How To Find A Good Physiotherapist Or Allied Health Practitioner

Caitlyn Davey • July 8, 2025

The field of allied health is a contentious one – there are excellent practitioners from physios to chiropractors but as with any industry, there are some to look out for.  From physiotherapists to exercise physiologists, chiropractors and osteopaths, there are different opinions about what people need and it’s about finding the right practitioner for your needs.  But there are a few things to be wary of.   Rebuild Health and Fitness’s in-house physiotherapist, Louis Savill touches on some ways to identify a practitioner to suit your needs.  We’ve spoken about what to do when you’re injured and when to use a chiropractor v osteopath v physio. (NB: They all are fairly similar in terms of treating you).  Citing an article featured in the Sydney Morning Herald, written by another fellow physiotherapist, Louis says the piece was disappointing and outright incorrect. “The article was about the big three gym lifts, so the deadlift, the squat, and the bench-press.  From a technical proficiency perspective, he clearly didn’t understand powerlifting, and it was just full of bad advice, talking about how risky these things were in a way that just isn’t true. He spoke about the deadlift being potentially the most injurious thing in the gym. I mean, if you look at the research into injury risk in weightlifting- we’re talking about powerlifting and Olympic lifting, it has a significantly lower injury rate than running and most sports,” explains Louis.  “This bloke has a background in AFL - it’s a collision sport where people are flying around, taking each other out left and right and centre. They’ve got a high ACL injury rate, a high hamstring injury rate. I guarantee you he’s not telling people off of playing AFL, but this bias and perception come way like that’s not safe, it’s just not right.  “Ultimately that may be true for you at a point in time if you’ve got a big issue, right? If you’ve got a broken arm or ankle, you probably shouldn’t be doing a sport that could be harmful again, it probably is dangerous for you but at the end of the day, that physio should be able to take you from there back to performing the thing that you want with potentially some modifications depending on the person. So, I’d say a big red flag is if they are just dismissing you based on your activity immediately.  “They’re showing they don’t understand it and they can’t help you get back to it,” says Louis. What about testimonials? Testimonials are a great way for businesses to gather more support and clients. This is mainly because it adds a level of trust among potential clients and builds a certain amount of reputation for the business/professional.  However, it’s worth discussing whether testimonials are even fair or trustworthy when it comes to the medical profession – given the differences in diagnoses, treatments and the severity of the issue. Louis understands why certain guidelines have been put in place as they may end up misleading the public. “I understand why they’re in place to an extent because certainly using testimonials can be very misleading when they’re giving an overly optimistic impression of how effective your treatment was. Obviously, I’m under no illusion, I can’t help everyone or solve any problem. Alright? And I think that selectively using these positive testimonials can be misleading. But, when it’s just simply talking about something like, ‘I had this good outcome and this guy really knows and understands this activity,’ I don’t really see anything wrong with that. People can leave us Google reviews, but we can’t then, as physios, grab that and use it on our website.  “As for finding someone who works for you, I guess you just want to search for somebody who understands your activity, who has shown experience working in your activity. I think that’s the thing with physios - we have a general broad education and over time, depending on their experience and work, you find a bit of a focus and that becomes your niche.  “I’d say that probably where I’ve niched myself a bit is helping Rebuild members and community - and with my work here over the last four years, I’ve gotten fairly good at dealing with that population and understanding their needs, and helping progress them back to what they want to do,” he says. So what should you look for? Speak to a practitioner about your needs, and they will advise how they can help you. Ensure you give them a clear picture of your activity and needs, and listen to them and how they can help. Ensure you’re comfortable with the course of action and them as a practitioner. It’s always okay to get a second opinion.

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Why Strength Training Might Be the Missing Piece in Your Health Routine

