A WHOLE BODY APPROACH TO PHYSIOTHERAPY
At Energy In Motion Physiotherapy, our goal is to create pathways together towards a healthier lifestyle - moving well and feeling well - through Physiotherapy, education and outdoor living. Every individual is unique and brings with them a story that contains a unique history of physical and emotional traumas. This is why we believe in treating using a whole body approach, like ConnectTherapy, as it considers the whole individual, and allows us to plan based on the specifics needs of each individual.
What is ConnectTherapy™?
ConnectTherapy is a framework used to assess, diagnose and understand how well you move. It identifies areas of dysfunction in the body through a series of whole body movements, which enables our Physiotherapists to provide a unique treatment plan to create long-lasting change.
By understanding these areas of dysfunction throughout the entire body, you and your Physiotherapist, can begin working on retraining your old and ineffective movement habits, to build newer, more dynamic and supportive movement habits that will support you for life.
This is an education-rich process and you will learn a great deal about your body throughout your ConnectTherapy journey.
Understanding your sport or the movements which are difficult for you, allows your physio to undertake a functional assessment in the most relevant positions
An example of ConnectTherapy™ in action - Low Back pain
Mr Blogs injured his ankle whilst out trail running one weekend. The ankle swelled up over the weekend, and on Monday he laced up his Steel Cap boots and returned to work as a trade hobbling around on his ankle. He continued to do this for a few weeks, until the swelling in his ankle disappeared and he forgot all about his once sprained ankle. Over the next few years, he develops a R sided hip and low back pain.
Our foot is our primary contact with the earth. It is meant to absorb force, adapt to uneven surfaces and be malleable. When the foot is injured, (and worse, trapped in a rigid shoe), it cannot perform it's normal role. Consequently, somewhere else in the anatomical chain must take up this load - be it the knee, hip or lumbar spine etc.
Symptomatic treatment of the low back can provide temporary relief of Mr Blogs symptoms, however if the underlying movement dysfunctions in the body are not addressed, these symptomatic treatments will only act as a bandaid that will continually draw him back to physio. By assessing the individual as a whole and identifying areas of movement dysfunction globally, Mr Blogs can optimise the function of these regions to not only improve his back pain, but improve his whole body function, performance and energy.
The brains behind ConnectTherapy™
ConnectTherapy™ was developed by Dr Linda-Joy (LJ) Lee, a Canadian physiotherapist whose work has been published in many peer-reviewed journals. LJ's research has been fuelled by her ability to think outside the box, and her passion to change peoples lives. Her framework combines current scientific research (on a broad range of system areas), with her clinical experience to understand how dysfunction in pain free areas of the body can have a domino effect throughout the entire body.
Our physiotherapist, Elizabeth Fong (formerly Elizabeth Ciranni) has been training with LJ since 2015. She has attended all of LJ's courses here in Australia and also assisted on The Thoracic Ring Approach Course in 2019. Liz has completed The ConnectTherapy 3-part Series, Part 4, Foot & Ankle Complex, The Thoracic Ring Approach, The Pelvic Girdle, and many Advanced Skills Workshops.
We provide women with education, treatment and self management strategies to support their health across the lifespan.
WOMEN'S HEALTH, PREGNANCY & POSTNATAL CARE
Working with women, it is important to consider that they have a unique 28 day feminine cycle which influences how they train and recover, and how they build strength and endurance. Our physiotherapists recognise this and can tailor their physiotherapy program to meeting their varying needs.
Girls who haven’t yet begun menstruating, and women post-menopausal have different training requirements again.
Ask your physiotherapist how to best support your health, training and 28-day cycle at your next appointment.
Pregnancy & Post Natal Care
Understanding the demands of pregnancy, child birth and beyond, allows our Senior Physiotherapist, Elizabeth Fong (formerly Elizabeth Ciranni), to educate and support mums through this important phase.
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How to carry their posture to help them feel the best during their pregnancy. This includes strengthening, mobility, stretching and pelvic floor training.
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Safe cardiovascular training throughout pregnancy to enhance overall health, reduce the risk of gestational diabetes, and improve mums fitness and stamina for child birth.
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As the labour date nears, physiotherapists can show you how to improve your hip mobility for a smoother delivery and they can also provide massage of acupressure points to induce labour when it's safe to do so.
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Post-partum, physiotherapists can guide you on safe pelvic health practices including pelvic floor exercises toileting, sexual activity, and a safe return to exercise program.
