All posts by First in Physio

Are you an “Active Couch Potato”?

March 28, 2014Blog, UncategorizedBenefits, ESSA, exercise, exercise as medicine, Exercise Physiologist, Exercise Physiology, exercise program, exercise rehabilitation, healthy ageing, injury prevention, obesity, Physical Activity Guidelines, sedentary behaviour guidelines, weightFirst in Physio

Fun runs are a great way to stay active and motivated

Recently we have seen the establishment of new “Physical Activity and Sedentary Behaviour Guidelines”, doubling the recommended amount of daily exercise to 60 minutes every day and for the first time, addressing our nation of couch potatoes. “Sedentary behaviour” includes sitting or lying down, not including sleeping time during the night.

The New Guidelines: How Do You Stack Up?

– Doing any physical activity is better than doing none. If you currently do no physical activity, start by doing some, and gradually build up to the recommended amount.

– Accumulate 150 to 300 minutes of moderate intensity physical activity or 75 to 150 minutes of vigorous intensity physical activity, or an equivalent combination of both moderate and vigorous activities each week.

– Be active on most, preferably all, days every week.

– Do muscle strengthening activities on at least two days each week (gym/Pilates/weights etc)

– Minimise the amount of time spent in prolonged sitting. Break up long periods of sitting as often as possible.

“Active Couch Potatoes”

Frightening statistics show that Australians are sedentary on average for 7 to 10 hours a day, and this does not include sleeping. The highest health risks exist for those people who are sedentary at work, at home, and who do not do any other formal exercise. However, there does exist another group who accumulate their 60 minutes of exercise a day, but sit for the rest of the day at work. It has become apparent that the health benefits of their exercise bout do not completely override their globally sedentary behaviour, and these “active couch potatoes” would benefit from being more active during their work day as well.

I have a sitting job, help!

We can actually take away a lot of positives from the new guidelines, most notably that simply being more active throughout your day can start to give you some of the health benefits that those weekend warriors are getting with their 3-hour, one-off bike rides. If you hate exercise, this is good news for you. By being creative and adding activity into your day, you can be doing your body a lot of good. Walking or cycling to work; parking at the far end of the car park or a few blocks from work; going for a short walk to get your lunch; scheduling a “walking meeting” with a colleague; installing a standing desk in your workplace; and drinking more water so that you have to get up to go to the toilet more often are all easy ideas. If you want to get even more creative, you can get in the habit of walking every time you answer the phone; doing 20 air squats every morning tea and lunch break; or setting yourself a task of 20 push ups and a 1 minute plank every time you watch the news at night. Keeping the body moving and the engine revving is the key point. And the best part is, we are creatures of habit: before long, it will be second nature to be moving more (and your body will be thanking you for it). If you haven’t been very active in the past, it’s a good idea to start with small daily habits and then build in more structured exercise as you feel more comfortable to do so. The key is to find things that you can make fit into your work and home life, and ideally that you enjoy as well.

Where’s the Incentive?

Increasing amounts of studies are finding links between sedentary behaviour and weight gain, type 2 diabetes, poor muscle tone, heart disease and early death. From a Physiotherapy perspective, we are seeing more and more overweight patients coming in with pain and disability from osteoarthritis through the hips, spine and knees. The gold standard of treatment for these patients is to increase the supporting muscle strength around the joints, and to advise the patient to lose weight: even losing 10% of their body mass results in significant reductions in pain scores. It is argued that many of these conditions could be largely prevented by keeping a healthy body weight and staying active in the first place. After all, these are weight-bearing joints, and if you are overweight you are asking a lot of your joints every time you move. Similarly, from an Exercise Physiology perspective, we see many patients giving us highly creative “barriers” to exercise – reasons why they can’t or won’t prioritise physical activity in their lives, even when they are in pain and significantly overweight. It is not uncommon to have patients say they would rather have surgery to “fix” their problem, than to increase their activity and allow their body to become stronger and lighter. I am certain that a large part of this mindset comes from how “normal” it has become to be sedentary and overweight. But does that make it OK? Do you want to be “average”, if that’s what “average” has become? Do you want to live to a ripe old age, only to be overweight and in pain for the majority of that time? I certainly don’t!

What About my Kids?

