Sports Physiotherapy

A simple and short explanation is that Exercise Physiology practices help to improve the health of a patient by providing “hands off”, or active treatments, through a clinical exercise program. A sports physio provides “hands on”, or passive treatment, (joint manipulation, massage, acupuncture etc) as well as prescribing specific exercise programs.

Typically, yes. Depending on the surgery, physiotherapists are usually in a great position to assist you in returning to your normal life and beyond post surgery. If the surgery is of a musculoskeletal nature (if you’ve been treated by an orthopaedic surgeon, for example), physios can work with you to restore function and reduce pain to get you back to your old self as quickly as possible. Our sports physiotherapists can also work closely with other sports physicians in your local area in order to get you back into playing the sport that you love.

Clinical pilates can be used for rehabilitation purposes to treat and prevent injuries, it even enhances recovery outcomes. Once an issue with the body is identified, specific pilates exercises can be prescribed to restore range of motion to joints, strengthen or loosen weak or tight muscles, enhance motor control and improve coordination of the whole body. Pilates can be effective for children, adolescents, the elderly and elite or recreational athletes.

We often advise patients to attend the gym in order to stress particular regions of the body with weights. This is in order to support ongoing treatment and further develop muscle strength, increase bone density and improve motor control of the body.

So long as there is no underlying issue that would prevent a patient from attending the gym, and the patient understands how to perform the exercise safely and correctly, it is safe to attend the gym. If any of these factors are not met, it is not safe to attend the gym and lift weights.

It is not normal to feel pain after exercising. If pain persists, we would advise that you stop or modify the exercise you are performing.

It is however normal to feel DOMS (Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness) which is usually felt 1 or 2 days after exercising. DOMS usually occur due to small-scale damage (microtrauma) to the muscle fibres. DOMS is only felt temporarily and the discomfort is felt along the muscles that were worked on.

Our expert team manages a broad spectrum of chronic pain conditions, including low‑back pain, shoulder tendinopathy, persistent neck pain and more. Through detailed assessment and musculoskeletal physiotherapy, we identify the drivers of your muscle tension and chronic pain and build a step‑by‑step plan. This often includes:

1. Sports physiotherapy massage and trigger point release to relax tight muscles and improve circulation. 
2. Customised exercise prescription to strengthen weak areas. 
3. Collaboration with other allied health services (e.g. podiatry, nutrition) for 360° support.
   

Education on self‑management strategies to prevent flare‑ups.

Your very first session with an M Physio experienced physiotherapist lasts around 50 minutes and includes:   

1. Comprehensive history – We’ll discuss how your injury or complaint began, any past injuries or surgeries, training load, goals and lifestyle factors (e.g. work/sport commitments). 
2. Movement screening – We’ll observe you performing key movements (squats, lunges, overhead reach) to identify muscle imbalances, joint restrictions or faulty movement patterns. 
3. Hands‑on testing – Through gentle manual tests of joint range, muscle length/tension and soft‑tissue palpation, we pinpoint exact tissues involved. 
4. Objective measures – We may use dynamometry or functional tests (e.g. hop test, agility drills) to quantify strength, power and coordination deficits. 

Plan of care – We’ll go through our findings, outline realistic rehabilitation milestones, propose treatment modalities (manual therapy, exercise prescription, biomechanical re‑education) and agree on a timeline which may span a few sessions or become an ongoing treatment plan.

Rehab timelines vary depending on injury type, severity and your personal circumstances, but here’s a rough guide:

• Minor strains & sprains: 2–4 weeks of guided exercise rehabilitation and manual therapy.  
• Moderate tears or overuse injuries: 6–12 weeks of progressive loading, including sport‑specific drills. 
• Post‑surgical rehab (e.g. ACL reconstruction): 6–12 months, depending on the type of surgery, with staged strengthening, proprioception and return‑to‑sport testing. 

Your active participation (attending scheduled sessions, doing prescribed home exercises and modifying aggravating activities) directly influences how quickly you progress. Throughout, we regularly reassess to ensure we’re on track and adapt your program if needed.

Absolutely. Injury prevention is a core focus at M Physio:

• Movement re‑education – We correct faulty biomechanics that predispose you to strain (e.g. poor squat technique, hip drop in running). 
• Individualised strength & conditioning – Targeted programmes build muscle resilience around vulnerable joints (shoulders, knees, ankles). 
• Flexibility & mobility routines – Regular stretching and joint‑mobilisation drills maintain optimal tissue length and joint play. 
• Load management advice – We guide you on how to safely increase training volume, frequency and intensity to avoid overtraining. 

Education & self‑management – You’ll learn warning signs of overload, self‑massage or foam‑rolling techniques and warm‑up/cool‑down strategies to keep you in peak condition.

• GP referral: No referral is required to see a physiotherapist. However, if you have a chronic musculoskeletal condition, an EPC (Enhanced Primary Care) referral from your GP entitles you to Medicare rebates for up to five allied‑health visits per calendar year. 
• Private health insurance: If you hold extras cover, most health funds provide rebates for physiotherapy. Check your level of cover to see how many treatments are included and any gap you may need to pay. 
• Workplace injuries & CTP claims: We’re approved providers for WorkCover and the NSW/QLD CTP schemes—just bring your claim details and approval number. 

If you’re unsure about the best funding pathway, our friendly admin team can help you navigate referrals and rebates so that you get the care you need while maximising your benefits.