The team at Physioworks Health Group are gearing up for a busy “business end of the season” supporting numerous local community football leagues & teams as they head into their respective competition final series.

Physioworks Health Group provide allied health care support and sponsorship to the Ellinbank & District Football League (EDFL), the South East Football Netball League (SEFNL); and the West Gippsland Football Netball Competition (WGFLC).  We wish all players, coaches and clubs participating in the 2018 football and netball finals all the best for injury free games and finals success.

In supporting all players to optimise performance, Physioworks Cranbourne clinic is open Saturday morning from 8am-12am for pre-game treatment. For post-game injury triage and sports physiotherapy, Physioworks Berwick, located at P3 Sports & Recovery, is open every Sunday from 8am-12pm, assisting all players with post game recovery and injury management.

In junior football, Physioworks Health Group Camberwell support the Ashburton Redbacks (Yarra JFL) including sponsorship of Girls Footy and the Ashy Boys Under 13 Brown team, and Waverley Park Physiotherapy Centre (Physioworks Mulgrave) support the Waverley Park Hawks (SMJFL) with numerous boys and girls teams from both clubs participating in finals. Congratulations to all the boys and girls (and all the parents); we hope you had a fun and enjoyable season.

Physioworks Health Group Finals Health Tips:

Get an early and good night sleep (no screens); eat a good breakfast the morning of your final; ensure you hydrate with plenty of water pre-game, and do your pre-game warm up stretches so you are ready for the first bounce.

Congratulations to all the boys and girls (and all the parents) at the Ashy Redbacks on participating in junior football at the club this season. We hope you had a fun and enjoyable season.

As part of our local community support, Physioworks Health Group Camberwell sponsor and support the Redbacks, including sponsorship of Girls Footy and the Boys Under 13 Brown team.

Well done and good luck to our two Ashy Girls teams (U14 – 2^nd Division & U16 – 2nd Division) and Boys Under 13 Brown (who finished 3^rd) who have qualified for Yarra JFL finals this season.

And a huge congratulations and best wishes to all at the club – players, coaches and parents – as a total of 12 Ashy Redback teams finished top 4 in their respective age group and divisions and will play finals.

Physioworks Health Group Camberwell Finals Health Tips:

Get an early and good night sleep (no screens); then eat a good breakfast the morning of your final; do your pre-game warm up stretches and …. have lots of fun!!

APA titled Musculoskeletal Physiotherapist Jonathan Dodd from the Physioworks Health Group is involved in two research study projects with the University of Melbourne.

The first study is called the “Target exercise study for Knee Osteoarthritis (Knee OA)” and is a comparison of two exercise programs – weight bearing or non-weight bearing.

Participants are seen in clinic by Jonathan on five (5) occasions over a twelve (12) week period and are prescribed specific exercises, either weight bearing or non-weight bearing depending on the study group to which they are assigned.

After this 12 week timeframe participants have a review appointment at Melbourne University to determine the impact of the exercise program on their knee pain and physical function.

Known as “TARGET” full information on the research study can be found here:

https://healthsciences.unimelb.edu.au/research-groups/physiotherapy-research/chesm/target

The second research study is the “Hip EXCOMBO Pilot Study” is also through the University of Melbourne.

This study is investigating the feasibility of delivering an aerobic and strengthening exercise intervention for people with Hip Osteoarthritis (Hip OA).

Participants are seen on twelve (12) occasions over a three (3) month timeframe during which time they are prescribed both strengthening and aerobic exercises according to the study protocol.

At the completion of the study, participants will have a review appointment at Melbourne University to determine the impact of the intervention on their pain, muscle strength and aerobic capacity.

APA titled Musculoskeletal Physiotherapist Jonathan Dodd consults at Physioworks Health Group Camberwell and Cranbourne clinics – call the respective clinics for an appointment with Jonathan.

August is Tradies National Health Month which aims to raise awareness of the health and injury risks affecting those who work in trade occupations—among tradies themselves, their families, employers and the wider community.

With statistics showing almost 3 in 5 serious workplace injuries involve a tradie—despite making up only 30 per cent of the workforce—tradies’ health must be everyone’s priority.

Physioworks Health Group support the Australia Physiotherapy Association (APA) in spreading this health and injury risk message to keep Aussie tradies healthy.

So if you are a tradie, and you have a niggle or ongoing soreness, speak with one the Physioworks Health Group physio team so we can assist you with your health, fitness and well-being to ensure you stay on the tools – and help prevent ongoing injury.

You don’t need a doctor’s referral to see a physio; just give a call and book in for a consultation.

And if you are an employer, our team can assist with workplace assessment and injury prevention programs to help lower injury risk and keep your team of tradies at work and on the job.

