Physiotherapy Archives - Page 2 of 4

Desk Job Getting You Down? You Can Still Be Active!

Get active with These 5 Tips!

Sitting too much is simply hard on the body. Excessive sedentary behavior—common and seemingly “unavoidable” if you have a desk job—can increase the risk for back pain, neck pain, shoulder pain, and other types of work-related musculoskeletal injuries. How much time do you spend in a chair or on a couch? Did you realize that sitting for 6-8 hours per day—or watching 3-4 hours of television—has been shown to increase the risk of chronic illness and early death? It’s stunning research, especially considering that the average American sits as much as 12 hours per day! It isn’t always easy to stay active, especially if you’re working a desk job. However, getting active can vastly improve your health, your comfort, your mobility, and your overall quality of life.

At our physiotherapy clinic, it’s our mission to help people move better and feel better—and minimizing chair time is a huge part of this.

There are several easy ways to increase your activity level that most people can include in their daily routine.

Talk to our physiotherapist staff if you’d like to set up an appointment and get going on a treatment plan that will help you start feeling (and standing) better than ever. In the meantime, check out these tips for increasing your physical activity during your workday.

Ready to get moving while on the job? These 5 tips can help get your more active!

1. Give yourself the option to stand

Many companies now offer sit to stand desks because they’ve seen the research: employees who get to stand more may experience increased job satisfaction, alertness, and productivity—while also reducing their risk for the physical effects of “sitting disease.”

Even if you can’t get an adjustable desk for your office, it may be possible to make your own DIY version with some sturdy boxes and other material. Get creative…and don’t hesitate to ask your supervisor or office manager about investing in adjustable desks or attachments.

2. Get help with technology

Wear a pedometer to track your steps and motivate you to get up and move around the office more often.

Also, consider setting a timer to go off once per hour to alert you when it’s time to take a break from sitting and get out of your chair.

3. Opt for the stairs instead of the elevator

Physical activity may not be able to offset all the negative effects of sitting too much, but it may help some to get you more active.

Meeting the American Heart Association’s minimum recommendation of 150 minutes per week of moderate exercise is important, but those “non-exercise” activities add up, too.

So: park farther away from the office, take the stairs, and if necessary, talk to a physiotherapist about custom orthotics and other strategies to make activity more comfortable.

4. Drink more water

Drinking at least one third to one half your body weight in fluid ounces per day can keep your body properly hydrated.

It’ll also force you to get out of your chair more, because you’ll find yourself needing to relieve yourself more often!

Keep a stainless steel or glass water bottle handle, drink regularly, and thank your body for the frequent signals that are sending you to the bathroom.

5. Get moving in your meetings

Instead of holding your meeting or phone calls while sitting in a boardroom, see if it’s possible to take that appointment on the move and talk while you walk.

Bonus: walking has been shown to boost creativity and problem solving!

When in doubt, physiotherapy has got you covered!

If you’re suffering with symptoms of an inactive lifestyle, physiotherapy can help. A physiotherapist can help you by providing manual therapies that can increase your flexibility and improve range of motion. An experienced therapist can also give you simple exercises you can do at home to become more active.

A physiotherapy program can be created that addresses your individual needs. It’s important to stay as active as possible to keep your muscles, tendons, and joints flexible and moving without pain and stiffness. You’ll want to add some type of exercise to your daily routine to keep moving.

You can pursue any or all of these aforementioned activities at your leisure, or you can ask our physiotherapist about integrating them into a full-scale physiotherapy program. The latter approach could prove especially wise if you’re rehabilitating an injury, unsure of your exercise tolerance, or battling a particular chronic pain issue.

Our physiotherapist can evaluate your health and prescribe the right activities for your needs and goals.

At the same time, you may be able to enhance the benefits of your activities with other safe, helpful modalities such as massage, ultrasound therapy, dry needling, cold and heat treatments, acupuncture or laser therapy.

These therapies can promote tissue repair, ease inflammation, reduce pain, and increase your ability to keep moving and having a great time.

Need more assistance? We can help!

The bottom line: sitting for too long just isn’t good for your body or your lifespan.

Our physiotherapy staff can help you manage an injury or condition that has limited your standing tolerance, and get you on your feet with greater confidence. Call us today to schedule an appointment!

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Stress-Related Headaches Don’t Need to Control Your Life Any Longer

Did You Know Physiotherapy Could Help with the Pains of Stress-Related Headaches?

Can you feel it? Starting with tension in your neck or shoulders and creeping upward through the base of your skull? You may have even tried stretching and optimizing your workstation, but if you are suffering from stress-related headaches, you know that the only relief comes from either reducing stress or taking medication.

Why live this way when a physiotherapist can help you relieve the pain and get rid of stress headaches once and for all?

Physiotherapy and headache relief

Physiotherapy is often the best treatment for stress-related headaches. Physiotherapy focuses on promoting relaxation and prescribed exercises.

