Carly’s Birthday Blog
Why do you love Pilates? I love Pilates because it is a form of exercise that can be modified to suit ANYONE. The layers of challenge you can add are endless. I also love that age is no barrier, it's the practice that counts! What's the best thing about being a physio? Being able to help people reach the goals that are most important to them. No matter how big or small, it's really rewarding to be a part of that journey. I also love that physio can take you in so many directions. From the clinic to the sports field, the possibilities are endless! Why work at Pottsville and Cabarita Physiotherapy ? I grew up in Cabarita, so it's nice to be able to come back to my roots. It's an amazing community with a great coastal vibe and being so close to the beach is always a plus. But, most importantly, the team is amazing! Best relaxation tip? A nice long walk along the beach followed by some guided meditation. There is nothing better. Best lifestyle tip? Find something you love and do it consistently. Challenge yourself in some way each and every day. Favourite activity? Doing some high intensity interval training or boxing. It gets the heart racing and the sweat pouring. It's even better when you have some amazing people to work out with. Favourite recipe? Tacos. Need I say more? A special mention to Kai's choc chip oatmeal cookies. If you haven't tried them, you should! A typical Sunday... A nice long sleep in followed by a Pilates workout. I then like to go to one of my favourite cafes on the Coast and enjoy multiple coffees and a delicious brunch. You might catch me running around the rugby league scene in the afternoon. That's my other passion!
Fathers Day Blog
As Father’s day approaches we have taken time to reflect on the influences that our Father's have had on us.
Dan,Matt, Joel and Kai have been interviewed, below are their responses:
Dan
The 3 things you love about being a father; 1. Being able to watch your children grow and develop into their own personalities 2. It gives you the privilege of being able to see the world again through a child's eyes. Kids teach us to see the beauty in little day to day things that often we forgot to notice in our busy lives 3. I also love being able to share things that I love with my children. I get more joy out of seeing them catch a great wave or make it to the top of a mountain hike than I would if I was doing it myselfMatt
The most Important things my father taught me... How to drive, swim, tumble turn in the ocean and how to not catch any fish What it would mean to be a father.. Being a father (especially for the first born) would undoubtedly be the highlight of a man's life What is your favourite tradition with my Father? Growing up it was the New Year's Test at the Sydney Cricket Ground. Favourite activity to do with my Father Favourite activity is to be out in the ocean with Dad watching him negotiate the waves on his standup paddle board What is your Dad's favorite story about you as a Child? Favourite story would be about how I was running and jumping out of the cot by the age of about one. . Who are some other important Men in my life to recognise on Father's Day? Fred Hollows / My GranddadJoel
The most Important things my father taught me... Patience If things don't make you happy don't do them Go with the flow What is your favourite tradition with your Father? Surfing and going to Farmers market in Bellingen Favourite activity to do with your Father ? Surfing and laughing with him as he goes over the falls How would you describe your Father in 3 words Classic Aussie Larrikin What is your Dad's favorite story about you as a Child? Hiding behind his leg because I was shy Who are some other important Men you would like to recognise on Father's Day? Huey ~ God of waves Poseidon ~ God of waterKai
The Clinical Side to Yoga
What’s with all this Yoga hype?
If you haven’t heard about Yoga these days, I would be quite surprised. Yoga classes are offered all over the world, in all the many varieties, and Yoga is always talked about as the best thing you can do for yourself. There is no doubt that a class integrating your mind and body will do you well. But what if you have, or had, an injury? Will the Yoga class down the road from you still do you good? Well let’s think about this…if you have a leak in your roof, do you want the roofer to do the same work on your roof as your neighbours who are just looking for general maintenance?…hence the formation of Clinical Yoga.
We all understand that when an injury occurs, how we function immediately changes. Most importantly, how our muscles activate, or co-activate, completely fluctuates. The intention of Clinical Yoga is to take you through the stages of healing with balanced movement and precise activation patterns. What is most commonly forgotten about injury is that our mind harbours the memory of your previous pain and tries protecting your body from a reoccurrence. As Yoga’s original basis is focused on unifying your mind and body, Clinical Yoga encapsulates this by freeing your mind of the fear of re-injury and enables you to progress back to natural movement. As a little story of what a class is, the main difference falls into how Yoga poses are performed. Each asana (pose) in class is tailored directly to your body and your injury. Each series performed is simple, yet challenging. Each moment of challenge is balanced with a moment of ease. Each class is suitable for any age and physical ability, as the simplicity of the series will be adaptable for all levels. Each person that joins will be taught, or re-taught, the foundations of the practice. And each time you leave you will feel rejuvenated. Once we are able to return back to our natural state, then of course it is time to jump back into the Yoga studio down the road from you! As we all have our place in the healing process and the role of a general class (whether it’s PT, Pilates, Yoga or Spin) is to progress your uninjured body. As Physiotherapists it is our place to bring you from pain to performance. For some insight from working in both phases, please allow yourself the pleasure to fully return to your natural movement before jumping back in. It is only favourable to yourself to get the most out of what each class has to offer.Balance – Falls Prevention
What is a fall?
