Tag Archives: Erin Mills PhysioNow

Falls Prevention Programs have many benefits

November 10,2021 Sharon Tierney Leave a comment

Falls prevention programs play an important role in the health of the elderly population. Falls and the complications associated with them are a huge issue. It affects many aspects of society including health care spending and caregiver stress. Furthermore, the resulting injuries and effects from a fall can be very serious, both for the patient and the family involved. At PhysioNow, our Registered Physiotherapists can help protect your loved ones from falls.

Causes of Weakness & Frailty in the Elderly

The reasons for weakness, loss of function/mobility and frailty in the elderly may include:

Genetics

- Some physical characteristics or conditions may have a strong genetic component
- For example, osteoarthritis may be influenced by genetics and can significantly affect a person’s ability to be mobile and active

Disease/Conditions

- Any disease that affects the strength and/or mobility of a patient will place the individual at risk of falling as the condition progresses
- Examples include Osteoporosis, Parkinson’s Disease, Multiple Sclerosis and Stroke

Injury

- Any previous or recent injury may affect an individual’s ability to be safely mobile
- More specifically, this is especially true if the patient did not receive the appropriate treatment for that injury
- Therefore, this may result in lingering physical problems that continue to worsen with time and further ageing
- Examples would include previous falls and fractures

Medications

- A lot of seniors are on a variety of medications for different health issues including cardiac medication, blood pressure, cholesterol, diabetes, etc.
- Sometimes certain combinations of medications may produce symptoms like dizziness and confusion that may place the senior at more risk of falling

Inactivity

- Some seniors have developed loss of mobility, strength and balance due to a mostly sedentary lifestyle

Dementia

- Dementia refers to a group of symptoms related to the decline in memory and other thinking processes
- As dementia progresses, these limitations will affect their ability to take care of themselves
- Patients with dementia may forget to take their medications or may hurt themselves and not remember that they are injured
- These types of changes can lead to an increased risk of falls

Outcomes of Falls

Falls pose a severe threat to the health and well being of this population. Potential injuries with a fall are the most concerning:

Sprains/Strains
Fractures
- Hip fractures are the most serious consequence of falling for seniors with osteoporosis
- Patients are at increased risk of early death for many years after a hip fracture
Joint Dislocations
Head trauma
Concussions
Stress and anxiety related to the fear of falling

What is the best way to address falls in the elderly?

It is important to try and interrupt the cycle of falls, since each fall leads to more complications.
Importantly, the best way to do that is to promote exercise and an active lifestyle.
More specifically, being active allows seniors to regain their confidence and be more mobile, which is the best thing for their health.
Furthermore, this is especially important as seniors continue to age when joint stiffness, muscle weakness and other age-related changes are more common.
In contrast, seniors who do not participate in regular exercise place themselves at risk of having a poor quality of life.
Additionally, physical activity is very important in the management of a lot of the health conditions that affect the elderly population.
- For example, research consistently shows the importance of exercise in the treatment of arthritis, diabetes, fibromyalgia, osteoporosis and neurological conditions like stroke and Parkinson’s Disease to name a few.
A Registered Physiotherapist is an expert in movement and exercise and is the perfect person to help prevent falls in the elderly.

Benefits of working with a physiotherapist for a falls prevention program

Seeing a Registered Physiotherapist in a community clinic is a great way to work on falls prevention. Alternatively, there are falls prevention programs offered through community centers and hospitals. However, these programs tend to be done in a group setting. In contrast, seeing a registered physiotherapist in a clinic setting would allow for a more one on one experience. This would allow the falls prevention program to be tailored specifically to that person.

A registered physiotherapist will have the expertise to assess the risk of falling and provide guidance towards exercises and activities that are safe for the senior to do.
Furthermore, they can assess the range of motion and strength limitations and provide a specific exercise program that targets those specific areas.
Additionally, the physiotherapist can supervise the exercise program in the clinic, which is a safe and controlled environment.
The physiotherapist can progress the exercises as the senior shows improvements. This will ensure that the senior is doing what they need to do to build up their endurance and tolerance for activity.

As the senior learns to get more active and mobile, they will reduce their risk of falling. Furthermore, they will also gain confidence in their ability to take care of themselves. Therefore, having improved strength and mobility will allow them to do more with their loved ones and enjoy the later years of their life.

Call PhysioNow today to start your Falls Prevention Programs with a Registered Physiotherapist!

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Tips for Back Pain

November 3,2021 Sharon Tierney Leave a comment

Why do I have back pain?

