During pregnancy many changes occur to the female body. Hormonal and physiological changes can cause musculoskeletal pain conditions to arise. This can lead to a reduced quantity and quality of sleep, increased mental stress and a reduced ability to exercise comfortably. Commonly these complications arise around the lumbar, pelvic, and pubic regions but women can also experience mid back or thoracic and abdominal pain due to the pregnancy. Some studies suggest as many as 30% of pregnant women develop pain severe enough it interferes with their level of function and quality of life. This can be ..read more

Now that January has finished, a lot of our new year’s resolutions have perhaps started to slip away. Often these include a new exercise regime, new classes or even new goals associated with previous exercise types. We all know that sticking to new year’s resolutions can be hard and often a time cause more stress than they’re worth. However sometimes they can lead good practices and open doors you didn’t expect. In this blog I’ll give you some tips for keeping up those practices and helping you to achieve those goals set by your earlier self. Choosing the right exercise A lot of patients come ..read more

Osteoarthritis (OA) is one of the most common forms of joint disease and is the leading cause of pain in older people. The risks associated with joint pain is a reduction in physical activity and walking which has poor outcomes for their future well-being and overall mental health. As a result getting on top of OA early is the best way to reduce pain and encourage mobility and independence in the individual for longer! Medication for relief is frequently prescribed to reduce pain and improve the physical function of people living with OA. Commonly paracetamol (Panadol) is used which is a non-s ..read more

Bend + Mend are turning 19 in August! We are so proud to have been your provider for 19 years in Sydney’s CBD. We’d love to thank each and every one of you so to do this we are giving away 10 FREE Equipment Pilates 1-1 sessions with Lauren during August. Lauren has a special interest in sporting injuries (being a keen football player herself) as well as keeping spines healthy! She will put you through your paces on the reformer and trapeze and give you a real taste of what Equipment Pilates with a Physio is all about. Places are limited, so please call or email and let us k ..read more

Most people have some degree of mobility in their joints, but when this movement is increased outside the range of normal it is termed hypermobility. Hypermobility is a common condition and is normally idiopathic in nature, but it can be a warning sign of a range of underlying diseases. One of these diseases is a lesser-known condition called Ehlers Danlos syndrome, a genetic condition which is inherited from birth. Ehlers Danlos syndrome can affect the tendons, muscles, ligaments, skin, lungs, blood vessels, lenses of the eye and the heart valves in an affected person. The extent to which bod ..read more

There is a strong and proven link between regular physical activity and the maintenance of cognitive brain function. There are a vast number of positive effects on the brain due to exercise.[1] A few examples of these include: Improved connections in the brain Plasticity and ability to learn new skills Growing number of nerve cells Brain volume Exercise is also important in the prevention and delay of dementia related illness in older populations. Studies show that regular exercise can reduce the risk of developing dementia by 30%, and for Alzheimer’s disease specifically the risk is reduced ..read more

We all know the benefits or exercise. In one way or another we have recognised that increasing levels of physical activity in our day to day lives will improve our health. Whether the goal is to shed a few kilos, get back to playing sport or even keeping up with the Grand-kids its vital for our mental and physical well-being to move and exercise. SO then why is it so hard to start exercising and STICK to it? Studies highlight that this “lack of motivation” can be explained by two main factors. [1] Lack of interest to exercise and prioritise its outcomes in their lives. This could be due to co ..read more

Being confident and stable on our feet as we age is a really important factor in helping to avoid fall related injuries. This is commonly done through balance and strength training in the hopes to improve a sense called proprioception. This is the body’s ability to be aware of itself through space. Having a strong sense of proprioception helps to decrease the effects normal age-related increase in instability. In a recent study published, it detailed the effects of an exercise program for older adults on number of falls and fear of falling. In this blog I will run through this study in a littl ..read more

Personally, I get a great boost of motivation from training for an upcoming running event. So, if you are anything like me you are getting very excited now the big running festivals are starting to come back. Bumping shoulders with other adrenaline filled runners with the roar of a crowd behind you … oh how I have missed it! However, as any recreational runner knows, there is a lot of effort and hard work to put into the training before race day. In this blog I’ll talk about my top tips to remember when training for a running event. Start easy One of the most common mistakes, that often caus ..read more

Over a wide variety of sporting populations, calf injuries can be some of the most common injuries. Often a time seemingly out of nowhere, calf injuries can limit your ability to participate in your chosen sport and can also limit your performance. As a result, getting the most out of your calf muscle strain rehabilitation is important for an optimal return to sport. In this blog I will run through what you should expect in your first calf muscle strain treatment session. Background There are many complex and interconnecting structures at the back of your calf, but for simplicity we should foc ..read more