What are the opening hours?

Monday 9am - 7pm Wednesday 9am - 3:30pm Thursday 9am - 7pm Friday 9am - 7pm Saturday 8am - 12pm

https://www.healthandsportscentre.com.au/

Essendon Health & Sports Centre, Essendon (2026)

11/11/2026

CHIROPRACTOR, GP OR SPECIALIST? WHO SHOULD YOU SEE FOR BACK PAIN?

Your back hurts. You want to do something about it. But where should you start?

It's a question we hear regularly.

Should you see your chiropractor? Book with your GP? Visit a physiotherapist? Or is it time to see a specialist?

The answer depends on what's happening.

Here's a simple guide:

🩺 GP: A good starting point for general medical concerns, investigations, medication advice and referrals.

👐 Chiropractor: May be appropriate for many common musculoskeletal problems involving the spine, joints and surrounding muscles.

🏃 Physiotherapist: Often helps with rehabilitation, exercise and restoring movement and strength.

👨‍⚕️ Specialist: May be needed when symptoms or investigation findings require more advanced medical assessment.

And sometimes, the best approach involves more than one healthcare professional.

One important point: New bladder or bowel problems, numbness around the saddle area or significant or rapidly worsening weakness require urgent medical attention.

We've written a new article to help take the confusion out of choosing the right healthcare professional.

👉 Read: “When Should I See a Chiropractor, GP or Specialist?”

Remember, you don't need to work out the diagnosis yourself. Getting the right assessment is the first step.

If you're unsure where to start with your back or neck pain, we're happy to help you understand your options.

01/11/2026

CAN I EXERCISE WHEN I HAVE BACK PAIN? 🏃‍♂️

Your back hurts. Should you rest, skip the gym or keep moving?

It's a question we hear often — and understandably so. Nobody wants to turn a sore back into a bigger problem!

The good news is that, for many people, exercise with back pain is possible and can be part of recovery.

However, that doesn't mean you should push through every painful movement.

✅ Try shorter walks or gentler activities.

✅ Reduce weights, intensity or repetitions if necessary.

✅ Build up gradually as your symptoms and confidence improve.

✅ Pay attention to how you feel during exercise and afterwards.

And remember, pain doesn't automatically mean you've caused more damage. Nevertheless, severe or worsening symptoms deserve appropriate assessment, and certain warning signs require urgent medical attention.

The aim is to find the right balance between staying active and respecting what your body can manage right now.

We've covered this in our latest article, “Can I Exercise When I Have Back Pain?”

You'll discover which activities may help, what you might need to modify, and when it's time to seek professional advice.

👉 Read the full article and find out how to approach exercise when your back hurts.

Is back pain stopping you from doing an activity you enjoy? Tell us in the comments!

25/10/2026

WHY DOES MY BACK PAIN KEEP COMING BACK?

You thought your back pain had finally settled. Then, a few weeks later, it returned.

Sound familiar?

Perhaps it happens after gardening, sitting too long, exercising or simply getting on with everyday life.

It's frustrating — and it's easy to wonder whether your spine is getting worse.

However, recurring back pain doesn't automatically mean you're causing more damage.

There can be several reasons why pain returns, including:

✅ Changes in your activity levels
✅ Reduced strength or fitness
✅ Increased work or physical demands
✅ Poor sleep or ongoing stress
✅ Returning to demanding activities too quickly

The important thing to understand is that feeling better and rebuilding your physical capacity aren't always the same thing.

So, what can you do?

Rather than automatically stopping everything when pain returns, consider what you can comfortably manage, keep moving where appropriate, and gradually rebuild your strength and activity levels.

Of course, recurring pain should be assessed if it's becoming more frequent, progressively worsening or interfering with your daily life.

We've written a new article explaining why back pain can keep returning, what might be contributing, and how you can take a more informed approach to managing it.

👉 Read our latest article: “Why Does My Back Pain Keep Coming Back?”

Don't automatically assume that recurring back pain is something you simply have to live with. Understanding the pattern is a useful place to start.

📍 Northcote Chiropractic Centre and Essendon Health & Sports Centre

When trust and experience matters.

18/10/2026

How Do I Know Which Treatment Is Right for Me?

When your back hurts, it's easy to become overwhelmed by all the different treatment options.

