexed position, this puts us at higher risk of lower back injury. To help compensate for the time spent in this flexed position, lower back extensions/cobra exercises can be particularly helpful.

To do these, lying on your stomach, gently prop up onto your elbows, the lower. Repeat 10 times. If these are easy, you can progress to propping up onto your hands.

Some gentle neck stretches/movements can also be helpful. Gently tilting your head will stretch through the upper trapezius muscle, whilst gently rotating your head will help to prevent stiffness of the joints on the side of the neck.

  1. Self-massage with tennis ball/spikey ball

If you find you do have some “tight” spots in your muscles from sitting, a helpful hint is to use a tennis ball/spikey ball. Lean against the wall with the ball under the “tight” muscle, and gently roll until you find a “tight” spot. Hold and wait for approximately 10 seconds, until the pain starts to subside. Roll the ball and repeat in other “tight” areas in the muscle.

  1. Get up at least once every hour

Sitting for prolonged periods of time can put pressure on the joints, ligaments, and muscles in our neck and back. Try to get up and move around at least once every hour. This helps to lubricate the joints and prevent that joint stiffness/pain. You will feel better for it.

The advice above is general. If you are experiencing any neck or back pain from WFH, we recommend that you come and see one of our physios so that you can have personalised assessment and treatment, with a home exercise program tailored to you specifically.

Emma Selbie (Physiotherapist)

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Pain. Is it all just in your mind? Professor Lorimer Moseley, Physiotherapist seminar

Pain has been part of the human experience longer than magnetic bracelets, ergonomic chairs, whiplash and repetitive strain injury. Yet it is just in the last few decades that we have realised how terrifically complex pain really is and how wrong many of our assumptions about pain really are.

Pain is an important issue. Its impact on our society is staggering – more Australians suffer from chronic pain than diabetes, cardiovascular disease and cancer combined. Every day, chronic pain and its management costs Australia almost a million dollars. How can this be?

In this fascinating Knowledge Works lecture, Professor Lorimer Moseley, Physiotherapist at the University of South Australia, will examine two important questions – “Why does it hurt?” and “Why does it still hurt?” He will share findings from his international research investigating the role of the brain and mind in chronic pain disorders.

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