If you have had low back pain, you are not alone. Back pain is one of the most common reasons people see a doctor or miss days at work. Even school-age children can have back pain. Having some tips for back pain will help people manage their symptoms on a regular basis.

Back pain can range in intensity from a dull, constant ache to a sudden, sharp or shooting pain. It can begin suddenly as a result of an accident or by lifting something heavy, or it can develop over time as we age.

Low back pain is caused by common causes like:

Poor posture
Sitting for long hours
Awkward movements
Excessive use of lower back muscles causing overuse injuries
Inappropriate ways of lifting weights
Trauma
Frequent Bending Forward
Degenerative conditions

What are the types of back pain?

There are two types of back pain:

Acute (short-term back pain) lasts a few days to a few weeks.

Most low back pain is acute. It tends to resolve within few days to weeks with self-care and physiotherapy and there is no residual loss of function. However, in some cases a few months may be required for the symptoms to disappear.

Chronic back pain (long term back pain) is defined as pain that continues for 12 weeks or longer, even after an initial injury or underlying cause of acute low back pain has been treated.

About 20 percent of people affected by acute low back pain develop chronic low back pain with persistent symptoms at one year.

Even if pain persists, it does not always mean there is a medically serious underlying cause or one that can be easily identified and treated.

In some cases, physiotherapy treatment successfully relieves chronic low back pain, but in other cases pain continues despite medical and surgical treatment.

What are some simple tips for back pain?

Tips for back pain #1 – Maintain Good Sitting Posture

If you spend most of the day sitting in front of the computer, in an inappropriate posture and slouching, then there is an increased risk of developing back pain. There is an ergonomically correct way to sit:

Eyes should be at the top of the computer screen.
Shoulders should be relaxed.
Desk should roughly be at the same height of the armrests.
Your hips and knees should be at 90 degree angles.
Feet should be flat and well supported.
A lumbar roll should be used to support the back.

Good sitting posture while sitting, and using a lumbar support roll can help you to relieve undue pressure on the spine and hence reduces the back pain.

Tips for back pain #2 – Sleep Better

When you have back pain, sleeping can be hard.

It can be a vicious cycle because when you don’t get enough sleep, your back pain may feel worse. A poor sleep position can also aggravate back pain.

Try lying on your side. Place a pillow between your knees to keep your spine in a neutral position and relieve strain on your back. If you need to sleep on your back, slide a pillow under your knees.

Be sure to sleep on a comfortably firm mattress.

Tips for back pain #3 – Maintain a Healthy Weight

Shedding extra pounds lightens the load on your low back.

Weight loss really helps with pain, because it reduces the amount of mechanical force onto the spine.

If you need help, ask your doctor for advice on a diet and exercise plan that may work best for you.

Tips for back pain #4 – Stretch and Strengthen

Strong muscles, especially in your abdominal core, help support your back. Strength and flexibility may help both relieve your pain and prevent future episodes.

Doing it first thing in the morning is usually encouraged. However, if you’re older or worried about overdoing it, you can do your stretching and strengthening exercises later in the day when your body is warmed up.

Yoga, Pilates, Physical therapy, are just a few of the ways to strengthen your core and the muscles around your hips and back. An example of a good exercise that targets your upper and lower back is to lie on your tummy and push on your hands and come up into a sloppy push up.

Tips for back pain #5 – Physical Therapy

Physical therapists can teach you how to sit, stand, and move in a way that keeps your spine in proper alignment and alleviates strain on your back.

We can teach you specialized exercises that strengthen the core muscles that support your back. A strong core is one of the best ways to prevent recurrence of back pain in the future.

Studies show that when you increase your strength, flexibility, and endurance, back pain decreases The best treatment for managing low back pain is staying strong and active.

At PhysioNow, we have Registered Physiotherapists who can provide the necessary back pain treatment.

Do not let back pain stop you from living your life. We have 5 locations across the communities of Mississuaga and Etobicoke to help you manage your pain.

Call PhysioNow to book your assessment with a Registered Physiotherapist and get started today!

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Why should you get physiotherapy for ankle sprains?

November 1,2021 Sharon Tierney Leave a comment

Physiotherapy for ankle sprains is an important part of recovery. There are many different types of ankle injuries. Ankle sprains are one of the most common injuries that lead people to seek out treatment at PhysioNow. However, some people choose to let an ankle sprain recover on its own without the help of a Registered Physiotherapist. Unfortunately, this can prevent full recovery of the injury and result in long term issues with the ankle.

What is an ankle sprain?

An ankle sprain happens when there is injury to one of the ligaments of the ankle. More specifically, a ligament is a soft tissue structures that connects a bones to bones. Ligaments provide stability to the ankle joint. This means that they keep the ankle secure and able to react to a variety of movements and forces.

