Sportscare Physiotherapy Blog

Great Expectations: The hidden influence of expectations on patient care

May 8, 2023 People in pain have generally done their research, talked to friends, and read everything they could find online. They form an expectation surrounding what their condition is and go on to develop a preferred treatment option. Now, this could be a good thing… or not. Patient expectations might not be accurate as they might not...
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Acupuncture and Dry Needling

March 2, 2020 NEEDLING HOW DOES IT WORK AND CAN IT HELP ME?   There are 2 types of needling used by physiotherapists. ACUPUNUCTURE: has been used by the Chinese for over 2500 years. It depends on an energy called ‘qi’, (pronounced ‘chee’), flowing through the body and meridians, (which are channels connecting the major organs). The fine...
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Wry neck

June 24, 2019 Wry Neck   Have you ever woken up and had panic set in because you were unable to move your head? Acute wry neck is, unfortunately, a common condition. It’s defined as a sudden onset of pain causing the neck muscles to spasm as a protective mechanism.   What can cause it? Facet joint dysfunction:...
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New years exercise goals……… 3 weeks on.

January 21, 2019 Was your New Year’s resolution to lose weight and get fitter? Have you lost your motivation already just 3 weeks into the new year? Here are some easy tips to try to help you maintain your goals this year and remain injury free. You are not alone. We believe in diversity of exercise and living on...
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knee arthroscopy recovery Day 10

December 2, 2018 Follow Adam McKenzie our principal physiotherapist at Warana sportscare with his post operative recovery from a knee arthroscopy.  Adam is now 10 days following a knee meniscus debridement and he will discuss his exercise progression and rehabilitation.      

Should I get my back scanned?

September 3, 2018 Should I get my back scanned? Imaging (XRay, CT and MRI) is not generally indicated in people who are suffering back pain. In fact, people should only be referred for scans if there is a severe, progressive neurological deficit or signs and symptoms that indicate a serious underlying condition may be present. The body of...
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Patellofemoral Pain (PFP)

May 9, 2018 Patellofemoral pain (PFP) PFP is pain from the tissues within or surrounding the joint between the knee cap (patella) and the thigh bone (femur). The patella rests in a groove on the femur where it acts like a pulley to transmit the force of the quadriceps muscle (thigh muscle) onto the tibia via the patella...
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Patella Tendinopathy

May 9, 2018 Patella tendinopathy Your patella tendon is the tendon which connects your knee cap to your shin bone. Patella tendinopathy, also referred to as jumper’s knee, was previously known as ‘patella tendinitis’ as it was believed it was a purely inflammatory condition (the suffix ‘itis’ denotes inflammation). Advances in our understanding of the condition lead to...
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Why does my knee hurt?

May 9, 2018 Why does the front of my knee hurt and why doesn’t it get better? Anterior (front) knee pain is a common complaint that we see in the clinic across all ages. Whilst a percentage of knee pain is due to an acute injury such as a strain/sprain, there is a large proportion of knees that...
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Are you getting enough SLEEP!

April 13, 2018 Enough good quality sleep is vital for us to perform at our best, promote good health and wellbeing, and help to manage pain. Conversely, sleep deprivation increases your risk of injury and illness. Sleep increases mood and improves your ability to regulate anger. Sleep also effects body composition. Sleep deprivation inhibits anabolic hormones and protein...
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Tips for Recovery at Sporting Carnivals.

February 13, 2018 Sportscare’s tips for recovery Sleep Make sleep a priority. Address these key factors: Consistency – try to get to bed at a similar time each night to aid your body clock. Use an eye mask – darkness tells your body to release sleep hormones. Noise – keep the room quiet or use ear plugs or...
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Running Injuries

January 28, 2018 Running Injuries and the Benefit of Physiotherapists  Running is a fantastic way to keep fit and active. If you have started the new year with a resolution to complete a park run or marathon we can help you stay on target to achieve your goals. Whether you’re a beginner or an elite runner you can...
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What is Tendinopathy ?

