Foot and ankle problems can occur for several different reasons. While they usually occur due to chronic medical conditions such as diabetes or arthritis, everyday situations such as poorly fitting or overuse of shoes can also lead to temporary, acute pain. A subtle foot problem that can be fixed with conservative methods can become a big problem that may require a more invasive treatment if left untreated. That is why you shouldn’t hesitate to see a podiatrist whenever you are experiencing a foot problem. Here is a brief list of some conditions in which you need a podiatrist's help.

Diabetic Foot Care

It is extremely important for people diagnosed with diabetes to see their podiatrist regularly because they are more prone to foot problems. Pay close attention to any changes you experience on your feet and share your findings with your podiatrist. Some of the common ankle and foot problems associated with diabetes include swelling, open sores, cracking, numbness, changes in skin color, and more.

According to the Australian Burden of Disease Study, about 730,000 Australians were diagnosed with diabetes in 2011, and 12,300 of them had their lower limb amputated. So, it is very important that you see a podiatrist to prevent that.

Ingrown Toenails Treatment

Some people have persistently ingrown toenails that cause infection, while some people just experience occasional pain due to sharp toenail edges; no matter the condition, a podiatrist can help. In some cases, a part of the nail will be removed when you reach the ankle and foot clinic. If the area is infected, your podiatrist may also prescribe medicine. More importantly, you can be made to understand the underlying cause of the problem so as to prevent them in the future.

Pain When Walking

You shouldn’t be experiencing pain when walking or doing regular daily activities. So, if you feel pain, you should see your podiatrist to exam the possibility of an injury that probably doesn’t heal properly. If you do not address the problem, your condition could get worse, and you could have even more difficulties walking.

Persistent Ankle Joint Pain

A persistent ankle joint pain can be a sign of arthritis, which is one of the most common conditions Australians suffer from. If you notice your ankle joints are stiff, swollen, and tender, you should book an appointment with your podiatrist. The ankle and foot specialist can recommend treatment options to reduce joint stiffness, pain, and inflammation.

You Have Sprain, Strain, or Broken Bone

Podiatrists are specialists at treating these types of conditions. They are experts at diagnosing foot and ankle injuries and recommending treatments. They can also develop an adaptable cast to help the spot heal. Increasing pain, trouble walking, redness, and swelling following an injury are all the reasons to visit a podiatrist.

How Can We Help?

If you are experiencing ankle, foot, or lower leg pain, the podiatrists at Movement 101 are happy to help. Our podiatrists have extensive training required to assess, treat, and prevent foot and ankle injuries, disorders, and conditions. Contact Movement 101 today!

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Movement 101 Botany, Marrickville, Waterloo & Wolli Creek

If you are struggling with heel pain, you know how every step can be agonising and being sharp sensations. The mere thought of standing up to do some shores can make you cringe. The aching, stabbing pain in your feet can prevent you from enjoying your life. Luckily, there is help for your heel pain.

Podiatrists are experts who offer medical diagnoses and treatment of foot problems like heel pain. Expert podiatrists can help diagnose your heel pain problem and offer an individualised treatment program. Read on to learn more about the cause of heel pain and how an experienced podiatrist can help treat it.

Causes of Heel Pain

There are many different causes of heel pains, including tarsal tunnel syndrome, sprains or strains, Achilles tendonitis, heel bursitis, and stress fractures. One of the major sources of heel pain for teens is Sever’s disease. This condition is usually seen among people that are active in a sport.

Some of the other common causes of heel pain include soft tissue mass, Peripheral Artery Disease (PAD), rupture of the Achilles tendon, Plantar fasciitis, Bursitis, Osteochondrosis, and Ankylosing spondylitis. To help ease your heel pain, it is recommended that you apply ice to the affected spot, get plenty of rest, and wear shoes that fit properly. However, if the case is more severe, it is advised to go see a podiatrist.

When Should You See a Podiatrist?