There are 3 main sets of ligaments that help stabilize the ankle:

Lateral ligaments – These three ligaments are found on the outside of the ankle. Injury to these ligaments is called a lateral ankle sprain. This is the most common type of ankle sprain.
Medial ligaments – These four ligaments are found on the inside portion of the ankle. Injury to these structures is called a medial ankle sprain.
Ankle Syndesmosis – These 3 ligaments on the top of the ankle, connecting the two bones of the shin. Injury to these ligaments is referred to as a high ankle sprain.

An injury to any of these ligaments can result in an ankle sprain and result in pain and limited function. There are different types of ankle sprains and they all have various degrees of severity.

What are the symptoms of an ankle sprain?

The most common way that an ankle sprain happens is through a fall and twist of the ankle. The exact symptoms of an ankle sprain will depend on the location of the ligaments injured and the severity of the injury. However, the most common signs and symptoms include:

Pain in the ankle
- The exact location of the pain may vary depending on the ligaments affected.
- However, pain can also be found all over the ankle regardless of the specific structures that are injured
Swelling
Difficulty moving the ankle through its usual range of motion
Inability to comfortably put your full weight through the ankle, like when your standing or walking.
Loss ability to balance on uneven surfaces.
Inability to do higher impact activities such as jumping, hopping and running.

What should I do for my ankle sprain?

An ankle sprain can be very painful when it first happens. Therefore, it is important to stop with whatever activity you are doing and give your ankle some rest. If there is severe pain and you are unable to put any weight on it, it is a good idea to see a doctor to make sure that there is no ankle fracture. Importantly, if you are able to walk on it, you can likely hold off on seeing a doctor and instead use the RICE principle.

R: Rest
I: Ice
C: Compression
E: Elevation

This should help reduce some of the initial inflammation in the ankle. After trying this for 1-2 days, it is important to see a Registered Physiotherapist. The physiotherapist will be able to assess the extent of your ankle sprain and start with the right treatment to help you recover in a timely manner.

What is the optimal physiotherapy treatment for ankle sprains?

Physiotherapy for ankle sprains usually includes several components that help to achieve a successful recovery. At PhysioNow, all of our therapists have lots of experience at successfully treating ankle sprains. The main focus of treatment will include:

Modalities to help reduce inflammation and promote healing
- This could include ultrasound, laser and interferential therapy
Manual therapy for the ankle and surrounding tissues
- Manual therapy helps to promote circulation and reduce tension through the affected tissues
- Additionally, it can also help to promote flexibility of the ankle joint and help improve the range of motion
Exercises to help promote mobility and improve strength and balance
- It is important to add exercises in a progressive manner so that they don’t overload the ankle and delay healing
Education is provided about home management principles and activity modification to assist with recovery of the ankle.
Bracing may be a recommendation depending on the severity of the injury
- More specifically, for higher grade ankle sprains, wearing an ankle boot helps immobilize the ankle and prevent further injury to the sprained ligaments.
- The physiotherapist will advise the patient on how long to wear the ankle boot.

Is it necessary to get physiotherapy for an ankle sprain?

Although some ankle sprains can seem like minor injuries that can heal on their own, this is not always the case. More specifically, it is important to know that the body always makes compensations for injuries. Therefore, when you don’t get treatment for your injuries, these compensations will continue to build up and produce long term effects. For example, if there is chronic weakness in the ankle after an ankle sprain, then there is a higher chance of getting future ankle sprains. Additionally, this leads to more problems as each successive sprain adds more weakness to the ankle and takes longer and longer to recover.

Getting physiotherapy treatment early in the injury phase will lead to a faster recovery and prevents future sprains from disrupting your life. Call PhysioNow today to book your assessment!

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5 Tips for Managing Knee Pain

October 14,2021 Sharon Tierney Leave a comment

What causes knee pain?

Managing knee pain is a common concern for many people. It can feel too difficult and there is always a fear of making the pain worse. Especially, when knee pain can be caused by several different reasons. For example:

Muscle and tendon strains
Ligament sprains
Bursitis
Osteoarthritis
Meniscus tears
Patellar-femoral pain
Dislocations
Post-Surgery

What can I do to help manage my knee pain?

There are several things that you can try to help reduce or solve your knee pain on your own.

Apply heat or ice

An easy home remedy for managing knee pain at home is applying either heat or ice to the area. However, there is always some confusion about whether heat or ice is the better option. As a general rule of thumb we say: If there was a sudden trauma and the area is showing signs of inflammation, such as swelling and heat coming off the area, then use ice for the first 1-3 days. In contrast, if it’s a chronic pain that comes and goes, then heat is often the better option.

