5 Tools to Bring Physiotherapy Treatment Home

For some, going to the physiotherapist or podiatrist on a weekly or fortnightly basis is near impossible. Whether it is the demands of their job, family or the financial outlay, a common question that gets asked is: can you have reliable physiotherapy at home?

The reality is, you likely can't achieve the same results as going into a clinic unless you consider a mobile physiotherapy service. But there are some brilliant tools out there that will help reduce the number of visits to clinics. Some do it through soft-tissue therapy, while others enable you to smash through your rehabilitation exercises reliably.

Oh, and they all have great names.

Designed by Hamish Vickerman, a physiotherapist on Australia's Gold Coast, the Fasciitis Fighter is a high load strength training device that tackles plantar fasciitis, a prevalent injury in runners and athletes around the world. If you've got plantar fasciitis, this is a product for you to consider. 

Used and trusted by physiotherapists, podiatrists and a vast number of professional athletes the world over, the Fasciitis Fighter applies an evidence-based active approach that focuses on placing a load on the plantar fascia tissue and calf-muscles. 

While foam rollers aren't exactly a new invention; the GRID® Foam Roller features a patented multi-density foam surface that delivers firm compression like a sports massage while channelling blood and oxygen needed to repair muscles. As a former athlete myself, I'd lose count of the times I'd use my foam roller each week! Getting a high-quality roller like the TriggerPoint® GRID® Foam Roller was important plus the hollowed-out design fits around your arm nicely, so it's easy to carry from the car or as an improvised hand cannon.

The GRID® Foam Roller is the 'go-to' roller to release muscle pain and tightness, improve mobility, increase circulation. It is recommended by sports doctors, chiropractors, and physical therapists around the globe. They have a new vibrating roller, the GRID VIBE™ Plus, available as well. 

The Beartrap PRO was designed by Phill Forostenko, an Australian physiotherapist & exercise physiologist with over 15 years experience in treating musculoskeletal conditions. For some, foam rollers don't quite cut it on getting those niggles sorted. You might resort to hockey balls, golf balls, the corner of the table, you name it.

The Beartrap™ solves the limitations of other self-treatment devices on the market. With a design that accommodates all shapes and sizes, Forostenko and his team hit the nail on the head. Make sure you check out their treatment tips and tricks online. 

There are plenty of massage guns now out there on the market, but we chose to call out the original. Dr Jason Wersland invented the Theragun after he reflected on his current therapies. "I created Theragun Percussive Therapy to help people feel better naturally when they weren't in my care." 

The vibration and force produced by the device are said to have a variety of benefits including pain relief, increased range of motion, reduced muscle stiffness and soreness, and faster recovery time from workouts. 

Another Australian designed product, the Solushin was created by a medical doctor, William McNamara, an engineer, Ben Lindsay, and a product designer, Rosa Miller. All ex-athletes, the team noticed the lack of treatment available for shin splints, a very prevalent injury in runners. The most reliable treatment to date was rest, and no one likes resting.

The Solushin is used by physiotherapists, podiatrists and professional athletes around Australia. A quick source of pain-relief, the Solushin also enables athletes to treat the overall symptoms of shin splints faster than other treatments on the market. It's also shown to reduce tension in the calf big time, with a 21% improvement in calf range after wearing it for just one-hour around the house!