Please find attached a (17.3.2020) guide on Covid-19 from rcog (Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists) for our treasured pregnant clients. Our best wishes to you all.

Please note Telehealth appointments are available to anyone who needs an appointment but is unable to attend the clinics.

Call INP 90896666 CHP 94861918 CHP&R 9481 2955 for more information

Keep being kind to each other and looking out for those around you who may need your help, or a few loo rolls. We will be limiting our social media presence in the immediate future to allow essential info to be disseminated. We wish you and your loved ones all good health and calm through this process we are all in together.

https://www.rcog.org.uk/globalassets/documents/guidelines/coronavirus-covid-19-infection-in-pregnancy-v2-20-03-13.pdf

Did you know Josh trained as a Podiatrist before becoming a  Physio? 

Here are his expert tips on choosing your running footwear:

As Physiotherapists we are asked for advice on appropriate running footwear several times each day. Footwear companies often make exaggerated and misleading claims about the wondrous properties of their shoes, which can make it difficult to determine what type of running shoe is right for you.

In recent times ‘Barefoot’ or ‘Free’ running has gained popularity. Advocates will argue that because cavemen would have run barefoot this is a more natural way for our body to function when moving, and is more in line evolutionarily with how our foot and ankle are meant to be used.

The reality for present day adults is that a good degree of conditioning and adaptation is necessary for our bodies get used to running without footwear. Cavemen didn’t have to contend with surfaces such as hard bitumen or concrete. The right shoes play a critical role in reducing the shock caused to our bodies by these surfaces.

Numerous studies have demonstrated a marked change in loading patterns (how weight and pressure are distributed) through the feet and legs during running with and without shoes. Rapid change in any exercise training does not allow our bodies enough time to adapt, and adaptation is important for injury prevention. If you wish to trial barefoot running it should be a transition that is quite structured and measured so as to minimise the associated risk of injury. As this is a complicated process, it is best to seek the advice of a trained practitioner with specific knowledge and understanding of the biomechanics of running.

At the other end of the scale to bare feet, is footwear that does not permit normal functioning of the foot. Our feet and ankles are intricate in their design and function very well in normal situations to assist smooth and strain free patterns of movement through the body. Footwear that is rigid and does not accommodate foot motion can have equally detrimental effects to running without shoes.

So what does this all mean?

The long and short of this, if you’ll pardon the pun, is that there is no one-size-fits-all approach to selecting footwear. We each have distinctive running patterns and anatomical variations of the foot and ankle that mean we each need shoes with different features.

It is hard to know where to start with such a vast array of options available. When you walk into your local shoe store, even the staff may have little idea as to the features of each shoe, which is not to denigrate them, but shows how complex the technical components of shoe design and manufacture are.

Reputable brands and stores will have various styles with different features to enable selection of footwear that is appropriate to your own foot type and biomechanics. Remember that cost does not always equate with quality; the most expensive shoe may not work well for you personally. It is much more important that you have a shoe suitable to your foot type and your running regime than it is to spend a lot of money.

There are some common mistakes made when it comes to choosing running shoes.

Always measure shoe size while standing, and allow approximately the width of your thumbnail from your longest toe (which for some people is the second toe, not the big toe) to the end of the shoe. This allows for expansion of the foot during exercise, which is especially important in warmer weather. The width of the shoe is equally important. A good guide is to pinch the top of the shoe over the widest part of your foot. A small amount of the material should bunch between your index finger and thumb. A sign that the shoe is too big is that your whole foot will feel like it slides back and forth in the shoe.

If you wear orthotics, always ensure you wear them when fitting new shoes. You may find you need to go up a full size to accommodate the orthotic device.

Make sure the heel counter, the stiff part at the back of the shoe that covers your heel, is deep enough. If your heel feels like it loses contact with the sole of the shoe when you walk you may need to adjust the arrangement of the lacing of the shoe, or failing that, choose a different style of shoe that offers more depth. This is very important because the position of the back of your foot influences how well the front of your foot functions. Particularly with shoes that have in-built rear-foot control features, such as running shoes, it is essential that the heel sits right on the insole and snugly against the back of the shoe

Lastly, select a shoe that allows your mid-foot and fore-foot to move easily. To check this pick up the shoe with one hand cupping the heel, and the other cupping the toes. Twist the shoe gently between both hands. The first two-thirds of the shoe should twist under pressure and the heel should stay relatively stiff. The flex point of the shoe, where it bends most easily, should be where the ball of your foot would be, ideally around the first third of the shoe. It’s best to avoid shoes that bend in half, as your foot does not bend naturally at this point.

I hope this has provided some food for thought when it comes to running and footwear. Remember there can be a large degree of trial and error when choosing footwear, but a good retailer will have a more in-depth understanding of appropriate shoe types for you, so don’t be afraid to ask questions and do your homework.

—

Josh Neeft

M Physiotherapy (GE), B. Podiatry

Inner North Physiotherapy
734 High Street
Thornbury VIC 3071
P: (03) 9089 6666
F: (03) 9089 6644
E: josh@innernorthphysiotherapy.com.au
W: innernorthphysiotherapy.com.au

Clifton Hill Physiotherapy
111 Queens Pde
Clifton Hill VIC 3068
P: (03) 9486 1918
F: (03) 9486 5650
E: josh@innernorthphysiotherapy.com.au
W: cliftonhillphysiotherapy.com.au

In an endeavour to mix up our education and share knowledge, this morning our enthusiastic Team Pelvis met up over breakfast for Book Club. Each of us presented on a different book

• A Headache in the Pelvis (Issy)
• Ending Female Pain (Adriane)
• Mindfulness (Rosie and special guest the beautiful Emilia)
• The Gut (Kiera)
• The Body Keeps a Score (Trauma) (Jen)

It was super fun with a delicious breakfast and got our brains working hard early on a Monday morning. Well done girls, I have learnt plenty and look forward to our next breakfast for Podcast Blitz!

