Classes Starting in March

Maximum of 4 people per class - So book now!

***Introductory Offer - Save $70.00!***

Pay for 5 sessions @$20.00 each and get the 6th free & free Physiotherapy Assessment!

What is Pilates?
Clinical research has proven that poor control and endurance of postural muscles is associated with low back pain and movement dysfunction.

Physio-Pilates core training focuses on low level Type 1 endurance muscles of the deep abdominal region. Transversus Abdominous and deep back muscles like Multifidus are examples of these muscles, which are important in stabilising the spine during movement.

Sometimes when people are training stomach muscles they tend to brace everything, but correct training uses selective muscles to achieve dynamic balance between the shoulder and pelvic girdle.

Injuries can often upset this balance, so it is very important to work with your health professional when starting this program to ensure you are working safely and not aggravating any pathology.

Who can do it?

• Back pain or injuries? Weak Back?

Under the assessment of trained physiotherapists, pilates is a safe way for people with back injuries to exercise. The program is graded to be at your specific level and small groups allow for constant supervision.

• Shoulder and Neck Pain?

Physio – pilates will specifically train the rotator cuff muscles and stabilising muscles to reduce pain and increase strength and control through the neck, upper back and shoulders.

• Pre & Post Natal?

During and post pregnancy Physio-Pilates exercises are not only safe but will give new Mums and Mums To Be, increased strength and mobility to cope better with daily life demands.

• Chronic Fatigue

Graduated core strength training will assist in rebuilding function and give increased energy and stability.

• Chronic Groin/ Hip pain and Injuries?

Poor core strength and instability can result in overuse of groin musculature and Osteitis Pubis. This is particularly prevalent in sports involving kicking, or running and jumping on hard ground. Physio-Pilates can restore the correct balance in the muscles and joints in the pelic region, reducing pain and allowing you to keep active in your sport and recreation.

• Anyone wanting to start back into exercise in a safe, fun group!

Physiotherapist

Karen (Musculoskeletal Physiotherapist) has worked in the Lara and Geelong region for the past 14 years. She has extensive experience in workplace injury management, sports injuries and spinal conditions. Karen has worked with many local community and sporting groups including the Lara Football & Netball Club and the GFL Country Championship sides.

Karen has been keeping Lara residents active for over 15years and highlights include working with numerous Lara Football Club premiership sides. Karen loves the challenge of getting even the most difficult problems moving.

She is specialised in spinal conditions and biomechanics, so she will get your muscles
and joints working in balance to optimize your activity at sport, work or playing with
the kids on the weekend.

Karen believes too many of us let pain and joint problems slow us down. Headaches and
stiffness make us tired and stop us doing the things we enjoy. The right treatment will
get you back on track so come in for a consultation and together we’ll solve your
problems and get you moving.

Are you ready to take that step forwards and leave pain behind, as it’s a great world
out there? Let Karen and the Team show you how.

Key Areas of Experience

• sports injury assessment, treatment & rehab programs
• post surgical rehabilitation shoulders, knees etc
• spinal & musculoskeletal assessment & treatment
• lower limb biomechanics & orthotic prescription/fitting
• restoring normal movement patterns / posture
• Cervical related headaches, TMJ
• Industry & Workplace Physiotherapy
• Worksite assessments & back-care training

Office Manager

Shandelle joined the Lara Physiotherapy team 5 years ago. Using her 12 1\2 years retail
experience she has taken on the important office manager role for our team.
Shandelle is an integral part of our team, as she enjoys caring for and helping people,
she is a mentor to our junior staff and keeps the rest of the team organised.

Shandelle handles all of our accounts private or other. If there is ever a query she is
always ready to listen and will do what she can to help you.
On a personal note Shandelle is involved in the local community through junior netball,
and receives great satisfaction seeing our local girls ( including her own 2 ) develop.

Lara Physiotherapy Health Network is proud to support the local and school communities.
Shandelle has seen Lara grow and develop over recent years and is very excited to be
apart of the future of the Lara Physiotherapy Health Network team.

