Looking deeper: Freedom Health
Do you have injuries and niggles that seem to keep recurring? Or a pain that just never seems to get better despite seeing numerous health professionals? Cath Julius, Physiotherapist at Freedom Health Physiotherapy and Pilates, tells Metropol how we need to look beyond the surface for long term solutions.
“This is a common issue for many people, and too often it’s because we only look at the surface of the problem,” she says.
“I have a theory about effective and long-lasting treatment called the ‘Iceberg Theory’. It is easy to assume that weak muscles are the cause of ongoing issues. But it is rarely that simple.”
Cath likens assessment of injuries to an iceberg. Whilst you can only see the iceberg that is above the water’s surface, the majority of it actually lies beneath the surface.
The same goes for an injury. Whilst you can see weak muscles and stiff joints, the underlying reasons that have led to this often lie beneath the surface.
“For example, a phenomenon known as muscle inhibition is often the underlying cause of muscle weakness,” says Cath.
“In this case, the muscles are being told by the nervous system not to work, so no amount of strengthening will actually improve the situation until we establish why they aren’t firing in the first place.”
This is why Freedom Health has set up a strong collaboration of experts with skills ranging from movement assessment, pilates therapy, breathing, dance and women’s health physiotherapists.
“Our body is such a complex system that there is no way that one person can be an expert in all the underlying factors,” says Cath.
“Having a team approach helps us to open our eyes to all the underlying factors and ultimately helps ensure that we can help more people find long-term success for their injuries and symptoms.”
If you want to go beneath the surface and find long-term solutions for your body, contact the team at Freedom Health on (03) 355 6699, via reception@freedomhealth.co.nz or visit the website below.