The World Health Organisation defines a fall as "inadvertently coming to rest on the ground, floor or lower level, excluding intentional change in position to rest in furniture, wall or other objects". Falls in older people cover a wide range of events, including:- trips on raised obstacles (eg. loose rugs, cords, mats) or uneven surfaces (eg. footpaths, roads)
- slipping on wet or highly polished surfaces
- tumbles and stumbles down steps or stairs
- falling off a ladder or stepladder
- falling over in a shopping centre or while using public transport.
What a fall is not:
- Falls in older people are not accidents. Similarly, falls are not an inevitable or unavoidable part of life. The causes of a fall can usually be identified and the sequence of events leading up to the fall can be predicted and therefore can be prevented. o Unintentional falls continue to be the leading cause of injuries requiring hospitalisation in Australia.
Risk factors for falls
Physical inactivity- Physical activity has been shown to be the most promising falls prevention strategy, both as a single intervention and as a part of a multi-factorial approach.
- Research shows that specific exercises such as Tai Chi, balance, gait training and strength building group classes or individualised in-home programs reduce falls risk by 12% and the number of falls by 19%.
- These interventions can also increase the time before a person falls for the first time. A physical activity program should be specific for individuals and include exercise that challenges balance at a moderate to high extent with a attendance twice weekly.
What you can do to prevent a fall ?
Physical activity is key to preventing falls and improving well being! A holistic program including:- Proprioceptive retraining – challenging your body on unstable surfaces such as wobble discs and bosu balls helps to retrain your ability to recognise where your body is in space.
- Strengthening – a full body strength program including lower limb, upper limb and core strengthening will help to mitigate the loss of muscle mass common in the older population.
- Exercises such as squats, bridges, push ups and calf raises are useful examples of this.
Other modifiable risk factors for falls
Incontinence- Problems with bowel and bladder control can impact on an older person's ability to stay active, healthy and independent.
- Incontinence, urinary frequency and assisted toileting have been identified as falls risk factors for residents in residential aged care facilities.
- Physiotherapy can assist with incontinence.
- Sore, aching or tired feet make it difficult for an older person to stay active and independent, and can affect the way they walk.
- Some types of footwear such as slippers, thongs or scuffs, and wearing socks without shoes can increase the risk of falls
- Low vision, impaired vision, a change to vision or vision affected by medication can increase the risk of an older person falling. Vision impairment ranks sixth in the world's major causes of loss of wellbeing, and the prevalence of vision loss increases with age.
- There is strong evidence that falls risk is increased by medications which act on the central nervous system, such as those used to treat depression, sleep disorders and anxiety.
- For those using these medications to assist with sleep disorders and anxiety related health issues, there is a need for longer term support and use of non-pharmacological alternatives such as relaxation, reducing caffeine intake, increasing physical activity and meditation in the first instance. Home safety
- The relative risk of falls can be reduced by 20% in those with a history of falling by an occupational therapist conducting a thorough home risk assessment and arranging the recommended modifications.
- Tidying up behind you and not leaving objects on the floor can also help to prevent falls.
- Nutrition is an important factor in falls prevention, as frailty results from a loss of muscle mass and strength, neuromuscular impairment, immobilisation and malnutrition.
- Older Australians are at risk of developing nutritional health problems due to reduced energy needs and a decreased ability to absorb nutrients.
Falls can be prevented!
Staying healthy and active, maintaining strength and balance, identifying falls risk factors and improving home safety will help to minimise the risk of falling. Talk to your physiotherapist today about minimising your falls risk factors or join our fit for life program.Birthday Blog – Helen – Fabulous Front Desk Team
Why do you love Pilates? I love the way Pilates makes me feel strong. It is such a great way of strengthening the body assisting with posture, body awareness and most importantly, keeping any niggles of pain at bay. Why work at Pottsville and Cabarita Physio? I am lucky in that I work 10 minutes from home and I get to work with such a great team of people. I have personally felt the benefits of Physiotherapy and Pilates and I see the improvements and positive impact that it has on our client’s lives every day, making it a very rewarding job. Best Relaxation tip: Taking a moment each day for yourself. Just stopping to take a few deep breaths, steady your mind and reset/recharge. Best Lifestyle tip: Do things you enjoy and spend time with people you enjoy being with. Favourite activity: Spending time in the kitchen and garden is quite therapeutic for me. I really enjoy cooking for family and friends and just pottering around in the garden. Favourite Recipe: My favourite foods to cook would be Greek or Mediterranean style. I make a delicious slow cooked lamb shoulder – throw the shoulder in the slow cooker with some herbs, spices and lemon and leave to cook for the day. I like to serve it with Cous Cous and a nice leafy Greek style salad. The whole family love it and it’s great for entertaining. A typical Sunday: Sundays for me usually involve a late breakfast, some quality family time and then cooking something yummy for dinner.
