Tag Archives: Exercise

Exercise, General Category, Registered Physiotherapy Mississauga, Seniors, Sports Injuries, Total Knee Replacement

Recovery Tips: Total Knee Replacement

October 11,2016 Sharon Tierney Leave a comment

Recovery tips: Total Knee Replacement

Getting a new metallic knee and a big surgery can be very overwhelming. It is particularly hard right after the surgery! Here you will find some Recovery Tips: Total Knee Replacement.
These can help with faster recovery.

Exercise–

During the first few days following the surgery, you are at risk of developing a clot in your calf. This is because as you are not moving much due to pain or from the effect of anesthesia. Simple foot/ankle exercises will prevent pooling of blood around your calf leading to a possible clot.
Registered Physiotherapists Mississauga can help to manage your pain and swelling right after the surgery.

Other Recovery tips: Total Knee Replacement

Many surgeons recommend providing compression to the area using a compression stocking. They also recommend using ice around your knee joint. Its usually done with your leg elevated so that gravity can further help to drain the swelling around your knee.

As part of your home exercises, pumping your ankle up and down is advised. It is also recommended to avoid keeping your knee in a position such as prolonged sitting with your feet dangling in the air. This can cause your knee to swell more.

Registered Physiotherapists Mississauga might use electrical stimulation(IFC) to further help with draining of the fluid in your knee joint. Electrical stimulation helps to stimulate muscle contraction around your knee joint which helps to drain the fluid from your knee joint.

Yes, there are many ways to control the swelling around your knee joint and Registered Physiotherapists Mississauga at all of our PhysioNow locations can assist in your road to recovery following Total Knee Replacement.

Exercise remains the key way to achieve a faster recovery following total knee replacement. Registered Physiotherapists Mississauga will provide an exercise program for your knee so that there is less stiffness setting in around your knee. Also, exercise will prevent your muscles from shrinking or weakening following surgery.

physiotherapy: knee pain

A Knee slider board can be helpful to keep the knee moving through the full range in a more comfortable way. PhysioNow has knee slider boards available for rent after your knee surgery. Please call PhysioNow today to reserve a board for after your surgery.

Final Recovery Tips: Total Knee Replacement

Changes to your home that may be helpful:
Use of a hand rail in the shower or bath
Use of a raised toilet seat with arms
Make your home clutter free- remove loose rugs/carpets/cords
Use of a Shower chair in your bath tub
Use of a Reacher to grab objects
Secure hand rails at stairs

Exercise, General Category, Health and Wellness, Physiotherapy, Seniors

Osteoporosis: The Breakdown Of Bone Tissue

July 18,2016 Sharon Tierney Leave a comment

Osteoporosis

This is a condition that causes the breakdown of bone tissue. This leads to a decrease in bone density. This bone loss leads to an increased risk of bone fragility and fractures. The bones of the hips, spine, wrist and shoulder are most likely to suffer such fractures. According to Osteoporosis Canada, the number of fractures from osteoporosis is more than heart attacks, strokes and breast cancer combined.

The diagnosis is made using a bone scan test. The individual’s bone mineral density result is compared to that of an average young adult. A score is calculated. The score tells the individual how much their bone mineral density differs from the average young person. The World Health Organization uses the scores to categorize the condition. As the score decreases, the risk of fractures increases.

Normal: > -1.0
Osteopenia: Between -1.0 and -2.5
Osteoporosis: <-2.5
Severe Osteoporosis: <-2.5 and fragility fracture (fracture that is caused by an injury that would normally not fracture bone)

Treatment focuses on maintaining bone mineral density. The goal is to decrease fracture risk. Registered Physiotherapists Mississauga can play a very important role. They can educate individuals on how to live safely with their condition. A Registered Physiotherapist can provide several strategies to reduce risk. They can suggest adaptive equipment such as using reachers and other long handled devices. This causes less stress on the spine.

