Anwar Louw Physiotherapy

25/05/2022

Recent developments in research as well as film and media have brought a spotlight to the world of concussions in sport and elsewhere. Let’s take a look at what concussions are and why athletes, specifically those involved in contact sports, should be aware of their dangers.

Concussions occur when the brain forcefully collides with the skull, typically caused by a blow to the head or violent shaking of the body, e.g. whiplash. The symptoms (usually temporary) most often include cognitive impairment, headaches, confusion, lack of coordination, memory loss, nausea, vomiting, dizziness, ringing in the ears, sleepiness, fatigue, impaired movement and impaired sensory ability (such as the ability to concentrate, read and write).

In high impact sports such as rugby, American football, boxing and more, where blows to the head are common occurrences, concussions are especially hazardous to athletes.

One of the issues is that there is no specific cure for concussion, and research constantly suggests new means of dealing with head trauma. Historically, experts have advocated rest and restricting activity (not just the actual sporting ones) to allow the brain time to recover. Close monitoring by a medical practitioner with experience treating head trauma/concussion is often necessary. Any further trauma to the head could cause severe and more lasting damage if received before the brain has recovered from the initial bout of concussion. For this reason, doctors often recommend lengthy lay-offs after concussion assessments, hampering professional athletes’ abilities to partake in their respective codes.

However, studies on the brain injury have multiplied 15 times across the last two decades. Recent research now suggests a management strategy that calls for strictly monitored and prescribed exercise, specifically aerobic or cardio training, to manage concussion symptoms. So, the new approach seems to suggest only brief rest of around two days, followed by beneficial exercise as the key to recovery.

Science is a constantly evolving endeavour but shouldn’t be viewed as black or white; sometimes, dealing in the grey (matter) allows new methods to take hold and new approaches to be developed. Who knows what the future of head trauma research may hold with this mindset?

To set up an appointment with our accredited physiotherapists, contact us at the following:

📧 Email: anwar@alphysio.co.za
📞 0832903798

06/05/2022

Whiplash is the sudden acceleration and deceleration, or inverse acceleration of a given object (a forceful and rapid back-and-forth movement). Whiplash injury frequently occurs in the neck and spine and is commonly associated with car accidents, but did you know that you can experience whiplash from severe sports accidents too?

The forces experienced in whiplash injuries are far more than the body can cope with. The forceful and rapid back-and-forth movement in whiplash injury, like the crack of a whip, can lead to chronic pain and long-term complications in extreme cases. In these injuries, the muscles of the injured area are severely damaged in their attempt to control or slow the rapid movement.

Although most people who suffer whiplash injuries recover within a few weeks, in some cases, further treatment plans may be necessary. Treatment usually includes exercise, pain management techniques, and physical therapy to help recover range of motion, prevent further injury, and help with recovery.

Contact us today to make an appointment at one of our physiotherapy rooms:

📧 Email: anwar@alphysio.co.za
📞 0832903798

20/04/2022

At AL Physio, we cater for all our client’s needs. Whether you’re a certified desk jockey with aches and pains or a high-profile athlete with specific requirements, give us a call to chat about what we can do for you.

Here’s what world-ranked cruiserweight muay thai athlete, Karl Bergemann, had to say:

“Anwar is one of the most clued-up physiotherapists I have ever worked with – and I have worked with some of the best out there. He takes his work seriously and is ultra attentive to the needs of athletes. From sorting out ni**les, to injury prevention, recovery and maintenance, I highly recommend his services if you want to get the best out of your sporting activities”

Contact us today to make an appointment at one of our physiotherapy rooms:

💻 Online Booking: http://www.alphysio.co.za/bookings.html
📧 Email: anwar@alphysio.co.za
📞 0832903798

17/02/2022

Yoga has certainly become a raging subject matter of late and maybe you’ve been considering adding it to your routines but aren’t sure where to start.

Firstly, it’s important to note that there are different forms of yoga and even within similar forms, different instructors bring their own specific flavour to the mix, so it’s important to find a studio, class style and instructor that suits your particular needs. Without that, there’s little chance your yoga practice will take off like you’ll want it to.

