Wow, it's the end of the year already! (It seems like every year flies by faster and faster...) 
It has been a busy year for me, setting up my own practice and getting it running, so I haven't been as good about blogging as I had hoped I would be. (I admit it's kind of a sad effort, really, with only 2 main articles in the past year!) But I'm hoping that next year I'll be able to get into a more frequent and regular schedule, as I have heaps of ideas for blog topics, and even an idea for a vlog (video blog) series! So be sure to check back here (or follow me on Facebook or Twitter) to keep tabs on what's happening at the clinic, as well as for some new informational blog articles. In the meantime, here's a wrap-up on this past year, with a brief look ahead for the new year:

Many thanks to all of my wonderful clients this past year, who have helped make the first year in my own clinic such a fantastic and rewarding experience! This year could not have been a success without you! It is a scary thing to venture out on your own in the world of small business, and I greatly appreciate all of the support and loyalty you have shown me. Additionally, in such a hyper-competitve field such as Massage Therapy, word of mouth is always the best form of advertisement, so I deeply appreciate the confidence you have shown me by recommending me to your co-workers, family members and friends. I hope that everyone has a safe and relaxing holiday season, and I look forward to continuing to ... into the coming year.
  

I will be closing the clinic for two weeks over the Christmas & New Year holiday season. The last day for an appointment this year is Friday, 23 December 2013; the clinic will re-open in the new year, on Monday, 6 January 2014.

In this busy time of the year, it can be easy to become so involved in work, family and friend commitments, that you forget about looking after yourself. And then suddenly your holidays are looming, and you realise that the niggly pain in your back isn't going to go away by itself - but when you try to book a Remedial Massage, there are no appointments available because everyone else has had the same idea! So I just want to gently remind everyone to book your massage now to avoid disappointment in the lead up to Christmas! Next week is already starting to book up, so if you want a particular day or time - book now! Appointments can be requested through this website by clicking on the button at the top of the page, or by ringing my mobile on 0405 792 425.
  

Next year, I will be making a slight change to my business hours, to keep up with current booking trends, as well as to give myself some time to do an end-of-week wrap up on business/clinic matters. My new hours, starting 6 January 2014 will be as follows:

(By Appointment Only)

• Mondays, 9.00am - 7.00pm
  
• Tuesdays, 9.00am - 7.00pm
  
• Wednesdays, 10.00am - 8.00pm
  
• Thursdays, 9.00am - 7.00pm
  
• Fridays, 9.00am - 4.30pm

Due to increasing operational costs, I will also be introducing a slight increase in my fees, however the new fees will not be effective until 1 February 2014. As always, HICAPS will be available for immediate processing of most Health Fund rebates (for now, HCF still does not participate in HICAPS for Remedial Massage, so members will need to manually claim their rebates back from HCF). Please CLICK HERE for more details on the new rates.

As mentioned in the introduction above, I am hoping to write a few more blogs in the coming year (in addition to an exciting - and hopefully very helpful - new YouTube series upon which I am currently working... but more on that later!). I have quite a few ideas for potential blog topics, however I would also like to hear from you as to which topics you would like to see covered in my blog. Is there a particular injury about which you are curious? Or did you really like my "Kunzea ambigua" article, and would like to see more blog articles profiling essential oils? Let me know by sending me a short email with your suggestions or comments!
  

 
Also known as: Runner's Knee; Patella Tracking Syndrome; Patellar Subluxation; ITB Syndrome

Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome (PFPS) is a common pain syndrome that is often experienced by cyclists, runners and people who walk for exercise. PFPS manifests as a minor to severe pain in the front of knee, often experienced as pain originating from the inside aspect of the knee or behind the patella, or kneecap. Sometimes this pain is associated with a "clicking" or "grinding" sound or sensation in the knee, as the knee is straightened or bent. Running, jumping, squatting, twisting or walking down stairs tends to make the pain worse, as does sitting for a long period of time with the knee in a flexed position - for example, at work or at a movie theatre. In severe or prolonged cases, swelling may be noticeable around the patella, and the sufferer may complain that he or she feels as though the knee is going to "give out" entirely.

GOOD NEWS!

HICAPS is finally up and running for the clinic! What this means is that, provided you have the appropriate level of cover and that your Health Fund participates in the HICAPS program for Remedial Massage, you will be able to process your Health Fund Rebate on-the-spot, at the time of payment!


HOW IT WORKS:

Bring your Health Fund Card with you to your appointment. At the end of your consultation, I will swipe your Health Fund card through the HICAPS terminal and - voilà! - HICAPS will determine how much rebate you receive and credit it to your account! You may then use EFTPOS, VISA, MasterCard or cash to pay the remaining gap. It's simple!

Please note that your Health Fund card is required to take advantage of on-the-spot claiming with HICAPS, as the actual card must be swiped through the terminal to confer your rebate. Simply providing me with your specific details - such as your Health Fund account number - is not sufficient, as there is no scope within HICAPS to manually enter in your Health Fund details through the terminal's keypad.


HEALTH FUND REBATES:

Health Fund rebates vary, depending on the individual Health Fund and the specific plan you have with your Health Fund. The average rebate is between $25-40. To receive rebates for my services, you must have cover for Remedial Massage. I am a registered Remedial Massage Provider with nearly every Health Fund, so chances are excellent that, provided you have coverage for Remedial Massage, you will be able to claim a rebate for my services.


A NOTE ON HCF:

Some Health Funds - such as HCF - may participate in HICAPS for services such as dentistry, physiotherapy, etc., but not for Remedial Massage. In these instances, HICAPS on-the-spot claims cannot be made. However, you should still be able to manually claim your rebate from your Health Fund. Upon full payment of your account, you will be emailed a PDF receipt that will allow you to claim any rebate you may have owing from your Health Fund. Many Health Funds allow for online manual claims - check with your Health Fund for more details. For a complete list of Health Funds that participate in the HICAPS program for Remedial Massage, click HERE.