OUR SERVICES
How We Can Help
TMJ (JAW JOINT) DYSFUNCTION
TMJ (jaw joint) dysfunction
The jaw is a joint that can have its own series of problems and these manifest in a variety of signs and symptoms from a mis - aligned bite, to clicking and crunching with opening and closing of the mouth. Your dentist may mention that you grind you teeth (or brux) at night and this can certainly contribute to a problematic TMJ.
Manual treatment techniques usually make quite rapid improvements to the biomechanics of the TMJ and an improvement in
NECK PAIN
A stiff, painful neck can be a most physically disabling condition and it can cause problems with sleeping, concentration, movement restriction headaches and pins and needles or numbness into the arms and hands. Injuries can be from quite forceful / traumatic movement such as a whiplash injury or more of an overuse injury due to poor posture or work practices.
It’s therefore critical to pinpoint the origin of the pain and stiffness so that the overall neck condition can be managed effectively. Neck conditions are usually quite complex and they can involve pathologies of the discs, facet joints, ligaments and overlying musculatures. Your BPC physiotherapist is well-trained in the management of complex neck conditions, and will also be able to advise about the other factors (work practices, ergonomics, poor posture etc) that will be necessary to effectively manage even the most troublesome neck.
THORACIC PAIN
This uncomfortable and physically limiting condition can present in a number of ways ranging from a pin-point spot of discomfort behind a shoulder blade or a broad area of diffuse pain that can ache and burn with sustained postures. Over the years, we have seen a real increase in the prevalence of thoracic conditions, especially in younger patients, because of the increased periods of time they tend to spend in hunched postures on their phone or in front of their PC.
Thoracic conditions are also very closely linked to the neck and an element of neck referred pain to the shoulder blade region is very common. Thus neck treatment is usually an integral part of thoracic treatment. The most common underling problem with the thoracic region is diffuse stiffness and thus manual therapy, stretches and soft tissue releases are commonly used to increase the mobility of this spinal region. A simple program of home stretches will also help manage neck and thoracic discomfort where it is difficult to avoid the postures that contribute to thoracic pain and stiffness.
SHOULDER PAIN
The shoulder actually consists of 4 joints (sterno - cleido joint, acromio - clavicular joint, gleno - humeral joint and the scapula - thoracic sliding mechanism), and each joint can contribute some pain and / or stiffness to an overall shoulder condition. The 2 types of gleno-humeral pathologies that we see most commonly in the clinic are sub-acromial impingements and rotator cuff tears. In addition, the neck is a common source of referred pain to the shoulder region. Its therefore obvious that the exact pathology needs to be determined, so that the most effective treatment can be administered and your BPC physiotherapist is well trained at determining the source of your shoulder pain. Quite often the neck is involved in most shoulder presentations and thus neck treatment is commonly a part of most shoulder treatments. Shoulders are especially responsive to exercise, so if the rotator cuff musculatures have small tears or are weak, a home program of rotator cuff exercises will be an integral part of your overall management.
WRIST PAIN
Wrist Pain
There are 8 bones in the wrist and 2 bones in the forearm and thus the pathologies behind wrist pain and stiffness can be numerous. The 2 pathologies that must not be missed are :
a scaphoid injury which causes pain on the thumb-side of the wrist after a fall on an outstretched hand and
a Triangular Fibro-Cartilage Complex (TFCC) tear which presents as pain on the little finger side of the wrist and is often caused by a trauma that pushes the wrist backwards on the wrist.
Treatment of these conditions involve some manual therapy, tape and or bracing and exercises to improve the dynamic support of the wrist structures.
LOWER-BACK PAIN
This is possibly the most common presentation that we see. Much has been written and researched about lower back pain and its prevalence in society. When severe, it is known to have serious long-term effects on people’s physiological and psychological well-being and the economic burden it places on the health care system is well known.
However despite its daunting reputation, most acute lower back conditions will resolve with modified activity and simple analgesics over a 6 week period. Someone experiencing acute jon-specific lower back pain can benefit from conservative intervention. Manual therapy techniques can improve the mobility of stiff lumbar segments thereby improving overall mobility of the spine and reducing load on a specific segment. Stretching important muscles like the hamstring and hip flexor groups can help maintain a better dynamic posture and thus reduce the load on the lower lumbar discs. Strengthening the gluteal groups and core muscles can actively support the ligaments and discs of the lower back and give these injured regions a chance to heal. Your BPC physiotherapist will be able to determine the most likely cause of your lower back problem and implement a personalised treatment regimen.
