Movement Hub

26/03/2026

Hypermobility Spectrum Disorders - Latest Learnings

I decided to spend my hours in the car yesterday delving deeper into a group of conditions that have been popping up more frequently in the clinic.

Hypermobility exists on a spectrum that is not linear. At one end of the range is people that are very mobile in many joints with no issues or symptoms, and at the other end we have multiple systems of the body affected in a way that can make daily life difficult to manage (Ehlers Danlos syndrome - with 14 variants).

Some people will benefit from their mobility and be able to use it to succeed in high level in certain sports (gymnastics, ballet, swimming).

Others will spend their whole lives searching for answers on why their body responds differently, which is where a diagnosis of HSD can be life changing. And unfortunately, it can be one of the most misunderstood, tricky to diagnose (for some) and occasionally gaslit conditions out there.

Understanding that your connective tissue is made differently, and that connective tissue surrounds every structure and organ in the body is an important place to start. Surround yourself with a healthcare team that can help you manage your most worrisome symptoms and start to put the pieces of your puzzle together. Learning the best way for YOU to exercise/move is important as this can be very individual with HSD.

Please let me know if you have questions and I will do my best to point you in the right direction!

(Credit to Ehlers Danlos Society for the excellent images)

25/03/2026

And for today’s adventure…

Lincoln University hosted our Sport and Exercise Science board for a day of strategic planning!

Working some different muscles in governance and leadership to help bring physical activity, sport and clinical exercise to more New Zealanders.

A rewarding and exhausting day, I’m very happy to see you all back in studio tomorrow! 😊💪🤪

18/03/2026

Put on a slightly different hat today to be a University lecturer!

Talking to undergrad and postgrad students about work as a Clinical Exercise Physiologist, the type of work we do, how to get accredited and what the job/industry looks like.

Lots of great engagement, except for the few sad looking ones that may have gone too hard on their St Patrick’s day celebrations ☘️😳

We might even get to see some students up here this year, you all have so much to teach them! 😉😊💪

07/03/2026

Two Spots Available in Reformer Block
Thursday 4:45pm for 4x weeks

27/02/2026

You’re on your back.
It looks peaceful.
It feels… aggressive.

Why am I sweating horizontally? Why are my abs negotiating terms?

Pilates said “rest,” but forgot to mention your core would still be clocked in.

23/02/2026

Yogalates with Amanda
Free trial class!
Monday March 2, 7:30am 😊

21/02/2026

Strength and Stretch for Girls 12+
Starting this Thursday 3:45pm
6x week block, 2 spots left!

17/02/2026

Just something to consider!

Taken from

99% of people over 40 have a rotator cuff ‘abnormality’ on MRI.

Do we round up to, everyone?

The FIMAGE study just dropped in JAMA Internal Medicine and it’s important for several reasons.

Here’s a quick overview of the study:

→ 602 people randomly selected from the Finnish general population (not a clinic sample)
→ Aged 41–76
→ Bilateral 3T MRI of both shoulders
→ Blinded reads by experienced musculoskeletal radiologists
→ Standardised clinical exams by shoulder surgeons with 10+ years experience

They found:

→ 98.7% had at least one RC abnormality
→ 7 out of 602 had completely normal tendons
→ 62% had partial-thickness tears
→ 11% had full-thickness tears (rose with age)
→ RC abnormalities were in 96% of pain-free shoulders AND 98% of painful shoulders

78% of all full-thickness tears were found in shoulders with zero symptoms.

Even combining state-of-the-art 3T MRI with experienced surgeon clinical exams could not reliably distinguish a symptomatic shoulder from an asymptomatic one.

The authors argue, and I think the data supports this, that most RC findings after 40 represent normal age-related structural change. Like grey hair. Like wrinkles. Like holes in your socks.

They emphasise a shift in language is warranted: away from ‘tear’ (which implies trauma and repair) toward terms like ‘structural alteration’ or ‘age-related change.’

When the baseline prevalence of an MRI finding approaches 100%, the finding itself has almost no diagnostic value.

How does this change the way you talk to your patients about their MRI results?

12/02/2026

Our idea of fun is possibly a bit different to yours.... 🫣

08/02/2026

What’s on this week at Movement Hub:

Monday
Reformer with Kim 9am

Tuesday
Mat Pilates with Stacey 9:15am

Wednesday
Reformer with Stacey 9am and 12;30pm
Mat Pilates with Stacey 6:15pm

Thursday
Mat Pilates with Stacey 9:15am
Reformer with Amanda 5:45pm

Saturday
Reformer with Alice 9:00am

Hope to see you in class soon!

08/02/2026

If you’ve been thinking about joining a local hiking group, this is a great chance to come along and see what it’s all about.

The North Otago Tramping and Mountaineering Club is inviting the public to join a twilight walk on Tuesday 10 February, meeting at 6.00pm in the park at the end of Meon Street (off Fernbrook Road), Oamaru North, for a 6.15pm start.

The walk will cover around 6km over a couple of hours and includes some uphill sections and uneven ground, so a reasonable level of fitness is recommended. Please bring good footwear and a water bottle.

It’s an easy, low-pressure way to meet members, enjoy an evening walk, and find out more about becoming part of the club.

Event by North Otago Tramping and Mountaineering Club