While the science behind physiotherapy has been around for centuries (dating back to as early as 400 BC), the last couple of decades have seen physiotherapy treat a range of ‘modern day’ ailments. Many of us have poor posture from slouching at our computers, lead fairly sedentary lifestyles and don’t eat a well-balanced diet. Physios can help.

Head physiotherapist at a clinic in Melbourne’s east, Rick says that he sees lots of millennial clients who suffer from ‘modern day’ complaints.

“Often, many of my patients are in their 20s and they come in with ‘text neck syndrome’. This is because they sit on their phone all day long with their heads in a forward position. This affects the cervical spine and supporting ligaments. I rarely see this syndrome in the older generations”.

According to several studies conducted on various generations, results show that younger generations in Australia are moving less and eating more. This type of lifestyle results in more aches and pains as well as mental health issues.

Caitlin, 20, a student at the The University of Melbourne was having trouble with her breathing. Her GP suggested it was stress-related and to make an appointment with a physiotherapist about it.

“At first, I thought my doctor was dismissing me. For weeks I felt like I couldn’t take a deep enough breath no matter how many times I tried. I thought there was something seriously wrong with me so to be told it was from stress, I felt like I wasn’t being taken seriously. But I went and saw a physio and honestly, within weeks, I felt so much better. I learnt that I had a lot of muscle tension which was impacting my breathing and the physio taught me how to breathe to release stress” said Caitlin.

Since COVID, physios are seeing an increase in patients who sit all day long. Many workers who have gone back to the office have noticed that their days revolve less around physical activity and more around sitting at a desk.

“When people started working remotely, I’d say there was actually an increase in physical exercise. Lots of people were taking more breaks throughout the day, getting outside (when they could) and walking or running. In the past year, I have definitely seen more patients whose only movement is making their way to the office and back home. One of my jobs as a physio is to make movement more enjoyable for people and I do that by tailoring specific exercise regimes for them such as cardio and strength building” said Rick.

Caitlin was also impressed to learn that her physio wasn’t just knowledgeable about the physical body, but also about nutrition.

“I have always thought that physios just look at the musculoskeletal aspect of the human body, but my physio also knew a lot about diet and healthy eating because she collaborates with a nutritionist. In order to combat the anxiety I had been feeling lately, we also looked at my eating habits and how I could improve my diet. The physio didn’t just help me feel better with my breathing, she also taught me about making smarter food choices which has made me feel better overall” said Caitlin.

In an era where young people are glued to technology and mental health issues are on the rise, physiotherapists can help bring us back into our bodies and assess and change our lifestyles if needed.

“Many physios in Australia practice from a holistic viewpoint” said Rick. “I like to look at the whole person and their lifestyle rather than just looking at an acute problem they are experiencing, such as a sore neck or tight hamstring. It is important to get to the root cause while also identifying various aspects of their lives that could be impacting them negatively”.