Cancer Recovery Cancer is devastating. The Canadian Cancer Society, Public Health Agency of Canada and Statistics Canada released a report showing that up to 45% of males, and 42% of women will suffer from cancer at some point in their lifetime. However, this report also states that our success at treating it is getting better and better (www.cancer.ca). Cancer recovery is more likely than ever. The treatments however can be tough on our bodies, causing fatigue. The exhaustion from cancer recovery can be so severe that it prevents us from returning to our normal lives. This includes work and social activities. Exercise can help. But that idea can be very scary for someone who has just faced a lot of treatment. Often the fatigue is so severe that the idea of getting started on an exercise program is overwhelming. And those that are determined to begin anyway do not know…

Foot pain and how to treat it. This time of year we walk the malls, wear our fancy shoes and stand for hours as we catch up with friends at holiday seasons. “Oh my aching feet!” rings out in our physiotherapy clinic almost as much as “Happy Holidays” But what can you do to ease, or better yet prevent the foot pain? Shopping for hours in the mall can be very tiresome and painful for not only our feet, but knees, hips and backs as well. The first thing that can be done to prevent foot pain is to avoid it. Online shopping has progressed in ease and popularity over the last few years. Spend a few minutes looking online to eliminate at least a few of the presents. If a visit to the mall is still required, follow this simple advice. First, pick good shoes – even if it…

Whiplash Injuries Whiplash injuries are most commonly caused by a car accident but can occur whenever there is a sudden stop of the body. As the upper body comes to sudden stop, the head is thrown forward with the chin coming towards the chest, causing lots of forward head bending. Often this is followed by lots of extra bending backwards as the head is thrown back. Luckily, a well adjusted head rest can prevent injuries caused by bouncing backwards, reducing damage to the front of the neck and joint between the spine and the head. Ligaments, joints, discs and muscles are just some of the things that can be damaged as your head comes forward. It is all of these things that can make it difficult to recover from whiplash injuries. However, if properly treated most people can get better and return to all of their previous activities including work and sport. It has been shown that Physiotherapy…

Autumn is my favourite time of year – Warm woolly sweaters, frosty morning spent in front of a fire and hiking in the beautiful autumn leaves. Of course, with these leaves comes raking. (Not a Canadian favourite.) How can we do this safely without causing shoulder and back pain? There are a few simple guidelines that you can follow. 1. Warm up: Most of us know to warm up before we do sports, but raking can be just as hard on the body. A brisk 10 minute walk can do the trick. 2. Watch your technique: Step forward and back to collect the leaves. Stooping and reaching with your spine can trigger low back pain. Also, use your feet to turn. Bending and twisting at the same time can be very risky and can cause back pain. 3. Use your knees to lift: Although leaves are not usually heavy, the…

Dr. Mike Evans is a family doctor who works for University of Toronto and St Michael’s Hospital. He also works for the Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute. This institute presents medical information in an understandable way via you tube. A few years ago, Dr. Evans decided to find the most important single thing that someone could do to improve their health and prevent disease. His answer? Exercise. He created a video called “23 and half hours”, in which, he asks you to be at rest only 23 and ½ hours a day. You can see this engaging video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aUaInS6HIGo. Stretching before a walk or run For many of our clients it is difficult to be active for even 30 minutes a day. And although we have to recognize the difficult pressures of work and family, these clients find it difficult to exercise due to pain…

Athlete Stretching-  Knee Pain As we start into the fall and winter sports seasons, many people have asked about knee pain in their early teenaged or pre teen children. This pain is at the front of the knee and is not usually due to falls or sudden injuries. The most common cause is something called Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome. This is swelling and pain in the joint between the knee cap and the thigh bone. Often it will start at the beginning of a new activity or if the amount of training is suddenly increased. However, knee pain can also happen after a growth spurt or for no reason at all. The cause of the knee pain is the kneecap is not tracking properly. In a healthy knee, there is a groove in the thigh bone,  that the knee cap travels up and down as we straighten or bend the knee. If…

Low back pain is incredibly common. It is estimated that up to 5% of the population in Mississauga has Low back pain at any given time. The good news is that low back pain treatment can usually be very quick if you are give the right information at the right time and you have a skilled physiotherapist to guide you. The use of modalities such as interferential stimulation and heat can be useful to break down muscle spasm. A thorough assessment by a physiotherapist can usually find one movement that you can do that shuts the low back pain “off”. This movement is specific to each injury but is very powerful in controlling the pain. Advice on activities to limit, adjust or eliminate is also a necessary and helpful part of any assessment and low back pain treatment. Most often, activities are modified only temporarily, and normal activities can be…

Registered Massage therapy can be an effective part of any wellness program. Whether it is used for injury rehabilitation, pain relief, relaxation, general body maintenance, improved sleep, reduced stress, or anxiety/ depression, there are many good reasons to get a registered massage therapy treatment. Benefits Of Registered Massage Therapy Mississauga Many of the techniques that have been developed are used to improve the use of muscles, tendons, ligaments, nerves, fascia, joints, bones, blood circulation, and the lymphatic system. Massage therapy also helps the nervous system to release hormones that promote healing, reduce pain, and increase relaxation. Some of the conditions massage therapy has been shown to benefit include: Arthritis Fibromyalgia Carpal tunnel syndrome Headaches Lower back pain Sprains and strains Tendonitis Repetitive strain injuries Pregnancy support  Scoliosis and Kyphosis Pain that comes from poor posture Many people have aches and pains that they suffer with on a daily basis. Sometimes these pains will  go…

Knee Injury, Custom Knee Brace You’ve fallen or slipped and fallen on your knee. You’ve had a knee injury! Maybe you felt or heard a snap or maybe it just swelled up after the injury. If you heard a large snapping sound when you fell, its quite possible that you have done some damage to the cartilage in your knee. Possible damage can include the Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL), Posterior Cruciate Ligament (PCL), or either the Medial Collateral Ligament/ Lateral Collateral Ligament. Other possibilities include the medial or lateral meniscus. No matter what, your knee will likely hurt and swell up. Swelling is a normal response to an injury to your knee. In general, the more swelling, the more internal damage that exists. The good news is that most knees can get better conservatively with proper physiotherapy care. The most important part of treatment is to make sure that there…

What are your rates? A: Our fees vary depending on the type of service required. Please call us directly for more information. Do you bill my insurance company directly? A: We can bill many insurance companies directly. Please give us a call to find out if your insurance company is one that we can bill electronically. Do you accept OHIP? A: We unfortunately are not able to bill OHIP, but if you do not have extended healthcare insurance, we are happy to speak to you about the fees. We are able to offer one on one treatment directly with a physiotherapist on every visit and provide in-depth care because we are not funded by OHIP. If you would like to speak with a physiotherapist directly about your injury before deciding to attend our clinic, please call the clinic and ask to speak with the physiotherapist on site. We would be…