We recently had a competitive swimmer through the doors of Wellness Embodied who was struggling with persistent shoulder pain. This patient had seen two other physiotherapists who treated her shoulder locally with mild improvement, but the pain kept coming back when she returned to swimming. On assessment we did find a local impingement at the shoulder, but as the patient reported other physios found and treated the shoulder we decided to look for the root cause. The shoulder is a complex joint with many moving parts and relies on part on good mobility through the neck and upper back. A

Suzanne was recently lucky enough to attend an informative evening for Allied Health Professionals in Cairns, run by the Queensland Disability Network (QDN). The QDN have put together some helpful information and checklists to make the NDIS easier to understand and ensure you can get the funding and support which best suits your condition. We’ve posted links to some of these below. Wellness Embodied treats clients who are Self Managed or Plan Managed under NDIS and have funding for physiotherapy under Therapeutic Supports. Our clients love our individualised, whole person approach to assessment and treatment, our accessible environment and friendly

Muscle performance or muscle strength is “the ability of a muscle to produce force, regardless of the action,load, or intensity. For the neck muscles to control the head (which can weigh an average of 4.5kg), they must first have sufficient strength. There are many reasons why you may have less neck extensor muscle strength, like if you suffer from whiplash, road traffic accident, headaches, etc. This type of training has been shown to improve the neck pain symptoms and we find that they give excellent results to our patients! So we have created a video to show you how to do them correctly.

A new specialised respiratory assessment at physio clinic Wellness Embodied aims to help high performing professionals, chronic pain sufferers and those at risk of burnout change their lives after a single hour- long session. Physiotherapist Campbell Will, who is a Certified Wim Hof Method instructor, is leading the individualised sessions, which clients already report have led to ‘the best night’s sleep ever’, ‘ simple tools to manage my stress’ and ‘better mood’. The Wim Hof Method technique was founded by the Dutch ‘Ice Man’ Wim Hof, who has been studied extensively for his ability to control his response to extreme

What is a muscle strain? In short, it is the overstretching or tearing of muscle fibres. The majority of muscle strains occur for one of two reasons: either the muscle has been stretched beyond its capacity or it has beena forced to contract too strongly. The severity of injury can range from only a few muscle fibres that are damaged, and the muscle continues to function, through to complete tears where the muscle may be unable to function.  How do I know if I have strained a muscle? Symptoms include: Pain and tenderness in the muscle, especially after physical activity

The vestibular system is a part of the inner ear. This apparatus provides a major contribution to balance, spatial awareness and coordination abilities in humans. Many people don’t know that vestibular rehabilitation is a specialised area of physiotherapy. Clara is delighted to present our new, hour long comprehensive Vestibular Rehab assessment program in our Cairns city physiotherapy practice. As with all physio packages, health fund rebates are available on the spot. Who is this program for? Patients suffering from : -Vertigo ( IE: Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo or BPPV: what is it and how we can treat it ?) –Age

Multiple Sclerosis is a complex disease which affects the nervous system- our system which is responsible for stimulating everything from muscle function, to our reflex reactions to pain, cold etc. As MS can affect different areas of the brain, spinal cord or nerves, sufferers can present with a wide range of symptoms. Typical signs and symptoms are: pain, muscle weakness and spasticity, dizziness, fatigue, memory deficits and more. At Wellness Embodied our physios have over 15 years of combined experience with treating MS sufferers and we have seen great outcomes. Recently, we had a client who constantly felt fatigued. He

What is Bursitis you ask? Inflammation of the bursa.  Well… what is a bursa? A bursa is a small fluid filled sac that acts like a shock-absorber between soft tissue (muscles, tendons, ligaments) and bone. The role of the bursa is to reduce friction and assist optimal joint movement. So how does a bursa become inflamed? Overuse, impact, or poor biomechanics can cause irritation and inflammation of the bursa, causing it to fill with excess fluid. The bursa then becomes a source of pain, and can interrupt normal movement. This can lead to a vicious cycle of altered biomechanics causing

In simple terms, concussion is a disturbance of brain functioning caused by direct or indirect force to the head. You do NOT have to lose consciousness to suffer a concussion, and it can commonly occur outside of sport. The brain can move within the skull, and if a sudden blow or movement occurs, the brain can knock against the skull, causing swelling and sometimes bleeding.  The brain is a highly sensitive structure and even a small insult can cause a variety of neurological symptoms. Concussion generally occurs from a mild blow to the head, either with or without loss of

Trigger point balls, foam rollers, spiky balls and more self management equipment available at Wellness Embodied Cairns, 53 Sheridan Street. Visit us today to see how a physiotherapy assessment, rehab session with Clinical Pilates, Craniosacral/ Somatoemotional release treatment or Remedial Massage can help you!

