Tag Archives: low back pain

Endometriosis Physiotherapy

Endometriosis Physiotherapy

Endometriosis is the abnormal growth of cells (endometrial cells) similar to those that form the inside of the uterus, but in a location outside of the uterus. Endometriosis Physiotherapy: fortunately there is something that you can do about this!
Endometriosis Physiotherapy

Cause of Endometriosis

The cause of endometriosis is unknown. One theory is that the endometrial tissue is deposited in unusual locations by the retrograde flow of menstrual debris through the Fallopian tubes into the pelvic and abdominal cavities. The cause of this retrograde menstruation is not clearly understood. These lesions are most commonly found on the ovaries, the Fallopian tubes, the surface of the uterus, the bowel, and on the membrane lining of the pelvic cavity (i.e. the peritoneum).
It is also likely the direct transfer of endometrial tissues at the time of surgery may be responsible for the endometriosis implants occasionally found in surgical scars (for example, episiotomy or Cesarean section scars).
Finally, there is evidence that some women with endometriosis have an altered immune response. They are less commonly found to involve the vagina, cervix, and bladder.

Signs and symptoms of Endometriosis Physiotherapy

Some women experience mild symptoms, but others can have moderate to severe symptoms. Pelvic pain is the most common symptom of endometriosis. You may also have the following symptoms:
• painful periods
• pain in the lower abdomen before and during menstruation
• cramps one or two weeks around menstruation
• heavy menstrual bleeding or bleeding between periods
• infertility
• pain following sexual intercourse
• discomfort with bowel movements
• lower back pain that may occur at any time during your menstrual cycle
• bloating and distention

Endometriosis Physiotherapy Treatments

A Pelvic health Physiotherapist will evaluate the alignment, musculature, fascial systems, and movement patterns in the pelvis and body for issues that activate your pain and decrease your quality of life.
They develop a treatment programme according to your specific needs. Registered Physiotherapists can help to manage the symptoms of endometriosis such as painful menstrual cramping, abdominal discomfort, pelvic floor pain, and painful intercourse by:
• treating connective tissue dysfunction
• treating myofascial trigger points
• “Visceral manipulation therapy” mobilizing viscera (gentle manual therapy techniques aimed at releasing adhesions and restoring the proper mobility of the internal organs, such as the uterus, bladder, colon and small intestine)
• correcting postural and movement dysfunction (often when we are in pain not only does it change our muscle tone but it causes us to move and posture ourselves differently than we typically would.
• providing patients, the correct postural techniques.
Registered Massage Therapy may also be beneficial in the treatment of Endometriosis, especially if you are suffering from Low Back Pain. If you are interested in booking a massage, give us a call today!
Check out this link to the Mayo Clinic for a bit more information .

At PhysioNow, we have specially trained Pelvic Health Physiotherapists standing by to help Now! Call today to get started on your recovery from Endometriosis!

Massage Therapy Services Mississauga

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 Mississauga

Massage Therapy Services Mississauga

Benefits of Massage Therapy Services Mississauga:

1) To alleviate pain
2) To decrease muscle spasms
3) To decrease stiffness in joints
4) To decrease tightness in muscles
5) To promote relaxation
6) To decrease inflammation
7) To enhance circulation
8) To decrease stress
9) To decrease anxiety
10) To improve posture
11) To correct muscular imbalances

Conditions treated by Registered Massage Therapists:

1) Rotator cuff tear
2) Frozen shoulder
3) Tennis elbow
4) Golfers elbow
5) Carpal tunnel syndrome
6) Sciatica
7) Disc herniation
8) Arthritis- Hip/Knee
9) Stiff/sore low back
10) Hip bursitis
11) Knee Meniscal Injury
12) Ankle sprain
13) ACL injury to the Knee
14) Post surgical-Total Hip Replacement/ Total Knee Replacement
15) During pregnancy
16) Neck strain
17) Postural stress

Check out this website for more information.

At PhysioNow Mississauga, we have a number of highly skilled Registered Massage Therapists available at each of our offices to help you. We often find that the combination of Registered Physiotherapy and Registered Massage Therapy is quite powerful. Once a Physiotherapist has assessed your condition, they can help to guide the Registered Massage Therapist so that you get the maximal benefit from all of your treatments. We have Registered Massage Therapists available 6 days per week from Monday to Saturday. Please call 289-724-0448 today!

