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Joint Replacement Joint replacements are surgeries conducted to replace bony human joints with prostheses to restore function and minimise pain. Every year in Australia, over one-hundred thousand surgeries are performed to replace knees and hips alone. Other joints like the shoulders, the elbows, and ankles can also be replaced, but hip and knee surgeries are by far the most common. People elect to undergo joint replacement surgeries for many reasons, but the most common is because the joint is painful to use because of age-related weardown of one of its component parts. Taking the knee as an example, the most common reason for a knee replacement is to ease pain caused by arthritis. Joint replacements are surgeries and so will require post-surgical physiotherapy, which will usually be provided as part of your care either as a hospital or rehabilitation inpatient, by visiting a recommended clinic, by physiotherapy service at your home, or a combination of these. Joint replacement requires specific rehabilitation and management given that surgeries to the knees, the hips, and the shoulders all have potential to affect how people navigate their homes, undertake their work, and care for themselves. For this reason, your physiotherapist will usually communicate directly with the consult and management team overseeing your procedure, to relay any concerns and so that your primary clinician or consultant can communicate any specific orders or precautions to your treating therapist. Physiotherapy assessment and management is important to provide patients with education and orientation regarding the nature of the surgery and its benefits, risks, outcomes and timecourse so that people can make informed decisions. Often, physiotherapy management in joint replacement will involve prehabilitation of the joint before surgery occurs. Undergoing exercise and conditioning before surgery puts the limb in as strong a position it can be before the procedure, which has been proven to improve the speed and quality of recovery following the operation. Prehabilitation is also useful to manage symptoms in anticipation of an operation being undertaken, given that public system waiting lists can be long and changes can occur during that time. Physiotherapy input following joint replacement is important for two reasons. Firstly, because surgical procedures require causing damage to the body to achieve a therapeutic aim, rehabilitation will focus on restoring the limb to as good a functional state as it can be before undertaking heavier exercise or returning to work and life. Rehabilitation will be patient-and joint-specific but may include manual therapy, progressive exercise therapy, swelling management, gait re-education, and postural correction. Your physiotherapist will use a combination of techniques to come up with an individualised rehabilitation plan, guided by your needs and deficits, as well as the surgeon’s protocol. Secondly, physiotherapy rehabilitation is necessary to minimise complications such as stiffness, pain and weakness. During the process of healing, scar tissue formation and inflammation can make moving and getting around painful, and if not managed correctly, can be inhibitive to exercise and affect a patient's outcomes. Following surgery, the combination of inflammation, pain, and post-operative orders can result in weakness of the muscles around the joint, firstly due to their injury as part of the surgical process, then due to lack of use due to precautions, and even potentially for longer periods of time if the use of the injured limb is compensated for by the use of the opposite side. Management of your discomfort depends on its causative factors, how it feels and changes during the day, what makes it better and worse, and the length of time you have been experiencing that pain. All of these factors will be addressed in your initial assessment, which is the first step toward managing and minimising any pain or discomfort. The treatment you receive will be tailored to address the specific cause of your discomfort, and will focus on minimising pain, maximising your ability to move pain-free, and developing a plan to minimise the risk of a flare-up in the future. At Atlas Physio, we will provide you with education, structured management, and ongoing monitoring of your pain both in-clinic and out. Contact us to arrange an assessment, and to take the first step on a course of corrective care today.

Dry Needling Dry needling refers to the use of solid needles inserted into specific regions of the body, that produce physiologcal effects at the level of muscles which result in decreased pain and stiffness. ​ The term dry needling refers to the use of solid, non-injector needles in a similar manner to acupuncture. Dry needles are different from wet needles, which use a hypodermic proboscis and are used in the injection of saline, local anaesthetic or corticosteroid. The important thing to remember is this: dry needling uses solid needles, not injection needles. ​ Dry needling is applied to trigger points, which are specific areas in muscle that have become tight due to excess activity or injury. The insertion of a dry needle into this trigger point is believed to increase blood flow to the trigger point, resulting in the relaxation of tight muscle fibers thanks to the addition of fresh oxygen and nutrients, which results in pain relief. ​ Dry-needling is not an end-all treatment, and its use will depend on the nature of your problem and its context. Dry-needling treatment will not be applied in isolation, and will be combined with prescribed exercise, stretching, and other physical modalities to best address the source of your discomfort. ​ Not every patient will be appropriate for dry needling. Dry-needling in the clinic will be used depending on the discretion of your treating clinician as well as the nature, history, and context of your presenting discomfort. Feel free to discuss this treatment with your clinician, either in appointment or during your initial consultation.

