Active Balance - Physio & Wellness

📣📣 New Staff Member Alert 📣📣

Thomas McCarthy - Myotherapist & Athletic Rehabilitation Therapist

Introducing Tom!

Tom is from the south west coast of Ireland, and will be joining the Active Balance team as our new myotherapist! Since completing his Bachelor of Science in Sports Rehabilitation and Athletic Therapy, he’s gained experience working across America, Canada, Ireland and now, Australia.

Tom loves treating a wide range of conditions and injuries, but has a keen interest in treating lower back pain. He uses a variety of manual therapy techniques, as well as education and corrective exercises to help achieve great outcomes for his clients.

Outside of clinic hours, Tom spends a lot of time with Gaelic football and soccer teams both as a player and as a therapist. When he’s not involved with one of these teams, I’ll most likely be found at the beach or in the gym.

Tom will be available for bookings from the middle of September, and we'll open these up very shortly 🙌

Welcome Tom! 🤩🤩

Happy Spring! 🌼🌸

Want a chance to win a FREE pair of professionally fitted running shoes??

To celebrate the start of Spring, and with lots of people getting into running (yay!), we have a special offer!

Book in a physio running assessment during the month of September, and go into the draw to win a FREE pair of running shoes 🙌

These will be professionally fitted by our very knowledgeable friends at

Running Assessments are currently available Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays 🏃‍➡️🏃‍♀️‍➡️

*Only to used at the the Running Company South Adelaide*

PSA: Our amazing Pamela is going home to Brazil soon for a well-deserved holiday and family time 🥰

This means though, that we will be without her for the whole of October! 😭

So, if you’re wanting to get in with Pam before she heads away, make sure you get your bookings in ASAP, as her September is starting to get verrrrry busy already 😊

Need a gift for dad this Fathers’ Day? 🎁

We got you covered 🙌

We have a range of products in the clinic, as well as the option to organise gift vouchers for treatments from any of our practitioners.

Just FYI: we’ve had quite a few dads ask us to hint to their loved ones that a massage voucher wouldn’t be a bad idea 👌🤔

You may have heard your physio or massage therapist mention a technique called myofascial release, but what actually is it?

▪️Myofascial release is a type of manual therapy used to treat muscular pain and discomfort.
The term "myofascial" refers to the muscles (myo) and the connective tissues that surround them (fascia).

▪️While it also treats the muscles, myofascial release aims to release tension & adhesions in the fascia, which can arise due to stress, injury, inflammation, trauma, or overuse, often leading to pain and restricted movement.

▪️Your practitioner will be able to guide you on what sort of techniques may be best for you during your treatment time.

**While this treatment technique can be helpful in providing relief from a wide range of issues, we find it works best in conjunction with an appropriate rehab and strengthening program, to ensure the relief you get from treatment can be long lasting and improve your overall movement & pain levels 🙌

A question we get asked a lot:

How many treatment sessions will I need until I feel better? 🤔

The answer:

Well, no two people are the same, and even if they present with the same condition or injury, no two people will be treated the exact same either.

How many treatment sessions you’ll need depends on a number of factors, such as injury severity, how long the issue has been around for and your rehab routine.

Your physio will be able to advise you on what your treatment plan might look like after taking into account the above factors, and will work with you to get you feeling better as quickly as possible.

We understand that everyone’s lifestyle, budget and time constraints are different, so we will always do our best to work within what is going to be best for you 😊

Have you been diagnosed or think you may have BPPV/Vertigo? 💫💫

We can help!

After our recent upskilling session last week, our physios are feeling confident and well equipped to help those who may be suffering from vertigo/BPPV 🙌

What is BBPV??

Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo (BPPV) is a common, but potentially debilitating vestibular (inner ear) disorder which involves sudden and intense episodes of vertigo (a sense of spinning or dizziness), that are triggered by changes in head position.

Although generally considered benign, so non-lifethreatening, BPPV can be debilitating and cause a lot of distress to sufferers, so getting a timely assessment and treatment is important!

Your treatment sessions will generally involve a combination of the following:

👂 A thorough history taken to determine if there may be other causes for your symptoms
👂 Objective testing including balance, eye tracking, and specific manoeuvres to determine where the issue is arising
👂 Treatment manoeuvres such as the Epleys, to help relocate any dislodged inner ear crystals and relieve symptoms
👂 Treatment through the neck to further ease symptoms
👂 Education on self management techniques you can do at home, as well as prescription of exercises to help regain balance and control

If you'd like to book in for treatment for vertigo/BPPV with our physios, simply select the treatment type in the online booking portal under the physiotherapy tab, or call us on 0450877731 😊

Ever been told your upper traps are "overactive" and that's the cause of your headaches/shoulder tightness/bad posture etc etc??

