Introduction

The menstrual cycle plays a crucial role in female physiology, influencing energy levels, muscle recovery, and overall athletic performance. Understanding how hormonal fluctuations affect exercise can help women optimise their training, reduce injury risk, and enhance performance. This blog post outlines the menstrual cycle phases, their impact on exercise, and evidence-based strategies for training throughout the cycle.

The Menstrual Cycle: Phases and Hormonal Influence

The menstrual cycle consists of four key phases, each characterised by distinct hormonal changes that influence physical performance and recovery.

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When recovering from ACL reconstruction (ACLR), most athletes focus on regaining strength and stability. But one often overlooked piece of the puzzle is reactive strength — a quality that plays a major role in returning to sport safely and effectively.

Physiotherapist Konstantinos Defteraios, from Aspetar Orthopaedic and Sports Medicine Hospital in Qatar, outlines just how important this quality is in modern ACL rehabilitation.

What Is Reactive Strength?

Reactive strength is your body’s ability to absorb and then quickly release force, much like a spring.

This ability is powered by the stretch-shortening cycle (SSC):

• Stretch (Eccentric phase): The muscle lengthens under load (like when landing from a jump)

• Store (Amortization phase): A brief transition where the energy is stored

• Release (Concentric phase): The muscle contracts and releases that stored energy to jump or push off

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In recent years, a bold comparison has made headlines: “Sitting is the new smoking.” This phrase, though provocative, has drawn attention to the health consequences of prolonged sedentary behaviour — particularly on our spines. As physiotherapists, we frequently see the effects of excessive sitting on low back health, and it's time to unpack what this phrase really means.

The Modern Sedentary Lifestyle

Most adults now spend more than half their waking hours seated — whether at desks, in cars, or on couches. This shift towards sedentary behavior is linked with numerous health concerns, including cardiovascular disease, obesity, diabetes, and musculoskeletal pain. Of all these, low back pain remains one of the most common complaints in clinical practice.

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It has come to our attention at Total Physiotherapy that coming into the clinic can be a barrier for many to access the physio care they need. Not everyone can—or wants to—come into the practice for physiotherapy for a wide range of reasons. That’s why we offer community physiotherapy, a flexible and personalised service that brings expert care to you in your own environment, whether that’s your home, aged care facility, group home, or supported living setting.

But what exactly is community physiotherapy? Who is it for? And what can you expect if you're considering it for yourself or a friend/family member?

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Have you just completed the Sydney half marathon and decided to keep those legs going for a full marathon? Then you need to make sure your body is fully prepared! Continue reading to ensure you’ve got all the boxes covered to give yourself the best chance of success without injury!

Running a marathon is a major physical and mental feat, but successful training goes beyond just racking up kilometres. As physiotherapists, we see first-hand how injuries and inefficiencies can derail even the most motivated runners. Integrating physiotherapy principles into your marathon training can help you reduce injury risk, improve performance, and build long-term resilience.

Here are eight key considerations for marathon training—grounded in evidence-based physiotherapy practice.

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Exercise is an incredible tool for health, but when you push too hard without proper recovery and nutrition, it can backfire. Over-exercising can lead to hormone imbalances, increased injury risk, and long-term health consequences like missing periods, slow metabolism, and burnout.

One of the most serious consequences of over-exercising is Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport (REDs)—a condition where the body doesn’t get enough fuel to keep up with high activity levels. This can disrupt hormones, bone health, metabolism, and overall well-being.

Let’s dive into the signs of overtraining, how it affects your hormones, and simple, practical tips to help you stay strong and balanced.

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When we think about serious knee injuries in young athletes, ACL tears usually come to mind. They’re the high-profile ones – the ones that get the headlines and the months of rehab. But what if other, more common knee injuries – like meniscus tears or ligament sprains can be just as important to treat thoroughly?

A recent study published in the Journal of Orthopaedic & Sports Physical Therapy (2025) has brought this issue into sharp focus. Researchers followed a group of young athletes (ages 11–19) for two years after they experienced a range of sport-related knee injuries. Their findings might surprise you.

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Plantar fasciitis is one of the most common causes of foot pain and can have a big impact on the day to day life, especially when walking and running. In this blog we will look at what plantar fasciitis is, what you and your physiotherapist can do to help you and how to reduce the risk of developing plantar fasciitis in the future.

What is plantar fasciitis?

The plantar fascia is a band of fascia at the bottom of the foot. Plantar fasciitis refers to a degenerative process that takes place in the plantar fascia and is a common cause of heel and foot pain. It is caused by repetitive strain of the fascia causing microtears, inducing a repair response.

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