– Okay, so I’m gonna share with you 00:03 one of my first big bugbears about trauma. 00:07 So, when we refer to trauma we talk about 00:12 possibly childhood trauma, severe emotional dysfunction, 00:15 things like PTSD. 00:18 There may be like, near-death experiences, 00:21 there may be significant grief, 00:23 there may be neglect as a child. 00:25 My personal, and I guess the viewpoint 00:28 that a lot of people share on trauma is, 00:31 trauma can be little micro-traumas. 00:33 So, trauma can be things that are built up 00:38 over a long period of time.

– So, have you ever had a pain, 00:04 been anxious, been stressed, been depressed, 00:07 and just been told to just stay positive, or be grateful? 00:11 Now, being grateful is a really awesome thing. 00:13 I do a gratitude journal. 00:14 I’m really grateful for lots of things in my life. 00:17 But I think that positivity 00:18 and happiness is just a rubbish metric, 00:22 and there’s a lot of writers who agree with this idea. 00:26 If you’re constantly pushing this positivity, 00:28 what you’re doing is you’re actually pushing 00:31 the crap further down into

– So one of the things that really bugs me in the treatment 00:04 of any sort of trauma, emotional disfunction, 00:08 even things like anxiety and depression, 00:10 which are really rampant in our society today, 00:13 is this one size fits all approach. 00:15 So you’ll notice at Wellness Embodied, 00:18 we offer a lot of different services, 00:20 we have physio massage, craniosacral, we do bioceuticals, 00:24 which are practitioner-grade nutritional products. 00:28 We sell DoTERRA, we sell supports, and so on. 00:31 And I will be the first person to say 00:33 that we don’t have

We had the pleasure of having Alli Fielding, owner of Longevity, in for a massage with Ayleen recently- here’s what she had to say!

– Hi everyone. 00:02 Suzanne from Wellness Embodied in Cairns. 00:06 Now, something you may or may not know about our practice is 00:09 that we have a really keen interest 00:11 in the emotional implications associated with physical pain 00:16 and also physical pain associated with emotional trauma. 00:22 And so, I’m actually making a series of videos on trauma 00:26 just dealing with a few key points that we really believe 00:29 and like to educate people on in the practice. 00:34 So, stay tuned for those. 00:35 Just to start you off with a little bit of

Written by Ayleen Marinelli, Remedial Massage Therapist at Wellness Embodied Cairns. Recently I had a client ask what was the exact type of massage techniques I had been using on her. She had been responding extremely well with this form of therapy and she wanted to tell a family member who lives in another state, to get the same type of treatment. In this case I had mostly been using lymphatic drainage and myofascial release techniques.    As a remedial massage therapist I have many types of massage styles and techniques that I have acquired in order to use to treat the client to the best of my ability. I use a variety of techniques in a session, predominately Myofascial Release.

Thank you for attending Wellness Embodied for treatment yesterday. As you will see from some of your treatment plan, comprehensive pain and injury management includes future prevention of pain and is a long term strategy for improving your wellbeing and quality of life. Below are the ways you may feel today after your first visit. Please email or call us at any time with questions and we’ll endeavour to get back to you as soon as possible. You feel FANTASTIC! Great! The majority of our clients experience symptom relief soon after treatment. We aim to offload painful tissues and areas,

According to George Orwell, ‘Happiness can exist only in acceptance.’ This may seem an unusual sentiment from someone who wrote such dystopian books as 1984, but perhaps Orwell had acceptance mastered. Certainly, acceptance is an increasingly important tool in mind and body medicine.   In psychology, acceptance can be defined as our assent to the reality of our situation-whether positive or negative- without attempting to change the circumstances. In yoga, it can be summarized best by Aparigraha, meaning ‘non-attachment’. Aparigraha, one of the yamas from Patangali’s yoga sutras, teaches us that we should neither be attached to positive nor negative

