​Dr Melanie Xabregas is an experienced and passionate chiropractor with a special interest in helping children experience optimal performance and longeviety in dance and gymnastics. She brings a gentle, caring and friendly approach to her examination and treatment. Learn more about Dr Melanie
Available for consultations Tuesday & Friday between 2pm - 6pm 

Name: Amanda Pitcher … or “Pitch”
Occupation: Digital Project Manager/Producer
What does health mean to you?
For me health is about balance. Balance between nutrition, exercise, and (something I’ve never been great at) rejuvenation/rest. Unfortunately, like many people I know, I’ve learnt the hard way that pushing yourself 150% only works for a short period of time … and only works when you’re younger.
There was a time when health to me meant 11 training sessions a week between weights, running, cardio and more cardio, not sleeping more than 5 hours a night, eating a very restrictive Paleo diet, and generally going at a million miles an hour. It’s not sustainable, and it’s certainly not healthy.
So now – on a daily basis – I strive to achieve a good balance between a healthy diet that includes all food groups, a mix of intense and restorative exercise (including stretching), and trying to allow enough time for a good night’s sleep.
How do you keep healthy
I’ve developed a “bare minimum” approach that ticks MOST of the boxes of nutrition, exercise, and rest. Some weeks I can do better, and some I can only managed bare minimum. Bare minimum includes eating a very healthy, vegetable-based diet 5 days with lean protein and minimal junk, three 1-2 hour training sessions (swimming, running, weights), and walking as much as possible.
Plus, going to bed by 10pm every night. This is often my biggest challenge, but it reaps the most benefits for me. Often people (me!) compromise on sleep first – before nutrition and exercise – but it’s really the foundation of good health. You can’t exercise efficiently if you’re exhausted, and lack of sleep will send you straight to the junk food. If life is going crazy and I’ve gone off the rails, getting back on track begins with an early night.
 
How you stay motivated?
Surround yourself by people who inspire you every day! Alana and Chris Bowles, two incredibly hard-working people who are always so warm, kind, and generous with their time and who are truly committed to improving the health of their local community. My wonderful partner, Sarge, who is THE most genuinely lovely and wonderful person in the world (I’m biased) inspires me to be a better person and is helping me to soften some of my sharper edges.
Plus, I keep two items of clothing in my wardrobe … a pair of pants from when I was at my biggest (close to 100kg), and the first item of clothing I bought after losing 35kg (a Charlie Brown dress). One represents when I was at my biggest and least happy, and the other represents when I was at my smallest and still not happy (and not very healthy either). Somewhere in the middle of those two extremes equals happiness and health. I keep those items of clothing as a reminder that balance really is the key.
Why do you like coming to Health Associates?
So many reasons! Firstly, they’re best in field practitioners. Chris is a brilliant, brilliant chiropractor who has been instrumental in my recovery from a serious back injury/condition that had been misdiagnosed for at least five years. I’d been suffering for at least six months of extreme pain before he identified the actual issue, and within three weeks I started to show improvement – and it’s been onwards and upwards from there! Two years on and I’ve maintained good back health, achieved some awesome goals like running my 16th half-marathon, and have a MUCH greater appreciation for my body and its limits.
Carlie is THE best remedial masseuse I’ve ever been to, and with a history of marathon/half-marathon running I’ve been to quite a few. She is so incredibly knowledgeable about the body and the way exercise, imbalances, and stress can affect it, plus she can always find the tight spots and work them out … which IS painful, but for great rewards.
Plus, they’re all so darn friendly! I really feel like I’m coming to see family when I come to see them.
 
Advice for others wanting to improve their health?
Start small, don’t try to change everything in one go – it’s not sustainable. Take it one day at a time – it’s less overwhelming. Do exercise that you like, you’ll be more likely to stick with it, and find a group of like-minded people to train with! There is NOTHING like group support to keep you motivated.
Favourite Quote:
“Get knocked down seven times, get back up eight times.”
“Nothing in the world is worth having or worth doing unless it means effort, pain, difficulty … “ Theodore Roosevelt
“A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.” Lao Tzu

With summer around the corner simple, easy and lite meals make a great tasty meal to enjoy that leaves you feeling nourished and satisfied.