It is more important than ever to keep our kids active, healthy and happy. Structured exercise is not only crucial for developing little minds and bodies, it is also important for social and health reasons too. Getting into the habit of being active early on can set you up for a lifetime of good habits, which is a gift that you can give your children for life. For kids 5-17 years of age, aim for at least 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous activity daily; and up to several hours daily to achieve even greater health benefits. Ideally this activity will be a mixture of strength and aerobic activity, which is where structured sports like soccer and netball, and active family time like cycling and walking the dog all come into the mix. Of most importance is the new recommendations to limit use of electronic media (TV,computers, ipads etc) to less than 2 hours a day. With childhood obesity on the rise, it is more challenging and hence more important than ever to aim for these goals.

Everyone is unique with their daily lifestyle, job requirements, and previous injury and health history. If you need help fitting these guidelines into your lifestyle, or have concerns about previous health issues or injuries, a few sessions with an Exercise Physiologist will help you to work out a program that you can do on a daily basis, without pain, and ideally with ease. Research has shown us time and time again that the most successful activity programs are achieved when the whole family gets involved and supports one another. Our children model themselves off our behaviours – from food to exercise to language, and they are facing the most sedentary generation in history: let’s teach them from a young age how to be anything but “average”!

More information about healthy living, including references to other Australian Government guidelines concerning healthy weight and healthy eating, can be found at www.health.gov.au

REFERENCE LIST

http://www.health.gov.au/paguidelines

Healy, G.N., Dunstan, D.W., Salmon, J., Shaw, J.E., Zimmet, P.Z., Owen, N. (2008) Television time and continuous metabolic risk in physically active adults. Med. Sci. Sports Exerc. 40(4) 639-645.

Sugiyama, T., Healy, G.N., Dunstan, D.W., Salmon, J., Owen, N. (2008) Joint associations of multiple leisure-time sedentary behaviours and physical activity with obesity in Australian adults. Int J Behav Nutr and Phys Act 5(35) 5868-5-35

Nelson, M.C., Gordon-Larson, P., Adair, L.S., Popkin, B.M. (2005) Adolescent physical activity and sedentary behaviour: patterning and long-term maintenance. American J of Prevent Med. 28(3) 259-266

Patrick, K., Norman, G.J., Calfas, K.J., Sallis, J.F., Zabinski, M.F., Rupp, J., Cella, J. (2004) Diet, Physical activity, and sedentary behaviours as risk factors for overweight in adolescence. Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med 158: 385-390

More than half of all Australian adultsare not active enough. Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) 2013. Australian Health Survey: Physical Activity, 2011-12. ABS Cat. No. 4364.0.55.004. Cnaberra: ABS

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March 27, 2014UncategorizedFirst in Physio

Why it’s Important to Stay Active When Injured

February 13, 2014Blogback surgery, cast, exercise, exercise as medicine, Exercise Physiology, fitness, healthy ageing, injured, injury management, injury prevention, low back pain, pain, Physiotherapy, Pilates, plantar fasciitis, safe, Shin Splints, stress fracture, surgery, TrainingFirst in Physio

One of the most common misconceptions among the general public is that one must “rest” while injured. I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve had one of my Pilates clients call to cancel “because they have back pain”. They should be coming to Pilates because they have back pain! Often the assumption is that the injured or painful structure needs to “rest”. Rest from aggravating activities? Most definitely. Rest from all activities? Definitely not. The body requires blood flow, nutrients from the inflammation process, and gentle movement to stimulate healing. If this can be done with minimal pain, you have a win-win situation: the body can get stronger while it heals itself.

Conversely, one of the most common misconceptions and fears amongst athletes is that their physio or doctor will tell them to stop their activity when an injury is looming, so they avoid making an appointment. This often results in delayed diagnosis and treatment, worsening of their condition and significantly prolonged time off their sport in the long run. The earlier the injury is treated, the more likely it is that the athlete will be able to continue with a modified version of their usual sport – which can mean faster healing, improved biomechanics through careful analysis and correction, and less time on the sidelines.

Whichever end of the spectrum you sit at – from previously sedentary to elite athlete – there are a few key points to remember when facing an injury:

1) Activity Modification is the key. Be creative! Your Physio and Exercise Physiologist will be able to develop a program for you to follow, no matter what the injury, how long you’ve had it, or how you got it. Even athletes with broken legs can be training hard in the gym and possibly the pool if done correctly.

