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Praxis Represents

Praxis Represents

by | Jan 11, 2019 | Uncategorized

We pride ourselves on using our skills to help athletes, weekend warriors and every day recreational exercises perform at their best. We also revel in the opportunity to tour and represent Praxis at national and international events.

In the first time in our short history, we have 3 physiotherapists out of the clinic providing their skills for Cricket Australia teams and tournaments both at home and abroad.

Stephen is looking after the Australian U19s in Colombo Sri Lanka, as recently covered in the PWYP blog: A winning Australian Cricket Side. He returns from the subcontinent on the 15th of January.

Zac, is busy down in Shepparton Victoria as a central physiotherapist for the Australia Country Cricket Championships. This competition will provide country cricketers an opportunity to play in a national carnival that will see six teams from across Australia and the East Asia Pacific (EAP) region battling across T20, OneDay and Two-Day cricket. Country cricket continues to be a tremendous nursery for talented young players including national representatives such as premier fast bowlers Andy Bichel and Shaun Tait, showing that this tournament is a viable part of the high performance pathway.

Cameron is about to embark upon two weeks in Ballarat and Bendigo as a central physiotherapist at the U18 Female National Championships. Underage National Championships are an integral part of the Australian Cricket Pathway. These Championships offer important development opportunities for our emerging stars and provide a stepping stone to further national representation. Events such as these have been the major contributor of talent to the Australian Women’s Team since its establishment helping such players as Meg Lanning and Ellyse Perry become the best in the world.

Congratulations to our three physiotherapists and we look forward to seeing them back in clinic soon!

Till next time,

Prevent. Prepare. Perform

Team Praxis

Mid Potion Achilles Tendinopathy Location

Causes and Risks

Achilles tendinopathy typically results from a combination of intrinsic and extrinsic factors. Intrinsic factors include age, reduced flexibility, reduced calf strength / endurance and poor lower limb biomechanics. Extrinsic factors encompass inappropriate footwear, training errors (such as a spike or change in workload), and inadequate warm-up or cool-down routines. Additionally, individuals with systemic conditions like diabetes or rheumatoid arthritis may be more prone to developing Achilles tendinopathy. Understanding these factors is crucial for tailoring treatment plans to address the root causes and minimize the risk of recurrence. But in the most reductionist of terms, Achilles tendinopathy develops due in large part due to a mismatch between loading and the capacity of the tissue.

Diagnosis and Assessment

Accurate diagnosis of Achilles tendinopathy relies on a thorough clinical examination and patient history. Physiotherapists employ various assessment techniques, such as palpation, functional tests, and imaging modalities like ultrasound or MRI, to evaluate the severity and extent of the condition. A self administered questionnaire (VISA-A) can help evaluate symptoms and their effect on physical activity and in turn, the clinical severity. This comprehensive assessment helps determine the appropriate treatment approach, including targeted exercise programs, manual therapy, and other interventions.

Treatment Strategies

Physiotherapy plays a pivotal role in the management of Achilles tendinopathy. Treatment strategies focus on reducing pain, promoting healing, and improving function. These will include calf strengthening exercises, stretching routines and activity modification as frontline options. Moreover, physiotherapists can guide patients in proper footwear selection, gait retraining, and implementing preventive measures to minimize the risk of reinjury.

Rehabilitation and Prevention

Rehabilitation programs are essential for individuals recovering from Achilles tendinopathy. Gradual progression of exercise intensity, functional training, and sport-specific drills enable patients to regain strength, flexibility, and proprioception while minimizing the risk of relapse. Educating patients on proper warm-up and cool-down routines, appropriate footwear selection, and regular monitoring of training loads can significantly contribute to preventing Achilles tendinopathy in the future. One of the common errors patients make is making rehabilitation too easy, or returning to sport too quickly. Again, physiotherapy play a pivotal role in ensuring you undertake a graduated return to loading as the application of mechanical stress to the Achilles tendon promotes tendon healing and remodeling.

Conclusion

Achilles tendinopathy requires a comprehensive approach for effective management. As physiotherapists, our knowledge and expertise are invaluable in helping you overcome this condition and return to their active lifestyles. To discuss your Achilles issues with us to get you back to what you love doing, book online with Praxis today.

