Treatments Offered
 

As physiotherapists we understand the influence of correct breathing patterns for aquiring and maintaining spinal stability and optimum health. Breathing problems predispose you to lower back, upper back and neck pain due to the influence of the diagphram on core stability. Correct breathing patterns clearly help all breathing disorders such as bronchitis, emphyseama, asthma and COPD and yet breathing is also essential for the health of the digestive, lymphatic and circulatory systems.  

Recent research from Queensland has outlined the benefits of controlled breathing programs for asthmatics. The study found an improved quality of life with reduced asthma symptoms, as well as a 96% reduction in reliever use and a 49% reduction in preventer medication three months after adopting the new breathing method. The breathing exercises are aimed at altering your asthma inducing breathing patterns.

Areas commonly treated: Lower back pain, upper back pain, shoulder pain, bloating and cramps, stress and neck muscle tightness, headaches and migraines.

Core Stability refers to the ability of the body to control movements and the position of the core (ribcage, abdomen and pelvis).

Core exercises involves control of deep stabilising muscles and more superficial movement muscles. Good core stability is using the right muscles at the right time at the right intensity to control the core appropriately.

Generally we need the inner core or deep stabilisers to turn on first and form a stable base for your other larger outer core or global stabilsers to work from. This is achieved through specific back strengthening exercises.

If you hurt your back, have gastrointestinal problems, or develop joint problems in the ribcage or pelvis, these core muscles stop working correctly and as a result predispose you to further or recurrent spinal injury.

Assessing and treating issues with core stability involves assessing both the local and global systems. Most patients usually require retraining control (ability to turn the muscle on), strength, co-ordination and endurance of the inner core muscles, as well as exercises for the outer core muscles. This has been shown to prevent recurrent episodes of back pain and also provide back pain relief.

Areas commonly treated: Lower back pain, upper back pain, shoulder pain, chronic back pain, disc injuries.

CranioSacral Therapy is becoming increasingly recognized as one of the most powerful natural therapies. Whilst working primarily on the central nervous system, it has the ability to affect various other bodily systems; including the musculoskeletal, endocrine (hormonal), gastrointestinal, immune and cardiovascular systems. This profound therapy can release long-standing patterns of tension and trauma throughout the body. CranioSacral Therapy is an extremely gentle hands-on approach following the philosophy of working on the whole person rather than symptoms alone.

CranioSacral Therapy is performed on a person fully clothed. Using a light touch generally no more than the weight of a 5 cent coin the practitioner monitors the rhythm of the craniosacral system to detect potential restrictions and imbalances. The therapist then uses delicate manual techniques to release those problem areas and relieve undue pressure on the brain and spinal cord.

A CranioSacral session can last from about 15 minutes to more than one hour and the initial evaluation alone is often enough to correct a problem.

Areas commonly treated:Migraines and headaches, chronic neck and back pain, motor-coordination impairments, stress and tension related problems, infantile disorders, traumatic brain and spinal cord injuries, central nervous system disorders, emotional difficulties, temporomandibular joint syndrome (TMJ)

No journey in life is as complex as the one that brings us into it. Childbirth can be a challenge for the mother yet there can be considerable shock and potential long-term effects in store for the child.
CranioSacral Therapy for infants and children is a way to bring comfort and relief when in pain as well as having the profound ability to address behavioural concerns, phobias  and emotional trauma.   
Conditions that may be avoided or improved by treating newborns and children include, but are not limited to; colic, vomiting, hearing problems, motor problems, seizures, strabismus, pylorospasm, cerebral palsy, hydrocephalus, torticollis, dyslexia, aphasias, hyperkinetic behaviour, spasticity, downs syndrome, autism, sleeping or feeding problems, abnormal fears, failure to thrive syndrome, chronic otitis.

A muscle that is not at its current length will not function optimally and can be a source of pain and irritation.

Muscle imbalances can result from poor posture or prolonged sitting, poor sporting technique, organ dysfunctions such as bloating or bladder issues, or not having the required strength in the required muscle groups leading to other muscles having to take over.  By adding in regular stretches to your daily or weekly routine, you will be able to help prevent or minimise the problems that can result from muscle imbalances.

Once we have identified the cause of the loss of flexibility, we will develop an individualised program of stretching exercises  to help reverse this and will factor in:

•    Static vs Dynamic flexibility
•    Specific vs Functional flexibility
•    Joint vs Muscle vs Tendon pathomechanics

Areas commonly treated: Back injury, knee inury, shoulder injury, calf pain, hamstring tear, groin injury, spinal injury, sports injuries, running injury, ankle injury, arthritis

Remedial Massage is a manual therapy using a series of stroking, wringing, kneading and small circular movements to:
•    Break down scar tissue and adhesions within the muscles, tendons and connective tissue
•    Reduce muscular tension.
•    Stimulate blood and lymph circulation

Massage techniques are applied to release superficial and deep tissue muscle groups. In addition to massage, active and passive stretches may be used to release tension within the muscles.