Your physiotherapist can help you get to the bottom of your stress-related headache problem. Your physiotherapy treatment plan will likely include a combination of treatment methods, including, but not limited to:

Exercises that strengthen and loosen your neck muscles can help to ease the stresses that set off your headaches.
Chiropractic adjustment can correct skeletal misalignment issues that place your neck muscles under unnatural strain. These adjustments can also help to reduce headache attacks.
Laser therapy and massage therapy can both relax tight neck tissues and speed recovery to injured muscles.
Corrective exercises and postural/ergonomic changes can help you steer clear of “text neck” and other occupational headache triggers.
If your headaches are the result of a recent concussion, a carefully-administered course of physiotherapy can actually help you recuperate from that concussion more quickly.
Your physiotherapist can help you identify other headache triggers and suggest strategies for avoiding them in your everyday life.

A physiotherapist will address the pathophysiological aspects of the stress-related headache by implementing hands-on manual massage and soft tissue mobilization. Both increase the blood flow of tissue and reduce myofascial trigger points.

A physiotherapist may also perform soft tissue mobilization and hands-on manual therapy to alleviate the pain from stress-related headaches.

In addition, a physiotherapy treatment plan for a stress-related headache may include cold and heat therapy. The electronic pulse wands used for these ease muscle strain and provide a soothing relief.

Often, a physiotherapist will evaluate your posture in order to lessen the stress on muscles. They may also recommend lifestyle changes, at-home exercises and modifications to workstations at work and home. The goal of physiotherapy is to treat the root cause of your stress-related headache.

How can I tell if my headache is stress-related?

Stress-related headaches, also known as cervicogenic headaches or tension headaches, start in your neck and radiate to other areas of your body.

The back, side or top of your head may become painful. Your shoulder may start to ache on the same side where your headache began.

As a result, you may even experience weakness, dizziness or nausea.

What’s causing my stress-related headaches?

Stress-related headaches are often the result of stiff joints in your neck. As these joints become immobile, the soft tissue around them becomes tight, irritating the nerves in the area.

Once communication from the nerves is limited, your brain begins compensating in an attempt to return your body to proper function. As a result, you experience pain, stiffness, tension, even numbness and tingling.

Our sedentary lifestyle is partly to blame. According to one study by the Centers for Disease Control, one in four Americans spends more than 8 hours a day sitting down.

With more and more work happening at computer terminals, many of these hours are spent using poor posture as we slump over a computer screen and keyboard.

Of course, the natural solution has been ergonomically designed workstations that place your entire body into proper place before beginning work, but the sheer volume of time we spend sitting down during the day often contributes to the amount of stress-related headaches the typical person experiences.

How can physiotherapy help me find relief?

Most people associate physiotherapy with surgery. While it plays a vital role in recovery after going under the knife, physiotherapy is also designed to help you live a happier, healthier life.

A physiotherapist can examine not only your current shape, they can dive into the details of your work life to find ways to help you beat the sedentary slump contributing to your headaches.

First, a physiotherapist will take a detailed history, including an accounting of how you spend your time.

This will be followed by diagnostic testing that evaluates your muscle strength, balance, ability to stand, walk and sit, and your typical working posture.

Next, the physiotherapist will prescribe pain relieving manual therapy and stretches as well as targeted exercises designed to improve your posture and help fight the immobility at the root of your headaches.

Periodically, the physiotherapist will evaluate your progress and make suggestions for getting the most out of your physiotherapy experience.

Best of all, treatments are non-invasive and do not involve prescription pain medications that may make your symptoms worse.

Ready to say goodbye to stress-related headaches?

Still unsure whether physiotherapy is right for you?

Call our office to talk to our physiotherapist and find out how you can beat your stress headaches.

Ready to Say Goodbye to Opioids? Physiotherapy Has Got You Covered

With Physiotherapy, Pain Relief Doesn’t Have to be in the Form of a Pill!

Pain can substantially affect your ability to engage in even basic daily activities. You may feel that taking opioids to relieve the pain is your only choice. There are other options available, including physiotherapy, that can help you live a pain-free life.

Are you taking opioids to relieve pain? The National Institutes of Health states that the number of adults in the United States suffering from pain related health conditions has dramatically increased in recent years.

Call our office to learn more about how we can help you reduce or completely eliminate your opioid use.

Opioid use, explained

Opioids are a group of pain medications that work by attaching to opioid receptors in the brain. The perception of pain is then dulled or eliminated.

They are also classified as narcotics. Sometimes opioids are prescribed for pain when recovering from an injury or after a surgical procedure. There are several types of opioids that are often prescribed for pain.

Fentanyl
Morphine
Oxycodone
Codeine

These are also sometimes sold under brand names such as OxyContin, Vicodin, and Percocet. They can be administered in a variety of ways.

They are often taken in pill form but can also be taken by IV, an injection, nasal sprays, skin patches, or even as lozenges.

It’s extremely important that opioids, no matter what type or brand, only be taken as directed under a doctor’s supervision. While they may temporarily eliminate physical pain, they aren’t ideal for long-term use.

So, why are opioids so troublesome?

You may have been in an accident that left you experiencing chronic pain. Certain health conditions may also increase the likelihood of recurring pain.

While opioids are effective for treating pain, they have the potential to be highly addictive. The longer these medications are used, the greater the tolerance an individual has for them.

