Physiotherapy

Physiotherapy

with Ben Ibrahim

Introduction from Physiotherapist Ben Ibrahim

I studied at the Australian Catholic University where I completed a Bachelor of Physiotherapy in 2015. I have worked in multiple Private Practices and closely with Orthopaedic inpatients and outpatients at the Mater Private Redlands hospital. Throughout my career I have also been fortunate to work with many sporting clubs around Brisbane, having worked with UQ AFL, Churchie rugby, Morningside AFL and many school sports. I have also been fortunate enough to work with the elderly prescribing balance and strengthening exercises.

Tension Headaches and Migraines

Tension headaches and migraines can be absolutely debilitating. Millions of Australians suffer from headaches, often with enough severity to greatly affect quality of life. While the stress of everyday life can be a great contributor to headaches, often they can have an easily treatable physical cause.

Tension headaches commonly have physical causes that can be addressed by an experienced physiotherapist. A tension headache is often caused by the contraction of muscles in the head and neck, leading to a severe pain behind the eyes and in the forehead.

Physiotherapists can help address the underlying causes of tension headaches by assisting with posture and teaching patients stretching and tension-mitigation techniques.

Dry Needling

Dry needling involves the application of sterile, single-use needles into muscles at key points, with the aim of releasing knots in the muscle. Dry needling differs from acupuncture in that it is focused largely on pain reduction and the restoration of muscular function by targeting key myofascial trigger points, while acupuncture works by restoring energy flow, known as Qi, through the body.

Joint Mobilisations

Joint mobilisation aims to reduce joint pain and restore pain-free joint movement. A skilled physiotherapist will seek to improve your range of motion using a variety of techniques designed to gradually increase mobility and reduce pain for the long-term.

Acute Sporting Injuries

Most athletes will experience pain and injury during their active sporting lives. For some, it can be treated with ice and mild activity to restore full use. For others, professional physiotherapy assistance is required to develop a long-term strategy to return to full functionality, strength and mobility.

Leaning on a long history of experience treating athletes and working in a wide range of sporting disciplines, we can assist with a vast range of sports-related injuries. Among other concerns, we can help with the following issues:

• Shoulder Injuries
• Tennis Elbow
• Muscle Tears
• Tendon and Ligament Sprains
• Stress Fractures
• Injuries from overuse

Lower Back Pain

Lower back pain is common across a wide range of age groups, lifestyles and occupations. It can affect anyone and can have any number of causes. Usually, lower back pain will resolve itself over a week or two. However, some people may find it very difficult to recover from lower back pain and can have constant flare-ups for a year or more. In these instances, it is highly recommended to seek out the services of a physiotherapist.

Sciatica

For some people, sciatica can cause severe debilitating pain. For others, it is a constant niggling annoyance that won’t go away. Physiotherapists can recommend an array of physical exercises that can help address both the causes and symptoms of sciatica, greatly reducing pain and also improving mobility and strength. As a general starting point, we will likely recommend:

• Strengthening exercises for spinal muscles to assist with posture.
• Strengthening exercises for core muscles to provide additional support to the spine.
• Stretching exercises (particularly the hamstring) to improve flexibility.

Bulging or Slipped Discs

Bulging discs, slipped discs, ruptured discs and herniated discs are all part of the same family and are terms used to describe differing levels of severity. A bulging disc is usually assessed and diagnosed with the assistance of an MRI scan. They are usually caused by moving awkwardly, overextending yourself, failure to lift correctly or more serious incidents like a car accident. The treatment of a bulging disc is reasonably straightforward but may take several sessions to restore you to full functionality. Treatment regimes usually involve massages and muscle manipulation, along with a series of treatments that you will need to perform yourself, usually involving exercises to strengthen your core and spinal muscles.

Neck Pain and Whiplash

Neck pain and whiplash can be caused by a variety of factors. Poor posture, an awkward movement or an injury sustained in a car accident are common causes. The sudden acceleration and deceleration that causes whiplash can greatly damage your joints, muscles, bones and ligaments. We can treat neck pain and whiplash using a variety of methods, commonly including:

• Strengthening exercises
• Stretching and flexibility exercises
• Guided movement
• Muscular retraining programs
• Joint mobilisation
• Massage

Arthritis

Physiotherapy can be an important part of living with arthritis and improving your quality of life. If you’re visiting us for arthritis treatment, we’ll begin with a full examination of your joints and range of movement. From there, we’ll provide advice on how you can take steps to treat your arthritis. This may include:

• Placing your challenges into context
• Helping you develop the skills and capabilities you need to confidently manage your condition
• Goal-setting
• A program of stretching, strengthening and joint mobilisation exercises.
• Advice on activity types and activity levels.
• Physical assistance such as aids and splints.
• Pain-relief, such as medicine or other treatments like heat packs and ice packs.
• Additional treatment options such as massage and acupuncture.

Strengthening and Rehabilitation

Regardless of the level of your injuries, we’ll be able to provide some assistance to help you improve your strength levels and regain as much capability as physically possible. We have worked with a number of patients in the past who have required extensive rehabilitation, whether from accidents, injuries or genetic conditions.

Lower Limb Injuries

Lower limb injuries are common and very treatable, provided you seek treatment in a timely manner. We can help with ankle sprains, knee injuries, hip movement and flexibility and a wide range of other lower limb injuries.

Availability and Appointment Bookings

Appointments are available Monday – Saturday for your convenience.

Please click here to book your appointment, or call on: (07) 3398 8188

Clinical Team