What is a concussion? Concussion management is important for the recovery of a concussion, which is a form of a traumatic brain injury.  A concussion results from getting either a direct or indirect trauma to the head.  The trauma to the brain produces changes in the brain chemistry that can result in a wide variety of symptoms.  These symptoms can clear up within a couple of weeks.  However, for some people the symptoms can last for several weeks and months. How do you know that you have a concussion? A concussion injury results in a unique set of symptoms and limitations.  The signs and symptoms of a concussion include: Headache Dizziness Nausea and/or vomiting Sensitivity to light Sensitivity to sound Sleep disturbance Excessive fatigue Poor concentration Feeling frustrated or impatient Visual disturbances Poor balance Taking longer to think Restlessness Fogginess These symptoms require some form of concussion management to improve…

Tendonitis is a common diagnosis for many people.  Tendonitis means that the tendon structure has been altered in some way resulting in weakness in the structure.  There are different degrees of severity of tendonitis. What are tendons? Tendons are found at the end of the muscle and act like a flexible cord.  Tendons connect muscles to other body parts, usually bones.  The function of the tendon is to pull on the structure that they are attached to when the muscle is working.  For example: When you do a biceps curl, the biceps tendon pulls the forearm bones up, bending your elbow. As you are walking, the Achilles tendon pulls the heel bone up which moves the foot downwards. When you raise your arm, the rotator cuff muscles pull on the shoulder bone and move your arm up Therefore, the main function of tendons is to carry load and produce movement.  As…

What is Carpal Tunnel Syndrome? Carpal tunnel syndrome can be a very debilitating condition that affects the use of your hand.  It is caused by pressure on the median nerve in the carpal tunnel of the wrist.  The carpal tunnel is a narrow passageway on the palm side of the hand.  The median nerve passes through this tunnel, along with tendons and blood vessels.  This small area allowed for the median nerve, makes this a prime location for nerve compression to happen. What are the symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome? Carpal tunnel syndrome results in a characteristic set of signs and symptoms.  More specifically, these include: Pain, tingling, numbness or burning into the thumb, index, middle and ring fingers Pain on the palm side of the wrist and forearm Weakness into the hand, thumb and fingers Inability to grip strongly through the hand and a tendency to drop things Loss…

Falls prevention programs play an important role in the health of the elderly population.  Falls and the complications associated with them are a huge issue.  It affects many aspects of society including health care spending and caregiver stress.  Furthermore, the resulting injuries and effects from a fall can be very serious, both for the patient and the family involved.  At PhysioNow, our Registered Physiotherapists can help protect your loved ones from falls.   Causes of Weakness & Frailty in the Elderly The reasons for weakness, loss of function/mobility and frailty in the elderly may include: Genetics Some physical characteristics or conditions may have a strong genetic component For example, osteoarthritis may be influenced by genetics and can significantly affect a person’s ability to be mobile and active Disease/Conditions Any disease that affects the strength and/or mobility of a patient will place the individual at risk of falling as the condition…

Why do I have back pain? If you have had low back pain, you are not alone.  Back pain is one of the most common reasons people see a doctor or miss days at work.  Even school-age children can have back pain.  Having some tips for back pain will help people manage their symptoms on a regular basis. Back pain can range in intensity from a dull, constant ache to a sudden, sharp or shooting pain.  It can begin suddenly as a result of an accident or by lifting something heavy, or it can develop over time as we age. Low back pain is caused by common causes like: Poor posture Sitting for long hours Awkward movements Excessive use of lower back muscles causing overuse injuries Inappropriate ways of lifting weights Trauma Frequent Bending Forward Degenerative conditions What are the types of back pain? There are two types of back…

  Physiotherapy for ankle sprains is an important part of recovery.  There are many different types of ankle injuries.   Ankle sprains are one of the most common injuries that lead people to seek out treatment at PhysioNow.  However, some people choose to let an ankle sprain recover on its own without the help of a Registered Physiotherapist.  Unfortunately, this can prevent full recovery of the injury and result in long term issues with the ankle. What is an ankle sprain? An ankle sprain happens when there is injury to one of the ligaments of the ankle.  More specifically, a ligament is a soft tissue structures that connects a bones to bones.  Ligaments provide stability to the ankle joint.  This means that they keep the ankle secure and able to react to a variety of movements and forces. There are 3 main sets of ligaments that help stabilize the ankle: Lateral ligaments…

What causes knee pain? Managing knee pain is a common concern for many people.   It can feel too difficult and there is always a fear of making the pain worse. Especially, when knee pain can be caused by several different reasons.  For example: Muscle and tendon strains Ligament sprains Bursitis Osteoarthritis Meniscus tears Patellar-femoral pain Dislocations Post-Surgery What can I do to help manage my knee pain? There are several things that you can try to help reduce or solve your knee pain on your own.  Apply heat or ice An easy home remedy for managing knee pain at home is applying either heat or ice to the area.  However, there is always some confusion about whether heat or ice is the better option.  As a general rule of thumb we say:  If there was a sudden trauma and the area is showing signs of inflammation, such as swelling and…

What is Acupuncture? Acupuncture is a component of traditional Chinese and Western Medicine.  It involves inserting very thin/fine needles into certain points on your body targeting the nerves or energy points in the body.  This treatment helps to reduce pain and improve function.  At PhysioNow, many of our physiotherapists perform acupuncture treatment for many orthopedic conditions.  One of the most common reasons, patients seek out acupuncture is for the treatment of headaches. Types of Acupuncture and its benefits for headaches There are 2 types of acupuncture: Chinese Acupuncture This approach stimulates specific pressure points, which restores the flow of positive energy throughout your body and removes the negative energy that is causing pain. Western/medical Acupuncture This type stimulates various systems of your body (for example, the nervous system and vascular system) to promote a healing response. The points where needles are inserted stimulate the nerves to release hormones such as…

What is Massage Therapy?   Massage therapy offers many benefits for recovery.  This type of treatment involves the hands-on manipulation of the soft tissues of the body.  These tissues include:  Muscles Tendons Connective tissues Ligaments What is the purpose of massage therapy? The purpose of massage therapy is to help improve the physical condition of the body.  This is achieved through by improving: Tissue flexibility Joint movement Circulation Stress Are there different types of massage therapy? Swedish Massage Most common type of massage therapy It involves soft, long and kneading strokes of the muscles This type of treatment may also include joint movement and stretches The focus of Swedish massage is the relaxation of the muscles Deep tissue Massage This type of massage aims to get into deeper layers of the soft tissues It uses deeper pressure and may be more painful than a Swedish massage but can be helpful…

Cancer Rehabilitation What is Cancer? Cancer rehabilitation is an important part of a patient’s cancer recovery journey.  But it is important to understand what it mean to have cancer. Firstly, the normal, healthy cells of our body go through stages of development, maturity, and death.  Importantly, cell death is part of the normal life cycle of tissues.  In short, this process allows for the removal of older and damaged or abnormal cells from the body and the addition of new healthy cells.  However, with cancer, the old, damaged, or abnormal cells do not go through the process of death.  That is to say, they continue to accumulate and grow, spreading into surrounding normal tissues.  Moreover, these abnormal cells are capable of surviving and can do a lot of damage to the body.  Consequently, cancer cells can: Invade surrounding healthy tissues Develop their own blood supply Eat away at bone Add…