A physio practice dedicated to understanding your problem and helping you get painfree fast. What makes Adelaide West Physio and Pilates different?
You will notice the difference as soon as you walk in the door. You will feel like you have been listened to - we spend more face to face time with you so that we can fully understand your problem. You have our undivided attention for the whole appointment time. We don’t put you on a machine and treat someone else at the same time. We have expertise that set us apart:
• headache and migraine solutions
• low back pain
• persistent pain
• sports physiotherapy
• running performance and running injuries
• credentialled McKenzie therapists who use the McKenzie method
We are fully committed to helping you get better quicker - it is more than just a job. Our passion is helping, that is why we chose to become physiotherapists and massage therapists. You will know exactly what is going on - we provide you with a clear plan of attack and an estimate of the number of treatment sessions required to get you better. You can feel reassured that we know our stuff - we spend time and money on continuing professional development and higher qualifications. We are committed to using scientific evidence to inform our treatment so you get better quicker and you get the best bang for your buck. Adelaide West is an independent physiotherapy clinic, not part of a franchise. That means we have autonomy in how we do things, which means that we can be more responsive to our patients so we can help you the best we can. You will enjoy using our fully-equipped and supervised Pilates studio - it doesn’t matter if you are completely new to Pilates, we give all the help that you need to make sure that you get the best out of it. If you suffer from headaches, we have a dedicated headache service - Adelaide West Headache Clinic - for more information, see www.adelaidewestphysio.com.au/headache-clinic or the Adelaide West Headache Clinic page. If you are looking for something to help out with tired or tight muscles, or you are an athlete looking for a pre or post game massage, you can't go past our Remedial Massage Therapists, who also work closely with the physiotherapists. All of this means that you get quicker results with less visits. On top of that, we have arguably the friendliest practice around, with the best reception staff!
10/03/2026
BOOK OF THE MONTH: for anyone who would like an easy read to help understand their pain. We like this book because:
• the stories are short and funny.
• each story illustrates a particular aspect of pain biology.
• it is easy to pick up and put down with the short chapters (which is ideal if pain affects your concentration span)
You can tell by the state of the book that this has been read a lot!
09/03/2026
😫 If you’ve been stuck in a cycle of headaches, appointments, and vague advice, that can get frustrating fast.
A good headache consult should be more structured than that.
We start with red flags to make sure anything needing medical review is picked up early.
Then we look for a pattern: what the headache feels like, where it spreads, what triggers it, and what helps settle it.
Then comes the assessment.
Using the Watson Headache Approach, we test whether the upper neck is meaningfully involved.�
And we’re not looking for a maybe-someday response.
We’re looking for a noticeable shift within a short period of time if that area is a true contributor.
You should also leave knowing what the plan is — and how progress will be measured.
Not guesswork.�
Not endless trial and error.�
A clearer process.
That’s what a headache assessment should aim to provide.
07/03/2026
05/03/2026
😫 Don't talk to me about New Year's Resolutions! And yet they still matter - you presumably made those resolutions for a reason.
And there ARE 10 months left in the year - so don't forget about them just yet!
🤔 Consider this.
The 'choice point' is a useful concept to put things in perspective.
When there is a choice to make about what you do (a choice point), think about whether what you choose to do is moving you TOWARDS or AWAY from what you want to do in life, your values, or who you want to be.
These can be called 'towards moves' and 'away moves'.
The point isn’t to get down on yourself if you are making 'away moves'.
It’s just to recognise them as that, not to pass judgement.
So if you are berating yourself about what you promised to do at the start of the year and saying to yourself ‘I have no willpower’ or ‘I need to learn discipline’, remember that there are just humans labels for describing a pattern of committed action.
(I say human labels because I bet dogs don’’t think of themselves as being disciplined or having willpower).
😬 And what does committed action mean?
It means making towards moves - even when you don’t feel like doing it.
Even when there are unpleasant thoughts and feelings that come up with it. Even when it is easier not to.
So instead of saying to yourself ‘I don’t have the willpower’ and blaming it on this thing called willpower, think about what you really value and who you want to be.
It’s kind of entering into the world of psychology a bit, but it is veryrelevant for someone with musculoskeletal pain. Or persistent dizziness. Or stress incontinence.
You might value being able to do stuff with your grandkids, or drive for a certain period or walk for a certain distance.
Towards moves are doing the things that you need to do, the exercises, the graded activity, learning more about it.
Even if it takes effort. Even if you don’t feel like it sometimes. Even if you can’t be stuffed learning about it.
The bigger picture is the values that you have, the stuff that you want to do.
Reach your goals, fulfil your values - one committed action and one 'towards move' at a time.
05/03/2026
😵💫 If you’re still not feeling right a few weeks after a concussion, it doesn’t always mean you just need more time.
Persistent symptoms often hang around when one (or more) of these systems hasn’t settled yet:
• Neck
• Balance/vestibular system
• Vision system
• Autonomic system (things like dizziness, fatigue, “wired but tired”)
In those cases, more rest usually isn’t the thing that shifts it.
What tends to help most is active rehab: gradually rebuilding movement, balance, visual control, and tolerance to activity in a supported way.
Rest matters early. But long-term rest can keep symptoms lingering.
If things haven’t settled, it may be worth checking in with a physio who works in concussion care so you can understand what’s driving your symptoms — and move forward safely.
Message us if you want a chat about any of this!!