We love these chicken kebabs. They are full of flavour and so simple to make. Why not try them this weekend. 

SERVES 6
COOKS IN 15 MINUTES PLUS MARINATING TIME

Ingredients

• 500 g boneless chicken breasts
  
• 4 zucchinis , sliced very thinly lengthways
  
• 6-8 skewers or sticks of fresh rosemary , lower leaves removed, tips kept on
  

FOR THE MARINADE

• 1 handful fresh coriander
  
• 1 handful fresh mint
  
• 3 cloves garlic
  
• 6 spring onions
  
• 1 red chilli
  
• 1 lemon , zest and juice of
  
• sea salt
  
• freshly ground black pepper
  
• olive oil
  

Method
​Cut the chicken into 2.5cm/1 inch cubes and place in a bowl. Blanch the zucchini strips in salted boiling water for 30 seconds then drain and allow to cool. Blitz all the marinade ingredients (except the olive oil) in a food processor, then loosen to a paste with a little olive oil. Add the marinade to the chicken pieces and mix well. Allow to sit for up to an hour. Then weave the zucchini strips in between the chicken pieces on the rosemary sticks or skewers. Grill for around 5 minutes, turning regularly, until cooked. Feel free to cut a piece open to check if they're done.

Enjoy!

Dr Chris Bowles
Co-founder of Health Associates
Principle Chiropractor
Learn more about Dr Chris Bowles

Dr Chris is available for consultations on Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday.

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​Most people are puzzled when a podiatrist draws a link between these two seemingly unrelated structures however the reality is, they very well could be impacting on one another. In fact, about 25% of all the bones in the body is found in the feet and a misalignment in these structures can easily be responsible for problems further up the body. I often equate the feet to being like shock absorbers in a car. They act to disperse forces from the road equally to enable a smooth drive. If the shocks are worn, damaged or not working optimally, the ride would be bumpy and steering would become difficult. Along these lines, podiatrists expertly assess the biomechanical functioning of the feet and isolate potential problems in alignment or function which may be contributing to symptoms in areas other than the feet. This thorough examination may involve further referral to specialists such as chiropractors and physiotherapists for further assessment of the back pain but it serves as a good stepping stone for people to understand how vital feet are to the functioning of the body and more importantly the benefits of taking care of one's feet.

A number of studies have shown that the impact lower back pain has on the healthcare sector has been gradually on the rise in Australia with figures in 2001 showing $9.17 billion dollars being spent on treatments. One of the issues research brings up is the problem of misdiagnosis. A similar study also showed that amongst a group of 97,279 soldiers tested, those who had flat feet were twice as likely to report lower back pain. In fact when you think about it, during an average day walking, the total forces experienced on your feet can equal to hundreds of tons.

Whilst there are many factors that may contribute to the development of lower back pain, when you consider the influence of feet, a number of common factors are seen as culprits. Whilst this is not an exhaustive list, it is for podiatrists a warning sign that patients may be heading down the road of pain and discomfort.

1. Flat feet (pronated feet)/low foot arches.

This is a common problem that people presents with to the podiatrist. Whilst not all feet with low arches may be problematic or cause issues, it is the effect that flatter feet have on the alignment of the body that may predispose a patient to back pain. Feet that roll in excessively may cause a person knees to internally rotate which might in turn affect the pelvic alignment which can cause tightness of the lower back muscles. The image below best illustrates the effect of pronated feet.







What can be done?
A biomechanical assessment of the foot alignment and function can help determine the level of intervention needed. By identifying exactly what part of the foot alignment is associated with the described symptoms a podiatrist can work to correct the alignment of the feet and reduce the back pain. Some common interventions that may be applied for flat feet may include: custom or off the shelf orthotics, specialist footwear advice, sports taping and padding of the feet and current footwear. These will all aim to position the feet in a ‘neutral’ position whereby excessive pronation is controlled. Whilst flat feet may never be ‘fixed’, the consequences that they carry on the body most certainly can be reduced and reversed to ensure a patient's life is not interrupted by pan.