At our Cairns city physiotherapy clinic, we help a lot of clients with whiplash and other complex pain conditions, especially those who are under Workcover or Compulsory Third Party insurance. Whiplash is something which can cause a lot of anxiety in sufferers, especially when they don’t fully understand it. We’ve written this blog post to help you understand whiplash and the role of expert physiotherapy treatment for whiplash and similar issues (including post-concussion syndrome).     Whiplash is a bony or soft tissue injury which results from an acceleration-deceleration mechanism of energy transfer to the neck. It is the most common injury associated with motor vehicle accidents, affecting up

Temporomandibular joint (TMJ) syndrome is a disorder of the jaw muscles and nerves caused by injury or inflammation to the temporomandibular joint.  The temporomandibular joint is what connects your skull to your jaw. Lots of the structures (muscles, vessels and nerves) that go to your head and face, are the same that the ones which go to your neck. Hence, any injury or disorder in those structures can cause referred pain to your Temporomandibular joint.  There are several risk factors for TMD:  -Poor posture in the neck and upper back muscles may lead to neck strain and abnormalities of jaw

A concussion is a traumatic brain injury that affects the brain functions after a blow or a head trauma. 90% of the time, symptoms resolve spontaneously within 4 weeks. However, it is important to note that in some cases (10%) symptoms may be prolonged. This results in significant and ongoing disability affecting educational, occupational, social and emotional functioning. Post-concussion syndrome occurs when symptoms resulting from a concussion, persist beyond the expected time-frame of recovery.    Post–concussion signs and symptoms: -Headache, dizziness, blurry vision, fatigue, altered noise tolerance, loss of balance  -Irritability, depression, anxiety, emotional lability.  -loss of concentration, memory, or intellectual difficulties, Insomnia    Post–Concussion recommended

Self Care has been defined as “what people do for themselves to establish and maintain physical and emotional health and prevent or deal with minor illness, injury, or chronic conditions”. This incorporates concepts such as exercise, hygiene, nutrition, medication, and environmental and socioeconomic factors. How can I maintain my physical and emotional health? Some ideas: – Do some Physical activity: including exercise, physical activity is widely recognized as one of the key health behaviors for maintaining health and enhancing quality of life for all age groups. The World Health Organisation recommends adults aged 18–64 should do at least 150 minutes

Training for Cairns Ironman? Participating in the Cairns Half Marathon? Yungaburra or Tinaroo Triathlons? Something else? Have you thought about including sports massage at Wellness Embodied in your routine? Sports Massage is a form of manual therapy/bodywork that is targeted towards people participating in sport, whether you are a novice, weekend warrior or seasoned professional.  It is a useful therapy in helping to prevent injuries, prepare the body for athletic activity, maintain body’s optimal condition and performance, and recover from workouts and injuries. Strenuous physical activity can put stain on various parts of your body, as well as body systems.

Happy International Women’s Day! This year, the theme is #BalanceforBetter. In the words of the International Women’s Day website, ‘Balance is not a women’s issue, it’s a business issue. The race is on for the gender-balanced boardroom, a gender-balanced government, gender-balanced media coverage, a gender-balance of employees, more gender-balance in wealth, gender-balanced sports coverage.’ Some of you may not know that at Wellness Embodied, we’ve decided to make ‘women’ the loose theme of our charitable and social change program this year. We believe that women bring a unique voice and set of skills to every table. By achieving gender balance

The diaphragm not only plays a role in breathing but also has many roles affecting the health of the body. It is important for posture, stability and for proper organ function. It is also of crucial importance in circulation and clearance. The diaphragm should not be seen as an individual muscle, but as part of a body system. It is important to note that the way we breath corresponds to the way we feel. If you have experimented with your breath at all, you may have noticed that if you breathe quickly your heart rate will go up. Conversely if

We often put all our effort into training. Increasing distance, decreasing time, more intensity, faster splits. But how much effort are you putting into recovery? In fact, some research points to your ability to recover as just as important as your ability to train. If you don’t recover optimally, you are starting behind the 8 ball with your next training session. When we run / swim / walk / lift / exercise there is a response at the tissue level and at the system level. Micro-trauma to muscle tissue, buildup of waste products, decreased circulation, increased muscle tension, nervous system

We have all heard of ‘core stability’. Perhaps a term that is now overused and brings up images of planks and balancing on exercise balls. The stability of the ‘core’ is very important, however what is less targeted but just as important is stability at our joints. The body always has a want and need for stability at its joints, proximally (hips and shoulders) more than distally (knees and elbows) because if you don’t have control at the hips and shoulders, you are fighting a losing battle trying to stabilise the distal joints. Muscular control is a crucial component of

