Services

We work with children and their parents to assist with reaching gross motor skill milestones including:

• rolling
• sitting 
• crawling
• standing
• cruising
• walking

We can also further develop skills such as:

• running
• jumping
• hopping
• throwing and catching
• kicking
• climbing
• bike riding

This can be delivered for children with a variety of conditions including Developmental Delay, Developmental Coordination Disorder, Autism Spectrum Disorder, Cerebral Palsy, Down Syndrome as well as other genetic and developmental conditions.

We can assist with improving walking at all levels, from young children taking their first steps through to older people who may be having falls. 

Treatment can include:

• gaining confidence with independent steps
• improving step length and speed
• improving balance
• preventing falls
• prescribing a walking aid such as a walking stick or a complex gait trainer such as the one pictured

Supportive positioning is important for people with spasticity, high or low muscle tone or severe weakness. 

It is important for pressure care to prevent pressure injuries. 

Positioning ensures that the risk of developing deformities such as scoliosis  (spinal curvature) and contractures (muscle and joint stiffness) can be minimised. If contractures develop it may be painful or could impact on a person's function.

Positioning programs can also help to slow the progress of deformities that have already developed. 

A specialised standing program for children who cannot stand well by themselves can help with hip development to prevent dislocation. Standing for all people with a disability can also help improve bone mineral density. It may also help with spasticity management, contracture prevention, breathing, bladder and bowel function, as well as peer interaction. 

24 hour positioning is a concept where the therapist considers the person's positions throughout the whole day and all the environments that they access. This can be done in conjunction with the Occupational Therapist. We have experience in prescribing a variety of equipment.  

24 hour positioning can include:

• standing frame
• sleep system
• floor positioning
• wedges
• seating system
• splinting

This 24 hour positioning program was developed for the client with his OT from Action Forward.

Falls are very common among people with a disability and older people. People with a disability my shows signs of ageing before their peers.

A tailored strength and balance program can be developed to reduce the risk of falls and therefore falls related injuries. 

Falls prevention can also include advice about minimising other risk factors and prescribing walking aids when needed.

Advice on footwear can also be provided.

We can assess a person's ability to walk or move between different pieces of equipment.

Transfers may include looking at how a person:

• gets in and out if a chair or wheelchair 
• gets in and out of bed
• moves around on the floor
• gets in and out of a walking or standing frame

Transfer training can be done with the person with a disability as well as developing a strength, balance and stretching program to improve the ability to transfer.

Advice and training can be given to carers on how to support the person in a safe way.

Safe transfer equipment may include:

• transfer or walk belt
• slide board
• sit to stand aid
• hoist

Aquatic physiotherapy is therapy delivered in a pool. 

It includes hydrotherapy. 

The aim of aquatic physiotherapy could be to:

• improve gross motor skills by using the buoyancy of the water to practice
• relaxation of tight or high tone muscles
• pain management
• strengthening
• water familiarisation and safety skills

This can be delivered in family or community pools.

We can support community based rehabilitation following orthopaedic surgeries including:

• scoliosis correction surgery
• hip dysplasia surgery
• boney hip, knee or foot surgeries
• tendon lengthening or tendon transfer surgery

We can also provide intensive intervention following botulinum toxin (Botox) injections or after commencing a new medication such as Baclofen.

Movement can help with sensory integration in conditions such as autism spectrum disorder. 

We are experienced in developing a variety of movement based programs to assist with improved sensory organisation for people who are both under or over sensitive to movement stimuli.