When using an ice pack, wrap it in a thin moistened towel and apply to the painful area for about 10-15 minutes. This can be done 2-3 times a day to help manage the effects of inflammation.

If you are trying a heating pad, then apply it to the knee for about 15 minutes. Heating pads can also be used 2-3 times a day for pain management.

2. Try some gentle movements for managing knee pain.

If you are having pain and or stiffness with you knee, it is a good idea to try and keep it moving. Movement helps to encourage and preserve the range of motion that is available at the knee joint. It also helps increase the circulation in the tissues and helps reduce swelling in the knee.

An easy range of motion exercise that you can complete at home for knee pain is a heel slide. For this exercise, lie on your back on your bed or on the floor. Start to bend your knee while keeping your heel down on the floor or bed. You can slide your heel towards your bottom while continuing to bend the knee. Once you reach a point where your knee is painful, stop bending your knee and instead straighten your knee by sliding your heel back to the starting position. Repeat this movement 10 times and perform this exercise 3 times a day. You can place a plastic bag under your heel to make the sliding easier.

3. Perform some gentle strengthening exercises

Although it is difficult to think of doing any type of exercise when you are having knee pain, it can actually be very helpful. Quite often, you can help with managing knee pain by doing some simple exercises. There are some exercises that activate the muscles while being very gentle at the same time so that it does not further irritate the knee. Similar to the range of motion exercise described above, gentle strengthening exercises can help to increase circulation and reduce pain and stiffness. These benefits can significantly increase the recovery time of knee pain.

An example of gentle strengthening exercises include isometric quads and isometric hamstrings. These two exercises activate the quads and hamstring muscles, respectively. However they do so in a low impact way that usually does not create more pain for the knee.

For the isometric quads exercise, you want to lie down on your back and have a pillow underneath your painful knee. You then want to gentle press the back of your knee into the pillow as if you are trying to straighten the knee. Hold this position for 3 seconds and then relax the knee. Repeat this exercise 10 times and try to do it 3 times a day.

For the isometric hamstring exercise, you also start with lying on your back. You then want to bend your painful knee to about 90 degrees and plant your heel into the bed or floor. Pull your heel down into the floor and hold this for 3 seconds. You should feel the back of your thigh tightening. Repeat this exercise 10 times and repeat it 3 times a day.

4. Wear a knee brace or sleeve for managing knee pain.

Knee pain can be very limiting, especially with activities that require you to be on your feet for extended periods of time. For example going for a walk or doing yardwork. For many people, wearing a simple knee brace or sleeve will help provide some compression and support through the knee joint. It is another tool that helps with managing knee pain.

An effective knee brace should be snug and provide comfortable support without being too tight and digging into the skin. It should also not be too loose so that it starts to slide down when you are on your feet. You should be able to put your finger comfortably into the sleeve to judge the correct fit.

You can wear the knee brace when you have to be more active or be on your feet for longer periods of time. Try not to wear it all day so that your knee does not get too reliant on the brace.

5. Continue to be active in ways that don’t bother the painful knee.

Most often, knee pain is worse with higher impact or prolonged weight bearing activities. You may feel that this limits your ability to be active and continue with your regular physical activities. However, there are many forms of exercise that are less aggressive on your knee joint. Examples include biking and swimming. Finding exercises that allow you to continue your physical activity is important in maintaining your physical health and overall well-being.

These 5 tips are some of the ways of managing knee pain on your own. Of course, these alone may not solve your specific knee pain because there are so many factors that contribute to a person’s experience of pain.

If these tips do not work for you, then it is important to seek out the help of a Registered Physiotherapist so that they can formally assess your knee and determine what is the best course of action for you. At PhysioNow, all of our physiotherapists are very experienced at successfully assessing and treating knee pain.

Do not let you knee pain stop you from doing what you love. Call PhysioNow today to book your appointment!

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Benefits of Acupuncture for Headaches

October 7,2021 Sharon Tierney Leave a comment

What is Acupuncture?

Acupuncture is a component of traditional Chinese and Western Medicine. It involves inserting very thin/fine needles into certain points on your body targeting the nerves or energy points in the body. This treatment helps to reduce pain and improve function. At PhysioNow, many of our physiotherapists perform acupuncture treatment for many orthopedic conditions. One of the most common reasons, patients seek out acupuncture is for the treatment of headaches.