Those that have heel pain may first use certain home remedies. Taking it easy and getting some rest may be the best advice in many minor cases of hill pains. Also, a cold or heat treatment solution is usually a great way to minimise common heel pain. However, if the condition doesn’t get better in 2-3 weeks, you should schedule an appointment with your podiatrist. You could call your podiatrist immediately if you are experiencing severe pain, swelling, redness, the heel pain starts abruptly, and you can’t walk due to the pain.

How Can a Podiatrist Help with Your Heel Pain?

To start, your podiatrist will likely perform an X-ray of your feet to establish the source of your heel pain. If you are experiencing heel pain because you are suffering from Achilles tendonitis or plantar fasciitis, your podiatrist may advise special exercises, physical therapy, and rest to help alleviate your pain. Plus, your podiatrist may advocate custom-made orthotics to offer the right support for your feet, especially if your job requires standing for a long time.

However, if conservative treatments aren’t working for your condition, your podiatrists may recommend surgical treatment. Overall, the treatment plan will be tailored to your specific needs. Your treatment may even be adjusted based on the results of the care you have received so far.

How Can We Help?

If you are feeling heel pain, schedule an appointment at Movement 101 today. Our experienced podiatrists will help determine the cause of your heel pain and come up with a treatment plan that is right for your individual needs.

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Movement 101 Botany, Marrickville, Waterloo & Wolli Creek

Pain around your toe might be a result of an ingrown toenail. This is a condition that can occasionally be treated at home. But if the pain persists and becomes unbearable or you discover an infection, you may need to seek treatment. If you notice any signs of an ingrown toenail problem such as abscess, swelling, redness, or irritation, you should immediately go see a podiatrist. If you wait too long to treat your ingrown toenail condition, you increase the risk of developing an infection that may eventually require serious interventions.

Major Causes of Ingrown Toenail

There are a couple of possible causes of an ingrown toenail. The change in the form of your toenail can make the ridge that holds your toe lose connection, which can cause your nail to grow in the wrong direction into your skin. The loss of the toenail, recurring pressure for certain sports, psoriasis, or fungal infection may be to blame for the ingrown toenail.

Curved or thick toenails are particularly susceptible. Plus, some people have the inherited tendency to develop toenail problems. You can also develop an ingrown toenail problem when you wear shoes that are too narrow, tight, or short – women’s high heels are a major source of this problem. Even those that don’t have an ingrown toenail problem now may eventually develop one.

When to Visit a Podiatrist

If an ingrown toenail is left unattended, it can become infected and worsen. Not only does this create extreme swelling and pain, but it can also lead to severe complications, which include gangrene and bone infection. It is time to schedule an appointment when you have repeated toenails or home remedies that don’t work.

Moreover, if you have diabetes or a health condition that causes poor blood circulation in your leg and feet, you may need to visit a podiatrist immediately. Else, you will have a greater risk of an ingrown toenail to lead to a serious medical problem.

How Podiatrists Treats Ingrown Toenail

At first, your podiatrist will examine your ingrown toenail and discuss with you your overall health care. Then, he or she will create a treatment plan to carefully separate your nail from the skin. This separation will help your nail grow above the skin and not into it. However, in more severe conditions, your podiatrists may need to remove your toenail.

In some cases, your podiatrist may numb the affected area using an anesthetic so as to remove the nail and/or part of the skin that contributes to the problem. If you have an infection, you may need to use an antibiotic. If you are prone to ingrown toenails, your podiatrists will suggest preventive methods to reduce or prevent ingrown toenails in the long term.

How Can We Help?

If you know it is finally time to see a podiatrist for your ingrown toenail, trust the experts at Movement 101. Our experienced and licensed podiatrists can effectively treat your ingrown toenail condition and get you back up in no time.

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Movement 101 Botany, Marrickville, Waterloo & Wolli Creek

Every day, a limb is lost to diabetes in Australia. Those that have diabetes are more at risk of having foot problems. Due to diabetes, the feet can be affected in two ways. Firstly, it can affect the blood supply to the feet; this could reduce the rate at which your injury heals. Secondly, you may lose some sensation in your feet due to nerve damage.