Society places so much emphasis on New Year celebrations, resolutions and more, with many people claiming 2018 was a ‘terrible’ year for them. Whether you chose to celebrate the New Year or not, January is certainly a time to sit back, evaluate and reset- in both work and personal lives. I know that for many people, the run up to Christmas was extremely busy with pressures of work, family, friends, commitments and much more- making it an overwhelming time! I was glad to get over the new year period and catch up with Amanda, one of my co-hosts on our

  In 2018, I set my first word for the year- Connection. Like setting an intention in yoga, setting a ‘word’ for the year can help you tune into what you most need. It may be aligned with your personal values, a goal or a feeling which you would like to feel. Some examples may include: Healing. Strength. Growth. Kindness. Compassion. Achievement. In 2019, my word is ‘love’- love can encompass self-compassion, spreading love to the world, viewing actions of friends and family with love and more. Let’s see how it goes! Spreading the love in 2019 Emotions in Motion:

Michael came in to see us last week due to persistent shoulder pain. His personal trainer had given him a few exercises but the pain wasn’t going away. His GP suggested he take panadol and ibuprofen and lay off the exercises for a week, but still no improvement. On assessment we did find his shoulder to be restricted, but also found we were able to reproduce his pain with specific neck movements. We treated Michael’s neck, restoring pain free range of motion, and provided him with postural advice, and his shoulder pain subsided. Did you know the neck can refer

We recently had Alex in for a Total Care Embodied assessment, as she decided she wanted to run her local 10km, but didn’t really know where to start… but we did! From the ground up! We assessed her: Feet (TICK) Calves – left calf was tight, preventing full ankle range (stretches prescribed) Knees – (R) knee had a mild valgus drift (glute strengthening) Hips – (R) glute mildly delayed firing pattern, hip lacking terminal extension (glute strengthening, hip flexor stretches) Back – TICK Neck – TICK Alex had rolled her (L) ankle 12 months prior and never really rehabilitated it,

The psoas is a key player in almost everything! A muscle that crosses three zones (lumbar spine, pelvis, hip) it is therefore crucial to stability. The primary role of the psoas is lumbar spine stabilisation and hip flexion, but very often it can become tight and weak… why? SITTING. When sitting, the psoas is in a chronically shortened position, and then when we stand, the shortened psoas alters the alignment of the spine and hips. The quadratus lumborum (QL) works overtime to try and balance the equation by trying to achieve a neutral spine. The result.. Loss of range of

Jordan came to see us a few weeks ago complaining of a searing pain on the inside of his shin, worse when he was in casual shoes, but fine in his work boots. After clearing his spine and hips we investigated his feet. During gait assessment we noticed excessive pronation during mid-stance, and on palpation the tibialis posterior tendon was extremely tender. We tested and re-tested his gait with different supports until we came to the ideal combination. Using a medial heel wedge, and taping to correct the distal tibiofibular joint, we were able to improve the alignment and movement

When your nerves are sensitive to normal movement it is referred to as ‘neural sensitivity’. Nerves usually like movement, however when they are sensitised due to injury, they don’t, and this can cause muscles to tighten and stop you from stretching them. Nerve tension can be accompanied by sensations such as pins and needles, burning and numbness. It is important to treat the muscles and joints around the nerve to promote neural mobility. In addition, nerve mobilisation techniques can gradually desensitise the nerve and get them moving again. Happy nerves don’t cause pain! At Wellness Embodied, we stress the importance

A 2017 study (Machado et al) looked into the effectiveness of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) on back pain. The study found that only 1 in 6 achieved any significant reduction in pain, however those taking NSAIDs were 2.5 times more likely to suffer from gastrointestinal problems. Alternatively, lifestyle changes such as weight loss, exercise and stress reduction had positive outcomes on back pain without the nasty side effects. Oral painkillers shouldn’t be your go-to option when your back hurts, come and see one of our physiotherapists for a detailed assessment and treatment and we can get you started on a

