Getting you back up to speed to improve; your strength, stamina, balance, confidence, heart and lung conditioning, agility, flexibility and speed. This is done with specialised physiotherapy and Pilates sessions, using massage, Thera-bands, weights, Swiss balls and Pilates mats. This also requires homework!
Where is Injury Physiotherapy done?
The treatments are provided in our gym, individually tailored for one-to-one attention and service.
Who is Injury Physiotherapy for?
Anyone who has sustained a significant injury is going to require a programme of exercises, stretches and specifically related (e.g sports) training drills to ensure a complete recovery, depending on whether it’s anything from a badly sprained ankle through to reconstructive surgery of a knee.
A major component of every injury is the overcoming of fear and to a degree anxiety of re-injury. These concerns and considerations are a part of rehabilitation management.
When is Injury Physiotherapy needed?
Some injury rehabilitation exercises can commence as little as two days after an injury. Other major injuries, such as knee ligament reconstruction may take six months of your hard work to get back to pre-injury levels.
Why is Injury Physiotherapy necessary?
Have you ever noticed how some people have a permanent limp yet the injury is years old? This is because the body will compensate in its movement patterns after an injury and these faulty compensations may cause more disruption than the actual injury. With rehabilitation we retrain your movement. Often we will aim to get you stronger and more flexible than you were before your injury.
Exercise is a vital part of the rehabilitation process for most injuries. The idea that an client is completely cured once the treatments from the physiotherapist is finished, is simply outdated. We have to move it or lose it.
Physiotherapy for All Ages
Karaka Physiotherapy & Pilates is located in Karaka, conveniently located to south Auckland and the Franklin District. Our goal is to provide the best care possible for each patient seeking relief from injury, pain, or chronic illness. We carry out detailed consultations with each client, determine your health history, assess your goals for the future, and design a treatment plan to get you there.
We are trained to care for the whole family; all ages from pregnancy, children, adolescence, adults to the elderly.
We offer a wide variety of treatment options including manual therapy, exercise, Pilates, massage therapy, acupuncture, and custom orthotics. Home therapy sessions are available for those not able to leave their homes or those with extremely limited mobility.
Did you know that you do not require a referral from a doctor to visit us? Contact Karaka Physiotherapy & Pilates today – we will be able to make an appointment for you in just a few days.
Sports Physiotherapy
Sports Physiotherapy is the specialised branch of physiotherapy which deals with injuries and issues related to sports people.
Sports injuries do differ to everyday injuries. Athletes normally require high level performance and demand placed upon their body, which stresses their muscles, joints and bones to the limit. Sports physiotherapists help athletes recover from sporting injuries, and provide education and resources to prevent problems.
Most people who play regular sport or have a regular exercise routine have experienced one or two sports injuries over their lifetime. These commonly include knee injury pain, stress fractures, Rotator Cuff injuries,hamstring strains, ankle sprains, groin injuries, and Tennis Elbow.
At Karaka Physiotherapy & Pilates we complete a thorough assessment to provide our patients with an accurate diagnosis and treatment plan. Treatment may include hands-on treatment as well as exercise therapy. We have on-site gym facilities available as well as a Pilates studio, both fully-equipped to treat both weekend social sports and those competing at a more professional level. We liaise closely with trainers and coaches to ensure our patients are able to return to their chosen sport.
Physiotherapy for Women's Health
Women’s Health Physiotherapy refers to the treatment and management of any health concerns related to pelvic floor dysfunction, pre and post-natal rehabilitation, continence, pelvic pain and pre and post-menopausal changes. Our Physiotherapist, Amanda Brown, has a special interest in the management of conditions unique to women and luckily there are many options available which can improve and often cure these conditions.
What women’s health problems we can treat:
Pelvic floor dysfunction
Urinary incontinence (including stress, urge and mixed incontinence)
Pelvic organ prolapse
Dyspareunia (pain with intercourse)
Pelvic pain
Pre and post-natal care
Overactive bladder
Bowel incontinence and constipation
Severe period pain
Pain with urinating or passing a bowel motion
Nocturia (waking during the night to go to the toilet)
What to expect at your first Women’s Health Physiotherapy Session
The first session is a Women’s Health Assessment starting with a comprehensive history about your pelvic floor function, bladder and bowel habits, sexual and obstetric background.
Following the initial assessment, we will then come up with the best management plan for you. This may involve a pelvic floor strengthening program, retraining of your bladder habits, relaxation and breathing techniques and possible lifestyle changes. We will also determine if any further input from other health professionals or onward referral is needed.
Workplace Physiotherapy
Well-being for your business
When your work involves long days sitting at your computer, you don’t want to be bothered by an aching back, tight shoulders, headaches or painful arms. You want to be comfortable, productive and feel focused on the task at hand. The set-up of your workplace plays a vital role in avoiding fatigue and keeping pain at bay. That’s why workplace assessments are a big part of what we do at Karaka Physiotherapy & Pilates.
