Physiotherapy Blog

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…

Determining if you have a concussion Concussions have been a hot topic in medicine for a few years, but many people still have questions regarding what exactly concussions are and how they should be treated. Simply, concussions are a bruise to the brain that occurs when the brain hits the inner side of the skull. This usually occurs when the brain has a sudden stop. Studies suggest that you are more likely to get a concussion with a sudden stop if there is rotation, or turning, of the head during the fall or hit. Diagnosing a concussion can be complex as there are no clear tests that can show the damage including MRI or CT Scan. Scientists are working on solving this problem, but there are no clear answers yet. Even the story of how the injury happened can be quite different. You do not have be go unconscious (or…

Sport Physiotherapists are registered physiotherapists who have completed post graduate education. They have developed expertise in sports therapy and the special challenges that occur with all athletes – elite to the weekend warrior. They are on-field experts with advanced first aid and concussion assessment skills. They also have extra training in many areas needed for returning to sport at the best level and with a decreased risk of reinjuring. To truly be ready to return to sport and to perform at your best, your physiotherapist should look not only at the area of injury but how it relates to the whole body’s movement. Many of us have heard that a soccer kick comes from the hip, or we have practiced winding up for a slap shot. An example of a this is how the forces travel from the hip through the knee and into the soccer ball. A Sport Physiotherapist…

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…

Shoulder Injury Pain in the shoulder related to shoulder injury can develop for several reasons, including but not limited to falls, trauma, repetitive wear and tear and poor posture. In all of these cases, an inflammation develops in one or more tendons of the shoulder muscles and it can lead to pain, loss of movement and strength and can even lead to neck pain. It is important to seek treatment as early as possible with a shoulder injury because with time our bodies make several compensations to deal with the pain. If the reduced motion continues for a long period of time, it can lead to a frozen shoulder, which can take much longer to heal. Treatment for this type of shoulder injury  focusses on reducing pain, getting your  movement back and then on building overall strength through the shoulder. Typically, physiotherapy helps to reduce pain through various techniques including the use of machines to help decrease…

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…