Myotherapist

 Alice brings Specialist Muscular assessment and treatment (Myotherapy), combined with Sports Rehabilitation, to our team at Lara.  Alice provides accurate assessment and rehabilitation for sports and muscular injuries.  Also office workers or headache sufferers with those tight neck and shoulders will greatly benefit form her expertise.

Alice specialises in sports massage, trigger point therapy, dry needling and deep tissue
treatment. She will also guide you with corrective exercises, to build strength and
maximise your performance.

Alice is also a skilled Kite surfer and has worked with Dance groups in Brazil.

Remedial Massage Therapist

Paul studied remedial massage at the Southern School of Natural Therapies in Fitzroy
where he gained his Diploma. Since completing his studies, Paul has operated his own
clinic in Melbourne in conjunction with a Naturopath for 5 years, concentrating on
chronic workplace related conditions and carried out massage at Nursing Homes for the
elderly.

Since moving to Bacchus Marsh Paul has worked in the Spa industry in Hepburn and been
the head trainer at Newlyn Football Club in the Central Highlands Football league for 3
years - tending to the players whilst at the same time feeding his need for football! He
has also gained further studies in Aged Care.

Paul now brings his experience in Remedial Massage, Sports Massage and Relaxation
massage to the team at Lara for you to benefit.

Remedial Massage Tharapist
NST (Bowen) Practitioner
Manual Lymphatic Drainage (MLD) Practitioner

Sharyn started her career in the sporting industry as a gymnastics coach, swim
instructor and lifeguard. Her interests in the body, massage and energy healing have
led her to undergo various studies in the field of massage and energy healing.

In 2003 she studied for her certificate in Relaxation Massage and Seated Massage
Therapy, which led her onto doing her Diploma in Remedial Massage in 2004. While doing
her Diploma she also completed her levels 1 and 2 in the practice of Reiki (Energy
Balancing). During the course of 2004 she worked with Football clubs here in Geelong, as
well as various other sports events in the region. She also spent some time here with
us at Lara Physiotherapy developing and adapting her massage techniques before
officially joining our team in 2005.

Since joining us in 2005 Sharyn has gone on to do more advanced studies in
Neurostructural Integration Technique (Bowen Therapy). She has also completed her
certificate in Manual Lymphatic Drainage. Sharyn is always updating her knowledge and
expertise in varying areas of study to maintain her qualifications and advance her
knowledge in the areas that best suit her clients and the clinic.

Sharyn has a keen sense for the energy flow of her clients and has that natural ability
to feel the area of congestion in energy flow as well as finding those tight spots that
need working on.

Keep an eye on this space for more modalities that Sharyn will add to her belt of
knowledge. She is hoping to do her Infant Massage Instructors course later this year
and we are sure that won’t be the last modality she will add.

• Fully Qualified Remedial Massage Therapist

• Relaxation Massage

• Myofacial Release

• Trigger Point Therapy

• Reiki Therapy

• Workcover & Health Fund Approved

Workcover require doctors referral

TAC does not fund massage therapists

Physiotherapist

Jarrod originally came from the Bendigo region and has worked in Ballarat and Bannockburn before joining our team in Lara.

Jarrod is skilled in treating spinal and sporting injuries, musculoskeletal problems and chronic pain. He will work indivually with you to develop the best rehab program to enhance the healing process of your injury, including Pilates and aquatic physiotherapy.

In 2009 Jarrod completed post graduate training in dry needling. This is of great benefit in treating muscular and sporting injuries to promote healing and reduce pain.

Jarrod has a special interest in treating overload injuries in sport resulting in chronic groin pain and osteitis pubis.  With his graduated treatment program you can overcome this to regain full fitness and painfree mobility.

Jarrod’s other sporting interests include tennis, athletics and kite boarding.

Physiotherapist

Sharon has been working as a physiotherapist since 1992, and practising locally in the
Geelong and Lara region for the last 11 years. She has extensive experience in a wide
range of physiotherapy areas both in private practice and in the public health system.