Let’s look at two of the major yoga forms as a brief introduction to the subject. Generally speaking, yoga falls either into flow forms, or static forms. The latter, known as yin yoga, involves holding specific poses, whereas flow involves, yip, you guessed it, flowing from one pose to another. Both are great for increasing flexibility and strength as well as aiding in tension release.

Beyond this, yoga can be broken into many forms, coupled with meditation techniques and traditions that make the artform quite complex and unique. As a beginner, think of it as a form of exercise that aids in stretching, breathing and toning the muscles – a great addition to any workout regime or as a form of prehab.

Contact us today to make an appointment at one of our physiotherapy rooms:

💻 http://www.alphysio.co.za/bookings.html
📧 Email: anwar@alphysio.co.za
📞 0832903798

17/11/2021

Looking after your body should and can take a variety of forms. Ever considered pilates but not too sure what it entails and what the benefits are? Let’s dive into it here.

Pilates is a strengthening system that focuses on core development and specific movement exercises. It usually consists of low-impact exercises with the aim of improving postural alignment and flexibility. A great addition to your workout regime. It can be tough but it is also great for beginners – just go at a pace and intensity level that you feel comfortable with.

One of the main benefits of pilates, being a core-based routine, is that it may help you with functional fitness and day-to-day tasks while also being beneficial to muscle endurance.

A 2010 study showed that participants who took part in just two pilates classes a week over a 12-week period showed significant gains in upper body muscle endurance, as well as greater flexibility and overall tone. The researchers theorised that the scapular stabilisation cues used throughout the movements targeted these areas and provided significant improvement models.

So, there you have it, if you want to upscale your workouts, why not give it a try?

Contact us today to set up an appointment with our accredited physiotherapists:

💻 Online Booking: http://www.alphysio.co.za/bookings.html
📧 Email: anwar@alphysio.co.za
📞 0832903798

08/10/2021

Recovery can take many different forms and it is up to us as individuals to ensure that we make the necessary adjustments to our exercise schedules to include plenty of it. Whether this comes in the form of a good night’s rest, stretching, massage routines, good nutrition or even in recovery exercises, including these activities becomes crucial in preventing injury.

Injury prevention is often an overlooked part of the modern-day exercise schedule. Prehab, as it is often called, rather than rehab, is something that should be thought of as an essential part of your regimen, not something done begrudgingly in the stead of a more regular exercise activity. As the old adage goes: prevention is better than cure.

Some great ways to include prehab in your daily routines is to take part in activities like yoga or pilates and to ensure you have good warm-up and post-exercise routines in place, especially addressing any problem areas. On days following more rigorous efforts, think about including recovery training sessions such as light jogs or an easy session on a stationary bike, this way you still feel like you are getting work in without overtaxing the muscles.

Of course, sometimes it helps to have a professional address these issues, too, whether in identification of problem areas or in helping you to set up management routines - an extra set of eyes on the problem is always useful.

Contact us today to make an appointment:

💻 https://alphysio.co.za/bookings.html
📧 anwar@alphysio.co.za
📞 0832903798

17/09/2021

Exercise provides a multitude of benefits, we’ve heard this all before. Whether it’s physical, psychological/emotional, or in controlling or mitigating lifestyle diseases such as diabetes or cholesterol, exercise is a crucial part of our daily lives, but how much exercise should you be getting to reap the benefits?

World health guidelines suggest a minimum of 30 minutes of moderate aerobic activity a day, including activities like walking, swimming or mowing the lawn. Activities such as running or dancing are considered more vigorous activities and a suggested 75 minutes per week covers most healthy individual’s needs. Add in strength training such as weights or resistance training at least twice a week (rock climbing is a great option!) to further maximise your outputs.

Of course, these are just the basic guidelines but if you are a serious athlete or aiming to lose weight, for example, you may need to add more activities to your week to achieve your specific goals.

Just remember that any activity, even if split into chunks across a day, helps your body maintain basic health standards. Try to make exercise a part of your daily lifestyle rather than a tedious chore and get plenty of water, good nutrition and rest in, too.

We aim to give the best possible advice wherever we can. Contact us today to set up an appointment:

💻 Book Online: http://alphysio.co.za/bookings.html
📧 Email: anwar@alphysio.co.za
📞 0832903798

31/08/2021

Did you know that stress, anxiety, depression and any number of chronic mental ailments can have a direct impact on injury recovery?