This is where podiatrists can help. They are ankle and foot specialists who can help protect and take care of your feet. Regular visits to the podiatrist can help detect problems early and prevent complications.

Foot Problems Related to People with Diabetes

If you have diabetes, you are at a high risk to experience a number of foot problems, some of which include:

Nerve Damage

Neuropathy (nerve damage) usually affects the nerves in the feet. Diabetics can make it difficult for the body to interpret signals sent from the nerve to the brain, and this action can make you lose sensation in your limbs, especially your feet and legs.

Losing feeling in your limbs means you won’t feel pain when you have an injury, so you won’t notice the injury to care for it. If you don’t attend to this injury, it can be very dangerous, especially when you are diabetic. The signs of nerve damage to look out for include ulcers, numbness, sharp pains, and tingling sensations.

Poor Blood Circulation

People with diabetes are at an increased risk for Peripheral Artery Disease (PAD). PAD is a circulatory problem where blood vessels become narrow and reduce blood flow to the limbs. Since the arteries are now narrow, it will be difficult for blood to circulate through your body, which results in limited blood flow to your feet, making it harder for injuries to heal. Some of the signs of PAD include leg cramp, leg weakness, shiny skin on legs, leg pain, lower extremity sores, and changes in leg colour.

How Podiatrists Help Diabetes Patients

If you have diabetes, regularly visiting your podiatrist is important to carry out a complete foot examination. They are highly trained health professionals who constantly deal with identifying, treating, managing, and preventing foot problems. Besides, experienced podiatrists can often notice little signs of trouble with your foot and quickly treat them to prevent threatening complications.

When you have podiatrists as part of your care team, they can also educate you on what to look out for and take proper care of yourself at home. Moreover, your podiatrist can warn you about the day-to-day consequences of nerve damage. For instance, you may misinterpret the temperature of the water on your feet, which could lead to burns and scalding.

How Can We Help?

If you have additional questions about the relationship between podiatry and diabetes, contact Movement 101 for evaluation and discussion about your situation. Our podiatrists are licensed and trained to treat diabetes-related foot conditions. Regularly working with our podiatrist can significantly reduce your chances of ever requiring amputation. Make an appointment with us today.

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Movement 101 Botany, Marrickville, Waterloo & Wolli Creek

Clinical Pilates is a form of exercise used by physiotherapists to treat a broad range of conditions and injuries, ranging from surgery and injury rehabilitation to dysautonomia, hypermobility, and chronic fatigue disorder. Clinical Pilates focuses on improvement in muscle strength, balance, posture, balance, flexibility, and pelvic floor strengthening.

Today, Clinical Pilates is usually used in combination with physiotherapy to treat a variety of injuries, especially those of the back and neck. Clinical Pilates exercise is an approach that is based on art that shows solid evidence to support the use of therapeutic exercise in pain management. The treatment plan you receive depends on your aim of treatment and current level of fitness.

Benefits of Clinical Pilates

A significant benefit of Clinical Pilates is that it offers positive results on the entire body. This form of exercise is evidence-based and can be used to treat spinal pain and back pain, but its benefits don’t stop there. Besides, Clinical Pilates is a great option for pain management; it has been shown to help improve bone density, strengthen and tone muscle, prevent injuries, and improve balance.

Clinical Pilates can also help treat depression, improve neural function, and promote a strong sense of overall wellbeing. Moreover, due to Clinical Pilates' high effectiveness, the people that participate in the program spend less on the treatment and are more satisfied.

Difference Between Clinical Pilates and Regular Pilates

Clinical Pilates classes are run by highly trained Physiotherapists since they require a more personalised approach. In contrast, regular Pilates classes are conducted by Pilates instructors. Unlike Pilates instructors, the physiotherapist has an in-depth knowledge of bodily function, injury, pathology, movement patterns, and healing.

