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Bursitis Bursitis and Bursitic Pain refer to pain caused by inflammation of or injury to a bursa. Many people will experience Bursitis or Bursitic Pain in their lives, due to the nature of their work, sporting activities, or due to the effect of other issues and injuries. ​ Bursitis is caused by the inflammation of a bursa. A bursa is a fluid-filled pocket of tissue that lies between two other structures, that allows these structures to move smoothly relative to each other. Repeated, forceful, or traumatic movements may result in irritation of the bursa, which commonly causes inflammation and swelling of the tissue pocket. This results in the tissue pressing against the structures surrounding it, which causes pain. Bursitis can be acute, as in the case of inflammation following injury in sport, or chronic if it follows a months' long pattern of irritation. ​ Bursitis and Bursitic Pain are typically aggravated by specific and sustained movements, continued effort throughout the day, and relieved by resting the affected part. The sepcific cause of the bursitis depends on the age of the person experiencing the pain, their occupation, as well as other variables. ​ Common areas affected by bursitis are the shoulder in the case of subacromial bursitis, the knee which experiences bursitis of the patellar bursae surrounding the kneecap, the hip joint, and the side of the hip which is referred to as trochanteric bursitis. ​ Management of Bursitis 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. All of these factors will be addressed in your initial assessment, which is the first step towards minimising and managing any pain or discomfort. The treatment you receive will be tailored to address the specific cause of your Bursitis, 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.

OUR MISSION MISSION STATEMENT At Atlas Physio, our mission is to support our clients through times of ill-health and distress, to work in collaboration to build, improve, and sustain our clients' capabilities to access and respond to the unique demands of their lives and the world around them, and to engage with physical activity in an easy, painfree, and minimally effortful manner. OUR PRINCIPLES Atlas Physio works to deliver high-standard treatment for a broad range of problems, in a manner that is Supportive, Accessible, Flexible, Effective and Respectful. These five qualities inform everything done in the clinic, from the first time you speak to us to the last time you walk out of our door. We strive to support the health, wellbeing, and fullness of life of our communities, and this is reflected in our principles. SUPPORTIVE We work to support our clients through injury and rehabilitation. This involves thorough education and planning in clinic, as well as liaison with clients outside of the clinic to ensure safety. This also involves liaison with medical professionals, referral to specialists and advocacy for care. Support through healthcare is the foundation of a healthy client-therapist relationship and has been proven to be essential in ensuring good patient outcomes. ACCESSIBLE We provide services that are accessible to members of the community. This includes physical access such as wheelchair-accessible and accessible facilities in clinic, as well as acknowledging and respecting the bodies of our clients. The principle of accessibility extends to availability and pricing. We will make ourselves as available as possible to meet the requirements of our clients by offering after-hours and public holiday treatments, as well as offering accessible pricing, comparable to that offered by Medicare, ComCare, and the TAC. FLEXIBLE We offer flexibility in scheduling, service delivery and in planning. We offer an accessible schedule and will do our best to accommodate changes in individual availability, as well as changes in individual capacity. We are happy to provide services in homes, nursing facilities, and in the community. We are happy to accommodate requests for changed appointment times with sufficient notice. We are happy to accommodate changes in patient planning, timeframes and treatment models, and to make these changes promptly to minimise treatment disruptions. EFFECTIVE We promise effective, evidence-based treatment conducted in a professional and forthright manner. We will deliver this treatment after discussion of its effects, within the context of a plan, and under continued monitoring and review. We will provide this treatment with a view to enhancing patient independence, so that gains made within the clinic can be retained in daily life. This will often involve the creation of a treatment plan in collaboration with the patient, as well as the development and refinement of that plan as time continues. RESPECTFUL We recognise and respect the identity, dignity, and individuality of our clients. We work in collaboration with our partners, acknowledging their lives, their preferences, culture and their lived experiences to ensure that the services we offer inside and outside of the clinic are meaningful and of value to them. We offer accommodations for all of our patients, across all ages, cultures, and creeds, recognise the uniqueness of every individual identity, and take care to provide treatment in a comfortable, caring, and considered manner.

