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Physiotherapy

Diagnosis, treatment, and management of musculoskeletal conditions, sporting injuries, and chronic health conditions to reduce pain and improve function.

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Hand Clinic

A hand injury or condition can significantly affect quality of life and function. SportsCare has the largest combined hand therapy team across three locations.

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Exercise Physiology

The delivery of evidence-based exercise programs for the prevention and management of chronic health conditions and musculoskeletal injuries.

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Concussion Clinic

We collaborate with clients and physicians to co-manage concussion injuries so patients can safely return to work and play using an evidence-based concussion care approach.

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Performance Project

SportsCare’s Performance Project is a collection of specialised equipment, analysis, and methods with experienced clinical experts with the aim to improve performance in your sport or activity.

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Other services

Click here to learn more about our other services such as our Running Lab, Massage, Bikefit, Group Classes, Hydrotherapy, and Men’s and Women’s Health Classes.

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It’s well-known that exercise is important for our general health. It can help manage cardiovascular health, cholesterol, and blood pressure, lower the risk of type 2 diabetes and some cancers, and plenty more. Prescribing exercise is becoming increasingly common for GPs and other health professionals, as our knowledge about how regular physical activity affects our wellbeing continues to grow.

Exercise Physiologists are university-qualified health professionals who provide education and support regarding physical activity to achieve a client’s goals, improve their general health, or manage health conditions.

We asked one of our Exercise Physiologists, Dominik from our Barton and Bruce clinics, about how Exercise Physiology is used to manage chronic diseases.

Firstly, a bit about chronic disease

The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) defines chronic diseases as “Long-lasting conditions with persistent effects.”[i] They can have social and economic consequences that impact a person’s quality of life, such as prolonged pain, loss of functionality or freedom of movement, and financial strain to manage the condition/s. Australia is seeing a rise in chronic diseases due to lifestyle and environmental factors, an ageing population, and our improved ability to diagnose conditions.

There are 10 major chronic condition groups that are commonly reported on by AIHW:

1. Arthritis
2. Asthma
3. Back pain
4. Cancer
5. Cardiovascular disease
6. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
7. Diabetes
8. Chronic kidney disease
9. Mental health conditions
10. Osteoporosis

In 2017-18, AIHW reported:

• 47% of Australians had 1 or more of the 10 selected chronic conditions.
• 51% of hospitalisations involved 1 of the 10 selected chronic conditions.
• 89% of deaths in 2018 were associated with at least 1 of the 10 selected chronic diseases.

How does Exercise Physiology help manage chronic diseases?

Based on the individual condition, exercise can help improve the effect of medications and treatment, and can improve general health and the body’s resilience to disease (for example, improve bone mineral density and reduce symptoms of depression and anxiety). Evidence shows that participating in regular moderate forms of physical activity can delay the onset, slow down the progression, and reduce mortality in chronic disease.[ii]

Our Exercise Physiologists, like Dominik at our Barton and Bruce clinics (and we also have EPs in our Dickson, and Weston clinics), work with our clients to develop goal-focussed effective future plans that prescribe appropriate exercises and physical activity to help improve general health and manage chronic conditions.

EPs can be recommended by your GP as part of a Chronic Disease Management or Team Care Arrangement, but you can also book an appointment with an Exercise Physiologist as a private patient without a referral to improve and manage your health and chronic conditions.

Referral through a GP

First up, make an appointment with your GP about any concerns, symptoms, or to discuss management of any chronic diseases.

Following the appointment with your GP regarding chronic disease, your GP may then put you on a Chronic Disease Management Plan or Team Care Arrangements which would include a referral to an EP. With that referral, you can then book an initial consultation with one of our EPs (which you can do online or call 1800 001 500 to reach one of our clinics).

In an initial consult, an Exercise Physiologist will ask you questions about your medical and injury history to set goals for your health, focusing on improving quality of life. They will also complete some clinical assessments to objectively measure your health and relevant function, such as cardio-respiratory testing, grip strength, balance tests, and other tests. These assessments help your EP develop an exercise program tailored specifically for you. At the Barton clinic, Dom likes using the AxIT System to objectively measure patients’ strength and function because it provides reliable quantitative data. Our EPs will use a range of approaches and equipment to test effectively.  

“Based on the patient’s goals, assessment results, and any special considerations or contraindications, I’ll formulate an effective future plan,” Dom said. “That plan may entail a home exercise program or exercises the patient regularly does with me in-clinic.”

After that initial consultation, your EP will be in touch with your GP periodically to report on progress and milestones as needed for a Chronic Disease Management Plan.

You may then see your EP once or twice a week or once every few weeks (depending on your case) to complete monitored exercises and review your program according to how your body is responding. Clients on a Chronic Disease Management Plan or Team Care Arrangement may be eligible for rebates.

How it works as a private patient

You don’t need a referral for an Exercise Physiologist, so you can book an initial consultation with an EP to achieve health and/or fitness goals, such as improve your general health or improve function after a surgery or injury, or simply manage your health and wellbeing, such as reducing pain caused by arthritis or improve your mental health. You can book an initial consultation online or via phone.