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Treatment of any pregnancy and post partum related pain such as pelvic girdle pain, sciatic and low back, pubic symphysis diastasis, upper back pain, headaches and carpal tunnel.
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Physiotherapist Elizabeth Fong guides Physio Group Exercise Classes. This is also a great option for women pre- and post-natal to exercise in a safe and social environment.
SPORTS AND MUSCULOSKELETAL PHYSIOTHERAPY
A Physiotherapist focuses on the prevention, assessment and treatment of injuries to bones, muscles, joints and nerves. They use hand-on techniques, education and individualised exercise programs to promote healing, reduce stiffness, restore pain and optimise function.
Physiotherapists are experts in understanding how the body is designed to work, within daily life and sporting endeavours. They have an intricate knowledge of muscles, bones, nerves and the interaction of these on a whole body level to support overall performance.
All issues related to the musculoskeletal system are treated in our Physiotherapy clinic. This can include those below and more.
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Muscle tears or strains
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Broken bones
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Ligament injuries
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Scoliosis
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Spinal pain & stiffness in the cervical, thoracic, lumbar, sacral or coccyx sections of the spine
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Bursitis
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Wear and tear, arthritis or osteoarthritis
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Reduced bone density or osteoporosis
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Bunions of the feet (or other deformities)
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Thoracic Outlet Syndrome
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All injuries are assessed within the entirety of the human body, through a functional whole body assessment. to determine the root cause of what is really going on.
Your physiotherapist will always educate you to help you better understand your body, and provide you with self care tips for long lasting change. We want you to have the power to improve your own health!
Our physiotherapist's have experience working with movers of all levels. They take great pride in helping you move better, improve your function, and assisting you to reach your goals.
HAND, WRIST & FOREARM THERAPY
How important are our hands?!
If you’ve ever had a hand, wrist or forearm injury, you understand how debilitating and frustrating it can be. Just when you think it is getting better, you walk the groceries into the house and Ouch! The pain is back! We get it, and so do our Physiotherapists. This is why our Physio’s approach to hand & wrist therapy considers the bigger picture… what caused the overload on the hand, wrist and forearm in the first place.
We commonly treat conditions listed below (and more!)
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Forearm tendonitis
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Fractures of the forearm, wrist and hand
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Carpal tunnel
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Dequervains
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Tennis or Golfers Elbow (also known as epicondylitis)
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FOOSH injuries
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Arthritis
Are you ready to get ahead of your hand and forearm injuries?
HAPPY FEET
From the ground up...
The pillars of our body. Almost one quarter of the bones in our whole body live in our feet. Feet are the primary foundation for balance. They are designed to adapt to uneven surfaces, and hold our body weight all day.
Our physiotherapists work with clients with
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Bunions
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Generalised and/or chronic foot pain
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Metatarsalgia
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Morton’s Neuromas
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Plantar Fascia issues
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Plantar plate tears
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Lisfranc injuries
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Foot fractures
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Ankle sprains
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Achillies, calf and lower leg tendon injuries
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Tendon issues of the foot or lower leg
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Stress Fractures
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Shin splints or Medial tibia stress syndrome
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And more! They also provide education regarding appropriate footwear for daily life and training.
Feet are complex and dynamic structures, and have the potential to create a very large domino effect onto the rest of the body when they aren’t working well. Don’t delay. If you’re feet aren’t happy, book a Physiotherapy session today!
Pre & post treatment of a chronic achillies treatment
Happy, functional feet
POST-OPERATIVE CARE
Our physiotherapist’s support clients who are rehabilitating from a wide range of post-operative surgeries. This can include but is not limited to
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HIP REPLACEMENT AND RECONSTRUCTION - Total hip replacements, labrum damage, and tendon degeneration
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SHOULDER RECONSTRUCTION - rotator cuff repairs, labrum and SLAP lesions, fractured collarbones and ACJs
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KNEE REPLACEMENTS AND RECONSTRUCTIONS - ACL & meniscal injuries, total knee replacements and arthroscopies
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SPINAL SURGERIES - discectomies, spinal fusions, nerve blocks
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ANKLE AND FOOT REPAIRS - broken bones, tendon and ligament repairs, joint syndesmosis injuries, bunions, Morton neuromas, lisfranc fractures
They work closely with your treating Orthopaedic Surgeon to understand the requirements for healing, and begin you on an active treatment plan to rebuild your mobility, strength and capacity to improve your function.
Post-operative rehabilitation extends beyond the site of surgery. It is about understanding the needs of the body to move dynamically (from head to toe), and improving the ease and quality of movement throughout the entire body.