Sciatica Treatment Mississauga

Sciatica Treatment Mississauga

Sciatica

Sciatica Treatment Mississauga
Sciatica Treatment Mississauga is available at all of our PhysioNow Clinics!
Sciatica refers to back pain caused by an inflammation with the sciatic nerve. This is a large nerve that runs from the lower back down the back of each leg. When something irritates or puts pressure on the sciatic nerve, it can cause pain in the lower back that spreads to the hip, buttocks, and leg. Sciatica Treatment Mississauga can help!
Symptoms

The most common symptoms of sciatica are

• lower back pain that extends through the hip and buttock and down one leg.
• The pain usually affects only one leg and may get worse when you sit, cough, or sneeze.
• The leg may also feel numb, weak, or tingly at times.
• The symptoms of sciatica tend to appear suddenly and can last for days or weeks

Causes

• Sciatica is caused by irritation of the root(s) of the lower lumbar and lumbosacral spine.
• Lumbar spinal stenosis (narrowing of the spinal canal in the lower back)
• Degenerative disc disease (breakdown of discs, which act as cushions between the vertebrae)
• Spondylolisthesis (a condition in which one vertebra slips forward over another one)
• Pregnancy
• Muscle spasm in the back or buttocks

Physiotherapy treatment of Sciatica

Sciatica Treatment Missisauga involves treatments that focus on prevention and management of injuries or disabilities.Sciatica Treatment Mississauga helps to relieve pain, promote healing, and restore function and movement.
A Physiotherapist may focus on decreasing pain with either passive or active therapy.
Passive Physiotherapy may include:

• Manual therapies
• Heat/ice packs
• Electrical stimulation, including TENS units or IFC (Interferential Therapy)
• Ultrasound
• Acupuncture
. Registered Massage Therapy

Active Physiotherapy may include:

• Movement based activities, including stretching and range of motion exercises
• Specific strengthening exercises
• Very Specific Pain relief exercises

Overall, Sciatica is a very debilitating condition which can affect your activities of daily living. PhysioNow Mississauga has excellent Registered Physiotherapists who can help you to overcome your sciatica problem and improve your quality of life. Call today! 289-724-0448

Sciatica Treatment Missisauga

Sciatica Treatment Missisauga

Sciatica Treatment Mississauga is available at all of our PhysioNow Mississauga Clinics, www.physionow.ca.
Sciatica refers to back pain caused by an inflammation with the sciatic nerve. This is a large nerve that runs from the lower back down the back of each leg. When something irritates or puts pressure on the sciatic nerve, it can cause pain in the lower back that spreads to the hip, buttocks, and leg.

Sciatica Treatment Mississauga

Sciatica

Symptoms of Sciatica


The most common symptoms of sciatica are

• lower back pain that extends through the hip and buttock and down one leg.
• The pain usually affects only one leg and may get worse when you sit, cough, or sneeze.
• The leg may also feel numb, weak, or tingly at times.
• The symptoms of sciatica tend to appear suddenly and can last for days or weeks

Causes of Sciatica

• Sciatica is caused by irritation of the root(s) of the lower lumbar and lumbosacral spine.
• Lumbar spinal stenosis (narrowing of the spinal canal in the lower back)
• Degenerative disc disease (breakdown of discs, which act as cushions between the vertebrae)
• Spondylolisthesis (a condition in which one vertebra slips forward over another one)
• Pregnancy
• Muscle spasm in the back or buttocks

Sciatica Treatment Missisauga

Sciatic Treatment Mississauga involves treatments that focus on prevention and management of injuries or disabilities. Sciatica Treatment Mississauga helps to relieve pain, promote healing, and restore function and movement.
A Physiotherapist may focus on decreasing pain with either passive or active therapy.

Passive Physical therapy includes:

• Manual therapies
• Heat/ice packs
• Electrical stimulation, including TENS units
• Ultrasound
• Acupuncture

Active Physical therapy Mississauga includes:

• Movement based activities, including stretching and range of motion exercises
• Specific strengthening exercises
• Pain relief exercises
• Low-impact aerobic conditioning

Overall, Sciatica is a very debilitating condition which can affect your activities of daily living. Sciatica Treatment Missisauga at PhysioNow Mississauga consists of treatment from excellent registered physiotherapists. These Registered Physiotherapists Mississauga can help you to overcome your sciatica problem and improve your quality of life. Call today to get started! 289-724-0448, or Check out our website www.physionow.ca/areas-of-injuries/low-back-pain-treatment.

Low Back Pain Prevention

Low Back Pain Prevention

Low Back Pain Prevention

Low Back Pain Prevention

Low back pain is the most common injury that physiotherapists and massage therapists treat. In fact it is said that up to 80 % of us will have low back pain at some point in our lives; pain severe enough that we will miss time from work and/or taking care of loved ones. As always, the best medicine is to Low back pain prevention.

