World class Physio takes the local arena

What would you say if I asked you to spend a long haul flight to Canada performing lunges, squats and calf raises every two hours? While many would balk at this request, it was preventative measures like this which ensured that the Under 20s New Zealand Football Ferns could start training immediately upon arrival at the 2015 Football World Cup.

As ‘The Urban Physio’, I am regularly requested to attend international sporting events for New Zealand sports teams and athletes. In July 2017, I attended the Junior Commonwealth Games in the Bahamas as the Team Physio of 34 elite athletes competing in swimming, cycling, boxing, beach volleyball and athletics. This added to my wealth of experience in supporting the New Zealand Football Ferns and Junior Football Ferns over the past eight years. I’ve gone on tour in over 10 countries and attended five World Cup events.

It’s humbling to see our athletes perform on the world stage and seeing first hand the effort and sacrifice that’s required, plus these experiences have given me the opportunity to work with New Zealand’s top sporting medical professionals. This environment has propelled me to create innovative treatment techniques to enhance performance and shorten recovery times.

From in-flight lunges to world success

Supporting international Kiwi athletes has allowed me to hone my skills, especially in the prevention area.

Before the flight where the Under 20s New Zealand Football Ferns spent time lunging and squatting, I was also faced with an acute situation as the team’s Captain had suffered a severe injury, which made even walking challenging. My preventative program made a remarkable difference to the swelling and pain. The Captain, a key goal scorer, was able to play every game which helped the team make to the quarter finals, a Kiwi first. This innovative solution has now become part of my standard approach in international sporting events.

What does this mean for you?

Your body may not have the same strains as a high performance athlete, but living a busy urban lifestyle places its own forms of stress on the body. My role as The Urban Physio is to help you live a life that’s pain free, whether you’re a competitive athlete, weekend warrior, or just stroll to your local café.

I can assist those in pain to recover from post injury or surgery, but the old adage that “prevention is better than cure” is the best form of treatment. I will work with you to help you avoid injury in the first place by tailoring a plan for you which takes into account your lifestyle, including:

• Manipulation and mobilisation: Everyday life can cause joints to become very stiff. This causes muscle spasm which can lead to pain and injury. Joint mobilisation and manipulation allow joints to move freely again which reduces your chance of injury.
• Trigger Point Release Massage: This massage will reduce your stress levels and target the tight muscles to relieve pain and bring a sense of mindfulness.
• Acupuncture and dry needling: This will release muscle tightness and improve blood flow to improve your body’s natural healing and help with overall wellness.
• Strapping: Strapping of joints, muscles and tendons before competing in a social rugby game or running a marathon can significantly reduce a potential injury.
• Advice: My practical tips matched to your lifestyle and easily incorporated into your everyday routine.

Click below to book your world class appointment today or call 09 216 7799 to discuss how The Urban Physio can support your wellness for an urban lifestyle!