The Role of Nutrition in Physiotherapy
Prevent, Recover, Perform
When you think about physiotherapy, you probably think of exercises, stretches, and manual therapy. But did you know that nutrition plays a vital, often overlooked, role in both preventing injuries and supporting recovery?
It makes perfect sense when you think about it; the food you fuel your body with directly affects tissue health, inflammation levels, and your ability to bounce back from physical stress.
Nutrition for Injury Prevention
Nutrition for Recovery
After an injury, your body’s demand for nutrients increases. Protein helps repair damaged tissue, while carbohydrates replenish energy stores for rehabilitation exercises. Vitamins and minerals (particularly vitamin C, zinc, and iron) support collagen formation, immune function, and oxygen delivery to tissues. Timing matters too: fueling appropriately before and after physiotherapy sessions can enhance performance, reduce soreness, and accelerate healing.Practical Tips, in a protein-rich “nut” shell
- Prioritise a balanced diet with lean proteins, whole grains, fruits, vegetables, and healthy fats like avocados, nuts, seeds, and olive oil.
- Stay hydrated throughout the day, not just during exercise.
- Consider small, protein-rich snacks around rehab sessions to support tissue repair.
- Discuss supplementation with your physiotherapist or dietitian if you have specific deficiencies or higher nutrient needs.
By combining targeted rehabilitation with mindful eating, you can protect your body from injury, recover faster, and get the most out of your physiotherapy program. To speak to one of our physios about how we can help you prevent injury or help you recover, book an appointment at a time that suits you.
New Paediatric Physio Availability
Welcome Olivia!
We’re excited to announce that our paediatric physiotherapy appointment availability has doubled at St Leonards Physiotherapy, with the arrival of our newest team member, Olivia Weedon.
Our paediatric physio team helps babies, children, and adolescents move better, grow stronger, and feel more confident. Using fun, play-based assessments and personalised programs, we support kids with everything from strength, balance, and coordination challenges to post-injury rehabilitation. Parents and carers are closely involved every step of the way, ensuring progress continues outside the clinic too.
Olivia brings a warm, family-centred approach to her practice. Trained in the UK with experience across paediatrics, musculoskeletal, and neurological care, she creates engaging, effective programs that help children build confidence and reach their full potential.
Learn more about Olivia and her approach here.
Appointments are now open! Call 02 9438 1782 or book online today to secure your child’s spot with Olivia.
Term Two Pricing Changes
Term Two Starts April 20th, 2026
A friendly reminder that classes will return to their normal term schedule from April 20th.
If you need to make any changes to your enrolment, please contact us as soon as possible.
From April 20th, 2026, there will also be a price adjustment for the following classes:
- ONERO – $42.50 per class ($850 for the term)
- GLA:D – $42.50 per class ($850 for the term)
- Diabetes BEAT IT – $42.50 per class ($850 for the term)
If you have any questions, please contact our front desk team on (02) 9438 1782 or enquiries@
The Education Quarter
Is Your Gut Making Your Back Sore?
Simple Steps to Try Today
Have you noticed your lower back stiffens after meals? Or that on days when you feel bloated, your pelvis and hips seem tighter too? It is common to treat digestive symptoms and back discomfort as separate problems. In reality, your gut and your movement system constantly influence each other.
How digestive health affects spinal load
Your abdomen plays a central role in both digestion and stability. The diaphragm, your main breathing muscle, works with your deep abdominal muscles, pelvic floor and lower back muscles to regulate pressure inside your trunk. This pressure supports your spine during everyday activities such as bending, lifting and walking.
When your abdomen feels distended or irritated, your body often responds by bracing. This subtle tension can limit diaphragm movement, reduce trunk rotation and increase load through the lumbar spine and pelvis. If you have had abdominal surgery, scar tissue may further restrict tissue glide, contributing to a pulling sensation through the front of your body that affects how you stand and move.
Posture adds another layer. Slumping compresses the abdominal cavity, which may aggravate bloating and slow digestive motility, the coordinated muscular contractions that move food and waste through the gut. In turn, abdominal pressure and tension can make it harder to sit or stand upright comfortably. It becomes a cycle of compression and compensation.
Signs this connection may apply to you
You might notice back stiffness that worsens after meals, pressure across your abdomen when standing tall, difficulty taking a full breath without lifting your chest, or reduced ease when twisting. These patterns suggest your breathing, posture and digestive function may be interacting more than you realise.
Improving gut health is not only about what you eat. Movement matters. Gentle walking after meals can stimulate motility and reduce bloating. Seated trunk rotations and side bends performed slowly and comfortably can encourage abdominal movement and circulation. Diaphragmatic breathing also supports digestive motion by creating a natural internal massage as the diaphragm moves rhythmically with each breath.
Sitting posture can help too. After eating, aim to sit upright with your ribs stacked over your pelvis, feet supported and shoulders relaxed. This position reduces abdominal compression and allows the diaphragm to move more freely, supporting both digestion and spinal alignment.
And obviously, ensure you have a healthy diet and stay hydrated. Work fermented foods (kimchi, kefir, kombucha and k…. sauerkraut) and probiotic heavy yoghurts into your diet. But we’re physiotherapists so the movement side of things is our focus.
What you can do: ease abdominal and back tension
Practise diaphragmatic breathing lying on your back with knees bent, one hand on your chest and one on your abdomen. Breathe in through your nose, allowing your abdomen to rise gently, then exhale slowly and fully. Focus on softening rather than bracing.
You can also use gentle, comfortable circular movements over your abdomen to encourage tissue relaxation. Pair this with light spinal mobility exercises, such as pelvic tilts or controlled rotations, to restore movement without forcing range.
How physiotherapy may help
In the clinic, we’ll assess how you breathe, how your abdominal wall functions and how your spine and pelvis move together. We’ll look at posture, mobility and patterns of tension that may be contributing to ongoing discomfort. Treatment may include careful manual therapy, targeted exercises and coordination with your GP or dietitian when appropriate.
If bloating and back tension tend to appear together for you, it may be time to explore the connection.
You can book an appointment, head to our website or give us a call, and let’s work towards improving both your digestive comfort and your movement confidence.
Psst: While we’ve got you, why not follow us on social media for more fascinating physio facts and health hacks? We’re on Facebook [insert link to clinic Facebook and Instagram.