Jen

Wondering about low back pain?

Why does it hurt?

Why do so many people in Melbourne have low back pain?

Human beings are designed to move! It may sound simple, but think back to your high school science classes. Apart from making all sorts of misuses of the Bunsen burner, do you remember learning about all those muscles attached to the bones of the human body? They’re everywhere! Unfortunately in the smartphone age, the most commonly used muscle is our adductor pollicis (ie. scrolling up with your thumb). But do you know what the main intended uses of your muscles is for? That’s right, you guessed it: walking! Plain and simple walking.

Now, many of us use our bodies in ways that it is not made to be used (think: sitting at computer nine hours a day then spending the evening scrolling through overwhelming Netflix options). What this does is put abnormal stresses on our body, in particular your lower back, which can result in low back pain. So actually, in most cases of low back pain, there’s not a lot of mystery involved in why it hurts. Backs just simply are not made for the sustained stresses that we put them through.

So if walking is the most basic movement that our bodies are designed for, then it’s no surprise that walking is an excellent remedy for low back pain. Research shows that a simple walking program can be the most effective way of reducing low back pain.

Of course there are limits to abide by, and low back pain is different for everyone, so guidance from your physio in starting a walking program is essential. If you are having trouble, our Physiotherapists  can guide your exercises and address work with you on your low back pain issues.

When it comes to low back pain, most people are looking for a quick fix. Well, this is it! Strap on those Nikes, and take to one of the many lovely tracks Melbourne has to offer.

You won’t regret it!

Daniel Zeunert

Physiotherapist

Daniel is passionate about achieving the best outcomes for his patients by keeping up with the latest evidence-based research in physiotherapy. He uses a combination of exercise and manual therapy, operating under a biopsychosocial approach to patient care.

A PAIN IN THE BUTT

The most common cause of persisting deep buttock pain or lateral (on the outside) hip pain is not sciatica, but caused by tendinopathy of the gluteal tendons: usually Gluteus Medius and Gluteus Minimus tendons. It’s also often misdiagnosed as bursitis, and treated (ineffectively) with cortisone or other injections.

This very common condition, also called greater trochanteric pain syndrome, is irritated by lying on either side at night. This puts pressure on those tendons between the greater trochanter ( ateral hip bone) and the bed surface when lying on the painful side, or pressure from the position of the top thigh as it crosses the midline when lying on the good side. It’s also made worse by sitting too low and getting up from sitting, crossing the legs, walking up hills and when climbing stairs. Lunges and Clam exercises can aggravate it. It can get so bad as to disturb sleep, create a painful limp and prevent walking & exercise altogether!

Affecting women much more than men, one study from Scandinavia (1) showed one in four women have got underlying Gluteal Tendinopathy, often becoming symptomatic with a spike in load. An event like overseas travel, extra walking or new impact exercise can trigger it, especially if the gluteal muscles (the buttocks) have weakened. This is so common, can last for years and its a pain in the butt !! However unlike sciatica, the pain will usually not refer below the knee or cause any nerve symptoms like tingling or numbness.

The good news is that clinical research (2) proves the right exercise program and advice on sitting and sleeping posture can resolve the pain and prevent it becoming chronic. Clifton Hill Physiotherapy / CHPR Physios Dr Henry Wajswelner and Dr Sallie Cowan were involved as treating physiotherapists in a landmark study called the LEAP trial, published in the British Medical Journal in 2018, that proved a physiotherapy program was the most effective form of management both in the short and long term. Education on the right ways to sit, stand, lie at night and move to minimise tendon compression is a key early component of the physiotherapy treatment program. Then a very gradual build-up of the right type of exercises to restore the gluteal, thigh and trunk muscles is the main form of longer-term management.

If you have persisting buttock/ lateral hip pain that is not responding: you probably have gluteal tendinopathy !!! Make an appointment with one of our physios to be assessed and get the right advice and exercises so you can get rid of this annoying pain in the butt!!

Dr Henry Wajswelner FACP* APA Specialist Physiotherapist (As awarded by the Australian College of Physiotherapy 2007)

Henry is one of the first Specialist Sports Physiotherapists in Australia, passing his College exam and gaining his Fellowship in 2007. He has over 35 years clinical experience at the highest levels including the Australian Olympic Rowing Team and the Australian Institute of Sport in Canberra.

Henry specializes in using Physiotherapy and Clinical Pilates for persistent spinal and joint problems. His experience comes from using Pilates in managing athletes’ injuries & through his doctoral research studies into Pilates for Chronic Low Back Pain. Henry also works closely with Orthopaedic Surgeons and Rheumatologists for all types of clients to develop specific Pilates programs to optimize recovery from surgery, pain and injury. Henry often works with other physiotherapists to co-manage difficult problems to achieve outstanding results.

Henry is also a researcher involved in studies investigating the best way to manage hip pain caused by Gluteal Tendinopathy. He is a Senior Lecturer and Course Co-ordinator at Latrobe University, where he leads the Master of Sports Physiotherapy Course for Graduate Physiotherapists from all over Australia.

Clinical Research Studies mentioned in this blog :

1. Segal NA, et al (2007) Greater trochanteric pain syndrome: Epidemiology and associated factors. Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation 88:988-992.
2. Mellor R, Bennell K Grimaldi A, Hodges P, Kaszka J, Nicolson P, Wajswelner H, Vicenzino B (2018) Effects of education plus exercise versus corticosteroid injection versus no treatment on patient rated global outcome and pain among patients with gluteal tendinopathy: a randomized clinical trial ( LEAP trial ). British Medical Journal; 361:k1662