Until next time, Praxis What Your Preach.

Team Praxis

A Winning Australian Cricket Side

by | Jan 4, 2019 | Uncategorized

Apologies for the obviously topical and sensationalist headline, but it is worth mentioning that our principal physio Stephen, is abroad at the moment looking after the Aussie U19 Cricket side in Colombo. The side which was name in mid December, arrived in Colombo on the 30th of December for a two week tournament against their Sri Lankan peers.

Four contracted players including Victoria and Melbourne Renegades duo Will Sutherland and Zak Evans, Tasmania’s Jarrod Freeman and New South Wales’ keeper Baxter Holt were all named in a 14-player squad for the four-match tour of the island nation.

More on the Cricket Australia Announcement here

The Head Coach and former Australian fast bowler Ryan Harris addressed the media on the eve of the series.

The Aussies drew first blood for the series with a composed and convincing win, securing the victory by chasing down Sri Lanka’s 262 with 7 wickets and 2 overs to spare. Sam Fanning was the back bone early with a sensationally well made 108 (94). He was aptly supported by a swashbuckling Ollie Davies who guided the visitors to the finish line with 50*(44) which included 4 massive sixes easily clearing the straight boundaries.

The bowlers toiled hard in typically hot and humid conditions on what appeared to be a batting friendly wicket. Zac Evans and Josh Kann both picked up two wickets whilst the spin of Jarred Freeman and Tanveer Sangha managed to snare 1 a piece.

The remaining two one-day matches will be played at P. Sara Stadium on 5th and 7th January, followed by the three-day match from 10th to 12th January at SSC Grounds.

Live scoring is available via the ESPN cricinfo website.

Good luck to the lads and Stephen for the remainder of the series. Fingers crossed our senior test team can get the job done in Sydney!

Until next time, Praxis what you preach: Prevent. Prepare. Perform

Team Praxis

Why lifting is your missing endurance link: A guide for long distance runners (Part 1)

Why lifting is your missing endurance link: A guide for long distance runners (Part 1)

