What’s it like to be an Exercise Physiologist?

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_single_image image=”2291″ img_size=”large” alignment=”center”][vc_column_text]First question I get asked almost once a day is what is an Exercise Physiologist? It’s a big fancy word to say, I specialise in knowing how the human body functions and how movements like exercise can alter this. Knowing this I prescribe specific exercises to my patients, athletes and clients all depending on their needs and goals. So how did I become an Exercise Physiologist?

When I started at university I was originally enrolled in teaching, however it was evident that this wasn’t quite the job for me. I wanted to educate individuals but not in algebra, instead something that I’m passionate in. Throughout my degree I was taught numerous evidence based practice strategies to help individuals depending on performance, illnesses, conditions, injuries as so on. However I was never taught this passion. I knew I wanted to make a difference, not change the world, but to be able to help that one person that feels like the world is against them.[/vc_column_text][vc_single_image image=”2158″ img_size=”large” alignment=”center”][vc_column_text]As a child I always had an active lifestyle. I did lots of dancing, playing outside with friends and family, competing in team sports and extreme sports; but I never thought that one day I would grow up and teach a ballerina how to stop their knee’s from hurting, then to go on an win a major competition or to help my elderly patients walk again after falling.

Exercise for a lot of people is seen as a punishment. Something used to help change something that’s negative. I tell a lot of my patients that working for a reward instead of irradiating a problem is the way to do it. Exercise should be used as a way to show off your strengths and make you feel amazing and empowered. Not so you can have that doughnut…

So what’s it like to be that team player, the coach, the health professional, the shoulder to cry on, the friend, the specialist, the exercise lady, the motivator, the smiling assassin, the Exercise Physiologist? It’s something that has its challenges but also its amazing benefits, that I wouldn’t change anything for.

Samantha – The Exercise Physiologist

To book an appointment with Sam or to find out more about how you can work together to achieve your health and fitness goals, call our Clinic on (08) 9583 5165.[/vc_column_text][vc_single_image image=”2295″ img_size=”large” alignment=”center”][/vc_column][/vc_row]

It’s just a sprain…..it’s not actually torn….right?

Enhance Physiotherapy Como Physio

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_single_image image=”2228″ img_size=”large” alignment=”center”][vc_column_text]We ARE GOING TO BUST THE MYTH!! And it might be boring folks but knowledge is power and knowledge about your own body gives you so much power. I’m excited about writing this blog for everyone because I love ❤ the human body but I must keep in mind not everyone is like minded and I will try not to get too carried away. My chosen topic is joint sprains and muscle strains and tears to joints, ligaments and muscle tissue!!![/vc_column_text][vc_single_image image=”2229″ img_size=”large” alignment=”center”][vc_column_text]Over my 15 years of being a physiotherapist I feel I’ve answered a lot of questions. No silly ones, just genuinely great questions that I love answering (no question about your body is ever silly). But one that never gets too old is “So I’ve just sprained my joint, I haven’t torn it?” Or “so I’ve just strained my hammy I haven’t torn it?”

I’m here today to say YES – yes you have torn it!! So if someone tells you you have a sprain or strain they are telling you that you have created damage aka a tear and you may need to be out of sport for an amount of time as the body recovers from the injury that it has sustained. AND you will have to do rehabilitation to make sure that injury doesn’t happen again.[/vc_column_text][vc_single_image image=”2230″ img_size=”large” alignment=”center”][vc_column_text]The good news about this myth busting blog is I’m here to give you guys the power; the secret to healing yourselves quicker – the ability to look inside your Physio’s mind and see what’s ticking…..

Firstly, a brief anatomy lesson:

  1. Ligaments attach bone to bone to provide stability to joints. Every joint has ligaments even your spine. Here’s a picture of an ankle showing the most commonly sprained ankle joint the ATFL.

