Written by Caitlan Skillicorn, Senior Physiotherapist
M.Sports Medicine (completion date 2022) M. Physio, & B. Ex. and Sport Sc.
Head of Performance at Gladesville Ravens.
High performance sport is becoming increasingly important in our world and as a result, stakeholders are making large financial investments to develop strategic and systematic approaches to developing athletes. This is pushing talent identification earlier and earlier. So, to keep up with this development programs now occur at youth levels. Children are not mini adults and therefore maturation status must be accounted for when planning a program and pathway to elite athlete status.
Gold standard programming must include the unique variables and understanding of:
Physical development relative to age and training history
Nutrition relative to education and performance level
Injury risk relative to age-related changes and training demands
At Healthfix in our gym in North Sydney, we understand these underlying principles and have systemised programs to give our athlete’s the best chance of making their dreams come true.
An integral part of any high performance program is strength and conditioning. The development of not only a player’s technical ability but their physical capabilities has become increasingly important, with players who can out run, out jump and dominant their opposition on the ball have increased their selection chances and decreased their injury risk. Not only do we teach our athletes the correct movement patterns and improve their confidence in the gym environment but also development their athletic potential, giving the best chance to be the best athlete they can be.
Who would benefit from a Youth Athlete development program?
School aged youth 10-17 ·
Youth athletes looking for that extra edge over their competitors
Want to enhance performance characteristics related to their sport
Need a more robust gym program to supplement their sport
If you are interested in more information on our Young Guns Program please get in touch getfixed@healthfix.com.au
To think that only 9 years ago, only 4 of us were huddled into a corner of Anytime Fitness down in McMahon’s point, pondering where this thing called Healthfix could end up. I always admired Sean’s vision and determination to ultimately have a facility full of great people working towards amazing personal health. At times I would question whether those were dreams of grandeur, or simply dreams that lay the foundation for a thriving business of 20+ staff over two locations. Thankfully I was wrong.
Before I could see develop further, I decided to ditch Healthfix, and chase a girl to Singapore. Luckily this was the best thing I have ever done. Now Lisa is my amazing wife and mother of our beautiful daughter Odette. This move personally was the life experience shift that has shaped me and the way I treat. I created the context for my development as a musculoskeletal physiotherapist, but more so the experience to understand what it takes to treat people from all countries, cultures and backgrounds.
This also then allowed me to look back on what Healthfix was becoming. I loved the chance to talk to Sean (he did most of the talking surprisingly) and share stories of our professional and personal development. Not only did the layers of professional assets grow at Healthfix, so did the vision of the facility that now exists in North Sydney.
Now things are different. I look at the younger physio’s here and am so impressed with their
knowledge, maturity, and empathy. Their development is incredible, and it provides the glue that
creates a great physiotherapy team and keeps us all on our toes. Our ability to integrate with our
team, allows our patients to achieve so much more. This can range from the simple things of picking up your kids or running your first marathon. For too long, Physio’s have been trying to do too much, when the answer is creating a team around the patient so they can achieve more. The facility we have (and have access to in Broadway) creates the active environment needed to get the long terms results we crave.
Physiotherapy has changed, and in that change, we are moving towards the model that Healthfix
embodies. Integration and drawing on high level Exercise Physiologists, Personal trainers and
Dieticians simply mean we get better results for our clients. We now need to consider all facets of the individual in front of us to understand where we can best help them. This is the environment we have now at Healthfix. I am grateful to have the opportunity to be back at Healthfix. Whilst much has grown and developed, the same core of quality results for patients remains at the core. Ultimately that’s why we do what we do.
We are really excited to announce with the expansion of Healthfix we are welcoming a new Physiotherapist into our team Samah F Elomari. Samah is a qualified Exercise Scientist (Bachelor of Exercise and Sport Science) and Physiotherapist (Master of Physiotherapy) who is passionate about how the body works and heals through movement. In 2017 while listening to a university lecture about female pelvic pain, Samah discovered her love of women’s health. She was fortunate enough to land a placement at Fairfield Hospital where she worked on the maternity wards, seeing women with varying degrees of perineal tearing, abdominal separation and those with a high risk of pelvic floor dysfunction postpartum. She was also involved in the assessment and treatment of outpatients with prolapse, urinary and bowel disorders. Since then she’s worked in private practice, treating people with various musculoskeletal dysfunctions, including those related to pregnancy and the postnatal period. Samah also has experience leading pregnancy, postnatal and clinical Pilates classes. She’s more recently had the opportunity to treat more complex pain conditions including sexual pain and endometriosis.Samah strives to create space for her patients to feel heard and empowered.
