We often get asked in practice if dry needling is the same as acupuncture. Although the same fine needles are used to elicit a change or reaction within the body, there are some key differences between the two.   What is dry needling and how does this differ to acupuncture? Dry needling involves inserting sterile needles into trigger points within the muscle. Trigger points are taut bands of muscle which can cause and contribute to pain within the body. Inserting the needle into these trigger points will elicite a local ‘twitch’ response, allowing the muscle to then relax and begin

At some point in your rehabilitation or sporting journey, you have probably heard the terms strength and conditioning thrown around. But what do these terms actually mean?  Put simply, strength and conditioning is the process most athletes will go through to better prepare their bodies for the sporting/competitive season. It is a program that is tailored to the individual athlete and their sport, and is designed to prepare their body for peak performance in their chosen sport or activity. It is a process that involves collaboration between a strength and conditioning coach, the sporting coach, and any relevant health professionals

Are you worried we’ll tell you to stop exercising after a concussion? One of the main barriers we hear from athletes against seeking help post concussion is, ‘I want to play in the Grand final/ compete in 2 weeks’ BEST PRACTICE concussion management is to obtain a baseline test at the beginning of season (so that when you sustain a concussion, we’re comparing your performance to your normal- as well as dealing with any niggling issues BEFORE the season begins… ), plus to see a practitioner with knowledge of all facets of concussion management WITHIN THE FIRST 48 HOURS POST

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

What and where is Tibialis Anterior? It is a muscle located in our shin, right next to the tibia bone. It is an important muscle because it is responsible for bringing our foot up (dorsiflexion) and help us for our walking. What is tibialis anterior tendinopathy? And what are the symptoms? Tibialis anterior tendinopathy is an overuse injury of the tibialis anterior muscle. If we use the tibialis anterior muscle beyond its capability, the tendon may start to get some micro injuries, and gradually become a tendinopathy. Generally, at the beginning phase, patients with tibialis anterior tendinopathy will only experience

September is Prostate Cancer Awareness Month so this a good chance for us to fully appreciate this important ‘male-only’ gland and the benefits of keeping it healthy. The prostate gland sits directly below your bladder and encircles the tube that carries urine from your bladder out through your penis. The job of the prostate is to produce the majority of the fluid making up your semen, which carries and sustains your sperm cells. There is also smooth muscle in the prostate and this acts as a pump during ejaculation and also helps prevent accidental urine leakage. Why should you care?

There’s a compelling reason why the Cairns Ironman send an email out the very next day after athletes have completed their first 70.3 team or solo, or a full Ironman event on the iconic course. While we may be tired and sore, we’re also on a high from the buzz of the crowd, the pride at having completed an endurance event or the lovely medal we now own. It’s the perfect time to hit the sign up button- with many potentially thinking ‘I’ll train up next year!’ But before you get back into Netflix, camping and fishing (or whatever floats

Do you know what patellofemoral pain (PFP) is? It is a common condition, and studies have suggested that 25% of people suffer from PFP at some point in their lives, and 2.5 million runners experience PFP in a year. PFP is usually caused by malalignment of the knee-cap and the distal end of the thigh bone, which the knee cap glides on to when we move our legs. It is similar to a train on its track. The knee-cap is the train and the femur (thigh bone) is the track. If they are not aligned properly, the soft tissue underneath

Do you know much about bone health/bone density or osteoporosis?    What is Osteoporosis? Osteoporosis is defined as reduced bone density, and it leaves bone brittle, and at higher risk of fracture when an osteoporotic person had a fall or any other high-impact incident. Osteoporosis is a very common condition in Australia, and it was estimated that approximately 3.8% of the Australian population has osteoporosis, and it leads to over 170,000 fractures each year.    Osteoporosis is generally diagnosed with bone scan. Common osteoporotic areas such as the lumbar spine and hip will usually be scanned, and data will be