This in-depth knowledge allows a physiotherapist to exam each patient so as to determine any underlying problem they may have and create a treatment plan that will be most effective for each patient. This is very important for those that have a history of injury. Certain exercises will be adapted to your specific need to avoid aggravating the injury.

Is Clinical Pilates For Me?

Clinical Pilates exercise is for anyone and everyone. The treatment is aimed at those who have specific needs that require an individualised approach. Clinical Pilates is great for injury recovery, so those that are suffering from an injury of the musculoskeletal can benefit from this exercise.  

The importance of core control and pelvic floor during pregnancy and post-natal has been discussed a lot, and this is where Clinical Pilates can be of help. There are limits to what a pregnant woman can do, so having a more clinical approach will ensure the exercise is safe. Clinic Pilates is also suitable for those who have no previous experience because the foundation is what will ensure you achieve the desired results without aggravating your injury.

How Can We Help?

As physiotherapists, Movement 101 Pilates instructors are experts in pain management and recovery. Our friendly team of physiotherapists is located across Sydney, and an appointment can be made by booking online. Contact us today!

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Movement 101 Botany, Marrickville, Waterloo & Wolli Creek

Osteoporosis is a condition where bones become fragile, thin, and weak, such that even a minor accident or bump can cause a broken bone. About 6.3 million Australians have osteopenia and a further 1.2 million Australians have osteoporosis – this means 34 percent of Australians have low bone density.

If you have osteoporosis or osteopenia, you need a good exercise regime that helps to strengthen and maintain bone health. A specialised Pilates management focuses on bone and muscle strength, helping in the prevention of more bone mass loss and reverse the effects of osteopenia or osteoporosis. Pilates exercises focus on alignment with weight-bearing workouts while instantaneously reinforcing the legs, spine, and core, which are crucial.

Is Pilates Good for Osteoporosis?

Pilates is suitable for people with osteoporosis since it can provide numerous highly targeted workouts to help people with weak bones strengthen them. Pilates exercise can help reduce the rate at which you fall, improve range of motion and posture, and also help strengthen the muscles that support the bones.

However, many common Pilates workouts are not safe for those with osteoporosis. That means it’s crucial to understand the kind of workout that is dangerous and the exercise that are most useful. Generally, those with osteoporosis want to concentrate on building their back, legs, shoulders, and hips.

Basically, you want to target the muscles that are liable for supporting the bones. That means Pilates for osteopenia and osteoporosis might include push-ups, chest expansion, leg kicks, side-lying series, and circles.

Best Pilates Exercises for People with Osteoporosis

Palate exercises that work on the legs, shoulders, hips, and back are the most beneficial for those with osteoporosis. Strengthening your hips should be your primary objective. Reformer Pilates exercises are more suitable for people with osteoporosis since they are weight-bearing, and some include resistance from the exercise band or Pilates ring.

The exercise does not include flexion or side bending with rotation. Those with osteoporosis should avoid exercises that involve rolling on their backs or forward, so you should be cautious about performing these types of exercises. Moreover, it is important to do Pilates with an instructor trained in a low-impact workout for osteoporosis.

Pilates Classes for Osteoporosis

It is important to find Pilate classes that provide exercises for people with osteoporosis. When choosing a class, you need to ask if the Pilate instructor is familiar with the exercise that is safe for people with osteoporosis and if they can help improve balance.

The real danger of this disease is that it increases the risk of falling, which may end badly. So, preventing falls can be vital, and Pilate is a form of exercise that can help with that. Working with the right Pilate instructor and following the regimen can do great things for those with osteoporosis.

How Can We Help?

If you are thinking of starting Pilates classes as part of your osteoporosis or osteopenia management, Movement 101 can help you. Our experienced Pilates instructors can help ensure you get an individualised program. Contact us today to book an appointment.