The Deep Neck Flexors (DNFs) are a group of muscles located deep in the neck and provide stability and support for the head and neck. Poor posture over a long period of time can weaken the DNFs and result in a ‘forward head posture’. People with a history of neck or upper back injury, such as whiplash, can show great improvement in pain and function if they strengthen these muscles. At Wellness Embodied we utilise pressure biofeedback and laser retraining to assist our patients in restoring normal neck mechanics, joint position sense and postural awareness. Our You Tube Channel, Wellness

Do you brush your teeth every day?… why not brush your joints? Controlled Articular Rotations (CARs) promote joint hygiene and longevity. CARs are defined as ‘active, rotational movements at the outer limits of articular motion’.’ These movements help to maintain joint health, identify movement limitations and can also act as a ‘warm-up’ for the neuromechanical interplay that is joint movement. An element of the Functional Range Conditioning system developed by Dr. Andreo Spina, CARs help to: Maintain range of motion Increase the health and longevity of your joints Act as a screening process Assist the rehabilitation process We have all

Have you had imaging of your spine? Remember a lot of findings, although sounding scary are actually normal! The natural ageing process causes changes of EVERY structure of the human body. Just like wrinkles are normal of ageing skin, changes to the intervertebral discs, facet joints and vertebral bodies are normal of an ageing spine. The important thing to remember is, do the MRI findings specifically relate to your pain. The vast majority of people, even if they do not have back pain will still have evidence of changes on MRI. In fact, a recent study on the prevalence of

The Wim Hof Method – Who is Wim Hof? Wim “The Iceman” Hof is a Dutch daredevil who has become widely known  for his extraordinary feats, usually involving physical resilience in the face of extreme temperatures and environments. He holds upwards of 20 world records, including staying in an ice bath for nearly 2 hours, summiting Mt Kilimanjaro in his shorts, and climbing to the death zone in Mt Everest (7,500m) in nothing but shorts and shoes (no oxygen tank either!). But these feats were simply to gain recognition in the hope that the scientific community would take note and

Most of us know the benefits of physical activity such as walking, swimming, running, cycling (cardiovascular fitness). But strength training shouldn’t be forgotten in our exercise programs, especially as we age. Not only does physical activity have a vast array of general health benefits (heart health, weight control, bone density maintenance) but is also a key factor in improving memory, reducing depression and alleviating stress. Now walking for 30 minutes a day definitely has its benefits, but is it enough to provide lasting changes, and can including strength training help increase the benefits? A recent review of research articles found

It seems like a drastic claim, but let’s look at some of the research. A 2012 study (Wilmot et al.) found sitting for greater than 7 hours doubled the risk of type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease and even had a 13% increased risk of cancer. And a 2015 review (Biswas et al.) of recent studies also found a significant association with sedentary lifestyle and cardiovascular disease, cancer incidence and type 2 diabetes incidence. The World Health Organization blames sedentary lifestyles for approximately two million deaths each year and considers physical inactivity to be one of the 10 leading causes

So now’s the time to speak about the joint that helps us speak! The temperomandibular joint is medically known as the TMJ however commonly referred to as the ‘Jaw’. A surprising number of people suffer from temperomandibular disorders (TMD), however very few people seek treatment. It has been speculated that one of the reasons why people experiencing TMD don’t seek treatment is simply for the reason, they don’t know who to seek help from! Being the ‘jaw’ region, a number of people will seek help from dentists and doctors however very few people actually seek help from physiotherapists which is surprising as being musculoskeletal experts we

Recently, I have noticed that there has been an increase in the number of knee injuries coming through the doors here at Wellness Embodied. So today I am going to take the opportunity to provide you with some information on the common knee injuries and how physiotherapy can help to manage these. Patellofemoral joint syndrome – commonly referred to as PFJ syndrome or PFJ pain This is a very common knee complaint, which may present in both sedentary and active population groups throughout the lifespan. Patients experiencing PFJ pain will often complain of pain when ascending or descending stairs and squatting.  PFJ pain often occurs

Written by Melissa Gibbins We had a huge response to our Facebook livestream on plantarfasciopathy the other day which has prompted me to write this quick blog. It seems that many of you are suffering from the persistent heel pain associated with the condition.  You know the type I’m talking about, it almost makes you scream to put your foot down in the morning and you cross the room looking like you’re walking on hot coals. All whilst your family or (or pets) look on in wonder and confusion. They don’t understand because you didn’t actually injure yourself and often