About occupational health
Every year thousands of New Zealanders are injured at work, or suffer from a work-related disease. If you experience an injury at work then a physio working in occupational health can provide assessment and rehabilitation to help you remain at work, or return to your job. While the workplace is the main focus a physio can also look at your ability to function at home and in your community.
Preventing injuries at work
There are a number of ways to prevent injuries at work and a physio can help you identify these via workplace assessment. A few simple tips to think about include;
If you use your hands a lot (such as typing) then give your hands and wrists a quick break every 30 minutes
Report any hazardous equipment or areas such as slippery floors or loose carpet
Help prevent back injuries by learning the correct way to lift (lift with your legs) and using appropriate lifting equipment where necessary
Practice good posture at your desk and consider an ergonomic chair
There is a range of physiotherapy services that can help you be better at work including;
Workplace assessments and recommendations
Analysing work tasks and recommending changes to prevent injury
Education about injury prevention in the workplace, including back care, manual handling and prevention of occupational overuse syndrome
Treatment of work related injuries
Return-to-work planning
Stress management and relaxation therapies
Pain management.
Many people have a sense that posture is important and have picked up a few tips over the years. However, getting it right on your own isn’t easy. There’s a critical difference between knowing what to do and managing to do it every day. In fact, it’s possible to have all the “right” equipment and still be uncomfortable or at risk of injury.
At Karaka Physiotherapy & Pilates, we are proud of helping people and businesses with our practical approach. Heights and angles can be important, but not as important as finding an arrangement that suits the worker. We’ll make changes on the spot with your current equipment, give key pieces of advice and write a report in as much detail as you require. When appropriate, this can include suggestions for any new equipment to make your set-up even better.
All our assessments are carried out by experienced Physiotherapists who treat work-related injuries every day. We offer flexible services to achieve what you’re after, whether that’s detailed consultations or succinct check-ups, for one person or over a hundred.
Our services receive great feedback, are competitively priced and are a simple way to care for you, your team and your business.
Pregnancy Physiotherapy
Physiotherapy during pregnancy can be useful for remedying common discomforts like back pain, or for enhancing your body's ability to have a smoother pregnancy and birth. Talk to your health care provider and midwife to incorporate Karaka Physiotherapy & Pilates into your prenatal care programme.
The physical changes to a women’s body as related to pregnancy are multiple. The centre of mass changes, there is more pressure on the organs, and there is increased weight to be carried. All of this in a relatively short span of time often leads to back pain, pelvic pain and urinary incontinence. In fact, over two thirds of pregnant women experience back pain, one fifth experience pelvic pain and over 40% experience urinary incontinence in their first pregnancy – with half remaining incontinent at 8 weeks post-partum, and one third experiencing a new onset of incontinence after childbirth.
Evidence shows that group training programmes designed and delivered by physiotherapists can relieve lower back pain, pelvic pain and urinary incontinence in pregnant women.
How can a physiotherapist help pregnant women?
It is within the scope of practice of a physiotherapist to properly assess, treat and educate pregnant women in effective and safe exercises that have been shown to decrease back pain, pelvic pain and urinary incontinence – throughout their pregnancy and post-partum.
A good physiotherapist delivered program for pregnant women would;
Screen patients to ensure they could safely participate in an exercise programme;
Assess patients for posture, strength, flexibility, balance as well as any musculoskeletal issues that could have a bearing on pregnancy;
Instruct patients on how to perform exercises safely and effectively;
Utilize an individualized approach – even in a group setting;
Enable group discussion and education regarding pre and post natal issues.
The goal of such a program would be to offer women improved prenatal fitness – that would lead to a healthier and easier pregnancy and delivery. A good program would also offer an integrated approach to health care – and share detailed assessment findings with the participant’s primary and pregnancy health care providers. As well, for women who are experiencing a high risk pregnancy, private sessions should be arranged with strict observa-tion of the health care provider’s restrictions with a focus on maintaining the pelvic floor and alleviating pain.
Pilates for Rehabilitation
At Karaka Physiotherapy & Pilates all of our sessions are run by a Physiotherapist and incorporate the use of the Reformer, Trapeze, Wunda-Chair and Barrel, plus different sized stability balls and wedges. Each client receives a programme best suited to their prior exercise or experience making our Pilates sessions suitable for those recovering from injury or just wanting to add to their exercise programme.
Physiotherapists study muscle and joint anatomy and physiology, therefore they have the expertise required to effectively prescribe Pilates for people with and without pain or injury. Pilates with a Physiotherapist improves core stability to help manage and prevent low back and neck pain, enhances postural control, body awareness and flexibility, helps to reduce the risk of pain or re-injury and strengthens and tones the muscles. Pilates is also a great way to exercise before and after pregnancy.
