Physio in Wollongong/Sydney

Hey Guys

Just reading though a previous discussion on “paddling”

I have a few niggling injuries myself.

Does anyone know a good physio in the Wollongong/Sydney area that actually surfs.

I figure a physio that surfs will have a better understanding of surf related injuries (shoulders, lower back, flexability etc…)and how they should be treated.

Cheers

Dont know but if you find one, please post here or pm. My shoulder niggles if i surf more than twice a week, which i have been lately. It’s no major thing, and doesnt stop me from surfing, but, i dont want it to slowly ruin my shoulder. Im actually going to one in dapto sometime this week, as i have tendonitis in my foot ( a one off injury, its pretty much better but i better go, bloody jamberoo rec park!! ) and i will ask about my shoulder and explain that its from surfing. If he sounds like he knows what im on about i;ll ask him about surfing in general.

Cheers mate

Regarding shoulder problems:

I am 56, have been a carpenter swinging a hammer most of my working life and surf here in the San Francisco area where the water is generally in the cold to very cold range. In my early forties I began to notice that my shoulders were developing kinks, twinges, some chronic stiffness and general feelings of instability. The first thing I did was start on a weight training regimen targeting the whole body and soon noticed that my shoulders began to feel much more solid and strong. The weights eventually gave way to kettle bell training (google it) and those have really made a huge difference, especially in my shoulder health. I have also found out that most shoulder pain originates from upper back tension and front/back muscle imbalance and have pursued many different kinds of movement therapies to work those things out.

So for me the two most important things for shoulder health have been to smooth out the habitual tension I develop from driving or working or sleeping or posting on the computer and strengthen, strengthen, strengthen. Even if we do physically demanding work, eventually our nervous system becomes adapted to those movements and our strength moves to the minimum necessary for our daily routine, so some kind of extra stimulation is required to make the muscles grow and keep the neuro-pathways clean.

Rick

MDS,

Can’t help you with a specific physio, but I have been to quite a few - both surfing & non-surfing. I would suggest it is better to get the name of a good physio (especially someone knowledgeable in biomechanics), rather than a surfing physio.

I have done both my rotator cuffs (once quite seriously), had various impingements and broken an AC joint. What is really important is to get your problem diagnosed. Good treatment is unlikely to follow from a bad diagnosis. I saw a physio a year or so back about shoulder problems (which interact with neck/back problems) and she didn’t recommend the usual rotator cuff exercises but focussed on getting my shoulder moving correctly in the joint. This made a lot of difference. I could describe the exercises but getting something tailor made is more likely to be useful. Non surfing physios are more likely to tell you that continuing surfing/paddling may cause serious problems, but you just ignore this part of their advice, while religiously doing rehab. If you have more than one type of injury, the problem is doing all the tedious exercises. Not such a problem when you are young, but definitely an issue as you get into your 40s and beyond.

Oh yeah - computers are not great for shoulder/neck problems

Surffoils may know someone in Sydney.

Bob

Thanks for the info guys.

I will look into it and take your suggestions with me.

Cheers