When an individual takes greater amounts of an opioid to receive the same effects, this can increase the risk of overdose.

Side-effects and symptoms of opioid use include nausea, constipation, and sleepiness. Long-term symptoms related to excessive opioid use could include impaired memory, inability to concentrate, or increased drowsiness.

Individuals may experience increased cravings for the medication when they stop taking it. Life-threatening symptoms associated with an overdose may include slowed heart rate, shallow breathing, and unconsciousness.

What if I have arthritis?

It is fairly common for people who suffer with arthritis pain to resort to expensive surgery, steroid injections, and prescription medications to cope with their pain. Sometimes, these treatments can actually benefit patients with severe arthritis. More often than not, the better route to go involves physiotherapy and natural treatments.

Arthritis does not discriminate either, and although it tends to be found often in elderly patients, it can affect anyone at any age. According to a study on JAMA, “[rheumatoid] arthritis (RA) occurs in about 5 per 1000 people and can lead to severe joint damage and disability.” Arthritis is also one of the top causes for disability in America. If left untreated by a professional, patients suffering with arthritis can experience extremely painful symptoms for long periods of time.

If you want to learn more about how physiotherapy can benefit you and decrease your arthritis pain, give our office a call today.

What can a physiotherapist do?

It’s always better to treat the source of pain than to mask it or simply treat symptoms. A physiotherapist may be able to help you reduce or even eliminate the amount of pain you’re experiencing.

This can help you reduce your reliance on opioids. Whether your pain is the result of an injury or a medical condition, a physiotherapy treatment program may be able to help. A therapist can evaluate your individual condition and create a program designed to treat your specific needs.

According to Move Forward, there are several specific ways physiotherapy can reduce pain. A therapist can prescribe exercises to improve muscle tone, increase flexibility, and help you move more effectively, which can all help reduce pain.

Manual therapy and dry needling may be able to ease pain in your joints and soft tissues. physiotherapy can also be used before and after a surgical procedure to eliminate any potential pain.

Find the relief you need with physiotherapy

Contact us or visit us in Oakville, ON to learn more about how physiotherapy can reduce your pain and eliminate your need for opioid medication.

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Joint Pain Can Cause Hindrances to Your Daily Life – Physiotherapy Can Help

Living with Joint Pain? Start physiotherapy today!

Do you have more trouble getting around during the day than you once did? Are you having trouble keeping up with basic demands of your job? Do you look for excuses to withdraw from some of your favorite activities simply because it hurts to move? Joint pain can turn even the most routine tasks into dreaded chores – or make them totally impossible to perform at all. You need to address this issue before it gets so bad that you can’t do anything. Fortunately, you can get much of the help you need through physiotherapy. Our physiotherapist can help you optimize your mobility without drugs or surgery, so contact us today!

Physiotherapy and joint pain – how can it help?

Most cases of joint pain will respond to conservative, non-surgical forms of care. But not all such forms of care are equally useful.

For example, you may have already noticed that pain-relieving drugs only go so far to ease your symptoms, while doing nothing to address their causes.

Our physiotherapist can help your joints function more normally, improving your musculoskeletal health, with greater pain-free freedom of motion as a natural result. Physiotherapy options for joint pain include:

Strength training to build up the strength in your joints’ supporting tissues
Lifestyle/ergonomic recommendations to help you perform daily tasks more comfortably
Massage, as well as heat and ice therapy to control joint pain and inflammation without drugs
Walking, swimming, or cycling exercises to keep your joints moving
Stretches to increase your joint flexibility

During your first visit with a physiotherapist, be prepared to talk about your symptoms. If your doctor has already diagnosed the condition that is causing your joint pain, your physiotherapist should know this.

Your therapist will need to know about the type of joint pain you are experiencing, the times of day when the pain is worse, and any physical activities that you engage in on a regular basis (for example, do you have a job that requires physical labor or sitting at a desk all day, or are you retired and less active?).

Your therapist will likely run you through a series of simple tests during your first visit. These will be done to test your range of motion, balance and posture. This information will be used to help create a customized physiotherapy regimen to help you relieve the joint pain, while strengthening muscles to help support the joints.

Your plan of physiotherapy will likely contain a combination of body mechanics work, exercises and manual therapy. Body mechanics involves teaching you the proper way to move, sit, stand, lift objects and engage in other daily activities, without causing pain to your joints.

The exercises will likely be low-impact to relieve pressure on the joints while strengthening your muscles, such as water aerobics. Manual therapy is a specialized type of therapeutic massage that your physiotherapist is trained in; manual therapy can help to soften tissues and relieve pain associated with your joint condition.

Are you experiencing these symptoms of joint pain?

Joint pain isn’t just annoying; it can be downright disabling or even dangerous.

If, for example, you can’t reliably turn your head to see traffic, you could easily end up in an auto accident. Stiff joints that affect stance and gait can increase your risk of falls.

Simply buttoning your shirt, cooking a meal, or writing a check may be beyond you. Joint pain needs to be slowed and reversed so you can continue to live the life you want!

Could one of these conditions be causing your joint pain?

