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…

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…

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…

Back Pain- do you need surgery? Back pain is one of the most common injuries that we see at our office! Most pain medications barely touch the pain- they just take the edge off and knock you out. The good news is that back pain is  an injury that can be treated conservatively by a skilled physiotherapist! There are several different sources of back pain with the most common being disc pain due to a disc bulge or herniation. The source of the pain is often simple to diagnose. Assessment can be completed quickly in one visit and treatment can start the same day. In my experience, more than 75% of patients are fast responders meaning that their symptoms can begin to lessen very quickly after the first visit. The trick to shutting off back pain is to identify the location and angle of the disc injury.  Very simple stretching…

Headaches : Neck Pain Have you ever suffered from Headaches : Neck Pain in the past? Have you ever considered that the two might be related? Is it possible that your neck pain might be causing your headaches? It just might be that you are right! If your neck is “stuck” in one place, it can cause muscle spasm and long lasting pain that can shoot right up into your head causing chronic Headaches: Neck Pain. Check out this link for further information about headaches. Is your computer set off to the side so that you have to always look one way to work? Do you sleep on your tummy? Do you hold the phone between your ear and your shoulder? All of these can cause problems with your neck! The good news is that a physiotherapist can often help with this problem. Restoring the natural movement in your neck…