An industry vet, Joel has been practicing physiotherapy since 2006 in Sydney and most recently Singapore. Over the years he has built extensive knowledge in treating acute and chronic injuries, helping people navigate often challenging times with honest, constructive and successful treatment solutions. He has had the pleasure of treating and learning from some amazing people along the way, from weekend athletes, ultra marathon runners, professional golfers, global CEO’s to high level lifters. Joel takes pride in delivering the highest quality physiotherapy care to each and every patient. Joel knows that pain and injury can be both complex and confronting, therefore cutting through the technical medical jargon and helping people understand their injury with effective and applicable information is critical. Joel applies his commitment to professional and personal development, allowing him to constantly evolve as a physiotherapist and as a person. This enables him to understand the person as well as the injury, ultimately leading to a fast and effective fix.
Why did you choose to pursue a career in physiotherapy?
Joel Bates chose physiotherapy as it combined what he loved at school – human movement and helping people to be active and solve problems. He spent way to much time at physiotherapists as a teenager with stress fractures from cricket and shoulder problems from swimming, so he got to know what it was all about and love it. He has a deep passion for helping people and solving problems. No two injuries are ever the same so there is always a rewarding challenge each day and meeting great people along the way makes it good fun.
So what does Joel like to get up to outside of the clinic?
Joel is an avid sports fan and has mastered the art of watching an entire game of footy while chasing his young family around the house, backyard & beer garden. He has run a couple of half marathons whilst living in Singapore (which he tells himself are like full marathons in normal climates!). He makes sure he practices what he preaches with a mix of running, weights & golf keeping fitness fun for him. Book in to see Joel Bates today!
In this Foam Rolling 101 we let you know how you can get the best from these secret weapons for a painless, happier body. Foam rollers essentially look like large noodles, but they’re brilliant. They not only work on releasing soft tissue but they also work on breaking down soft tissue adhesions and scar tissue. They also improve blood circulation throughout your skin, fascia, muscles, tendons, and ligaments.
What are foam rollers used for?
The cylindrical roller can be used to perform a self-massage to release and break up trigger points and tight fascia whilst increasing blood circulation to surrounding soft tissue by using one’s own body weight. A superficial fascia is a soft connective tissue located just below the skin – it connects muscles, bones, nerve and blood vessels of the body together. This fascia combined with muscles make up the myofascial system, which can become ‘stuck together’ from muscle disuse, inadequate amount of stretching and from previous or current injuries. When this happens it’s called a soft tissue adhesion. It results in restricted movement, pain along the myofascial system and surrounding joints as well as stiffness and soreness with activation. Releasing this adhesion is done through a ‘myofascial release’ which is a technique used to soften and lengthen fascia and break down scar tissue or adhesions between skin, muscles and bone. This is done by producing a sustained pressure on the soft tissue whilst applying traction to the fascia.
Things to be aware of when foam rolling:
– Make sure you understand the technique before use (come and see us if you’re unsure) – Don’t push through the pain – Be aware of nerves located near muscles – if the pain is too painful, you start to get pins and needles, numbness and weakness in the surrounding muscles, please stop!
The Iliotibial Band (ITB)
The Iliotibial Band (ITB) is a band of fascia on the outside of your upper leg. When it is tight it can cause knee and hip pain. – Lie side on with the affected side on the foam roller, rest your upper body through your forearm. With your unaffected leg, place over the affected side and place the full surface of your foot on the ground. Start with the foam roller just above your knee and roll back and forth slowly for 30 seconds to just below your hip bone. For further pressure, place the unaffected leg on top of the affected side.
Quadriceps
Tight quadriceps can pull on your patellar tendons (tendons that attach to the knee) causing pain around the knee and surrounding structures. – Lie on your stomach with the roller placed under your thighs. Hold your body straight and rest your upper body through your forearms. Roll yourself back and forth slowly from just above your knee to just below your hip bone. For further pressure bend your knees.
Thoracic Spine
A tight Thoracic Spine can cause pain throughout the middle of the back and between shoulder blades. This can result in stiffness and reduced range of movement. – Lie on your back and place the foam roller beneath your upper back, near your shoulder blades. Bend your knees and place your feet firmly on the ground. Place hands behind your head or wrapped around your chest. Before commencement brace your abs and buttocks (to lift body off the ground). Slowly work the roller for 30 seconds up and down your upper back (near shoulder blades) to around the middle of your back (not to lower back).
Happy Rolling!
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