What is the rotator cuff? The rotator cuff is made up of a group of 4 muscles which control shoulder movements in all directions. Each rotator cuff muscle takes part in a slightly different anatomical shoulder movement like flexion, abduction, or rotation. In addition, they are all used in combination for movements like sport=specific movements. For example, in overhead, throwing, and racket sports such as badminton, tennis, volleyball and basketball. The 4 muscles involved in the rotator cuff are as follows: 1) Supraspinatus 2) Infraspinatus 3) Teres major, teres minor 4) Subscapularis What is rotator cuff tendinitis? Rotator cuff tendinitis…

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…

WHY DO I HAVE SHOULDER PAIN You haven’t done anything to hurt your shoulder. However, you may find yourself unable to move your shoulder and it may cause serious pain if you try. This is a condition known as Frozen Shoulder, and it can greatly affect your daily life. Frozen shoulder, also known as Adhesive Capsulitis is a condition that leads to a painful loss of range of motion in the shoulder joint. frozen shoulder SYMPTOMS  It causes persistent shoulder pain, inflammation and stiffness in the connective tissue of the shoulder. Therefore, the condition is known to gradually worsen over time. These persistent symptoms can make daily tasks extremely painful and challenging. Frozen shoulder causes the capsule surrounding the shoulder joint to contract and form scar tissue, which causes a painful restriction in range of motion. However,  without proper treatment, this shoulder condition can last for…

Shoulder Pain Shoulder pain is a common problem for many people.  It can happen to people of all ages from children to the elderly.  The pain can be very severe and cause a lot of limitations with work and activity.  Shoulder pain is one of the top 5 reasons why people seek out physiotherapy and massage treatments. What Causes Shoulder Pain? There are several reasons why people suffer from shoulder pain. Trauma Any type of direct or indirect trauma can produce shoulder pain if the arm and/or shoulder is involved Motor vehicle accidents Falls Sports injuries Violent incidents Poor office ergonomics Many people who work in offices spend majority of their time sitting  in front of a computer for long periods of time.  Additionally, many offices do not always provide optimal ergonomic setups for their staff.  Over time, as a result, this may lead to the development of pain and…

Shoulder Injuries Shoulder Injuries Shoulder injuries are a common problem for many people. It can happen to people of all ages from children to the elderly. The pain from shoulder injuries can be very severe and cause a lot of limitations with work and activity. Shoulder pain is one of the top 5 reasons why people seek out Physiotherapy and Registered Massage Therapy treatments. What Causes Shoulder Pain? There are several reasons why people suffer from shoulder pain. Trauma – any type of direct or indirect trauma can produce shoulder pain if the arm and/or shoulder is involved Motor vehicle accidents Falls Sports injuries Violent incidents Poor workplace ergonomics – For people who work in offices, they may spend the majority of their time sitting in front of a computer. If the desk set up is not properly, then this may start to produce stress and…

Accident Rehabilitation What is Accident Rehabilitation? Motor vehicle accidents happen everyday in Ontario.  As a result, they produce a lot of pain, disability and stress for those involved. The impact can be quite debilitating. Accident rehabilitation is treatment that is given after being involved in a motor vehicle accident. It is important to seek out Registered Physiotherapists who are experienced in Accident Rehabilitation to ensure proper recovery. At PhysioNow we offer high quality Registered Physiotherapy and Registered Massage therapy treatments to help you recover from your injuries. Registered Massage Therapy Who is entitled to receive Accident Rehabilitation? Any person who has been involved in a motor vehicle accident in Ontario is entitled to receive Accident Rehabilitation benefits . This would include if you were a pedestrian hit by a vehicle.  It would also include coverage for treatment if you were involved in…

Fracture Treatments Mississauga, Etobicoke & Oakville _ PhysioNow Fracture types Fracture Rehabilitation Fractures are common injuries .  They can happen to people of all ages, from the very young to the very old.  The majority of fractures occur with trauma to the bone.  It could be  either from a fall or a blunt force.  Most people can readily feel that they have a broken bone. This is because the signs and symptoms can be very obvious. Some of these indicators of Fracture are: Swelling or bruising over a bone Deformity of an arm or leg Pain that gets worse with any movement or added pressure Inability to put any weight through the injured area Protruding bone through the skin (in the case of open fractures) In some cases, however, fractures can be less obvious.  Some ankle fractures may look a lot like ankle sprains. You may…

Heat and Cold therapy How it works When we apply Heat therapy, it improves circulation and blood flow to  that area due to increased temperature. Heat therapy can relax and soothe muscles and heal damaged tissue. Types Dry Heat therapy includes sources like heating pads, dry heating packs, and even saunas. This heat is easy to apply. Moist Heat therapy includes sources like steamed towels, moist heating packs, Theratherm heating pads that take moisture from the air, or hot baths. Moist heat may be slightly more effective as well as require less application time for the same results. Contraindications diabetes dermatitis vascular diseases deep vein thrombosis multiple sclerosis (MS)  Heat is useful for relieving: osteoarthritis strains and sprains tendonitis, or chronic irritation and stiffness in the tendons warming up stiff muscles or tissue before activity relieving pain or spasms relating to neck or back injury, including the lower back Cold…

Massage Therapy Services Mississauga Massage therapy involves skilled manipulation of the soft tissues (skin, muscle, fascia, tendons, ligaments) and joints in your body. A variety of techniques can be used in Massage therapy services Mississauga to help reduce tension in stiff muscles. It can help to promote lymph and blood flow and speed up the healing of injured tissues. Massage therapy has a therapeutic effect on the body and helps you to recover from injuries to muscles, circulatory and the nervous system. Massage Therapy Services Mississauga: Types 1) Relaxation/Swedish Massage- primarily used to enhance wellbeing and is generally offered in spas, resorts 2) Rehabilitative/Deep tissue/ Therapeutic Massage- Primarily aids in promoting healing of injured tissues. This facilitates early recovery. Registered Massage therapists who are skilled and trained in performing these maneuvers perform Rehabilitative Massage Therapy. This service is offered in medical clinics . Massage Therapy Services…

Acupuncture – Physiotherapy Classical acupuncture originated ~2250 years ago. It has its history in Traditional Chinese Medicine. Modern “western” acupuncture originated in the 1970s, Western acupuncture was based on modern anatomical knowledge. Acupuncture – Physiotherapy involves the insertion of thin needles into the body at specific points. Because the needles are so thin (1/100th the width of a hypodermic needle), there is very little feeling when they are put in. Many people barely feel it when the needles go into the skin. Most acupuncture points are located on or next to nerves and muscles. Benefits of Acupuncture – Physiotherapy: The introduction of acupuncture needles can reduce pain and inflammation. Acupuncture – physiotherapy can help to restore normal function. Acupuncture can also help reduce stress, anxiety and depression, as well as promote energy and relaxation. Safety Concerns with Acupuncture – Physiotherapy Acupuncture is very safe when performed correctly. Before any acupuncture…