However, should injury occur within the workplace, Physioworks Health Group is a long-term preferred Workcover provider, helping your injured team member manage the injury and return to work.

Please contact the Physioworks physiotherapy team at the most convenient of our 5 clinics locations closest to you.

For more information on Tradies National Health Month: https://choose.physio/tradieshealth

With keen interest and experience in sports physiotherapy, Physiotherapist Amy Shipperd has joined the allied health-care team at Physiowork Health Group Camberwell.

Physiotherapist Amy Shipperd has numerous clinical interests including:

• Acute sports injuries
• Tennis related injury prevention, management and physiotherapy
• Clinical Pilates
• Women’s Health Physiotherapy

Amy developed her sports physiotherapy focus from her long term involvement of tennis, which she has played for 20+ years, including two years on scholarship playing US College Tennis in America. Amy Shipperd regularly works as an onsite physiotherapist at numerous national and international tennis tournaments for both able-bodied players and athletes with impairment.

Amy Shipperd has been team physiotherapist for numerous girls’ underage cricket teams, including the Country Victoria Girls U15 team in 2018.

Amy Shipperd also has a focus on the management of Woman’s Health concerns, including pre and post-natal issues. Amy will be conducting numerous Clinical Pilates sessions at the clinic, using Pilates as an effective injury prevention management approach for a number of her clients.

A member of Musculoskeletal Physiotherapy Australia and Sports Physiotherapy Australia, as well as an active member of the Australian Physiotherapy Association (APA), Amy Shipperd will continue to also work as a physiotherapist at Waverley Park Physiotherapy Centre (Physioworks Mulgrave).

In welcoming Amy to the physiotherapy team at Physioworks Health Group Camberwell Director Andrew Dalwood said “Amy Shipperd has an all-round skill set that complements our client base and service offering at our Camberwell clinic, including experience in acute sports injury management, Clinical Pilates and women’s health, working in both clinical and sporting team environments”

For a consultation with Physiotherapist Amy Shipperd please call the Camberwell clinic on 9889 6611

Physioworks Health Group Exercise Physiologist Megan Jepson has recently had a research paper published by the American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine (ACRM) in the prestigious Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Journal.

Co-authored with four (4) other Australian allied health care professionals the research paper is titled “Chronic Heart Failure and Exercise Rehabilitation: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis”

As defined and referenced in the research paper, Chronic Heart Failure (CHF) is an abnormality of heart function or structure leading to reduced oxygen delivery throughout the body. It is considered a worldwide epidemic that is only increasing with the general aging of the population. And the prevalence of CHF in Australia is estimated to be as much as 2% of the population, with 30,000 new patients diagnosed each year.

The objective of the research was to identify the effect of specific exercise parameters on physical function and quality of life (QOL) in people with chronic heart failure living in the Australian community.

The outcomes shown in the paper are that Exercise significantly improves QOL and physical function. The current evidence suggests that engagement with exercise is a more important factor in achieving improvement than how the exercise is actually performed.

Physioworks Exercise Physiologist Megan Jepson explained that her involvement in the paper developed from her role as research assistant at Monash University in the paramedic & physiotherapy departments, which includes assisting PhD students as a second reviewer in their systematic reviews

“Katie Palmer (who is the first author) is one of the PhD students I assist and she is a physio at Monash Health Community, who over the years been unsure in the specifics of exercise prescription for patients with heart failure, including what type of exercise/how much and how often that will provide the best health outcome, hence the reason for the systematic review” explained Megan

“Outcomes of the study found that any exercise is beneficial and has a significant improvement in patient physical function and quality of life. This suggests, from a clinical perspective; EP’s, and particularly for those in a private clinic, should be encouraging all clients with heart failure to exercise no matter what type of exercise it is – frequency, intensity, duration, exercise type and supervision level – as long as it is safe and achievable” said Megan.

Physiotherapy and allied health-care team members at Physioworks Health Group are regularly involved in research and education within their chosen discipline with leading research institutions and universities. This helps to affirm and develop innovative evidence based treatment techniques which they may apply in clinical consultations and management of your program at Physioworks Health Group.

Please refer to the reference below for access to the research paper.

Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation

journal homepage: www.archives-pmr.org

META-ANALYSIS

Chronic Heart Failure and Exercise Rehabilitation:

A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

a: Katie Palmer, BHSc; Michelle Paton, Mphysio:

b: Kelly-Ann Bowles, PhD; Megan Jepson, MclinExPhys;

c: Rebecca Lane, PhD

From the a School of Primary and Allied Health Care, Monash University, Monash Health, Melbourne, Australia; b School of Primary and Allied Health Care, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia; c School of Physiotherapy, Australian Catholic University, Ballarat, Australia.