Chiropractic care. Physiotherapy. Exercise. Massage. Medication. Scans. Rest.

So… where do you start?

The answer is that back pain treatment shouldn't be one-size-fits-all.

What is appropriate depends on your symptoms, how they started, your history, your current abilities and what you want to get back to doing.

Sometimes, simple changes to activity and exercise may be enough.

Sometimes, hands-on treatment can help.

Sometimes, a GP or another healthcare professional should be involved.

And sometimes, the best approach is a combination of several things.

Importantly, treatment should also change as you improve. What you need when your pain is severe may be very different from what you need when you're getting back to normal activity.

That's why understanding your problem is often more useful than simply asking, “What's the best treatment?”

We've written a new article explaining how to think about your treatment options, when further assessment may be appropriate, and what to do if your current approach isn't helping.

👉 Read the full article: “How Do I Know Which Treatment Is Right for Me?”

If you're unsure what your back pain needs, an assessment can help you understand what's going on and what your next step might be.

11/10/2026

Should I rest or stay active when my back hurts?

It's a common question.

When movement hurts, it seems logical to stop moving altogether.

However, for most uncomplicated episodes of back pain, staying active with back pain is generally preferable to prolonged bed rest.

That doesn't mean you should ignore your symptoms or “push through” severe pain.

Instead, think modify, don't necessarily stop.

You might:

🚶 Take several short walks instead of one long walk
🪑 Break up long periods of sitting
🏋️ Reduce the weight or intensity of your gym routine
🌿 Temporarily reduce heavy gardening or lifting
🔄 Gradually return to your normal activities as symptoms settle

Why?

Because too much rest can lead to reduced strength, fitness, mobility and confidence. Then, when you finally start moving again, everyday activities can feel even harder.

On the other hand, repeatedly aggravating your symptoms isn't helpful either.

The goal is to find the right level of movement for where your body is now, then gradually build from there.

Our latest article explains:

✔️ How much activity is enough
✔️ Whether walking can help
✔️ What to do when movement hurts
✔️ When exercise should be modified
✔️ When rest can actually be useful
✔️ Warning signs that need professional assessment

👉 Read “Should I Rest or Stay Active When My Back Hurts?”

Your back doesn't necessarily need complete rest.

It may need the right amount of movement, progressively increased.

27/09/2026

**“Is my back pain something serious?”**

It's one of the first questions many people ask when their back suddenly starts hurting.

And understandably so.

The good news is that **serious back pain is uncommon**. Most episodes are related to common problems involving the muscles, joints, discs or other tissues around the spine.

However, some symptoms shouldn't be ignored.

🚩 New loss of bladder or bowel control
🚩 Numbness around the groin or inner thighs
🚩 Significant or rapidly worsening weakness
🚩 Severe symptoms following major trauma
🚩 Back pain accompanied by serious illness or a significant deterioration in your general health

These symptoms need prompt medical assessment.

But what about severe pain on its own?

Interestingly, **pain intensity doesn't always tell us how serious the problem is**. Common musculoskeletal problems can sometimes be extremely painful.

Likewise, recurring back pain doesn't automatically mean your spine is deteriorating.

So rather than assuming the worst, it's important to look at the whole picture.

Our latest article explains the warning signs, when imaging may be appropriate, when to see your GP and what you can do if you're worried about your back.

👉 **Read: “Serious Back Pain: Is My Back Pain Something Serious?”**

Knowledge can make back pain a lot less frightening.

Ponds

27/09/2026

**“Is my back pain something serious?”**

It's one of the first questions many people ask when their back suddenly starts hurting.

And understandably so.

The good news is that **serious back pain is uncommon**. Most episodes are related to common problems involving the muscles, joints, discs or other tissues around the spine.

However, some symptoms shouldn't be ignored.

🚩 New loss of bladder or bowel control
🚩 Numbness around the groin or inner thighs
🚩 Significant or rapidly worsening weakness
🚩 Severe symptoms following major trauma
🚩 Back pain accompanied by serious illness or a significant deterioration in your general health

These symptoms need prompt medical assessment.

But what about severe pain on its own?

Interestingly, **pain intensity doesn't always tell us how serious the problem is**. Common musculoskeletal problems can sometimes be extremely painful.

Likewise, recurring back pain doesn't automatically mean your spine is deteriorating.

