Emma Najman End Physio

02/05/2025

May is Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (EDS) and Hypermobility Spectrum Disorders (HSD) Awareness Month.

Hypermobility spectrum disorders are heritable connective tissue disorders that typically present with joint hypermobility, instability, pain and an increased risk of injury.

People with HSD or hypermobile EDS (hEDS) may also experience fatigue, anxiety, headaches, gastrointestinal issues and autonomic dysfunction.

Each person with hEDS presents differently, making diagnosis complex and often delayed.

16/02/2025

After Tom Sheppard was diagnosed with autism, a program designed for Australians on the spectrum helped him land a job that plays to his strengths.

04/02/2025

Are you struggling & unsure why?
Hormones 🤔

26/01/2025

Chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN) is a highly prevalent and clinically relevant adverse effect of chemotherapy, negatively impacting patient quality of life.

Rehabilitation and exercise should be part of the care plan anytime a neurotoxic agent is prescribed.

The evidence for safety, improved sensation, and functional mobility is remarkable.

📚 Learn more: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38949805/

15/01/2025

Experiencing low energy, mood swings, or feeling "blah" lately? Low oestrogen woman in perimenopause, menopause, post natal or post cancer..

23/12/2024

Got my boat license as hubby broke his rib so I’m skipper this year! Managed great once I worked out need to push the gear stick forwards not backwards or in reverse! Opposite to my mini so confusing my old brain!

28/04/2024

We’ve made amazing advances in how we treat cancer. But along the way, we have often forgotten about the non-medical aspects of patient care.

PINC & STEEL Certified Oncology Physios and Occupational Therapists aim to treat the patient - not the cancer.

⭐️True patient-centricity!⭐️

Our services include individual and group sessions.

We would love to help you, just like we have already helped many others.

👉🏽Please get in touch through the website.
https://www.pincandsteel.com/

24/04/2024

04/04/2024

It's important to prioritise good sleep hygiene & address underlying sleep disorders to mitigate these adverse effects & promote well being.

05/03/2024

A beautiful evening on the rooftop 🌈

29/02/2024

I decided I had to share this today!

It sounds weird to gloat about having a good nights sleep, but when you’ve struggled for a long time and you know there are many others struggling right now I’ver decided it’s important to share what I’ve discovered on my mission for the perfect nights sleep.

In my work every day, with my patients I ask them about their sleep and many are suffering through insomnia for many and varied reasons.

Just like the causes, the methods to correct are many and varied. It’s not a one size fits all approach.

I have been studying sleep in depth over the last year and looked at the latest research, read books and listened to podcasts.

I know the principles that research is showing we should be doing, but struggled to make it happen in amongst the craziness of mum life, running my own business and trying to keep some semblance of order in my home and life.

I struggle like many working mums to keep all the balls in the air!

I often feel like I’m at the fair ground bashing the frogs that pop their heads out, with a mallet. Just when one’s down, another is up, then another and another! There is no end to it and there’s always a fire to put out and that ever growing ‘to do’ list you can’t get through and get 8 hours sleep, then start again with the new, bigger list, the next day!

I know the research shows we need 7-9 hours sleep minimum a night, with some variance between each person’s needs, women needing on average, one hour more every 24 hours than men.

Once we shorten our sleep and reply on alarms to wake us, we are increasing our chances of many chronic diseases including diabetes, heart disease, obesity, cancer, dementia and mental illnesses.

The odd night of less than optimal sleep is OK, but not repeatedly, as over time, we will pay the price.

My New Years word for 2024 was SLEEP!

I decided enough was enough, I need to practice what I preach and start working on my own sleep and my family’s sleep. I have learned so much from experimenting to find the optimum conditions to score a 100% sleep fitness score.

When I was researching sleep I came across several men in their 50’s who were focused entirely on their sleep and going to great lengths, practicing bizarre behaviours to ensure they scored optimum sleep scores, in the quest for chronic disease prevention and longevity. Some of these are researchers, some wealthy business men investing to learn more, in their quest for immortality.

I have listened to them all, taken on board the parts I can manage, let go of the ones that are too hard to add at the moment, and I have found I have been able to turn around my own sleep fitness.