2) Poor footwear choices
Footwear plays an important part in the functioning of feet. Choose unsupportive shoes when you need support, and your feet will suffer the consequences. Whether for fashion, work requirements or affordability, people often opt to wear shoes that may be doing them more harm than good. Much like the effect of foot posture, poorly fitted or unsupportive shoes can enable excessive motion of the foot during weight bearing which may mean instability that can lead to injury. With people spending hours on their feet every day, improper or worn out shoes can affect the natural gait cycle. Overly flat shoes (‘flats’) generally offer no support, this may lead to insufficient shock absorption through the joints of the feet and may result in jarring of the spine or tightening of the lower back muscles.

How can a Podiatrist help?
A podiatrist can offer specialist advice on your current footwear and will be able to tell you whether they are appropriate for your foot type or not. I have in the past had to convince patients to let go of their beloved NIKE’s or ballet flats much to their dismay. However the same people who have followed advice have also thanked me weeks later for the advice often telling me that ‘their feet have never felt better’. Unfortunately there is no single ‘magic type of shoe’ for every foot as everyone's feet are unique. This highlights the importance of having your feet assessed to obtain specific advice. There are three general characteristics that can be used as a guide for purchasing new footwear:

• A firm and supportive heel counter.
• Supportive and cushioning midsole.
• Minimal flex through the front of the shoe.

3) Tightness in the calf muscles
Whilst many muscles may be directly involved in lower back pain symptoms, where the feet are concerned the calf muscles are undeniably linked to the onset of these symptoms. The calf muscles are made up of 2 separate muscles which form the achilles tendon. They function to place the foot in a plantar-grade (downwards) position which is important when walking to push off the ground with your toes. Calf tightness can be caused by a number of factors including:

• Genetics
• Long periods of walking, standing or training.
• Wearing high heels or firm sole shoes.
• Excessive pronation or supination of the feet.

Having tight calf muscles reduced your ankle range of motion and makes it harder for your ankle to flex the necessary amount needed for proper gait. This would in turn cause your body’s center of mass to shift forwards. This would in turn trigger the lower back muscles which will try to reduce the forwards shift of the center of mass. Over the long term, this can lead to ongoing lower back pain symptoms.

How can calf tightness be reduced?
Whenever I see patients who present to the clinic with tight calves, I offer a number of treatment methods to help alleviate the tightness. Often the tightness is due to simple soft tissue contracture other times it is in consequence of foot alignment. Foot alignment problems can be corrected using an orthotic but outside of that:Massage

• Massaging the calves (either professionally or at home) regularly can help reduce tension in the muscle fibers and in turn the pressure on the ankle joint.

Stretches
Towel/band/belt stretch

• Whilst sitting, position any of the above underneath the ball of the foot and gently pull the sides up towards you, gradually bringing the toes towards you. You should feel a gentle stretch through the calf muscles.
• Hold for 30 second. Repeat twice. Once daily 

Wall stretch

• Standing in front of a wall, place your hands on the walls surface and move one foot towards the wall such that the toes are in contact with it. Position the other foot behind you keeping the trailing leg straight. Slowly bend the front leg towards the wall so that you feel a slight stretch through the fibres of the trailing leg.
• Hold for 30 seconds and swap legs. Repeat 3 times. Once daily.

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​Whilst there is no one single ‘best approach’ for alleviating symptoms caused by problematic feet, seeing a podiatrist can be the first step to achieving your goals and a pain-free day to day life.

​If there is one thought that makes a dancer or a gymnasts cringe, it’s injuries. Injuries are a part of any sport that are both inevitable and unavoidable. However, dancers and gymnasts are at a significantly higher risk of developing injuries when compared to other sports due to the very high demands and the strenuous body positions these athletes must endure. Some injuries may be minor, like scrapes and bruises that you and your child can deal with easily. Others can necessitate going to a allied health or medical professional.