When it comes to low back pain prevention, there are many things that can be done to prevent injury including using the proper lifting techniques, proper posture and ergonomics at work, yoga – the list goes on. But the one I would like to talk about today is strengthening.

First, let me debunk a myth. Sit ups and crunches will not help with low back pain prevention. Weighted extensions and dead lifts will not help with low back pain prevention either. Although these are important muscles of the trunk, these muscles produce movement and power not stability. It is very rare to find a low back injury that is caused by not enough movement or poor power. Most low back pain is caused by disc injury, joint stress and postural issues. To prevent these injuries, stability exercises must be done.

The stability or deep core muscles lay deeper in the body and create a cylinder around the spine to support it and reduce joint stress. This layer of muscles can be strengthened by completing planks. Planks can take on many forms depending on the muscle strength you already have. Beginners should start on their elbows and knees, while the more advanced person can complete complex patterns of movement including commando crawling. Side planks are also an important option. For variety, working with a half or full ball can add a core element to your workout. Simple exercises include bridging or completing extensions on a ball.

Choosing where to begin depends on your current strength and if you are in any pain. Physiotherapists are expert at prescribing exercises, just ask and we will be glad to get you started. Call to book an appointment with a Registered Physiotherapist Mississauga today!

Low Back Pain : Massage Therapy

Low Back Pain

Low Back Pain

Low Back Pain: Massage Therapy
As physiotherapists and registered massage therapists we treat low back pain – a lot. It is by far the most common injury that we see. Stats suggest that almost all of us will have back pain at some point in our lives. It is also the most common cause for missed days at work. But what causes low back pain?

Low Back Pain

The lumbar spine is very complex, therefore what causes low back pain cannot be answered easily. It is critical to have the spine assessed by someone who is trained to determine what structure is sore, and more importantly why. I have listed some of the most common causes of low back pain.

Common Causes of Low Back Pain

1. Disc herniation or bulge: The disc is a shock absorbing structure that sits between each vertebrae or bone of the back. The disc has a hard outside ring around a soft jelly middle. It is often compared to a jelly donut. Pain is produced when this jelly is pushed through the firm outer shell causing a bump in the circular shape. Sciatica or pain radiating down the leg is caused if this bulge hits a nerve.

2. Joint Stiffness: Each of the vertebrae have a joint connecting them to the bone above and below. Like many of the other joints of the body – the ankle, the knee – these joints will swell and become irritated if they are stretched too far or too much work is demanded of them.

3. Muscle Spasm: Often to protect the back, the muscles that run beside the spine will go into spasm. The purpose of this is to splint the back to allow the irritated area to rest. However, often the spasm can be much worse and more limiting than the initial low back pain. Massage Therapy can be very effective at releasing the muscle spasm and helping you to decrease pain.

These are just a few of the causes, and there are many more. If you would like to know the reason for your low back pain and perhaps more importantly how to treat it, call for an appointment with a Physiotherapist or Massage Therapist today!

Low Back Pain

Low Back Pain

Low Back Pain

Low back pain is the most common injury that physiotherapists and massage therapists treat. In fact it is said that up to 80 % of us will have low back pain at some point in our lives.It is pain severe enough that we will miss time from work and/or taking care of loved ones. As always, the best medicine is to prevent pain. When it comes to low back pain there are many things that can be done to prevent Low Back Pain. This includes using the proper lifting techniques, proper posture and ergonomics at work, yoga – the list goes on. But the one I would like to talk about today is strengthening.
First, let me debunk a myth. Sit ups and crunches will not help prevent low back pain. Weighted extensions and dead lifts will not help prevent low back pain. Although these are important muscles of the trunk, these muscles produce movement and power not stability. It is very rare to find a low back injury that is caused by not enough movement or poor power. Most low back pain is caused by disc injury, joint stress and postural issues. To prevent these injuries, stability exercises must be done.
The stability or deep core muscles lay deeper in the body and create a cylinder around the spine to support it and reduce joint stress. This layer of muscles can be strengthened by completing planks. Planks can take on many forms depending on the muscles strength you already have. Beginners should start on their elbows and knees, while the more advanced person can complete complex patterns of movement including commando crawling. Side planks are also an important option. For variety, working with a half or full ball can add a core element to your workout. Simple exercises include bridging or completing extensions on a ball. Choosing where to begin depends on your current strength and if you are in any pain. Physiotherapists are expert at prescribing exercises, just ask and we will be glad to get you started.

Back Pain Avoidance–Raking Leaves Without Getting Injured

Autumn is my favourite time of year – Warm woolly sweaters, frosty morning spent in front of a fire and hiking in the beautiful autumn leaves. Of course, with these leaves comes raking. (Not a Canadian favourite.) How can we do this safely without causing shoulder and back pain? There are a few simple guidelines that you can follow.