I thought I was fit as I exercise daily, drink lots of water, eat healthily, have yoga and breathing practices. However when I looked at my stats they were not good. I wasn’t getting enough sleep, even though I was trying to be in bed for 8 hours. When I had a busy day I would often stay up late to try to catch up on work to be less stressed the next day. This was counter productive and made me tired, grumpy, less productive and more stressed the next day.

I also realised my HRV, (heart rate variability, or variation of time between heart beats), was very low, indicating poor recovery and stress. Sufficient recovery time between exercise and stress management techniques improve HRV over time.

I have realised that sleep is the number one priority for health, at the top of the battery check, before exercise, nourishment, rest and connection.

It’s no good doing lots of exercise and eating healthily if your sleep quality and quantity is low.

If your battery is feeling depleted do a check and see whether lack of quality sleep is draining you.

There are many factors to consider in addition to length of sleep, going to bed early certainly helps, but it’s not the whole picture.

For sleep quality consider optimum temperature, darkness, noise, mattress, pillow, hydration, diet, timing of meals, exercise, stress impact, to name a few.

It’s a fine balance and surprisingly takes a lot of effort, understanding, trial and error, prioritisation and consistency to get it right.

Check out in my history my sleep on Saturday night after the Taylor Swift concert!

OK, so I got 100% last night, I need to get off the screen and get my exercise and jobs done so I can stretch and do my breathing exercises to get to bed in time to replicate my results!

Let me know how your sleep is going and any tips you’ve found helpful.

Happy sleeping friends 😴

08/02/2024

For almost 4 years, since the start of the pandemic, I worked 7 days a week, late at night, often until 1 or 2am, trying to market my business and work out how to survive after loosing so much of my previously reliable business.

I had started my business as a new mum when my daughter was born, almost 16 years ago as I couldn't bear to be away from her.

I worked when she slept and spent my days with her.

My business steadily grew through word of mouth, even though I had no idea how to market, (we don't learn that in Physio school), but I always loved what I do and feel blessed to be able to help others feel better, with my knowledge and my skills.

I know I have much to share after 30 years experience as a Physio, a former competitive sports person and a mum. I have seen a lot and experienced a lot and have so much passion for my work.

However, as became apparent since 2020, when I started 'trying' and began marketing my business, marketing is not one of my best skills.

I took multiple business coaching courses, spending thousands, I read, researched, listened to thousands of business podcasts and tried my best at social media marketing, all to no avail!
No one was interested, no response, like yelling into the abyss or throwing spaghetti at a wall over and over again and nothing ever stuck!

So demoralising! But I kept going. I gave away free courses and programs online and crazy amounts of free educational material, including thoroughly researched fortnightly Blogs.

At the end of 2023, while away at the beach, with my family and working most of the week, I decided enough! 4 years of little sleep, working 7 days a week, stressing about trying to build and bigger, stronger, more resilient business was enough.

With my mum's deteriorating heath I decided it was time to focus on my own health and my families heath. My New Year's word for 2024 is SLEEP😴

I have had a very interesting few weeks of diving into sleep. I will share more of my research and discoveries soon, but I will say that now I have stopped struggling and pushing and focused on my own health all the pieces of the puzzle are falling into place.

Today I had an amazing day after waking from a great sleep:
I was up at 6am with my family, dropping my kids at their before school sports training, followed by strength training in the gym, going for a run, eating a healthy breakfast, showering and washing my hair before work. I had 2 loads of washing done, worked with my wonderful, loyal clients, cleaned my house, purchased a formal dress and booked hair and make up for my daughter for her first formal, picked my kids up from school, fed them afternoon tea and dropped them to their after school activities. I then opened my email and discovered I have been chosen as a winner in the Lord Mayor's Women in Business Grant.

I have a feeling my sleep year is going to be my BEST year.

I can't wait to get started with my new business mentor and finally put together all the scattered pieces in my 4 year messy puzzle that wouldn't fit no matter hard I pushed!

I have learned sometimes you just need to slow down, focus inside on what you need and stop trying so hard. I always thought the person that tried the hardest won in the end. I think hard work is important but rest, sleep and health is more important.

I am ready to bring on 2024 and sleep my way to renewal.

Wishing you a Belated Happy, Healthy, New Year 🎊