If you’ve ever ruptured a joint ligament or fractured a bone in a joint, you probably experienced a lot of pain over a set, limited time period.

This is known as acute joint pain. But in some ways, chronic joint pain can be much more debilitating as it haunts you for months after month, and year after year.

This kind of joint pain is commonly caused or worsened by:

Osteoarthritis – Osteoarthritis is a progressive, usually age-related degeneration of the cartilage that normally cushions a joint’s bone ends.
Rheumatoid arthritis – Rheumatoid arthritis is caused by abnormal immune system responses that attack the linings of joints, producing bouts of swelling, pain, stiffness, and joint damage.
Non-ergonomic working conditions – An improperly-positioned workstation or other awkward workplace arrangements can force your body into stressful, painful positions.
Excess weight – The heavier you are, the more pressure your weight-bearing joints must withstand. These pressures can lead to premature joint deterioration and joint tissue strain.
Musculoskeletal imbalances – If your muscles suffer from uneven development, you may be unable to sustain a symmetrical posture. This can create muscle spasms and trigger points that refer pain to the joints.
Degenerative disc disease – Age-related bulging discs, spinal stenosis, and other spinal changes can cause serious joint pain in the neck or back.

Why is physiotherapy better than surgery for joint pain?

According to Harvard Health Publishing,

“Trying physiotherapy before opting for surgery may be the better choice. You may be able to spare yourself the expense, pain, and recovery time of surgery, says physiotherapist Karen Weber, clinical supervisor at Harvard-affiliated Spaulding Rehabilitation Outpatient Centers in Braintree and Quincy, Mass.

There is growing evidence supporting that idea. In the past few years, studies have indicated that physiotherapy is just as effective as surgery for relieving pain and restoring function for people with arthritis in their knees or backs.”

Ready to find relief?

Want to get your everyday life back? Call our physiotherapist today or visit us in Oakville, ON!

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Chronic Pain Can Make Daily Life Problematic – Physiotherapy is the Solution

Solve Your Daily Aches and Pains with Physiotherapy

Chronic pain affects more than 100 million people in the U.S. and 20-30% of the global population, reports the National Institutes of Health Office of Disease Prevention. Moreover, experts predict chronic pain will increase in prevalence as people age into later adulthood.

Finding relief for pain also continues to evolve, especially as health providers become more concerned over the use of narcotics and opioids to treat chronic pain.

However, understanding more about chronic pain and obtaining physiotherapy may alleviate your pain.

How can I tell if my pain is chronic?

Although pain is a natural way for the body to alert a person of a problem, it can rise to a heightened level. Chronic pain persists for weeks, months or even years, explains the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke.

When pain is unrelenting, it results in severe impacts on daily life. Chronic pain may include pain associated with arthritis, cancers, infection and even when no past injury or health problem exists.

Furthermore, chronic pain generally affects the back or a specific muscle group.

As stated by the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke,

“While acute pain is a normal sensation triggered in the nervous system to alert you to possible injury and the need to take care of yourself, chronic pain is different. Chronic pain persists. Pain signals keep firing in the nervous system for weeks, months, even years.

There may have been an initial mishap — sprained back, serious infection, or there may be an ongoing cause of pain — arthritis, cancer, ear infection, but some people suffer chronic pain in the absence of any past injury or evidence of body damage. Many chronic pain conditions affect older adults.

Common chronic pain complaints include headache, low back pain, cancer pain, arthritis pain, neurogenic pain (pain resulting from damage to the peripheral nerves or to the central nervous system itself), psychogenic pain (pain not due to past disease or injury or any visible sign of damage inside or outside the nervous system).

A person may have two or more co-existing chronic pain conditions. Such conditions can include chronic fatigue syndrome, endometriosis, fibromyalgia, inflammatory bowel disease, interstitial cystitis, temporomandibular joint dysfunction, and vulvodynia. It is not known whether these disorders share a common cause.”

Why did my chronic pain develop?

Treating chronic pain means managing the original cause. For example, someone living with tissue damage from a past fall or accident needs to address the actual issue.

It could be a herniated disk, poor posture, obesity, arthritis, past fractures or nerve damage. The list seems endless. Of course, another cause includes damage to the muscle or a ligament, also known as strains and sprains respectively, reports the Mayo Clinic.

Moreover, certain health problems may increase risk for damage to joints and muscles as well, contributing to a loss of motion and the buildup of tension.

For those without a root problem, turning to medications can feel like the only solution. However, a quick scan of recent news reports reveals many dangers exist in medication treatment for chronic pain, especially opioids.

Physiotherapy and chronic pain relief

As opioid overuse became a public health crisis, health providers started to think about other ways to manage chronic pain.

According to Move Forward PT, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) now recommends the use of non-drug approaches overuse of prescription painkillers.

Unlike medications, which simply place a proverbial bandage over the issue, physiotherapy works to address the root problem. Since causes of chronic are often associated with damage to a joint or muscle group, improving the range of motion of joints may improve symptoms.

In this case, more movement of joints encourages the body’s natural response to improve mobility and muscle tone, endurance, and strength. As a result, pain decreases.