Goals and Goalsetting Goals are part of the NDIS plan and your physiotherapy treatment. Goals are things you want to achieve, and can relate to your ability to move around, participate in sport and work, or even do things as simple as gardening and your hobbies, whatever they may be. In your NDIS plan, your goals are discussed in your planning meetings and are used to guide and determine the funding allocated to your plan, as well as how that funding is divided up between different categories. These categories determine what services you can access, and what goals those services will help you achieve. It's important to either have a clear idea about your goals or to provide the NDIS plan to your treating clinician, so that your goals can form the basis and guiding plan for the treatment you receive. The NDIS exists to allow people with disabilities to access the supports they need to live engaged, fulfilled lives and to achieve the things that make life meaningful for them, whether that's finding a job, going back to school and completing a qualification, spending more time with their family, or even getting a Chinese meal with their friends every now and then. Because peoples' lives are different, peoples' disabilities are different, peoples' social context and backgrounds are different, and peoples' goals are different, no two clients are ever the same, and so no two treatment plans can ever be structured in the same way. This also means that some goals will be more appropriate for a physiotherapist to manage than others. That's okay - there are many Allied Health clinicians and professionals who work in the NDIS space who are ready and able to work with you to achieve your goals. NDIS goals are important to have because they will determine what physiotherapy you receive and how you go about doing it. Because of this, separate physiotherapy goals will need to be developed with you, in a process much like the planning meeting you had with the NDIA. Developing physiotherapy goals is important because it identifies the areas in which physiotherapy will be most beneficial to you, as well as how that physiotherapy should be provided. It can mean the difference between receiving hands-on treatment, pool-based exercises, exercises in a gym, or even having equipment bought for you depending on what you want to achieve. When your physiotherapy goals and plan are developed with you, we make sure that we're doing the right thing and that you understand the plan. NDIS goals are important because they let you decide what is important to you, why those things are important, and how you want to go about achieving them. By discussing your NDIS goals with your physiotherapist and making plans around that, you get to work with your clinician and tell us what is important to you, how you want to achieve those goals, and help us give you options and information so you can make choices for yourself. You have the opportunity to tell us how to work with you, to add value and benefit to your life, and to make the most of the resources and supports that you have available.

Physiotherapy for NDIS participants Physiotherapists are uniquely advantaged to deliver NDIS funded therapy to participants because of the breadth of practice possible within Physiotherapy and in Allied Health generally. Physiotherapists and other Allied Health clinicians can add value to NDIS plans across multiple support categories, from providing the same hands-on input you might receive in a private clinic to support Improved Health and Wellbeing through a structured exercise and rehabilitation program or through therapist-led manual therapy, to supporting Increased Social and Community Participation with community mobility and safety plans, and more. Physiotherapists have broad skill bases, and often work directly or in consultation with other Allied Health providers like Occupational Therapists to ensure that participants are achieving their best outcomes. Beyond providing therapy directly, physiotherapists are also able to provide reporting, evidence, and undertake assessments to assist participants across their access and planning journey. This sometimes means writing and submitting reports to participant advocates or the NDIA directly as part of assessment or advocacy. Sometimes it means being present during meetings or discussions, and sometimes it just means having a phone number to call in case you or someone else might have questions. It's important to remember that physiotherapy has the potential to add value and contribute to your goals outside of the clinic as well as inside. Sessions can be provided at your home or in an assisted living facility. Exercises can be done with or without equipment, and physiotherapists are able to request purchases of consumables and therapy aids within the context of achieving a goal. Most importantly, physiotherapists are goal-oriented health professionals, just like everyone else in Allied Health. This is important because NDIS funding is there to help you support your goals and the things you want to achieve. Physiotherapists know how to take a big goal that might mean a lot to you, and break it down into achievable components. Physiotherapists know what they can do, what they can't do, and who might be able to help in the event that a little more support is needed to deal with a problem or to negotiate a barrier. Physiotherapists are team-players, and they know how to liaise with plan managers, reviewers, other clinicians, and of course you as the participant. Physiotherapists know to put the participant front and center in the process, and never make a decision without considering the immediate and consequent impact of that choice on the plan or the person at its core. Physiotherapists are well-positioned to help NDIS participants make the most of their resources and time, and to help them achieve their plans. Through therapy, assessment, reporting and review, physiotherapy services can assist participants to achieve their aims and goals in a timely, sustainable, and effective manner. There are many physiotherapists practising in many different professional contexts, so no matter the problem, there will be someone to whom you can speak, and a path of inquiry you can pursue. It's important to remember that not all physiotherapists may have the training to address the needs imposed by your specific situation, be that a disability, a social context, or even a goal you want to achieve, but by reaching out you start the process to find the person who can help you the best.

