Annelie van Heerden Physiotherapy

01/10/2026

29/09/2026

Chronic pain is complex — and it’s about so much more than just the area that hurts. 🌿

Here are 5 things we wish everyone understood about chronic pain:

✨ Pain is a real and personal experience.
🧠 The amount of pain you feel doesn’t always reflect tissue damage.
😴 Sleep, stress and emotional well-being can influence pain.
🚶 Persistent pain doesn’t necessarily mean you need to stop moving.
🤍 The right personalised approach can help you rebuild confidence, improve function and get back to the things you enjoy.

Managing chronic pain isn’t just about treating a painful area. It’s about understanding you as a whole — your movement, lifestyle, habits, goals and overall well-being.

Swipe through to learn more. ➡️

Living well matters.

📞 076 930 8666
📍 Ashlea Gardens | Midstream

15/09/2026

Only four months until the December holidays—is back or neck pain still holding you back?

Let’s help you move better, feel stronger and get ready to enjoy the holidays with greater confidence. 🌿

If you’re a Discovery Health member, you may qualify for the Spinal Conservative Care Programme—designed to support your recovery and help you manage your pain without surgery.

The programme may include up to 8 approved in-person sessions offering:

✨ Physiotherapy
✨ Active rehabilitation
✨ Education and self-management strategies
✨ Pain management

You may qualify if you have recently:

• Seen a spinal specialist
• Had an MRI
• Been admitted to hospital for back or neck pain
• Had a spinal infiltration

💡 The programme is covered from your medical aid’s risk benefit, subject to approval, clinical criteria and your plan rules.

Not sure whether you qualify? Contact us—we’ll check your eligibility and guide you through the process.

📍 Ashlea Gardens & Midstream
📞 076 930 8666

Or visit our website: https://avhphysios.co.za/

Annelie van Heerden Physiotherapy
Living well matters.

10/09/2026

There are only a few months left in the year—are back or neck pain still holding you back?

Let’s help you move better, feel stronger and get ready to enjoy your December holidays with greater confidence. 🌿

If you’ve been struggling with back or neck pain for more than 3 months, you may qualify for a fully funded Back & Neck Programme through your medical aid.

The programme may include up to 12 physiotherapy sessions designed to help you:

✨ Reduce pain
✨ Improve your movement
✨ Build strength
✨ Return to everyday activities with confidence

Available to qualifying members of GEMS, Polmed, Bestmed, Profmed and Universal, subject to scheme rules, clinical criteria and authorisation.

Not sure whether you qualify? Contact us—we’ll check your eligibility and guide you through the process.

📍 Ashlea Gardens & Midstream
📞 076 930 8666

Or visit our website: https://avhphysios.co.za/

Annelie van Heerden Physiotherapy
Living well matters.

10/09/2026

DID YOU KNOW?
People living with physical pain have been found to have approximately twice the odds of experiencing suicidal thoughts and of having attempted su***de compared with people without pain.

That is a statistic we cannot ignore.

Chronic pain can slowly change a person’s world. It can affect sleep, work, relationships, independence and the things that once brought meaning and enjoyment. For some people, depression, anxiety, isolation or hopelessness can follow — until it becomes difficult to see a way forward.

If that is where you are today, we see you.

If your pain is affecting your mood, if you’re feeling depressed or hopeless, or you’re beginning to feel that you don’t know where to turn, please reach out.

You don’t have to know who you need to see or where to start.

You can start with us.

At Annelie van Heerden Physiotherapy, we understand that persistent pain affects far more than the body. We can listen, assess your situation and help you understand what support you may need. And if we are not the right people to provide that support, we can help point you in the right direction and connect you with appropriate care.

We cannot promise to fix everything. But we can make sure that your pain — and the person living with it — is heard.

There can be a next step, even when you cannot see it yet. ❤️

If you are thinking about su***de or feel that you may harm yourself, please seek urgent help. SADAG Su***de Crisis Helpline: 0800 567 567.

***dePreventionDay

07/09/2026

✨ We’re live! ✨

Our brand-new website is officially here!

Explore our services, learn more about the conditions we treat, meet our team and conveniently book your appointment online.

Visit our new website today—we can’t wait for you to see it!

Living well matters.

https://avhphysios.co.za

01/09/2026

Neck pain isn’t one-size-fits-all — and your treatment shouldn’t be either.

A physio assessment looks beyond where it hurts. We assess how your neck moves, how your muscles and nerves are working, and what may be contributing to your pain.

Treatment may include hands-on therapy, movement and strengthening, pain education, and practical guidance to help you get back to what matters.

At AVH Physiotherapists, we treat the person, not just the painful neck.

You deserve more than temporary relief. You deserve a plan that makes sense for you.

Book your assessment today.
📞 076 930 8666
📍 Ash Medical Suites, Ashlea Gardens
📍 Midstream Hill Medical Park, Midstream

Living well matters.

28/08/2026

🚩 When neck pain needs a closer look

Most neck pain isn’t something to panic about. But sometimes, your body gives you signs that shouldn’t be ignored.

If your neck pain comes with weakness or numbness, trouble with balance, a severe new headache, fever, or pain that’s getting worse quickly, it’s worth getting checked.

A physio doesn’t just treat the pain — we also know what to look for and when you may need further medical care.

Trust your body. If something doesn’t feel right, get it checked.

📞 076 930 8666
📍 Ash Medical Suites, Ashlea Gardens
📍 Midstream Hill Medical Park, Midstream

Living well matters.

25/08/2026

Recurring neck pain does not necessarily mean that your neck is damaged or that treatment has failed.

Pain may return when the demands placed on your neck repeatedly exceed its current capacity.

Contributing factors may include:

* Reduced muscle endurance
* Limited joint movement
* Nerve sensitivity
* Prolonged working positions
* Sudden increases in activity
* Poor sleep or recovery
* Stress and muscle guarding
* Incomplete rehabilitation

Physiotherapists are trained to assess why symptoms recur—not only to settle the current flare-up.

We examine movement, strength, endurance, neurological function, daily demands and the activities that repeatedly trigger symptoms.

A long-term plan may include progressive strengthening, graded exposure, self-management strategies and practical changes to improve your neck’s capacity.

We do not only help calm the pain today. We work to make your neck more resilient for tomorrow.

If your neck pain keeps returning, another temporary solution may not be enough.

Book an assessment and let us help identify what may be missing from your recovery.

📞 076 930 8666
📍 Ash Medical Suites, Ashlea Gardens
📍 Midstream Hill Medical Park, Midstream

Living well matters.

21/08/2026

Stress can influence muscle tension, sleep, breathing, recovery and the sensitivity of the nervous system.

During stressful periods, you may notice:

* Tight shoulders
* Neck stiffness
* Headaches
* Jaw clenching
* Poor sleep
* Increased sensitivity to movement

Stress does not mean that your pain is imaginary.

It means that physical and emotional demands can interact and influence how your body experiences pain.

Pain-informed physiotherapists are trained to assess the physical condition of the neck while also considering factors such as sleep, stress, workload, fear of movement and recovery.

Treatment may include hands-on care, exercise, breathing strategies, pacing, pain education and practical tools to help regulate the system.

We do not blame stress or simply tell you to relax. We assess your neck properly and help you understand how the whole system may be contributing.

You do not have to carry pain, tension and stress without support. Let us help you build a treatment plan that addresses more than the painful area.

📞 076 930 8666
📍 Ash Medical Suites, Ashlea Gardens
📍 Midstream Hill Medical Park, Midstream

Living well matters.