Albany Creek Physiotherapy and Sports Injuries Centre

21/03/2026

Today is Harmony Day, and here at Albany Creek Physiotherapy we ensure that everyday, everyone feels included, respected, and has a sense of belonging. 🧡

20/03/2026

We are open tomorrow (Saturday)
from 8am til 12pm
and have appointments available!
Call or book online

17/03/2026

Proprioception and balance

Have you ever started a new hobby and noticed that your balance isn’t quite as good as you thought it was? It is very easy for your balance to deteriorate if it’s not being challenged regularly.

What is balance?
Balance means your centre of gravity is maintained over your base of support, which prevents you from falling. Your balance is controlled by the visual, vestibular, proprioceptive and musculoskeletal systems.

What is proprioception?
Proprioception is the awareness of your body’s position in space. The muscles, skin, tendons and ligaments send sensory information to the brain, and these messages are interpreted to identify where the body parts are positioned. For example, you know that your foot is flat and ready to take your weight during a step without even looking at it.

How to improve balance:
A physiotherapist can assess your balance. However, there are some tests you can do at home to see if you should be improving your balance:
1. Stand with your feet together and try to balance. If that’s easy, try closing your eyes.
2. Stand on one foot. If that’s easy, close your eyes once you have got your balance with your eyes open.
3. Increase the difficulty by standing on an uneven surface like a pillow on the floor.
Ensure you have someone nearby, and have a chair behind you and a support to hold onto in front of you before doing these quick tests.

If you think your balance needs to be improved, try balancing in those positions for 30 seconds a few times per day.

10/03/2026

Thoracic outlet syndrome

What is thoracic outlet syndrome?
Between the neck and shoulder there is a small opening that allows numerous nerves and blood vessels to pass from the neck to the arm. This is called the thoracic outlet. These nerves and blood vessels supply the arm, chest and shoulder blade. However, these structures can become compressed and irritated if this very small opening is narrowed. Trauma to the neck, overuse of the arm or an extra rib in the neck can causes thoracic outlet syndrome.

What are the symptoms?
In thoracic outlet syndrome, the nerves or blood vessels (or both) can become irritated. Usually, it is the nerves that become compressed.
If the nerves are affected, symptoms may include pins and needles or numbness in the arm or hand. Pain and tiredness in the arm can also be present, especially with overuse of the arm. Some people may also experience neck pain or headaches.
If blood vessels are affected, swelling, discolouration, or pain of the affected arm may occur. The decreased blood flow can also cause the arm to feel cold and cramping in the arm or hand can occur.

Who is usually affected?
Thoracic outlet syndrome happens more often to people who work with their arms overhead, such as construction workers or hairdressers.

How can physiotherapy help?
A physiotherapist will assess factors such as your posture, your spine’s flexibility, and the length of your neck muscles. These assessments will help your physio decide whether you may need to stretch or strengthen muscles, modify the way you move, or improve your posture. A physiotherapist will also use manual therapy techniques such as joint mobilisations or massage. The rehabilitation time for thoracic outlet syndrome can differ based on symptom severity and causes, meaning it can take a few treatments to several weeks to see improvements.

03/03/2026

Shoulder Dislocations

The shoulder is a very flexible joint, which is connected to the body via a complex system of muscles, bones, and ligaments. Due to its increased flexibility and movement, the shoulder has reduced stability. This means it is more prone to being dislocated.

What is a dislocation and how does it happen?
A shoulder dislocation is where the head of the upper arm shifts from its normal position in the socket. The shoulder can dislocate in many different directions, with the most common being a forward dislocation. Some people are more vulnerable to dislocations due to the nature of their muscles and ligaments, whereas others may require a traumatic injury to dislocate their shoulder.

Protocol for a shoulder dislocation
If your shoulder dislocates, it may go back in on its own (spontaneous relocation). If it doesn’t, then a professional must help put it back in place. They will assess the type of dislocation and the best way to relocate it. An x-ray may be required before the relocation, and a small fracture can occur during the relocation process.