Most injuries occur because some of the muscles involved in the execution of a trick or skill are not strong enough to withstand the stress placed on the joints during that movement. This often happens to children whose bones are still in the process of growing. The most common of these injuries are sprained/strained ankles, closely followed by hip and lower back injuries. Although acute injuries are seen commonly, typically, among dancers and gymnastics, it is overuse injuries that occur most frequently. These overuse injuries occur when the small but vital muscles that support our joints are not strong enough to stabilize and protect the joint they move. If not treated accordingly or neglected, these injuries show up as arthritis later on in the person's 30’s and 40’s or continue as chronic pain. To prevent sprained or twisted ankles, for example, the muscles surrounding the ankle joint should be trained and conditioned well and regularly, and be strong enough to ensure that adequate mobility, stability, and strength is present and maintained. This is where your Chiropractor can help.

Your Chiropractor will perform a full body assessment to gauge your child’s fitness for the sport they desire to play and determine any specific injury risks or weaknesses he or she may have. Chiropractic understands the interconnected relationship of the body and specifically identifies strengths, weakness, and overcompensation in gymnasts and dancers and will treat accordingly to help their body perform at their best throughout the stages of their development and progress in their sport. Treatment may be done through the use of soft tissue releases, mobilisations, adjustments, stretches etc.  Your Chiropractor will help and guide you to achieve optimal biomechanical movement and function to help maximize your potential in your dance and/or gymnastic life. They can provide you with a rehabilitation program and advice on self care strategies to ensure you have the help, tools, and knowledge for your journey towards recovery and peak performance, with the goal to keep your child safe and in their sport for as long as possible.

So what are some ways in which you can help your child decrease the risk of injury and keep them dancing and tumbling for longer? Here are some helpful, and easy, tips to help you maximize your child’s potential;

• Visit your Chiropractor for a full body assessment to determine if your child has any biomechanical limitations that could limit them within their sport or particular sport-specific skills. This will promote proper movement, vital for a child in sports such as dance and gymnastics, and decrease the chances of injury
• Establish a specific strength and conditioning program with your health professional to balance out their bodies
• Ensure you have a good Coach and have a good relationship with them. Don’t be afraid to ask them questions or raise any concerns, politely, that you may have. A good Coach is aware of the risk of dance/gymnastics-related injuries, and is educated enough to advocate the use of stretching and strengthening exercises. A lot of body imbalances and injuries can be corrected if the Coach is concerned about conditioning dancers and gymnasts’ bodies as opposed to pushing them to learn the latest skills.
• Good nutrition is a necessity! A healthy, balanced meal consisting of wholefoods to ensure your child’s body has the necessary fuel and nutrients to meet the demands gymnastics and dancing place on your child’s body and to keep your child thriving
• Stay hydrated! Ensure your body has enough fluid to keep the body cool and provide for the proper flushing out of by-products and waste that the muscles produce during strenuous activity.
• Equip your child with any safety gear they may need for practice, for example, wrist or ankle guards, adequate footwear etc.
• General mobility and flexibility is a must. Keep moving and stretching
• As soon as you suspect your child is injured, visit your health professional immediately. Follow all of the professional advice for a faster recovery and be sure to get a positive physical assessment/evaluation before allowing your child to return back to practice or training sessions.

This is a heart felt post about an amazing person who put their health in our hands 💛

Kerry has completely turned her life around. She first came to the clinic for migraine treatment. Chiropractic has helped her tremendously and has given her a lot of relief. Over time we built a trusting relationship with Kerry and she felt like she was ready to challenge other health goals.
​
Never being the 'fitness' type of person, exercising and nutrition was a huge leap for Kerry. It took her very far out of her comfort zone and required a lot of change.

Fortunately, working with Alana is like working with a caring friend. Her approach to creating long term, sustainable change provides an environment that is challenging yet achievable. She provides the right dose of 'butt kicking' and 'nurturing' that can be so difficult to achieve.

