Physiotherapy Blog

Pelvic Floor Muscles The Mysterious Pelvic Floor What is The Mysterious Pelvic Floor?? The Pelvic Floor. Perhaps you have heard this referenced before but did not have a definitive idea of what it was. Is it just a region in the body? A single muscle? Let us explore this very important topic. The Pelvic floor is a group of extremely important muscles located on the inside of the pelvis with a hammock like orientation. They attach to the tailbone (coccyx) at the back, the pubic bone in the front and span side to side. Functions: These muscles are involved in several complex functions but are often overlooked in their contribution due to their “out of sight, out of mind” presence. These functions include: 1. Bowel and Bladder Function and Support Assists in control of the bladder and bowel (helping to prevent incontinence) in males and females. In females, the pelvic…

Acute Ankle Sprains Acute Ankle Sprains How do Acute Ankle Sprains happen? Acute Ankle sprains are common injuries in people of all ages. They can happen in many different circumstances. However, they always involve some type of fall or twisting movement to the ankle. For example: Going downstairs and missing the last step resulting in twisting the ankle Landing on the ankle in a twisted position after coming down from a lay-up in basketball or in a Sports Injury Slipping on an icy street while walking In all of these situations, the ankle gets a sudden movement and/or trauma that causes it to twist more than its normal range of movement allows. Acute Ankle Sprains What structure gets injured with an acute ankle sprain? The structures that are injured with acute ankle sprains are the ligaments around the ankle joint. Ligaments are…

Shoulder Injuries Shoulder Injuries Shoulder injuries are a common problem for many people. It can happen to people of all ages from children to the elderly. The pain from shoulder injuries can be very severe and cause a lot of limitations with work and activity. Shoulder pain is one of the top 5 reasons why people seek out Physiotherapy and Registered Massage Therapy treatments. What Causes Shoulder Pain? There are several reasons why people suffer from shoulder pain. Trauma – any type of direct or indirect trauma can produce shoulder pain if the arm and/or shoulder is involved Motor vehicle accidents Falls Sports injuries Violent incidents Poor workplace ergonomics – For people who work in offices, they may spend the majority of their time sitting in front of a computer. If the desk set up is not properly, then this may start to produce stress and…

Accident Rehabilitation What is Accident Rehabilitation? Motor vehicle accidents happen everyday in Ontario.  As a result, they produce a lot of pain, disability and stress for those involved. The impact can be quite debilitating. Accident rehabilitation is treatment that is given after being involved in a motor vehicle accident. It is important to seek out Registered Physiotherapists who are experienced in Accident Rehabilitation to ensure proper recovery. At PhysioNow we offer high quality Registered Physiotherapy and Registered Massage therapy treatments to help you recover from your injuries. Registered Massage Therapy Who is entitled to receive Accident Rehabilitation? Any person who has been involved in a motor vehicle accident in Ontario is entitled to receive Accident Rehabilitation benefits . This would include if you were a pedestrian hit by a vehicle.  It would also include coverage for treatment if you were involved in…

            Patellofemoral pain syndrome Patellofemoral pain syndrome happens when your knee cap does not track properly.  The knee joint consist of two joints.  The tibiofemoral joint which is between the two long bones in your leg and the second one is the patellofemoral joint.  This  is between the femoral condyle (end of thigh bone) and the knee cap. The cartilage on the back of the knee cap glides on the cartilage on the front of the condyles of the femur. The knee cap usually sits in a snug groove at the end of the thigh…

Sciatica Sciatica Sciatica is a term that gets used quite frequently in the physiotherapy world. This refers to pain, tingling and/or numbness that goes down the back, hip or entire leg. Who can get Sciatica? It can happen to both younger and older adults for a variety of reasons. For some, it starts after a traumatic event like a slip and fall or after a motor vehicle accident. It can seem like pain develops out of nowhere for others. Pain can start gradually then suddenly increase in severity. The majority of the time, sciatica is a condition that starts with some mechanical changes in the low back that build up gradually over a period of time. What is Sciatica? The term sciatica itself refers to irritation of the sciatic nerve It is the largest nerve in our body This nerve has its roots at the lower…

Fracture Treatments Mississauga, Etobicoke & Oakville _ PhysioNow Fracture types Fracture Rehabilitation Fractures are common injuries .  They can happen to people of all ages, from the very young to the very old.  The majority of fractures occur with trauma to the bone.  It could be  either from a fall or a blunt force.  Most people can readily feel that they have a broken bone. This is because the signs and symptoms can be very obvious. Some of these indicators of Fracture are: Swelling or bruising over a bone Deformity of an arm or leg Pain that gets worse with any movement or added pressure Inability to put any weight through the injured area Protruding bone through the skin (in the case of open fractures) In some cases, however, fractures can be less obvious.  Some ankle fractures may look a lot like ankle sprains. You may…

Aug. 28 – Toronto, Ont. – PhysioNow Urgent Physiotherapy Care is proud to announce the opening of a new location in the Long Branch neighbourhood in the west end of Toronto in Etobicoke. The Long Branch clinic is set to open on Sept. 10, 2018 with the grand opening scheduled for Sept. 29, 2018. At the grand opening, there will be facility tours, new equipment demos, and the chance to enter a draw for free products and services. Long Branch Physiotherapy Clinic The Long Branch Physiotherapy Clinic, located at 3715 Lake Shore Blvd. W. will be PhysioNow’s first location in Toronto proper. Located in west Etobicoke, it will also serve east Mississauga residents. The new clinic will be easily accessible from Brown’s Line and is just a short walk from the Long Branch Go Station. PhysioNow’s Long Branch Clinic will specialize in: Physiotherapy Vestibular Rehabilitation Registered Massage Therapy Motor Vehicle…

TMJ syndrome TMJ syndrome is broadly classified into 2 syndromes. The temporo- mandibular joint (TMJ) is the synovial joint that connects the jaw to the skull. These joints are located just in front of each ear. Classification of TMJ syndrome TMD is broadly classified into 2 syndromes: • Muscle-related TMD (myogenous TMD), sometimes called TMD secondary to myofascial pain and dysfunction • Joint-related TMD, or TMD secondary to true articular disease Causes of TMJ syndrome • trauma • disease, • wear and tear due to aging • oral habits, such as chewing gum, tobacco, candy or ice grinding your teeth or clenching your jaw   Signs and Symptoms of TMJ syndrome • Pain in the jaw • Clicking and popping sound in the ear • Pain while chewing the food • Stiff and sore jaw muscles • headaches Treatment for TMJ syndrome ? general • including heat to the joint, •…

Heat and Cold therapy How it works When we apply Heat therapy, it improves circulation and blood flow to  that area due to increased temperature. Heat therapy can relax and soothe muscles and heal damaged tissue. Types Dry Heat therapy includes sources like heating pads, dry heating packs, and even saunas. This heat is easy to apply. Moist Heat therapy includes sources like steamed towels, moist heating packs, Theratherm heating pads that take moisture from the air, or hot baths. Moist heat may be slightly more effective as well as require less application time for the same results. Contraindications diabetes dermatitis vascular diseases deep vein thrombosis multiple sclerosis (MS)  Heat is useful for relieving: osteoarthritis strains and sprains tendonitis, or chronic irritation and stiffness in the tendons warming up stiff muscles or tissue before activity relieving pain or spasms relating to neck or back injury, including the lower back Cold…