What is the best training for surfing? – Kai Allison
There are many different ways to train for surfing, each one with it’s own strengths and limitations. Surfing is a challenging sport that incorporates a number of physical skills and abilities. Much of the training for surfing has previously involved isolated movements and lacked specificity and functional relevance to the sport. People in the past have said that surfing itself is the best form of training, due largely to the difficulty in replicating the demands of surfing on dry land. Whilst nothing will ever replicate the same thrill, uncertainty and excitement unique to surfing, the surfset is a way to increase the functionality of training for surfing. The surfset is specifically designed for surfing training and can be seen as a more functional approach to training for surfers, as it enables replication of the movements and perturbation challenges inherent in surfing. The surfset consists of a modified surfboard set upon unstable surface, which creates a functional platform to replicate the dynamic integration of body systems required in surfing. The surfset is designed to engage the core and stabilising muscles, through challenging the body in a dynamic environment. Exercising on the surfset is a full-body approach to training, moving away from training in isolated and non-functional ways. Training in this way helps to develop functional movements sequences and functional muscle activation patterns specific to surfing, resulting in improved function and surfing performance. Workouts on the surfset can be specifically designed to develop aspects of surfing performance such as aerobic fitness, along with muscular strength, power, endurance in addition to balance and coordination. Workouts can also be designed to isolate specific movement sequences in surfing such as the pop up and allows replication of the dynamic balance and proprioceptive demands of surfing. In addition to being a challenging full body workout, exercising on the surfset is also a fun, engaging and unique way to exercise.
Is there any evidence for exercising with the surfset?
Completing exercises such as squats on unstable surfaces such as a surfset has been found to increase core muscle activation, along with an increase in lower limb muscle activity, making this type of training particularly effective and functional for this population (Nairn, Sutherland & Drake, 2017). Specific benefits of surfset training can also be related to common injuries in surfing. Ankle injuries and sprains are one of the most common injuries in surfing and training on the surfset can be targeted specifically to rehabilitate functional stability, range of movement, balance and proprioception for these injuries (Nathanson, Haynes & Galanis, 2002).To summarise, the benefits of training on the surfset include:
- Increased dynamic balance
- Improved core stability
- Greater lower limb joint proprioception
- Development and refinement of surf specific movement patterns
- Increases in muscular power, strength and endurance
- Greater aerobic fitness
Reasons Why Having a Daily Routine is important (for Children AND Adults)!
1. Structure: Having a routine means you can decide what is important to you and create a routine to your day around these things. You can organise your life so it makes sense to you. E.G.- if you prefer to exercise in the morning you can lock in a set time every day for exercise such as 6.30-7.30 and work your morning routine around it. 2. What’s important gets done: you prioritise what is important to you and lock this in first and then fill the spare parts of your diary with the random tasks that pop up in life, rather than running around “putting out fires” or wasting time on other tasks such as social media or watching TV and then not having time left at the end of the day to do what you really want. I often say ‘we all have the same time available to us – it is what we choose to do with it that is different” 3. Good Habits Stick: if we continue to look at exercise as an example, putting exercise in your diary as part of your expected daily activities means you are much more likely to do it regularly and we all know things that we do often quickly become habits. Routine quickly becomes habit because it requires no thought to act. 4. Efficiency: How much time do you waste organising your days, deciding what to and not to do, well if you have a basic weekly routine alot of this decision making is already done for you saving you time and energy and making your life more EFFICIENT. Also there is a lot of talk about decision fatigue – we have so many decisions to make all the time that when the time comes to make important decisions we find it very difficult. It makes sense to work out a routine that suits you so you are not going through the same decision making process every day. A great example I love is wearing a uniform to work – no need to scour the wardrobe every morning wondering what to wear. 5. Saves work: if you do 1 load of washing everyday you won’t be facing an overflowing laundry basket that will take ½ day of your weekend to do 6. Negates the need for willpower or motivation: If it is locked into your daily routine you do it, and as we discussed before things you do often quickly become habits. How often have you set your alarm to go for a walk in the morning only to roll over and turn it off in the morning in favour of a sleep in? If your routine says you exercise at 6.30 everyday you will quickly get in the habit of doing exactly that (after a little initial will power and motivation to get you started) 7. Skills: You get better at what you do often -repetition leads to improvement 8. Relieves stress: many people feel overwhelmed in life with all the jobs that face us everyday especially if you are juggling work, family and other commitments. With a routine you know the important things are getting done. 9. Sleep better: Research shows going to bed at the same time every night and waking at the same time in the morning is one of the most important factors affecting how restorative our sleep is. So lock a bedtime into your routine and stick to it! 10. Children love routine: they have little control in their lives with what they do and when at both home and school so knowing when breakfast is, when we leave for school, bed time etc gives them a little more certainty to their day which in turn makes them less anxious.