November 30, 2017 What is tendinopathy? Painful tendons plague a large proportion of the population at some time or another and are responsible for a lot of sports related injuries. In the clinic, we commonly treat people with tendon pain including in the shoulders, hips, knees and the Achilles tendon at the back of the ankle. Tendons are...
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Stretching or strengthening- what should you do?

September 3, 2017 In summary Strength training is superior to static stretching for injury prevention, rehabilitation and sporting performance. Stretching can improve flexibility which may be important for your chosen sport or activity. To increase your flexibility, incorporate twice daily stretches of 4 x 30 second holds for a minimum of 3 weeks. If you stretch, do not...
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Yoga for surfers Sunshine Coast Part 2

August 16, 2017 Here’s part 2 in our series of yoga moves to help get the most out of every session in the surf.  In this video Geoff focuses on warming up the spine.

Caloundra physio Dean Sullivan Load Management Presentation.

August 15, 2017 Dean recently gave a presentation to local fitness professionals and swim coaches on load management to help reduce injury risk. It is a summary of work done by leading physio researchers Tim Gabbett and Mick Drew. You can download a pdf of his presentation here.Load Management

Yoga for surfers Sunshine Coast

July 25, 2017 Make sure you’re ready to surf your best as soon as you get in the water with our yoga activation exercises. Caloundra physiotherapist Geoff Ford has put together a series of activation exercises for surfers. Here is the first one.

Caloundra Sportscare Pop-up Clinic in Stockholm

September 1, 2015 I got an email last week from Emma (our triathlon logistics guru) saying that the boss wants me to travel with the team to Stockholm for the World Championships Series Race.  The smile on my face was promptly followed by a short and sweet email back saying I’d make sure my diary was cleared! Sweden...
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Have a Pain free Holiday

July 19, 2015 After recently leaving the Sunshine Coast for a family holiday I had to endure a few long flights in a row. I thought I would pass on a few tips for a healthy and pain free arrival so you can quickly get on with enjoying your holidays. With long flights taking you across time zones...
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Post-ACL reconstruction information

December 11, 2014 Following your post-ACL reconstruction, you will experience some pain and swelling. The main idea in the first fortnight after your surgery is to get the pain and swelling under control. To do this, you need to rest with your leg elevated and use crutches at all times, not putting any weight on that leg. You...
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Post-knee arthroscopy exercises

December 11, 2014 Following a knee arthroscopy you should perform gentle exercises to get your knee moving. You can do these exercises laying on a flat surface. exercise one: tense thigh muscle and hold for five seconds exercise two: contract thigh muscles and lift leg exercise three: gentle knee bends exercise four: knee extensions with a rolled up towel under...
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Post-op ankle arthroscopy

December 11, 2014 Recover quickly from your post-operative ankle arthroscopy To ensure a speedy and effective recovery from your ankle arthroscopy, your should rest, elevate and ice your ankle. Follow our tips below and watch our video. stack some pillows and elevate your ankle gently move your ankle up and down to boost circulation (flexes) try not to...
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Post-knee arthroscopy info, including microfracture

December 11, 2014 Following a knee arthroscopy, including microfracture, you need to remain non-weight bearing for six weeks and not put your foot to the ground at all during this time. You also shouldn’t bend your knee all the way to a 90-degree angle as this will put too much of a strain on the deep structures in...
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Post-knee arthroscopy information

October 11, 2014 Follow-up information following recent arthroscopy surgery When you come out of surgery you will have a compression bandage which goes above and below the knee. This bandage needs to be on for at least three to four days. The bandage is quite thick so there’s no point in icing the area while the bandage is...
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Core exercises for swimmers

June 11, 2014 Pelican Waters Swim Club core program Core exercises are important to help swimmers perform better and swim easier. This video demonstrates various levels of exercises to strengthen your core muscles. These exercises can be performed at home, all you need is a fit ball and a couple of balance disks and a straight stick which is...
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Endurance events

