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Category: Staff Articles
Finding Strength Through Softness
Finding Strength Through Softness
DATE: Thursday 28th July 2015, 7.00pm – 9.00pm
PRESENTER: Jodie Krantz, Physiotherapist, Feldenkrais Practitioner and President of the Australian Feldenkrais Guild (WA Division) Read More
VENUE: Mt Hawthorn Community Centre – Lesser Hall – 197 Scarborough Beach Rd Mt Hawthorn
PARKING: The Lesser Hall is downstairs. There is plenty of free parking available outside.
COST: $35 payable to Heidi Sumner
BOOKINGS AND ENQUIRIES: Please email Heidi Sumner at sumnerheidi@hotmail.com or phone her on 0419 140 389
BRING: 2 large towels and an exercise mat or large blanket
WEAR: Comfortable clothing you can move in, warm socks, dress in layerA Feldenkrais Workshop for Manual Therapists
The Feldenkrais Method, as described in Norman Doidge’s new book “The Brain’s Way of Healing” utilises the brain’s neuroplasticity to help regain more graceful, comfortable and efficient movement. It enhances sensory awareness and results in almost effortless improvement in posture and movement habits, reducing pain and tension.
Physiotherapist and President of the Australian Feldenkrais Guild (WA) Jodie Krantz leads you through an experiential Feldenkrais journey into a new level of bodily awareness, specifically designed to help aromatherapists and massage therapists take better care of their own bodies.
Learn new ways to manage your own pain, tension or posture issues. Discover how to use you body in a more efficient and graceful way. Become aware of habitual patterns that interfere with optimal self-use
Come along and find out how this amazing method works. Discover for yourself how you can reduce strain and effort in your work.
Please dress in layers and wear warm comfortable clothing including socks. Bring 2 large towels and if you have one, an exercise mat or a thick blanket you can lie on.
Agenda for the Evening
7.00pm: Introduction to Feldenkrais and why it’s useful for massage therapists and aromatherapists
7.15pm Awareness Through Movement (ATM) Lesson: The Power of the Pelvis
7.50pm Tea Break / Questions and Sharing from the ATM Lesson
8.00pm ATM Lesson:Â Easy Arms and Hands
8.35pm Questions and Answers from the ATM Lesson
8.40pm Feedback Questionnaire
8.45pm CompletionJodie will be available until 9.00pm to answer any remaining questions.
Come along and give your body some well deserved attention!
View Jodie’s Feldenkrais Videos on YouTube
Introduction to the Feldenkrais Method: ‘New Light on Old Patterns’
Introduction to the Feldenkrais Method: ‘New Light on Old Patterns’
On Tuesday 11th November, Perth Physiotherapist Jodie Krantz from Free2Move in Mt Hawthorn presented a 2 hour workshop to recently graduated Physios at the Australian Physiotherapy Association branch office. Fourteen Perth Physiotherapists, who have graduated within the last 5 years, had the opportunity to experience the Feldenkrais Method first hand from a presenter with over 20 years experience in the field.
Ms Krantz invited participants to engage with questions such as:
- How do we change habits which no longer serve us?
- What about the stubborn, longstanding patterns which seem to defy change?
- Is there a ‘right’ and a ‘wrong’ way to move? or breathe?
- How can the discoveries we make about our own movement patterns enhance our ability to educate our clients?
- What does it mean to re-educate our movement patterns and why is it necessary?
- How can we have more power with less force? greater range with less strain?
The Feldenkrais Method is based on the life work of Dr Moshe Feldenkrais (1904 – 1984). Dr Feldenkrais, an inventor, nuclear physicist and judo expert, understood ‘neuroplasticity’ – the ability of the brain and nervous system to adapt, change and re-wire itself – long before it became a buzzword in popular science. His frequently subtle yet profound and powerful method of movement re-education is useful for anyone seeking to change patterns of pain and tension and replace them with a sense of ease and freedom.
The Feldenkrais Method is popular with Physiotherapists and people seeking to overcome chronic pain or neurological problems as well as athletes, dancers and performing artists, who wish to become more graceful, coordinated, efficient and powerful.
Ms Krantz describes Feldenkrais as a scientific approach to movement re-education, which focuses on improving the human capacity for learning. It involves directing the attention to the body in a relaxed, enjoyable and mindful way, while exploring slow, gentle yet unusual movement sequences. This helps Feldenkrais students become more aware of muscular habits and tension patterns, allowing them to discover new and more efficient patterns of movement. Ultimately Dr Feldenkrais was not just interested in flexible bodies but in flexible minds.