How can physiotherapy help?
A physio can provide education about how to allow the shoulder to heal as well as possible. This usually involves keeping the shoulder protected (often in a sling) for some time. Then, a physio can provide exercises that help strengthen and stabilise the shoulder joint in order to prevent future dislocations. Without this strengthening and stabilising, a previously dislocated shoulder may be more vulnerable to recurrent dislocations.

26/02/2026

Running Tips for Beginners

Running can be a little complicated if you’ve never done it before or you’re getting back into it after a while. Here are some tips to help optimise your running program and avoid injury:

Don’t overdo it:
Rest is very important, as your body needs time to recover from working hard. Aim to run every second or third day, starting out with a small distance, and gradually increasing your distance and pace each week.

Don’t forget strength training:
Increasing the strength of your muscles can help your running, especially if there are certain muscles that are weak, such as the gluteal muscles or calves. Strength training will help prevent injuries, and this can be guided by a physiotherapist.

Your shoes and the running surface matter:
Running on a soft, flat surface such as grass is encouraged, as running on hard or uneven surfaces can lead to unnatural distribution of forces through the body. Wearing the right shoes can also help ensure the forces are distributed evenly and appropriately.

Listen to your body:
Delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS) and some aches and pains that last a day or two are normal following a running session. However, if your pain lasts longer than 48 hours or is preventing you from running, it is important to speak to a professional as soon as possible. Early treatment is encouraged so that you can get back to running pain-free as soon as possible.

13/02/2026

Knees sore just from watching the moguls at the Winter Olympics? ⛷️
Neck sore from falling asleep in front of the tv watching the Games? 🫩
We have appointments available tomorrow morning at the clinic! Call 32643244 or book online through our website. 📱

10/02/2026

Why do joints become stiff?

You may have noticed that some of your joints feel stiff without being painful. This can limit your ability to perform your usual tasks, and may even be a sign that those joints are vulnerable to future injury.

Here are some of the most common causes of joint stiffness:

Disuse and Lack of Movement
Our joints can begin to feel tight when we don’t regularly move them through their full range. The capsule that surrounds the joint can stiffen, and the muscles can lose their flexibility as well.

Osteoarthritis (OA)
OA is a degenerative disease where the cartilage in joints is broken down and bony spurs start to appear. OA is very common as we get older, but it can be exacerbated by muscle weakness and abnormal load on joints. As the joint breaks down, it can feel stiff, and this stiffness is usually worst after long period of rest.

Tips to Reduce Joint Stiffness
* Move your joints regularly through full range
* Strengthen the muscles surrounding your joints
* Reduce long periods of sedentary behaviour

30/01/2026

We have physio and Pilates appointments available tomorrow between 8-12pm. Appointments can be made online via our website or by calling 3264 3244.

26/01/2026

EVIDENCE BASED TREATMENT FOR KNEE AND HIP OSTEOARTHRITIS. The GLAD Program is an education and exercise program designed for people with knee and hip osteoarthritis.

It consists of 2 education sessions, and 12 exercise sessions (2 sessions per week for 6 weeks).
Our next program will be commencing on Monday the 2nd of February.
Call our clinic on 32643244 to book your spot or to find out any more details.

25/01/2026

We are closed today for Australia Day, but will re-open at 7:30 tomorrow morning
🐨🦘☀️🍺💚💛

19/01/2026

We’re looking for someone to join our admin team. 😁 Get in touch if you think you’d be a great candidate.

WE’RE HIRING!
We’re looking for someone to join our wonderful admin team.
We have a casual position available, for approximately 10 hours per week.
Training is provided, and would suit someone who is friendly, dedicated, able to work in a busy environment, and who has some flexibility with work hours.
If it sounds like you would be a suitable candidate please send your resume to info@albanycreekphysiotherapy.com.au (or feel free to tag someone who you think would be interested)
😁😁