Physiotherapy Playing Key Role in Tackling Mental Health

November is Mental Health Month and here at Sport and Spinal Physiotherapy we value and emphasise a holistic approach to our health service. The importance of mental health to people of all walks of life was heightened just last month when Sydney Swans AFL player Lance ‘Buddy’ Franklin was rested from the finals series in order to deal with what was described as a ‘worsening mental state of mind.’ This summation of a professional athlete puts into focus that fame and fortune are irrelevant when greater obstacles in life are put in front of us.

Mental illness is on the rise

 

According to the latest data from the Mental Health Australia Organisation, approximately 20% of Australians will experience mental illness in any given year. This statistic in isolation is astounding. Look around your workplace- 1 in 5 people will experience mental illness in any given year. Key stake holders to health care are empowering people to take control of their well being and the services on offer today are incomparable even to the end of last century. The World Health Organisation predicts that depression will create the second largest burden of disease come 2020. Furthermore, cost effective strategies are being implemented around the world to tackle this growing area of health care in our society.

As a frontline practitioner, multiple times throughout the day we see a client either: bustling in, running late, stressed and/or overtired. We as clinicians are trained to identify and recognise these constitutional drivers. These external stresses have contributed greatly to modern, 21st-century life as we are working longer hours, commuting further and spending more time on computers and phones. This accumulation of stresses can impact significantly on life and can disrupt the normal functioning of the body.

Mental health is a balancing act

 

Good health is reliant on balancing the interactions of biological, psychological and social factors. Whilst we are primarily concerned with physical presentations, listening intently to your client is of great importance and can give valuable insight into potential triggers that may be impacting on their welfare. Asking clients about whether their sleep patterns, fatigue levels, headaches or skin sensitivity is impaired is another way in which to elicit a greater understanding of their condition.

Our new practice in City West now has a full-time psychologist,  Sleiman Abou-Hamdan who runs ‘Holistic Psychology’. He comes to us with a wealth of knowledge and experience in lecturing at University, coaching aspiring sport stars and helping the general population. Sleiman has provided the physiotherapy staff at Sport and Spinal Physiotherapy in-services to improve our identification skills to potential stresses and triggers involved with adverse mental health. As well as this, Sleiman has been a vital outlet and referral base to offer advice and support for different clients.

How Physiotherapists can help

 

Physiotherapists can assist and advocate people to seek help for their mental health issues. The stigma involved with this condition is aided by physiotherapists treating people as a whole. By openly discussing mental health problems within the sphere of their specific recovery, the client has a greater understanding and awareness of what is actually happening. Once they begin to open up and gain a greater sense of self-efficacy can the client become empowered and look to the next step.

An example of this in the clinic was seen just 2 weeks ago whereby I had been treating a female client for a range of musculoskeletal conditions for 3 weeks. After making moderate improvements, I spent the majority of my next session openly talking about the aforementioned constitutional drivers, as she had presented with multiple yellow flags (she had a lot of built up anxieties, stress and fear avoidance beliefs). By scaling back the treatment session to incorporate cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT), we were able to identify unhelpful thoughts and behaviours that were negatively impacting on her physically. My last session was with her yesterday as she had made excellent gains physically and mentally. We now have a long-term vision in place for this particular person.

 

What is Cognitive Behaviour Therapy

CBT, from a physiotherapist’s viewpoint, is primarily concerned with assisting individuals to firstly identifying unhelpful behaviours and thoughts. By addressing these negative attitudes, we can then motivate and teach the client to learn or relearn healthier habits and movement patterns. These skills then set out to empower the individual to take control of their health. It is a relatively short form of treatment and is an excellent adjunct to hands-on manual therapy.

 

Moving for Mental Health

The flow on effect of adverse mental conditions, in terms of chronic disease, are increased risk of type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Sedentary behaviour negatively impacts on many areas of your health. You miss out on fresh air, exercise and that feeling of community spirit by saying hello to your neighbour. Whilst this is a simplistic view, many little components of health care are challenged in this regard. Mental illness also increases fear avoidance beliefs and the pain sensitive structures are heightened as a result.

 

 

It can be a challenge to incorporate physical activity into your day, when the alarm goes off in the morning early (really early!), or the session at the gym feels like a struggle to make it there. But once completed, you have more energy throughout the day, have greater concentration levels at work or study, improved self-esteem and deeper sleeping patterns. By building into routine, the hassle of getting out of bed early is decreased and the improvements of not only your physical well being, but also mental health, is significant.

Whilst physiotherapists have limited training in directly dealing with mental health conditions, we have the appropriate referral pathways if we feel it is out of our scope. It takes an experienced clinician to recognise when this is indeed the case. Referring you to the right health professional is vital when it is indicated. We have excellent referral bases to local general practitioners, psychologists and social workers.

 

Enjoy a Free Gym Pass and improve your fitness & mental health

A tailored exercise program by one of our physiotherapists can improve mood, decrease stress levels and improve that posture that is simply not improving due to our reliance on computers. Currently, Sport and Spinal Physiotherapy (City West practice) is offering a free one-month trial of our gym. We have a fully equipped gym for you to use either in your lunch break or after work, with toilet, showers and towels for your convenience.

If you are seeing one of our physiotherapists at Sport and Spinal Physiotherapy for an injury and ever feel like discussing your thoughts or experiences, it is openly encouraged to ask for a private room and to go over anything that you feel may be holding back your recovery. We are after the optimal recovery for you and must consider all impacts and drivers that could potentially be holding you back.

Please also consider contacting organisations such as Beyond Blue or Lifeline if you feel you are in need of more immediate help.

 

Movember Month

Have you noticed that I look a bit different lately? I’m growing my moustache for 30 days, and not just as a bold fashion statement. I’m doing it to raise funds for the Movember Foundation, and I need your support: http://mobro.co/sportandspinalphysiotherapy

I’m passionate about the Movember Foundation because they’re tackling some of the most significant health issues faced by men: prostate cancer, testicular cancer, poor mental health and physical inactivity. Your donations will help them make an everlasting impact on the face of men’s health.

There are two ways you can contribute to my Mo growing effort:
Donate online at http://mobro.co/sportandspinalphysiotherapy
-OR-
Write a check to ‘Movember’ referencing my registration ID (12454565) and mail it to: Movember, PO Box 60, East Melbourne, VIC 8002, Australia

Learn about the important work Movember is funding and the impact your donation will have: https://au.movember.com/programs/strategy
There’s a lot riding on this moustache, so thank you. I appreciate your support!

Mo Bro Sport and Spinal Physiotherapy