It’s really important to have strong glut med muscles as: They form part of a complex that draws the ball of your hip joint back into the socket, lessening symptoms of arthritis, bursitis, impingement and more. They help to hold your pelvis level. This means you’ll get less shearing and jarring through your spine on movements such as walking, and less chance of landing awkwardly on your knees and ankles as you step. Key Points: Hips stay stacked over each other, or even roll slightly forwards on the top hip. Less is more- a small lift of 1-2cm where you

At Wellness Embodied we stock a selection of rehab equipment and supplies to help make your return to a pain-free life simpler and quicker! One such item, which has been flying off the shelves, is the Posture Medic. Just $50, it can be worn over or under clothes and also doubles as an excellent tool for stretching and strengthening exercises. It comes with a comprehensive information booklet and since it’s made by Rocktape, you know it will be good quality. Call us today to find out more or drop into our practice at 53 Sheridan Street, Cairns.

When we look at physio treatment for pain in the head or neck, one of the things that sets us apart as physiotherapists is our skilled assessment and rehabilitation of muscle issues. Muscle imbalances can often lead to rotation or misalignment of vertebrae of the spine- if we fail to correct the muscle weaknesses, the problem will just keep recurring. Physiotherapy for head and neck pain at our clinics in Cairns often involves use of the biofeedback machine as an education, assessment and training tool. In this video, Suzanne, practice principal of Wellness Embodied Cairns, shows how the pressure biofeedback

Tennis elbow is a tendinopathy of the outer group of tendons at the elbow. Often caused by issues around the neck and shoulder, as well as poor biomechanics, it is truly a condition which we need to ‘throw the kitchen sink at’. In this video, Suzanne assesses Jaz, a 15 year old wheelchair tennis and basketball player with tennis elbow. If you are suffering from tennis elbow pain in Cairns, or any other tendon issues, please don’t hesitate to book an appointment- use the online booking link on our homepage, call 07 42319777 or email admin@wellnessembodiedcairns.com To download our free

Wellness Embodied Practice principal Suzanne’s expertise in foot and heel pain stems from a long history of casting for and prescribing orthotics, particularly in the Irish landscape, where physiotherapists perform many of these roles rather than podiatrists. She has a keen interest in biomechanics and the effects of the foot and leg position on other issues in the body. In this video, she shows several self-management techniques for alleviating that heel or foot pain. Want to know more? Come for an assessment in clinic- our physiotherapists all take a whole person approach to assessment and treatment. Heel Pain or plantar

As featured in Oasis Magazine – Dec/Jan 2018 Most people have heard of the rotator cuff muscles. If you’re with family, in work or in a cafe, stop, look around you and think about this; you know several people with a rotator cuff tear. If you’re over a certain age, chances are it might be you. But don’t despair – here’s five other things you may not have known about the rotator cuff… Written by Suzanne Rath, Practice Principal Physiotherapist, Wellness Embodied Cairns.

Written by Suzanne Rath, Practice Principal Physiotherapist, Wellness Embodied Cairns. You’re reading a blog on a physiotherapy site and therefore we can assume that you’re a pretty health literate member of the population, or perhaps even a fellow health professional. But if you think you know every area that physiotherapists work in, think again… At the Australian Physiotherapy Association’s Business and Leadership Conference in Darwin this year, speakers from health insurance companies and representatives of the physiotherapy profession pointed out that policy makers don’t actually know what physiotherapists do, much less members of the public. But one area which you probably

I’m really loving Kinesio Tape. As a problem solving physiotherapist, working with chronic pain and other issues, I often see people with various muscle imbalances which are contributing to their problems. We all tend to do some silly things that, over time, can build up and cause pain in our bodies. Examples include- poor postures, leg crossing, too much driving/ sitting, incorrect lifting and even standing too much to one side. I’ve been using this stretchy, awesome looking tape for years for postural correction and support, but a recent Symposium with Dr. Kase, founder of the technique back in the

Written by Practice Principal Suzanne Rath: I constantly monitor my values and goals for Wellness Embodied, as the practice is growing and developing all the time. Here are my tips for how I run a values-oriented physio practice! Treat you as if you’re a family member: I want my family and friends to have the best medical advice and healthcare possible, so I created a physiotherapy practice which I would like to go to. Simple Be kind to the environment: I use cloud based note keeping and accounting systems and am trying to minimise paper use by putting more and more