Of course, many factors determine the speed of a recovery process, from physical receptiveness and the state of one’s immune system to pre-existing conditions and injury management programmes, but emotional distress also plays a significant role.

Studies have shown that stress can even delay wound healing and part of the key to this is that the injury itself causes pain, which ups the ante of stress and makes recovery doubly slow.

Stress management and good, effective injury management plans are essential to speeding up recovery and remember: a little goes a long way. Pay attention to the stressors in your life and to those directly affecting your healing.

Contact us today to make an appointment:

📧 Email: anwar@alphysio.co.za
📞 0832903798

18/08/2021

The idea of using physical activity to reduce stress is one most of us are familiar with but have you ever thought of what role stress, anxiety and other psychologically distressing factors might have on your ability or even desire to perform at your best?

Perceived stress can wreak havoc on our ability to manage our outputs. Whether it be from our interpersonal relationships, job strain, role strain or an accumulation of stresses, we need to be mindful of the impacts on not just our emotional worlds but our physical ones, too.

Recent studies show that increased stress can lead to a decrease in one’s participation in exercise activities as well as an acceptance of sedentary behaviour. Preliminary evidence suggests that coupling stress-management techniques with strategic exercise interventions could stave off these dips in productivity.

As holistic caretakers of our own bodies, we need to be mindful of taking care of our physical and emotional selves to minimise the impact our lows can have on our physical performance. Set your goals, manage expectations and stay consistent if you want to achieve them. Lest we forget: injuries also add to the plight of stress in reaching our physical goals and need management of their own.

If you ever feel like the stress is overwhelming your ability to cope in any aspect of life, please seek out the help of a registered psychologist.

We aim to give the best possible advice wherever we can. Contact us today to set up an appointment:

📧 Email: anwar@alphysio.co.za
📞 0832903798

28/07/2021

Struggling with back or neck pain? Not sure whether to see a physiotherapist or a chiropractor? Although both offer specialised treatments that may bring symptom relief, they are slightly different and it helps to know who to see in times of need.

Both practitioners will focus on non-invasive, non-surgical practices to relieve back pain but while they are similar and often co-treat a patient in a holistic treatment plan, chiropractors will often focus on spine alignment and perform manipulations and adjustments to achieve this.

Physiotherapists might also make use of manipulations in their practice but are more likely to include practices such as movement correction, mobility checks and exercises, massage and possibly even techniques like dry needling if the issue is a muscular one.

As always, a patient should be advised to follow a holistic approach to their treatment, beginning with proper assessment of the problem by a registered physiotherapist.

Contact us today to set up an appointment:

💻 https://alphysio.co.za/bookings.html
📧 Email: anwar@alphysio.co.za
📞 0832903798

06/07/2021

Although both physiotherapists and biokineticists deal with injury rehabilitation, they will often employ different approaches in their work. Biokineticists are most often called upon in the final phases of rehabilitation and will often employ prescriptive exercise interventions as a means for rehabilitation and maintenance. A physio, for all intents and purposes, is more hands on.

The main difference is that physios are trained in muscle manipulation and massage techniques and may often employ techniques of mobilisation or dry needling that biokineticists would not.

There are many crossovers between the two fields and at times practitioners may have some knowledge of the other fields and make use of some basic techniques. Any rehab programme should be as holistic as possible and made to fit with the client’s own needs.

If you have a sports injury and need treatment, contact us to make an appointment and for further guidance in the rehabilitation process.

📧 Email: anwar@alphysio.co.za
📞 0832903798

26/05/2021

Struggling with a ni**le or possible sports-related injury? Not sure what the next step should be?

Why not take advantage of one of our assessment days and let us point you in the right direction?

Book a 15-minute assessment slot at one of our appointment rooms on either 1 June in Claremont or 2 June at Sable Square, from 4-6pm, for only R90.

We will have 8 obligation-free slots available on each day. Cash/card payments only.

Contact us at:

📧 Email: anwar@alphysio.co.za
📞 0832903798

A general physiotherapy practice with a special interest in sports.
Bringing you many years of experi