For people with known injuries, treating injuries with physiotherapy serves additional purposes. These include improving circulation to the joint and tissues to promote healing, as well as helping a person learn to move the joint without risking additional damage.

The long car ride is an example of how failure to move frequently contributes to soreness. Over time, the limited motion will cause pain during movement. So, routine treatment with a physiotherapist may reduce the risk for chronic pain, as well as improve symptoms for those living with it today.

Solve the issue of chronic pain with physiotherapy

Chronic pain does not always require advanced medication treatment.

Instead, physiotherapy and understanding more about the causes of chronic pain may be the best solution, and in fact, they carry less risk for injury, resulting in fewer side effects and elimination of the risk for addiction.

To learn more about how therapy could help with your chronic pain, schedule your appointment online today.

Living With Achy Hips and Knees? Kick Your Pain to the Curb with Physiotherapy

Find the Relief You Need with the Help of a Physiotherapist!

Are your hips and knees in pain when you wake up? Are you in pain when you go to bed? Are the activities you do between sunrise and sunset impacted by chronic hip and knee joint dysfunction?

You don’t have to give up hope of living with less pain—or become reliant on the medicine cabinet, either.

At our physiotherapy clinic, we have an experienced physiotherapist staff who can help you find more ease, strength, and confidence in your day-to-day life.

We invite you to call us and find out how we can help. Read more to learn what we do every day for our patients in hip and knee pain!

5 reasons you should consider physiotherapy for hip and knee pain

1. Move with ease and without pain

Many of the impairments you and your physiotherapist work to correct—including weakness, poor posture, and limited range of motion—may have been caused or worsened by things you’re unknowingly doing.

This includes sitting too much, using poor body mechanics, breathing improperly, and having an ineffective ergonomic set-up at work. A physiotherapist can educate you about ways to move in more energy-efficient and safe ways to enhance the overall effects of your care and reduce the risk of re-injury.

2. Improve the health and fitness of your joints

When you see a physiotherapist for hip or knee pain, he or she may use joint mobilizations or manipulations to help promote healing and attract circulation to the inner joint surfaces.

These techniques have also been shown to reduce pain and improve joint alignment…and they feel good, too! When complemented with services like massage and the Active Release Technique, physiotherapy can help you get physical and mental relief.

3. Participate in treatment methods that are safe, effective, and non-invasive

You don’t have to rely on over-the-counter or prescription painkillers to ease those achy, stiff, swollen joints!

Physiotherapy modalities that have been shown to ease pain, reduce spasms, increase circulation, and promote healing include electrical stimulation, diathermy, cold laser therapy, dry needling, and therapeutic ultrasound.

4. Enhance your range of motion and improve your joint strength

Increasing muscle strength and mobility of the connective tissues around your joints (including the tendons, muscles, fascia, and joint capsules) will help your joints feel better and move better.

This can also help you improve your functional activity tolerance, which is essential for work, leisure, and simple daily function.

5. Reclaim your life!

According to the Arthritis Foundation, exercise is one of the best ways to manage hip pain and knee pain caused by osteoarthritis.

By implementing some or all of the above interventions in a customized treatment plan, a physiotherapist can help you get back to regular exercise in a way that is safe and effective for you, based on your current abilities, goals, and needs.

This is especially helpful if you’re currently on a fat loss journey since being overweight is a major risk factor for knee and hip pain.

What’s causing my hip and knee pains?

Hip and knee pain can be caused by a great number of problems.

Some of these are related to musculoskeletal misalignment, poor posture, and/or excess weight; others occur as the result of natural aging or unhealthy sports/work habits.

Your hip or knee pain may stem from:

Infections
Bursitis, an inflammation of the friction-reducing sacs surround the joints
Tendinitis, or stretched ligaments
Osteoarthritis, a painful inflammatory condition involving deteriorated joint cartilage
Runner’s knee, an instability of the kneecap
Postural/alignment issues that throw your body off balance, straining the knees or hips
Traumatic injuries, such as dislocation of the joint

Our physiotherapist can often tell the cause of your hip or knee pain from its location.

For example, pain along the inside of the hip is more likely to be caused by a problem with the bones or cartilage. Pain along the outer side is typically caused by a problem in the muscles, tendons, or ligaments.

Ready to find relief?

The sooner you seek physiotherapy for knee or hip pain, the better. Research shows that patients who rehab their hip or knee pain with physiotherapy within 15 days of symptom onset have less need for pain injections, medications, or surgical intervention.

Tired of spending every day in pain?

Contact our clinic today to schedule an appointment with a physiotherapist and heal from the inside out.

Herniated Discs Can Be Painful – Here’s How to Tell if You Have One

Did You Know Physiotherapy Could Help Relieve Pain Caused by Herniated Discs?

Could you have herniated disc pain? This type of pain can sneak up on you. You’re sitting comfortably watching TV and when you stand up, there’s a sharp pain that radiates through your back.

If you’re experiencing pain in your lower back, you just might have a herniated disc. Contact our office in Oakville, Ontario for a consultation and evaluation, so you can get a proper diagnosis.