2) Golden Rule: Pain must stay below 2/10. Some pain is good, and normal, in order for healing to occur. 80% of an injury’s healing occurs in 20% of the time (ie if a lumbar disc injury takes 10 months to get back to 100%, 80% of the gains will be achieved in 2 months, then next 8 months will be spent getting the final 20%). Why wait the whole 10 months to get back to fitness? The amount of muscle loss and degeneration achieved in that time may well set you up for a lifetime of back injuries in the future. Staying fit through swimming, walking, Pilates, etc and keeping the pain <2/10 may well prepare you for a lifetime of less back pain.

3) Athletes will often “train” harder when injured than when not. Look at it like a time to rebuild the body and to work on any weaknesses that caused your injury in the first place. Ask an elite athlete how much time they had to lay around and feel sorry for themselves after their last major injury. Chances are, they will tell you how it was the hardest training they’ve done – hours spent in Physio and Exercise Physiology sessions, the gym and the pool. Not to mention nailing their nutrition and recovery in between those sessions with extra sleep, massage, ice baths and so on. We are all designed to be athletes, even if our modern “sitting” lifestyle has made that hard to believe. So a middle aged man with a lumbar disc injury is no different – he should be doing more activity when injured in order to assist the healing and make him stronger than before the injury. Look at it like this: the injury is a cry from your body that something is not right. The rehabilitation process is your chance to fix that, so that you never have to experience it again.

4) The same principle applies for joint replacements. Another very common misconception is that you should “rest” and ease off activity after a knee or hip replacement. This couldn’t be further from the truth. In the months leading up to a joint replacement, patients need to be working hard on their muscle strength in order to get the most out of the surgery and to assist in their recovery. Your Physio or EP will be able to give you the least painful and most safe exercises for this. After the surgery, the work continues – ever wondered why the Physio is there on day 1 to kick you out of bed and get you walking? Because the joint will do best if you stay active. Those “bed exercises”? Same deal. We need to wake up the supporting muscles as efficiently as possible for the body to heal well. The pestering about your pain levels? Because if your pain isn’t well-controlled, we won’t be able to exercise effectively. There is always method to our madness……

5) Its never too early to see your Physio; prevention is the best cure. My patients often come in with full-blown injuries, such as low back pain or chronic plantar fasciitis. When I’m taking their history, they say that they first experienced the pain months ago and that it’s been progressively getting worse, and yet it’s taken them this long to see me. They sometimes feel as though the problem has to be “serious” to warrant a visit – this couldn’t be further from the truth! Had they come in when the pain first surfaced, the treatment would have been so much more efficient and the consequences much less significant. Your physio can also help with prevention of injuries. If you know you have a job where you sit a lot, then it might be worth chatting to your Physio about some strategies to prevent the onset of neck and back pain – being proactive is the key. Physios and EP’s are well-trained to work with you to find an exercise program that is safe for your body, that fits in to your lifestyle, and that you enjoy doing.

The human body is an amazing specimen, capable of adapting to most things that we throw at it. Your body puts up with a lot – why not give it something back by prioritising healthy ageing? You only have one body, after all.

– Kristy Shannon

B.Appl.Sc(HMS); M.PHTY(Hons);

Director and Principal Physiotherapist – First In Physio

REFERENCES

Adams, T; Band-Entrup, D; Kuhn, S.; Legere, L; Mace, K. (2013) Physical Therapy Management of Knee Osteoarthritis in the Middle-Aged Athlete. Sports Med Arthrosc Rev 21:2-10.

Chilibeck, P.; Vatanparast, H.; Cornish, S.; Abeysekara, S.; Charlesworth, S. (2011) Evidence-based risk assessment and recommendations for physical activity: arthritis, osteoporosis, and low back pain. Appl Physiol Nutr Metab 36: S49-S79

Williams, P. (2013). Effects of Running and Walking on Osteoarthritis and Hip Replacement Risk. Med Sci Sports Ex

Melov, S.; Tarnopolsky, M.; Beckman, K.; Felkey, K.; Hubbard, A. (2007) Resistance Exercise Reverses Ageing in Human Skeletal Muscle. PLoS ONE 2(5): e465

What is the difference between Pilates and Clinical Pilates?