These include rehabilitation after surgery (orthopaedic), general fitness and working
with clients with debility, musculoskeletal conditions, core stability, falls and
balance, women’s health, and gait retraining. She works with clients 1:1 and in small
groups (for exercise), and particularly has experience with older clientele.

Sharon works with Lara Physiotherapy Clinic one day a week, and with St Laurence
Community Services 3 ½ days a week. She is working hard to establish a physiotherapy
service to help clients with continence issues as this is a growing area of need which
is particularly under serviced within the Geelong region. This will be available to both
women and men and also children. Appointments are available on Monday’s or evenings by
request.

Sharon has continued her ongoing commitment to learning over her 16 years of practice by
attending many courses to keep her skills in manual therapy current, and develop further
techniques. Her most recent area of interest has included myofascial soft tissue
techniques. Her areas of special interest within physiotherapy include aquatic
physiotherapy and Continence and Pelvic Floor Rehabilitation and she holds post graduate
qualifications in these areas.

Sharon is a local mum with 2 children aged 12 and 9. She is actively involved with
Little River & District Pony Club as the DC of the club, as well as being a member of
the local riding club here in Lara (those of you who have seen Sharon will attest to her
love of all things horsey!). On a personal note, Sharon is currently completing her
Judging qualifications for Dressage.

Many injuries are the result of biomechanical imbalances of the kinetic chain, with each individual having an optimal joint-loading limit that is dependent on his or her unique skeletal and muscular anatomy, combined with his or her unique neuromuscular patterning.

If this limit is surpassed the individual is at risk of acute injury or repetitive microtrauma leading to pain and dysfunction. Therefore, our goal is to fully assess the biomechanical loads on a given region, and structure treatment and retraining in order to correct any imbalances, optimise
function and reduce pain.

Good posture is an example of this but it needs to be specific to the individual and the particular task.

Women’s health physiotherapy covers several areas and a very wide range of ages from
late teens (or even earlier if necessary) to after menopause and into late life.

Women’s health physiotherapy covers areas such as pregnancy, ante natal issues, post-natal issues, peri and post menopausal and later life issues related to continence,
pelvic floor muscle control, pelvic pain, reduced pelvic and lumbar spine strength and
stability. All these problems can often be helped through physiotherapy intervention.

Did you know that 1 in 3 women who have had babies have problems with continence during
and/or after pregnancy in Australia. Studies conducted in the last 8 years have shown
that correctly performed pelvic floor muscle exercise programs completed during the ante-natal period can help prevent urinary incontinence during the post natal period.

Specifically designed post natal exercises (from individual assessment) help to speed
recovery of pelvic floor muscle strength and reduce urinary incontinence after having a
baby. The same studies also showed that doing pelvic floor exercises does not increase
labour time what so ever! In fact it may help to shorten the second stage of labour.

Some women also can have difficulty with their bowels whether this is after having a
baby or just in their life time. Women’s health physiotherapy can also assist with
regaining bowel control and therefore control over your life. Don’t just think you have
to put up with having problems with your bladder and bowel!

Your pelvic floor muscles form a very important part of the support network for your
pelvis and lower back as well as working to help maintain good control of your bladder
and bowel function. Having strong supportive pelvic floor muscles is often something
that you have to learn and then practise to achieve and to do this, you may need help to
make sure you are doing the exercises correctly!

Unfortunately up to 25 % of women actually strain and push their pelvic floor muscles instead of contracting them, and 30 % of women have difficulty or can’t contract their pelvic floor muscles effectively.

Learning how to use your pelvic floor sometimes needs assistance; don’t feel embarrassed
to ask for help.

Some women experience pain or discomfort or difficulty (such as reduced control of
pelvic floor muscles) during and after menopause. Often there is something you can do
about to help yourself. If you want to know more, just ask to speak with our specialist
physiotherapist.

Having good strong lower back, pelvic floor and abdominal muscles is an integral part of
helping with low back, pelvic and abdominal problems. The muscles in these areas work
together to help provide support for the whole lower back and pelvis, and provide help
to make sure that we have good posture throughout our lives. If you are not sure about
how to go about exercising these areas, speak to our physiotherapists.