Category: Fact Sheets

Recently pregnant and wanting to stay active?Clinical Exercise is a great way to feel well and move well throughout your pregnancy.The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists advise to aim to accumulate 150 to 300 minutes of moderate intensity physical activity each week. Ideally, this should be achieved by being active on most days of the week for at least 30 minutes at a time. A fantastic way to hit these targets in a safe, sustainable way can be done by participating in clinical exercise.Clinical exercise (formally clinical pilates/equipment pilates) aims to improve movement quality and lumbopelvic control to assist in strengthening and supporting your joints during pregnancy. Prenatal clinical exercise also incorporates breathing and pelvic floor muscle control which is beneficial during pregnancy to assist with bowel and bladder function. This type of exercise approach allows for low impact to the body with great strength and movement outcomes. If you have a background in...

Low Intensity Pulsed Ultrasound (LIPUS) is a scientifically proven, non-invasive treatment method for fractures, stress fractures and ligament injuries. Studies have demonstrated the ability of LIPUS to reduce healing times for these injuries by 30-38%, which can equate to as much as two weeks less healing time for an injury such as a metatarsal fracture. LIPUS also helps to reduce the rate of failed healing, thus ensuring a faster and more effective recovery. For this reason, LIPUS is being used at the Australian Institute of Sport and at an Olympic level, as well as a number of national level sporting clubs, because of its proven effectiveness in helping athletes return to training. LIPUS treatment protocol is most favourable over other methods of treatment that often reduce the mobility of the injured site, such as a cast. Studies continue to be done on LIPUS, in particular the underlying cellular mechanisms that lead to the accelerated healing, but it has been proven time and...

Traumeel is a natural anti-inflammatory product which is used for the symptomatic relief of soft tissue trauma, sprains, strains and swelling resulting from sporting and other soft tissue injuries. It also provides temporary relief of sore, bruised and aching muscles as well as arthritic pain (it may help reduce the joint inflammation associated with arthritis). Traumeel helps to slow down an excessive inflammatory response so that only the necessary degree of inflammation exists as a precursor to healing, speeding up the recovery process. It also aids in the regenerative process of the injured tissue. The product’s unique combination of different ingredients of homeopathic, vegetable and mineral origin have been used successfully for many years. It comes in several forms: cream, gel and tablet.Traumeel is generally well tolerated, with a rare side-effect of mild skin hypersensitivity or allergy. The cream/gel should not be applied to large areas or open wounds. Wrapping the injured area with a bandage after applying traumeel is recommended...

Bexter's Soda Crystals, formerly Lectric Soda Crystals are used by a variety of health professionals to help reduce swelling and relieve aching muscles and joints. The crystals have been used for many years as a safe and effective treatment with noticeable results. The product is ideal for use after sport or other strenuous activity as well as to aid recovery following certain injuries. The crystals are clear and non-fragranced and are produced using natural limestone and sodium chloride which is heat treated and blended to create the Bexter's Soda Crystal formulation. There are two main ways to use Bexter's Soda Crystals (formerly Lectric Soda Crystals): • As a pack – for swelling Place 100g (2/3 cup) of crystals 1cm thick on a square of cotton (e.g. handkerchief) and fold like an envelope or in a sock and tie the end. Use tape to secure the pack over the swollen area and wrap with a towel. Leave pack on for a minimum of 3...

Pain from muscle tension and strain is a common condition seen by healthcare professionals such as myotherapists and physiotherapists. The pain and tension can occur as an effect of an injury, or through daily activities and postures. Reflex balls are self-massage tools which utilize the principles of acupuncture, trigger point therapy and massage to maintain the benefits of your therapy session, and help you to continue to work out the problem areas. The simple, yet effective design, consists of densely packed rubber spines covering the surface of the ball. These spines act to stimulate the sensory organs of the skin, and the massaging action works to promote blood flow to the area. The combination of effects of the reflex ball act to promote healing, as well as reducing tension and pain. The reflex ball can be used with varying pressure, and can be centered on a single area or rolled to affect a broader area. The size of the ball appropriate for...

Self massage tools are becoming increasingly popular products in health care. Self massage allows you to prolong the benefits of your therapy session and continue to work out those tight, recurring problem areas. Foam Rollers can be used in many ways to target specific areas and conditions of the body. The general method of using a foam roller utilizes body weight to apply pressure to the desired area, with the roller underneath. While the roller can be used for almost any area of the body, it has been found to work best for the legs. When the foam roller originally came into use, athletes were instructed to use the roller to apply pressure to sensitive areas in their muscles, or areas of increased muscle density/tension sometimes called knots or trigger points. Today the roller is more commonly used to apply longer, more sweeping strokes to the large muscle groups such as the calves, quadriceps, and adductors and smaller more directed force to areas...