January 15, 2014BlogBenefits, Clinical Pilates, exercise as medicine, Exercise Physiology, injury prevention, Pilates, What is an exercise physiologistFirst in Physio

What is Clinical Pilates?

Clinical Pilates is a system of safe and effective exercises which meet your specific individual needs. Clinical Pilates is used by our physiotherapists to treat a wide range of injuries and conditions, ranging from low back pain and chronic pain to hypermobility and chronic fatigue syndrome. It is also used by elite athletes and dancers to improve essential movement patterns and enhance fitness and performance, as well as assisting with injury prevention. By working into your body’s preferred movement, Clinical Pilates improves your mobility, stability, balance, posture and overall function.

Clinical Pilates offers a system of safe, effective and highly specific exercises appropriate for all ages. There are stages of exercises that you can progress through that will allow you to see the improvements in your strength, control and healing.

Differences between Regular and Clinical Pilates

There are important differences between regular Pilates and Clinical Pilates.

Regular Pilates is conducted by a Pilates instructor, whereas Clinical Pilates is prescribed and supervised by a Clinical Pilates trained Physiotherapist or Exercise Physiologist (E.P.). This difference is very important because a Physiotherapist or E.P., unlike a Pilates instructor, has an in-depth knowledge of injury, pathology, bodily function, healing and movement patterns. This knowledge allows a Physiotherapist to assess each patient and determine which exercises will be the most effective for each individual. This becomes especially important if you have any history of injury – whether it be low back pain, whiplash, osteoporosis, or if you are an athlete coming back from an injury. There will be certain exercises which need to be adapted specifically for you so to avoid further harm; this is something that only a Physiotherapist or Exercise Physiologist is trained to do. Like any form of exercise, Pilates can be wonderful for fitness, however still has the potential to cause injury or pain if not prescribed and monitored in the correct way.

Forms of Pilates

Treatment Sessions

At FirstIn Physio, Pilates comes in many forms so that the benefits can be enjoyed by everyone. You will often see our Physiotherapists using the Pilates Reformer as part of treatment sessions, to assist in re-establishing correct movement patterns in the body following injury. Our Exercise Physiologists also use the Reformer during exercise training sessions, which can serve a number of purposes. Some athletes coming back from surgery of the hip or spine will need a program based on core work and mobility and the Pilates Reformer becomes a mainstay of their rehab program. It can also be used for high-level athletes as part of a strength session and to work on weaknesses in mobility throughout the body, leading to better overall performance, or with stroke patients to assist with rehabilitation. We also use it a lot with dancers in order to train their technique to bring them to a higher level and make them more injury-proof.

Group Matwork Classes

FirstIn Physio offers a number of small group classes at the clinic, designed to cater for different levels of fitness and skill, from beginner through to advanced. The classes are an excellent way to build base core strength in a fun and supervised environment, allowing your physio to closely watch your technique as you perform the exercises and to give you variations based on your individual needs. These classes are a lot of fun and tend to fill up fast! We also offer male- and female-specific classes.

Independent Sessions

One of our Physiotherapists or Exercise Physiologists can work closely with you to develop your own Pilates program using the equipment at the clinic combined with matwork exercises. Once you feel confident and competent with your specific program, you can advance to an independent program, where you will be able to use our studio and its equipment at regular intervals on your own. A Physiotherapist will regularly monitor your program and prescribe more advanced exercises as you progress.

Benefits of Clinical Pilates

Clinical Pilates has been shown to prevent injuries, improve balance and stability, strengthen and tone muscle and improve bone density. It is a great form of general exercise to improve fitness and improve technique in specific movements, such as dance, running and golf. It is appropriate for all age groups from kids through to the elderly and is safe and fun!

Prevention and treatment of back pain & injury
Resolution of spinal pain
Enhanced core stability and pelvic floor function
For the elderly, enhancement in movement, balance, agility and flexibility
Falls prevention
Muscle toning without adding bulk
Increased bone density (for Osteopaenia & Osteoporosis)

For more information, please do not hesitate to give our staff a call and find out more about the amazing benefits of Clinical Pilates at FirstIn Physio!

