Samantha Harding Physiotherapist

06/06/2026

🏃‍♀️ “Running is bad for your knees.”

It’s one of the most common myths I hear as a physiotherapist.

With Comrades Marathon just around the corner, I thought I would talk a little about running and your knees- so let’s look at what the research actually says.

In a fascinating study by Horga and colleagues, healthy first-time marathon runners underwent MRI scans of their knees before training and again after completing a marathon.

Before training, many runners already showed MRI findings that would often worry people:

✔️ Meniscal tears
✔️ Cartilage changes
✔️ Bone marrow oedema
✔️ Tendon abnormalities
✔️ Joint effusions

The surprising part?

After months of marathon training and completing the race:

-Meniscal tears had not progressed.
-Several bone marrow oedema changes had actually improved.
-Most runners remained completely symptom-free.

This doesn’t mean running magically “fixes” knees, but it does challenge the belief that running inevitably causes knee damage.

Even more interesting, large studies have shown that recreational runners are less likely to develop knee osteoarthritis than people who don’t run at all.

We also know that a higher BMI is associated with osteoarthritis in joints such as the hands — joints that don’t experience the repetitive loading of running. This suggests that osteoarthritis is about much more than simple “wear and tear” and that factors such as systemic inflammation and metabolic health may play an important role.

The takeaway?

💡 MRI findings do not always equal pain.
💡 Movement is not the enemy.
💡 Healthy joints are designed to be loaded.
💡 For most people, running is not ruining their knees.

As thousands of runners prepare for Comrades, perhaps it’s time we retire the myth that running is inherently bad for your knees.

The human body is remarkably adaptable. In many cases, it’s not movement that damages our joints—it’s the absence of it. 🏃🏃🏃

References:

Horga LM, Henckel J, Fotiadou A, et al. Can marathon running improve knee damage of middle-aged adults? A prospective cohort study. BMJ Open Sport & Exercise Medicine. 2019;5:e000586.

Alentorn-Geli E, Samuelsson K, Musahl V, et al. The Association of Recreational and Competitive Running With Hip and Knee Osteoarthritis: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis. Journal of Orthopaedic & Sports Physical Therapy. 2017;47(6):3

10/05/2026

Today is World Move for Health Day 💚

Movement is one of the most powerful tools we have for our physical and mental wellbeing. It doesn’t always have to mean intense exercise or hours in the gym.

Sometimes movement looks like:
• getting up and walking after a long day at work
• taking the stairs instead of the lift
• stretching stiff joints
• returning to activity after surgery or illness
• going for a short walk despite persistent pain

As Physiotherapists, we see every day how movement improves strength, confidence, independence and quality of life.

Start where you are. Move in a way that feels manageable. Consistency matters more than perfection.

Your body was designed to move 🤍 Movement is medicine.

09/05/2026

As a women’s health physio, I honestly cannot say enough about the importance of strength training for women — at every age, but especially as we get older.

Strength training is so much more than “lifting weights.” It is an investment in your future health, mobility, independence, confidence, and quality of life.

One of the biggest benefits is bone health. As women move into perimenopause and menopause, the risk of osteopenia and osteoporosis increases significantly due to hormonal changes. Factors like smoking, excessive alcohol intake, being underweight, poor nutrition, or a sedentary lifestyle can increase this risk even further. Strength training helps stimulate and maintain healthy bone density, which becomes incredibly important as we age.

Strength training also plays a major role in hormone regulation and metabolic health. This can support women through different stages of life — from fertility and pregnancy preparation to navigating the challenges of perimenopause and menopause.

Another huge benefit is maintaining lean muscle mass. Women naturally have less muscle mass than men, and we gradually lose muscle as we age. This loss accelerates during menopause. Maintaining muscle isn’t about aesthetics — it affects balance, joint support, posture, energy levels, metabolism, and even our ability to do everyday activities independently.

Working as a physio, I see firsthand what a difference this makes later in life.

I see 80-year-olds who have remained active and strong — who can still move well, get on and off the floor, walk confidently, carry groceries, travel, garden, and maintain independence.

And I also see much younger people who have lived very sedentary lifestyles struggling with severe muscle wasting, poor balance, reduced mobility, chronic pain, and difficulty with simple tasks like standing up from a chair without using their hands.

Strength training is one of the best long-term investments you can make in yourself.

Other benefits include:
• Improved posture
• Better balance and coordination
• Reduced injury risk
• Better joint support
• Less pain
• Improved insulin sensitivity and metabolic health
• Reduced risk of falls later in life
• Improved mood, stress management, and mental health through endorphin release
• Better sleep and energy levels
• Improved confidence and body awareness

And no — lifting weights will NOT suddenly make you look like a bodybuilder.

This is one of the biggest misconceptions women still have around strength training. Building significant muscle mass takes years of very specific training, nutrition, genetics, and usually much higher testosterone levels than women naturally have. Most women who strength train simply become stronger, healthier, more toned, more capable, and more resilient.

Strong does not equal bulky.

It also improves posture — and posture alone can dramatically affect how youthful, confident, and energetic someone appears.

If you’re wanting to get started locally, a few places I’ve personally been to or heard consistently good feedback about include:
• The Studio - Empangeni with Lyn van den Heuvel
• The Cage Fitness Centre with Cam Maulu
• Elite Fitness with Frans
• Reformer Pilates with Nikki Scherzer
• Pilates with Elinor Kgati

Please comment below with:
✨ A local exercise space you love
✨ Your own strength training journey
✨ Or the difference movement and exercise has made in your life

You never regret getting stronger.

