Exercise rehabilitation uses structured, progressive movement to help you recover from injury or surgery, manage ongoing pain, and rebuild strength and confidence in your body. At Flinders Health and Wellness Clinic, exercise rehab is built into your osteopathy care, so the program you’re given reflects a full assessment of your presentation rather than a generic exercise sheet.
Our clinic in Flinders sees clientele from Balnarring, Red Hill, Somers, Shoreham, Cape Schanck, Merricks and across the Mornington Peninsula.
What is Exercise Rehabilitation?
Exercise rehabilitation, sometimes called exercise prescription or therapeutic exercise, uses specific, progressively loaded movement to restore function, build strength and reduce the risk of re-injury. It is one of the main tools we use alongside hands-on treatment to help you manage pain and return to the activities that matter to you.
At Flinders Health and Wellness Clinic, exercise rehab is not offered as a stand-alone service you book separately — it is woven into your osteopathy consultations. That means your program is based on the same assessment used for your hands-on treatment, reviewed at each visit, and adjusted as you progress.
Who Can Benefit?
We use exercise rehabilitation across a wide range of presentations, including:
- Post-surgical rehabilitation — knee, shoulder and hip (learn more)
- Chronic or recurring back pain (learn more)
- Sports injury recovery and return-to-sport (learn more)
- Hip and knee pain, including osteoarthritis and joint degeneration (learn more)
- Balance and falls prevention
- Postural and work-related strain (learn more)
- General deconditioning and age-related muscle loss — read more on sarcopenia
What Happens in an Exercise Rehab Session?
1. Assessment
We assess your strength, flexibility, movement patterns and functional goals, alongside your history and any pain or injury we are managing together.
2. Program Design
We design a small number of exercises specific to your presentation, not a generic list. Sessions are consult-room based, and exercises are chosen so you can do them safely at home without needing gym equipment.
3. Written Instructions
You leave with clear written exercise instructions so you can continue your program correctly between appointments.
4. Review and Progression
At each follow-up we check how you are going, talk through anything that felt difficult or uncomfortable, and progress the program as your strength and confidence improve.
Our Approach
We assess your strength, flexibility, movement patterns and functional goals before designing your program, then progress and adjust it at each visit. Our aim is to help you build capacity and confidence in your own body, not just complete a set of exercises.
Delivered By Our Osteopaths
Exercise rehab at Flinders Health and Wellness Clinic is delivered by our osteopaths, Brooke Stevenson and Catalina Avila-Lemos, as part of your consultation. You can read more about their training and approach on our Osteopathy page.
Catalina has additional training in DMA Clinical Pilates and a strong focus on structured, goal-based rehabilitation. She also provides ongoing rehab support for the Flinders community in collaboration with Peninsula Pilates Studio here in Flinders, for clients who may benefit from equipment-based Pilates alongside their osteopathic care.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a referral for exercise rehab?
No referral is required. Exercise rehab is included as part of your osteopathy consultation.
Is exercise rehab a separate appointment?
No — it is built into your osteopathy consultation rather than booked as its own appointment type, most often as part of Standard or Initial consultations focused on rehab and progression.
Will I need gym equipment at home?
Usually not. Our sessions are consult-room based, and programs are designed so you can do them safely at home without specialist equipment.
How is this different to Pilates?
Exercise rehab is condition-specific and built directly from your osteopathic assessment. Some clients also benefit from equipment-based Clinical Pilates alongside their osteopathy care — Catalina can advise whether this may suit you, including through our collaboration with Peninsula Pilates Studio.
Can I claim exercise rehab on private health or Medicare?
As exercise rehab is delivered within your osteopathy consultation, the same fees and rebate options apply as for any osteopathy appointment.
Will I need ongoing appointments?
This depends on your presentation and goals, and we will talk through a realistic plan with you at your assessment.
Ready to Get Started?
Book your consultation online or get in touch and we will find the right time for you.