SCHEDULING APPOINTMENTS Appointments at Atlas Physio can be arranged by phone, by email, or online. Our appointments are managed through an online booking program called Cliniko, which allows clients to select the time and service that best suits the nature of their problem and their schedule. If you would like to schedule appointments by phone, you can contact the clinic on 0400 174 015 during business hours to schedule appointments, If you would like to schedule appointments online, you can book using the Book Online link in the footer of each webpage, or by using the Book Online button on the sidebar ​ If you would like additional information, feel free to reach out to the clinic via our contact page using the link below C O N T A C T

LEARN MORE ABOUT NDIS PHYSIOTHERAPY NDIS PHYSIOTHERAPY Atlas Physio is happy to provide services to clients managed under the NDIS. The NDIS is the National Disability Insurance Scheme, which was legislated in 2013 as a means by which the Australian government could fund costs associated with disability. The word 'insurance' refers to the scheme's use of proactive insurance principles to manage long-term financial sustainability, and that it aims to 'insure' any citizen will have costs covered in the event they are born with or acquire a disability. ​ The scheme went into full operation in 2020, allowing people with a permanent and significant disability under the age of 65 to use government funding to access services that contribute to their wellbeing. Funding is allocated to the individual, and the individual or their guardian chooses which providers supply the funded goods and services (subject to certain restrictions). ACCESSING NDIS FUNDED PHYSIOTHERAPY You can access NDIS physiotherapy at Atlas Physio through a few different means: ​ - If you are a client who is self-managing their NDIS plan, you are free to discuss and access NDIS-funded physiotherapy so long as you have funding in an appropriate category. - If you are a client who has a plan manager or plan management team, you can discuss NDIS-funded physiotherapy with your preferred clinician, and Atlas Physio will liaise with you and your plan manager. ​ When accessing physiotherapy under the NDIS, the number of appointments for which you are eligible will be determined by your current level of funding in your yearly NDIS plan, as well as the other services that may already have preallocated funding. NDIS clients are encouraged to use their funding to access a broad range of services from different professionals to ensure that their needs are met across the many dimensions of their lives. IMPORANT THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT NDIS PHYSIOTHERAPY Reporting for the NDIS Read more >> NDIS Pricing and Finances Read more >> Physiotherapy for NDIS participants Read more >> Goals and Goalsetting Read more >> Assessments and Reviews Read more >> Your NDIS Plan Read more >>

Stroke KNOW THE SIGNS OF A STROKE FACE: Is your or someone else's face drooping? Are they drooling out of the corner of their mouth? Is one of their eyes more or less open than the other? ARMS: Can you or the other person hold both of your arms out in front of you, and keep them at the same height? Are there tremors? Is there pain, sluggishness, or does one arm keep dropping? SPEECH: Is your or another person's speech slurred, slowed, or incoherent? Do you feel like you can coordinate your mouth to make the words? Do you feel like you can form a sentence, and another person can understand it? TIME: Every minute counts. Stroke patients who receive treatment in the first hour have the best chance for surviving, and the best outcomes after their stroke. CALL YOUR EMERGENCY NUMBER IF YOU BELIEVE YOU OR SOMEONE IS HAVING A STROKE A stroke is a medical event in which the tissues of the brain are damaged, either through a bleed in the brain or through stoppage or interruption of the bloodflow to an area of the brain. The brain is responsible for controlling conscious and unconscious elements of normal human function. It is the seat of control of the central and peripheral nervous systems, is responsible for maintaining normal bodily function as well as interacting with the world in a controlled and coordinated manner, and is the source of our perception of the world, our personalities, and our selves. It is the single most energy-hungry part of the body, consuming glucose, oxygen, and other fuel materials from the blood, and is therefore served by a robust and well-reinforced network of arteries, nerves, and small vessels whose function is tightly regulated. Given its importance, the brain is separated from the main circulatory system by the blood brain barrier, which finely controls bloodflow to the brain, filters the blood passing through and around the brain, as well as preventing infection of the brain itself by outside pathogens. Because of its importance and centrality to normal human life, damage to or changes in the brain have the potential to have immediate, significant, and permanent consequences that require ongoing management. In a stroke, bloodflow to the brain is disrupted in one of two ways. One form of stroke occurs when there is a