04/03/2026
We love having you around Howard. Your energy, your curiosity, your genuine kindness and care for your patients and staff too. We appreciate you!
03/03/2026
Rolled your ankle again and now it feels like it could happen anytime? 😵💫
Repeat sprains often aren’t because the ligament “never healed”…
It’s because your balance + reaction speed didn’t fully come back after the first one.
Two things that consistently help:
👍Balance/proprioception training (your body’s “where am I in space?” sense)
👍 Bracing for games / high-chaos sessions
Simple rule:
Brace for sport. Train balance without the brace.
Then wean the brace as confidence and control returns.
If swelling comes on fast, you can’t weight bear, or it keeps giving way — get it checked by a physio.
02/03/2026
🤔 If your shoulder was playing up, you’d get it assessed and rehabbed. Your pelvic floor deserves the same logic.
These muscles can be checked for tone, strength and coordination by a pelvic floor physio, then we tailor rehab to what you actually need in real life.
That might be:
• sneezing or laughing without leakage
• getting your key in the door without that “uh oh” moment
• feeling more in control and confident day to day
😬 It can feel awkward to bring up… but it’s a conversation we have every day in women’s health physio.
If you’ve got questions about pelvic health, you’re welcome to message us for a chat.
25/02/2026
If you play basketball regularly, ankle sprains and stubborn knee pain can feel like they’re always lurking. 😵💫
The thing is… injury prevention isn’t about playing cautious. It’s about being prepared so you can play freely.
In practice, it usually comes down to 3 things:
🏀 A structured warm-up (not just a jog + a few shots)
🏀 Strong lower limbs (strength isn’t only upper body)
🏀 Sensible load (avoid sudden spikes)
Where we see people get caught out: tournaments, extra sessions, and rushing back after an injury — that’s when problems stack up.
Simple plan:
✅ Warm up every session
✅ Leg day twice a week
✅ Keep your week realistic (small increases beat big jumps)
😵💫 Dizziness is like a smoke alarm.�It’s a warning signal — not a diagnosis.
BPPV (“crystals”) is only one possible cause.�Dizziness can also be linked to vestibular migraine, neuritis/labyrinthitis, PPPD, concussion/whiplash, cervicogenic dizziness, vision changes, medication side effects, hydration/blood sugar changes, and more.
That’s why copying someone else’s “dizziness fix” can miss the mark.�The most helpful next step is usually a proper assessment to match the plan to the cause.
If you’re unsure what to do next, consider asking a vestibular physio 👍
23/02/2026
After we finished up on Saturday, we popped down to Henley Square 🍦
What a cool way to finish up a Saturday morning in the clinic, driving down to the square for an ice cream in Howard's new wheels!
So grateful working with such a great bunch of people!! 🙏
Which movie has a group of heros walk in row in slow motion towards the camera? Independence Day?
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Contact The Practice
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Read our story and see if we sound like your kind of people!
to provide a reliable and professional service with the highest level of expertise, using the best current research, science and consensus.
to help our patients reach their maximum potential of their physical health and quality of life by establishing and working towards the patients’ own goals.
to make use of the power of education and self-management principles wherever possible.
to provide our services in a friendly, supportive and caring environment, by enthusiastic practitioners, with acknowledgement of the importance of psychological health as part of total health.
We aren’t part of a franchise – we don’t dance to the tune of a head office.
If our customers or one of our staff suggests an improvement to our practice, we can just do it!
We value our continuing education very highly – we each attend external courses throughout the year and we invest in our physios to do so. Plus we hold two sessions of one hour of continuing education each week.
In other words, that’s two hours each week to improve the outcomes for our customers and clients.
The end result? Our customers get results faster and save money and time.
You should feel really welcome to give feedback – good or bad, feedback is the only way that we know how we are doing as a clinic.
We always want to know how we can improve.
Some of our services are quite special – there aren’t many practices in Adelaide with:
- a Headache and Migraine clinic and a Watson Headache Certified Practitioner
- Credentialed McKenzie Method therapists and a focus on the well-researched McKenzie Method
- our knowledge and passion for pain biology and novel approaches to persistent pain
- involvement in studies with UniSA and Return To Work SA
- physios with an in-depth understanding of strength and conditioning
- regular GLA:D exercise classes for knee and hip osteoarthritis management
You can be sure that we are using the best evidence to back up our treatment methods – you won’t find us using outdated concepts, unnecessary or ineffective electrotherapy, or any ‘pseudoscience’ like many sadly do in health.
It means getting your results faster instead of stuck in wasteful and expensive treatment cycles.
We take the time – our appointments are purposely scheduled to give you the time that you need to explain your problem and so that we can really listen. You won’t feel bundled out of the door with a bunch of unanswered questions. You will have our undivided attention for your whole appointment.
We want you to understand your problem. You need to understand it to get the best results.
We make an effort to stay in touch – we want to make sure that you get exactly the outcome that you are looking for.
We follow up with all our clients because we aren’t satisfied until you are.
We offer 5 guarantees on your visits - there aren’t many places that offer guarantees in health care! You can read more about them here.
This is a sign of how much we believe in our therapists and front desk staff.
You will know exactly what is going on - if you have something wrong, there is nothing quite like having a clear explanation of what is wrong, a plan of attack of how you are going to get better and an estimate of your recovery time.
We provide you with a clear plan of attack and an estimate of the number of treatment sessions required to get you better