Types of Acupuncture and its benefits for headaches

There are 2 types of acupuncture:

Chinese Acupuncture
- This approach stimulates specific pressure points, which restores the flow of positive energy throughout your body and removes the negative energy that is causing pain.
Western/medical Acupuncture
- This type stimulates various systems of your body (for example, the nervous system and vascular system) to promote a healing response.
- The points where needles are inserted stimulate the nerves to release hormones such as endorphins that trigger a response from your body.
- This nervous and circulation system stimulation is believed to relieve headaches and migraines.

Both types of treatment have a common goal – the reduction of headaches and improvement of function.

Does Acupuncture really work?

Since acupuncture is a different form of treatment, there is always a question of whether it actually works. However, many research studies have consistently shown that acupuncture treatment provided better pain relief compared with usual care, which did not include acupuncture.

Types of headaches commonly treated with acupuncture

The research shows that treatment has been most effective for:

Migraines
Cervicogenic headaches
- headache on one side of head or eye radiating from neck
Occipital headaches
- headache behind the head
However other types of headaches could also be treated depending on patient’s assessment and healthcare professional’s skill and knowledge.
Common points used for headaches are:
- Yintang: between the eyebrows
- DU 20: top center of head
- GB20: Back of the neck, halfway between the spine and the ears, just under the base of the skull
- Li4: In the fleshy bit between the thumb and first finger, in the V where the bones meet.
- UB 10 – Along the same line as GB 20, closer to the spine

What are the risks associated with treatment?

Acupuncture itself carries little risk when done by a qualified practitioner. However there are some common mild side effects of the treatment, including:

Bruising
Fatigue
Soreness

Additionally, most people feel tiny pricks with the needles during treatment. However, some people won’t feel anything at all. Regardless of the sensation of the needles, acupuncture will not make any of your symptoms feel worse. If you speak with your practitioner about concerns you have about discomfort, you might feel calm going into the procedure.

It is important to note that acupuncture treatment using substandard or dirty equipment can pose a very serious health risk for infection. Treatment needles are regulated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and are only supposed to be single-use.

At PhysioNow, we make sure to explain the process of the treatment and all the possible risk and side effects to make sure patients have a good understanding of the treatment. Our treatment is always hygienic, minimizing the risk of infection and we never re-use the needles.

What are some tips to make sure you have a safe experience?

Make sure to do your homework on your acupuncturist before booking your first appointment, and leave the appointment if you don’t feel comfortable. Furthermore, your therapist needs to be using sterile, single use needles. Don’t be afraid to ask questions about what is going on. A good therapist will walk you through the procedure and make sure it’s a calm and safe experience for you.

However, it’s important to note that acupuncture by itself may not be enough to treat chronic headache pain. Migraines, tension headaches, and cluster headaches that impair your daily life should be addressed with pain medication and exercise along with it.

General guidelines for treatment

There’s no special preparation prior to a treatment session. If it’s your first time, you may want to go with a list of questions. Your practitioner will be able to advise you on how many treatments you should expect, and how often you might need to go to experience relief of your symptoms.

A clinical study of acupuncture for cluster headaches recommended treatment twice a week for two weeks followed by one treatment per week for eight weeks, and maintenance treatments of once every other week after that.

Who can perform acupuncture and is there coverage for it?

As mentioned above there are two types of acupuncture: Chinese and medical. An acupuncturist who completes 2-3 years of training from a recognized school holds a license to practice acupuncture. This is usually a Chinese Acupuncture practitioner and some health insurance companies offer coverage for this service.

Additionally, regulated health professionals can also provide Chinese or Medical Acupuncture after completing certain hours of training from a recognized school.

Extended health care insurance may cover acupuncture performed by an acupuncturist. Additionally, regulated health professionals like physiotherapists and massage therapists can also perform acupuncture and coverage may be available through those professions.

Benefits of acupuncture with physiotherapy

Importantly, a combined or integrated treatment approach is better than doing one form of treatment. More specifically, combining acupuncture with physiotherapy enhances the effectiveness of each treatment. Furthermore, certain types physiotherapy treatments like manual therapy can be very painful for some patients. For example, cervicogenic headaches usually require physiotherapy treatment techniques like manual therapy and exercises. However, high pain levels and severe headaches will make manual therapy and exercises difficult to tolerate. Instead, combining both treatments will help reduce this pain and headache and make manual therapy and exercises more tolerable to patients. This will lead to faster reduction in the patient’s symptoms and boosting recovery for a longer duration.

At PhysioNow we provide both Chinese and Western acupuncture. If you need more information we will be happy to provide a consultation with our practitioners. Call PhysioNow today to book your treatment session!