sudden or sustained disruption to the bloodflow to a part of the brain, starving that part of the brain of blood, oxygen, and nutrients. This is called an ischaemic stroke, and can occur over time or very quickly. An ischaemic stroke that occurs as a result of change over time is usually accompanied by signs of age or lifestyle-related factors like narrowing of blood vessels due to the buildup of plaque inside the vessels, narrowing of vessels due to chronic blood pressure changes, and other changes that may occur in cases of uncontrolled chronic conditions like diabetes, other cardiovascular disease, or some other illness. An ischaemic stroke that occurs very quickly is commonly caused by blockage of a blood vessel by a solid mass like a clot, a globule of fat, a bubble of air, or some other obstruction to normal blood flow. This obstruction is called an embolus, and an embolus can travel within the blood vessels until it flows down a vessel too small for it to fit, eventually causing a blockage. When this blockage occurs in the heart, it is called a heart attack, when this blockage occurs in the brain, it is called a stroke. The second type of stroke occurs when a blood vessel in the brain bursts, resulting in a bleed into the brain that isn't filtered by the blood brain barrier, and which floods the area. This is called a haemorrhagic stroke, and can be caused by factors that build up slowly or which occur quickly. Slow-building factors that contribute to haemorrhagic strokes include old age, with strokes occurring in the elderly, as well as gender, with these strokes more likely to occur in men. Another longterm risk factor in the development of a haemorrhagic stroke is elevated blood pressure, which strains the tissues of the small blood vessels of the brain to the point where they rupture. These blood vessels themselves may be at risk if there are deformities in their constitution. Deformities in the blood vessels of the brain are called Arterio-Venous Malformations, and the presence of these malformations has the potential to cause bleeds in the brain. Haemorrhagic strokes can also occur with short notice, most commonly due to a spike in blood pressure which places sufficient strain on the small vessels that causes them to burst, resulting in a bleed. An example of this is an increase in blood pressure that occurs when exerting oneself when lifting, or an increase in blood pressure due to stress. Regardless of the cause, strokes cause damage to and changes in the brain. These changes may be fast-resolving if a person who is experiencing a stroke is admitted to hospital, diagnosed, triaged, and managed with utmost expedience. If there is a delay in diagnosis, if the damage is catastrophic, or for any other reason, there may be ongoing consequences of the stroke. The consequences of a stroke may be difficult to predict accurately - a stroke is a medical event that doesn't just affect the area of the injury, but which has the potential to affect other parts of the brain with time as the brain changes to compensate and as the after effects of the injury evolve. Strokes can affect peoples' personality, their perception of the world, their fundamental senses, their cognition and mental function, and their movement and balance. Because of the potential of a single medical event to have such profound and long-lasting consequences, strokes are never managed in isolation by one person or profession, but always within a team of disciplines that address all potentially changed domains of function, including physiotherapists, speech pathologists, occupational therapists, social workers, home support workers, and of course the medical team which may include a consultant or a surgeon. Management of a stroke may go further than the hospital admission, with a person being eligible for support at home that includes carers, at-home medical support and management, or even modification of the home to support safe movement and engagement with a familiar environment. Physiotherapy management of strokes is a deeply involved and studied domain of practice. The most common treatment provided is physical rehabilitation with a neurological aspect, designed to promote appropriate and sustainable posture, increase the ease of movement and decrease the risk of falls, to restore and maintain the strength of the body, and to conduct these interventions in coordination with other disciplines to ensure the best possible outcome for the person under care. This management can be undertaken in hospital, in a private clinic, or in the home, depending on the progression of the condition, propriety of the patient to engage with therapy, and practicality of the service delivery plan, as well as any additional considerations that may arise. The problems presented by strokes are too numerous and nuanced, and the scope of physiotherapy to support the wellbeing of a stroke patient is too broad to be accurately described in one article, but rest assured that if there is a problem presented by a stroke or other brain-related neurological event, there is a physiotherapy discipline and a physiotherapist who can help. 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.