Herniated discs, defined

The spine consists of 33 bones referred to as vertebrae. The vertebrae are cushioned by discs made up of a gel-like substance. This cushions the discs and prevents friction.

It’s the discs that allow movement of the spine, such as bending over. However, if a disc slips out of place between the vertebrae, you have a herniated disc.

This condition is also known as a ruptured disc or slipped disc. A herniated disc can cause extreme pain if it irritates the surrounding nerves.

Why do herniated discs develop?

A disc herniation is often caused by age-related wear and tear. This condition is known as disc degeneration. With age, the disc loses water content, which makes them more prone to tearing and less flexible. Twisting and turning when lifting something can also cause a herniated disc.

Even a fall or strike to the back can result in a herniated disc. Excessive weight, occupation and genetic disposition can be the cause of disc herniated, too. Sometimes, people are unable to determine what caused their herniated disc.

“The most common symptoms of a herniated disc are arm or leg pain, numbness or tingling and weakness.” You may feel pain in your calf, thigh and buttocks. If you have a herniated disc in the neck, you’re likely to feel pain in the arm and shoulder.

When you cough or sneeze, the pain may shoot into your leg. Numbness or tingling may be felt in parts of the body. You may also be unable to lift items, as the muscles served by the affected nerves tend to weaken.

Physiotherapy and herniated disc pain relief

A physiotherapist will design a specific treatment program to reduce pain and speed up your recovery, so you can return to your normal activities and lifestyle. Typically, recovery can be achieved within two to eight weeks with the help of a physiotherapist. A physiotherapist will conduct an in-depth evaluation and outline specific treatment for patients with herniated discs.

Physiotherapy may include stretching exercises, massage, ice and heat therapy, electrical muscle stimulation, pelvic traction and ultrasound.

A physiotherapist will also choose specific treatments to help restore movement and reduce pain. Passive movements may be performed on you by a physiotherapist and then you can progress to active exercises on your own.

Stretching exercises will also be done, which can be done at home. Other modalities of treatment for herniated disc pain include hot and cold therapy, massage, electric stimulation, ultrasound and soft tissue mobilization.

According to research, physiotherapy often plays a big role in herniated disc recovery. Physiotherapy entails a holistic approach with both active and passive treatments. Not only is pain relief a result of physiotherapy, but a physiotherapist will teach patients how to prevent further injury.

What does a PT treatment plan for herniated discs look like?

According to SpineUniverse,

“Physiotherapy often plays a major role in herniated disc recovery. Its methods not only offer immediate pain relief, but they also teach you how to condition your body to prevent further injury.

There are a variety of physiotherapy techniques. Passive treatments relax your body and include deep tissue massage, hot and cold therapy, electrical stimulation (eg, TENS), and hydrotherapy.”

Our physiotherapist can check your symptoms against X-rays, postural evaluations, and other factors to confirm the presence and location of a herniated disc.

In addition to analyzing your symptoms and performing various tests and measures, a physiotherapist can help you determine if you have a herniated disc by assessing your medical history and lifestyle.

While the most severe cases might require surgery, physiotherapy can help many sufferers overcome their symptoms the natural way.

Physiotherapy to treat herniated discs focuses on building the strength in your back muscles, optimizing your posture, and increasing your pain-free flexibility.

Our physiotherapist may start you with a daily walking regimen before moving on to more strenuous aerobic and strengthening exercises.

Find relief today!

If you’re suffering with herniated disc pain, call us today to schedule an appointment.

Our physiotherapists will review your medical history, test your mobility, test your range of motion and create a personalized treatment plan just for you. Contact us today and we’ll get you on the road to recovery.

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If You Are in Need of More Physical Activity, Try These 7 Tips

Get Moving Again with These Helpful Tips!

Did you know that 80 percent of the U.S. population falls short of the Physical Activity Guidelines recommended by the Department of Health and Human Services? Millions of Americans are risking serious health consequences simply because they do too much sitting and not enough moving around.

You may not find that information shocking, especially if you’re one of those 80 percent. What really might surprise you, however, is just how easily you can give your daily activity level a dramatic boost. Here are seven simple tips from our physiotherapist for adding some much-needed additional exercise to your life.

1. Take your dog for a walk.

Have you ever marveled at the sheer energy and endurance displayed by your dog? Dogs love to walk, run, play catch and explore.

Join in these activities, and you’ll find that your dog gives you one heck of a workout.

2. Get your workout in while watching TV.

There’s nothing wrong with spending some quality time watching your favorite TV shows or movies – but you don’t necessarily have to spend all those hours sprawled on your couch, motionless.

Consider getting a stationary bike or treadmill that you can use while you’re catching up on your stories. You’ll have just as much fun, but you’ll be working out instead of sacking out.

3. Opt for a standing desk.

Standing desks have become all the rage in workplaces, and for good reason.

Standing at your desk instead of sitting can help prevent unwanted weight gain, regulate blood sugar levels after meals, ease back pain, elevate your mood and energy level, reduce your heart disease risk, and add years to your life expectancy. You may even find that you get more work done!