by | Aug 10, 2018 | Uncategorized

You have the shoes, the GPS watch, training schedule and alarm set for 5am. You are dedicated and that race is right around the corner. Whether it is your first 5km or your 50th marathon, the thrill of crossing the finish line drives us all. Whilst you may know your average km split time like the back of your hand, do you know how strong your lunges or deadlifts are? If you haven’t stepped foot in a gym recently, then research suggests you could be missing out on a host of positive effects on your running. There has been a whole host of research in this area so deciphering the literature can be a difficult task. Thankfully, a recent paper by Blagrove et al [1] has done much of the hard work for us. The paper entitled Effects of Strength Training on the Physiological Determinants of Middle- and Long-Distance Running Performance: A Systematic Review aimed to provide a comprehensive critical commentary on the current literature that has examined the effects of strength training modalities on the physiological determinants and performance of middle and long-distance runners. They also offered recommendations for best practice which you can read about in the Part 2 blog post.
Running is a surprisingly complex task and as such there are many factors that affect performance. Physiological, biomechanical, psychological, environmental, and tactical factors all inter play to result in determining the average runner from the elite. With respect to physiological markers of performance, maximal oxygen uptake (known as VO2max), running economy, and the sustainable percentage of VO2max go a long way to determining performance [2]. In fact, these three elements can predict performance with up to 95% accuracy in well trained runners. The difference between VO2max in the elite running population however is surprisingly marginal. On the contrary, running efficiency displays a high degree of inter-individual variability and thus a potential area to better discriminate between runners and their respective performance [3]. Defined as the oxygen or energy cost of sustaining a given sub-maximal running velocity, running efficiency is underpinned by a variety of anthropometric, physiological, biomechanical, and neuromuscular factors [4]. More specifically to the purpose of this article, force generation and stretch–shortening cycles are the neuromuscular factors that are the most relevant. Whilst force production of a muscle is a straight forward concept, the stretch shortening cycles may not be. Stretch shortening cycles describe the pre-stretch and recoil action of a muscle and tendon unit that occurs in a dynamic action just as jumping. Think of the stretch shortening cycle like a spring whereby energy is stored and released within the spring, or in real terms, the musculo-tendinous unit. To produce higher forces, the more motor units (muscle) are required [5]. There is a strong correlation between the cross-sectional area of a muscle and its ability to produced force. Several other factors are involved, but for the most part, a larger muscle will produce more force than a smaller muscle. However, force production becomes more difficult when activities are dynamic. This is because there is a reduction in force produced per motor unit due to the faster shortening velocity involved in the stretch shortening cycle [5]. In general, strength training activities can positively affect both muscle force as well as improve the stretch-shortening cycle through several different adaptations including muscular and neural changes [6, 7]. Hypertrophy is the term to describe an increase in muscle size. It is the cyclical process whereby muscle cells are exposed to repeated bouts of exercise causing micro damage to the muscle cells. Micro damage causes an inflammatory response and it is the pain you feel for the next 48hrs after a bout of exercise (also called delayed onset muscle soreness or DOMS for short). It is also the stimulus for the body to mitigate future damage by repairing the damaged tissue and adding more muscle cells. This is what is commonly known as the super compensation cycle. Hypertrophy is aided by rest, dietary protein, certain hormones (e.g testosterone) and has a very strong genetic component as well [7].
Neural adaptation tends to be one of the earliest changes and accounts for most of the strength increases observed in the initial stages of all strength training [8]. Those who are exposed to repeated bouts of resistance training generate significant strength gains with minimal hypertrophy early in the process. The body achieves this via synchronous activation (the ability to recruit more muscle cells in a simultaneous fashion) and reduction in neural inhibition (a natural response of the central nervous system to feedback signals arising from the muscle) [9]. Inhibition allows muscle to avoid overworking and potentially damaging itself due to unaccustomed load. This response is rapid as it utilises the nerve and muscle cells already present. These adaptations are in direct contrast to the untrained muscle in which atrophy (muscle wastage) and reduced neural drive are typical. What this all boils down to is that following a period of strength training there is an increase in absolute motor unit recruitment resulting in a lower relative intensity of that muscle unit to deliver the same outcome as previous. If the bouts are habitual and frequent enough, muscle cells hypertrophy and become larger, increasing their ability to generate force. As a result, the trained muscle will be able to recruit a higher threshold of larger motor units. Combine all of this with an enhanced stretch shortening cycle and you have some excellent adaptations to improve running efficiency.

With respect to the dosage, the Blagrove paper suggested, a strength training intervention, lasting 6–20 weeks, added to the training program of a distance runner appears to enhance running efficiency by 2–8%. In real terms, an improvement in running efficiency of this magnitude should theoretically allow a runner to operate at a lower relative intensity and thus improve training and/or race performance. Improvements were observed in moderately-trained, well-trained and highly-trained participants, suggesting runners of any training status can benefit from strength training. For the particulars of the dosage, exercise selection and periodisation, check out Part 2 blog post.

Until next time, continue to Praxis What You Preach…

Prevent. Prepare. Perform.

References:

  1. RC. Blagrove, G Howatson, PR. Hayes. Effects of Strength Training on the Physiological Determinants of Middle- and Long-Distance Running Performance: A Systematic Review, Sports Med. 2018; 48(5):1117-1149
  2. McLaughlin JE, Howley ET, Bassett DR Jr, et al. Test of the classic model for predicting endurance running performance. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2010;42(5):991–7
  3. Morgan DW, Craib M. Physiological aspects of running economy. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 1992;24(4):456–61.
  4. Saunders PU, Pyne DB, Telford RD, Hawley JA. Factors affecting running economy in trained distance runners. Sports Med. 2004;34(7):465–85.
  5. Barnes KR, Kilding AE. Running economy: measurement, norms, and determining factors. Sports Med. 2015;1(1):8–15
  6. Denadai BS, de Aguiar RA, de Lima LC, et al. Explosive training and heavy weight training are effective for improving running economy in endurance athletes: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Sports Med. 2017;47(3):545–54
  7. Schoenfeld BJ, Ogborn D, Krieger JW. Effects of resistance training frequency on measures of muscle hypertrophy: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Sports Med. 2016;46(11):1689–97
  8. Aagaard P , Simonsen EB , Magnusson SP , Andersen JL , Dyhre-Poulsen P. .Enhanced motoneuron activation as effect of heavy-resistance strength training in man.Med Sci Sports Exerc 29: S23-1997.
  9. Aagaard, P., E. B. Simonsen, J. L. Andersen, S. P. Magnusson, J. Halkjær-Kristensen, and P. DyhrePoulsen. Neural inhibition during maximal eccentric and concentric quadriceps contraction: effects of resistance training. J Appl Physiol 89: 2249–2257, 2000
Graduation Day!