May 5, 2014 Many people are now are pushing themselves to extreme physical limits with their chosen endurance sport and for most it is not a full time profession but rather needing to fit into a busy work / family schedule. As a physiotherapist on the Sunshine Coast we see many client enjoying our ideal climate and getting...
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Acupuncture, Dry needling, Cupping and Physiotherapy

January 12, 2014 In recent years there have been an increasing number of physiotherapists trained in dry needling and acupuncture.  At Sunshine Coast Sportscare our trained physiotherapists use dry needling and cupping as a part of their treatment regime for musculoskeletal conditions and will individually discuss with each client the role needling or cupping may have in assisting...
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How to do lateral ankle taping

January 11, 2014 Generic ankle strapping for a lateral ankle instability, i.e. if you have twisted your ankle. clean your skin to remove sweat and dirt start with an anchor point, not too tight, just a point to adhere more tape in different directions keep the foot flexed up then create some stirrups – always start from the...
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Charity Surf Event

November 24, 2013 Two weeks ago The Sportscare physiotherapy team were involved in a charity surf event to raise money for local families with children with disabilities.  As physiotherapists we understand the costs for families for specialised equipment required for making life easier for chldren with special needs.  This is the third year the sportscare team have been...
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Did you know?

July 27, 2013 Each of the Sportscare clinics has a stock of products for sale at very competitive prices. Items such as strapping tape, fit balls, braces, therapy band and foam rollers are often available cheaper than pharmacies and sports stores.  Contact your local Sportscare for details of what is available.

7 benefits of regular exercise

July 27, 2013 Want to feel better, have more energy and perhaps even live longer? Look no further than exercise. The health benefits of regular exercise and physical activity are hard to ignore. And the benefits of exercise are yours for the taking, regardless of your age, sex or physical ability. Need more convincing to exercise? Check out...
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Getting Pat on Track

July 27, 2013 Warana Sportscare has been part of a joint effort to assist international rugby league player Patrick Jack recover from a serious knee injury. Read more …

5-minutes with Francine Pehi

July 27, 2013 How long have you been doing Crossfit? I’ve been doing CROSFFIT for almost 4 years now with Lori and Lee KLEIN of CROSSFIT SUNSHINE COAST – Caloundra. Tell us a bit about the Crossfit Games and where are you ranked in the world? The Crossfit Games is the coming together of the worldwide Crossfit community,...
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Welcome

July 27, 2013 Well school holidays are over and we are quickly approaching the business end of the Winter sports season. In this newsletter read about dynamic stretching to really get you warmed up for upcoming semi-finals. Warana Sportscare has been helping an International Rugby league player recover from a serious knee injury. All systems go at Kawana...
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Our Physio from Caloundra

April 26, 2013 Russell Smallwood our Physiotherapist from Caloundra Sportscare on the Sunshine Coast is off to the swimming National Championships to be held at the South Australian Aquatic and Leisure Centre Adelaide from 26th April till 3rd May 2013. Russell will be the Physio for the Queensland Team. His duties will include loosening up and optimizing the...
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Sponsorship from Sportscare

April 6, 2013 Sportscare are committed to supporting individuals and teams achieve their sporting goals. If you’re searching for extra ways to get on top of your game, we’d love to receive your sporting resume, goals, a photo and some interesting information about you or your team. Once in receipt of this we’ll be able to determine how...
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Return of the running man or woman

April 6, 2013 For those of you looking to get a bit more serious and maybe even competing in fun-run events, the Sunshine Coast Marathon is in August this year, here are some things to help you get back into it without doing yourself injury. Read more.

Not tonight dear – I have a headache

April 6, 2013 Headache pain can apply to both men and women for a number of different reasons and can occur at the most inappropriate times. Headaches come in a number of different varieties, and yes you guessed it they are always a pain in the head. In this article we’ll provide you with a summary of main...
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Severs Disease and Winter Sports

April 6, 2013 With the start of preseason training for winter sports at Sportscare we often see an increase in presentation of children with heal pain. Read more.

