The Quadratus Lumborum (QL) is a deep lower back muscle that lies on both sides of the lumbar spine. The QL muscle is critical for spinal stability and side bending, and it has the capacity to cause a lot of pain and imbalance when it gets tight. Quadratus Lumborum (QL) Muscle QL Muscle Pain The QL muscle has the capacity to cause a lot of pain in the body when it is ridden with trigger points, also known as knots. Trigger points are tight, shortened bands of muscle that constantly pull on joints when present. Constant muscle tension induced by

Lisa came into the clinic 15 months post-partum with a new incidence of thoracic pain concentrated on the left side of her spine. Being the mum of a 15 month old toddler, and having recently returned to work, Lisa was constantly on the go and performing a lot of manual handling tasks. During questioning, we were unable to pinpoint any specific trauma or incident that caused Lisa’s pain, it just seemed to appear suddenly and randomly! However, further questioning into the way Lisa performs her manual handling tasks showed that she was constantly carrying her child on one side, lifting

We’re excited to announce the commencement of Telehealth/ Remote Physiotherapy Consults for our existing and new clients who are unable to make a physiotherapy appointment in Cairns. For more information, please read on or visit our Cairns physiotherapy video consults page. At Wellness Embodied, we are a team of passionate physiotherapists who pride ourselves in thinking outside the box and getting to the root cause of acute and chronic pain and dysfunction. We see clients throughout the life cycle. Our specialist areas of interest and expertise include: Post Concussion Syndrome, Vestibular Rehab (vertigo/ Motion sickness/ Vestibular hypofunction), Neck Pain/whiplash, Headaches/

Are you suffering from back pain and struggling to manage it? Do you find that your back pain is stopping you from living your best life? Would you like to learn more about how you can improve your lifestyle over a few short sessions? Then get in contact with one of the team from Wellness Embodied Cairns to secure your spot in our eight week Better Back Program designed to support you through the rehabilitation of lower back pain, and provide you with the strategies you need to manage at home whilst living an active and healthy lifestyle. The eight

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!

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

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

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

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