Facts About Osteoporosis

Modifications of the environment, such as changing the height of shelves and moving those items used more frequently to waist or shoulder level are also recommended. Activity and movement modifications may involve using lighter weights. Selecting different footwear and advice on what positions to avoid can be helpful. Lastly, an exercise program designed specifically for each person’s impairments is also very important in reducing the risk of fractures. Lifting weights can help to increase bone density. This would help to reduce the risk of fracture.

Registered Physiotherapists Mississauga can help to set up a program of light weight lifting. Weight lifting should be done at least three times per week. This will help to increase bone density. This can be a challenging condition to live with. It can really have a negative impact on quality of life.

The good news is that it certainly does not have to. A Registered Physiotherapist Mississauga can help with management strategies. We can help you to continue to lead an active life! The goals of treatment are: to reduce fracture risk, increase activity, and maintain your healthy lifestyle!

Call today to book an appointment with our highly trained Registered Physiotherapists Mississauga at 289-724-0448! Get started today!

Exercise, General Category, Health and Wellness

Cancer Recovery, Physiotherapists Can Help

November 27,2015 Sharon Tierney Leave a comment

Cancer Recovery

Cancer is devastating. The Canadian Cancer Society, Public Health Agency of Canada and Statistics Canada released a report showing that up to 45% of males, and 42% of women will suffer from cancer at some point in their lifetime. However, this report also states that our success at treating it is getting better and better (www.cancer.ca). Cancer recovery is more likely than ever. The treatments however can be tough on our bodies, causing fatigue. The exhaustion from cancer recovery can be so severe that it prevents us from returning to our normal lives. This includes work and social activities.

Exercise can help. But that idea can be very scary for someone who has just faced a lot of treatment. Often the fatigue is so severe that the idea of getting started on an exercise program is overwhelming. And those that are determined to begin anyway do not know where to start. This is where your medical team can help.

First check with you family doctor or your specialist to make sure that it is safe for you to start exercising. Once you have received the all clear, talk to a trained physiotherapist about what to do. They are the experts in exercise. Physiotherapists will be able to guide you through the proper steps to recovery.

Remember that your program should involve exercises that are aimed at improving your heart, lungs, fitness and strength. Prior to diagnosis, one thinks of cardio including things like walking, running, rowing and swimming. This is often too much immediately following treatment. Simpler activities such as step up or marching can often be enough to achieve fitness goals. Shorter, frequent sessions of exercise can also be as effective and better tolerated. Strengthening exercises build muscle and stamina. These need to be adapted to your body’s new abilities.

Cancer recovery is possible. You can get better and you will get back to being the old you. Just talk to a physiotherapist to see how to do this faster and safely.

Exercise, General Category, Health and Wellness, Physiotherapy

Exercise: Disease Prevention and tips to include Daily exercise

October 15,2015 Sharon Tierney Leave a comment

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 and injury. So, although they know that exercise may help, they get in a cycle of exercising causing pain, forcing them to rest, which causes more pain…. It is a difficult cycle to be caught in, but there are strategies to break the pattern and get moving.
When starting to exercise, one of the most common mistakes is that people do too much too soon. Remember that any increase in activity will benefit you. This may be taking the stairs versus the elevator, parking at the back of the parking lot and walking to the mall, or even marching on the spot. Start with a level that is comfortable without increasing discomfort. As you continue to do this exercise, it will get easier and this is when you increase intensity. Gym memberships and community programs can be expensive, especially if you are dealing with the costs of chronic illness. Activity can be less expensive. Look into walking in your neighbourhood, or mall walking when the weather is poor. Finally, remember that every little bit helps. If you can only tolerate 5 to 10 minutes of exercise at a time, start there but do it a few times a day.

If you are uncertain where to start, seek out a physiotherapist to assist you. They are trained in exercise and particularly, exercise for people in pain or with illness and injury. Simple steps can be taken to get you moving again.