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Blog

By Team @ Physio On Miller Blog, featured , , , , , ,

Mindfulness and Pain

Mindfulness is the hot discussion topic for day number two of Women’s Health week. Research has shown that Mindfulness can be effective in helping us manage depression and anxiety. It can help to decrease stress, worry and anger.

But what is Mindfulness?

Mindfulness is about paying more attention to the present moment, being aware of what we are doing and where we are, without being distracted by the busy world around us. Mindfulness allows us to clear the mind and become responsive rather than reactive to situations.

Anyone can practice mindfulness!  Follow these simple tips to introduce mindfulness into your day:

  • Eating mindfully – enjoy your eating savouring each mouthful and away from screens, on the move or not at all
  • Daily mindfulness activities – use a daily task such as having a shower, catching the bus to be present to the moment
  • Walking mindfully – focus on your pace and breath while engaging your core and pelvic floor and enjoy the outdoors which can bring so much joy!

How can Mindfulness affect my pain levels?

Many people experience pain at some point in their lives but for those suffering from increased levels of stress, anxiety or depression these symptoms can be particularly intense and difficulty to manage. A review of the research found mindfulness can help reduce pain and depression symptoms and improve quality of life.

By Team @ Physio On Miller Blog, featured , , , , , ,

Women’s Health Week

Today marks the first day of the national Women’s Health Week – a week for women to stop and make their health a priority. This year, each day will focus on a different element of women’s health including heart health, mindfulness, bone health, physical activity and sleep and fatigue.

As health professionals we are encouraging you to get to know the facts to prevent illness and make positive changes in your life which can have a huge impact on your health.

Today we look at Heart Health

  • Heart disease is one of the biggest killers in women in Australia
  • Your risk of heart disease significantly increases following menopause
  • Get regular check ups with your GP to check blood pressure, cholesterol and blood sugar levels
  • Symptoms of heart attack are different to men and may present as dizziness, breathlessness or feeling sick, pain in the back, arm or jaw
  • Positive changes you can make:
    • Spend less time sitting
    • Snack on healthy nuts such as almonds or walnuts
    • Eat a healthy diet full of plants, legumes and a little fish and lean meat

For more information on how to live a healthy lifestyle particularly when it comes to heart disease click here.

If you are concerned about your heart health make sure you book an appointment with your GP. If you’re looking to improve your activity levels come and have a chat with one our physios to get a tailored exercise program to suit you.

By Team @ Physio On Miller Blog, featured , , , , , , , ,

Best Treatment for Knee OA

A new clinical care standard for the treatment for knee OA has been released by the Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care earlier this year. The standard states surgery should be a last resort for knee OA and exercise, weight loss and the use of pain relieving medication should be the gold standard treatment.

Knee Osteoarthritis is a degenerative disease in which the cartilage lining the joint begins to wear and the joint space begins to narrow. It can cause pain and disability making daily tasks such as walking, climbing stairs and squatting difficult. Patients who are overweight have double the risk of developing knee osteoarthritis, and obese patients have four times the risk.

Osteoarthritis affects about 2.1 million Australians and costs nearly $1.8 billion per year. Knee osteoarthritis is common particularly in over 45 year olds.

The ACSQHC has recommended a thorough assessment and clear diagnosis by your health professional without the need for an Xray or MRI. From this your health professional will develop a tailored program including education, exercises and weight loss guidelines to assist in the reduction of pain and disability. Only if conservative management has failed to improve your symptoms is surgery recommended.

The Commission’s Clinical Director Dr Robert Herkes said “it is crucial that clinicians provide patient education and help patients with knee osteoarthritis develop a tailored self-management plan to set realistic goals for reducing pain and to improve their participation in day-to-day activities.”

Our team at Physio On Miller can develop an exercise program and self-management program to assist in your knee OA.

By Team @ Physio On Miller Blog, featured

How to treat dizziness and vertigo

Vertigo is a common condition which affects up to 1 in 2 people. The great news, if you do suffer from vertigo, is physio can help to treat your dizziness and vertigo through a simple manoeuvre and exercises.

What is vertigo

Vertigo is a sensation of movement or spinning, tilting or swaying when your body is not actually moving. It is caused by an inner ear problem with the most common being Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo.

What are the symptoms

Those who have experienced vertigo describe it as though the world around them is spinning which can also cause nausea.

 

How physio can help

There are multiple possible causes of vertigo, some which need medical investigation. However the most common cause is BPPV (Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo). This is a non-life threatening condition where certain head positions or movements can trigger sudden, brief spells of the spinning sensation. BPPV is a mechanical problem of the inner ear in which the calcium carbonate crystals becomes dislodged and migrate into one of the three semicircular canals. These crystals interfere with normal fluid movement in the canals and send false messages to the brain about body position and movement.

 

Physiotherapy can help diagnose and treat BPPV. Physiotherapy for BPPV involves non-invasive techniques which use a sequence of guided head and body positioning techniques. These techniques are tolerated very well by patients and work by assisting the crystals to return to their normal position in the inner ear. In addition we provide advice on sleeping positions and general activity to prevent re-occurrence of this condition.

By Team @ Physio On Miller Blog, featured , , , , ,

Abdominal Separation After Pregnancy – How Physio Can Help

Abdominal separation after pregnancy is very common. It is also know as Diastasis of Rectus Abdominis Muscle and refers to the separation of the two sides of your rectus abdominis during pregnancy.
Abdominal Separation After Pregnancy
This can occur as your baby grows and the uterus expands it pushes the muscles apart which over time lengthens them. Most women would not notice any issues but you may notice a small bulge developing above and below your belly button.
Once you have given birth this separation generally returns to normal within a couple of months. If this is still present after this then it may increase your risk of back pain as you do not have the support from your abdominal muscles. Following giving birth you may have your separation checked in hospital otherwise one of the team at Physio on Miller will be happy to do this for you.
Generally, the separation is measured in fingers. A one-two finger separation is not too much of a
problem but if your separation is larger or has not reduced within two months speak to one of our
physiotherapists. It is important that you avoid exercises that over work the rectus abdominis (outer
abdominal layer) and that you build the strength of your deep abdominals and pelvic floor muscles.
One of our team of physios will be able to advise you as to exercises that are safe for you to complete.