Well, contrary to popular belief, 'overactive' upper traps are not always the cause of these issues.

In fact, it's often a lack of strength and efficient movement through the upper trapezius that causes trouble.

Of course, we don't want the upper traps overworking and causing trouble, but these are big, important muscles that support our posture and movement substantially, so trying to 'switch them off' when moving about our day is generally not the answer 🤔

Flexibility without strength & coordination is not functional... 🤸‍♀️🏋‍♂️

Here’s why:

Flexibility is simply the ability of our muscles & other connective tissues to allow a joint to move into a certain range.

Flexibility on its own is not particularly helpful or functional until we are able to control it. In fact, excessive flexibility can detrimental, as it can cause injury, pain and dysfunction.

In order for our flexibility and mobility work to be functional, & therefore useful for developing skill & preventing injury, we need to add control - i.e. strength & coordination into that range of motion.

So, instead of only stretching to improve your mobility, add in some strengthening to movements that challenge your range of motion.

With practice & the right type of exercises, your body will gradually allow you into that position more easily and with less discomfort.

If you need some ideas, reach out and we can give you some more exercises to work on to help achieve your mobility goals 🙌

Resilience Vs Dependence

Ever been told something like...

• Your body is fragile
• You have bone on bone arthritis
• You have the spine of an 80 year old
• You need frequent, ongoing treatments or you’ll go backwards
• You shouldn’t lift anything heavy, it’s bad for your joints
• Your only option is medication, surgery or steroid injection
• Your tendon is damaged
• Running/weightlifting/jumping etc causes injuries and arthritis...Or something similar??

This is called nociceptive language, which generally causes fear and apprehension around movement, and creates dependence on healthcare professionals for pain and symptom management.

Ways to help increase resilience include:

• Supervised exercises & strengthening to build confidence in movement & ensure good technique
• Independent exercise programs to build your body’s ability to tolerate load and movement.
• Encouragement and reassurance that your body is strong and capable of healing, not fragile and broken.
• Proper nutrition, sleep, stress management and recovery protocols
• Appropriate load management and training progressions

Not sure where to start? Have a chat with one of our physios to see what else you can be adding to your routine to improve your resilience.

✨️Meet the team ✨️

Talia Alt
Physiotherapist

Originally from Melbourne, Talia moved to Adelaide in 2012 to study Physio. What was meant to be a couple of years over in SA turned into just a little longer, & Talia now calls Adelaide home.

Growing up doing gymnastics, Talia developed an interest in human movement and how the body works, which led to her to study massage & myotherapy, before moving to Adelaide to study her physio qualifications.

After working in a private clinic for 5 years, Talia started Active Balance out of the spare room at MesoMorph CrossFit in 2018, and from there hasn’t looked back, with the practice growing over the past nearly 6 years, to the current space in St Marys.

Talia enjoys working with people from all walks of life, however has a keen interest in helping people with sporting injuries, and treating headaches, neck and back pain.

In her spare time, you’ll find Talia training at her local CrossFit gym, getting coffee with friends, walking her dog Ralphy, or spoiling her two cats, Poppy and Barney.

Hamstring Strain 🏃‍♀️‍➡️🦵

With the second half of footy and winter sport season in full swing, now is when we're starting to see some injuries such as hamstring strains start to pop up 😣

There are a range of factors to blame for this, but the cold weather, general fatigue and a lack of prehab/strength work as the season goes on often plays a huge part.

To help prevent the dreaded hamstring (or calf, or groin etc etc) strain, we recommend keeping up with your strength and fitness training, even when the weather is cold and it's dark outside!

Deadlifts, hamstring curls, balance work and plyometrics such as rebound jumps, running drills and hopping/landing work can all help reduce your risk of hamstring and other lower limb injuries 🙌

If you have sustained an injury (or want some advice on how you can keep playing at your best for the rest of the season), our physios can help get you back training and playing safely, while aiming to prevent issues from reoccurring 👍🏃‍➡️

Osteoarthritis + exercise = 🙌🙌

Did you know that one of the BEST things to add to an osteoarthritis management plan is resistance training?

Exercise has many benefits in general, and in those suffering from osteoarthritis, it can provide relief from symptoms as well as increase general strength and fitness.

An appropriate exercise plan is *not* dangerous to cartilage, and won't increase the severity of the arthritis that already exists within the joint.

Our clinic offers small group and individual clinical exercise classes, specifically tailored to osteoarthritis
management.

If you think you, or someone you know may benefit from a tailored strengthening program for their osteoarthritis, feel free to get in touch with us for further information 😊
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🏃‍➡️Running Shoes🏃‍♀️‍➡️

A common question we get in the clinic, especially when during running assessments, is about what kind of shoes are best.

