by Physioworks, December 2017

Physioworks Health Group Physiotherapist Matthew Lynagh recently supported the Victorian U18 Woman’s team as team physiotherapist at the National U18 Woman’s Cricket Championships in Canberra.

The Championships were played over two weeks with two competitions – the first week was T20s and second week was 50 over one day cricket.

The Victoria team played well and we were undefeated for the first week until the last day, then lost both games and ended up coming 4^th in the T20’s.

Unfortunately most of the second week got washed out with only two days cricket played. The Vic’s won their only group game played but not by enough percentage to get into the final, so had to settle for the 3rd and 4^th playoff final – which they won convincingly to finish 3rd in the one day competition

Fortunately there were only a few minor injuries, assisted by intensive warm-up pre-game and extensive recovery sessions on the weekend at the outstanding facilities at the AIS.

by Physioworks, December 2017

What a season!

Physioworks Health Group Physiotherapists Irwin Kim and Jack Manson supported the University Blues Women’s Volleyball team this season, who set a new Australian national record in the Australian Volleyball League

The Women’s team competed in the finals series and won the Gold Medal/Premiership, for the 5th year in a row!

The girls banded together in a show of outstanding courage and teamwork to achieve something very special! The girls will go down in the record books after winning their 5th consecutive Australian Volleyball League title!

You can follow their amazing journey: https://www.facebook.com/UniversityBluesVolleyball/

by Jordan Rutherford, WPPC Physiotherapist – December 2017.

Need some Christmas stocking fillers for your athletic friend, sibling and/or love one?

With Christmas only a few short weeks away, Waverley Park Physiotherapy Centre offers a wide range of physiotherapy products which can assist with injury prevention and self-injury management.

So here are some WPPC’s gift ideas for Christmas, all available at the clinic.

• Exercise Ball – An exercise ball can be used for both exercise and comfort. There are hundreds of exercises that you can perform on an exercise ball that can target almost every muscle group in the body, allowing you to do a full body workout at home. They are also an excellent seating choice as they help to keep your core and leg muscles activated and may also improve posture all whilst sitting.
• Lumbar Roll – A lumbar roll is an excellent choice for those who get tight and sore low backs. A lumbar roll helps to maintain our spines normal position while in a seated position and can help in reducing back stiffness and pain.
• Wheat Bag – Wheat bags come in all shapes and sizes to fit different parts of your body, they are reusable hundreds of times and are a perfect way to ease joint and muscle pain after a workout or training.
• Therapeutic Pillow – A memory foam pillow which is adjustable to your body shape and sleeping position is a great way to reduce neck pain and headaches. WPPC’s physios are can assist to help fit one to best suit you.
• Spiky Massage Ball –Can be used to ease muscle tightness in your; glutes, low back, shoulders and calves which are commonly tight areas.

Or why not help your family and friends “toward a healthier you” – by giving a gift of health, fitness and general well-being with a WPPC Gift Certificate. It can be used for any of our physiotherapy products or for any of our services – including Physio treatments; Clinical Pilates, Group or Individual Exercise classes. Just ask our reception team.

So Merry Christmas to all. Let us assist you with your Christmas gifts this year. Just pop into WPPC and ask at reception – or please give us a call on 9795 0668.

by Brad Fernihough, APA titled Sports Physiotherapist, Physioworks Health Group. December 2017.

In recent times, as seen in our clinic and reported across the wider health care community, there has been an increasing number of children requiring knee reconstructions after sporting mishaps.

More recent scientific evidence appears to demonstrate that children are specialising far too early into only one single sport, not allowing their bodies to experience a diversified range of biomechanical tasks that challenge landing and change of direction.

Furthermore, the distinct change in the day to day behaviours’ of children now means that less children are getting out and just playing in the park, climbing trees, exploring/free running through uneven terrain, all of which introduce new movement patterns to the child central nervous system.

With most sports going to a level of professionalism that now provide legitimate career paths for children to aspire to, there has been a change in the focus of the child and parents to stream line the child’s activities into one sport, only much earlier (8-14 years).

Increasingly, children are shuttled earlier into one off and very structured activities requiring only one movement pattern. It seems though, that by doing this early in the child’s neuromuscular development, it limits the child’s exposure to a variety of biomechanical tasks that would normally challenge the rapidly changing neuroplasticity in their developing brains. This has the potential to cause only a limited variety of movement strategies to be used with sudden change of direction, take off and stopping or altered landing technique, resulting in increased injury rates in younger children.

At Physioworks Health Group we strongly advocate and encourage children participating in & playing a variety of sports and activities.

Physioworks Health Group provide injury prevention education and support to many local community youth sporting clubs across a range of sports; including the AFL junior football for girls and boys (Ashy Redbacks and Waverley Park Hawks), Basketball (Casey Basketball Association) and Softball (Brandon Heights Bandits). Our team at Physioworks Health Group Camberwell has extensive physiotherapy experience including Pediatric Physiotherapy & Sports Physiotherapy.

Below are some important points and useful online reference articles for your consideration, which may allow your children to develop, flourish and become better athletes:

• The environment and setting where you practice is important. The more outdoors the better. Variety will expose your children to multiple biomechanical challenges.
• Landing, falling, and passing obstacles with poise are essential skills.
• “Kids need risk fear and excitement in play”.

Source: theconversation.com

• “Don’t be afraid of the outdoors”

Source: Irish Times

• “Open ended play is a motivator for exercise – use those green spaces in your neighbourhood”.

Source: Sunshine Coast Daily.

Physiotherapist Amy Shipperd from Waverley Park Physiotherapy Centre was the tournament physio for the 2017 Australian National Wheelchair Championships held at Melbourne Park in November.

Amy provided a range of on and off court treatments for the male and female athletes, assessing and diagnosing new injuries, as well as managing pre-existing strains and niggles.

The wheelchair athletes rely very heavily on their arms to propel themselves around the court, while simultaneously hitting their strokes. Therefore, the most common injuries which Amy treated were largely overload injuries involving the wrist, elbow, shoulder and neck.

“All matches were played in great spirits and it was a pleasure to work with and support these dedicated athletes” said Amy.

Read more about the tournament here.