Kate Elphick – all aspects of physiotherapy
especially related to breathing, rib & pelvic areas
Kate Elphick has been a physiotherapist for over 30 years, working in all aspects of the physiotherapy profession.
Kate’s early experience of working at Royal Perth Hospital with most of her time spent in the ICU, Head Injury and Cardiothoracic Units, led her to become interested in treating the more challenging clients with multiple injuries, Complex Pain Syndrome or poorly understood pain complaints.
Kate has expertise in treating the three areas that are linked with breathing, Lumbo-Pelvic, Cranial/Sacral and Rib/Thorax which led Kate to start her own business, 3D Physio, that focuses on the treatment of these areas as well as complex clients that haven’t had success elsewhere.
Many people with pain complain that exercise and movement aggravates their condition. This can be very true as the need for breathing is emphasised with any movement or exercise. If this is the problem, then the area linked to breathing must be addressed. Kate’s attention to these areas has been her passion for the last 25 years.
Kate created 3-D Physio so she could treat in this way and focus on getting fantastic results with patients with chronic pain in the community.
Kate’s youth was spent swimming and playing water polo, so she remains a regular ocean swimmer for personal fitness.
An often overlooked cause of pain and injury are the ribs and more specifically, where the ribs join the spine known as costovertebral joints.
When we try to breath, the ribs move which help the lungs expand and contract which leads to air being inhaled and exhaled. When try to move our torso in any way, the costovertebral joints have to move to allow this movement.
When we try to move our shoulders or neck, the muscles that attach to the ribs have to be able move to allow these movements to occur.
If these costovertebral joints become stiff or the muscles that attach the ribs tighten up and restrict the natural movement of any of these structures, it can create pain which can be from mild and annoying to severe and sharp. The pain often refers to the chest and can often be distressing as it can affect breathing and both restrict the depth of breath able to be taken and make it painful.
To be able to all do the these movements pain free and with full range, it’s imperative that the costovertebral joints, ribs and muscles that attach to them are mobile and moving as they should.
If you have any of these conditions or pains or an injury that isn’t settling, it would be a good idea to make an appointment and find out if your pain is coming from these structures.
The pelvis is the foundation of the spine. In the same way as your house needs a solid foundation to avoid problems, if the pelvis isn’t providing the correct support, the spine will also start to have problems.
Persistent lower back pain, lower back pain that won’t settle with treatment or pain in the buttocks or coccyx, is often related to the pelvis and the movement of it relative to the spine and the movement of the joints in the pelvis known as the sacroiliac joints.
There are many causes of issues with the pelvis. Some of the more common ones include pregnancy and child birth, a car accident where the foot was jammed down onto the brakes, poor posture, repetitive movements, falling onto your bottom.
If you have any lower back pain that won’t settle, or keeps recurring, make an appointment and find out if your pain can be fixed by addressing issues around the pelvis.
Kate has undertaken training in the Ridgway Method which is a system of treatment that begins with the premise that every part of the body has the potential to impact every other part of the body.
This means that the assessment is extremely thorough and looks at the body as a whole rather than focusing on the painful areas.
If you have previously had treatment to your injury that has been unsuccessful, assessing other parts of the body often uncovers other factors that can be contributing to your injury. Treatment of these areas further away from the pain often yields better results.
Contact Details
Located in Beaumaris Physiotherapy Rooms
Suite 2, Beaumaris Shopping Centre, Constellation Drive
OCEAN REEF WA 6027
Ph: (08) 9300 4844 / Fax: (08) 9300 4839
Free parking directly outside the clinic
Email: kate@3d-physio.com.au
Reception Hours: Mon-Fri 8 am – 7 pm, Sat 8 am – 12 pm
Clinical Days: Monday, Wednesday, Thursday