Our EPs will use the same approach for your initial consult, discussing your current condition, needs and goals, assessing your fitness, strength, and function as needed, and formulating a plan to help you achieve your goals and improve quality of life. That plan can be delivered via the smartphone app we use, called PhysiApp, emailed as a PDF to the patient, or printed for the client to have a hardcopy.

Private patients will then have follow-up sessions with their EP as needed for their case, which could be once a week for a short period of time to closely monitor early function and progress, or once every 4-6 weeks. Once you’re comfortable with your program, you might check in with your EP every 8 weeks to switch up your program as needed or simply book an appointment to address any concerns or new goals. Your EP will advise you on how frequently they recommend you attend the clinic for check-ups or for program updates to be made.

How often should you see an EP?

How often you work with an Exercise Physiologist is completely up to you. Dom likes to use the dentist metaphor: there is no black and white finish date; to ensure you continue to optimise your health, regular check-ups are advised if recommended by your EP.

“Clients can work with their EP periodically for proactive management if it’s important to them, or book an appointment to address any concerns or get back to where they were after an event such as injury or surgery,” Dom said.

“We will also often work with our Physiotherapists directly and that’s a significant advantage for our clients at SportsCare. A client may transition from treatment and restoring function after injury with a Physio to improving function and performance with an EP,” he said. “We’re here to help people do what they love to do and improve their quality of life, it’s a privilege to play a role in a patient’s journey. There’s nothing better than a patient telling you they can go about their day with less or no pain,” he concluded.

Interested in booking with one of our Exercise Physiologists to manage a condition, achieve a health or fitness goal, or improve performance? Find an Exercise Physiologist and book an appointment online or call us 1800 001 500 to reach one of our clinics.

References:

[i] Chronic disease Overview – Australian Institute of Health and Welfare. (2022). Retrieved 1 April 2022, from https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports-data/health-conditions-disability-deaths/chronic-disease/overview#:~:text=Chronic%20diseases%20are%20long%20lasting,action%20in%20the%20health%20sector

[ii] Norton K. Position statement on physical activity and exercise intensity terminology. Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport. 2010;13(5):496-502.

So far throughout this pandemic, the main focus of the public health message has been centred around avoiding infection – and many of us had been able to successfully do this.

But as the situation in Australia has and continues to shift, and more and more of us are facing our own personal battles with COVID-19, now is an important time for us to share advice on how to look after yourself after you have recovered from the illness.

SportsCare is here to help you remain fit and healthy without putting yourself or others at risk of COVID-19, whether you’re doing everything you can to avoid it, have tested positive and/or in isolation, or recovering. Here’s what we’ve learnt from recent research and in-clinic experience:

1. 1. Avoid COVID-19
   2. After you’ve been infected, while you are positive or in isolation
   3. Once you have recovered

Avoiding COVID-19

Research published in 2021 indicated that regular physical activity helps reduce your risk of contracting COVID-19.¹ Like other acute respiratory infections, your body’s response to the virus depends on factors including genetics, age, and physical state.

Regular physical exercises act as a modulator of the immune system. During and after physical exercise, pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines are released, lymphocyte circulation increases, as does cell recruitment.

Simply put, exercising helps your body produce and spread important chemicals, and accelerates the reproduction of cells. These all have an impact on the lower incidence, intensity of symptoms, and mortality in viral infections observed in people who are physically active.

Physical activity strengthens the immune system, suggesting a benefit in the response to viral communicable diseases. Thus, regular practise of adequate intensity is suggested as an auxiliary tool in strengthening and preparing the immune system for COVID-19.

However, it is essential to continue following government advice to avoid putting yourself and others at risk of contracting COVID-19. Importantly, exercise is not an excuse to leave isolation.

When you are positive or in isolation with COVID-19

It is recommended that you do not exercise while having COVID-19, even if you’re asymptomatic. However, depending on the severity of your symptoms, there are some activities you can do that have a low impact on the body.

Activities such as stretching, Yoga, breathing exercises, or working on your hand-eye coordination by bouncing a ball against a wall or learning to juggle are great ways to stay active without putting too much strain on your body.

These exercises will not only help get your blood pumping without placing a lot of stress on your body, but will also contribute to your mental wellbeing. However, if these activities cause dizziness or excessive shortness of breath, stop immediately and seek professional medical advice.

If you’re after personalised advice, telehealth appointments are available with our practitioners. These appointments are available to help you remain as active as is safely possible.

Once you have recovered

Once you have fully recovered from COVID-19, are symptom-free and have adhered to your advised isolation period, an appropriate gradual progression of resistance and cardio activity is critical to minimise the length of time it takes you to return to normal activity. Returning to pre-COVID activity and training loads prematurely can delay or prolong your physical recovery.

In an interview with The Guardian’s Manuela Callari, Professor of Exercise Medicine at Edith Cowan University, Dr Robert Newton, says that the Coronavirus can damage various organs, causing ongoing fatigue.

“The cardiorespiratory system can’t deliver oxygen to the working muscles efficiently. So what was a light to moderate intensity activity previously feels quite vigorous now.”

