Why ‘integrative health’ physio has you covered

January is Integrative Health Month, where the focus falls on a comprehensive approach to health and wellness.

For 31 days participants explore the interrelation of mind, body and spirit and how various treatment methods can be used to optimise an individual’s overall wellbeing.

Within the context of sports physiotherapy, integrative health refers to treating the whole person as opposed to only single parts of the body.

“It recognises that movement quality, recovery capacity, mental wellbeing and lifestyle habits all influence injury risk and rehabilitation outcomes,” explains Ultra Sports Clinic senior physiotherapist Luke Manny.

“Alongside strength, mobility and biomechanics, an integrative approach considers sleep quality, stress levels, nutrition, daily activity patterns and the demands of work, sport, and life.”

Luke adds that education and self-management play a key role in helping patients understand their bodies and take ownership of their health.

Athletes and non-athletes are placing more demands on their bodies than ever before. Athletes manage heavy training loads, competition pressure and travel, while everyday people who are active juggle sedentary work, long hours, family responsibilities and high stress levels.

Luke says although these groups may appear different, they share a common challenge: their physical load frequently exceeds their capacity to recover.

An integrated approach is thus essential because pain and injury are strongly influenced by factors such as fatigue, stress and sleep quality. Treating tissue alone rarely leads to lasting change.

In practice, the biggest barriers to progress are often not a lack of strength or mobility. Poor sleep is one of the most common issues, reducing the body’s ability to heal and increasing pain sensitivity.

Chronic stress can keep the nervous system in a heightened state, making pain feel more intense and movement less efficient. Many people also struggle with inconsistent movement patterns.

“An integrated physiotherapy approach helps identify and address these gaps early,” Luke says.

“By understanding the full context of a person’s life, rehabilitation can be adjusted to match their capacity, rather than adding more load to an already overwhelmed system.

Improving integrative health doesn’t require major lifestyle overhauls. Small changes are often the most effective.

Regular, varied movement throughout the day helps maintain joint health and reduce stiffness, while progressive strength training builds resilience to everyday and sporting demands. Equally important is prioritising sleep routines, scheduling rest days and using simple strategies like walking or breathing exercises to help the body reset.

“Lifestyle habits such as adequate nutrition, hydration and adjusting training intensity during busy or stressful periods further support long-term health,” Luke says.

While traditional physio focuses on the injured area itself, an integrative health approach considers the wider factors influencing how the body moves, adapts and recovers.