Tag Archives: physiotherapy for low back pain

General Category, Health and Wellness, Manual Therapy

Acupuncture

January 31,2016 Sharon Tierney Leave a comment

Acupuncture

Pain is an alarm signal of the human body. When dealing with pain it is important that underlying causes are understood and dealt with. However it is desirable to relieve pain in the shortest amount of time. An acupuncture practitioner can deal with these underlying causes thru acupuncture.

Acupuncture is one of the oldest forms of therapy in traditional Chinese medicine. This states that any sign of disease is an imbalance between ying and yang forces in the body. Acupuncture promotes the flow of life force energy and therefore brings balance to the human body. Acupuncture commonly includes manual stimulation of needles. It may also include electrical acupuncture. In this case, an electrical stimulator is connected to a needle.

Acupuncture can be effective in so many different conditions. The conditions that we treat in our Mississauga physiotherapy clinic are: Headache, Bell’s palsy, tennis elbow, OA (osteoarthritis), Low Back Pain, carpal tunnel syndrome, neck pain & Muscle related joint disorders.

Acupuncture has a much lower incidence of poor effects in comparison with many western treatments e.g. drugs like antiinflammatories/ cortisone injections which have possible harmful adverse effects. The ill effects associated with acupuncture are: Minor (bruising, bleeding, nausea, broken needles, worsening of symptoms) Major (infection, perforation of organs). These ill effects can be avoided when treatment is carried out by a well trained Registered Physiotherapist. This includes proper sterilization techniques. It also includes sound knowledge in anatomy and physiology. Treatment frequency is usually 2-3 times/wk which lasts for 15min up to a max of 30 min duration.

Acupuncture may be used together with other treatment modalities such as interferential therapy, ultrasound, exercise, or mobilization techniques by a Registered Physiotherapist. A full assessment by a Registered Physiotherapist will allow for a proper diagnosis and treatment options that are the best for each patient.

If you are interested in learning if acupuncture may help with your symptoms, please call to make an appointment with our Registered Physiotherapists Mississauga today!

Exercise, General Category, Health and Wellness, Massage Therapy, Physiotherapy

Low Back Pain Prevention

January 31,2016 Sharon Tierney Leave a comment

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!

General Category, Massage Therapy, Physiotherapy

Low Back Pain : Massage Therapy

January 23,2016 Sharon Tierney Leave a comment

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!

Exercise, Health and Wellness, Physiotherapy

Back pain – Do you need surgery?

March 22,2014 Sharon Tierney Leave a comment

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!

Low Back Pain