There are more and more people who are using physiotherapy services to help them recover from their injuries and pain conditions.  However, there are also a lot of people who do not understand what physiotherapy can offer.  Physiotherapy plays an important role in keeping people healthy and active. What is physiotherapy? Physiotherapy is a health care profession that helps people regain their strength and function.  A Registered Physiotherapist will do an assessment that helps them understand the nature of the patient’s problem.  They will then develop a treatment plan.  More specifically, the treatment plan will address the limitations that is not allowing them to live out their best quality of life.  The main goals of physiotherapy is to restore, maintain and improve strength, function and movement. What kind of symptoms can physiotherapy help treat? Pain Decreased range of motion Weakness Limited flexibility Loss of function Poor balance Dizziness/Vertigo What kind…

The custom knee braces are useful for many reasons.  The most common reasons are to correct alignment or stability of the knee.  Therefore, the brace allows people to continue to be mobile and active despite their knee injury or pain.  At PhysioNow, we have custom knee braces available from DonJoy, Breg and Ossur.  A Registered Physiotherapist with training in knee braces  will recommend and measure the brace that’s the most appropriate for the needs of the patient. Types of Custom Knee Braces There are different types of braces for different types of knee conditions.  The custom knee brace needs to be specific to the condition for it to be effective.  Some examples of the types of custom knee braces include: Brace for ligament instabilities The main ligaments of the knee that give the knee stability are the ACL, PCL, MCL and LCL.  These injuries occur during sports or recreational activities…

2021 is definitely an interesting year to reflect on.  The Covid-19 pandemic certainly creates a new and different challenge for physiotherapy.  Let’s have a look at the most popular reasons why people came in for treatment at PhysioNow in 2021! Reason #1:  Neck & Back Pain Neck and back pain are definitely the most common symptom that led people to PhysioNow in 2021.  This was due to several different factors.   The most important being that majority of office staff shifted to working from home.  This means that they are working in home offices that are not always ergonomically correct.  Additionally, most people who work from home end up spending more time sitting in front of their screens without getting up and moving around.  As a result, stiffness in the back is produced and continues to progress and become painful. Reason #2: Shoulder Pain Shoulder pain is another popular reason for…

What is Low Back Pain? Low back pain physiotherapy is one of the most commonly sought out treatments.  More specifically, low back pain can be very debilitating.  Consequently, people want to find ways to help manage their symptoms so that they can return to their usual lifestyles. Research says several reasons have been identified as possible causes of low back pain.  For example: Sedentary life-style Industrial work Poor posture Depression High body mass index Poor ergonomics at work More specifically, 60-70% of people are suffering from mechanical low back pain. Importantly, it is important to realize that low back pain is a condition and not a disease.  Therefore, the exact cause of the pain is often difficult to chase.  However, despite this, physiotherapy treatment for mechanical low back pain is very effective. What is a low back sprain/strain? Low back strain/sprain can happen suddenly or with doing repetitive movements overtime. …

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…