HIP PAIN
Pain around the inside part of the groin is often mis-diagnosed as a muscle strain, but quite often it is a symptom of a hip joint problem. There can be soft tissue contributors to this discomfort such as labral tears around the rim of this hip socket, or degenerative wear and tear that causes bony impingement and significant hip movement limitation. The hip joint relies heavily on its gluteal muscles for support and quite often strengthening these
important muscles gives considerable hip relief. In addition, stretching the tight hip flexor muscle group that runs across the front of the hip will almost certainly be a part of your hip treatment regimen.
Pain on the outer side of the hip joint usually indicates a problem with the greater trochanteric bursa or the insertion of the gluteal muscles and most commonly is related to aging of the tissues combined with a progressive weakening of the hip abductor muscle groups. These conditions respond well to ice applications, supportive taping and a specific protocol of gluteal muscle strengthening and the avoidance of heavy stretching.
TENNIS / GOLFERS ELBOW
These are common problems with athletes and busy people and often relate to overuse of the arms, hands and wrists. Golfers elbow is a strain of the flexor muscles of the forearm close to their origin whilst tennis elbow is a strain of the extensor group. The management of these conditions has changed over the years and research now shows that strengthening the involved musculatures gives better outcomes than stretching and anti-inflammatory approaches. Supportive tape is particularly effective at reducing the strain on the overused areas as they heal and often forms an important part of the overall treatment.
KNEE PAIN
Knee conditions can be categorized as either traumatic or degenerative in nature. We see a lot of athletes in our clinic and traumatic knee injuries can involve ligament tears, meniscus tears, fractures and patella dislocations. Degenerative processes usually relate to a thinning of the cartilage that covers the joint surfaces, meniscus tears and the formation of bony spurs on the edges of the joint surfaces.
Accurate diagnosis is the key to successful and effective knee treatment and if need be, we can order appropriate imaging, (including MRIs) to confirm a strongly suspected diagnosis (eg ACL rupture). Many knee conditions respond well to appropriate stretches and strengthening exercises, and the regular application of ice in elevation works very well to reduce the swelling that we see so often around the patella region of the knee.
ANKLE PAIN
An inversion sprain of the ankle is one of the most common injuries in sport and correct management from the injury onset is the key to short recovery times and a faster return to sport. As per the recommended management protocols from Queensland’s leading foot and ankle surgeons, we use moon boots to stabilise the ankle joint in the early stage of the recovery when a significant ligament tear is suspect or confirmed. There are a host of strengthening and proprioceptive exercises to undertake to ensure the most complete ankle recovery possible and again, the use of ice is essential to reduce the swelling around the ankle and achilles.
REAL TIME ULTRASOUND IMAGING
Our clinic owns a real time imaging device that can be used for specific retraining of deep stabiliser muscles function around the abdominal and lumbar spine region. Being able to see the target “core” muscles contract assists the patient in learning a new muscle recruitment pattern and avoiding overactivity in other unwanted muscles. This has been proven through research to increase accuracy of exercise therapy thus ensuring your are performing the exercise correctly and therefore obtaining the appropriate results.
DANCE ASSESMENT AND INJURY REHABILITATION
Chloe has been a dancer at a local dance academy for many years and continues her involvement through teaching and mentoring young upcoming dance athletes. She has a special interest in the management of a dance injuries and her extensive knowledge in this field ensures that her treatment is more directly relevant to a dancer’s demanding training and competition regime.
SPORTS COVERAGE AND INVOLVEMENT
A number of our therapists have had associations with local representative sporting teams over the years including:-
Bundaberg Waves State League Soccer
Bundaberg Spirit State League Soccer
Easts Rugby League / Brothers Rugby League
Confraternity Shield High School Rugby League Carnival
Bundaberg Bears & Bulls State League Basketball
Bundaberg Netball
Gymfinity Gymnastics
Bundaberg International Tennis Tournament
Our services can be contracted upon discussion with sports team management.
HYDROTHERAPY
Hydrotherapy, or Aquatic Physiotherapy is physical exercise conducted within a specially designed heated pool to target and treat a wide spectrum of conditions.
This may include, but not limited to – osteoarthritis, general joint pain, pre/post operational rehab, neurological conditions, fibromyalgia or general fitness and wellbeing.
Hydrotherapy is often less strenuous than land-based exercises, focusing on guided, controlled, pain–free movements with the ultimate goal of providing pain relief.
