Michaela graduated with a Bachelor of Physiotherapy in 2009. She has worked in both hospital settings and in private practice and has completed ongoing professional development. In 2014 Michaela was introduced to ConnectTherapy developed by world renowned physiotherapist Dr LJ Lee and she has not looked back.
ConnectTherapy is a total body whole person approach to your problem. There are many influences that contribute to how we move and feel. For example emotional stress changes body chemistry which in turn increases the amount of pain felt.
More often than not where we feel pain isn’t the cause of the problem but the innocent victim. Humans are very good at compensating and in doing so options for movement can be lost which may lead to some areas of the body being over-worked and others being under-worked. An injury from 15 years ago may have healed and no longer be painful, but the muscle imbalance remains which can result in problems elsewhere in the body. This can result in some joints being loaded poorly - why is that right ankle always the problem?! Why does your low back pain keep recurring despite constant treatment to this area?!
When it comes to pain and discomfort Michaela takes pride in treating every one as an individual. We all have different movement and emotional histories. This is why Michaela takes time in her initial assessment to really get to know you and what your body has experienced.
To restore happy, pain free movement book in to see Michaela.
What to expect
ConnectTherapy is different to traditional physiotherapy. Here is what to expect:
The initial assessment will take one hour and will involve a thorough whole body assessment to find the cause of your pain, that is, your ‘driver’
For the assessment you will need to undress to your underwear or a pair of shorts and bra for women (please bring shorts with you).
To assist with determining the ‘driver’ of your dysfunction or pain you will be asked to come up with a meaningful task- something that you would like to improve or be able to do pain free. For example sitting at your desk or hanging out the washing
A treatment plan will then be developed based on your ‘driver’
Treatment in subsequent visits will consist of manual techniques and brain training exercises to change the way you move in order to decrease pain and dysfunction
Please note the initial assessment may take the full hour meaning there might not be time for treatment during the first session
How does ConnectTherapy tie in with common injuries
Have you ever wondered why you suddenly start experiencing pain in one area of the body for no apparent reason? There are a lot of factors that contribute to pain including, but not limited to, past injuries, hobbies, work, posture, stress.
For example if you roll your ankle badly the body will respond by tightening the muscles of the calf and foot to protect the ligaments and supply stability while they heal. This is a great adaptation to begin with but if this continues past the point of healing, other parts of the body will also be forced to compensate. This in turn could lead to changed loading through joints and therefore you may experience knee pain, hip pain, lower back pain, sciatica, thoracic pain, shoulder pain, neck pain and headaches. Everything is connected!
If you suffer from any of these complaints and have had treatment to the area that helps initially (or not) but never lasts, the area of pain is most likely an innocent victim and we need to be looking for the cause of your pain, your ‘driver’, elsewhere.
This is why a ConnectTherapy whole-body assessment is so important. The other integral part of ConnectTherapy is brain training. When we move in a certain way our body gets used to it and continues to move in the same way. This is a motor pattern. We need to train your brain to expand the movement options available to you so no areas get over or under worked.
Book in to see Michaela for a thorough one hour whole body ConnectTherapy assessment so that she can create a treatment plan and work with you to restore you to your desired physical state and emotional well-being.