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Movement 101 Botany, Marrickville, Waterloo & Wolli Creek

It is no secret that practicing Pilates is very effective for physical health, helping to tone and strengthen muscles, lose weight, improve flexibility and posture. However, many people don’t consider the mental health benefits of Pilates exercises. A lot of research suggests that Pilates exercises have several mental health benefits. It is believed that mental and physical health went hand in hand, which is what makes Pilates an effective workout method.

Pilate emphasizes correct alignment, focus, breathing and helps strengthen the bond between the body and mind. Let’s look at some of the ways mental health can be beneficial to your overall wellness.

Boost Mindfulness

While yoga practice is mostly associated with boosting mindfulness, Pilates can also improve self-awareness. Studies show that integrating a regular Pilates into your routine can considerably improve your mental resilience and mindfulness. This can particularly be helpful if you are going through a tough time since mindfulness is known to improve the ability to overcome emotional, physical, and psychological challenges.

Improve Self Confidence

The physical changes made to your body as a result of your Pilates workout can have a significant impact on your self-esteem. It is not just the good look that improves your self-confidence, but also the feeling of accomplishment when you see that all your hard work pays off. Whether your goal is to tone and strengthen your muscle or lose weight, achieving each step of these goals will improve your self-confidence.

Encourages a Healthy Lifestyle

Attending Pilates classes promote a healthy practice you can integrate into your daily life. These could be a little adjustment like replacing your third coffee with herbal tea, consuming good, whole foods that nourish your body or prioritizing rest over drinks nights out. It is easy to reach for comfort food and another glass of wine when things are not going so well in your life, which can have a negative effect on your mental health. Pilates promotes healthy living, which is the key to improving your mental health.

Improving Memory and Brain Training

When performing an exercise, your body may be working while your brain is not as active. This may reduce exercise benefits and increase the risk of injury. Pilates requires you to use both your mind and body simultaneously. When you learn a new practice, your body challenges your brain to learn a new skill and keep your mind always engaged. In addition, Pilates exercise supply blood to your brain, which makes you think more clearly.

Reduces Stress

Pilate is widely used as a means to help reduce and cope with stress. Pilate exercise has been shown to reduce stress hormones such as cortisol and boost endorphins (chemicals produced by the body to relieve stress), giving your mood a natural boost. Plus, Pilates may also increase your ability to respond to and manage stress, thus improving your stress resilience.

How Can We Help?

If you’d like to be happier and stronger, make sure to contact Movement 101, our experienced Pilates instructors are here for you!

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Movement 101 Botany, Marrickville, Waterloo & Wolli Creek

While Pilates is famous for creating strong, lean muscles and toning abs, it is another important application for injury rehabilitation. Certain types of Pilates, such as Clinical Pilates, can help with injuries rehabilitation, whether it is recovery from a stroke to back pain. In fact, you don’t need to be suffering from a serious injury to use Pilates.

Even if it’s just doubt, Pilate still offers enormous benefits. Let’s dive a little deeper; why Pilates is effective for injury rehabilitation and how it can help you recover from injury.

What Makes Pilates Effective for Injury Rehabilitation?

Pilates is a holistic form of exercise that works well for injury recovery. This approach means your instructor will work on your entire body when treating your injury, rather than just focusing on the problem area. With this, any disparities in the body that may be producing compensatory patterns will be recognised and taken care of. This will also prevent the injury from reoccurring.

Besides, Pilates is more flexible than traditional forms of injury rehabilitation. The workout can also easily be modified to make them achievable but still very much effective. And the Pilates equipment makes adapting the workout easier. Working with an experienced Pilates instructor also means you will avoid worsening your injury. With the help of your Pilate instructor, you can work on mobility, strength, and the right movement patterns, without aggravating the injured area.

When you are suffering from injury, working on your mind is also worth considering. Studies have shown that mental distress can increase the time it takes for an injury to heal. Pilates can support this area of your injury rehabilitation by reducing your stress level.

