Head 2 Toe Wellness Solutions

Penny is our Remedial Massage Therapist!

Massage can help on different levels such as reducing muscle tension and anxiety, increasing range of motion, and improving blood circulation and sleeping and much more.

Penny likes to help people and when she see how much she can help improve movement or pain with her treatments it gives her great satisfaction to know she can make a difference. This makes her life full and gives her a great sense of well-being and achievement.

Penny has extensive experience in:

• Pregnancy massage
• Trigger point therapy
• Sport massage
• Swedish Massage
• Deep Tissue Massage
• Myofascial release

Penny loves to travel. She enjoys learning about cultural diversity during traveling and meeting new people. She enjoys taking photographs to remember the places she’s been.

Graduated at Curtin University in 2019. “I am passionate about working with people. I was drawn to Physiotherapy as it provided me with the opportunity to treat people in pain and empower them to achieve their goals. I believe in a holistic approach and that pain can be improved.

In therapy, I use a combination of soft tissue techniques, dry needling, Pilates and education to speed my clients’ recovery along.”

Laura has extensive experience in

– Clinical Pilates classes
– Gym-based rehabilitation
– Neck and back pain
– Sporting injuries
– Post-operative rehabilitation
– Working with community sports teams including netball, rugby, football, soccer and basketball Laura plays racquet sport, hikes and cycles in her spare time.

With the right tools, pain can be managed better. I believe in providing my clients with those tools.

Rhiannon has been qualified over 15 years. Physiotherapy is a passion as well as her job and she gets great satisfaction from helping people.

Whether it’s in pain relief, moving better, running faster or sleeping better Rhi will work with you to achieve your goals and improve your quality of life

Rhiannon’s professional interest and experience include:

• workplace rehabilitation and ergonomics
• shoulder rehabilitation
• management of low back pain
• headaches

She uses a variety of tools and techniques including:

• Dry needling and electro acupuncture
• Shockwave therapy
• Clinical Pilates
• Hands on joint mobilisation, manipulation and more…

Rhi enjoys teaching and educating other physios within her team and her patients.She will regularly be seen running at her local parkrun and supporting the Wildcats and Fremantle Dockers.

If you are looking for a second opinion or other therapies have failed, Rhi will be happy to review you to see if she can help where others couldn’t.

Exercise has many benefits from improved physical and mental health, to improved fitness and functional strength. Exercise is such a powerful form of medicine and is being implemented further into both the general public for fitness as well as those with chronic or complex conditions looking at improving their health and/or function.

• The benefits of exercise are huge, some of which include:
• Increased confidence and self esteem
• Improved physical health
• Improved mood
• Improved quality of sleep
• Increased strength
• Reduce the risk of chronic or complex conditions (heart disease, diabetes, etc.)
• Reduce the risk of falls related to poor balance
• Reduce pain and improve function with osteoarthritis
• Improve bone mineral density
• Allows you to get on the floor and play with the grandkids

And the list goes on. There is no one exercise that fits all. The best kind of exercise is the one that you enjoy doing. Such as going for a walk along the beach with your friends, joining a social sports team, swimming, kayaking, taking the dog to the park or going to the gym.

According to the Australian Guidelines for Physical Activity we should aim for:

• 175 minutes of vigorous exercise per week (skipping, running, HIIT) OR
• 210 minutes of moderate intensity exercise per week (resistance training, swimming, cycling, brisk walking) OR
• 250 minutes of low intensity exercise per week (walking, light weight training, yoga, pilates) .

If you are new to exercise and want to establish what kind of exercise would benefit you, talk to our team and we can help you to create a tailored exercise program based on your goals and what you want to achieve.

What is Lymphoedema?

Lymphoedema is the accumulation of excessive amounts of protein-rich fluid resulting in swelling of one or more regions of the body, usually limbs, caused by mechanical insufficiency of the lymphatic system.

• Primary lymphoedema is the result of a congenital condition that affects how the lymph vessels where formed.
• Secondary lymphoedema is the most common type developing due to damage to the lymphatic system as a result of surgery, radiation therapy or trauma where lymphatic system is damaged and compromised.

Signs and symptoms include:

• Swelling arm or leg, including fingers or toes
• Skin tightness
• A feeling of heaviness
• Restricted range of motion.
• Aching and/or discomfort
• Hardening and thickening of the skin (fibrosis)

Complete Decongestive Therapy for Lymphoedema

Lymphoedema is a chronic condition that cannot be cured but can be managed with ongoing manual lymph drainage, exercise, compression and appropriate skin care.

Manual Lymph Drainage (MLD)

MLD is a gentle, non-invasive manual technique used to stimulate the lymphatic system with the aim to enhance body fluid dynamics and facilitate oedema reduction.

MLD can be also beneficial for:

• Phlebolymphoedema
• Traumatic oedema
• Postsurgical oedema
• Arthropathy
• Rheumatic diseases

Contraindications: MLD is contraindicated for certain diseases and conditions, therefore the full medical history is needed prior to any treatments. Absolute contraindications include: active malignant diseases, acute inflammation with Infection (caused by bacteria, viruses, fungi, chemicals, etc.), acute allergies, cardiac decompensation and thrombosis.

Exercise

The benefits of regular exercise for managing lymphoedema are many. Gentle stretching, resistance exercise and aerobic exercise stimulate lymphatic system and increase lymph flow, such as yoga, Tai Chi, walking, swimming, cycling, deep breathing, etc.

Compression  

Compression bandaging and compression garments are used to slow down or stop oedema and prevent progression of lymphoedema.

Skin care

Maintenance of skin integrity and management of skin problems are important to minimise the risk of infection. The general principles of skin care to preserve skin barrier function include:

• Wash daily using pH neutral soap and dry thoroughly,
• Monitor affected and unaffected skin for cuts, abrasions, or insect bites,
• Apply moisturizers,
• Avoid scented products,
• Use vegetable-based products.

Low Level Laser Therapy

Low Level Laser Therapy is another viable treatment option for managing lymphoedema. The positive effects include promotion of lymphatic flow and stimulation of immune system.

General recommendations for managing lymphoedema:  

• Exercise regularly
• Achieve and keep normal body weight
• Avoid injuries to oedema areas
• Avoid heat
• Do not overexert yourself
• Disinfect even the insignificant wounds
• Have any infections and unusual redness attended by medical doctor immediately
• Keep the skin clean and moisturized

Ask our therapists for more information on lymphoedema management and available treatment options.