Graduation Day!

by | Jul 27, 2018 | Uncategorized

A massive congratulations to our resident netball, pilates and now graduated dietician guru Naomi! Naomi has recently added to her Bachelor of Exercise and Nutrition Science with a Masters of Dietetics from the University of Queensland. We are all proud as punch!

After a well earned break, Naomi who is a Member of Dietetics Association Australia (DAA) will be coming on board to complement our growing multidisciplinary team right here at Praxis. She will be spread around most of our locations and she is keen to compliment our current patient services in physio, massage and reformer pilates.

For those of you who don’t know Naomi yet, she was born and bred on the Sunshine Coast and has always been passionate about food. Naturally, studying a Bachelor of Exercise and Nutrition Science made sense but with an insatiable appetite for knowledge, she wanted more! That’s why the completion of her Masters of Dietetics degree is a an accomplishment to be savoured.

As an Accredited Practicing Dietitian (APD), she has a wealth of knowledge about how to make your diet and lifestyle work best for you! Naomi has experience with chronic disease prevention and management, weight management, general healthy eating and sports nutrition and performance. She is a bit of a book worm, with experience in research on topics ranging from broad topics on health for all body sizes to the effects brown adipose tissue.

Naomi has always loved cooking, and the amazing feeling of sharing good food with friends and family. She grew up as 1 of 6 siblings, so family dinners have always been quite the affair! She spends her spare time baking brownies and creating delicious new recipes (which we are all looking forward to trying!!). When she’s not in the kitchen she is out playing sport and Naomi has a background in athletics, AFL, and netball. Currently, she plays for one our Praxis affliated sporting teams – the mighty Brisbane North Cougars Netball Club in the Queensland State Netball League.

Congratulations again Naomi and welcome to the Praxis Team!

So if you or anyone you know has any questions regarding food, diet and healthy eating, Naomi is here to support you on your journey to creating a healthy sustainable lifestyle the whole way!

Yours in Health,

Team Praxis

Prevent. Prepare. Perform

References:

  1. Chou R, Qaseem A, Snow V, et al. Diagnosis and treatment of low back pain: A joint clinical practice guideline from the American College of Physicians and the American Pain Society. Ann Intern Med. 2007;147:478–491. [PubMed]
  2. Linton SJ, Helsing A, Anderson DA. Controlled study of effects of an early intervention on acute musculoskeletal pain problems. Pain. 1993;54:353–359. [PubMed]
  3. Pinnington MA, Miller J, Stanley I. An evaluation of prompt access to physiotherapy in the management of low back pain in primary care. Fam Pract. 2004;21:372–380. [PubMed]
  4. Bigos S, Boyer O, et al. Acute low back pain in adults. AHCPR Publication 95-0642. 1994.
  5. Fritz JM, Delitto A, Erhard RE. Spine. Vol. 28. 2003. Comparison of classification-based physical therapy with therapy based on clinical practiced guidelines for patients with acute low back pain: A randomized clinical trial; pp. 1363–1371. [PubMed]
  6. Delitto A, Erhard RE, Bowling RW. A treatment based classification approach to low back syndrome: Identifying and staging patients for conservative treatment. Phys Ther. 1995;75:470–485. [PubMed]
  7. Spengler D, Bigos SJ, Martin NZ, Zeh J, Fisher L, Nachenson A. Back injuries in industry: A retrospective study. Overview and cost analysis. Spine. 1986;2:241–245. [PubMed]
  8. Leavitt SS, Johnson TL, Beyer JD. The process of recovery, Part 1. Med. Surg. 1971;40:7–14.[PubMed]
  9. Hagen, K. B., Jamtvedt, G., Hilde, G., & Winnem, M. F. (2005). The updated cochrane review of bed rest for low back pain and sciatica. Spine, 30(5), 542–546. https://doi.org/10.1097/01.brs.0000154625.02586.95
Congratulations 30 Day Challengers

