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Incorporating regular strength training into your exercise program has a multitude of benefits including:
Ideally, strength exercises should be completed at least twice per week, consisting of different exercises targeting all the major muscle groups. Aim to complete 2-4 sets of 8-15 repetitions for most exercises. You should have a couple of repetitions in reserve at the end of each set, if you are struggling to reach the number of reps you aimed for you need to make the exercise easier, and if you could easily do 5 or more reps than you did, it is time to make the exercise harder to ensure you continue to challenge the muscles and make progress. If you don't have weights at home you can use anything from around the house; A backpack/shopping bag filled with items, big bottles of water or even just a brick. ☎️ 6352 3131 ✉️ info@tablelandsphysio.com.au ℹ️ www.tablelandsphysio.com.au
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Do you have exercise and activity related goals you need help achieving? We have a highly qualified team of Exercise Physiologists and Physiotherapists who are experienced working with NDIS clients to help them achieve their goals.
This may be to increase strength, to get out and do the shopping, be able to walk up and down the stairs or even just gaining confidence to get out and about. We work with so many different people and individualise their programs to their goals in a fun and creative way. Pictured in the video is little superstar, Noah, who was referred to us to help regain his strength, coordination and confidence. He has been working hard alongside Physiotherapist, Mali to achieve these goals. Please don’t hesitate to get in contact if you have any questions. ☎️ 6352 3131 ✉️ info@tablelandsphysio.com.au ℹ️ www.tablelandsphysio.com.au Sometimes we worry about what’s wrong with our bodies, we feel a sharp pain, a tweak, or an ache in our back (or neck), then we panic, stop moving, and start googling. This can be unhelpful and it’s so hard to know what the right thing to do is… Do you need to go to Hospital, the Doctor, the Physio, Chiro, the massage guy, a specialist? Often, you’ve just over stretched or put yourself in a position that your body wasn’t happy to be in. These are the things I hear every day. “It’s out “ “It’s tight “ “It’s stiff” “I’m weak” “It’s damaged” The Dr said “It’s bone on bone” “Irreversible damage” “Old age” “Riddled with arthritis” We need to have something to blame for the pain. Combined with the stress and implications….. “I can’t sleep” “I can’t play sport “ “I can’t work” “I can’t travel” “I can’t play with my kids” “I’ll have pain for the rest of my life” These thoughts and stresses all contribute to your amount of pain and how long it will last for. Chances are it isn’t as bad as you thought initially. Unless you’ve done something crazy like fallen from a tree, crashed your car, been squashed in a footy scrum and even then, most people are fine (this obviously depends on how high up the tree you were). If we are talking backs, there are a few things that might help you to know:
 So, what to do?
Sal’s 10 step plan: 1. Relative rest, (not bed rest) is best for a couple days, hot water bottles are lovely, regular anti-inflams/Panadol (if you can take these) - keep changing positions, try and keep any pain in your leg at a minimum, some gentle walking if you can, is also good idea. 2.You are generally better to lie down for a short rest than hang out on the lounge or recliner. Positions that lessen the leg pain are better. 3. Gently try and get moving. Back movements are good and won’t cause any damage. Lie on your tummy if you can and come up onto your elbows. Using a heat pack can help make this easier. Just lie there for 10 mins if you’re feeling ok. Up and down a few times over the time. Or try lying on your back and rolling your knees side to side. 4. Any position/stretch that lessons the leg pain or gets better after you do a few, then they are the ones to start with – little and often rather than a stack, then nothing. You can’t hurt yourself doing these. All the gentle movement is fabulous and helps to move any inflammation and swelling away. 5. Know that it will get better. 6. Pain is an interpretation of signals sent to our brains - messages are sent from the back to the brain. People in pain have their brain “lit up” on scanning. The inputs from the back is just one of these lights. There is a whole back pain network in your brain. Other things that contribute to “lighting up your brain” include other stresses, anxiety, depression and frustration. Things that improve or reduce this brain sensitivity are things that make you happy, calm, and less stressed. Change any of these more negative emotions to a positive one and aches and pains can reduce. Control what you can and let the rest go. 7. All pains and injuries involve the immune system. Pain can cause your immune system to become a bit out of balance. Anything that is good for the immune system will help your body cope with the pain. Immune healthy behaviors include working out ways to cope, graduated exercise, anti-inflammatory foods, laughter, sleep well, any interaction with nature, less alcohol (a glass of wine is ok, just not a bottle) and avoid drugs with opioids in them (these can make you more sensitive over time). 8. Challenge your perception about how bad it was initially 9. Seek the knowledge and treatment that will provide you with a well-rounded program including ways to reduce your pain, exercises, self-management strategies and advice to get you back doing the things you love, as soon as possible. The correct team of health professionals around you and supporting you is invaluable. (They will also help you with the correct plan of attack if things are not going to plan) . 