So you’ve decided to be part of the 1% that completes a marathon, an incredible achievement! Training for a marathon is demanding on both your physical endurance and mental resilience. One of the most common dangers comes from experiencing a sports injury during your training. This could be overuse injuries, strains, sprains, and more. Ultimately, these can hinder your progress and even affect you on race day itself. To help you keep your body as healthy as possible, here are some essential tips to avoid sports injuries while training for a marathon: 1. Start Slow and Build Gradually Tip: Avoid…

Oftentimes, people can be scared to move their backs certain ways, or that some movements are bad, and they will injure themselves if they do them. Truthfully, the more we avoid these movements, the harder they become to do which can actually lead to a greater chance of injury. Keeping the spine mobile and strong with exercises every day is the best way at minimizing the risk of injury. Ultimately, it helps our bodies build resiliency. There are many gentle movements and stretches to choose from that are great for keeping a healthy spine! Getting Started Firstly, these exercises may…

Have you decided that you want to become more active, but don’t know where to start? As physiotherapists we are huge advocates of health and are excited for you to make this change! Starting the journey to become more active and increase your fitness is fantastic! Finding an activity and appropriate difficulty at the beginning are essential to making this a lasting habit. Unfortunately, for some people, “traditional” workouts like jogging or lifting weights don’t work for them. Instead, here are some alternative ideas to try for your workout! 1. Incline walking or hiking Hiking is…

Osteoarthritis in the knee. Image by jcomp on Freepik What is osteoarthritis (OA)? Osteoarthritis (OA) is the most common form of arthritis. Alternatively, some people call it degenerative joint disease or “wear and tear” arthritis. It occurs most frequently in the hands, hips, and knees. With OA, the cartilage within a joint begins to break down and the underlying bone begins to change. These changes usually develop slowly and get worse over time. Eventually, it can cause pain, stiffness, and swelling. In more severe cases, it also causes reduced function and disability; some people are no longer able to do daily tasks or work. Osteoarthritis (OA) is the most prevalent joint disease and a leading cause of disability in older adults. Signs and symptoms of osteoarthritis: Pain or aching Stiffness Decreased range of motion (or flexibility) Swelling Risk factors: Joint injury or overuse—Injury or overuse, such…

  Our physiotherapy clinic PhysioNow has 9 locations to serve you across the GTA, from Burlington to Etobicoke Physiotherapists can improve your health by being champions of fitness and wellness. They are experts in a wide variety of topics and can help in many different areas. The following is a list of ways your physiotherapist can improve your health! 1. Prevention Physiotherapists work to prevent injuries and physical health issues through education and awareness. For example, they may provide guidance on proper ergonomics, posture, and exercise habits to reduce the risk of developing pain, injuries and chronic conditions. 2. Rehabilitation Sometimes, accidents happen and injuries can’t be avoided. Physiotherapists help individuals recover from injuries, surgeries, and medical conditions. They use various techniques, therapeutic exercises, and treatments to restore physical function, mobility, and strength. 3. Pain Management Physiotherapists help manage and alleviate pain, whether it’s caused by…

What is Frozen Shoulder? Frozen shoulder, also called adhesive capsulitis, involves stiffness and pain in the shoulder joint. The shoulder joint is enclosed in a capsule of connective tissue. Then, frozen shoulder occurs when this capsule thickens and tightens around the shoulder joint, restricting its movement. What does a typical case look like? Often, signs and symptoms begin slowly, and start getting worse. Over a long period of time, symptoms get better, usually within 1 to 3 years. Additionally, having to keep a shoulder still for a long period increases the risk of developing frozen shoulder. For example, this might happen after having surgery or breaking an arm. Treatment involves range-of-motion exercises. Sometimes, treatment involves corticosteroids and numbing medications injected into the joint. Rarely, arthroscopic surgery is needed to loosen the joint capsule so that it can move more freely. It’s unusual for this condition r to reoccur in the…

Blood Flow Restriction (BFR) therapy, also known as occlusion training or Kaatsu training, is a cutting-edge rehabilitation and fitness technique. For this reason, it has gained significant attention in recent years. This innovative method involves the application of specialized cuffs or bands to restrict blood flow to specific limbs during exercise. In this blog, we will explore what BFR therapy is, how it works, its effects, and the important indications and contraindications associated with it. What is Blood Flow Restriction Therapy? This therapeutic technique is a unique training method that partially restricts blood flow to the extremities, typically the arms or legs. It uses pneumatic cuffs or specially designed bands. The goal is to temporarily reduce the amount of oxygen reaching the working muscles without completely cutting off blood flow. This restriction creates a challenging environment for the muscles, leading to various physiological responses. How Does BFR Therapy Work? [caption…

Fracture Rehab: What To Expect? A fracture is a very serious injury which has severe impacts on your life. It can be a very stressful and overwhelming time as you get used to your new injury and the difficulties it may create in your everyday life. However, with proper care and commitment the the rehabilitation and recovery process, you can regain your strength, mobility, and function. In this blog, we’ll go over the different stages of recovery from a fracture and what to expect from each one. 1. Immediate medical attention at the time of fracture …

Beyond the Physical: How Physiotherapy Affects Mental Well-Being When people are asked to imagine physiotherapy, they think of physical rehabilitation involving exercises, stretches, and manual therapy. While these are undoubtedly the defining aspects, engaging in physiotherapy can also lead to benefits in your psychological well-being and overall quality of life, leaving you feeling better both mentally and physically. In this blog, we will cover the lesser-known benefits of physiotherapy on your mental health. 1. Increased Self-confidence and empowerment In physiotherapy, we aim to give patients the tools and knowledge to manage their injury or condition. Living with an impairment can…

Aquafit: Dive Into a Fun Workout! Aquafit Trying to get in shape but joint pain is holding you back? Are you looking for a new and exciting way to start exercising? Look no further than aquafit! Aquafit, also known as hydrotherapy, or aqua therapy is a workout done in the water to increase fitness and strength. In this article, we will talk about the top 4 benefits of aquafit and how it can be used by our physiotherapy patients. 1. Low-impact, big results The biggest benefit of that it is very gentle on the joints, minimizing…