Congratulations 30 Day Challengers

by | Jul 20, 2018 | Uncategorized

Final measures have been taken. Numbers crunched and the results are in…

But first, a massive congratulations to all our 30 Day Challengers who recently completed a gruelling but rewarding 30 days of Reformer Pilates. Participants completed a suite of baseline strength measures (recording maximum repetitions) on the reformers and then underwent a structured program devised by our clinical Pilates guru’s Emma, Karen and Kylie. No two workouts were the same and challengers used their 20 classes over the 30 days to take giant strides in improving their pilates technique and strength.

We had an eager and wide range of participants from the sporting to the previously sedentary office worker. All participants have reported how strong they feel after only a month with further benefits felt in enhanced posture and energy levels.

During this challenge, our participant’s average improvement to their baseline testing was more than 80%! Special mentions to Dominique P, whose push ups went from 15 to 43 repetitions. Sandra L doubled her ab curl ups to record the highest measure of 120 reps and increased her scooter lunge a whopping 55 reps!

But there can only be one winner from each clinic. Our winners were *drumroll please* Michael B. from Club Coops Carseldine and Siobhan E. from the X-Centre in the Valley. Michael in particular blew the competition away with calf raises progressing from 38 to 105 reps, footwork (on all springs) from 40 to a mammoth 120 reps! Not to be outdone, Siobhan almost doubled her abdominal curls to 118 and added almost 40 reps to her Scooter lunge!

Michael and Siobhan each receive a FREE 5-Pack as a reward for effort and dedication during the colder months of the year! Great stuff!!

Congratulations again to all our participants and our winners Michael and Siobhan. Stay tuned for the next challenge date which we’ll have a few added surprises and bonuses included!

Yours in Health,

Praxis Pilates – Prevent. Prepare. Perform.

Happy Birthday to Praxis!

Happy Birthday to Praxis!

by | Jul 16, 2018 | Uncategorized

This July marks the second birthday for Praxis Physiotherapy, Pilates & Massage. We are all so very thankful for all our support from our staff, patients, referrers and sporting organisations.

Our Principal physio’s Cameron and Stephen remain busy as ever. Stephen has had increased involvement with Cricket Australia completing tours with high performance cricket teams in Sydney, Brisbane, Hobart, Melbourne, Alice Springs and the UK with a tour of India coming up later this month. He is also busy as lead physiotherapist with the Aspley Hornets NEAFL team and continues to be a work horse in Sports Physio. Cameron has started looking after the UQ AFL club and has also been forging ahead with his athletic biomechanical screening protocols. He continues with his high level of clinical care with chronic and complex cases. His passion towards the industry, dedication to his patients and attention to detail in his work has been an inspiration!

This year saw a great deal of growth across the board. Firstly, we had Zac move from part time to full time physio spread between our X-Centre (Fortitude Valley) and Buranda locations. Zac has also been busy with Physio / Strength & Conditioning for the Brisbane North Cougars Netball team as well as the Ravens Grid Iron Club. Zac’s growth over the past year has been awesome to watch as he provides the highest level of care across Physio, Biomechanical Screenings and Clinical Pilates.

Emma continues to kick goals being full time at Club Coops (Carseldine) location looking after tennis and general members there as well as the QFA AFL team. Emma continues to impress, stepping up to take over management of Pilates at Club Coops and will be focusing more on clinical reformer pilates to manage osteoarthritis, lower back pain and post surgical rehabilitation.

We also had our newest addition to the physio team with Jarred coming on board in January. Jarred is helping Stephen with Aspley Hornets NEAFL football coverage as well as the junior players. We are very excited to watch Jarred grow as he already shows signs of becoming an absolute guru therapist. He has been taking the odd pilates class at Club Coops but predominantly is focussed on physio at our of Stafford and Club Coops locations.

We had Martine (aka Admin guru) come on board with us to help manage our growing business. She is often the lovely voice you hear on the end of the line when you call our central number and is often the one responding to emails. We’ve loved having Martine on board and keeping us all sane.