10. Did I mention … Keep Moving? If this helps you or raises more questions, we are always here to answer questions and help you decide the correct treatment pathway. Look after yourself. Sally APA Musculoskeletal Physiotherapist Director, Tablelands Sports & Spinal Physiotherapy ☎️ 6352 3131 ✉️ info@tablelandsphysio.com.au ℹ️ www.tablelandsphysio.com.au *** Please note this is generalised advice for people with back pain, not specific to your case. Please contact your local physio or healthcare professional if you are concerned about any of your symptoms or if they are increasing. The quicker you get on top of this the better. *** In Australia at any one time, 25% of the population report low back pain and 20% report neck pain. A large proportion of people are working in front of a computer– even those “active” tradies. Combine this with many more working from home, it’s no wonder that we are treating a large proportion of people with headaches and back and neck pain – often associated with increased sitting. Our bodies are not designed to sit and be static for long periods, but many peoples work demands (and Netflix addiction) means we are sitting more. This is a list of things you can do to help you cope with too much sitting. Remember the main thing is our bodies like movement, regardless of how good our desk set-up is.
Some Extra Tips: a) Eyes - Look 20 metres away for 20 seconds every 20 minutes (20,20,20 rule). b) MOVE – get up and move every hour for 5-10 minutes and have a minimum 30minute break at lunch time c) Try to go for a 30 minute walk every work day - your body and brain will love you for it. Sally APA Musculoskeletal Physiotherapist Director, Tablelands Sports & Spinal Physiotherapy ☎️ 6352 3131 ✉️ info@tablelandsphysio.com.au ℹ️ www.tablelandsphysio.com.au  If you have a loved one who lives with chronic pain, one of the most important things you can do is ensure that they feel connected. Invite them to events, and accept that when they can’t come, its not because they don’t want to. Find ways to be involved in their life without increase the demands on the body.
Be understanding that some days they may have greater capacity than others. Do not judge them by their good days, and don’t exclude them based on their bad days. Just remember, its not about trying to fix them; its about helping them to connect to the world around them, helping them to feel involved and returning to them a sense of control. As a healthcare professional, how can I help a patient who suffers from chronic pain? By building a connection with them. By developing a relationship based on trust and understanding that helps the patient to feel more in control of their pain, their body, and their future. If you are suffering from chronic pain and are feeling disconnected, visit the Chronic Pain Australia website https://chronicpainaustralia.org.au/ or look them up on social media. We would also love to see you in the clinic where we can help you to learn more about how you can regain control of your pain, so that you can return to doing the things you love, with the people you love. Amalia Rawson Physiotherapist B.Physio ☎️ 6352 3131 ✉️ info@tablelandsphysio.com.au ℹ️ www.tablelandsphysio.com.au In life we are connected to many things at different times. Our most meaningful connections come from our friends and family. Unfortunately, for those with chronic pain, these connections can feel damaged. Pain can make you feel isolated or lonely. This can be both real or perceived and only becomes more common with age, just as rates of chronic pain increase with age.
A sense of connection is vital for those suffering from chronic pain. Being in a constant, or near constant state of pain decreases opportunities for social interaction and involvement in group activities. Often this can be due to a lack of understanding from friends and family as to how pain impacts an individual’s life and function. It can be very challenging to understand how it feels to live with chronic pain if you have not experienced it. This loss of understanding leads to feelings of isolation: from the community, from friends, and even from family. People with chronic pain often feel as though they should just ‘get over it’ or ‘push through the pain’. However, this often only leads to an increase in pain and further isolation. This feeling of disconnect is also common when seeking professional help. Its not uncommon for people with chronic pain to feel ostracised or dismissed by the medical community. For effective treatment of chronic pain conditions and disorders health professionals need to understand the importance of connection in treatment. That is connection between themselves and the person in pain, as well as connection to other members of the healthcare team; always with the patient at the centre, calling the shots. Another level of connection that is important when talking about chronic pain is a person’s connection to their own body and psychological state. Its important to develop an understanding of our own pattern of pain. Knowing exactly much you can do without causing a flare up of pain is a vital part rebuilding connection with others. It can also help to provide you to build your ability to own your pain, rather than letting your pain own you. People suffering from chronic pain can feel like they have no control over their lives. Gaining a better connection and understanding of their pain can help to return a sense of control to those who may have felt that they had none. Amalia Rawson Physiotherapist B.Physio ☎️ 6352 3131 ✉️ info@tablelandsphysio.com.au ℹ️ www.tablelandsphysio.com.au We all know someone who suffers from chronic pain. 1 in 5 Australians suffer from it with that number increasing to 1 in 3 over the age of 65. Chronic pain conditions include many diagnoses; from those widely recognised with clear bio-mechanical causes such as; arthritis (osteo and rheumatoid), osteoporosis, MS, nerve damage, etc; to those we are rapidly developing our understanding of like chronic lower back pain, and polymyalgia rheumatica; and those whose causes still largely mystify the medical community: fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome, chronic regional pain syndrome.
