Aligned Therapies

As an osteopath with a hypermobile back, I understand the feeling of something being “out of place” all too well.
For years, when my back or ribs felt painful or unstable, my first thought was: I need an adjustment.
And it helped… but only for a little while.
The biggest change came when I shifted my treatment approach. Instead of only focusing on getting more movement, I started focusing on strength, stability and control.
By incorporating strengthening exercises, I gave my body more support around those hypermobile areas. Over time, I became less reliant on adjustments and more confident in what my body could handle.

This experience has shaped the way I treat my patients with hypermobility.

Sometimes, a body that already moves a lot doesn’t need more movement. It needs the strength and control to feel supported within that movement.
Having experienced it myself helps me understand the frustration of recurring pain — and reminds me to look beyond the short-term relief and work towards a long-term solution.

Guilty of the "Just In Case" wee? 🙋‍♀️ It feels harmless, but it's actually a sneaky habit that can create bladder urgency over time.

By emptying your bladder before it's actually full, you're rewiring the communication between your bladder and your brain, making your nervous system hyper-sensitive to tiny amounts of fluid.

If you're already struggling with intense urgency or feel like you live your life mapping out public toilets, we can work with you to look at your pelvic mechanics, breathing, and bladder habits to help bring things back into harmony.

👉 Learn more by booking a consult via our bio link. 💾 Save this as a reminder for your next exit!

"It's all in your head."

Have you ever been told that because your scan looks normal?

The truth is much more interesting.

After pain has been present for several months, your nervous system can become more sensitive. This means everyday movements that were once comfortable may begin to feel painful—even though the tissues themselves have healed.

That doesn't mean the pain is imagined.

It means your body's alarm system has become overprotective.

Research shows that combining education, gradual exercise, strength training and manual therapy can help calm this sensitivity and improve function over time.

Pain is real.

Hope is real too.

📍If you've been living with pain for months or years, we'd love to help you understand what's really going on.

The Melbourne Marathon is on 11 October. If you’re currently in your build phase, here is the most critical advice to keep in mind. 🏅

**The danger of the "panic ramp"**
Many marathon injuries don't stem from long-term overtraining, but from a sudden spike in load following an inconsistent period. If you’ve missed a few weeks, don't try to cram those sessions back in. Rapidly increasing load before your tissues can adapt frequently leads to bone stress, tendon issues, and muscle strains. ⚠️

**Workload management**
While the 10% rule is a common guideline, the acute-to-chronic workload ratio (ACWR) is more vital. Your body adapts to the consistency of your training over the last 4–6 weeks. Spiking your immediate (acute) load far beyond your recent (chronic) average is a recipe for injury. 📉

**What to do if you’re behind**
* **Be realistic:** Accept your current fitness level and build from there. Do not attempt to force a training phase you haven’t earned.
* **Prioritise long runs:** These are the most specific preparation for race day.
* **Trust the process:** A smart taper can help balance a modest training deficit, but a reckless final block will only lead to disaster.
* **Listen to your body:** If you feel pain, get it assessed immediately. It’s better to adjust now than to arrive at the start line injured.

Running Melbourne? DM us or book an appointment. We help runners navigate their build, taper, and recovery. 🏃‍♂️

Let's clear up the panic around Diastasis Recti (abdominal separation). 💛 It's a normal, natural response to pregnancy, not a permanent injury.

The conversation shouldn't just be about how wide the gap is — it's about how well your core manages pressure. If that connective tissue remains soft or domes outward when you move, your lower back and pelvis end up taking the strain.

With the right deep-core progression and structural support, you can restore function, strength, and confidence to your abdomen.

👉 Book a postpartum core assessment through our bio link. 💾 Save this to share with a mum friend!

Clenching your jaw right now? Let it go. 🦷✨

The jaw and the pelvic floor are functionally connected through fascial pathways and our nervous system's stress responses. When you hold stress in your face, your pelvic floor acts like a mirror, gripping tightly in solidarity.

If you struggle with chronic stress, TMJ issues, or a pelvic floor that won't relax, learning how an osteopath can help unwind this whole-body connection is a total game changer.

👉 Book an appointment through the link in our bio to start releasing full-body tension. 💾 Save this as your daily reminder to unclench!

Light-hearted reel poking fun at how hard it is to set up nordic curls — shows 3 creative ways to rig them up.

Caption: Nordic curls: the exercise where 90% of the effort is just… setting them up 😅💪 Three creative rigs, zero excuses.

Your neck has been screaming at you all day — here's how to actually help it. 🙌

3 gentle moves, no equipment, no excuses. Your desk posture might be the culprit, but relief is closer than you think. Try these now and feel the difference.

💬 Drop a "NECK" in the comments if this helped!

Bladder leaks and urgency during perimenopause are common — but they are absolutely not something you just have to accept. 💛

So many women believe this is just "part of getting older." It's not. It's hormonal, it's physical, and most importantly, it's treatable.

Here's what's actually true: as oestrogen levels shift during perimenopause, the bladder and pelvic floor become more sensitive and less supported. That means leaks, urgency, and frequent trips to the bathroom can all increase. None of this is your fault — and none of it is permanent.

Drop your questions in the comments below, and hit "Going" so you don't miss it. Or if this resonates, share it with a friend who's been quietly dealing with the same thing. You deserve answers. 👇