07/05/2026

Pain doesn’t always mean “stop.”
But it also doesn’t mean “ignore it and push harder.”

In practice, I often see people fall into one of two patterns when pain starts:

🏃Fear avoidance
“I don’t want to damage myself more, so I stop exercising completely.”

OR

🏃Boom-bust
“I’ll just push through it,” and then they flare badly afterwards.

Both of these patterns usually lead to the same problem: deconditioning.

That means over time the body becomes:

* weaker
* stiffer
* less tolerant to load
* more sensitive to smaller amounts of activity

And then people start feeling pain with less and less input.

For example:

You’re a runner with back pain.
Running hurts, so you stop running. Then you stop bending because you’re scared to aggravate it.

At first the pain settles… but months later:

* running still hurts
* walking starts hurting
* standing for long periods hurts
* your back feels “worse”

Sometimes the condition hasn’t dramatically worsened structurally — your body has just lost capacity because it hasn’t been loading.

On the other side:

You keep running through 7/10 pain.
You finish the half marathon anyway. Then you spend days flared up, unable to walk comfortably or train for weeks afterwards.

That’s also deconditioning.

What we actually want is the middle ground:
✅ keep moving
✅ keep loading the body
✅ modify when needed
✅ build capacity gradually

Because long-term, strong and mobile bodies cope better with life and with pain.

Persistent pain often improves not from avoiding movement forever, but from:

* progressive strength
* mobility
* graded exposure
* consistency over time

Healing and rebuilding capacity is usually not quick. You don’t get stronger in a week. But the body adapts when it’s loaded appropriately.

This pain scale is a general guide to help people understand:
🟢 when it’s okay to continue
🟡 when to modify
🔴 when to back off and reassess

And if you’re struggling to know what is safe for your body, this is where a proper assessment and guided rehab plan can help.

Pain is not always a sign of damage.
Sometimes it’s a sign that your body currently has less capacity than the task you’re asking of it — and capacity can be rebuilt.

26/04/2026

🛏️ Community Bedding Drive

We’re sharing this wonderful initiative supporting iKhaya LikaBaba Children’s Home, helping provide warm, comfortable bedding for children in need.

If you feel able to help, you can:
🛏️ Donate new bedding or a mattress
💳 Make a financial contribution towards purchasing bedding
📢 Or simply share this post to spread the word

🔗 Donate here:
https://www.givengain.com/project/danielle-raising-funds-for-ikhaya-likababa-childrens-home-123525

For bedding donations:
📞 Danielle — 082 723 1581
📞 Loressa — 065 804 9385

Every contribution, big or small, helps make a difference

14/04/2026

Back or neck pain holding you back?

We now offer the WorkAbility Back & Neck Program — designed to help you recover safely and return to work and daily life with confidence.

You may be a candidate if you:
✔️ Have ongoing back or neck pain
✔️ Feel limited in daily activities
✔️ Want structured rehab support

Not sure if you qualify? Contact us to find out.

📍 Addison Medical Centre, Empangeni
📞 0357721044

07/04/2026

🌍 World Health Day | 7 April

On World Health Day, we are reminded that true health extends beyond the absence of illness — it is about quality of life, functional independence, and the ability to move with confidence and ease.

At Samantha Harding Physiotherapists, we approach health with a holistic, patient-centred focus. Whether you are recovering from surgery, managing a chronic condition, or addressing pain and movement dysfunction, our goal is to support sustainable recovery and long-term wellbeing through evidence-based care.

Physiotherapy plays a vital role in:
▫️ Restoring movement and function
▫️ Reducing pain and inflammation
▫️ Improving strength, stability, and balance
▫️ Preventing injury and long-term complications
▫️ Supporting cardiopulmonary health and rehabilitation

As healthcare professionals, we also recognise the importance of early intervention, continuity of care, and patient education in achieving optimal outcomes.

We are proud to be affiliated with a range of rehabilitation and healthcare programmes designed to support your recovery journey. Speak to our team to find out how these programmes can be tailored to meet your individual needs and maximise your outcomes.

Today serves as an important reminder to prioritise your health — not only in times of injury or illness, but as an ongoing investment in your overall wellbeing.

🌟 Your health is your greatest asset — we are here to help you protect it.🌟

17/03/2026

Meet Dr. Suné Liebetrau! 🩺

In 2022, Dr. Liebetrau relocated to Richards Bay, Zululand, where she worked full-time at the Africa Health Research Institute Clinical Trials unit in Somkhele. Here she was involved in clinical trials focusing on the prevention and treatment of HIV and TB. She was part of the team that worked on the now world-famous PURPOSE-1 trial, which demonstrated the effectiveness of Lenacapavir, a 6-monthly injectable antiretroviral medication, in preventing HIV infection in HIV-negative women. She also completed her Diploma in Public Health from the University of Pretoria in 2025, gaining valuable knowledge about public health research and policy.

Dr. Liebetrau follows a holistic approach and prioritises thorough examinations for all patients. She specifically enjoys treating chronic medical conditions, empowering patients to take ownership of their own health, and celebrating good outcomes with them. She also has a keen interest in psychiatry and paediatrics in the primary health care setting.

Contact 035 772 1044 to book an appointment with Dr. Liebetrau!

12/03/2026

07/03/2026