In her work as a Physiotherapist, Ms Krantz finds that the Feldenkrais Method is particularly helpful for people with chronic pain issues such as back pain, headaches, shoulder pain and hip pain.
“Feldenkrais looks at the whole body and how the different body parts work in relation to each other” said Ms Krantz. “Instead of focusing on the pain itself, the focus is on pain-free, comfortable movement. The relaxing and enjoyable movements have a positive effect on physical and mental well being, helping break the vicious cycle of pain, tension and poor posture, which often occurs with chronic pain.”
Ms Krantz has been invited to present another workshop for the Australian Physiotherapy Association on the Feldenkrais Method in 2015 on the topic of Feldenkrais for Chronic Pain. She will also present a Chronic Pain workshop for the Australian Feldenkrais Guild next year.
My Experience of Varicose Veins Surgery
My Experience of Varicose Veins Surgery – by Jodie Krantz
Deciding on a procedure
It was with some hesitation that I finally decided to undergo surgical stripping of the short saphenous vein in my right calf. Although my varicose veins were not severe or painful the faulty and unsightly valves had been growing in size and number over the previous two years. I was also experiencing some swelling in my leg during hot weather and plane flights.
When I first met with my surgeon I was hoping he would suggest injection therapy or laser treatment. These procedures seemed a lot less invasive, however my surgeon explained that injection therapy was far less successful and that patients often had to return for many treatments before a good result was obtained.
Laser therapy was not recommended for this particular vein, because laser treatment involves heat which potentially could damage the common peroneal nerve which lies close to the short saphenous vein.
What my surgeon told me
Surgical stripping, my surgeon explained, was usually a day stay procedure with return to work possible within 1 to 2 weeks.
The surgery would be performed with me lying on my stomach but I would wake up on my back. It would result in a small incision behind the back of my knee where the vein would be tied. I would also have several small incisions in the back of my calf for the removal of each of the faulty valves. The incisions would be closed with dissolving stitches and / or steri strips. Afterwards I could expect some bruising and swelling which would be controlled with bandaging, followed by wearing a surgical stocking continuously for the first 3 days. After this time it was recommended that I wear the stockings during the day for the first 10 to 14 days removing them if required for comfort at night. I was encouraged to massage the leg generally with Hirudoid cream to assist with the resolution of the bruises.
Regular walking would be important the 6 weeks following the surgery in order to re-establish the circulation in my leg. Exercise would help to reduce the swelling and to divert the circulation to alternative veins. My surgeon told me there was a 90 percent chance that the varicose vein would not recur.
CLICK HERE if you are looking for an Exercise Programme following Varicose Vein Surgery
My experience of varicose vein surgery
Due to having neck issues I requested the use of a face hole during the procedure, rather than have my head turned to one side. I awoke after the surgery without any pain. Soon I realised that my leg was very numb and that I couldn’t move my toes or foot upwards or outwards. Some numbness was to be expected, however I had complete sensory and motor loss in the distribution of the common peroneal nerve.
The nursing staff were excellent. They released my bandages thinking that they might be too tight. My surgeon visited me and explained that they had injected a local anaesthetic and that this was the probable cause of my foot drop. It would take about 6 hours to wear off.
In actual fact it took almost 24 hours before I began to regain the ability to move my foot normally, so I had to stay in hospital overnight. I walked with a lopsided limp, somewhat like a stroke patient. I was very anxious and already planning my rehabilitation! However it turned out my surgeon was right and complete movement and sensation came back when the anaesthetic wore off.
The rest of my post operative recovery was without further complication, however the bruising was a lot more severe and painful than I expected. I felt this aspect was down played by my surgeon. In retrospect I would not go through this surgery again unless the veins were really painful.
Beginning my rehabilitation exercises
The only instructions I was given were to walk for at least 30 minutes everyday for the first 6 weeks. Once the local anaesthetic wore off, putting any weight on my leg was very painful despite regular analgesia. I was unsure whether to attempt 30 minutes of walking on the day after the surgery. As a physio I was disappointed that more information was not given about post operative exercises.
It made more sense that the exercise should be progressed gradually over the first week. The problems I encountered included severe bruising with large lumps in the calf where the valves had been, marked tightness of my muscles and fascia and a tendency to walk with a limp. As a result I developed an exercise program to help others in the same situation to recover from varicose vein surgery.
Five years later – very happy with the outcome
It is now five years since I had the varicose vein surgery. There has been no recurrence of the varicose veins and the scars are almost invisible. Overall I’m very happy with the outcome.