INFORMATION FOR PATIENTS WHAT YOU CAN EXPECT AT YOUR PHYSIOTHERAPY APPOINTMENT During your first physiotherapy appointment, your physiotherapist will guide you through an assessment and treatment of your problem. They will explain the nature of the assessments and treatments performed, and will discuss your treatment plan with you. Your physiotherapist is happy to answer any questions you might have and will assist you on the path to optimal recovery. Your physiotherapist will work in partnership with you to help you achieve your goals, and will liaise with your physician and other professionals if necessary. ​ WHAT TO BRING TO YOUR APPOINTMENT You should wear comfortable clothes and footwear, as you will be changing positions during the assessment. You should bring photo ID, and the details of your private health fund if you would like to make a claim following your appointment. If you have a referral letter from your physician, you should bring that too, but it is not essential. Additionally, if you have any documents from specialists such as X-RAY or ultrasound reports, medication information or post-surgical orders, you should bring those to your appointment. ​ DO YOU NEED REFERRALS? You do not need a referral for an appointment with us. Physiotherapists are your GP's most recommended health practitioner; they are skilled clinicians trained to assess and treat a wide variety of problems, and will be happy to see you regardless of the nature of that problem or its recency. ​ APPOINTMENT TIMES AND AVAILABILITY Currently, appointment times are available from 8AM to 10PM every day of the week. To make appointments, please call the clinic, send an email, or book online at the bottom of this page. An appointment usually takes 30 minutes for the treatment of one problem, and complex problems may take more time. Please let us know if this is the case, and we will accommodate you in the one session, or schedule subsequent appointments to fully address your concerns. ATTENDANCE POLICY ​ Once an appointment has been made, it is your responsibility to present at that time on the scheduled date. Failure to attend a scheduled appointment without cancelling or rescheduling with at least 24-hours notice will incur a cancellation fee. ​ CANCELLATION POLICY We request at least 24 hours notice for cancellation of appointments. Failure to cancel your appointment with 24-hours notice may incur a cancellation fee based on the circumstances necessitating the change to your schedule. Your clinician will discuss the charges with you if they apply or are incurred. HICAPS Private health care rebate is available for clients with relevant extras cover with our Hicaps facility on the day of consultation. ​ ​ PAYMENT OPTIONS Cash, EFTPOS and credit card facilities are available. ​ PARKING Wheelchair and disability-accessible parking, with ramps and hand-rails is available on the clinic grounds. Additional parking space is available across Darebin Road and along Arthur Street. ​ S C O P E O F P R A C T I C E Atlas Physio provides general physiotherapy services to members of the community. The treatment you receive will depend on the nature of your discomfort, the length of time you have been experiencing that discomfort, the behaviour of your symptoms, and may be informed by your personal medical history as well as other factors. The treatment you receive will be conducted in line with best practice guidance and evidence to swiftly, sustainably, and successfully address the cause and course of your presenting discomfort. ​ During the course of your assessment, appointment, or time with us, it may be determined that the management of your discomfort may be beyond our scope of practice, being the qualification, training, experience, and situational assessment of the clinician with whom you work. In some specific cases, it may be determined that physiotherapy treatment is not the most appropriate course of action for the management of your problem, and your clinician will discuss this with you if that is the case, as well as provide you with guidance and options that would be most effective to best address your needs. ​ We invite you to ask questions of and discuss any issues you may have with your managing clinician if you would like to know more in this regard.