It is generally considered chronic, or persistent pain, when it lasts for more than 3 months, or longer than the tissues would normally take to heal. Chronic pain is felt differently by every person. It can be mild or quite severe, sharp or blunt and achy. For most people with chronic pain, it is felt on most days and can very in intensity depending on how much and what type of activity the individual does on that day. As we mentioned in the previous blog, pain signals are carried by nervous system to the brain to indicate danger and/or damage. This isn’t always the case with chronic pain. During chronic pain, our body will send these pain signals even though there is no risk to tissues or long after the initial injury has healed. Sometimes these pain signals even get mixed up and start coming from a different part of the body to where the initial injury was located. With this sort of pain, it is important to have a multidisciplinary approach. This means involving more than one type of healthcare professional in a person’s care. As more than 40% of chronic pain patients admitted to hospital with chronic pain have a diagnosis involving the muscles and/or bones, physiotherapists are often a key member of the multidisciplinary healthcare team for chronic pain. Studies have also shown that a graded approach to exercise can be crucial in decreasing pain, increasing function, and improving an individual’s quality of life. Chronic pain can be like a roller coaster where an individual will feel good one day and terrible the next. This often occurs when someone feels well and tries to get as much done as they can whilst they feel well…only to over do it and be in intense pain the next day. This becomes a roller coaster of pain and dysfunction. One of the most effective treatments for this pattern of pain is graded exercises. This involves first discovering how much exercise or other work they can do without suffering from a flare-up soon after. Using this as a baseline, we can very slowly increase the amount of exercise that a person can tolerate before flare-up. This technique has proven to be very effective when accompanied by education and advice of a trained healthcare professional. Or better yet, a team of trained healthcare professionals. Amalia Rawson Physiotherapist B.Physio ☎️ 6352 3131 ✉️ info@tablelandsphysio.com.au ℹ️ www.tablelandsphysio.com.au Acute pain: Causes and treatments
Pain is a message sent via the nervous system from an injured body part to the brain. This pain signal usually signals to the brain that the body’s tissues are being damaged or are in danger of being damaged. Acute pain is caused by damage to the tissues through injury, inflammation or an active disease process. Acute pain generally passes as the affected tissues heal and rarely lasts longer than 3 months. The rate of healing, and therefore pain reduction, is dependent on which tissue is damaged. Causes of acute pain include things like
During a period of acute pain, it is important to be fully assessed by a professional to ascertain the cause of your pain and commence treatment as soon as appropriate for your injury. This will ensure that an acute injury does not later become chronic pain. Amalia Rawson Physiotherapist B.Physio ☎️ 6352 3131 ✉️ info@tablelandsphysio.com.au ℹ️ www.tablelandsphysio.com.au An INTRO TO PAIN
Today we kick off the beginning of National Pain Week. Over the course of the following week, we will be releasing a series of blogs centring around pain and its many causes and dimensions. This year the topic for National Pain Week is CONNECTION. Pain, and especially chronic pain, can lead to increased levels of social isolation. The aim of National Pain Week this year is to bring awareness of the impact that social isolation has on those suffering from persistent and chronic pain. We particularly want to remind family, friends and health professionals just how powerful connection can be for those suffering from chronic pain. Pain is defined as "an unpleasant sensory and emotional experience associated with, or resembling that associated with, actual or potential tissue damage" by the International Association for the Study of Pain. Pain is not the simple, straight forward process that we often think it to be. It is diverse and can mean many different things to different people. We generally think of pain as our body’s way of saying ‘STOP’ or ‘DAMAGE’. This is true of acute pain, but in chronic, or persistent pain, this isn’t always true. Sometimes it is simply our body’s way of saying ‘I’m scared’ or ‘last time we did this it hurt’. In these situations, the body may benefit from gentle re-education, under the guidance of a trained professional. Follow us over the next week to learn more about the differences between acute and chronic pain, how they can be treated effectively, the importance of connection, and how you can help someone suffering from chronic pain. Amalia Rawson Physiotherapist B.Physio ☎️ 6352 3131 ✉️ info@tablelandsphysio.com.au ℹ️ www.tablelandsphysio.com.au Physiotherapist Position
