RMPhysio » Dance Directory

RMPhysio
Physiotherapy & Pilates

Opening Hours
Monday – Thursday : 7.30am – 5.30pm
Friday : 7.30am – 5.00pm
Saturday : 8.00am – 12.00pm

At RMPhysio, we recognise the importance of seeing a health professional who can relate to the demands placed on a dancer’s body. Our dance team includes a Physiotherapist and an Accredited Exercise Physiologist who are dancers themselves, so we understand that the show must go on and look for ways to work with you to ensure that you can get back on stage as soon as possible and keep performing whilst completing any training or rehabilitation program.

The majority of dance injuries are classified as ‘overuse injuries’, with most of them occurring in the foot and ankle. The repetitive nature of the art means that a small niggle can quickly develop into something more significant.

• Common dance injuries include:
• Posterior ankle impingement
• Stress reactions/fractures of the foot and lumbar spine
• Ankle sprains
• Medial tibial stress syndrome/shin splints
• Snapping Hip Syndrome

Identifying biomechanical issues, poor muscle control and patterning, strength imbalances, inadequate flexibility and suboptimal technique is vital to avoiding future injuries and enhancing peak performance. Ensuring the dancer understands their own body and the factors contributing to their symptoms empowers them to be active in their own recovery and prevent reoccurrence. Identifying underlying contributing factors helps to screen for risk factors as well as decrease time out of class and performances.

Our Physiotherapist, Grace Williams and Exercise Physiologist, Rebecca Brown, have years of dance experience and aim to enhance performance when working with their patients. Their personal experience in the field has allowed them to build strong relationships in industry, allowing them to communicate with dance teachers and company managers to help provide a safe environment for rehabilitation and injury prevention.

At RMPhysio we have a fully equipped studio with a dedicated space for dance assessments. This includes a ballet barre, Tarkett flooring and mirrors. We also have reformer pilates machines, a trapeze table, wundachair and gym exercise space, assisting in patient assessments, dance conditioning and rehabilitation following injury.

Our Services:
• Pre-Pointe Assessment
• Dance Assessment and Physiotherapy
• Dance and Ballet Exercise Physiology
• Clinical Pilates
• Tertiary Dance Screening
• Pointe Shoe Review
• Pre-Pointe Strength and Conditioning Program
• Vocal Physiotherapy

Pre-Pointe Assessment: (60 mins duration ) $150
The main purpose of this is to identify areas which may need strengthening before progressing safely onto pointe. The assessment will look at all areas of the body including:
• Postural assessment
• Functional assessment specific to ballet
• Foot and ankle strength/mobility
• Core strength and control of the trunk with movement
• Turn out range and strength
We are also able to provide advice on purchasing the right style of pointe shoes for you and offer specific technique tips for ballet.

Please wear dancing attire including leotard and transitional tights so that your feet are visible, as well as your pointe shoes (if you have already purchased them).

Dance Exercise Physiology

To an audience, a great dancer will make their art form appear easy, simple and effortless. However, as most of us dancers are aware, there is more to this than meets the eye. Whether you are training to reach career goals, or you are just starting out, the perfect combination of strength, flexibility, coordination, endurance and self-awareness are all essential to get the most out of your dancing.

We are excited to work with all dancers to help them reach their full potential. Whether you feel frustrated you can’t quite get your full split, float your legs into a beautiful developpe or bound into an effortless grand jete, we use our understanding of the requirements of dance, combined with the biomechanical and physiological knowledge of the human body, to make those changes.

• Common areas of desired improvement include:
• Hip, foot and lower back flexibility
• Higher extensions
• Turn out range and strength
• Foot and ankle strength
• Power for jumps and turns
• Strength for male dancers (jumps and overhead lifts)
• Cardiovascular endurance

Initial Assessment & Program Design (60 mins) $120
Health rebates apply depending on your level of cover

A dance conditioning initial assessment will enable us to discuss your overall goals and gain an understanding of your overall strength, current fitness level and any past or present injuries. This then gives us the necessary information to develop an exercise conditioning program that is tailor made to you and your specific requirements.

Dance Exercise Physiology follow up session (45 mins) $95
Dance Exercise Physiology follow up session (30 mins) $80
Health rebates apply depending on your level of cover

Based on your initial assessment our EP Bec Brown will develop an exercise program specifically for you. All exercise sessions are conducted under the supervision of our EP to ensure you are performing your exercises correctly and comfortable with all the exercises prescribed.

Bec is also able to conduct dance and pre-pointe assessments and communicate with studios and teachers as to student needs. She is also equipped to help you with injury rehabilitation, strength & conditioning and mobility programs.

Vocal Physiotherapy
Vocal Physiotherapy Initial Assessment: (60 mins duration) $150
Vocal Physiotherapy Subsequent sessions: (45 mins duration) $125
Health rebates apply depending on your level of cover

What is Vocal Physiotherapy?
Vocal physiotherapy involves manual therapy techniques to the throat, including direct soft tissue release and stretching of the laryngeal muscles. Laryngeal tension can build up easily due to many reasons. Singers, performers, teachers, childcare workers, barristers and public speakers often report issues with their voice at work. Like any muscle, repetitive use of the voice can cause overload, fatigue and changes in motor patterning which will affect the ability to produce quality sound. Vocal unloading assists voice users to break this cycle and retrain their voice with neuromuscular re-education to achieve the most efficient voice production possible.