Muscular Weakness Muscular weakness refers to a situation in which a muscle or group of muscles cannot produce the strength needed for a task. Muscular weakness is always evaluated relative to a task - an average, untrained middle-aged individual with no underlying health conditions could reasonably be expected to be able to stand, walk, and maintain their posture. This same individual may not be able to execute a one-hundred kilogram clean with perfect technique. For this reason, whenever considering muscular weakness, it's important to think about the activity as well - does the effort need to be exerted over a short or long period of time? Is the movement repetitive, held, or awkward? Is muscular effort needed in combination with some other effort, like endurance, balance, or fine coordination? These questions make the evaluation and management of muscular weakness a nuanced process. Muscular weakness can happen after periods of intense exercise or effort. This is muscular fatigue and is a normal part of living. The harder muscle groups will need to work, the longer they will need to rest. Even if the effort isn't intense but sustained, muscle groups can become fatigued with time. Anyone who's started slouching after a long period of sitting down at a desk can attest to that. Muscular fatigue can become a problem if the fatigue occurs earlier than expected or takes a longer time than usual to recover. Muscular weakness can be one cause of this - the muscle groups don't have enough strength or capacity to work in the way that they are needed. In this case, treatment for muscular weakness involved strengthening and conditioning of the muscle groups - exposing them to controlled and escalated loading in such a manner that they become capable of efforts that are stronger, more sustained, and more repeatable. This conditioning is typically done as part of a broader treatment regimen, and can be done in clinic, in a gym, or in the privacy of someone's own home. There are other causes for muscular weakness in addition to this, such as illnesses, injuries, changes in the connection between the muscle and the brain, and changes in the physiology of the muscle itself. In these cases, weakness is the result of a process that needs to be addressed alongside strengthening the muscles themselves. Common causes of muscular weakness in this way include decreased endurance because of changes to the heart and lungs, decreased strength due to a stroke, decreased coordination and sustainability of movements because of Parkinson's disease, and many other factors. Normal function of the human body requires strength, endurance, coordination, balance, and reflex, and any program of rehabilitation needs to take all of those factors into account. Muscular weakness is usually addressed by strengthening. Strengthening the muscles is accomplished by exposing muscles and muscle groups to controlled loading, which causes muscular adaptation and improvements in power, endurance, and working capacity over time. By strengthening your muscles and improving your overall physical capacity, you improve the quality your balance, the resistivity of your bones, the efficiency of your heart and lungs, alongside other benefits that are too numerous to list. Muscular strengthening and conditioning is the basis of all physiotherapy intervention, and every individual treatment has a strengthening component within it, to best address the issue at hand and to prepare the body for what may be ahead. 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.

Fractures Fractures refer to a disruption in the continuity of a bone, and have many causes. Fractures are commonly caused by traumatic damage to the bone, such as during a fall, contact sporting event, physical accident, or collision with an object. One in three people will experience a fracture of some nature over the course of their lives, and appropriate management and rehabilitation are essential elements of fracture care. Fractures have many presentations, depending on the nature of the injury and the bone that is affected. Fractures are typically referred to as "broken bones" and are readily associated with things like plaster casts, crutches, and walking sticks. Sometimes, fractures may be so minor that a person may walk around, engage with their life, and continue working all while undergoing management for a fracture. Otherwise, they may be so severe as to require surgical treatment as well as activity modification, followed by proper rehabilitation. There are over two-hundred bones in the human body, all of which may experience fracture, dislocation, or damage. Because of this, the rehabilitation plan following a fracture is highly dependent on the bone that has been injured, the nature and severity of that injury, and the management plan that you may receive from your treating consultant or surgeon. Management of Fractures 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. All of these factors will be addressed in your initial assessment, which is the first step towards minimising and managing any pain or discomfort. The treatment you receive will be tailored to address the specific nature of your Fracture, 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.