Ergonomic Testing Ergonomic testing is the assessment, modification, and trialling of assistive devices and working setups with the aim of maximising comfort and minimising the risks of maintaining postures over a long period of time. As a consequence of modern life, we often need to assume static postures for long periods of time. Desk workers, drivers, telephone operators and other people who work for hours on end in specific postures are at risk of developing muscle stiffness and pain. People who work in dynamic jobs such as skilled tradesmen, public service workers, technical professionals and mechanics also have demands placed on their bodies due to the dynamic and effortful nature of their work. These risks can be minimised by looking at workspaces, seating, and vehicle cabs, and adjusting their arrangement to best fit the person. No two people are built the same way, and no two people move the same way. The subtle differences in our anatomies produce different demands from our environments that often go unmet due to time, resource or attention constraints. Ergonomic testing bridges the gap between how our bodies move best and the limitations of the environment. Through prescription of appropriate seating, appropriate desk setup, and the assessment of the demands of your workplace, you can effectively minimise the risks of injury and strain, and enjoy a comfortable working environment. Consider discussing an ergonomic assessment with your treating clinician if you are interested in enjoying the benefit of continued comfort and painfree movement, at work and at home.

Shin Splints Shin Splints refers to pain felt anywhere along the shinbone (tibia) from knee to ankle. Shin Splints are caused by an inflammation of the muscles, tendons, and bone tissue around the tibia, and are commonly experienced by runners, dancers, and people who need to walk for work. Pain from Shin Splints is commonly due to Medial Tibial Stress Syndrome, in which there is an inflammation of the structures around the Tibia, which is the primary loadbearing bone of your lower leg. Pain due to Medial Tibial Stress Syndrome often becomes worse on sustained, repetitive activity and becomes better with rest. Shin Splint Pain may also be caused by a Stress Fracture of the Tibia. Stress Fractures occur due to repeated force applied to a bone which results in gradual traumatic damage of that bone over time. While the bone may not break, this pain is referred to as Osteogenic Shin Splint Pain (Osteo = bone, genic = coming from). Shin splint pain may also be caused by tendinopathy, compartment syndrome, infection within the calf, or nervous entrapment, all of which have the potential to interact with structures within the lower leg. Management of Shin Splints depends on the cause of the pain, how it feels and changes over the day, what makes it better or worse, and the length of time you have been experiencing the pain. The treatment you receive will be tailored to address the specific cause of your Shin Splints, and will focus on minimising pain, maximising your ability to move pain free, and developing a plan to minimise the risk of a flare-up in the future. At Atlas Physio, we will provide you with education, structured management, and ongoing monitoring of your pain both in and out of the clinic. Contact us to arrange an assessment, and to take the first step on a course of corrective care today.

Postural Pain During the course of our lives, we use our bodies to interact with the world around us. Whether we're shopping for groceries, sitting at our desks in front of our laptops and screens, doing yard work, or even playing games with our loved ones, all of these activities require us to use our bodies in different physical postures. A posture refers to the position in which the body is held while completing a specific activity. Naturally, because there is an infinite number of activities that we can engage in, there are infinite different postures that our bodies can assume, either voluntarily or involuntarily. These postures can be static; held in position for long periods of time like an office-worker sitting at their desk, or they can be dynamic; as in the case of a motor mechanic tightening screws or a woodworker who would need to stand, sit, lie, and kneel to get the best angle on their project. Because of the number of postures we need to assume, their varied and often awkward nature, and the time we need to maintain them, postural pain is very common. Postural pain is not limited to a specific occupation, a specific level of engagement, or a specific group of people by gender or age. Anyone who has felt stiff after a long-haul flight or felt a pain in their neck after watching a movie has experienced postural pain. People experience postural pain in different places depending on the nature of the activity: pain can be felt in the neck, in the shoulders, the back, the hands, the hips and in the knees. The pain can be sharp and aggravated by specific movements, or dull and persistent without becoming particularly severe. Regardless of the behaviour of the pain, postural pain is largely the result of muscular strain and tension that has accumulated over a short or long period of time, which then combine with a person's unique anatomy and physiology to produce discomfort. That means that every incidence of postural pain is different, and arises from a unique combination of anatomical, occupational, personal and environmental factors. With this in mind, how do you deal with postural pain? If we use our bodies to interact with the environment, and that environment produces strain, and that strain can eventually become so severe as to produce pain, how do we begin to address the issue? A physiotherapy-driven approach to addressing postural pain looks at all of these factors. Through physiotherapy, the first approach is to improve the strength and endurance of the muscles responsible for maintaining posture. This can be done generally through global strength and conditioning, or with work that specifically targets muscle groups relevant to a particular activity like lifting or rotating. The second appropach is to examine the environment in which the work is taking place, and to rearrange either the environment or the worker within it to minimise the accumulating stress over time, and thus minimise the risk of a flare-up. Lastly, postural pain that is already present can be managed in clinic using a targeted approach that minimises the present discomfort and then addresses the underlying contributing factors discussed earlier. A truly comprehensive approach will address postural discomfort by employing elements of all three approaches. Management of your discomfort depends on its causative factors, how it feels and changes during the day, what makes it better and worse, and the length of time you have been experiencing that pain. All of these factors will be addressed in your initial assessment, which is the first step toward managing and minimising any pain or discomfort. The treatment you receive will be tailored to address the specific cause of your discomfort, and will focus on minimising pain, maximising your ability to move pain-free, and developing a plan to minimise the risk of a flare-up in the future. At Atlas Physio, we will provide you with education, structured management, and ongoing monitoring of your pain both in-clinic and out. Contact us to arrange an assessment, and to take the first step on a course of corrective care today.

