FirstIn Physio Pty Ltd

06/04/2026

And last but not least….our* Hand Therapist Lauren! *Not technically on our payroll but most definitely one of the First In Physio family ☺️ Can’t imagine not having her friendly face in our clinic, not to mention her willingness to answer all of our complex hand-related treatment questions 😅🤭

06/04/2026

🐣❤️

03/04/2026

Before you come for us… no, we’re not about to start prescribing a block of Dairy Milk instead of rehab (although… tempting).

BUT there is some science behind why chocolate can make you feel better when you’re sore, injured, or just over it:

🍫 Endorphin boost
Chocolate can stimulate the release of endorphins — your body’s natural painkillers. Same family as your beloved “runner’s high.”

🍫 Serotonin support
It may increase serotonin levels, which can improve mood and reduce pain perception. Translation: things don’t hurt less, you just care slightly less about them.

🍫 Flavanols (the good stuff)
Dark chocolate (we’re talking ~70%+) contains flavanols that may help reduce inflammation and improve blood flow. Basically, it’s the “green juice” of the dessert world.

🍫 Magnesium content
Helpful for muscle relaxation and reducing cramps — your tight calves might approve.

BUT (there’s always a but):

🚫 It’s not a substitute for strength work
🚫 It won’t fix your tendon load management
🚫 And no, increasing dosage doesn’t equal better outcomes (nice try)

Physio-approved take: sometimes pain science is complex…
…and sometimes it’s just 🍫 + movement + vibes.
So…Happy Easter you good thing! Go do those exercises your Physio prescribed then follow it up with some hard earned chocolate 😂🤌

02/04/2026

🐎 “Do you have to be fit to ride a horse?”

Short answer: yes… but probably not in the way you think.

Horse riding isn’t just “sitting there looking elegant” (sorry, Pinterest 🤭). It’s actually a full-body workout disguised as a hobby.

From a physio perspective, here’s what riding really demands:

👉 Core strength
You’re constantly stabilising your trunk while a 500kg animal moves beneath you. That’s deep core, not just abs-for-the-beach.

👉 Hip mobility + control
Your hips need to absorb movement, guide direction, and maintain alignment — stiff hips = bouncy, inefficient riding (and often a sore back).

👉 Adductor strength
Yes, your inner thighs will be working overtime. If they’re weak, you’ll fatigue fast and rely on compensations.

👉 Balance + proprioception
You’re reacting to a moving surface the entire time. It’s basically dynamic balance training… with consequences if you switch off 😅

👉 Postural endurance
It’s not about brute strength — it’s about holding good positions for long periods without collapsing into your lower back.

💡 The kicker?
You don’t need to be “gym fit” to start riding… but improving your strength, control, and mobility will:
✔️ Make you a better rider
✔️ Reduce fatigue
✔️ Lower injury risk (for you AND your horse)

🚨 Common physio issues we see in riders:
• Low back pain
• Hip tightness or impingement
• Adductor strains
• Neck/shoulder tension

🏇 Physio tip:
If you ride, train like an athlete:
– Dead bugs & anti-rotation core work
– Hip mobility drills
– Adductor strengthening (Copenhagen planks 👀)
– Balance work

Because the better YOU move… the better your horse can too.

01/04/2026

Call 47837284 to book your Physio appointment outside of the public holidays. Have a wonderful Easter, we hope the Easter bunny is very generous! 🐣 🍫

01/04/2026

🏃‍♀️ Hot take: Running your long runs slow is not lazy… it’s elite behaviour.

Yes, I know. Your ego wants you to turn every long run into a low-budget Olympics qualifier.
But your physiology is sitting there like: “ma’am… please relax.”

Here’s why slowing it down actually makes you FASTER 👇

🧠 1. You build the real engine (aerobic base)
Slow runs train your body to use oxygen more efficiently, improve mitochondrial density (aka your muscle’s tiny power plants), and increase capillary networks.
Translation: you can run faster without feeling like you’re being chased by a bear.

🔥 2. You spare the burnout (and your tendons thank you)
Hammering every long run = fatigue, injury risk, and eventually hating your life.
Running easy keeps your load sustainable so you can actually string weeks together — which is where the magic happens.

💪 3. You improve fat utilisation
At slower paces, your body gets better at using fat for fuel.
Meaning on race day, you don’t bonk at 30km and start questioning every life decision you’ve ever made.

⚡ 4. You save speed for when it matters
If every run is hard… none of them are.
Easy long runs = you’re actually fresh enough to nail your intervals, tempo runs, and race day pace.

📉 5. Your pace will naturally improve anyway
Plot twist: as your aerobic system improves, your “easy pace” gets faster without trying.
That’s the kind of glow-up we like.

😌 Reality check:
If you can’t hold a conversation during your long run… you’re going too fast.
If you’re dramatically narrating your own suffering… also too fast.

🎯 Bottom line:
Run slow to run fast.
Your watch might judge you — but your race results won’t.

31/03/2026

26/03/2026

HEADACHE? It might not be what you think 👀

Most people blame stress, dehydration, or “just one of those things”…
But one of the most common causes we see in Physio?

👉 Your neck.