What is manual therapy? Manual therapy is a technique that is applied by hand from the physiotherapist, and has a neurophysiological effect that can modulate and reduce pain. It is an umbrella term and it consists of a variety of different techniques, such as joint mobilisation and soft tissue release techniques. What does manual therapy do? In the past, it was thought that manual therapy can physically put structures that are “at fault” or “malaligned” back into places. However, more recent scientific evidence has shown that manual therapy does not work this way. Manual therapy actually provides a neurophysiological effect

Whether you’re frustrated with the rate of an injury healing, or your progress in training/ life, the concept of the ‘dip’ is important to be aware of. A simple case study on how injury healing isn’t linear might be a sprained ankle in a marathon runner. Say the runner simply rests for several weeks – even with Physio to restore normal range of movement and advise on protective loading. By the time they go back to training, they’ll already be a little bit behind, may have lost some vital strength in the glutes and other muscles (unless they’re very diligent

Paediatric Benign Joint Hypermobility Syndrome What is benign joint hypermobility? It is when the joints move beyond the normal range of motion. Benign joint hypermobility tends to be more common in girls than boys and usually is genetic. It affects the connective tissue. Connective tissue is throughout the body, therefore, not only the joints are affected, it can affect digestion, skin, eyes and in more severe connective tissue disorders it can affect the heart.   Benign joint hypermobility syndrome is a condition when there are musculoskeletal symptoms in people with hypermobility. The most common symptom is pain. Kids can present

Many back injuries occur after incorrect bending or lifting, especially when we try to lift a heavy object up by ourselves with incorrect technique. If we try to lift something heavy with our back it would put on a big load onto our lumbar spine, which might cause injuries. Therefore, a good lifting technique is essential to protect us from sustaining a back injury. Generally, we should try to push the object rather than lift and move. If pushing is not feasible, then we try to lift it (with a correct technique!!!). Secondly, if we decide to lift something, we

Our fortnightly Facebook Wellness Embodied live videos are back! We are going live on Facebook every fortnight on Thursdays at 1:00pm (Cairns time) Tune in on Facebook to watch us live! In this week of our Facebook Live we have our Cairns paediatric Physiotherapist Maigi talking about motor skills and the test we are using in our clinic to assess fine and gross motor skills of 4-21 year olds. For further information about our Cairns paediatric physio services or our Bot2 testing with report provided, please call our clinic on 42319777 or visit our information page on our website.  

Our fortnightly Facebook Wellness Embodied live videos are back! We are going live on Facebook every fortnight on Thursdays at 1:00pm (Cairns time) Tune in on Facebook to watch us live.   In this week of our Facebook lives, our physio Clara will be explaining common causes and symptoms of vestibular dysfunction in kids and what the treatment options are. If you would like more information about our Cairns paediatric vestibular rehab, please visit our blog page or call our friendly clinic staff on 4231 9777 for more info or to book in with us.

Did you know that 1 in 6 people will be affected by brain disease and disorders within their lifetime?    This week, we are celebrating Brain Awareness Week at Wellness Embodied. Brain Awareness Week is an international initiative designed to increase public awareness of the progress and benefits of brain research, in particular, research in relation to the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of diseases of the brain such as Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s disease, stroke, schizophrenia and depression.    Due to the ageing population, the prevalence of conditions affecting the brain is increasing. Brain Awareness Week aims to improve awareness of the

We now have gym balls for sale at Wellness Embodied! Gym balls are for people of different ages and with different functional levels. They are used in fitness, rehabilitation and prevention. They are for kids and adults, just ask for the correct sizing from our friendly staff. They are useful for people with different problems, including back pain, decreased joint range of motion, muscle tightness, or for those who want to make their training more challenging. Here are some ideas on how to use them: Gym ball to improve range of motion:  If you have problems with your range of motion,