[/vc_column_text][vc_single_image image=”2233″ img_size=”medium” alignment=”center”][vc_column_text]2. Muscles are your prime movers. There are two muscle systems in your body – a local and global (that’s a whole other blog!) but muscles attach to bone via a tendon. Here’s a picture of your hamstring. 3 different muscles make up your hamstring which all become tendons attaching to the bone.[/vc_column_text][vc_single_image image=”2056″ img_size=”medium” alignment=”center”][vc_column_text]Here are the keys to ensuring you never become that person that we have all heard about or from –

The guy who “I tore my hammy it’s never been the same since I keep tearing it over and over again” (weak spot)

The girl who “I sprained my ankle now it’s my dodgy one” (loss of strength and power)

Key points to a full and complete recover of a ligament sprain (tear) or muscle strain (tear) and to ensure you have no weakness and you can be the inner athlete we all want to achieve are –

  1. RICER immediately the most important aspect of RICER in my eyes is compression so compress the area with tape or bandage and ice over the top
  2. Seek Physio (Enhance Physio preferably ?) within the first 72 hours so your Physio can start working on clearing out the inflammation using ultrasound and all other tools at their disposal (aka their hands) and start getting the scar tissue to lie it self down in a useful manner
  3. Rehab – you have got to do your rehab!!!! You have to stretch when it’s time to stretch; you have to strengthen when it’s time to strengthen; you have to do proprioception til the cows come home if you have sprained your ankle and so on! A good Physio (Enhance Physio ?) will lead you through this process
  4. Drink plenty of water in the rehab stage – flush those toxins out
  5. Massage – a good sports massage (Enhance Physio ?) when the time is right in your rehab will help to break down scar tissue so it does not become your weakness.

[/vc_column_text][vc_single_image image=”1980″ img_size=”large” alignment=”center”][vc_column_text]All our amazing physiotherapists at Enhance Physio are fully equipped to ensure you become strong fitter and better after an injury. We view everything as an opportunity to be better not a weakness or weak spot. Call us today on 9583 5165 xx Bel[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

Importance of an Active Warm Up

Active Stretching

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_single_image image=”2184″ img_size=”large” alignment=”center”][vc_column_text]For many years static stretches were the go-to warm up prior to sports. It was believed that stretching before sport and exercise would prepare the body for the activity that was about to take place and reduce injuries. In the past few years, this theory has been disproved. Static stretches have been shown to have no preventative effect on the occurrence of injuries in sport.[/vc_column_text][vc_single_image image=”2185″ img_size=”large” alignment=”center”][vc_column_text]There is strong evidence to show, however, that an active warm up prepares the body for more intense activity and reduces the risk of injuries. It makes sense – warming up in a way that mimics the activity you are about to perform prepares the body for what is about to happen. It improves blood flow to the muscles, providing oxygen for efficient working capability and disperses byproducts such as carbon dioxide and lactic acid. It increases the internal temperature of the muscles, allowing them to perform more effectively- especially important in the cold winter months. It is important that your warm up includes sport or exercise specific moves, targeting the exact joints and muscles that are about to be used. A great example of an active warm up for soccer players is the F-MARC 11+ program- a benchmark warm up routine that has reduced injuries in soccer players by 30-50%. You can find the manual for this via google![/vc_column_text][vc_single_image image=”2186″ img_size=”large” alignment=”center”][vc_column_text]It is important not to throw the baby out with the bathwater. Static stretches still have a place in improving joint and muscle flexibility, but they just don’t have so much of a role as a warm up for exercise. Stretches are fantastic to incorporate into an active cool down routine, or to use on your rest days to maintain flexibility and keep you in touch with your body. You may also be prescribed certain stretches by your Physio or health care professional to target a specific joint or muscle group and it is important to complete these as a part of your rehabilitation. The main point here- to reduce the risk of injury in exercise and sport, it is important to complete an active warm up! Remember that if you are participating in ball sports, include kicking/catching/throwing/dribbling in your warm up exercises. Some general examples are listed below, but it is important to mimic movements you are about to perform, start slowly and build intensity as your body warms up.[/vc_column_text][vc_single_image image=”2187″ img_size=”large” alignment=”center”][vc_column_text]Active warm up ideas
Light jogging
Side-side bounding
Tuck jumps
Jogging step ups
Mountain Climbs
Jumping split squats
Push Up with twist
High knees
Quick lateral/backward stepping

At Enhance Physiotherapy, we can custom build a warm up routine that is specific for your sport or exercise regime. We can tailor it to aid in rehabilitation for injuries you may be recovering from, train you in specific strength requirements and help to prevent injuries you may be prone to in your field. We also offer running shoe checks, postural and functional strength assessments, taping, hands on therapy or general advice. Whatever it may be, we are here to help you get the most out of your sport and exercise!

All the best
Cat[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]