The Professor goes on to say that sleep and rest help your immune system to fight the disease, but it is critical to start moving again to avoid further weakening of your body about seven days after the major symptoms have disappeared.

We also recommend an initial 60-minute appointment with one of our experienced Exercise Physiologists to gather initial information such as your fatigue levels, current physical activity, and short and long-term goals for your recovery.

We recommend this is followed by three standard consultations to review and progress.

The first of these appointments would be approximately a week after leaving isolation, and then we would organise follow-up appointments in line with your goals to review progress and prescribe appropriate steps for a return to full activity.

Book an appointment with one of our Exercise Physiologists at the Dickson, Weston, Barton, or Bruce clinics at www.sportscarephysio.com.au#book or call 1800 001 500 to reach your clinic.

COVID-19 Recovery Resources:

https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2022/feb/17/how-to-move-exercising-after-having-covid-19?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other

ACT Health COVID Advice:

https://www.covid19.act.gov.au/

References:

1. 1. 1. Physical exercise as a tool to help the immune system against COVID-19: an integrative review of the current literature (da Silveira, M.P., da Silva Fagundes, K.K., Bizuti, M.R. et al, 2021).

https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10238-020-00650-3

Unfortunately, lockdown means team sport is on hold, gyms are closed, and even outside exercise is limited. However, we can use this time to keep fit in other ways and try new activities to stay active. Who knows, you could even be fitter and stronger by the end of lockdown!

Here are some helpful hints to keep fit during a lockdown:

1. Do what you enjoy

• If you normally play soccer, do some juggling, set up some soccer agility drills, do the FIFA 11+ program, try some soccer Pilates, or kick a ball at a wall to maintain and improve your touch.
• If rugby is your game, practice passing a ball at a target or to a household member, and try some rugby-specific strengthening exercises such as push ups, lunges, or sprints.
• If you’re a netballer or basketballer, work on your shooting or passing or try the Netball Australia KNEE Program.
• If you’re a cyclist – that’s easy! If you have a trainer or stationary bike, there are some great apps for social trainer rides, or complete 5km time trials around your suburb and see how many you can fit into an hour. You can also try some stretching, body weight exercises, and stretch and loosen your muscles with a foam roller (foam rollers are available for purchase at most of our clinics).
• For runners, try treadmills, laps around your suburb, running drills, or a riding a bike and exercises like hops, jumps, and step-ups will all help strengthen those running muscles.
• If you are a gym goer, use whatever equipment you have at home. You can design your own workout, follow an exercise app, or book a telehealth appointment with one of our Exercise Physiologists or Physiotherapist to design and coach you through a tailored workout.

For more ideas, you can always contact your Physiotherapist or Exercise Physiologist for guidance on how to get the most out of what you can do at home.

2. Vary your workout and keep it regular

It’s great if you can manage a workout every day for 30-60 minutes. Use lockdown as an opportunity to try something new each day.  Here are some activities you can try while in lockdown:

• Yoga
• Pilates
• HIIT workouts
• Sprints on your driveway or at your local park
• Running relays with your family or household
• Stretching
• Bodyweight exercises
• Set up a circuit in your garage or even around the house (this is a great one to include the kids). Your exercises could be squats, burpees, sit ups, and balance challenges.
• Sport-specific drills and skills
• If you don’t own weights, use your kids, a pet, or your partner; they will find it even more entertaining than you
• Try an online class with your Physiotherapist, Exercise Physiologist, gym, or coach.
• Try an online group class by one of our clinics.
  • Call the clinic hosting the class you’re interested in to book your place. A free trial session is available and you can purchase passes for multiple sessions. Classes run on school terms and may be eligible for private health rebate.
• Try our general body strength workout, minimal equipment required.

It’s important to give yourself a rest day when you need it but avoid more than one day off as it is very easy to drop out of your regular exercise when you are out of your normal routine.

Remember to avoid overloading your body with new activity too. Gradually increase new activities to avoid overuse and other injuries.

3. Challenge your team-mates or friends

If you normally play a team sport or have a competitive nature, setting a team challenge is a great way to engage your teammates, friends, and family during lockdown and keep your body moving. Challenge your teammates with all sorts of activities for bragging rights or prizes. This will also help you stay connected with your friends and active.

Some example challenges include:

• Plank hold
• Push ups
• Calf raises
• Sit ups
• Hop distance
• Best balance on one leg with our eyes closed
• Who can get the ball in the basket from the furthest distance
• Highest soccer juggles or longest ball balance

You can keep track of who wins the most challenges and all chip in a takeaway dinner, voucher, or prize for the winner(s).

Final Thoughts

Staying positive during lockdown is essential to maintaining your overall health and wellbeing during a challenging time. Rather than stressing about what you can’t do right now, enjoy what you can, try new things, challenge yourself, rehab any problem areas or existing injuries, and most importantly, keep smiling.

We are here to help you during lockdown with telehealth appointments and face-to-face (with masks and other COVID-19 health measures in place) available with our clinicians to develop exercise or mobility programs, complete assessments, and hold follow-up sessions, or join one of our online classes. Book an appointment online or via phone and you can contact us if you have any questions.

Stay healthy and safe!

Photo by Arek Adeoye on Unsplash