We chat with Core Pilates Brisbane’s preferred Musculoskeletal Therapist, Troy Randall (pictured).
As Pilates teachers, our priority is to help you achieve your goals. Helping you overcome obstacles can be the key to success and progression. That’s why at times, your Pilates teacher may recommend you see an additional health professional who can work collaboratively with us to achieve the best outcome for you.
At Core Pilates Brisbane, we are proud to work with a number of health experts including our preferred Musculoskeletal Therapist, Troy Randall. Troy works with the same passion, dedication and commitment as our Pilates instructors and this makes the perfect combination when it comes to overall care for our clients. We call on support from Troy when a client’s movement is restricted, perhaps by overtight muscles, a misaligned joint or even a previous injury that is affecting your strength patterns. These sorts of issues can be frustrating, but more significantly, they can slow down your progression.
So what exactly is a Musculoskeletal Therapist?
A Musculoskeletal Therapist is trained to critically assess and evaluate musculoskeletal conditions. Where a Remedial Massage Therapist can help treat tight muscles, a Musculoskeletal Therapist looks at identifying the cause and contributing factors to an imbalance or area of pain. They are then able to educate clients on how to minimise those issues, increase their postural awareness, provide input on exercise prescription and offer hands-on treatment to provide an effective result. Pairing your Pilates practise with Musculoskeletal Therapy can be of great benefit.
Troy recently sat down to chat with us about his role as a Musculoskeletal Therapist. Here is what he had to say.
What made you decide to become a Musculoskeletal Therapist?
I injured my shoulder playing tennis in my early teens. A number of physiotherapy and chiropractic sessions, as well as a series of MRIs failed to uncover the cause of my pain. In the end, it was an appointment with a Musculoskeletal Therapist that got me back on the courts. I kept seeing the Musculoskeletal Therapist for the next 6-12 months to keep on top of my injury, and in doing so, became fascinated by the form of manual therapy.
I finished school and started a casual job at Officeworks. I was quick to progress through the ranks there and ended up managing a store within a few years, but I really wanted to help others in the way my Musculoskeletal Therapist had helped me. I wanted to help others in the way my I remember that feeling of being so frustrated by an injury and just wanting it to be fixed, and I wanted to make a difference to people in the same boat. That’s why I decided to pursue a career in the same form of healthcare that had offered me so much relief.
How long did you study to become a Musculoskeletal Therapist?
I studied for 4 years – it was countless hours of study and practical work but I graduated with my Bachelor’s degree in Health Science specialising in Musculoskeletal conditions. I’m currently pursuing my Masters of Sports Clinical Chiropractic, all while my client base is growing, so it’s a busy time!
What type of clients do you mostly work with?
I have a particular interest in working with sporting teams and elite athletes. I currently work with the Brisbane Bullets basketball team, Australian Wallabies Rugby Union Team, QLD Reds, QLD Ballet, Rio Olympic Sailors, Men’s World Boxing Organisation (Welterweight division),Women’s World Boxing Federation (featherweight division) and Professional Tennis Players at the Brisbane International in 2017 which was by far the highlight of my career thus far.
We should add here that Troy utilises his personal experience as an elite athlete in the sporting world, to provide biomechanical expertise and perform world class treatments for varied sports including football, running, water polo, tennis and golf. Troy’s particular passion for treating junior tennis players extends from his professional involvement both as a sportsman and coach. Troy provides individualised strengthening programs to further enhance skill set, assess biomechanical dynamics of their game such as technique and equipment as means for advice on prevention of injuries.
I also have a lot of experience in treating postural dysfunctions (forward head posture and rounded shoulders) which is common amongst desk workers. 7yrs of experience at Officeworks where I supported customers in achieving ergonomic office designs has given me a real sense of purpose in developing treatment protocol that involves preventative methods to create a functional workplace.
What do you find the most beneficial working with movement teachers?
Movement teachers at Core Pilates are beneficial due to their knowledge and expertise in regards to designing a specific rehab regime to best optimise your dysfunction. They provide the client an opportunity to properly perform particular exercises while correcting technique and providing greater awareness for the client. Core Pilates spends valuable time training the client where someone like myself may not have the time, thus allowing myself to spend more time hands on so that we can get the most out of a treatment. Therefore, I truly believe that…
Integrative Therapy = Better results with Core Pilates Brisbane!