Neck pain is one of the most debilitating types of pain we see at our Cairns physiotherapy clinic. There are multiple factors that contribute to neck pain, including sleeping posture. Poor neck posture may not just lead to neck pain but also headache, shoulder pain and even jaw pain! A suitable and supportive pillow is essential for our sleeping quality and keeping our neck pain-free! Different people have slightly different types and curvatures of cervical spine, and different necks require different types of pillow. Here at Wellness Embodied Cairns, we recommend the Denton’s pillow and we stock these at both

Last week was Tinnitus Awareness Week in Australia, so lets learn a little bit about the condition. Tinnitus is an often distressing condition where the sufferer experiences suffering in one or both ears. It can be present along with vertigo, can be exacerbated by allergies or other factors and is often constant. At Wellness Embodied, we see a number of clients with tinnitus as a ‘side symptom’- particularly in our clients with headaches and vertigo/ vestibular conditions. We often find that once the clients neck, or vestibular dysfunction is treated, their tinnitus is much lessened, or in some cases goes

Did you know that studies have shown that approximately 10% of people who participate in contact sports will sustain a concussion at some point during their career? If you have a team of 15 players, it is likely that one or more will have already sustained a concussion at some point during their contact sport career.   So, why is this important?   Left untreated and unmanaged, concussions can lead to a whole range of chronic health issues such as headaches, neck pain, dizziness, and fatigue, just to name a few. Returning to play to soon, is one of the

Our fortnightly Facebook Wellness Embodied live videos are back! We are going live on Facebook every fortnight on Thursdays at 1:00pm (Cairns time) Tune in on Facebook to watch us live!   Here is Clara our Cairns Complete Concussion Management Inc certified physiotherapist chatting about Post Concussion Syndrome characteristics and management.   If you or a loved one has sustained a concussion, it is best to book an appointment with us as soon as possible, at least within the 24 hour period following so we can get working on getting you back to work and play as soon as possible!

Do you suffer from chronic dizziness but you haven’t found any answers about what has been going on? Have you ever heard of 3PD?…here is a short explanation… Persistent postural perceptual dizziness = 3PD It is long duration unsteadiness and dizziness (longer than 3 months), that worsens when standing and walking, or when going to busy environments such as supermarkets, shopping centres, crowded or open places; or exposed to complex visual stimuli like patterned carpets or watching traffic. 3PD is usually initiated after a vertigo episode , where the spinning feeling goes away but there is persistent dizziness that does not

Our fortnightly Facebook Wellness Embodied live videos are back! We are going live on Facebook every fortnight on Thursdays at 1:00pm (Cairns time) Tune in on Facebook to watch us live! Here are the last 2 fortnights of our Wellness Embodied Live –  First up is Clara, our Complete Concussion Management Inc certified physiotherapist chatting about introduction to Head Concussion. Next up is Concussion Management Protocol – What to expect on the first appointment after sustaining a concussion and how physiotherapy can help. Led by our Complete Concussion Management Inc Physiotherapist Alyza Brown. If you or a loved one has

Benign: because it is easy to fix Paroxysmal: symptoms start very suddenly, without other symptoms ever happening before Positional : when you put your head in a specific position Vertigo: sensation of movement when you are stationary    Crystals? What crystals? They live in our inner ear. They are formed by calcium and carbonate. They lie down on hairy cells and they move every time we move our head up and down or during acceleration and deceleration of our body. Like if you had little rocks lying on your head: every time you bend your head forward they will fall,

RECOMMENDATIONS: 1. Light physical activity each day in the first 5 days, provided it: –Does not exacerbate symptoms –Does not put you at risk for hitting your head 2. Light cognitive activity for the first 2-3 days: -Screens ok, cognitive activity ok -Do whatever doesn’t provoke your symptoms too much and DO NOT do anything which places you at risk of hitting your head 3. Driving protocol: DO NOT DRIVE FOR THE FIRST 48 HS Stage 1–Riding in a car as a passenger. If your symptoms do not increase for 24 hours, you can move to stage 2 Stage 2–Driving around neighbourhood with