We have had our Remedial Massage therapist Nancy available for more and more sessions with us as she get closer to completing her Myotherapy degree. Marita and Kelly have also joined the Club Coops Carseldine location with some part time hours during the week. It has been great to have such dedicated therapists that we know meet the highest Praxis Standards.

We have also had Kylie hand the reigns of pilates management over to Karen, as Kylie returns to her full time work as a physiotherapist at the PA hospital. Don’t fear though, #queenkylie will still be instructing classes during the week! Karen joins the team with a wealth of experience in pilates and with Emma, will drive the next chapter for Praxis Pilates at both locations. Stay tuned for further developments in this area as Praxis Pilates looks develop our already boutique services.

Speaking of Pilates, welcome to Kristina, Tara, Ellie, Nicole, Chloe and Fiona who have joined our awesome team over the past year. We are so fortunate to have them all working at our Pilates studios at the X-Centre and Club Coops, these guys are amazing and instrumental in building both clinics from strength to strength.

This year we are also grateful for our relationships with supporting partners including Aspley Hornets Football Club, Cougars Netball, Bayside Ravens, Cricket Australia, Iconz Rugby, Club Coops, SNAP Fitness Buranda, X-Centre, Stafford Road Family Care, Connect Health & Fitness, Brisbane Knee & Shoulder Clinic, Buranda Family Medical Centre, MyHealth Medical, Teneriffe Family Doctors, Aspley Super Clinic to name a few. We can’t thank our partners enough for all the support they have given as we continue to strive to be the brand that will provide the ultimate care for clientele.

There have been so many other things to report on but the people is what makes us! We again would like to take this opportunity to thank each and everyone who has helped make us grow and enjoy every day at work! We have loved living the #preventprepareperform mantra and are excited what our 3rd year will bring!

Yours in health,

The Praxis Team

Physiological

Changes in parasympathetic activity (as measured by heart rate, blood pressure and heart rate variability) and hormonal levels (as measured by cortisol levels) following massage result in a relaxation response.

Psychological

A reduction in anxiety and an improvement in mood state also cause relaxation, and has been shown prior to sports to help lower performance anxiety.

Ultimately, what the above proposed mechanisms translate into a series of studied benefits on specific conditions. According to the Massage and Myotherapy Australia website, massage has also been shown to help:

  • Back pain
  • Arthritis
  • Insomnia
  • Headaches
  • Depression and anxiety
  • Constipation
  • High blood pressure
  • Chronic pain​

All in all, massage provides good bang for buck when used in the appropriate setting. Our mantra at Praxis is Prevent Prepare Perform and as physiotherapists, we work in tandem with our qualified massage therapists to deliver the best results for a wide variety of conditions. Whilst, physiotherapy is focussed on the diagnosis and treatment of acute or chronic injuries, remedial massage enables a little more hands on time to truly address issues that our physiotherapists may have identified in their sessions. Further, massages offers a great medium for regular ‘tune-ups’ when the rigours of training and working take their toll.

We ensure that your massage experience is not only blissful, but productive for your rehabilitation as well. So if you have been swayed by the evidence, or just looking for that little reward, we are here to help!

BOOK YOUR MASSAGE HERE

Until next time – Prevent. Prepare. Perform

References:

  1. Hopper D, Deacon S, Das S, et al. Dynamic soft tissue mobilization increases hamstring flexibility in healthy male subjects. Br J Sports Med. 2004;39:594–598
  2. Weerapong, P., Hume, P.A. & Kolt, G.S. The mechanisms of massage and effects on performance, muscle recovery and injury prevention. Sports Med 2005; 35: 235
  3. Morelli M, Seaborne DE, Sullivan SJ. Changes in h-reflex amplitude during massage of triceps surae in healthy subjects.J Orthop Sports Phys Ther. 1990;12(2):55-9.
  4. Arroyo-Morales M1, Fernández-Lao C, Ariza-García A, Toro-Velasco C, Winters M, Díaz-Rodríguez L, Cantarero-Villanueva I, Huijbregts P, Fernández-De-las-Peñas C. Psychophysiological effects of preperformance massage before isokinetic exercise. J Strength Cond Res. 2011 Feb;25(2):481-8.

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