Welcome

April 6, 2013 With 2013 well underway, the playing fields across the Sunshine Coast are set to be taken over by kids of all ages getting stuck in to mid-week rugby, netball, soccer and more. This month we’ve got some great tips on end of summer fitness, recognising Severs Disease and how you can partner with Sportscare to...
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Staff Profile – Mitch Matthews, Physiotherapist at Sportscare Kawana

February 22, 2013 Are you currently doing any further studies or self-improvement courses? Physiotherapy is a constantly changing profession. There is always new research coming out with the most up to date knowledge and treatment techniques which I am always keen to use. I also like to attend various post-graduate courses to continue building my expertise in all...
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Sportscare Sponsored Athlete– Callum Klein, Sunshine Coast Eagles

February 22, 2013 1. New Year’s Resolution? Alcohol ban until the season starts 2. Goals for 2013? To be better than in 2012 3. Childhood hero? Andrew Johns 4. Who inspired you to choose your sport? My dad, Russell who played for Valleys & Brothers in the old BRL days 5. Best achievement to date? To receive “Back...
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Born to Run, and Run, and Run

December 7, 2012 For those of us who love to hit the pavement, especially in the warmer months, sometimes we can push ourselves those few kilometres too far, resulting in aches, pains and even stress fractures which can keep us out of our joggers for long periods. Not good. There is a better way, which involves building up...
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Tape Me Up

December 7, 2012 We see elite athletes, rugby players even, with taping on various body parts as take to the track, field or arena. Have you ever wondered what the tape is doing? Some of you may have experienced taping personally, through your sports or seeing a Physiotherapist. Did you understand how it worked? There are two main...
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5-Minutes with Reef

December 7, 2012 We caught up with 13-year-old young gun local Caloundra surfer Reef Heazlewood and tossed a few questions at him. This is what Reef had to say. When did you first start surfing? When I was three Dad started doing tandem surfing with me. I would be on his shoulders, it was so much fun. Your...
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Staff Profile – Scott Russell Caloundra Physiotherapist

December 6, 2012 Hi Scott Can you please answer the following questions. What motivated you to work in the sports, health and fitness industry? I have always been involved in sport from a young age playing such as rugby league and squash. As I got older and injuries became a part of life I was exposed to the...
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Have a Ball this Month

November 7, 2012 We’re offering a great 20% discount off our full range of Swiss Balls as an incentive for those who have yet to discover the benefits of these to get rolling. This month you’ll save on our range of Swiss Balls with: 60cm and 65cm Swiss Balls normally $65 are now ONLY $52 75cm Swiss Ball...
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Suffering hip and groin pain in Caloundra?

September 18, 2012 Do your hips click? Do you find it difficult to squat right down because of hip or groin pain? Caloundra Sportscare physiotherapist Scott Russell may have the answer for you. He has recently attended a symposium on hip injuries and following are some interesting points that were covered during the symposium. Hip pain and Labral...
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Neck Injury Kawana

June 27, 2012 There are a number of commonly injured structures in the neck, including discs, facet joints, nerves, ligaments and muscles.  These structures can become injured due to poor posture, traumatic incident (e.g. motor vehicle accident) or repetitive stress. The most common symptom of injury is pain in the neck, but structures in the neck often refer...
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Repetitive Strain Injury (RSI) Warana

May 28, 2012 Repetitive Strain Injury (RSI) describes a group of conditions that include many localised injuries such as trigger finger, golfer’s and tennis elbow and carpal tunnel syndrome. The underlying cause of RSI is damage to muscles and tendons (and often the nerves that run through them) due to overuse. Overuse of these structures may occur due...
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Therese Darcy – New Warana Physiotherapist

April 18, 2012 Sportscare welcomes physiotherapist Therese Darcy to the Warana team. Therese has a Masters of Manipulative Physiotherapy from the University of Queensland, as well as a Post Graduate Diploma in Health Ergonomics from the University of Surrey. She has worked in both private practice and business/industry settings in Australia and the United Kingdom for many years...
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Biomechanics Sunshine Coast

March 21, 2012 The field of biomechanics looks at how the various parts of the body move during any particular activity. From a physiotherapy perspective, an understanding of the biomechanics of movement is vital in determining what structure or structures may be the cause of pain or less than optimal performance of a task. For example, in the...
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Anterior Shoulder Dislocation Caloundra

