If you have a fracture, it means you have broken a bone.  Fractures are common injuries and they can happen to people of all ages, from the very young to the very old.  Common areas where fractures happen include shoulder, spinal vertebrae, elbow, wrist, knees and ankle.  Majority of fractures occur with trauma to the bone – either from a fall or a blunt force. How do you know that you have a fracture? Most people can usually feel that they have broken a bone because the signs and symptoms can be very obvious.  These include: Swelling or bruising over a bone Deformity around the injury area, such as arm or leg Pain that gets worse with any movement or added pressure Inability to put any weight through the joint Protruding bone through the skin (in the case of open fractures) Is it always obvious that you have a fracture?…

Pelvic health in men is a topic lacking attention, recognition, and research.  More specifically, issues with the pelvic floor affect many men and can be very disruptive to their lives.  Consequently, pelvic floor physiotherapy helps us accept, understand and treat the pelvic related issues for men. Causes of pelvic health issues for men There are several pelvic health issues for men.  For example, some of the common problems faced by men are: Incontinence 1 in 9 men are incontinent Incontinence means loss of urine in small volume or dribbling by coughing, sneezing, laughing, lifting, exercise or transitional movements. Risk Factors for incontinence include Obesity, Chronic illness, Medication, Smoking, Chronic straining, Radical Prostatectomy, and Prostate enlargement Consequently, there are a lot of social issues related to incontinence, including: Decreased self esteem Depression Isolation Reduced social activity Reduced/Disrupted physical activity Erectile dysfunction  There may be physical or psychological factors that could cause…

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…