So rather than assuming the worst, it's important to look at the whole picture.

Our latest article explains the warning signs, when imaging may be appropriate, when to see your GP and what you can do if you're worried about your back.

👉 **Read: “Serious Back Pain: Is My Back Pain Something Serious?”**

Knowledge can make back pain a lot less frightening.

Ponds

19/09/2026

**Do I need an X-ray or MRI for my back pain? 🤔**

When your back hurts, it's natural to think:

*"Maybe I should get a scan."*

And sometimes, imaging is exactly the right thing to do.

However, an X-ray or MRI isn't automatically necessary for every episode of back pain.

In fact, scans can sometimes show changes such as disc bulges or degeneration that are also found in people who have **no back pain at all**.

So what does that mean?

It means the scan needs to be interpreted alongside your symptoms, history and physical examination — rather than being treated as the whole answer.

Our latest article explains:

🔹 The difference between an X-ray and MRI
🔹 When imaging may be helpful
🔹 What disc changes on an MRI actually mean
🔹 Why severe pain doesn't always mean you need a scan
🔹 The warning signs that should be investigated
🔹 Whether you can exercise without an MRI

The good news? **You don't always need a picture of your spine to understand what's going on.**

If you're unsure about your back pain, getting the right assessment is a much better place to start.

👉 Read the full article: **Do I Need an X-Ray or MRI for My Back Pain?**

13/09/2026

“What have I done to my back?”

If you've ever asked yourself that question after suddenly developing back pain, you're definitely not alone.

Sometimes the cause is obvious.

You lifted something heavy.

You spent the weekend gardening.

You tried a new exercise.

But sometimes...

You have absolutely no idea why your back hurts.

That's because the causes of back pain aren't always straightforward.

Your muscles, joints, discs and nerves can all contribute to back pain. However, your activity levels, strength, sleep, stress, previous injuries and the amount of physical demand you're placing on your body can also influence your symptoms.

And here's something important:

Pain doesn't automatically mean you've damaged your spine.

Likewise, getting older doesn't mean your back is destined to deteriorate.

And an MRI doesn't necessarily provide the simple answer we hope it will.

So what should you do?

✅ Don't immediately assume the worst.

✅ Keep moving appropriately rather than automatically going to bed.

✅ Get assessed if your pain is persistent, recurring or worrying you.

We've just published a new article:

What Is Causing My Back Pain?

We explain some of the most common causes of back pain, including:

• Muscle and soft tissue problems
• Spinal joint irritation
• Disc problems
• Nerve irritation and sciatica
• Posture
• Stress and poor sleep
• Activity levels and physical capacity
• Age-related changes
• Warning signs that need medical attention

The more you understand about your back pain, the easier it becomes to make sensible decisions about what to do next.

👉 Read the full article and learn more about what's causing your back pain.

You don't need to diagnose yourself. You need to understand what's happening and know what to do next.

06/09/2026

“I've hurt my back. Have I damaged something?”

It's one of the first questions many people ask when back pain suddenly appears.

And it's completely understandable.

Back pain can be frightening, particularly when you don't know what's causing it.

Then the questions start:

❓ Should I rest?

❓ Should I keep moving?

❓ Do I need an MRI?

❓ Is exercise safe?

❓ Should I see my GP, physio or chiropractor?

❓ Why does my back pain keep coming back?

Unfortunately, a quick Google search can sometimes create even more fear and confusion.

The good news is that pain doesn't automatically mean you've seriously damaged your spine.

And an MRI isn't automatically the answer either.

For many uncomplicated episodes of back pain, staying appropriately active is often more helpful than prolonged rest. At the same time, certain symptoms do require prompt medical assessment.

So how do you know the difference?

We've written a new article to help you make sense of it all:

👉 Fear and Confusion: Understanding Your Back and Neck Pain

We explain:

• Why back pain can be so confusing
• Whether pain means you've damaged your spine
• When you should rest or keep moving
• When an X-ray or MRI may be appropriate
• Warning signs that shouldn't be ignored
• Why back pain can keep coming back
• How fear of movement can affect recovery
• Who you should consider seeing for help

You don't need to become an expert in spinal anatomy.

You just need to understand what matters, what doesn't, and what to do next.

If you're worried or confused about your back or neck pain, have a read.

Back pain can be confusing. It doesn't have to stay that way.