Lauren Jackson Physiotherapy

06/02/2025

🤎🤍🩶

13/12/2024

03/10/2024

30/09/2024

Get your running shoes on and support these local races 🏃‍♀️

Just a couple of months left in the year, but we still have a full local race calendar left to support.

Let's go out there a make the best of it! SUPPORT LOCAL, CAUSE IT'S LEKKER!

27/09/2024

New research in from Leppänen et al. (2024) has found that hip and core exercises may help prevent running injuries in novice runners. Here's a graphic summary and a link to the paper 🔗 https://bjsm.bmj.com/content/early/2024/05/08/bjsports-2023-107926

24/09/2024

🌟HRV and all you need to know🌟

Heart Rate Variability (HRV) is a measure of the time BETWEEN the beats of your heart, and a KEY indicator of your autonomic nervous system’s health, reflecting how well your body manages stress and recovery. It is a robust measure that may be a better cardiovascular predictor than heart rate, blood pressure and cholesterol. Not only does it give you an indication of your current general health status, but it can also predict future health issues.

HRV is proving to be a game-changer in the Physiotherapy field! It has a host of useful applications to assist us as therapists. HRV is accessible to most on their smart watches and if monitored correctly, can be utilised to optimise recovery, reduce stress and enhance performance during training.

One of these useful tools is HRV biofeedback training. This training utilizes specific breath-work exercises and has been shown to be effective in improving many conditions including traumatic brain injury (TBI) and concussion, chronic pain, diabetes, hypertension, depression, anxiety disorders, depression and PTSD, to name just a few.

So are you ready to take control of your health? Let’s harness the power of HRV together!

22/09/2024

Learning a lot and loving this online summit, hosted and put together by .wilch, about everything CONCUSSION. I’m tuning in all the way from South Africa to Canada, so there’s a time difference but it’s worth the late evenings.

This particular talk done by was fascinating, explaining the link between breathing, heart rate variability (HRV) and our nervous system! Powerful information. Looking forward to round 2 tonight!

18/09/2024

07/09/2024

Are you battling with unresolved foot pain? Have you been doing high intensity exercise or repetitive loading recently?

If the pain is not settling down, and it worsens with walking, it’s important to consider a consult with your physio, who can guide you further. If there is a high suspicion of a stress fracture, immediate management is important for recovery and bone healing.

Why fifth metatarsal stress fractures can be high risk…

These are considered high risk due to the impaired blood supply in that region which can delay healing (see graphic for details). Surgery is sometimes required and it often means a lengthy period away from sport so if you suspect a high risk stress fracture it’s best to arrange investigation asap.

An X-ray is a sensible first step to rule out a true fracture but will often miss stress fractures. MRI is considered gold standard although fifth metatarsal stress fractures can sometimes be seen on ultrasound.

If you are highly suspicious of a stress fracture it may be necessary to provide crutches and recommend a period of partial or non weight bearing, especially if there is pain while walking.

Key Reference:
Zwitser EW, Breederveld RS. Fractures of the fifth metatarsal; diagnosis and treatment. Injury. 2010 Jun;41(6):555-62. doi: 10.1016/j.injury.2009.05.035. Epub 2009 Jun 30. PMID: 19570536.

03/09/2024

Ever wonder, “where do I start?”

As we well know, exercise has a multitude of benefits. And we also know we should be doing more of it. But sometimes one isn’t sure how or where to start.

How about a class that is tailored to suit your level of ability, that takes your injuries and mechanics into account whilst exercising, and uses movement to regain the confidence you once felt in your body?

Guided by Lauren Jackson, a passionate Physiotherapist, our classes have grown, and since 2019, continue to welcome women of all ages, assisting conditions such as scoliosis and back pain, Osteoarthritis, post-surgical conditions and general deconditioning, to name a few.

Classes run weekly on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday mornings from 8:00-09:00 at Our Space Studio in Riverside, Nelspruit. Contact Lauren and get started!

05/08/2024

It’s a cracker of a day for our athletes!!! Go SA🇿🇦