February 1, 2012 Anterior dislocation of the shoulder is the most common method of shoulder dislocation. It often occurs when the shoulder is in extreme ranges of abduction and external rotation such as when tackling in rugby or falling onto your outstretched hand. There is often a sudden onset of shoulder pain with a feeling of the shoulder...
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Sciatica Kawana

January 18, 2012 Sciatica is a general term referring to pain originating in the low back but radiating down the back of the leg in the distribution of the sciatic nerve. It can be caused by irritation of nerves as they exit the lower lumbar spine or compression of the sciatic nerve by muscular tension. The lumbar nerve...
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Shoulder Bursitis Warana

December 3, 2011 Bursae are small fluid-filled sacs usually situated between a bone and a tendon. The role of a bursa is to reduce friction associated with movement of tendon over bone.  There are numerous bursae around the hips, knees, shoulders, feet and elbows. The subacromial bursa in the shoulder joint is one of the most commonly affected....
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Acupuncture Sunshine Coast

November 15, 2011 Acupuncture and dry needling is available at our clinics in Caloundra, Kawana and Warana. A combination approach using traditional Western acupuncture points and dry needling can be used to assist in the recovery of your musculoskeletal complaints. Through various physiological mechanisms, acupuncture and dry needling can be effective in relaxing overactive muscles, increasing local blood...
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Frozen Shoulder Caloundra

October 1, 2011 Frozen shoulder, or adhesive capsulitis, refers to a condition where there is generalised restriction of shoulder movement associated with thickening and stiffness of the shoulder joint capsule. Frozen shoulder may occur following some trauma to the shoulder, such as rotator cuff tear, bursitis, fracture or surgery. It may also occur spontaneously. Frozen shoulder is more...
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Referred Pain Kawana

September 21, 2011 Background: Pain occurring in one area of the body may not be a result of injury or dysfunction in that particular area. Pain may arise from a local structure, but equally, it may be referred to that site from a structure some distance away. For example, pain felt in the buttocks is commonly due to...
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Low Back Pain Warana

August 15, 2011 Background Low back pain affects up to 85% of the population at some time in their lives. Most people (90%) will improve over 1-3 months depending on the severity of injury, but a large percentage of sufferers (50%) will have recurrent episodes. For this reason it is important to seek treatment for low back pain...
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Muscle Tear Sunshine Coast

July 20, 2011 Muscles are strained or torn when some or all of the fibres fail to cope with the demands placed upon them. A muscle is most likely to tear during sudden acceleration or deceleration. This can happen during the course of normal daily activities, with heavy lifting, during sports, or while performing work tasks. Some of...
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Meniscus Kawana

June 8, 2011 Menisci are found in your knee resting between the thigh (femur) and the shin (tibia) bones. There is the medial on the inside and the lateral on the outside. They are made of cartilage and disperse forces across the knee joint, improve stability and allow the bones to glide against each other without damaging the...
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Knee-cap Pain Caloundra

May 5, 2011 Patello- femoral Joint Syndrome refers to pain in and around the kneecap. It can vary in its presentation of pain, may/ may no have swelling, may/may not have a restriction in range and may/may not be tender on palpation. Aggravating factors can include, but aren’t limited to, running, stairs, repeated bending/ straightening of the knee....
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ITB Friction Syndrome Warana

April 6, 2011 The iliotibial band/ tract is a thickening of the fascia that originates at the top of the hip and runs down the outside of the thigh to insert on the outside of the knee. The tensor fasciae latae and gluteus maximus muscles both insert into the ITB. ITB friction syndrome refers to pain felt on...
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Cervico-genic Headaches Sunshine Coast

March 11, 2011 Headaches can occur for many reasons. There are many types of headaches so it is best to consult your Doctor before seeing a Physiotherapist. A cervico-genic headache is a condition where damage to joints, muscles, ligaments or nerves within the neck refers pain to the head causing a headache. They usually occur when excessive stress...
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New Tape Technology