Physiotherapy for patients before or after orthopaedic surgery can take place in the hospital, community, gym, pool or private practice settings (usually a combination). Research continues to show that numerous surgeries traditionally performed in Australia are unnecessary. Knee arthroscopies (key hole surgery) for arthritis have been proven to be ineffective and there is evidence that clients rotator cuff tears have the same outcome whether they undergo surgery or intensive physiotherapy. Orthopaedic surgery can take place following trauma (pinning, plating, re-setting broken bones) , where we will generally see the patient after for strengthening, stretching, balance and education on how to

Wellness Embodied Cairns practice principal, Suzanne Rath, educates marathon runner Dwayne on posture. This video was shot in Timber Creek in the beautiful Northern Territory. At our Cairns central Physiotherapy Clinic, we are lucky to have a Rehab Room on site. Here, we provide several physiotherapist led small group exercise sessions per week, tailored to your specific rehab and injury prevention needs.

Treating headaches is probably one of the most rewarding aspects of my role as a physiotherapist. Many people can get away with popping a couple of over the counter pain killers and getting on with their day. But for those of us who have suffered from severe head or face pain, or eye symptoms which can include light sensitivity and blurred vision, we understand how debilitating a headache can be. One of the reasons I’ve been so successful with treating headaches is that I work using a very specific technique to assess and treat the top three bones of the

Who has seen the meme saying “Exercise is the most potent anti-depressant. And it’s free” ? If you haven’t, you’ve more than likely seen any one of a series of other humorous or inspirational posts reminding you of the importance of exercise. It’s true- amongst its many benefits exercise can help to prevent against numerous types of cancer, diabetes, heart and lung diseases, as well as alleviating stress, increasing endorphins and preventing cognitive decline. For some people, it can often be one of the hardest things to start doing, particularly if you’re in pain. As a physiotherapist who also holds

This week is healthy hip week, and the focus is on hip dysplasia in children – a condition which affects approximately one in 50 babies yet isn’t particularly well known. This blog post gives a quick overview of the hip joint and the issues which we see in our Cairns city physiotherapy practice. ​The image above shows the bony structure of the hip, which is actually a very stable joint, as the ball (‘head of femur’) sits into a deep socket (‘acetabulum’). Within the joint is a cartilaginous cushion called the labrum. Important stabilising muscles of the hip include some

When Wellness Embodied founder Suzanne Rath was hit by a car when cycling in Sydney over three years ago, she never imagined it would eventually lead to her starting a new life and business in Cairns… The physiotherapist and Pilates instructor was working three jobs in Sydney and training for the upcoming Boston Marathon, however multiple fractures in her jaw saw her sidelined from work and training for several months, with pain and anxiety which lasted for far longer. “I was getting constant headaches. I’d go to doctors, for physiotherapy. I did (and still do) lots of medical acupuncture on

Earlier this year I attended an eight day Spinal Manual Therapy certificate course, run by Manual Concepts. Manual Concepts are well known and respected in the physiotherapy field due to the volume of research they put out and their role in changing the field of physiotherapy. They also run a manual therapy course which physiotherapists used to refer to as a ‘manips’ masters. (A manip or manipulation is a high velocity mobilisation of the joint, typically causing that ‘crack’). But perhaps we should change the name in our minds. As a skilled, patient specific treatment, when performed to its best

Ah, the nervous system… Essentially our body’s computer, it consists of the brain, spinal cord and a massive interconnecting system of nerves ranging in size from as thick as a finger to as thin as a piece of thread. They travel beside, to and through muscles, veins and arteries, bones, ligaments, organs, tendons, fascia and skin. Their role is to carry signals to and from the brain, which then decides how to respond to these signals. A simple way of illustrating this: if you put your hand on something hot, a bunch of sensory nerves communicates this to the brain;

Here are two exercises which can help to settle headache pain. Important note: Physiotherapy assessment is a specific, skilled process where we identify whether certain joints or muscles are contributing to your pain and treat these accordingly. While these exercises may help your headaches, they are not intended as a substitute for accurate diagnosis and treatment which we provide, or for medical attention as needed. At our Cairns city clinic, Wellness Embodied therapists use a wide variety of assessment and treatment techniques to diagnose and assist you. These include: Watson headache protocol for headaches and migraines, Craniosacral Therapy, Rehab Room,