Home Visits Atlas Physio is happy to provide you with clinical sessions in the privacy of your own home. We provide these services for clients who cannot make it to our clinic in Fairfield, for those clients who would prefer a more convenient and time-sensitive consultation, or for those clients whose state of health means that they cannot leave their places of residence or care. Atlas Physio has provided in-home care to clients in their own houses, in retirement homes, and in residential aged care facilities. Since its founding, Atlas Physio has served the communities of the North and Northeast suburbs including Thornbury, Northcote, Westgarth, Ivanhoe, Heidelberg, Abbotsford, Darebin, Brunswick, Preston, Coburg, Fairfield, Reservoir and Alphington. Home visits are conducted differently to normal clinical visits - be sure to familiarise yourself with the differences between home and in-clinic visits. Scheduling Home visits are not able to be scheduled online. To schedule a home visit, dial 0400 174 015 to speak to a clinician and to schedule your visit. Payment Home visits are charged differently to in-clinic appointments. This is to address costs associated with travel, time, and the unique needs of our patients' in-home environments. Be sure to familiarise yourself with the differences in pricing as noted in our fee schedule. Specials Sessions conducted on a home-visit basis are eligible for discounts. Attendance Policy Once a home visit has been scheduled and confirmed, it is your responsibility to be present at the nominated address at the nominated time. In the event that the client resides in a gated community, critical care unit or other such location that requires security access, you are responsible to inform the administrators of that location that the appointment is taking place. Cancellation Policy Home visits may be cancelled with at least 24-hours notice. Confidentiality Home visits conducted in assisted retirement homes, residential aged care facilities, domiciles, critical care units and other supervised residences may require our clinicians to liaise with other medical staff. In this event, we will abide by the consent and privacy policy stated on our website, and we will always endeavour to respect our patients' confidentiality.

Telehealth Atlas Physio is happy to provide services to clients remotely via Telehealth. Atlas Physio has provided treatment remotely for those clients who have been unable to attend in clinic due to illness, transport issues, difficulties in mobilising, as well as other factors. Undertaking treatment remotely via Telehealth is different to receiving treatment in the clinic or in your home, so take note of the following: 1. You will need a calling link. As part of Telehealth Services you will have need a ZOOM calling link. It is important to have this ready in advance of your session - it's how we conduct treatment remotely. In addition to having the appointment-specific ZOOM calling link, also make sure of the following: - Your internet connection must be strong enough to maintain an audio and video call for the duration of the appointment. - Your device must be capable of undertaking videocalls and audiocalls, and have an adequate amount of charge. - You should participate in the telehealth appointment in an area that is open, clear of obstructions, and well-lit. 2. You do not need a medical referral to undertake treatment remotely via Telehealth. Physiotherapists are direct contact practitioners, so you do not need a medical referral to start physiotherapy treatment via Telehealth. All you will need is a confirmed ZOOM link and appointment time, and you will be eligible to begin treatment. 3. Telehealth treatment is only eligble for those clients who have already undertaken assessment and treatment in clinic, or under singular circumstances. Telehealth appointments are elibible for booking once a patient has been assessed in clinic. This is because initial assessment consists of physical assessment, observation of movement as well as physical testing. Without this information, appropriate treatment is difficult to conduct. For this reason, telehealth appointments are only available for those clients who are known to the clinic and those clients who have undertaken an assessment for their present problem. 4. Payment for Services is due on the day of the appointment. Given that treatments are conducted remotely, invoicing for private health via Telehealth as well as payment of clinic invoices will need to be done via bank transfer. YOu will be provided with a link and details to . Atlas Physio WILL NOT charge you more than this rate for a standard consultation. You will still be liable for gym memberships, equipment purchases, and any out-of-clinic expenses.