Beyond the Physical: How Physiotherapy Affects Mental Well-Being When people are asked to imagine physiotherapy, they think of physical rehabilitation involving exercises, stretches, and manual therapy. While these are undoubtedly the defining aspects, engaging in physiotherapy can also lead to benefits in your psychological well-being and overall quality of life, leaving you feeling better both mentally and physically. In this blog, we will cover the lesser-known benefits of physiotherapy on your mental health. 1. Increased Self-confidence and empowerment In physiotherapy, we aim to give patients the tools and knowledge to manage their injury or condition. Living with an impairment can…

Aquafit: Dive Into a Fun Workout! Aquafit Trying to get in shape but joint pain is holding you back? Are you looking for a new and exciting way to start exercising? Look no further than aquafit! Aquafit, also known as hydrotherapy, or aqua therapy is a workout done in the water to increase fitness and strength. In this article, we will talk about the top 4 benefits of aquafit and how it can be used by our physiotherapy patients. 1. Low-impact, big results The biggest benefit of that it is very gentle on the joints, minimizing…

How do Headaches occur? There are many different types of headaches with many different causes. Many people may blame it on the weather, stress, or work, and feel like it is out of their control and that nothing can help their headaches. If this sounds like you, there is treatment available and you do not have to live with your pain. Headaches that stem from your neck or jaw are treatable through physiotherapy and can result in a decreased intensity and frequency or even stop them completely. However, migraines can also be manageable with rehab. What are headaches from the neck? Cervicogenic Headache Headaches that stem from the neck are known as cervicogenic headaches and are a type of referred pain. Referred pain means that the pain actually originates from another part of the body, and not the place where you actually feel the pain. Moreover,…

Why is your ankle sprain not healing? An ankle sprain is one of the most common injuries. Rest, ice, compression, and elevation, or the RICE rule, will be the go-to’s for ankle sprains. In most cases, ankle sprains heal between 4-12 weeks depending on the severity of the injury. Though many people will have them to heal with time. However, a failure to seek treatment and physical rehabilitation for your ankle after just one injury is enough to leave it weak. This makes your ankle more vulnerable to future sprains or chronic instability. What causes you chronic instability after an ankle sprain? After an ankle injury, there is damage to the ligaments, tendons, and potentially even the ankle joint itself. Here, the function of the ligament is to limit abnormal movement in the joint. Because of the injury, they will get lax (stretched out), making the ankle more unstable. Additionally,…

Why do you have thumb pain? Thumb Pain DeQuervain’s Tendonitis or thumb pain? There could be several potential factors why you have thumb pain. For instance, arthritis, trigger thumb, or DeQuervain’s Tendonitis. Though, the location of pain and difficulties performing activities can determine what is causing your thumb pain. However, the most common reason for thumb pain could be DeQuervain’s Tendonitis. Let us know something more in detail whether you have DeQuervain’s Tendonitis. What is DeQuervain’s Tendonitis and Thumb Pain? De Quervain’s Pain It is an inflammatory condition, where the sheath around the tendon gets constricted. As a result, it affects the tendons of the thumb and thumb side of the wrist causing pain. Therefore, it gives the inability to use the hand and wrist to their total functional capacity. What do the symptoms of DeQuervain’s Tendonitisfeel like? Firstly, there is severe…

What is Sciatica? Sciatica is a pain in the back, neck, or buttock that radiates to the leg or arm. Sciatica is also quite common and affects almost 40% of adults. It travels through the sciatic nerve, which starts in your lower back and extends to run down your leg.  A proper diagnosis that confirms and best sciatica treatment is all that you need to lead a pain-free life. Sciatica pain 10 signs which confirm the diagnosis Before knowing about sciatica treatment, one needs to understand the nature of pain. The symptoms of sciatica are as follows: – Calf pain – pain that stretches down the lower leg and back of the knee. Lower back pain running down the leg.  A pull sensation from your lower back to buttocks and thigh, that further extends from calf to the foot. A pain in your butt or leg that…

Why do you need a walking aid? Elderly man independent in walking Restricted and reduced ability to walk and perform your daily chores can impact your quality of life. Walking aids are devices designed to help people walk and can be used by individuals of any age. As a result, this improves your quality of life by making you independent and confident. Here are some reasons that will indicate you need walking aids. difficulties walking whether it’s due to pain. frequent falls or fear of falling. tiring quickly. decreased balance. difficulty putting weight on a body part, post-surgery, or any other reason. What types of walking aids are available? The categories of walking aids include crutches, canes, and walkers, and has their own pros and cons. Below are general overviews of the most common types of walking aids. crutches, often prescribed to individuals following an injury…

What is heel pain? What causes your heel pain? Heel pain could be from any reason either your inflamed plantar fascia causing plantar fasciitis or any abnormal bony growth causing heel spurs. To get in further details plantar fasciitis is an irritation and inflammation to the tissue that runs at the bottom of the foot extending from the heel to the toes, causing heel pain. It supports the arch of the foot which helps in shock absorption. On other side, heel spur is when a bony outgrowth forms on the heel, which causes heel pain while walking and standing. What are the causes of heel pain? Causes are not limited to high and low arches causing irritation to the plantar fascia with running, jogging, playing any sports, prolonged standing and walking. Also, any strain or tear to the fascia. As a result, if this condition is…

What is a Chronic low back pain? Although commonly used word for being in pain for a long time is ‘Chronic’, I would like to call it ‘Persistent Pain’. Because, the word Chronic seems to have a very negative connotation to it. Also,  It is a general belief that if you have ‘Chronic Pain’, you will have to live with pain forever! If you wish to get more knowledge about persistent pain, please visit this link. https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/conditionsandtreatments/Living-with-persistent-pain Chronic pain speedometer Case review of chronic low back pain Let us take an example here of a person who has had low back pain, for many years. They have had an X-ray and an MRI done which shows some minor degenerative changes. There is no major nerve compression. However, there may be some minor disc bulges which their family doctor mentioned is normal for the age.  As a…

Pain Relief from Aging It is important for seniors  to stay active to make sure they remain strong and independent through the later years of their life. Many seniors also develop joint and muscle pain as they age and staying active can really help manage these symptoms. Let us discuss about some exercises to get pain relief from aging. However, if you need to know further what are the changes happening to your bones and muscles visit this link. https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/conditionsandtreatments/ageing-muscles-bones-and-joints Here are some exercises that seniors can do at home to help with pain relief! Sit to Stand Sit to stand activity  Start by sitting on a firm chair.  Get up from the chair and get into a standing position without using your hands for support.  Stay standing for 2-3 seconds and then slowly lower yourself back into the chair without using your hands.  Repeat this movement…