The physio’s at Wellness Embodied have a new tool to play with! Our new MAT developed by Movement Assessment Technology, improves the ease of completing a whole body assessment, and allows us to really nut out why you may be experiencing pain. This tool is great for assessing a whole variety of tasks such as: Single leg balance and stability Range of motion of the ankle, knee, hip, back and upper body Jump and hop tests Core balance and stability General and endurance based strength Our physiotherapist Alyza is currently completing her Level One MAT course, and is already implementing

We are discussing all about exercise during pregnancy!   Congratulations! You may be expecting 🙂  There are a lot of misconceptions surrounding this topic, as a lot of people may think that it is unsafe to exercise at all whilst pregnant. We are going to bust a few myths related to exercise during pregnancy! 🔹 Exercise is harmful to your baby 🔴 BUSTED – exercise is not harmful to your baby provided that you follow advice from your healthcare professional, and follow recommended guidelines on how to exercise safely 🔹 If I haven’t exercised before, I shouldn’t start exercising during pregnancy 🔴 BUSTED –

Now that restrictions are easing, I’m sure most of you are very excited to resume your normal gym routine and return to your previous exercise regimes. Whilst this is very exciting, and exercise is indeed the best thing for our bodies, I am here to tell you to start slowly and build yourself back up.  Commonly, injuries are caused by overloading body tissues that aren’t equipped to deal with the activity you’re trying to complete. Ever seen a dad try to outsprint his 17 year old son and tear a hamstring because he hasn’t sprinted in about ten years? Then

Wellness Embodied Live is our free Weekly Facebook live series for people in isolation, or those who are keen to learn and improve their health. Videos will be available to watch online on our Facebook page or on our Youtube channel  This week, Practice Principal Suzanne Rath will share some insights from her recently completed training on Nutrition for musculoskeletal complaints- assisting you to improve your healing! You can view it here on our youtube page! We stock a large range of BioCeuticals products in our Cairns City Clinic, pop in to take a look, we can even set you

  Wellness Embodied Live is our new series for those of you working from home, in isolation, or simply worried about the current uncertain situation in the world. We’ll be producing short, sharp, free video tutorials every Wednesday at 12pm on our Facebook Page which you can tune in to at the time or later on to help you with an area of body pain, stress or tension.   See our previous Live FB events here! Rid your body of Stress and Tension – This week, Practice Principal Physiotherapist Suzanne Rath leads a short guided body tune in and gives

One of the most commonly prescribed supplements by physios is Magnesium. In this post we examine: What is it good for, why you need a practitioner grade product and how to know you may be deficient. Magnesium is an important macromineral, which plays a role in over 300 enzymatic reactions- including the metabolism of vitamin D. Studies have shown beneficial effects on anxiety and stress, as well as positive relationships with physical function in older adults (along with zinc, selenium and iron). Low magnesium intake is associated in epidemiological studies with high blood pressure, osteoporosis and type 2 diabetes. Magnesium levels are

Are you watching the social media feeds of others in lockdown, touting their extra exercise time, lovely veggie gardens and clean houses and wondering where your Mojo is? You’re not alone! For every person we see in clinic who’s sticking to their online exercise routine religiously, or baking sourdough, we see several others who are just fed up and want all of this to end now. This is particularly true for our clients who are awaiting surgery or are still in self isolation at home. RESET Some of the most powerful ways of ‘resetting’ are tools which we share in

It’s nearly May- and hasn’t April been the longest month ever?! We’re very grateful to be able to come to work each day for face to face and hands on time with clients, as AHPRA registered AHPs. We’ve also been pivoting a little to increased Telehealth for remote-based Australians, as well as home visits to some of our NDIS clients- it’s wonderful to be able to continue to provide a much needed physio service. But onto the topics for this week….. HAMSTRING MUSCLE REHAB Last week on our Facebook page, Alyza created some really great content on hamstring tears and rehab, including