Tablelands Sports & Spinal Physiotherapy is an established Allied Health Practice in Lithgow, just over the Blue Mountains, NSW and home to many adventure sports. We are a multidisciplinary team made up of Physios, Exercise Physiologists, Occupational Therapist, Massage Therapist and Dietitian. Tablelands Physio is known for delivering excellent client outcomes in a professional and friendly environment. The practice has been established for over 15 years and we are continuing to expand due to a growing network of clients, referrers, and an excellent community reputation for providing evidence-based treatment. With the challenges of COVID-19 we are adapting and changing the way we manage our clients and providing exceptional care to the people of Lithgow and rural areas to help them manage their pain and to achieve their health goals. We are looking for our next dedicated and experienced Physio to help our practice grow. We will also consider new graduates who are keen to learn. There is plenty of scope for you to build your ideal client case-load, in fact we encourage you to do just that. The right Physio for our team: - Enjoys working with a varied population, from elite sports people to the elderly; - Has a focus on hands-on, advice and exercise based management; - Is good at communicating and networking; - Is always thinking and doing one step ahead; - Has a high level of empathy and emotional intelligence; - A keenness to get in and work hard to build your list and promote the practice; - Would like flexible work hours and a great work-life balance; - Telehealth experience or keenness to learn; - Fabulous personality that fits well within a team environment and patients love; - Current AHPRA (Physiotherapy) registration, professional indemnity insurance ($20mill) and Work Cover approved. If this sounds like a position you would be interested in and you are ready to dedicate yourself to our team long-term, please do not hesitate to apply by sending your resume and cover letter to info@tablelandsphysio.com.au We are looking forward to meeting our next fab Physio! www.physiotherapist-lithgow-a6fd9575079fbeb8 6352 3131 info@tablelandsphysio.com.au www.tablelandsphysio.com.au Shin splints, AKA medial stress syndrome, is categorised by a variable intensity of diffused pain on the inside of the lower leg/shin. Shin splints usually show themselves the night after exercising or the next morning - exercise usually decreases the pain of shin splints as you warm up. Shin splints oftentimes can develop into a stress fracture. Stress fractures are localised, acute or sharp pain that gets worse as you exercise. A physio will help you determine what the cause is of this stress reaction. Some common causes include: - Overload: how much exercise/sport you are undertaking - Change in exercise type/load - Type of shoes - Strength and control - Muscle flexibility (ie. calf tightness) If you are experiencing shin pain please reach out to a Physiotherapist to help you develop a plan to help you get back to exercise pain free. ☎️ 6352 3131 ✉️ info@tablelandsphysio.com.au ℹ️ www.tablelandsphysio.com.au Many of us find it more difficult to maintain a regular exercise regime in the winter months. The reasons are fairly obvious, it’s cold and people want to spend less time outside and are also less likely get in the car to drive to the gym during the cold, short and dark days of winter. There are many reasons why it is important to maintain your exercise regime through the winter months, the reasons being if you reduce your activity levels you will likely see:
Below are some of the benefits of exercising in cold weather and the importance of being active through winter: 1. Being cold! Simply exposing the body to cold temperatures by exercising in cold weather stimulates thermogenesis, which refers to the bodies ability to generate its own heat. This seems fairly obvious and probably uninteresting, but cold induced thermogenesis, particularly when paired with the general benefits of an exercise session, has been shown to improve mood and energy levels, improve cognition, lead to better sleep, and improved immunity, and is now being investigated as a useful “anti-ageing” tool. 2. Immune health Regular exercise is well established as a potent tool to improve immune function, which is particularly important in flu season, and of course in the age of COVID. This is due to an increase in the circulation of immune cells acutely after an exercise bout, a reduction in stress hormones with regular exercise, and by mitigating against the ageing related decline in immune function. 3. Sunshine If you enjoy exercising outdoors, taking advantage of sunny days during winter is helpful to ensure your body is able to produce enough vitamin D, which is associated with reduced risk of osteoporosis, depression, and some cancers. 