August 4, 2022
Shop stories: Explore Appy Movement in Elsternwick Village
If you’re seeking an osteopathic clinic that combines clinical treatment, tailored group exercise and community at its heart, look no further than Appy Movement.
The boutique clinic, located in the heart of Elsternwick Village, offers a range of treatments and modalities including osteopathy, myotherapy and Pilates.
With a focus on body alignment, function and performance, the clinic provides a range of treatments including soft tissue massage, mobilisation, manipulation and stretching, with the goal to enhance your body’s function to help you achieve your optimal state of health and wellbeing.
Owner Lauren Wilson, who is the clinic’s principal osteopath and Pilates instructor, said her mission was to create a space for the local community to move and feel “Appier”.
“Through our holistic approach to treatment, we focus on how the body works as a unit and how that governs the body function. We can help guide you to your optimal health and wellbeing state, whether that be guiding you with a strength and conditioning program, doing reformer Pilates or working on stress management,” she said.
The clinic opened in April 2021, and there’s a story behind the name Appy Movement.
“Appy Movement is a play on words – we bring the ‘H’, your health, to make you ‘Happy’. We’ve got an elephant in our logo as well, which symbolises everything that elephants are: empathetic, strong, caring and family-orientated. I’m wanting to create a space for the community to come in and feel welcome and be cared for,” she said.
A clinical approach
When it comes to osteopathic treatments, Appy Movement treats a range of pain and injury-related issues.
Commonly, treatments are available for lower back pain, disc injuries, sciatica, neck pain, headaches, trapped nerves, whiplash, postural and computer related problems, sports injuries, as well as pregnancy-related matters such as structure, pelvic and lower back.
Those with arthritis, osteoarthritis, stiffness in joints, and muscle weakness can also seek treatment at the clinic.
Additionally, there are treatment options for tendonitis, bursitis, shoulder pain, frozen shoulder, knee and hip joint pain, ankle and wrist pain, golfer’s and tennis elbow, and Carpel Tunnel Syndrome.
“The osteo approach to treatment is more holistic – it’s treating the whole body, not just the symptoms. That’s always my approach; trying to get the body moving in the right way,” Ms Wilson said.
Pilates the Appy way
“When it comes to Pilates, we work with the individual and not just a program,” Ms Wilson said.
At Appy Movement, the osteopathic principles of structure align with increasing body mobility and getting into shape via Pilates.
The clinic has a Pilates studio upstairs with six reformer machines which Ms Wilson said was ideal for creating tailored classes that are small and allow for plenty of one-on-one time with patients.
Clinical Pilates, which focuses more on clinical rehabilitation, is also available as a transition from osteopathic treatment and into more strength-based movements, or for those who have never done Pilates before and would like a more hands-on approach before moving into group classes.
“We wanted a space where we could have both osteo treatment rooms and do Pilates, to work on fitness and to help with rehabilitation,” Ms Wilson said.
It is common for many clients to transition from having osteopathic treatment into Pilates classes, but the clinic also regularly welcomes people who simply want to engage in Pilates to improve their movement, strength, and fitness.
Currently, the clinic runs about four to five group Pilates classes per day which are open to anyone, and bookings can be made via Mindbody.
Empowering people to take charge of their health
For Ms Wilson, the mission of Appy Movement is not only to treat patients and relive them of pain, but to also empower them when it comes to their health.
“It’s about trying to get people to come into a space and feel like they’re taking control of their health. I want to set up those pillars of being more holistic rather than it being a band-aid treatment to help your pain but then you’re back in two weeks presenting the same issue,” she said.
“It’s about looking at the whole body and seeing what’s going on, doing some treatment, but then getting the person moving so they can get back to doing what they want to do. That could be sitting at a desk pain-free every day or going skiing this weekend, so it’s about working out the goals.”
Appy Movement is also about creating a one-stop solution for the community to get a range of services under the one roof, and Ms Wilson certainly has ambitions to expand the clinic’s service offering into the future.
As the clinic is boutique, patients can be assured that they will receive a personalised treatment experience that is very hands-on and allows for more one-on-one time.
Ms Wilson said it was important to her to be able to offer a personalised, high-quality service.
“Smaller group sizes can be more approachable and allow people to feel more comfortable. Also, the client gets more out of it at the end of the day because they’ve received the best possible attention and outcome,” Ms Wilson said.
The other point of difference is that Appy Movement offers a space that is warm and welcoming.
“A lot of clinics are quite stale and sterile. I wanted to create a space where you can come in and it feels a bit like a spa but you’re still getting a clinical approach to your treatment,” Ms Wilson said.
“It’s a calm and welcoming environment.”