One of the big benefits of the current down time is the opportunity to learn lots online. While we are still busy treating clients in clinic, as well as running Telehealth consults Australia-wide, we’ve managed to catch up with some great upskilling in the physiotherapy domain also. This is in addition to our weekly staff in-house training sessions (which we now run on Zoom, to minimise contact!). Tendon Pains A couple of weeks ago Suzanne, Alyza and Clara listened to a great Q&A with tendon pain expert Jill Cook. There are many different types of tendonopathy (tendon damage, inflammation or

Hope everybody had a nice Easter and maybe even a backyard camp-out! Many of you will know our physiotherapist Campbell Will, who is also a Certified Wim Hof instructor and writes extensively on the power of correct breathing and the Wim Hof technique through his Breath & Body therapy platforms (find him on Facebook/ Instagram). Campbell has been in New York since the end of January with his wife and was due to return to work with us in mid May- unfortunately, he looks like he is stuck there for the foreseeable future right now (making us feel even more lucky to be

Let’s talk about warm-up for hamstring injury prevention! Hamstring injuries commonly occur when the muscle is subjected to an excessive stretch whilst producing high force under high speed movements. Completing a proper warm-up before commencing a game or exercise session (especially those involving high load on your hamstrings) can reduce your risk of sustaining a hamstring injury. The aim of a warm-up is to increase blood flow to your muscles prior to placing them under high stress, and taking your muscles and joints through specific exercises that are directly related to the sport or activity you are about to perform.

Hi All We’ve noticed 3 interesting additions to our physiotherapy work last week. Isolation Injuries, head/ neck/ Shoulder pain consults due to home office set up and an increase in appointments for stress. Read on to see how we can help you with these! 1) Isolation Injuries Jigsaw neck? It’s a real thing. Many of us are doing things we wouldn’t normally do at home and getting new pains and aches as a result! Suzanne had her first Video consult with a client suffering from new onset headaches (from a change in work environment) last week. While we are still

Happy Monday to all of you! We hope you had some downtime over the weekend and are ready to face another healthy, hand sanitised week like we are 🙂 Please keep the memes coming for sharing on our Facebook page and VIP group too- we all need a little humour right now. We are still open for business for 1;1 appointments in our city centre clinic. You’ll notice that parking is super easy to come by, our door knobs, pens and other surfaces are sanitised within an inch of their lives and we are restricting further the number of clients in clinic at one

What a crazy week! We got authorisation from the government to stay open, as an essential Allied Health service and the Federal Health minister Greg Hunt reiterated this yesterday, stating that there is still a need for face to face visits and the Health Department will be releasing public information regarding the safety of Allied Health. For those of you who are part of our VIP group on Facebook, see more of the summary of this. Right now we’re happy to be assisting people with pain, stress relief and movement to get through both chronic and acute conditions. Pain and lack

In times of uncertainty, people are fearful- but it’s also a great chance for the community to come together. Like all small businesses in Cairns, things are uncertain for us as to how the pandemic will play out- but we’re happy to report we’re open for business. We post frequently on Facebook about the stringent measures we’re taking to maintain the health of our staff and clients- in fact, I would almost say it’s one of the safest times to visit us for a physio appointment- all of our staff are well and our clients cancel if they even have so much

Did you know that one of the best lines of defence against Covid-19 (or any virus) is through your nose? Breathing through your nose allows the tiny hairs there (cilia) to filter air before it reaches your lungs, reducing toxins. Slow, relaxed deep breathing is an excellent way to calm down and alleviate stress. If you’d like to start a great breath-work practice at home and learn more about the role of the breath, our Breathing for Daily Living is available on our website- lifetime access for just $34.95. This was created by our physio Campbell, who is also a

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

Do you find that you’re struggling to achieve the optimum squat technique for you? Squatting, whilst a seemingly simple exercise, requires a lot of coordination and balance, and is impacted upon by you individual anatomical make-up. If you’re someone who has always struggled with achieving a good squat, here are a few simple things that you can do to help: Stand with your feet shoulder width (or slightly wider) apart, and toes turned outwards (find that sweet spot for you!) Begin by slowly bending your knees and hinging at the hips, and allow your body weight to sink down and