February 16, 2026
If you live in Wynnum or Capalaba, you’re not short of fitness options. There are 24-hour gyms. Bootcamps. HIIT studios. Yoga classes. Running clubs along the waterfront. But despite more access than ever, many people still feel stuck. Tired. Plateaued. Unsure whether what they’re doing is actually working. For many adults across Brisbane’s bayside suburbs, the missing piece isn’t more cardio or more intensity. It’s structured strength training. What Strength Training Actually Does (Beyond “Toning”) Strength training isn’t just about lifting heavy weights or looking muscular. It is one of the most well-supported interventions in exercise science for improving: • Lean muscle mass • Bone density • Insulin sensitivity • Resting metabolic rate • Functional capacity • Injury resilience When you lift weights progressively, your body adapts. Muscle fibres increase in size. Neural drive improves. Connective tissue strengthens. Bone responds to load. This isn’t aesthetic. It’s physiological. For adults in their 30s, 40s and 50s — especially busy professionals and parents — maintaining and building muscle becomes increasingly important. From around age 30 onwards, we gradually lose muscle mass if we don’t train against resistance. Strength training slows — and can even reverse — that decline. Why Many People Plateau in Traditional Gyms Joining a gym in Wynnum or Capalaba is easy. Progress is harder. Many people follow random workouts. They jump between machines. They try classes without a long-term plan. They train hard, but without structure. The body adapts quickly to repeated stimulus. If load, volume or intensity don’t increase over time, adaptation stalls. This principle is called progressive overload — and it is fundamental to strength development. Without it, workouts feel hard but don’t necessarily lead to measurable progress. That’s why tracking lifts, planning training blocks, and adjusting volume matter. Effort is important. Structure is essential. Strength vs “Burning Calories” A common goal across the Wynnum and Capalaba community is fat loss. Many people default to high-intensity cardio to “burn more calories”. While cardiovascular training improves heart health and work capacity, resistance training changes body composition in a different way. Muscle tissue is metabolically active. The more lean mass you maintain, the more energy your body requires at rest. Strength training also improves glucose regulation and insulin sensitivity, which influences how your body uses carbohydrates. In simple terms: Cardio burns calories during the session. Strength training improves how your body uses energy long term. The most effective approach often combines both — but strength should not be overlooked. The Importance of Coaching in Strength Training Not all training environments are equal. There is a difference between access to equipment and access to coaching. Research in motor learning consistently shows that technique improves faster and more safely when feedback is specific and timely. Good coaching reduces injury risk, improves force production and builds confidence under load. For beginners, this means learning correct movement patterns. For experienced lifters, this means refining efficiency and progressing safely. In both Wynnum and Capalaba, more people are moving away from “do it yourself” gym models and towards coached environments that prioritise progression and accountability. Because consistency — not intensity — predicts long-term success. Strength Training for Real Life The real benefit of strength training isn’t what happens in the gym. It’s what happens outside it. Carrying children. Lifting groceries. Walking the stairs without fatigue. Reducing back pain. Improving posture after long desk hours. Strength improves quality of life. For people living and working in Brisbane’s bayside suburbs — balancing work, school runs and community commitments — training needs to support life, not compete with it. Two to four well-programmed sessions per week is enough to create significant improvements in strength and body composition when done consistently. You do not need to train every day. You need to train intelligently. What To Look For in a Strength Training Gym in Wynnum or Capalaba If you’re considering starting strength training locally, look for: • Structured programming rather than random workouts • Progressive overload built into sessions • Coaches who adjust for injury, mobility and experience • A community that supports consistency • A clear pathway for beginners Strength training should feel challenging — but sustainable. It should build confidence, not intimidation. A Quiet Shift in Fitness Across Wynnum and Capalaba, there is a noticeable shift. People are moving away from extreme short-term “transformations” and towards long-term strength development. They want: Energy that lasts. Bodies that feel capable. Training that fits into real life. Strength training isn’t a trend. It is one of the most researched, effective and sustainable forms of exercise available. If you’ve tried everything else and still feel stuck, it might not be motivation you’re missing. It might be structure. And structure changes everything.

Join Rebuild Capalaba's Free Week Feb 2-8

January 19, 2026
If you’ve been thinking about getting back into training — or starting properly — this is your chance. From February 2–8 , you can train free for a full week at Rebuild Capalaba with unlimited access to our group sessions. No pressure. No judgement. No gimmicks. Just well-coached training, intelligent programming, and a community built around progress — not perfection. What Free Week Includes • Unlimited group training for 7 days • Coaching-led strength, conditioning, and cardio sessions • Scaled options to suit all experience levels • A supportive, ego-free training environment Whether you’re returning after a break, testing something new, or simply curious about what training should feel like — Free Week lets you experience it properly, without committing upfront. Free Week runs Feb 2–8. Spots are limited. Book your week and see how it fits into your life.

Join Rebuild Wynnum's Taster Day

November 24, 2025
Try a Session. Meet the Coaches. See What You’re Capable Of If you’ve been thinking about starting, restarting, or finding a gym that actually supports you — Taster Day is your opportunity. This is a free, one-day event designed for real people. No pressure. No expectations. Just great coaching, a welcoming community, and a chance to see whether Rebuild is the right fit for you. December 6, 7:30am at Rebuild Health and Fitness - 10 North Road Wynnum West. This session is FREE for people to join.
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