How Pilates Work for Injury Recovery

Pilates tackles muscular imbalances - a major source of injuries. Pilates lay an emphasis on unilateral movements. This exercise helps improve even muscles on both sides of your body. Moreover, Pilates can be a great choice for improving posture, which is a common cause of injury. It focuses on strengthening the back, glutes and on mobilising the mid-spine in great alignment.

Pilate equipment is also helpful when it comes to rehabilitating bad movement patterns. The design of the equipment creates a supportive and controlled exercise environment. This allows your Pilate instructor to analyse your movements and see what you are doing wrong. Once they have established the problem of the injury, your instructor can then provide a solution.

Can Pilates Help Prevent Injuries?

Yes, Pilates can help prevent injuries, especially for athletes. Most sports activities require recurring movements, which usually put a strain on the part of the body involved. Pilates instructors are specialists in movement analysis. Whether it is your walking gait or running, your golf swing or swimming stroke, the Pilates approach can pinpoint the areas of muscle imbalance that have the tendency to lead to injury.

How Can We Help?

Whether you are recovering from an injury or looking to strengthen a certain part of your body to prevent injuries, call Movement 101 to discuss your goal. Our experienced Pilates instructors will be happy to help you.

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Movement 101 Botany, Marrickville, Waterloo & Wolli Creek

For most people, pregnancy is a time when Pilates seems impossible. In reality, you can continue with Pilates safely during a normal pregnancy with the permission of your doctor. Pilates can help increases muscle tone, flexibility, and strength. Because Pilates focuses on your core muscle, practicing it regularly can alleviate backaches, improve posture, and eventually help with labor and delivery. Pilates is beneficial to pregnant women in several important ways that make it worthwhile. Let’s take a closer look at some of the key reasons why pregnant women should try Pilates.

Better Breathing

Studies have shown that breathing properly has many positive side-effects for pregnant women, some of which include lowering blood pressure and stress reduction. Pilates supports good breathing habits through activities such as abdominal release and diaphragm work, a combination of which offers a fuller breath. This shows that Pilates can be especially valuable for pregnant women who usually have trouble breathing.

Maintain Healthy Weight

Gaining weight throughout pregnancy is quite normal. However, if you put on more than the advised weight gain for pregnant women, you risk having gestational diabetes. This non-impact workout can help maintain a healthy weight throughout your pregnancy period. It can help maintain the mobility of the spine and work deep abdominal muscles to move the baby towards the spine.

Strengthens the Body and Mind

Emotional instability and mood swings are prevalent features during pregnancy. Emotional instability comes with lots of anxiety, which is not good for pregnant women. During the pregnancy period, physical strength is equally important as emotional well-being, and Pilates can help you achieve both. Pilates makes use of mindfulness and focused breathing, which has been shown to develop mental health by decreasing symptoms of anxiety and depression, promoting relation, and improving mood.

Better Labour

Pregnancy Pilates focuses on mobility rather than flexibility. Your body needs to be free and mobile to avoid aches and tightness while avoiding ligaments and overstretching. The hormone (Relaxin) that is released during pregnancy so that the hips can expand when giving birth increase the level of flexibility during pregnancy, so loose ligaments and joints can cause a greater risk of injury. Practicing Pilates can help you cope more with childbirth because it strengthens key muscles.

Safe at Every Stage

Besides Pilates helping keep your heart rate steady and being low-impact, it is also considered a great choice for pregnant women because it can be adapted to them as they progress through the different levels of their pregnancy. For example, inversions can be a no-go for pregnant women in their first trimester due to feelings of dizziness. Given that each pregnancy is unique, Pilates session with experts can be a better choice for prenatal women looking to keep it.

How Can We Help?

If you are interested in taking Pilates classes during your pregnancy, Movement 101 got you covered. Our teachers are pre-and postnatal trained and qualified to teach you. Our expert Pilates instructors are ready to guide you through your pregnancy to keep your bump safe and reap other numerous benefits Pilates has to offer.

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Movement 101 Botany, Marrickville, Waterloo & Wolli Creek