Regardless of whether you are recovering from spinal surgery or trying to build better stability to improve your running, your exercise is tailored, graduated and reassessed to ensure you reach your goals
We offer a choice of private sessions and group sessions, conveniently located in Karaka at two locations.
Pilates with a Physiotherapist entitles you to claim your sessions under “Physiotherapy” with ACC.
Our Pilates private gym based classes will always remain small (up to 6 people) to offer a personalised service and tailored programme to meet your needs.
Please click on the link below to see our class schedule. Our class availability changes regularly with classes added according to demand, so please contact Amanda for current class availability and we will do our best to find a time that works for you.
Physiotherapy for the older person provides specialist management of a range of conditions associated with ageing.
What Conditions Can Karaka Physiotherapy & Pilates Help?
These include but are not limited to:
osteoarthritis
parkinson’s disease
osteoporosis
falls
following surgery/fracture or hospital stay
stroke and other neurological conditions
HOW DO I ACCESS THIS SERVICE?
Referrals can be made in a variety of ways, but usually by a Health Care professional. This could be a Consultant/GP/District Nurse/Physiotherapist, Occupational Therapist or Hospital.
WHAT DOES AN ASSESSMENT INVOLVE?
An initial assessment may take up to one hour and you can have someone else with you if you wish.
You may be asked to remove some items of clothing to allow a more accurate assessment of the relevant areas.
Your physiotherapist will ask questions about your problem, other medical conditions and medication. (Bring a list of your current medication.)
Assessment will vary depending on your needs, but may include:
joint range of movement
muscle strength
posture
balance
functional activities
walking
WHAT WILL HAPPEN AFTER THE ASSESSMENT?
Following your assessment, your physiotherapist will discuss their findings with you and, if appropriate, agree realistic goals for you to work towards. A treatment plan will then be set.
WHAT WILL TREATMENT INCLUDE?
If it is decided that treatment is required, this may include:
exercise therapy for strengthening/balance or in a group
pain management, eg ICE/heat/TENS/acupuncture
advice on managing your condition
walking practice indoors and outdoors
stair practice
teaching relatives helping strategies or handling skills
provision of walking aids, eg walking frame/stick
HOW CAN I HELP MYSELF?
Physiotherapy is an interactive process and relies upon you to participate to help you manage your condition. Your physiotherapist will give you advice on how to help yourself. This could include written advice, information or an individual exercise programme.
How Physiotherapy Can Help Elderly
As we age our body inevitably goes through many physical changes. These natural age related changes include reduced bone density, reduced muscle strength, increased body fat, poorer coordination and stiffer joints. These normal effects of ageing can affect older people’s mobility and balance and make them more likely to fall and break bones. Older people also become more susceptible illness such as heart disease, high blood pressure, stroke, diabetes, arthritis and lung diseases such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. All of this can have a big impact on their daily lives and reduce their independence. For example elderly people often feel that they are not as quick and steady on their feet as they used to be and find that stairs are more difficult. This can then affect their ability to get out and about and lead to reduced independence.
However, we do not have to accept this as an inevitable part of ageing. While physiotherapy cannot stop ageing it can help to reduce the impact that it has on our bodies and our lives. Physiotherapists are trained to identify physical and other factors that prevent people from being as active and independent as they can be, and then they find ways of overcoming them. This makes them ideally placed to help older people stay as active as they can be. In fact physiotherapy has been shown to improve many of the factors associated with ageing including strength, balance, coordination, flexibility and pain levels. Ultimately physiotherapy has been proven by research to help older adults to maintain their health, well-being, functional ability and independence.
Physiotherapists can provide advice on how to safely exercise so that older people can realise the benefits of exercise. Studies have shown that older adults who engage in regular physical activity gain many benefits including improved balance, strength, coordination, motor control, flexibility, endurance and even memory. Exercise can also help to reduce the risk and impact of illnesses that are more likely to affect older people. Research also shows how effective physiotherapists are at treating and preventing joint problems, balance disorders, risk of falls, strength decline and reducing high blood pressure and obesity.
If you decide that you could benefit from physiotherapy your physiotherapist should start by carrying out a detailed assessment to determine the specific areas that may be having an impact you. This assessment would typically include looking at your strength, range of movement, balance and walking.
Together you and your physiotherapist will set specific goals to help you address the areas that are difficult for you. They will then use this information to design a tailor made programme.
Physiotherapy interventions that are proven to be effective for older people include stretching and strengthening exercise programmes and practicing activities that challenge balance. They can also provide equipment such as walking aids to facilitate independent living. Ultimately they will work with you to ensure that you can remain as independent as possible.
