clinic@cavershamphysio.co.nz; 4877323
CAVERSHAM PHYSIO NEWSLETTER (No.29), April 2016
Hello again,
Hard to believe this balmy weather continues, and hopefully it still does as you read this! Everyone has been outside making the most of our extended summer – maybe this summer was designed to help Blair, Heather and the children remember just how good Dunedin weather can be (and for us all as compensation for last winter!!) Anyway, whatever the reason, do keep being active and making the most of it whilst you can.
We have all been very busy over the last wee while preparing our clinic for our 2 yearly accreditation visit from DAA, which I am happy to report went very well last month. The auditors spend a day in the clinic, auditing all our processes, interviewing us and patients about our service delivery to see “that we walk the talk”, and it is always good to feel a job well done, so thanks team and everyone who was here on the day – Caversham was shining! The paperwork is still awaited, but we have accreditation again for the next 4 years, and will have a half time visit in 2 years just to keep us in good form. Blair did so well in particular, having only been with us since the end of January – a lot of reading and task completion in a very short 6 week window, as well as getting to know you all and doing computerised notes whilst becoming familiar with new software. Lucky he is a digital native!!
Not only has Blair been busy settling into Dunedin and our clinic, but he has been making the most of Dunedin’s great playgrounds – he and Geoffrey have been enjoying the weekly “Sam’s” evening rides, and rumour has it, Blair took the crown one night (although he modestly disputes that!). It has been fantastic training for them both as they prepare for the National Road Cycling event in Alexandra in a few weeks time (Geoffrey’s quaking at the pedals still in contemplation of the calibre of competition, but at least they have had these great fiercely competitive weekly jaunts to hone a few skills!). Heather, Blair and one of their friends also returned to Triathlon in Dunedin, competing in the Triathlon at Mac Bay a few weeks ago (doing extremely well – not surprising as both have competed at a very high level in the sport, so well done Heather to be back on the scene in your sport, and am sure that felt fun again with your mini fan team in attendance for the first time – Alex and Ruby looked justifiably impressed with Mum and Dad!). Geoff and Barbara decided to do another duathlon this year too, and were thrilled to gain a silver medal – maybe all of us at Caversham Physiotherapy should do it in 2018!!
Also to add to the excitement of the first two months back in Dunedin, Blair was asked to present an award at the National Track and Field Champs here – as you may have read he was (and still is) a very classy runner, and still holds some records from school and varsity days, although one of his 1500m records went after 25 years last month! Anyway, it was a lovely honour to be selected to present the 5000m medals at the Caledonian Ground at Nationals – he was in great company with many of New Zealand’s top athletes in town.
We have had some really interesting work experiences for Blair too since his return. The High Performance Triathlon NZ team asked Blair to use his BikeFit skills to set up some of their elite athletes at the Snow Farm at Cardrona. He was pleased to meet up again with some of his friends there and work with these elite NZ athletes. Another group of elite athletes to benefit from his skills were the NZ Ballet, when they were in town. A friend of ours works with the troupe in Wellington, and asked if we would be able to look after the dancers whilst they were on the Dunedin leg of the tour. We were very keen to help and be involved, so Blair had some VERY busy days with these amazing athletes, helping them with their various injuries prior to their performance. It was awe inspiring to see the athleticism and understand just what their bodies are required to be able to do within the various performances, and we are delighted to report that they are very keen to have us look after them again during future tours to the city. It was a marvellous performance from all accounts, and I do hope some of you were able to watch and admire them too.
Our annual run and walk training sessions will restart in June following our Cadbury Marathon Preparation Seminar, which we organise annually at a time that allows you all 3 months to put into practise what we have all discussed with you during the seminar. Unfortunately last year the seminar was scheduled for the night of the big flood (and we all know what a disaster that night sadly was), giving us no alternative but to cancel the evening – the venue of the Sargood Centre had water erupting from the loos, and it was almost cut off by the moat that was Lake Logan! Anyway, fingers and toes crossed we don’t have to endure anything like those conditions ever again, and am sure this year we will be able to have our usual evening of great information and good advice without drama. Please put 6pm WEDNESDAY 8 JUNE into your diaries right now and plan to attend our FREE seminar and bring your friends. This year we will have our same keynote speaker as was organised for 2015: Associate Professor Tania Cassidy, PhD, School of Physical Education, Sport and Exercise Sciences at Otago. Tania will present on insights into issues associated with participating in physical activity across the lifespan and I am sure be able to encourage us all to “have a go”. Do make sure you come along if you are slightly tempted to give it a try in 2016! Blair will then present on Injury Prevention, followed by Dr Megan Gibbins with nutrition advice and then Dave Stinson (Caversham Coach) on training regimes in preparation for the event in September. Everyone will have great tips for your preparation and for race day, so come prepared with questions and with a few dollars to give to the Neurological Foundation as a donation at the entrance, and who knows you might be the lucky one who goes home with a free pair of Mizuno shoes, thanks to Ian at Frontrunner Dunedin.
Following the evening, we like to help anyone who is a little unsure of build up further by offering our FREE walking and running groups from the clinic, every Wednesday from 15 June until the event on SUNDAY 11 SEPTEMBER. The first couple of weeks of this year’s build up will see Geoff and Barbara away from Dunedin, so our deputies Mary Vincent (with all the great walking crew from Caversham, seen here whilst on one of our summer walks in the lovely Botanical Gardens), and Peter Hughes (with all the running support crew) will lead our groups as you quietly build up towards the event. The groups leave from the clinic at 5.30pm on Wednesdays, so even if you are a little unsure of making the distance in September, how about joining the groups and test out your skills. It is ALWAYS easier to be with others and build up together, under careful guidance. You will have a lot of fun, and meet some awesome people as you are doing it. We always start out on the flat, and then build time and some slopes into it as you progress through the weeks. Don’t forget too, that now there are also the new ¼ marathon options for running or walking!
Pilates will restart for Term 2 on Mondays and Tuesdays from 2/3 May. We have both 5.30pm and 6.30pm one hour classes, so please ensure you let us know you are continuing before the end of Term 1 if possible, as we have many previous attendees keen to rejoin in Term 2, so will need to clarify class numbers as soon as possible. Geoff will be taking the first 5 Monday classes (up until Queen’s Birthday break), and then Blair will cover the final 4 weeks of term (4 July being the final week of classes next term), so do join us if you are keen to see what Pilates is all about. The term will cost $150 for the 10 Tuesday weeks and $135 for Monday groups as they miss Queens Birthday. It is great value for a superb all over body workout – we have school children to grandmothers, social runners to elite cyclists, and all benefit from it, so why not give it a try in 2016 and have a good laugh whilst gaining strength and flexibility over winter.
Well that’s all for this edition. During our absence for a few weeks in winter visiting Ben, Blair will be kindly covering all the clinic work for us, which we are very grateful for. We will see how physiotherapy happens in the Northern Hemisphere, and are attending a running injury rehabilitation course in Glasgow just before we return, so Geoff will have even more skills up his sleeve after that I’m sure – keeping aging legs in peak order is always a great challenge!!
See if you can spot Blair and Geoff in action, just a couple of decades ago
(and another one or two well-known Dunedin athletes feature also, so look hard!)
Happy autumn to you all, and keep those hearts busy and fitness levels up to help you stay well over winter.
Best wishes, Geoff, Barbara, Blair and Nicki, Caversham Physiotherapy.www.cavershamphysio.co.nz. 034877323
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