These days, there seems to be infinite options when it comes to selecting a running shoe.
Do you get some with extra cushioning? Arch support? A rigid sole? Extra foam? Special laces?

It can definitely be a bit of a challenge to try and figure out which is best for you, your running style and your feet.

Finding the perfect pair of running shoes may require some trial and error, but understanding your feet, running style, and the key features of running shoes will help narrow down your options.

Our maij advice: Aim to prioritise comfort, support, and durability, and don't pick your shoes just based on what other runners are wearing.

The most expensive or fancy looking pair of shoes will not always be the best, and the shoes that work best for someone else will likely not be the best ones for you and your feet. So remember that choosing shoes is a very individual choice, and finding ones that suit you, your running style, running goals and most importantly FEEL good is the best way to go 🙌

Happy running! 🏃‍♀️‍➡️🏃‍➡️

Osgood-Schlatter disease is a common condition characterised by inflammation and pain in the area just below the kneecap (patella), where the tendon from the kneecap attaches to the shinbone (tibia).

Although Osgood-Schlatter disease is often referred to as a disease, is actually a common condition that affects the knees of growing adolescents.

It usually occurs during periods of rapid growth and intense physical activity, making it particularly common in young athletes.

Early assessment and diagnosis can help to manage the pain and dysfunction associated with Osgood Schlatter disease, and also help to prevent long term issues.

If you, or someone you know is struggling with knee pain, our physios can provide a comprehensive assessment, treatment and rehab plan to help get you feeling and moving better 🏃‍♀️‍➡️🏃‍➡️

✨️Meet the Team✨️

Ralph - Security Coordinator, Client Entertainment Officer

Ralphy, our mascot/security guard/clown/constant distraction/fetch professional.

Ralph has been coming to work with Talia since he was a teeny tiny 10 week old puppy. What started out as a temporary situation while he was little, turned into clients asking where he was when he wasn’t at work. So now Ralph has his own office (crate) at work where he can hang out and come out for pats and playing games.

Ralphy loves to play fetch more than anything in this world, as well as belly rubs, treats and soaking up the sunshine.

When he’s not at work, you’ll find him terrorising his cat siblings, barking at birds, or enjoying walkies with friends 🥰🐾

Dry Needling

Even if you haven’t had dry needling yourself, you may have heard the term thrown around when people talk about getting treatment for pain and injuries.

But what actually is dry needling, what does it do, and what can it be helpful for?

Have a read above to learn about what dry needling can help with, and how it works.

If you’re interested in trying dry needling, or would like any further information, please feel free to get in touch and one of our clinical staff can chat with you 😊

Injury healing 🤕

One of the first questions most people have when they sustain an injury is...

How long will this take to heal?
When can I go back to sport/training/work/everyday tasks?

There are LOTS of factors that can affect how long an injury will take to heal, including:

Age, injury history, health, fitness & nutrition, rehab program adherence, support systems, sleep and mindset.

Apart from these, different tissues in our body have different healing times.

This is due to a range of factors such as the amount of blood flow they receive, the cellular makeup of the tissue type, and also the structure of the tissue.

So, the answer to when you’ll be back playing sport or work, or whatever your goal may be needs to take into account not only the area that’s injured, but also a whole bunch of other factors that can affect your recovery.

Struggling with an injury and not sure when you’ll be better? Having a chat with one of our physios can help determine a recovery pathway and put a plan in place to get you back to doing what you love 😊🙌

Measuring Progress 📈

Sometimes it's easy to get caught up thinking you're not making any progress in your injury or pain rehab journey.

We’ve found that taking a step back and looking at a range of other factors can be helpful in realising you’re actually getting there!

Have a read above for some others ways we can measure progress that don't involve how much weight you can lift or how fast you can run.

✨️Meet Mary!✨️

If you’ve been into the clinic on a Friday recently, you would have met the lovely Mary, our new administration assistant.

Mary is currently studying physiotherapy at uni, and has just started working with us part time on Fridays.

When she’s not helping us out behind the desk, you can find Mary hanging with her doggo Lottie, going on bushwalking adventures, or getting stuck into some gardening at home.

Welcome Mary! 🤩

❄️🌨 Winter Essentials Sorted ✅️

🔥 Wili Heat Bags - Rectangle and Neck Wraps available

🔥 Warm Eze Heat Patches (stay warm for 12 hours)

☕️ Collagen Hot Choc

🌡Plus $20 casual Infrared Sauna sessions available!

Our girl is off to Brissy this weekend to compete in the Oceania CrossFit Semi Finals !