These will seem a bit strange at first! But I give these ‘union jack’ exercises to lots of patients with neck pain, headaches and other strength deficits. Some of the main reasons why the deep neck flexors (stabilising neck muscles) can become weak include forward head postures, pain and whiplash. These simple eye movement exercises work because they activate the same nerves that supply the deep neck muscles. As with any exercises, they should never be done to the point of any pain. The head shouldn’t move and your neck should be as relaxed as possible. The only side effects I

When I mentioned I was going to do kids yoga teaching training, most of the feedback I received was positive. But, I was also asked, ‘Don’t kids just do yoga naturally?’ The answer is, well no… Firstly, yoga is about so much more than just the Asanas (movement practices). In a world where kids and teenagers are under severe stresses and strains, yoga offers the chance to unwind, to learn how to meditate. It fosters positive body images and at its best, teaches kids valuable life lessons- kindness, respect, learning that everyone is different. Secondly, a kids yoga class is run

Pain in your back teeth? Clicking jaw? Face pain? Headaches? Teeth clenching? All of these can be signs and symptoms of TMJ (temporomandibular joint, or your jaw, in plain English!) dysfunction! Back in 2013 I was involved in an accident where I was hit by a car when cycling and shattered one side of my face, leaving me with a nice level of clicking on the left side of my jaw and face pain/ headaches. So, not only can I assess and treat your jaw issues as a physio, but I can totally empathise with your pain! I manage my

“I didn’t know you could get physiotherapy for incontinence” ​You sure can (for both women and men, incidentally). But that’s not all that women’s health physio involves. The practice can take place privately or in the hospital system, where physiotherapists see women before and after gynaecological surgery or pregnancy for pain, pelvic floor strengthening, advice during ante-natal classes and management of issues such as abdominal muscle separation. Treatments can consist of anything from massage, joint mobilisations and acupuncture, to taping and provision of splints. I’ve treated more sacro-iliac joint dysfunctions (often caused by extra weight and ligament softening) during pregnancy

​Note from Suzanne Rath: I was lucky enough to run into Suzanne Scarrow at a women’s networking event in Cairns, having seen her events on relationship health pop up in my Facebook Newsfeed. Suzanne (what a great name!) is also a member of “Cairns Health and Wellbeing”, a Facebook group I set up to encourage sharing of information, collaboration and social gatherings amongst anyone working in, or interested in, health and wellbeing in Cairns. As I was asking her about Emotional Freedom Techniques, she very kindly offered to write a blog post for me! Suzanne is a trained psychologist, a

Have you got pain in lots of places? Maybe you’ve been diagnosed with fibromyalgia or another chronic pain condition. Or you’ve suffered a whiplash injury where your pain started in one spot and moved to other parts of your body- sometimes weeks or even years later. Your feeling that ‘everything hurts’ could even have stemmed from something as simple as the fact that limping on a sprained ankle put your back out. Wellness Embodied physiotherapist and founder Suzanne Rath shares five key points about pain in multiple areas and explains how physiotherapy can help. ​ 1) The brain-body link. If

One of the first videos made by Suzanne, practice principal of Wellness Embodied, this knee taping video shows a little known technique for taping the Iliotibial band, as well as one of our favourite taping techniques- a variation on the McConnell tape for patellofemoral pain. There are many benefits of tape. Pain relief Offloading sensitised nerves (such as referred pain down the arm or leg, or following a whiplash injury) Stimulating muscle activity in deep anti- gravity muscles- correcting the muscle imbalances that research now shows is responsible for many pains. Postural correction. In the early days of the practice,

Awww, little people! Physiotherapy in paediatrics is a huge area, which includes kids with respiratory conditions (more on these to come in a future post- in fact, some of the best responders to chest physiotherapy are little babies in intensive care, whose conditions can change rapidly), neurological conditions (such as cerebral palsy, poor development, etc.) and your general sprains and strains. One of the nicest physio jobs I’ve known of in paediatrics belonged to a friend of mine who worked solely with blind children- because they were lacking the key sense of sight, they failed to develop as quickly as

Damage to the nervous system occurs for a number of reasons. Trauma to the brain before or during birth can produce a series of changes in a baby which are grouped under the blanket term of Cerebral Palsy. All age groups can suffer from spinal cord or head injuries due to accidents. Older adults often fall victim to debilitating neurological diseases, such as Parkinson’s disease, or can suffer from CVAs (Cerebrovascular accidents, commonly known as a stroke). Because the nervous system is responsible for regulation of everything in the body, the effects of damage to it are variable – they