On behalf of the team at Fixio I’d like to give a big thanks to our clients for your support during an interesting 2020 and we are looking forward to getting stuck into a big 2021.
To start the year off with a bang and get your physiotherapy goals off on the right foot, here’s 21 tips from us at Fixio.
- You don’t need a Doctor’s referral to see a musculoskeletal physio
This is a BIG one. As physiotherapists are primary care providers, you can come in and see us without seeing your GP first. No waiting, no delay – get that dodgy knee looked at today.
- Physiotherapy is something you do, not something you get – do your homework
Make time for physio prescribed exercises at home. Your physio will know if you haven’t done your homework. They design exercise plans for your body’s abilities and needs. If you don’t work on your body at home, you’ll likely be returning again and again for the same issues.
- Look after your little niggles before they become big problems – it won’t get better if you don’t stop hurting it.
- Get a good night’s sleep!
Sleep is so important for recovery and musculoskeletal pain is notorious for being worse at night, creating a self-perpetuating loop of poor sleep that exacerbates your pain and discomfort.
- Get a massage.
Massage therapy techniques accentuate the effects of physiotherapy, aid muscle relaxation as well as promote recovery. Give it a try; it will leave you feeling great!
- Get up and move!
Simply standing up every 30 minutes and having a 10 second stretch can make an immense difference to how you feel. When watching TV, get up and stretch every time the ads come on.
- See your Health Professional
Too many patients I see in our clinic tell me that they have had their injury for weeks or months before doing anything about it. Remember – the longer an injury is with you, the harder it is to fix. If you have a pain or problem get an assessment done immediately with your physio.
- Pay attention to what you are doing, many injuries occur when people are distracted, tired or in a rush.
- Drink plenty of water.
Better hydration means more frequent trips to the bathroom and to fill up your water bottle. Congratulations, you’re getting up and moving more.
- Make your home office a safe and healthy place to work
If you’re new to working from home due to COVID19, the good news is that you don’t need to go out and buy thousands of dollars of ergonomically designed knick knacks to save your body from developing chronic pain. https://fixio.com.au/2020/05/15/is-working-from-home-hurting-you-try-these-easy-tips/
- Don’t neglect back pain
Back pain is so common, that around 70 to 90 percent of Australians will face it in their lifetime. It’s important to act on back pain sooner rather than later because the issue can progress and worsen in time and because it can also be a sign of a more serious musculoskeletal condition.
- Stretching IS important
The ugly cousin of cardio and weight training, stretching is often the forgotten fitness element. Poor old flexibility tends to get neglected in people’s training routines as it’s nearly invisible unless you are an Olympic gymnast.
- Get your technique right in the gym
One of the most common reasons for injury in health and fitness programs is poor exercise technique – make sure you get good instruction on the correct technique for all of your exercises before you get serious and increase the weights.
- Slow & steady wins the race:
Build your running km’s up slowly. We often see people trying to run 50km per week after only training for a few months and they wonder why their body is hating it.
- Hydrate
Have another drink of water – keep those joints lubricated, deliver nutrients to cells, improve your sleep quality, cognition, and mood.
- Go for a walk in nature
Research from Nippon Medical School in Tokyo showed that a simple nature walk changed blood flow to the brain, helped facilitate a state of relaxation and increased the number of natural painkillers the body produces to battle inflammation.
- Listen to your body
Minor aches and pains are normal to experience with sport and exercise. However if pain persists longer than weeks or starts to impact on your sport, exercise or everyday life then it is important to address the issue ASAP.
- Get your technique checked out by a sports physio
Lots of people seem reluctant to ask for help from their Physio or Health Professional about their running technique or technique in the gym. The better your physio gets to know you and your training, the easier it will be for them to help you manage any injuries and keep them at bay in the future.
- Invest time in preventative exercise – AKA Prehab
Prehab essentially follows the same rules as rehab but with one key advantage. You don’t have to be injured. Prehab involves working to prevent that injury from occurring in the first place or strengthen an area before surgery.
- Take some time for physical self-care
Healthy body, healthy mind isn’t a saying for nothing. Focusing on activities that help you to stay physically fit and healthy is especially important during challenging times. Whether it’s walking, swimming, biking, working out at the gym or along with a Youtube video, or even doing chores at home, you’ll feel better for it
- If you have any questions, or nagging injuries; give us a call on (02) 8964 4086
or send an email to info@fixio.com.au.