Additional benefits of massage:
•    Improvement in sleep quality
•    Removal of metabolic waste products through increasing blood flow, which can reduce general  
     aches and pains
•    Enhance muscle performance
•    Speeds up recovery after exercise or injury
•    Prevention of injury
•    Encourages effective use of muscles
•    Renewed energy and strength during exercise

Areas commonly treated: Traumatic injuries, sports injury, neck tension, work injury, muscle injury, back pain, back tightness, glofer's elbow, knee cap tracking issues, cartilage dammage, shin splints.

Spinal manipulations are commonly used techniques for those with simple back and neck pain. It is used to treat areas of spinal segmental dysfunction where there are symptoms of painful muscle spasm and restricted spinal movements. It may be also used in those with certain types of Spinal Nerve Root Pain.

Mobilisation consists of small passive movements, usually applied as a series of gentle stretches in a smooth, rhythmic fashion to the individual vertebrae. Mobilisations may be administered in various gradations or degrees of pressure. Very gentle mobilisations are used for very sensitive or acute patients to initiate more normal movement. These are called "Grade One" mobilisations. "Grade Two's" are administered for pain relief. They are slightly stronger than Grade Ones. "Grade Three" mobilisations both relieve pain and gently improve the range of motion of stiff joints. "Grade Four's" are for stretching tight tissues and restoring range in more chronic situations.

Manipulation is a "Grade Five" mobilisation which involves encouraging the "stiff'" area of the spine to begin working again through use of high velocity low amplitude thrusts, or manipulations, which stretch the stiff part and so are often accompanied by a 'click or pop'. Each 'click or pop' represents a spinal facet joint being released from its restricted state.

These maneuvers often result in a very rapid reduction in spinal muscle spasm and pain, accompanied by a noticeable increase in the range of spinal movements. Manipulations combined with regular specific exercises seem to the most successful at maintaining the mobility of a previously stiff area.

Areas commonly treated: Lumbar spinal issues, cervical spine, low back pain management, upper back pain.

The McKenzie Method is based on a premise that back pain may be alleviated by understanding how we can effect and change the mechanics of the spine, back and neck, and by using the specific McKenzie exercise regime.
This regime helps to educate patients on ways to react when they first become aware of their back symptoms. The McKenzie paradigm presumes that many unwanted muscular/skeletal problems are progressive in nature, meaning that the symptoms move outward over time from the neck or spine, to the shoulders, arms, hips, and legs, etc. Using the McKenzie Method the patient is taught individualized exercises which reverse the symptoms until they are again "centralized" back at the problem source where the cause of the problem is then treated. A vital part of the McKenzie Method is educating the patient in maintaining correct posture to help prevent the recurrence of the problem.

The McKenzie method focuses treatment on three mechanical syndromes: Postural, Dysfunction and Derangement.

•    Postural: End-range stress of normal structures
•    Dysfunction: End-range stress of shortened structures (scarring, fibrosis, n.root adherence)
•    Derangement: Anatomical disruption or displacement within the motion segment

All three mechanical syndromes - postural, dysfunction, and derangement - occur in the cervical as well as thoracic and lumbar regions of the spine.

Each distinct syndrome is addressed according to its unique nature with mechanical procedures utilising movement, exercises and positions. The Derangement syndrome is the most common of the three.

Areas commonly treated: Back ache, disc problems, neck pain, pain in low back, disc bulging, sciatic nerve injury.

There are many methods of low velocity manual joint mobilisation. Techniques developed by such clinicians as Cyriax, Karltenborn (Nordic therapy), Maitland and others all have similar philosophies of treatment.

Each joint in the body has a unique and specific range and quality of movement. Joint dysfunction leads to altered movement patterns at the specified joint as well as secondary affects on other joints and tissues in the body.

All of these physical therapy joint mobilisation techniques utilise specialised methods of assessment to identify the primary and secondary joint dysfunctions in the body. Low velocity rhythmical movements directed at exact angles are then used to reinstate joint and tissue biomechanics.

Manual joint mobilisation techniques may be used on spinal and peripheral joints of the body. These techniques are typically gentle and work below the threshold of pain.

Areas commonly treated: Hip joint pain, sprained ankle, back pain relief, neck pain, shoulder injury, knee pain, wrist injuries.