Patrick Shannon

November 16, 2013ourteamFirst in Physio

B.Appl.Sc(HMS) Hons; M.PHTY Principal Physiotherapist and Director

Patrick completed his first degree at the University of Queensland, graduating with honours as an Exercise Physiologist. He then went on to complete his Masters in Physiotherapy from Griffith University. Before moving to the Burdekin, Patrick worked as an Exercise Physiologist at a private studio in the Brisbane CBD, gaining invaluable experience in treating athletes across the board, including many cyclists and triathletes.

Patrick has a special interest in Orthopaedic Physiotherapy, as well as shoulder and knee injuries. He is involved with the local swimming clubs with injury prevention and strength and conditioning programs, as well as assisting the High Performance Programs running out of the local Catholic High School, BCHS. Patrick keeps fit by getting involved in CrossFit and is a multiple-Ironman triathlon finisher. He is also involved with the local Road Runners club and Cycling Group.

Patrick is a current member of the Australian Physiotherapy Association.

Kristy Shannon

November 16, 2013ourteamFirst in Physio

B.Appl.Sc(HMS) Hons; M.PHTYPrincipal Physiotherapist and Director

Kristy completed her first degree at the University of Queensland, graduating with honours as an Exercise Physiologist. She then went on to complete her Masters in Physiotherapy from Griffith University. Before moving to North Queensland from Brisbane, Kristy also worked as a research assistant at the School of Human Movement Studies, at The University of Queensland.

Kristy has a special interest in dance physiotherapy, hip and spinal injuries. She is a fully qualified Clinical Pilates Instructor, and loves teaching her advanced Pilates classes at the clinic every week. She is a strong supporter of the local dance schools and assists with injury prevention programs and Pre-Pointe Assessments for the budding young dancers in the Burdekin and Townsville areas.

Kristy is also an active member of the local Running and Road Cycling groups in Ayr.

Along with her husband Patrick and their son, she enjoys travelling around the world to various triathlons. Her passion lies in long course triathlons, and she is a multiple-Ironman finisher.

Kristy is a current member of the Australian Physiotherapy Association.

John Alford

November 15, 2013ourteamFirst in Physio

Ba.Phty Senior Physiotherapist

John completed his Bachelor of Physiotherapy at James Cook University in Townsville. He has a special interest in treating sporting injuries with an emphasis on rugby. In his role as Senior Physiotherapist at First In Physio, he assists in mentoring the younger staff at the clinic and regularly runs Professional Development sessions on sports injuries. He is also qualified in dry needling, and uses this as an adjunct therapy with great success in his patients.

When not at the clinic he can be found in the gym or on the football field. He is an active member of the Burdekin Rugby Club and has travelled with the Queensland Stockman’s Rugby Union Team to New Zealand in early 2013. John also enjoys playing touch football and social soccer.

John is a current member of the Australian Physiotherapy Association.

Lisa Zabel

December 3, 2015ourteamFirst in Physio

Practice Manager

Lisa has been First In Physio’s Practice Manager since 2013.

Lisa is also a qualified Gymnastics Instructor and away from the clinic runs a very successful early childhood movement based program at the local PCYC. She also enjoying making quilts in her spare time as well as spending time with her husband and 2 teenage girls. Continue reading →

Scott DeFilippis

December 3, 2015ourteamFirst in Physio

Triathlon and Running Coach; Professional Triathlete

First In Physio is proud to be affiliated with Scott DeFilippis, Professional Ironman Athlete and world class triathlon and running coach. Scott is currently based in America, and coaches athletes from all over the world via Training Peaks, email and Skype. Scott has been a professional Ironman athlete since 2009. Continue reading →

Richard Martin

August 16, 2019ourteam, UncategorizedFirst in Physio

Native to the Sunshine Coast, Richard completed his Exercise Physiology studies in 2018 at Griffith University. He started his career on the Sunny Coast before migrating to the beautiful Burdekin region as an ESSA Accredited Exercise Physiologist.

Richard has a special interest in long term athlete development – overseeing developing athletes and assisting in creating a balanced approach to training, life, injury prevention, and longevity in sport. He also really enjoys his time spent treating clients with a disability, and takes this on board as a clinical area which he finds particularly rewarding.

Passionate about all things outdoors and in particular water and snow sports, Richard spent a year working in Whistler, Canada as a snowboard instructor and enjoys travelling the world and generally fitting as much surfing, freediving and snowboarding into his life as he can. Being born in South Africa, he also has a keen interest in Rugby and gets involved in local community sports like touch football and running wherever he can.