Our theme for this week is sprains and strains! Watch to hear our practice principal talk about the healing phases of injury, how we can help in our Rehab Room and why RICE is no longer the treatment form of choice! #wellnessembodiedcairns #cairnsphysio Questions? For further information or to book visit our website www.wellnessembodiedcairns.com or call 42319777  

We’ve been devastated to watch the ongoing coverage of the widespread bushfires. Have you been wondering how you can help? We will be donating $10 for every new patient we see during the month of January directly to one of the bushfire appeals. We are starting with the NSW Rural Fire Brigade! https://www.rfs.nsw.gov.au/volunteer/support-your-local-brigade So if you have a friend or family member who’s been putting off a physio appointment, now is a great time to do it! If you would like to personally help with the cause, see the many ways to help or donate here : Bendigo Bank Bushfire

According to the Australian Government Department of Health more than 60% of men and 70% of women don’t get enough magnesium every day. What is magnesium and why is it important? Magnesium is an essential mineral and plays a role in over 300 enzymatic reactions within the body, including the metabolism of food, creation of important fatty acids and proteins, and nerve communication. Magnesium is essential for healthy muscles, nerves, bones and even blood sugar levels. It has been shown that people who have high levels of magnesium in their diets have a lower risk of a heart attack, stroke

We listen. We investigate. We communicate. We look through a different lens.  We treat the person and not the symptom.  At Wellness Embodied we pride ourselves on going the extra mile for our patients. We don’t have a one size fits all approach, because we know that doesn’t work. Every person that walks through our doors is different. They have a different body, a different history, a different story. This means they will have a different presentation and a different response to treatment. Treating every person with back pain the same way simply doesn’t work, because back pain is often

What if developing better breathing habits was just as important as developing better eating habits for your fitness and performance? Maybe it is!  It may seem simple, but developing better breathing practices during exercise can have a significant impact on your fitness. All of our muscles require oxygen to function. Getting oxygen into the blood is easy, simply take a breath, however getting oxygen from the blood to where it needs to go (the working muscles) is a little more complex. It requires some help from Carbon Dioxide (CO2) and this is where developing better breathing habits becomes important. We

What is pain? A complex, multifactorial input/output system that implies much more than just tissue health. Why do we get pain? Initially it is usually from damage to tissue and the inflammatory response. But if pain persists, we begin to see changes in the pathways between the tissue and the brain, and the nervous system gets involved. In an attempt to protect you from further damage, we feel pain to stop us doing something we shouldn’t.  The trouble is, less and less ‘threat’ or stimulus is needed before you feel pain. It is important to note that the pain you

Here at Wellness Embodied we are proud to support local charities and causes that are close to our heart! As we reflect back on the year that was we are proud to have supported the following Charities and causes in 2019: Fundacja Tymmmczasy (Polish Animal Shelter) Cardiac Challenge – Far North Queensland Hospital Foundation FNQ Cerebral Palsy Support Group Ruth’s Women’s Shelter Cairns Transfrontier Africa (Black Mamba – The 1st all female Anti-Poaching Group) Catherine Hamlin Fistula Foundation Mision:Mexico Orphanage The Rescue Collective Gratitude Gift Boxes Cairns UN Women National Committee Australia Clean Up Australia – Clean Up Australia Day –

David, a recent patient at Wellness Embodied has been struggling with his trail running. He usually runs 3-4 x per week but lately was only managing one run due to waking up the next day with severe pain and swelling around his ankle. When we asked David about his training he told us that the intensity, volume or frequency hadn’t changed, and he was running the same trail he usually does. He was maintaining his normal warm up and warm down routine and he even tried cutting down distance without improvements in pain.  With further investigating however, we found out

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

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

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.

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.

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

  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

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