4. Mental Health Ceasing or limiting your exercise in winter, along with general reductions in activity through the day as we spend more time indoors, can lead to issues with mood regulation and for many people increase symptoms of depression and anxiety. The release of endorphins and the reduction of stress hormones improve your mood, however consistency is key to ensure the long term benefits are achieved. Maintaining your normal routine will help you maintain your motivation and ensure you do not lose hard earned improvements through the winter months. If you have any questions about the information above, or would like to make a booking with an Exercise Physiologist or Physiotherapist to assist you with your exercise programming through winter, get in touch on 6352 3131, or book online at: https://tablelands-sports-spinal-physiotherapy.cliniko.com/bookings?business_id=15597#service Adam Brogan Accredited Exercise Physiologist M.Clin.Ex.Phys, B.Sp.&Ex.Sci. AEP, AES, ESSAM ☎️ 6352 3131 ✉️ info@tablelandsphysio.com.au ℹ️ www.tablelandsphysio.com.au Click here to read our story in Lithgow Mercury.  We are sure you are aware we are now entering a two week restriction period. Physiotherapy, Exercise Physiology and our allied health services are deemed as essential health services by the NSW government.
This means that Tablelands Sports & Spinal Physiotherapy will remain open throughout the next 2 weeks, offering a combination of face to face and Telehealth services. We are doing our best to make sure that all services are not disrupted. We encourage our clients to continue to access their therapy services either through Telehealth sessions or face to face. Please contact us if you would prefer your session online so we can send you your Telehealth link prior to your appointment time. If you reside/have been in the Blue Mountains/Sydney/Central Coast/Wollongong area, you must follow the stay at home orders. Please call the practice to discuss your specific circumstances. We may recommend you switch your appointment to a Telehealth consult. We are reinstating our COVID-19 clinic protocols which include:
We want to thank you for your continued support and understanding during these times. The health and safety of our clients and team is our uttermost priority. Stay safe everyone. The Tablelands Team 6352 3131 info@tablelandsphysio.com.au www.tablelandsphysio.com.au Men’s Health and Exercise There’s no better time than Men’s Health Week (14-20th June) to focus on some of the ways in which exercise can be used to improve the health and wellbeing of men in our community. Less than half of adult aged men in Australia engage in the minimum recommenced guidelines for exercise and less than ¼ engage in the recommenced levels of strength training, and levels of engagement decrease as men age. Physical Activity Guidelines:
Coronary artery disease (CAD), suicide/self-harm, and chronic back pain are the three leading causes of disability/disease in Australian men. Exercise is a well-known therapy for both CAD and chronic pain, however exercise also has enormous benefits when it comes to mental health which we will focus on here. Improvements in mental health resulting from regular exercise are very encouraging given the levels of mental illness in Australian men are so high, particularly in rural and regional areas. These improvements are related to both physiological and psychological changes that occur with exercise. Most people are aware of exercise related increases in neurotransmitters called endorphins, which relieve pain and stress leading to better mood. Regular exercise also stimulates the growth of new neural connections in the brain which is key for brain health across the lifespan. Group exercise or team sports increase levels of social interaction which is beneficial for mental health, and exercise can also provide a sense of accomplishment when working towards and achieving a goal. Another area where exercise can have a major impact is in the workplace.
Building towards at least 150 minutes of aerobic exercise, and at least two days per week of some form of strength training is a great first line of defence for combating the most common causes of disease and disability in Australian men, and Men’s health week is a great time to start making changes. If you are unsure where to start, you can contact an Exercise Physiologist here at Tablelands Physio in Lithgow to receive a comprehensive assessment of your health status, and we can help plan and implement an effective exercise program that will set you up for success. Alternatively, you can drop in or call for some basic advice and guidance to get you started. Adam Brogan Accredited Exercise Physiologist M.Clin.Ex.Phys, B.Sp.&Ex.Sci. AEP, AES, ESSAM 6352 3131 info@tablelandsphysio.com.au www.tablelandsphysio.com.au Book Online HERE |
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177 Mort Street Lithgow NSW 2790 : Tel: 02 6352 3131 : info@tablelandsphysio.com.au
Click here to read our Privacy Statement | Click here to take our Customer Satisfaction Survey | Click here to read our Complaints Procedure