February 9, 2011 Dynamic Tape is a shift in taping philosophy from traditional rigid strapping and even Kinesiotape.  The tape is stretchy, so that when it elongates with movement of the body, potential energy is built up in the tape to give an elastic rebound effect.  This can be used to contribute to the biomechanics of the movement. ...
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SIJ Dysfunction Warana

February 2, 2011 The Sacroiliac joint is located in the lower back and joints the tail bone/ sacrum to the pelvic bones/ ileums. There are two SIJs on either side and their job is to transfer weight from the spine to the pelvis. If excessive forces are placed on these joints, injury/ dysfunction may occur. This can be...
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Tennis Elbow Caloundra

January 13, 2011 Tennis elbow is a common overuse injury causing pain at the outer aspect of the elbow. The muscles that attach at the back of the forearm which extend (ie. bend back) the wrist and fingers have a common bony attachment at the outer aspect of the elbow (lateral epicondyle). When they contract, they place tension...
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Sprained Ankle Kawana

December 17, 2010 A sprained ankle refers to damage of the soft tissue and ligaments of the ankle. The most commonly affected ligament is the one on the front/ outside part of you ankle (lateral ligament). Sprains most commonly occur with rapid changes in direction, especially on uneven ground like in sports such as: basketball, football, volleyball and...
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Superior Labrum from Anterior to Posterior Warana

November 17, 2010 A SLAP tear is an injury to the labrum (the cuff of cartilage in the socket) of the shoulder. It stands for Superior Labrum from Anterior to Posterior. The SLAP tear occurs at the point where the tendon of the biceps muscle inserts on the labrum. This injury can occur and result from trauma, repetitive...
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MCL, Knee Joint Caloundra

October 17, 2010 The Medial Collateral Ligament (MCL) is on the inside of the knee joint and spans from the end of the femur (thigh bone) to the top of the tibia (shin bone). It resists widening of the inside of the joint, or prevents “opening-up” of the knee. The MCL is usually injured when the outside of...
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ACL, Knee Joint Warana

September 17, 2010 The anterior cruciate ligament is in the centre of the knee joint where it connects the femur (thighbone) to the tibia (shinbone). It controls forwards movement of the tibia on the femur. If the tibia moves too far forwards, it can rupture the ACL. Sports-related injuries are the most common and usually occur when landing...
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Pan Pacific Swimming Championships California

August 27, 2010 Russell Smallwood – Team Physiotherapist Russell Smallwood has just returned from the Pan Pacific swimming championships in California as the team physiotherapist for the Australian swim team. His role involved providing physiotherapy and massage for the swimmers to help optimize performance and keep their injuries under control. Russell says the most common things he has...
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Lower Limb Overuse, Shin Splint and Achillis Tendonitis Kawana

July 7, 2010 Lower Limb Overuse, Shin Splint and Achillis Tendonitis Kawana One of the primary reasons for lower limb overuse injuries such as ‘shin splints’ or achillis tendonitis is incorrect footwear. There are 4 main features of shoes that you need to be aware of when purchasing shoes. 1. Heel Cup – a good pair of running shoes...
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Sportscare Posture Guide Sunshine Coast

June 10, 2010 There is no ideal posture for all but in simple terms you need to hold yourself against gravity. Try this:- in standing make sure knees are soft (not locked out straight) and bone on outside of hips sits over ankles, shoulder blades remain broad with a line going from shoulders through hips to ankles and...
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Dealing with Shin Splints

April 5, 2010 With the onset of the football season we have had a proliferation of medial shin pain – sometimes called shin splints. If you have been suffering with pain and tightness along the inside of your shin and particularly if you have a rigid foot try this stretch. Stand next to a wall and rest foot...
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Massage for swimmers

December 11, 2009 Massage techniques parents can use on their swimmers at home These techniques are designed to improve specific movements swimmers need in order to swim fast. In behind the shoulder blade has a lot of trigger points and can get really tight. Get your swimmer to lay on their side and put their arm up and...
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