Get to know the Physioworks Health Group team – Meet Physiotherapist Amanda Robertson.
Q. You’re a Physiotherapist but you have expertise in Hand Therapy. Can you tell us a little about what that involves?
Hand Therapy as a specialised area of physiotherapy concerned with the upper limb. This ranges from fractures, both conservative and surgically managed, tendon injuries, over-use injuries, arthritis.
I have worked closely with upper limb orthopaedic and plastic surgeons.
I make thermoplastic splints specifically for my patient that allows me to immobilise what needs to be still but move what can be moved.
I have a special interest in fracture management and sporting injuries. I love that even a severe hand fracture can do better with the right splint and rehabilitation than having surgery.
Q. This is your second year as team physio with Berwick Football Club and you’ve also taken on Casey Demons Netball. Do you approach the different sports in different ways? Are there unique challenges for each sport?
This is a great question. Footy and netball are totally different fish to fry! (so to speak)
Firstly the injuries are different. Netball is a lot of stop/start so there are a lot of knees and ankles vs the footy which could be more hip/groin, knees and shoulders. Footballers are often getting more acute soft tissue injuries such as muscular strains and corkies. You have to take into consideration the heavy contact nature of footy- what is just ‘post game soreness’ vs an injury.
Having said that… have you seen some of the pocket rockets at Casey Netball? Those girls aren’t afraid of a bit of contact!
The other big difference would be the importance of load management with regards to the netball. These girls are often playing and training with multiple teams at once and developing over-use injuries. This can be a challenge to manage!
The physio is the same but there is a definite difference in the communication style in managing female vs male athletes. As an example, I know that if one of my footy guys is avoiding me, it’s because he’s sore and he doesn’t want anyone to know, and he really wants to play on the weekend!
Q. You recently took part in the Wings for Life run can you explain what that is for us?
Wings for Life is a fun run for Spinal Cord research. It is run at the same time all around the world. There is no set distance, it’s about running as far as you can until a pacer car catches up to you. In Melbourne it started at 9pm on a Sunday night and you run south bound down the freeway starting from Toorak Road.
My goal was to beat my distance from 2 years ago which was 9.8km. I surprised myself by running 17.75km. My legs were well and truly cooked. Any patients who I saw on the Monday would be able to tell you that I was not moving very well at all.
Q. What motivates you?
The desire to be really good at something and the desire to beat myself.
As a Physiotherapist, it’s the desire to know more and have better skills compared previous year; and eventually become an expert in my field.
In my training; it’s to beat my previous time, be fitter than I was last year and try new fitness challenges; within what a retired old volleyball body will allow.
I’m very goal driven. If I’ve written it down and set it as a goal, I have to do it. I love being able to tick boxes! Sometimes I even write down things I’ve already done to be able to start ticking boxes!
Q. Do you prefer books or movies?
Can’t beat a great book. Unfortunately you have to read a few lemons before finding that one that you just can’t put down!
Q. Favourite food?
Weirdly enough, I’d probably have to say Garlic Bread. I love the Coles brand baguette style. If someone said to me ‘you can never eat garlic bread again’ I’d be pretty devastated.
Q. Favourite holiday destination?
Can I say Europe? Not very specific I know. After living in the UK I just love going back
Q. Are you the best golfer at Physioworks Health Group?
Ha! I just thought about myself golfing and it makes me laugh. I’m far too hot headed and have too much fire in the belly to have the patience for that sport.