Louise O'Rourke Physiotherapy Blog

Are you experiencing hip pain which radiates down to your knee/leg? There is several factors that may be causing this, such as: Weak abdominal & pelvic floor muscles Poor glute activation Tight glutes, hip flexors Pelvic instability, posterior or anterior tilt Limited mobility in your hip, back, knee or ankle. Foot posture, pronated or supinated. Nerve, disc or facet joint irritation. How can Physio help you? To reduce your hip pain, we need to address all the areas contributing to your pain. Address tight muscles with physiotherapy, foam rolling, massage and stretching. Strengthen key lateral hip stabilising muscles, without causing compression on the lateral hip structures. Lose weight and reduce your abdominal girth to reduce load on your hip and associated muscles. Wear supportive footwear. Tips to change your postural habits Do not hang on one hip when standing, or carry a load such as a child on one hip. Do not lie on that side to sleep. When sleeping on the other side, ensur...

How we treat your knee pain?   Acute knee pain, we recommend ice, rest, compression & elevation. Rest from sporting activities to allow for appropriate healing. Ice therapy 10 minutes 3-4 times daily to help reduce pain. Compression to help reduce inflammation & support your knee. Elevation above your heart level. Referral to Physio is advised if the following day, you are limping or cant straighten or bend your knee fully. How Physio can help you? We release muscle tension & joint stiffness (massage, mobilisation, shockwave therapy, dry needling). We prescribe individualised mobility & strengthening exercises. Assess your gait. Provide education & advise. Exercises for strength, stability and control are essential in the prevention of reoccurring knee pain. You need to be able to walk pain free before attempting any jogging or running activities. We suggest light jogging when you knee is no longer painful to walk on. Then gradually return to sporting activities...

The Benefits of Radial Shockwave Therapy Have you heard? We are seeing really positive results with patients from Radial Shockwave Therapy in combination with Exercise Therapy. This Therapy is an effective treatment for soft tissue injuries, such as muscles & tendons in all our joints. How does Shockwave work? Our machine sends acoustic waves to stimulate blood vessels, nerves & tissues. Releases muscular tension. It speeds up healing rates & regenerates cartilage fibres. Feedback from our patients “my legs never felt looser in years” “the difference in my neck movements is unbelievable” “I can feel instant release in my foot pain” “my arm feels so much lighter & my wrist, there’s no pain” “my shoulders feel so much lighter” Conditions suitable for Shockwave Tennis or Golfers elbow Shoulder pain Plantar fasciitis Knee pain Tendinopathies Muscular pain Check out our mindbody app to book in with one of our Physio’s & release all that tension!

  Thank you for expressing your  interest in Pilates Classes  @ Louise O’Rourke Physiotherapy & Pilates in Newcastle. Have you been advised to start Pilates by your Physiotherapist, GP or Consultant? Are you looking for a way to improve your general well being? Or, do you want to improve your performance in a sport? Pilates provides the ideal balance between injury recovery and prevention, improvement in sports performance and improvement of general health. There are two options – Pilates on the Mat or Pilates on the Reformer (machine). They are both excellent ways to strengthen your core muscles which will help with your back pain or injury.   MAT PILATES Mat work  is done lying down on a mat and working your way through a series of evidence-based exercises to help strengthen the entire body while engaging your core muscles. REFORMER PILATES Reformer Pilates is done lying down on a movable carriage. Here you will do similar exercises to the mat bu...