Brian Mulligan is a New Zealand physiotherapist who developed his "Mulligan Concept" of manual therapy in the 1970's. The techniques have been abbreviated to "Nags" (Natural apophyseal glides) and "Snags" (Sustained natural apophyseal glides) and "MWM's" Mobilisations With Movement (the apophyseal joints are on either side of the vertebrae and allow movement through each spinal vertebral joint).

The Mulligan technique is a mobilisation technique of the spinal and peripheral joints using gentle manual mobilisation with the natural movement planes of the joints. The physiotherapist uses their hands to gently mobilise the restricted joint at the same time as the patient moves their neck, back or peripheral joint to increase range in that restricted joint. The technique is clinically useful for addressing reduced range of movement, joint restriction and pain and spasm with movement.

Areas commonly treated: Lumbar spinal issues, cervical spine, low back pain, upper back pain, ankle injuries, knee pain.

There are many factors that cause a muscle to turn off or become weak, including disuse, pain, joint injuries, swelling, muscle imbalances, organ dysfunctions such as reflux or diarrhea, or a change in the way a person moves (altered motor program).

Whatever the cause a loss of muscle control or strength can lead to or result from an injury and needs to be restored through an individually designed exercise program, for a person to return to normal and then optimal function.
An example of this is when a person injures their knee, the quadriceps muscle; particularly the inner quadriceps muscle (or VMO), is inhibited or turned off. To restore the knee to normal function control of this inner quadriceps needs to be re-trained as well as the strength of the overall muscle group.
This could involve re-training the muscle in its function (endurance vs. strength), or teaching the muscle the correct type of contraction (concentric vs. eccentric), and furthermore re-training the time of contraction (when in the movement should the muscle be firing) integrating its function with the rest of the body.

This is achieved through a specific exercise program encompassing all of these aspects at the appropriate time during the course of your recovery.

Areas commonly treated: Shoulder rotator cuff injuries, knee injuries, back injuries, hip pain, ankle sprain, torn meniscus, shin splints, quad strain

Muscle Energy Technique (MET) is a direct, non-invasive manual therapy that employs the use of muscular contraction combined with specific body positioning to relieve muscle spasms, thereby normalising joint position and increasing range of motion. MET is one of the most effective and gentle treatments for mobilisation of the joints and soft tissues available to physiotherapists.

The therapist evaluates the patient's body to identify specific restrictions of motion along the spine and in the pelvic region. The end result is increased postural balance and a greater sense of freedom of movement in the body. Muscle Energy technique can be used to treat a variety of conditions including low back pain, neck pain, lower limb injuries, and shoulder injuries.

Areas commonly treated: Spinal injury, pain in low back, nerve injury, pinched nerve, neck pain, upper back pain, shoulder injuries, sports injuries, hamstring strain, groin strain, chronic low back pain treatment.

Following an operation it is usually required that a patient undergo a rehabilitation process so as to return to normal function.

A Physiotherapist assists in this process by providing hands on treatment for the joints and muscles, as well as by designing an individualised exercise program focusing on flexibility, muscle control, and strengthening.

Your rehab process and exercise program is dictated in part by the procedure you have had, as well as the surgeon who operated on you. We will liaise with your surgeon via letters and phone calls so as to ensure we provide the best post operative rehabilitation process that is possible for you.

Areas commonly treated: Sports injuries, knee reconstruction, shoulder recon, knee replacement, hip replacement, knee arthroscope or knee surgery, fracture rehabilitation.

Have you ever had a physical injury that seemed to plague you long after the site had healed? Even when CranioSacral Therapy releases restrictions in body tissues, sometimes a release of emotional energy is necessary to fully discharge a trauma. In those cases, the CranioSacral Therapist may gently encourage a SomatoEmotional Release.
Research conducted in the late 1970's by Dr. John Upledger and biophysicist Zvi Karni led to the discovery that the body often retains the emotional imprint of physical trauma. These imprints, especially of intense feelings that may have occurred at the time of injury, anger, fear, resentment leave residues in the body in areas called energy cysts.
Although you can adapt to energy cysts, over time your body needs extra energy to continue performing its day-to-day functions. Then as years pass and the body becomes more stressed, it can lose its ability to adapt. That's when symptoms and dysfunctions begin to appear and become difficult to suppress or ignore.
Through SomatoEmotional Release, the therapist engages in imaging and dialoguing techniques that can guide the patient through an otherwise challenging encounter with long-held emotions. The patient does not need to analyze the problem to release it. Often the body will spontaneously return to the same position it was in when the injury was first sustained. As this occurs, the therapist can feel the tissues of the body relax as the energy cyst is expelled. Then the body is free to return to its optimal levels of functioning.
Conditions that can be treated:

Tape can be used to off-load an irritated or inflamed tissue, joint or neural structure. The tape helps support and take the stress off the tissue and distributes the load onto the tape, this also allow the injured structures time to heal without being re-aggrevated. For example a painful shoulder joint or inflamed elbow tendon.