4. Find a yoga studio near you.

Physical activity isn’t always a matter of running or jumping around at a frenetic pace. Yoga offers profound benefits to body and mind by releasing stress, stretching muscles, increasing your range of motion, and helping you master your breathing.

A yoga class offers structured learning as well as a positive social environment.

5. Discover the fun of a new sport.

Getting that extra activity doesn’t have to be a chore; it could just as easily take the form of new fun.

Have you thought of taking up tennis, golf, surfing, swimming, running, or a team sport such as soccer or softball? These sports all offer different physical benefits, and they all get you up and moving.

6. Ride your bike.

If that trip to the corner store takes too much time on foot, maybe it’s time you remembered how to ride a bicycle.

Cycling exercises different muscles than walking, making it a valuable complement to that discipline when you need to go a little farther and a little faster. It also provides you with a significant cardio workout.

7. When possible, walk instead of drive.

Many people automatically get into their cars even for a brief trip to the mailbox or corner store. What if you spent an extra few minutes each day walking instead of driving?

It might not sound like much of a workout, but walking increases the circulation, exercises your legs and feet, sheds excess pounds, keeps your joints limber, and helps to release stress.

Looking for more tips? Athletic training could help!

People most commonly turn to physiotherapy after sustaining an injury. You’re in pain, looking for relief and recovery, and trying to find the motivation to push yourself to get there.

Physiotherapists are trained to help you bounce back from your injury, with just as much strength (if not more!) than you had before the injury. They are dedicated to always helping you reach your peak, whatever that may be.

You can discover the benefits of athletic training with our physiotherapists. These include, but are not limited to:

Overcoming injuries. Physiotherapy treatments are some of the best ways to overcome an injury and find relief for your pain. Each treatment is designed specifically to the needs of each individual and the condition of their injury, consisting of exercises and strength-building activities that are unique to their recovery.
Refocusing strengths. A physiotherapist can help you focus on improving your strength in areas that you may not have considered. Many parts of the body influence each other, and strengthening one can help with the function of another. Rather than jumping directly into a new form of activity, it makes sense to train your body to react to the new form of stimulation by improving your muscular strength and range of motion.
Developing healthy habits. While a physiotherapist can help you reach physical goals, they can also help you work on general wellness goals, as well. For example, regular exercise, a healthy diet, and a strong focus on hydration are fundamental in improving your physical fitness level. A physiotherapist is a great resource to have when focusing on increasing strength and muscular functionality, as they can help you improve in all aspects of health and wellness.

Contact us today!

Are there activities on this list that you’d love to try — if only your body would let you? Physiotherapy could get you back in shape to get into better shape.

Contact our physiotherapist for a one-to-one consultation!

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Physiotherapy: Treating Arthritis Without Drugs

Discover the Ways Physiotherapy Can Help You Find Natural Relief

Stiffness and discomfort don’t have to be a part of our daily lives — and yet many people assume that they’re doomed to suffer from arthritis pain.

If you’ve been losing more and more of your mobility and productivity due to chronic joint inflammation, you may be disappointed by the use of painkilling drugs or even alarmed by the potential dangers of such drugs.

Fortunately, you have a safer, more effective path toward arthritis pain management: physiotherapy.

How will physiotherapy help my arthritis?

If you want an arthritis pain management plan that improves your health without presenting you with the dangers of drugs, turn to physiotherapy. Our physiotherapist can examine your joints to see how advanced your arthritis has become and how it may be affecting your stance, gait or mobility. You’ll then receive a customized pain management plan that may include:

Physiotherapy techniques – You may benefit from massage therapy, cold/heat therapy or laser therapy.
Exercise – Exercise can aid arthritis sufferers by boosting circulation, easing inflammation, strengthening joint tissues and increasing range of motion. It can help you improve your balance, if that’s become a problem for you.
Lifestyle guidance – Your physiotherapist can recommend specific changes to your everyday ergonomics or lifestyle that will ease your pain.
Corrective devices – Your physiotherapist can recommend specialized insoles and train you in the use of devices such as walkers or canes.

What type of arthritis do I have?

Arthritis includes an entire family of painful joint conditions. For some individuals, it may take the form of painful gout in a toe joint; in others, it can strike due to a bacterial joint infection. The majority of arthritis sufferers, however, suffer from one of two agonizing conditions:

Rheumatoid arthritis – This form of arthritis is caused by an auto-immune disease or dysfunction. The same protective mechanisms that normally fight off disease germs decide to turn on your joints, treating them as the enemy and attacking them. This results in painful inflammation that may come and go, leaving joint swelling and deformity in its wake.
Osteoarthritis – This most common form of arthritis is usually a natural consequence of a lifetime of joint motion, coupled with certain changes that take place during aging. Healthy joints contain not only a lubricating fluid to keep the bone ends moving smoothly, but also a layer of cartilage that acts as a shock absorber and anti-friction component. Over time, however, the production of lubricating fluid can start to dry up, while the cartilage becomes thinner and more worn until it finally breaks down completely. This leaves you with pain, stiffness, and inflammation that usually feels worse whenever you try to move or put weight on the joint.