Layer by layer they implemented positive sustainable change. From a 20 min walk around the block, to  drinking more water and making healthy eating choices, Alana gently nurtured and occasionally butt kicked to help Kerry recreate herself.

Through Kerry's humbleness, willing to follow instructions and commitment she completely turned her life around. Kerry's transformation is astonishing. She has lost 10kg, she walks, goes to spin classes, circuit classes and pilates.

Kerry has more confidence and enthusiasm than she ever did. She even mentioned doing some treks with her husband.

We are so proud of you Kerry. Your story is an inspiration to many and we are so honoured that you trusted in us to be part of your health journey.

Health has always been something I have had to work on. I struggled with my weight from childhood. There was always a lot of focus around my body shape. I was not entirely aware of it and didn’t think anything was wrong with me. I remember my first dance teacher who I admired sat me down when I was only 10 years old and told me that I had to lose weight. I remember breaking on the inside. Sitting there ashamed of myself, like I had done something wrong. I remember the relentless bullying on the playground. I had a weakness and they exploited it.

Then, as probably many dancers experience I went on for years trying to perfect myself - technically and physically. When I was on a high, getting great results, being the shining star life was great. But then there was the other side. When you’re not performing well. When you start to get injuries. When your body goes through changes. My passion was my greatest strength and greatest weakness.

I went on a journey mentally, physically and emotionally that through necessity forced me to find a peaceful, loving relationship with myself, my body and my health. One that is totally defined by myself based on how I am feeling and performing within different areas in my life that are important to me.

An enormous shift that has redefined my perspective of health in the last 12 months was experiencing a miscarriage. This event alone completely redefined my relationship with my body. It first shattered our relationship and then it has been a process of healing and recreating. For most part I felt like I had control over my body. I was the master. I take the action and get the result. But this time I was completely out of control and  my body didn’t respond in the way I had expected. It was an enormous, soul crushing shock that still hurts to think about.

My baby died inside me and there is nothing I can do about it.

What is going on? Why me? I am healthy? I have had two healthy pregnancies? This is not suppose to happen?

Apparently, the statics of how common a miscarriage is is suppose to be comforting. But I found no solace in it whatsoever. If anything it insulted me. In the midst of this lonely grief the only way I know how to respond is to look for the silver lining.

What do I need to learn from this? How can what I am going through make me a better person? How can what I am going through help others?

One lesson I get from all these experiences is that our body is fragile and needs to be nurtured. We live in a world that encourages us to push and to keep pushing. No pain, no gain. However, I feel there needs to be a shift. A shift that embraces the strength that comes from nurturing. The strength that comes with the wisdom of knowing how much is enough. The strength that comes from understanding that everything has its breaking point and that once broken it is never the same again. A strength that focuses on prevention.

This strength comes from wisdom and acceptance. Accepting that we are not in control. Accepting our fragility.

I am now on this path of acceptance. It doesn’t come easily. There is plenty of resistance as I tend to be the type of person who would try to find a way to influence my outcomes. And muscle my way through. But I always end up where I started or worse.

So on this nurturing journey I am now taking heed in my own advice. Part of that is working with my healthcare team to help restore my body to function at its best. Part of this is structuring my routine to incorporate more yin activities to balance my natural yang. A few weeks in and I can feel the benefits. Although, I am aware this is a lifestyle change that constantly needs to be worked on.

Often, when I speak with my personal clients I ask them what are you training for? Why are you doing this? Health and fitness is to enhance the quality of your life. How will this improve your life?

So, I ask myself the same questions. Here are my answers:

• As I move through the different stages of my life I want to be living the best quality of life  I can.
• I want energy, confidence and vitality. Confidence in what my body is capable of. Confidence that when I attempt a cartwheel with my 6 year old that I won’t injure myself (not confident with that one yet)!
• I want to be able to move well, with less aches and pains
• I want to nurture myself to age gracefully
• I want to be open minded to how to achieve these things.
• I don’t want to neglect myself. I don’t want to turn 60 and then try and undo 30 years of not looking after myself.I want to move through each year being the best I can at that time.

