Meet Macca & Emma.
These two O-health patients have been with us for 5 and 2 years respectively, and through hard work, determination, and regular sessions at O-health, have recently achieved some incredible feats.
Macka came to O-health in 2022 with chronic lower back pain he couldn’t shake. He was working as a builder, and it was hard to get through a day’s work without the pain. When he started working with the O-health team, especially Exercise Scientist Mat in the O-gym, the first goal was simple: get through a day’s work without it after around 4 months.
Then came a new goal: run 5km without stopping.
Two strength sessions and two walk-run sessions a week, built gradually. That first continuous 5km was where the running started.
Fast forward to now, and he’s running up to six times per week, with his biggest weeks approaching 100km, while still continuing to work as a builder and stay active in other ways.
Furthermore, Macka recently completed the ‘Surf Coast Century’, which is an 100km race up on the surf coast. What amazing achievements, and what an inspiring story.
Emma started working with the O-health team after came in with persistent IT band pain in 2024. Through personalised assessment, prescribed load management and consistent strength work, things were moving in the right direction. From there, Emma continued her training and treatment at O-health, and also had some new running goals.
Emma ran her first marathon at Buffalo Stampede in April, then her first 50km ultra in September. Five runs a week, strength twice a week, and HYROX in December already in her sights.
Two very different starting points. The same approach: understand what’s going on, build capacity gradually, and keep going.
Congratulations Macka and Emma, these are some awesome stories, and we’re glad we could play a part in them.
If you’re in pain and looking to help yourself move and feel better, the first step is to book in with our physios or osteos.
(each program is built around the individual, results may vary from person to person).
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: How do I get rid of back pain that keeps coming back?
A: Pain that keeps returning usually means the cause was never addressed, only the symptom. Start with a physio or osteo assessment at O-health to work out what’s actually driving it. Hands-on treatment settles the pain, but the part that stops it returning is what comes next: a structured strength program in our O-gym with an exercise scientist or exercise physiologist, building the capacity your body was missing.
Q: Why does my knee hurt when I run?
A: Running knee pain is most often a load problem, meaning your training has outpaced what your body can currently handle. A physio or osteo assessment at O-health identifies where that gap is, whether it’s training volume, strength, or how you’re moving. From there we treat what’s painful now and rebuild the capacity underneath it, so the kilometres you’re running stop causing the problem.
Q: How do I know if I’m ready to do more?
A: A good treatment plan builds this in for you, starting from a clear picture of your current capacity, then increasing load gradually and predictably, rather than guessing.
Q: Can I get back to sport after a long-term injury?
A: Yes. At O-health, we assess what’s going on using objective measures recorded through our VALD testing technology, treat it with manual therapy, and then move you into supervised rehab in our O-gym, where your physiotherapist or osteopath will work closely with your exercise physiologist or exercise scientist to build your strength and capacity back week-by-week. We won’t return you to sport when the pain stops, we’ll return you when the body can handle what the sport demands.
Q: Will strength training actually make me a better runner?
A: Yes. Strength work builds the capacity your body needs to absorb repeated running load, which reduces injury risk and supports performance as your weekly kilometres grow. Two sessions a week is enough for most runners. It’s the part people most often skip, and the part that most often explains why someone can keep running without flare-ups.
Q: I’ve had back pain for years. Is it too late to start running?
A: No. Long-standing pain doesn’t rule out running, it just means we start further back and build more gradually. The goal in the early weeks isn’t distance, it’s getting through your day comfortably. Your physio or osteo will work closely with your exercise scientist to help you achieve your goal of running again.
Ready to rebuild your capacity?
Our team can help you understand exactly where your capacity sits today, and build a plan to progress it so you can get back to what you love, and stay there. Book an assessment with the O-health team.