Many arthritis sufferers naturally turn to medication in the hopes that it will ease their symptoms. NSAIDs, steroids, and (and in the most severe cases) opioid drugs may produce such relief, but only temporarily. These drugs can’t address the physical problems that actually cause your symptoms; they can only mute the symptoms themselves.

What’s more, painkilling and anti-inflammatory drugs can pose significant risks if they’re used constantly. NSAIDs can damage the internal organs, while steroids may contribute to everything from cataracts to osteoporosis. Opioids can be extremely dangerous, not only because of their addictive properties but also because overdoses can (and often do) prove fatal.

Understanding the dangers of opioids

Both opioid prescription rates and deaths from opioid overdoses have quadrupled in the last two decades. Given these identical statistics, one can’t escape the obvious conclusion: Reliance on painkillers has gotten out of hand, and the consequences can be literally fatal.

In a study published by the American Physical Therapy Association, titled “Beyond Opioids: How physiotherapy Can Transform Pain Management and Improve Health,” this issue is exhaustively analyzed. It identifies three important waves of the opioid epidemic:

“1. Increases in deaths involving prescription opioids starting in 1999
2. Increases in deaths involving heroin starting in 2010
3. Increases in deaths involving synthetic opioids since 2013”

Beyond extreme physical risk, over-reliance on prescription painkillers can have other detrimental effects on your health.

Withdrawal symptoms can be harrowing. And while you’re still using them, opioids can lead to depression, which sets up a vicious cycle of self-medicating in order to feel better emotionally as well as physically.

Find relief today

Don’t just numb your arthritis pain – manage it a smart, safe, and effective way. Contact BeActive Physio today!

Finally Relieve Those Aches in Your Back with Physiotherapy

Find the Answer to Your Back Pains Today!

Most Americans will suffer temporary back pain at some point in their lives. When back pain is not temporary, however, it becomes a major quality of life issue. The American Physical Therapy Association states that back pain is the most commonly experienced form of pain for Americans.

In fact, one in every four Americans has sustained some sort of back pain in the past three months. The good news is that you don’t have to live with back pain permanently.

Taking a proactive approach like working with a physiotherapist can help you find back pain relief at long last. Contact BeActive Physio for more information on how physiotherapy can relieve your back pain.

What can I expect with physiotherapy for back pain?

Over the course of your work with a physiotherapist, your progress will be monitored to ensure that you are recovering.

The goal is to eliminate the back pain so that you can live a normal life. A big part of working with a physiotherapist is that you will learn strategies for movement and carrying out daily tasks in ways that will prevent the pain from recurring.

For example, your therapist will show you proper posture techniques while you are at home, at work or enjoying leisure activities.

You will also learn how to keep up a regular exercise regimen to keep your supportive muscles strong, which will prevent the back pain from coming back. If your weight is contributing to your back pain, you will learn nutritional advice in addition to exercise to control your weight and keep back pain at bay.

What do treatments look like?

Once your back pain has been diagnosed, a personalized course of physiotherapy will be outlined for you. Treatments for back pain will vary based on the diagnosis, your age, weight, physical ability and other factors.

Your course of treatment may include any of the following:

Posture work to provide better support for your back
Electrical stimulation for pain relief
Manual therapy and spinal manipulation to improve joint mobility and relieve tissue pain
Stretching and strength building exercises
Ice or heat treatments for pain relief
Education on how to take better care of your back, such as proper methods of lifting, bending, sitting, and sleep positions

How will a physiotherapist diagnose my back pain?

Your journey with a physiotherapist will start with a discussion of your symptoms. Your therapist will also review your medical history for any past injuries or illnesses that could be contributing to your current pain. Your physiotherapist will also conduct an exam to assess how you are able to move and function as a result of your back pain.

The diagnosis phase will also involve some tests to find symptoms of more serious conditions. If your physiotherapist suspects that there is a serious health condition contributing to your back pain, you will likely be referred to a specialist for more testing. In most cases, this will not be necessary.

So, why am I experiencing back pain?

Did you know that the World Health Organization estimates that approximately 149 million workdays are lost due to back pain? It is a sensation that is all too common for millions of people.

60-70% of people across industrialized nations experience back pain, which can greatly hinder daily life and limit you from participating in certain tasks and activities that you enjoy. If left untreated, back pain can also progress into more serious health issues.

There are three main types of back pain:

Chronic Back Pain: If back pain lasts longer than three months without subsiding, it is classified as chronic.
Recurrent Back Pain: This occurs when acute back pain goes away for a while, but then comes back periodically.
Acute Back Pain: Acute back pain is the most common type. This is a temporary pain that goes away in less than three months.

Back pain is usually not serious and will resolve on its own. Recurring pain and chronic pain, however, can be a sign of a more serious health problem.

There is a broad range of potential physical conditions that could be causing your back pain, which include osteoporosis, degenerative disk disease, a herniated disk, fractures, or lumbar spinal stenosis.

Get started today

The key is to be proactive in standing up to your back pain. If the pain lasts longer than three months, it probably won’t go away on its own.

Call BeActive Physio today to schedule your first appointment with a physiotherapist.

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