Tape can be used to facilitate weakened or lengthened muscle. Tape can be positioned along the direction of the muscle fibers and pulled to gather or shorten the tissue. It is thought this enhances our proprioceptive awareness of the muscle and increases the muscle firing. For example, improving the action of the medial (inner) quadriceps muscle (VMO) with patella pain and to stimulate activation of scapular (shoulder blade) stabilizing muscles.

Tape can be used to improve postural awareness and to correct a poor sitting or standing position. For example, taping a persons shoulders and upper back into the correct posture can stop them from slumping while sitting. If your back muscles are in a correct postural position they will strengthen in that position and therefore maintaining that correct posture becomes easier and more natural.

Taping is used as an adjunct to physiotherapy treatment. We use high quality sports tape and a hypoallergenic under-wrap tape to protect the skin

Areas commonly treated: Ankle sprain, foot pain, stress fractures, back pain, tennis elbow, shoulder injuries, knee pain, knee cap tracking issues, shin splints

Mechanical traction involves repetitive or sustained longitudinal distraction of spinal joints of the neck or low back for the purpose of slightly separating the bones or vertebrae of the spine. This force causes the vertebrae to be slightly separated usually by millimeters.

With its use we can provide relief of pain and pressure and normalize neurological signs/symptoms i.e. from disc disease/protrusions or spinal arthritis

It has been used in one form or another for centuries. There are paintings and statues from ancient civilizations showing healing practitioners using their hands to apply traction and help people in pain.

When the traction force is applied and the space between the bones is increased the following can occur:
•    There is less pressure within the spinal discs relieving pain and encouraging nutrition to the disc.
•    A protrusion or bulge in the disc may be reduced by drawing or sucking the gel nucleus towards the centre of the disc
•    The tunnels where the nerves exit the spine become larger and therefore allow the nerves to breathe and regain
     proper circulation and become un-pinched.
•    Painful or arthritic spinal joints are stretched and decompressed from the effects of constant gravity and poor posture
     acting on the body.
•    Muscles, tendons and ligaments are lengthened and stretched in ways that are almost impossible with exercises and day
     to day movements.
•    Proper circulation and nutrition to the spine is achieved by allowing a flushing of inflammatory chemicals and bringing
     oxygen and nutrition to the area. This encourages healing and reduces painful irritation of the nerves in the spine.

Areas commonly treated: Lower back pain, nerve injury, bulging disc, neck joint arthritis, upper back pain, shoulder pain, chronic back pain, disc injuries.

A trigger point is a focal, hypersensitive spot located in a taut band of skeletal muscle or fascia. This is now known to be where a number of the nerves that originate in the spine end up attaching onto the muscle. An active trigger point can produce pain locally and in a referred pattern.

Trigger points may result in a decreased range of motion in the affected muscle and can also affect the function of other associated muscles and joints. Palpation of the trigger point will elicit pain directly over the affected area and/or cause radiation of pain toward a zone of reference and a local twitch response.

Treatment by a therapist involves sustained digital pressure over the trigger point to change the neural output and help relax the muscle.

Areas commonly treated: Upper back tension, tight calf, hamstring spasm, neck pain, headaches, tennis elbow, knee pain, patella tendinopathy,  ITB friction syndrome, rotator cuff injury

When one organ can't move in harmony with its surrounding organs (viscera) due to abnormal tone, adhesions, inflammation or displacement, it creates increased firing from the many nerves that surround the dysfunctional organ. These nerves send the message back to the spine and then to the brain (viscero-somatic reflex), which can result in;

•    Muscle spasm along the spine and the associated muscles (Illiopsoas, Erector Spinae, Quadratus Lumborum, Upper
     Trapezius).     
•    A clinically noted change in the core muscle function (Diagphram, Transverse Abdominus, Pelvic Floor).
•    Increased feelings of anxiety and stress.

Visceral Manipulation (VM) is a gentle hands-on therapy that works through the body's visceral system (the heart, liver, blood vessels, nerves, intestines and other internal organs) to locate and alleviate these abnormal neural firing points throughout the body so as to prevent or help reverse the above mentioned issues.

VM employs specifically placed manual forces that work to encourage the normal mobility, tone and motion of the viscera and their connective tissues.

Areas commonly treated: Back pain, neck pain, disc injuries, pelvis twisted, digestive symptoms (bloating, cramping, nausea, pain), Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), bladder problems, hamstring strains, groin strains, shoulder pain, nerve injuries, breathing problems.