Medicare and Bulk Billing Physio Atlas Physio is happy to provide bulk billed service to clients under the Chronic Disease Management program, formerly known as Enhanced Primary Care. CDM and EPC referrals for physiotherapy are written by your doctor, and entitle you to a number of medicare-subsidised appointments every year. You have five medicare-subsidised appointments that you may bulk bill in a calendar year, and these appointments may be distributed between different allied health professions, or all used for one specialty like Physiotherapy, Podiatry, or Speech Pathology. CDM / EPC plans enable GPs to plan and coordinate the health care of patients with chronic medical conditions, including patients who require team-based care from a GP and other healthcare providers. Receiving EPC physio treatment as a bulk billing client is different to receiving treatment as a private client, so take note of the following: 1. You will need a referral. To receive medicare subsidy for your appointment, you will need a medical referral. Your GP is responsible for writing and planning your referral. It is important to have this ready when you meet your therapist - it's how we bill for our services. If you do not have a referral, you have two options: - You can reschedule your appointment until such time as you or your doctor can provide a current referral for physio treatment. - You can access physiotherapy at standard rate. You will then receive a receipt for your appointment, which may be used to claim a reimbursement. A sample EPC referral form is available here - feel free to present this to your GP for review and completion. 2. Medicare referrals require assessment and reporting. As part of receiving subsidised physiotherapy treatment, Atlas Physio is obliged to conduct ongoing reassessment of your progress, and provide reports of your progress to the relevant authorities and individuals when requested as well as at regular intervals. This means that details of your treatment and your response to it will need to be submitted. Atlas Physio will take every measure to respect your privacy and minimise exposure of your information. For more information, you can refer to our consent and privacy documentation. 3. Subsidised treatment rates are different to standard rates. The schedule of fees published by Medicare specifies the maximum amount paid for in an appointment. 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. If you are a new patient, your first appointment will be an initial assessment at normal duration and cost. For more information on appointments and appointment fees, you can refer to our fees and charges.

WorkSafe / WorkCover and TAC Atlas Physio is happy to provide services to clients on behalf of the TAC and WorkSafe. Receiving treatment as a TAC or WorkSafe client is different to receiving treatment as a private client, so take note of the following: 1. You will need a claim number. As part of subsidised services, you will have received a TAC or WorkSafe claim number. It is important to have this ready when you meet your therapist - it's how we bill for our services. If you do not have your claim number, you will need to provide us with your name and date of birth. - TAC clients must also have the date on which the accident occurred. - WorkSafe clients must also have the date on which the injury occurred, the date of surgery if available, and details of your claim. If you cannot provide a claim number, and do not have the details of your accident available, you will not be eligible for subsidised rates at the time of your appointment. You will still be able to access physiotherapy services at standard rates, and you will still be provided with receipts. 2. You do not need a medical referral to start TAC or WorkSafe treatment with us. As part of TAC and WorkSafe services, you do not need a medical referral to start physiotherapy treatment. All you will need is a claim number, and you will be eligible to begin treatment. 3. TAC and WorkSafe treatment will require reassessment and reporting. As part of receiving subsidised physiotherapy treatment, Atlas Physio is obliged to conduct ongoing reassessment of your progress, and provide reports of your progress to the relevant authorities and individuals when requested as well as at regular intervals. This means that details of your treatment and your response to it will need to be submitted. Atlas Physio will take every measure to respect your privacy and minimise exposure of your information. For more information, you can refer to our consent form, and ask any questions you may have regarding TAC or WorkSafe procedures. 4. Subsidised treatment rates are different to standard rates. The schedule of fees published by WorkSafe and the TAC specify the maximum amount that these organisations will pay for in an appointment. 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.