Yep — cervicogenic headaches (headaches coming from the neck) are incredibly common, especially if you:
• Sit at a desk all day
• Spend hours on your phone
• Carry tension through your shoulders
• Wake up with a stiff neck

💡 What does it feel like?
Often:
• Pain starts at the base of the skull and travels forward
• One-sided (but not always)
• Worse with neck movement or sustained positions
• That “tight band” or pressure feeling

So what’s actually happening?

Your upper neck joints, muscles, and nerves all share pathways with the head.
When those structures get irritated or stiff → your brain can interpret it as a headache.

🔧 How Physio can help:
This is where we come in 👇

✔️ Hands-on treatment to improve joint mobility
✔️ Release of tight neck and shoulder muscles
✔️ Targeted strengthening (not just stretching!)
✔️ Posture + workstation tweaks that actually stick
✔️ Education so you’re not stuck in a headache cycle

🚨 The big win?
We’re not just masking symptoms — we’re addressing the source.

So if you’re popping painkillers on repeat or just “pushing through”…
It might be time to look a little lower than your head.

Your neck could be the real culprit.

24/03/2026

Ever stood on a set of scales at the physio clinic and thought, “this feels… fancier than my bathroom ones?” 👀

Welcome to force plates — and yes, they’re way cooler than they look.

Systems like VALD force plates aren’t just measuring your weight — they’re measuring how you produce and absorb force. Think of them as a window into how your body actually moves.

Here’s what that means 👇

🏃‍♂️ They measure strength (properly)
Not just “can you lift heavy?” but:
→ How much force you produce
→ How quickly you produce it (rate of force development 👀)
→ Side-to-side differences (aka your sneaky weaker leg)

🦵 They pick up asymmetries you can’t see
You might feel fine, but force plates often reveal:
→ One leg doing all the work
→ Compensations after injury
→ Lingering deficits post-surgery

This is gold for preventing reinjury.

⚡ They track progress objectively
No more guessing if rehab is “working”:
→ Are you actually getting stronger?
→ Is your power improving?
→ Are you ready to return to sport?

We can measure it. Re-test it. Prove it.

🛑 They help reduce injury risk
By identifying:
→ Poor landing mechanics
→ Weak force absorption (hello tendons 👋)
→ Imbalances that load joints unevenly

Translation: fewer “why did that suddenly hurt?” moments.

💡 For patients, this means:
✔ More accurate diagnosis
✔ Personalised rehab
✔ Clear return-to-run/sport decisions
✔ Confidence in your progress

Ready to have your movements unlocked for your specific rehab and sport goals? Book in today! 47837284 no referral required, open from 7am daily

23/03/2026

Hill reps: because sometimes your glutes need a personality transplant.

Runners love to chase pace on the flat… meanwhile hills are quietly out here building bulletproof legs and preventing your next injury spiral.

Here’s why you should stop avoiding them:

🏔️ Strength without the gym
Hill running is basically sneaky strength training. You get:
• More glute max (hello propulsion)
• More calf + Achilles loading (hello stiffness + efficiency)
• Less joint pounding than flat sprinting

Translation: stronger push-off, better running economy, and less reliance on your poor overworked quads.

🏔️ Injury prevention (the part you actually care about)
Hills naturally:
• Reduce overstriding
• Encourage better cadence
• Improve hip control

All the things we TRY to coach on the flat… hills just force you to do.

🏔️ Safer speed work
Want speed without blowing up your hamstring?
Hill reps = shorter stride + higher force in a safer position.
Your body literally can’t be as reckless.

🏔️ Bonus: your ego gets a reality check
Nothing humbles a runner faster than a 60m hill.

Simple way to add them in:
• 1–2x/week
• 6–10 reps
• 30–60 seconds hard uphill
• Walk/jog back recovery
• Focus on posture: tall, slight forward lean, drive knees, push through the ground

Do the hills now. Your future ITB/Achilles/hamstring will send you a thank you card 🤌

20/03/2026

Happy Birthday to this rad human - what would we do without you?! Feel free to add some birthday love to Pat in the comments section (he hates being the centre of attention let’s bring it home ⬇️🤭🙌)

20/03/2026

Let’s clear this up with actual science:

📚 Research consistently shows that recreational runners have LOWER rates of knee osteoarthritis than sedentary people.
Yes. You read that right. Sitting is doing your knees dirtier than running.

One large review published in the Journal of Orthopaedic & Sports Physical Therapy found:
• Sedentary people: ~10% knee OA
• Recreational runners: ~3%
• Competitive runners: higher risk (~13%), but context matters (volume, intensity, recovery 👀)

💡 Why running doesn’t wreck your knees:
• Cartilage actually adapts to load (it’s not made of glass)
• Movement improves joint nutrition + lubrication
• Stronger muscles = less joint stress (your glutes are basically your knees’ bodyguards)

🚨 What can irritate your knees:
• Doing too much, too soon (classic weekend hero energy)
• Ignoring strength training
• Running through pain like it’s a personality trait

Poor technique can also be a major contributor, so if you’re unsure - call us and get a running assessment done by qualified running specialists (Pat, Mason and Joe).

🏁 The takeaway:
Running isn’t the villain.
Poor load management or running technique is.

So no — your knees aren’t “wearing out.”
They’re just waiting for you to train like someone who respects them.