Now that I have shared some of my most personal insights with you why not join the conversation. What do you want? What have you learnt? What do you need to overcome?

Maybe your experience will help others. Maybe your story needs to be heard.

Share it with me in the comments and let's start the conversation.
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As a professional chiropractor I spend  a lot of my time helping people with lower back pain. Over my career I have diagnosed and successfully treated thousands of people. Low back pain in Australia has a daily prevalence of 28% in adults on any given day and about 79% of people experience low back pain throughout their life. Given the statistics it is a significant health issue that can impact people’s quality of life, employment and confidence.

I have created a very useful  guide to help people when experiencing lower back pain. This maybe able to help provide some gentle relief before you see a professional chiropractor or it may highlight serious symptoms that require immediate attention. After all, early detection and treatment will give you a much better outcome.

As a very general statement lower back pain can be triaged into three main sources.

1. Disc related lower back pain
2. Facet joint related lower back pain
3. Sacroiliac joint related lower back pain

The frequency of these different sources of lower back pain is roughly evenly distributed. So 28% of people experience disc pain, 28% are facet joint and 28% are sacroiliac joint related lower back pain.

To determine the sight of your pain as a general statement if you bend forward from a standing position and that creates pain for you then that may be a disc problem.

If you are standing up and you arch your back then it could be facet joint or sacroiliac joint.

Therefore, pain in flexion could be disc and pain in extension maybe facet joint or sacroiliac joint. Think about your sacroiliac joints as the two little dimple spots on either side of your lower back.

The key with any of these problems is to secure and accurate diagnosis so that you can be then given an appropriate treatment plan, appropriate exercises, stretches and other things necessary to remediate the problem.

So, if you need an accurate diagnosis we can provide that for you. In the meantime, providing you do not have unusual symptoms associated with your lower back pain which would be an immediate reason to visit a chiropractor. Things to expedite your visit to a chiropractor would include things such a loss of bowel or bladder control, pain, weakness, numbness or tingling in the arms or legs. Anything unusual like that would require an in-depth look.

If you just have simple lower back pain here are some basic things to do.

Do’s

• If bending forward aggravates your lower back then try stretching in the opposite direction. Lying flat on your tummy, propping yourself up on your elbows and letting your lower back arch and sink down on the ground. Aim to be completely relaxed and try not to contract any muscles. It should be just a very gentle stretch into extension.

If your lower back is aggravated by extending and going backwards we would be thinking it is a sacroiliac joint problem or a facet joint problem. Indeed you would stretch in the exact opposite direction. The easiest and safest way to do this is to lie flat on your back and bring both your knees up to your chest. Gently bringing your knees to your chest you should feel a little bit of a stretch through your lower back.

Don'ts

• Bending - Lifting - Twisting
• Classic ways to aggravate a problem include reaching forward to lift up something
• Bending down to pick up an object
• Repetitive forward bend - Vacuuming, sweeping, changing nappies, picking up kids etc
• Repetitive rotation - shoveling

Generally, for most people if you have got a lower back problem I would not recommend standing stretches for your hamstrings. So, standing and trying to reach towards the ground, although this might feel therapeutic at the time generally it will aggravate most people's lower back problem. We like to do stretches that are nice and safe and give you relief.

My mission is to help people be 'free to move' to do the things they love. You don't need to suffer with pain. I can help you. 

For appointments contact 9542 3330.
Online bookings available 


​Dr Chris Bowles
Co-founder of Health Associates
Principle Chiropractor
Learn more about Dr Chris Bowles

Disclaimer
The information on the Health Associates website is not intended to be a substitute for professional clinical advice. Diagnosis and treatment of a medical condition can only be undertaken by a qualified health professional. Users of this information should seek the advice of qualified healthcare professional if they any concerns or questions regarding their condition. Every effort is made to make this information accurate, however we cannot guarantee the accuracy, quality, suitability or reliability of any information on this website.
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