Stage 4 Guidelines for face-to-face Physio

We have recently received clarification from the DHHS and Australian Physiotherapy Association regarding Physiotherapy services during stage 4 restrictions. 

Physiotherapy remains an essential service. 

However, the DHHS deems face to face care only essential in the following circumstances.

Criteria for essential treatment

  1. The absence of treatment, or a six-week delay in treatment, will cause significant deterioration of the patient’s functional independence

AND

  1. Is likely to cause escalation in care needs (for example, medical treatment/review or admission to hospital or presentation to an emergency department).

If you don’t understand which category of client you are, please don’t hesitate to speak with your treating physiotherapist. 

Treatment options

Face-to-face:

Essential treatment required for the reasons outlined above and the patient’s condition cannot be treated via Telehealth

Telehealth:

If the patient’s condition can be addressed by Telehealth

No treatment - Non-essential treatment can be deferred for 6 weeks or addressed by a Telehealth consult.

If you are unsure what category your injury falls under, please contact us on 1300292894 or via the website. 


If your condition deteriorates and you need treatment, please call our reception team. We are able to see you in our rooms if physio treatment is required. 


Is Telehealth an option for me? 

Telehealth is an effective treatment option for many conditions. Please check out our Telehealth FAQ page on our website or call the clinic on 1300 292 894 to discuss this option with one of our physios.

Get in touch to discuss your treatment

Please get in touch with your Physio team at JBA Physio if you have questions about your treatment. Or if your condition deteriorates and you need some treatment.

Fill in the email us or call the clinic on 1300292894 during business hours. 

We're back in Stage 3 Lockdown again and we're open. What that means for you.

We’re open.

As physiotherapy is an essential service, JBA Physio will remain open during the Stage 3 Lockdown coming into effect tomorrow. 

Changes to protocol in the clinic

We will be making some changes to the protocol within the clinic. These are:

  • [New] We require patients to wear a mask in the waiting room and in the treatment rooms. Please follow directions from your physio.

  • [New] We would appreciate people to bring their own masks. 

  • [New] If you have not yet purchased a mask, we will have spare surgical masks.

  • [New] Our physios will be wearing masks when treating patients.

  • [Updated] We require all patients to wash their hands when they arrive and leave the clinic (or use hand sanitiser).

  • [Updated] We require clients to bring their own towel to both classes and physio appointments.

  • If you are unwell, please cancel your appointment. We cannot treat patients who have any Covid-19 symptoms.

  • If you have been exposed to people who have tested positive to Covid-19, you will need to get tested. You will need to receive a negative test result before we can see you for treatment. 

We will also be reducing the size of classes to a maximum of 2 people with social distancing while in Stage 3 restrictions. Hands-on physio services remain the same. 

Why are we making these changes? 

  • Victorian DHHS has changed its advice on mask use in a clinical setting. If social distancing cannot be achieved, mask use is recommended. 

  • Hospitals, GPs and Allied Health clinics are changing their protocol to adhere to this new DHHS advice.

  • We want to keep both our patients and staff safe and healthy. 

Please do not hesitate to call us at the clinic on 1300292894 to discuss your individual needs. We look forward to looking after you during this difficult time. 

5 ways to avoid back pain working from home: The COVID-19 edition

I bet you're sick of hearing all the time these days that we’re living in unprecedented times. It seems like it's on repeat. But, those newsreaders aren’t wrong! 

We are living in unprecedented times, and now we're working from home, we often need to be creative with our work setups. 

Sometimes we have no option but to set up our kitchen table for a 2-hour Zoom meeting with the boss. And, often we're working long hours without a defined workday structure. These changes to our work life can impact how our body feels. 

Our physio Josh Plail has put together some simple tips for not hurting ourselves in the times of COVID-19.

1. Have a good chair

Ensure your chair has a good back support and even better with a pillow or lumbar roll. This can help with the posture of your spine and help eliminate slouching or getting into bad postures. 

2. Make sure your screen is at eye level

To prevent excess load on your neck which can cause pain, ensure your monitor is at eye level by stacking books, paper or anything you can get your hands on. 

Source: Vision Council

3. Don't work on the couch

couch-working

Despite the couch being an extremely comfy place to watch TV, it isn’t best to work on the couch as it encourages poor spinal, neck and hip posture which can cause painful load on our bodies. 


4. Go for a walk

30 minutes a day of light walking or other cardiovascular exercise is a fantastic way to break up the day and also give your body a break from the desk. 

Walking Dog

5. Have a home exercise program

Now we are all working from home, the kitchen table is often not the right height or set up and is placing a load on our backs and necks. 

Completing regular stretching exercises in combination with some strengthening exercises can often help those aches and pains. 