Just FYI - Only the top 40 athletes across the region in each division have made it this far (about 8000 people in each division entered), so it‘s a pretty phenominal feat 🙌

We’re so proud of you and how much work you’ve put in to making it to this point, and we’re sure you’ll do amazingly 🫶🫶

Stay tuned to our stories over the weekend and we'll post the link and times to watch her compete 🏋‍♀️

Exercise for diabetes can be a powerful tool for improving cardiorespiratory fitness and strength, which in turn enhances the body's ability to utilise insulin effectively 💪

Exercise helps to:
▪️Lower blood sugar levels
▪️Reduce insulin resistance
▪️Improve glucose uptake by the muscles.

Additionally, engaging in physical activity has positive effects on mood, mental health, and brain function, contributing to an improved sense of well-being.

✨️Meet the team✨️

Nicki Brown - Naturopath

Nicki is our resident naturopath, and runs her clinic Natural By Nature out of our space.

Since starting with us last year, Nicki has helped multiple clients feel their best by addressing underlying issues such as hormone imbalances, gut issues, food intolerances, stress and emotional blocks.

Nicki enjoys working with people from all walks of life, however has a passion for helping women going through menopause to manage symptoms and improve their overall health & quality of life.

Recently, Nicki has completed her qualifications in Emotional Release Technique, which works to address underlying emotional blocks around dysfunctions such as pain, injury and illness.

Outside of work, you can find Nicki supporting her kids at netball and footy, and cheering on the Crows.

If you’re experiencing any troubles and feel like you want to find out why you’re feeling a certain way, be sure to have a chat with Nicki 😊

You may have heard your manual therapist refer to fascia when talking about treating injuries and dysfunction. But what actually is fascia?

Fascia is a complex network of connective tissue found throughout the body.

Think of it as a thin layer that surrounds and supports muscles, bones, organs, nerves, and blood vessels. It provides structural integrity, and enables various bodily functions. Fascia is made up of collagen fibers, elastin fibers, and a gel-like substance called ground substance.

Have a read above for the ways the ways fascia supports our function and movement.

💉💉Cortisone injections

AKA corticosteroid injections, can be a useful treatment option for a variety of inflammatory conditions, such as bursitis, tendinopathy, and osteoarthritis flare ups.

However, they should definitely be reserved for cases where conservative measures, such as activity modification, corrective rehab exercises, hands on treatments and oral medications have not provided sufficient relief or improvement in symptoms.

Contrary to popular belief, cortisone injections are not always effective, and can even worsen symptoms in some cases.

Have a read above to see why we often advise people to avoid a steroid injection wherever possible.

Best practice is generally to advise conservative treatment before recommending cortisone injection, or at least recommend it be performed in conjunction with the injection. If you haven’t been given advice on what sort of options for conservative treatments to try, please feel free to get in touch and we can have one of our friendly clinical staff chat to you about your options 😊

DOMS: AKA Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness 🏃‍➡️🏋‍♀️

Often comes on in the days following exercise (usually 24-72 hours after), and can last from a couple of days, to a week or two. The intensity can vary from mild soreness, to intense discomfort that can impede function.

DOMS is a normal response to certain types of exercise, particularly those involving new or intense activities that the muscles aren't accustomed to. It typically peaks 24 to 72 hours after exercise and gradually diminishes as the muscles repair and adapt to the workload.

Check out the slides above to learn about why DOMS occur and how to help minimise them 💪

✨️Meet the team ✨️

Isla - Myotherapist

Isla started out as a Myotherapist in 2019, after completing her Bachelor of Health Science (Myotherapy) in Adelaide. She then moved back to her hometown, Mildura where she worked in a busy clinic environment, refining her skills.

Isla moved back to Adelaide and started with us in 2021, and since then has grown a very loyal client base who love her treatment techniques and caring nature.

Isla enjoys treating people of all ages, and has a special interest in treating headaches, Jaw pain/TMJ dysfunction , neck pain and sporting injuries.

In her spare time Isla keeps active with bike rides, gym and walks down the beach, and loves a good coffee with friends.

Anyone who has seen Isla knows she loves a laugh and a good story, and we can always count on her to brighten up the day! 🌞

What are shin splints? 🏃‍♂️‍➡️🏃‍♀️‍➡️

“Shin splints” is a bit of an umbrella term used to describe any pain along the shin bone. They can be a debilitating injury for many, and can cause people to have to take extended breaks from training and playing.

It can cover specific injuries such as medial tibial stress syndrome, compartment syndrome, stress fractures, adhesions, and tendinopathies.

It’s important to determine where your shin pain is coming from and the tissues being affected in order to get the best results from treatment and rehab.
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💥 Trigger Points 💥

What are those knots in your muscles and why are they painful?

Have a read above for some info on the causes of trigger points and what we can do to relieve them 🙌