HeadFirst Physiotherapy

Oculomotor dysfunction is one of the most common impairments post-concussion, yet it’s often overlooked in rehab. 👀

Visual and vestibular dysfunction can contribute to:
• motion sensitivity
• headaches
• nausea
• dizziness
• poor screen tolerance
• difficulty reading or focusing

In this assessment, I’m working through a comprehensive vestibulo-ocular and visual motion screen including:
🔹 VOR
🔹 Smooth pursuits
🔹 Saccades
🔹 Convergence
🔹 VMS
🔹 Head Thrust test
🔹 Dynamic Visual Acuity testing using a Snellen chart

Rehab then needs to be specific to the deficits identified, progressing visual tracking, vestibular loading, dual tasking, balance and sensorimotor control.

Exercises shown here include:
🏐 Ball toss drills
⬆️ Vertical tracking
🌈 Rainbow hand passes
🦵 Single leg balance challenges

Concussion rehab is far more than just rest targeted rehab can make a huge difference to recovery and return to school/uni/work and sport.

Cervicogenic headaches are headaches referred from the neck.
Including joints, suboccipital muscles, and surrounding soft tissues.

Management may include:
✔️ Assessment of cervical mobility
✔️ Manual therapy & joint mobilisation
✔️ Suboccipital soft tissue release
✔️ Dry needling (where appropriate)
✔️ Deep neck flexor strengthening & movement retraining

Research supports the use of manual therapy and exercise therapy in reducing cervicogenic headaches.

The goal is to reduced pain, improving neck movement, reducing recurrence, and building long-term resilience.

When patients say “don’t be afraid to go harder”

💀

Running Series Part 2: Evidence-Based Exercises for Runners 🏃‍♀️

Strength & plyometric training is key to injury prevention.

These are some of the exercises I regularly use with runners to improve:
✔️ Running economy
✔️ Tendon capacity
✔️ Force production
✔️ Single-leg control
✔️ Injury resilience

Exercises shown:
• Crab walks
• Weighted Step ups
• Power step ups
• Hamstring Bridges
• RDLs - Double/Single leg
• Single leg calf raises
• Plate hops - Double/Single leg

Next in the series: most common running injuries & training e

🏃‍♂️ Running Series: Part 1 — What I Look For In A Running Gait Analysis

🔹 General mechanics — posture, arm swing, vertical oscillation, cadence
🔹 Pelvis — contralateral pelvic drop, pelvic control
🔹 Hips — peak hip flexion & extension, hip adduction, internal rotation
🔹 Knees — alignment, dynamic valgus, loading patterns
🔹 Ankles & feet — foot strike pattern, pronation/supination
🔹 Step width & crossover — excessive midline crossing, overstriding, braking forces

A running assessment isn’t about finding a “perfect” technique 👟
It’s about identifying movement patterns that may influence efficiency, performance & injury risk.

➡️ Next reel: the most common running errors I see & what they can influence

Shoulder rehab from a Sports Physio! Give some of these a try and send to a friend with shoulder pain!

What’s more painful than a sore shoulder? listening to your own voice recording…