At JBA Physio, we can help build a tailored programme to help with your aches and pains. Book online or call the clinic for more information.

Updates on COVID-19

As you are well aware, we are now in the midst of an international Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. 

We are writing to inform you of the precautions that JBA Physio is taking to ensure the safety and wellbeing of clients and staff alike. And to let you know about how we are ensuring that we can continue our services in the event of a community lockdown.

Teleheath Services

During the COVID-19 pandemic, we are offering three different types of services: hands-on physiotherapy treatment, 1:1 exercise/clinical pilates physio and TeleHealth physio services.

Over the past 10 years, the clinic has been on the cutting edge in adopting new technology which primes us as a clinic to adopt TeleHealth services at the highest level. We use secure,  easy to use and fit for purpose TeleHeath technology to deliver TeleHealth Physio into your home.

Jane Banting, our director, has been refining her TeleHealth physiotherapy skills over the past ten years through her work as an independent medical examiner with Worksafe Victoria. 

Our physiotherapists’ ongoing professional development includes the latest evidence-based literature regarding best practice treatment, and also additional skills in health coaching. This ongoing professional development includes workshops on using digital tools that are utilised in our TeleHealth services. 

During the COVID-19 pandemic, rebates for TeleHealth services are provided by some Private Health Insurers, Medicare, WorkSafe, DVA and the TAC are finalising TeleHealth rebates for Physio.

When you attend the clinic

What if I have symptoms of COVID-19? Or have travelled overseas in the past 14 days?

Firstly, if you are exhibiting flu-like or fever symptoms, or have been overseas in the past 14 days or have been in contact with a confirmed COVID-19 case, you must cancel your appointment.

We will not charge a cancellation fee for anyone who is unwell. If you are tested and do not have the Coronavirus infection, but still have flu-like symptoms, we do ask you to stay at home until you are well to prevent the spread of other viruses such as the flu. 

Information on what to do when you have symptoms of COVID-19 can be found at https://www.health.gov.au/health-topics/novel-coronavirus-2019-ncov

What is JBA Physio doing to ensure my safety?

When you do visit the clinic, we ask you to use the hand sanitiser at the reception desk upon arrival. 

Here are the precautions JBA Physio are taking to ensure we remain virus-free:

  • Encouraging patients to wash their hands on arrival to the clinic and providing hand sanitiser for all clients

  • Following hand washing protocol as staff

  • Disinfecting treatment rooms

  • Disinfecting Pilates studio. Wiping all equipment down with disinfecting wipes

  • Using protective head pads for pillows. Changing linen after sessions

  • Providing paper towel hand drying stations in the bathroom and kitchenette

  • Protocol for staff quarantine in the event they get sick

Although there is not a Covid-19 vaccine available at this point, we highly encourage all our clients to get the flu vaccine if they are not immuno-compromised. 

Notes on Pilates classes

In this unusual time, we ask Pilates clients to adopt the following hygiene practices when attending classes:

  • Wash hands thoroughly with soap and water on arrival at the studio

  • Please bring your own bath size towel to all Pilates sessions

  • Assist staff in wiping down equipment throughout your session with the provided disinfectant spray. 

Keep calm and carry on

While the Coronavirus is serious, it is important that we are vigilant but calm in our response. We take all of our clients and staff health very seriously but we still want to be able to provide our valuable services addressing the musculoskeletal health and pain management of our clients. With your cooperation, we can continue to provide these services as well as do our part for the community in preventing the spread of Coronavirus (COVID-19). 

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact the clinic and discuss them with our reception team. 

Holiday massage specials available now

It’s coming close to the end of the year and although life gets busy, we still need time to look after ourselves, to destress, unwind and feel good in our bodies.

That’s why we have put together some special discount massage bundles, as well as gift vouchers that can be given to friends and family this holiday season.

These are:

5 x 60-minute massage bundle - $440 (valued at $480)

5 x 45-minute massage bundle - $375 (valued at $415)

60-minute massage gift voucher (limited to one voucher per client) - $80 (valued at $96)

45-minute initial massage gift voucher (limited to one voucher per client) - $70 (valued at $83)

** Vouchers and bundles can be purchased in the clinic or over the phone.

Our remedial massage therapist Dmitry Miller has also added another session during the week. His hours are:

Tuesday 2pm - 5pm

Wednesday 12pm to 7pm

Saturday 8am to 12pm

Finally, just a reminder that your private health insurance rebates for physio and massage will refresh at the end of this calendar year. It’s a perfect time to use them up on a massage before 31 Dec and then have a fresh allocation for the new year.

To make an appointment, please call our reception staff on 1300292894