Avoiding Back Pain

1. Warm up: Most of us know to warm up before we do sports, but raking can be just as hard on the body. A brisk 10 minute walk can do the trick.

2. Watch your technique: Step forward and back to collect the leaves. Stooping and reaching with your spine can trigger low back pain. Also, use your feet to turn. Bending and twisting at the same time can be very risky and can cause back pain.

3. Use your knees to lift: Although leaves are not usually heavy, the repetitive motion of bagging the leaves can also cause low back pain. Squat to pick up the leaves uses the big muscles of your legs and bottom to do the work. If this causes knee pain, talk to you physiotherapist for healthy and safe alternatives.

4. Take breaks: Switch activities every 10-15 minutes to let muscles rest. This can change from raking to bagging to weeding the garden. Although you are still working on cleaning up the yard, different muscles are in use, spreading the demand through the body.

5. Don’t do it all at once: Listen to your body, if it is telling you that enough is enough, then stop for a couple of hours, or even a couple of days, the leaves are not going anywhere.

6. Wear proper footwear: Damp leaves can be slippery. Make sure to wear sturdy footwear to prevent slips and falls.

7. Double check: if you have a heart condition, talk to your doctor before taking on this chore.

Low Back Pain Treatment: Physiotherapy

Low back pain is incredibly common. It is estimated that up to 5% of the population in Mississauga has Low back pain at any given time. The good news is that low back pain treatment can usually be very quick if you are give the right information at the right time and you have a skilled physiotherapist to guide you.

Low Back Pain Treatment

The use of modalities such as interferential stimulation and heat can be useful to break down muscle spasm. A thorough assessment by a physiotherapist can usually find one movement that you can do that shuts the low back pain “off”. This movement is specific to each injury but is very powerful in controlling the pain.

Advice on activities to limit, adjust or eliminate is also a necessary and helpful part of any assessment and low back pain treatment. Most often, activities are modified only temporarily, and normal activities can be resumed as soon as pain control has been established.

The culprit for many low back pain injuries is a disc bulge or sometimes a herniation: this refers to damage on the edge of a disc that allows the material inside the disc to bulge out. Often this bulge can lead to pain travelling into the buttock or down into the leg. Once again, this can often be solved fairly easily if you are given the correct information quickly after an attack starts.

Disc injuries are often the fastest injuries to heal if the Low Back pain treatment that you receive is accurate. Once a specific movement has been identified that shuts the pain off, this movement is repeated several times throughout the day in response to the onset of pain. This allows the pressure to come off the injured disc and helps it to heal quickly. The outcomes for these types of injuries are excellent if you see a qualified and skilled physiotherapist. Try to find a physiotherapist that is trained in McKenzie to at least a level C if not higher. These therapist have some of the best training available to deal with Low Back Pain Treatment. PhysioNow has therapists trained in McKenzie level courses at both locations in Mississauga.

Call a physiotherapy clinic now! Ask for a same day appointment and get started on your recovery today!

Back pain – Do you need surgery?

Back Pain- do you need surgery?

Back pain is one of the most common injuries that we see at our office! Most pain medications barely touch the pain- they just take the edge off and knock you out. The good news is that back pain is  an injury that can be treated conservatively by a skilled physiotherapist! There are several different sources of back pain with the most common being disc pain due to a disc bulge or herniation. The source of the pain is often simple to diagnose.

Assessment can be completed quickly in one visit and treatment can start the same day. In my experience, more than 75% of patients are fast responders meaning that their symptoms can begin to lessen very quickly after the first visit. The trick to shutting off back pain is to identify the location and angle of the disc injury.  Very simple stretching exercises can then be performed to close down on the injured disc thereby rapidly shutting off the pain.

An experienced physiotherapist can identify the source of your back pain and help you get on the road to recovery.

99% + of patients can avoid surgery by participating in physiotherapy. Call today to book an appointment! We can help! An assessment will take about twenty minutes. The physiotherapist will look at movement patterns of your back. In other words, we try to see which movements make your back pain better and those that make your back pain worse. From that, we can usually figure out the best movements to make your back pain go away quickly. Its really simple if you see a physiotherapist experienced in assessing back pain. It is best if you follow up with your physiotherapist at least twice per week and perhaps three times per week depending on how fast the back pain is changing with treatment. In very short order, you should be back to enjoying all of your normal activities again. Some simple prevention exercises will help to keep you out of trouble. Your physiotherapist can show these to you before your treatment program is complete. Call today to get started!

 Back Pain

Low Back Pain