Identifying technical issues, underlying neck dysfunction, postural issues, jaw/TMJ dysfunction, tongue root tension, poor dietary habits and breathing patters are essential to a full recovery. We work closely with ENT specialists and your vocal coach to optimise your voice.

Our Vocal Physiotherapist, Grace Williams, has undertaken further training to specialise in the area of vocal physiotherapy assessment and treatment. She understands the importance of the mechanics of the voice and neck in musical theatre performers, singers, public speakers and musicians.

Grace will assess your:
• Posture (head, neck, lumbopelvic)
• Cervical Spine position and function
• Temporomandibular joint (TMJ)
• Scapular position and movement
• Breathing patterns
• Voice analysis (tone, power and comfort)

Common issues treated by Vocal Unloading are:
• Muscle Tension Dysphonia
• Tongue Root Tension in singers
• Globus Pharyngeus/ Throat pain
• Orofacial pain or Dysfunction/ TMJ problems
If you are having issues with your voice, book an appointment today with our Vocal Physiotherapist Grace Williams. There is no need to warm up your voice prior to your appointment. You are welcome to bring a water bottle if you wish.

Book online or phone (07) 3161 2837 to make an appointment

Our Dance Specialists

Grace Williams
BPhty (Hons)

Grace graduated with a Bachelor of Physiotherapy (Honours) from the University of Queensland in 2015. Following graduation, Grace worked in a large sports medicine clinic in Brisbane treating a variety of musculoskeletal conditions. It was sports and musculoskeletal physio that sparked Grace’s interest in the profession following involvement in dance from the age of three. In 2018 she moved to the UK to follow her passion of providing exceptional physiotherapy care to performers.

Whilst in the UK Grace secured a role as the Physiotherapist for touring musical theatre companies. Grace worked as the sole Physiotherapist on the UK & Ireland tour of Dirty Dancing, Kinky Boots and A Monster Calls. Grace also worked as the Physiotherapist for musical theatre companies in London’s West End including Come From Away and The Play that Goes Wrong. She has experience working behind the scenes in film, providing physiotherapy care to cast and crew for Netflix productions filming at Shepperton Studios London.

In addition to physiotherapy treatment, Grace offers dance and pre-pointe assessments for dancers looking to progress to pointe, to further their dance technique or to stand out in an audition.

Further training has enabled Grace to also work in the specialised area of vocal physiotherapy assessment and treatment. She understands the importance of the mechanics of the voice and neck in musical theatre performers, singers, public speakers and musicians.

Grace is a qualified pilates instructor in both matwork and equipment, attaining her certification through the Pilates Institute of Queensland in 2014 and completing extra training in this area for dancers in 2017. Grace supervises many of our RehabFit and Pilates classes offered at RMPhysio.

Grace has trained in many styles of dance including ballet, jazz, contemporary, tap and aerial dance. She completed exams in the RAD ballet syllabus up to Advanced 2 and holds a CSTD jazz teachers’ certificate. This background, alongside experience treating professionals in musical theatre, enables her to have a good understanding of the demands of a professional performer and what is required of them to achieve at their optimal level. She is enthusiastic about athletes, dancers and performers reaching their full potential and believes the RehabFit classes offered at RMPhysio are a useful adjunct to consider in any rehabilitation program. Her approach to treatment is holistic incorporating education, manual therapy, dry needling, exercise prescription and clinical pilates.

Rebecca Brown
BEXSS (AEP, AES) ESSAM Exercise Physiologist

Bec graduated from QUT with a Bachelor of Clinical Exercise Physiology in 2016 and is now an Accredited Exercise Physiologist and Exercise Scientist. She has additional qualification in Strength & Conditioning (Australian Strength and Conditioning Association), Sports Training (Australian Sports Medicine Australia) and Pilates certification (Pilates Institute Queensland).

Throughout her studies Bec has always had a passion for High Performance and Injury Prevention. She started working with GPS Rugby Club as a Strength and Conditioning intern and this eventually led to a paid position four years later working with the Premier Grade team to help facilitate injury prevention, game day strapping and medical needs. She continued working in Rugby after graduation and also with All Hallows School rowing, overseeing their strength and conditioning throughout all senior crews. Bec joined RMPhysio in 2018 as senior Exercise Physiologist to further develop their Exercise Physiology program.

Bec completed her dance training on the Gold Coast completing her ATOD and RAD examinations in ballet, jazz, contemporary and tap while also choreographing for musical theatre projects. She moved to Brisbane in 2012 to study dance and creative industries at QUT before transitioning to complete her Exercise Physiology degree. Throughout her training she has worked with many inspiring teachers and dancers and has developed technique tips that allow a dancer to improve the extra one percent. Bec is passionate about the opportunity to combine her two loves of high performance & rehabilitation and dance to help dancers reach their full potential in the performing arts. Bec continues to dance herself and loves encouraging others to keep dancing no matter what age.

Book online at http://www.rmphysio.com.au or phone (07) 3161 2837 to make an appointment