Physio Phebe

15/06/2023

PILATES FOR HEALTHY HEARTS- raising funds for the Heart Foundation 💚💚

Our physio Kristy is tackling in July- a team trekking challenge that proudly supports the . As part of her fundraising efforts, Kristy is calling back from maternity leave to help her take our regular 10am circuit Pilates class on Friday 30th June! There will be fun, fitness and some good tunes; along with super cute kids selling homemade Heart shaped cookies. Casuals are welcome for this class only but spaces will be limited so contact the clinic on 5750 1965 to book your spot. All proceeds will be donated to the Heart Foundation. *Existing clients only

13/04/2023

20/11/2022

❓“Is stretching good or bad?”
➡️ These days, stretching can be a controversial topic with some arguing that stretching is pointless and can be detrimental and others still passionately following stretching programs. My main answer to this type of question is always going to be “you need to understand WHY you are, or feel that you need to stretch”.
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If you are stretching because you feel like certain muscles are tight and it feels good to stretch them out or stretching to counteract positions you are in for a lot of the day, then I am all for this. But as I mentioned in my earlier post, sometimes things feel tight for underlying reasons (e.g. weakness) that would be better to be assessed by a physio first.
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If you are stretching because you want to become more ‘flexible’ then this can be where things get a bit more complicated and you are best to get some tailored advice from a health professional who knows your sport or lifestyle and what is required of your joints before trying to push anything to an extreme range of motion.
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If you are stretching right before an activity to help prevent injuries, then no I don’t recommend this. Research these days is saying that stretching before activity can actually put you at more risk of injury and decreased performance, so your time is better spent doing an active warm up with some activation exercises specific for your sport. I’ll show you some examples of activation exercises in a future post 🙆‍♀️

06/10/2022

❓“What are some stretches for traps and shoulders?”
➡️ Did you know that your traps (trapezius muscle) has 3 different sections with muscle fibres running in different directions?
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So to target all 3 there a few different options to do, but most commonly people tend to feel ‘tight’ in their ‘upper traps’ which are the fibres running from the base of your skull to the point of your shoulder. My favourite way to stretch these fibres is to sit on your hand to anchor your shoulder down, then look towards your opposite arm pit and hold.
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If you feel tight in these, then you may typically also have a bit of a rounded posture or spend a lot of time leaning forward which means you may also be ‘tight’ in your chest, so my other go-to for shoulders would be to jump between a doorway with your arms on the frame and lean forward to open your chest.
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Stretching these can give some relief to feelings of tightness, but it’s important to think about why these muscles might be feeling like they need a good stretch which may often be because they, or other things around them need to be strengthened and/or you need to vary your position a bit more throughout the day … so always good to see a physio for more tailored advice!

21/09/2022

❓ “What are some exercises for unstable ankles?”
➡️ Ankle instability is typically caused from rolling your ankle and stretching or tearing the ligaments around your ankle. It is often worse if you have rolled the same ankle multiple times (especially if you haven’t done any specific rehab following!)
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My colleague Beth rolled her ankle a couple of months ago playing netball and has been working on her rehab exercises to keep her strong for her last few games! Here are some examples of what she has been doing.
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I recommend you see a physio for an assessment of your ankle as the appropriate exercises really depend on how long ago your injury was and where you are at with your recovery 🫵🏻

15/09/2022

❓ “Can a sore neck make me feel dizzy?”
➡️ It sure can! This is known as cervicogenic dizziness.
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The muscles and joints around your neck have a lot of nerve receptors that send messages to your brain and when you sustain an injury to your neck (e.g. after a whiplash injury) or when the biomechanics around your head and neck are putting strain on certain muscles or joints (e.g. a certain prolonged posture or position), it can result in these receptors creating a sensation of dizziness or vertigo when you move in a certain direction or do a certain task.
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There are a few other things that may be causing your dizziness to keep in mind, for example it may due to an issue in your ear or with your visual system, so checking in with a doctor first is always a good idea and they can then refer you to see a physio who has specific training in dizziness. The physio then has a range of tests they can do to help work out what the cause is and if it is your neck, the good news is that it can usually be resolved with some manual treatment and exercises!

05/08/2022

“What actions should I take in the first few days of a concussion?” 👉🏼 Following a concussion the first 24-48 hours are the most crucial due to the potential for a more serious injury that may require immediate medical attention. The person with a concussion should be closely monitored by an appropriate person (partner, parent etc) for at least 3 hours following the injury to look for signs of deterioration in their condition as this may indicate a brain bleed or serious swelling in the brain. Download the Complete Concussion free app which tells you exactly what to watch for📱

👉🏼 Then the first few days you should rest, but it is ok to do things like looking at your phone, watch TV, go for a walk or do some light housework if these things do not increase your concussion symptoms. DO NOT ride, ski, or play sport. There are then recommendations regarding the return to work/school process (and then sport) which should be guided by an appropriately trained health care practitioner. I will always try to see a concussion patient ASAP, so get in touch if you need any help with your recovery Ovens Valley Physio & Pilates 💚

20/07/2022

What actually happens when you have a concussion? When is it safe to go back to sport? Why is a baseline test important? What happens if I don’t have a baseline test? Let me explain… 🧠

10/01/2022

First day of childcare and officially back to work, wish us both luck! 😅💚

03/01/2022

Opportunity for physio students interested in volunteering at this years Alpine Classic cycling event in Bright 🚴🏼‍♀️🚴🏼‍♂️ Friday 21st & Saturday 22nd Jan (1 or 2 day options). Suitable for students interested in sports & private practice work. Message me for more info or email p.liston@ovensvalleyphysio.com.au

31/12/2021

New year, new bike! ❤️ Cyclepath Bright
(Yes I know, my cables need a tidy up, but I was too excited to wait any longer! 😁)

13/12/2021

We are excited that Phebe will officially be returning from maternity leave in January! She will be available Tuesday & Thursday in Myrtleford and Friday mornings in Bright, with appointment bookings now available online at www.ovensvalleyphysio.com.au or by calling either clinic 💚