Read more about Exercise following Varicose Vein Surgery
Jodie in Borneo February 2014
Jodie in Borneo February 2014
Feldenkrais in the heart of Borneo
I recently had the privilege of travelling with Malaysian friends into the heart of the Borneo jungle to the land of the headhunters.
Our trip took us to Bintulu in Sarawak, then across to Julau and up the ‘Batang Rajang’ river to small villages only accessible via longboat. Our host, Amal, skillfully guided the motorised long-boat up through shallow rapids, under the beautiful and dense canopy of the jungle.
Amal lives with his wife and her sister. Amal is in his late 60s and has lost quite a few teeth. Both women are about 80 years only. He and his family are from a tribe known as the Iban. Prior to arrival of Catholic missionaries in the area, the Iban were headhunters. They speak their own tribal language, will little Malay or English spoken except by the children, who go to primary school via long-boat.
Today they are hunter-gatherers, farming rice and pepper and living off the land, with a diet of rice, wild pig, monkey, frogs, river snails, palm shoots and fern shoots. Amal looks after the Catholic chapel, right next door to his house. A doctor only comes up the river twice a year. The electricity is only on for a few hours a day when the generator is running.
Amal’s sister in law was only known to us as ‘Ibo’, a friendly Iban term for ‘older woman’, because it is forbidden to speak the name of your parents in-law. I did some Feldenkrais with her to see if I could assist with her problem of ‘kicking in her sleep’. I’m guessing this was restless leg syndrome or a sleep disorder.
Amal’s wife, also known to us only as ‘Ibo’ had neck and shoulder pain from carrying things such as sacks of rice up to 50 kg on her head, neck and shoulders.
I gave her 2 Feldenkrais lessons and left her with my contoured memory foam travel pillow!
Word got around about my work and when we visited the long-house on the other side of the river, 2 women presented themselves to me for Feldenkrais. One could barely walk, due to severe knee pain – she could not afford to have a knee replacement. She had grossly swollen legs, foot pain on both sides and lower back pain.
At first she was extremely nervous and jumpy when I touched her, so I used micro-movements and kept my own hands and whole body as soft as possible, looking to her face for any signs that I might be causing any additional pain.
There was not a lot I could do in one session but I chose to show her a relatively pain-less way to roll over from side to side in bed and a simpler and less painful way to get up from the floor.
My second client at the long-house was a woman, approximately 30 years old, with a swollen ankle. It was difficult to ask questions due to the language barrier. I presumed she had sprained it, especially with the slippery river rocks and treacherous stairs down to the river’s edge, but perhaps it was gout. I gave her a Feldenkrais lesson on finding the optimal alignment of ankle, knee and hip and left her with an exercise of trying to balance on one foot with her eyes closed.
I found out that the local people do not have access to eye testing or spectacles. Common medical problems include vitamin deficiencies, intestinal worms, arthritis and tooth decay. They also need education about the harmful effects of smoking and alcohol.
My plan on returning to Australia is to see if I can get Equal Health to take a team of medical volunteers to the area, including doctors, dentists, nurses and physiotherapists. I went with Equal Health to Trichy in Tamil Nadu, India in 2011 as a volunteer physiotherapist.
Jodie in India with Equal Health 2011
Jodie in India with Equal Health 2011
Jodie Krantz traveled as a volunteer physiotherapist to the province of Tamil Nadu in southern India. Here she spent 2 weeks in Tiruchiparelli (Trichy) with a team of doctors, nurses, physios, dentists and opticians, providing much needed health service to extremely poor villagers. The trip was exceptionally well organised by Equal Health, a non-government organisation based in East Perth.
Jodie with local Physiotherapist and translator Yogeshwari AKA Yogi. Yogi was due to be married to another Physio on 16th March. It was an arranged marriage and she’d only met him briefly once. She was very excited and optimistic.
Jodie with Rice Workers near Amur in Tamil Nadu, Southern India.
Helpers and potential patients arrive at the venue for our clinic – a cinema complex in Trichy.
Equal Health ‘Trichy Team’ boys in their costumes for the Bollywood Dance Competition. These Australian team members helped make our journey so much fun. David (Optometrist), Rob (Physio), Blue (Dentist), Bill (Doctor), John (Doctor) and Paul (Team Leader / Optical Dispenser) incognito.
Australian Equal Health girls (Trichy team) dress up for the Bollywood Dance Competition in Chenai, southern India. Girls from back left Kylie, Sally (aka as Salvita because Sally meant “sputum” in Tamil) Lynette, Natarsha, Thien Nien, Gay, Andrea and I. Natarsha ran Yoga classes for us in the mornings.
