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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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.

Dealing With Morning Achiness? Find Relief with Physiotherapy

Say Goodbye to Achy and Painful Mornings with Physiotherapy!

Are you suffering from aches and pains in the morning? Unfortunately, millions of people experience sore muscles and stiff joints in the morning.

There could be a variety of reasons for this, with the severity of pain ranging from mild to even severe in some cases. Aches and pains in the morning are not only uncomfortable, but can at least temporarily limit your mobility during the day.

Call our office to find out how we can help you eliminate aches and pains in the morning and throughout the day.

Physiotherapy and pain relief

Staying hydrated, eating healthy, and getting enough exercise can help reduce aches and pains in the morning. Working with a physiotherapist can also help.

A therapist will conduct a thorough evaluation of your current health, sleep habits, and medical conditions. A physiotherapist can also teach you exercises you can do in the morning when you first get out of bed. A routine prescribed by your therapist can target specific problem areas such as your back or shoulders.

A physiotherapist can also recommend different sleep positions that may be able to decrease the pain you experience each morning. A physiotherapy program can be created that will specifically treat your aches and pains. This could include manual therapy, hot and cold therapy, and sensory re-education.

Why am I experiencing aches and pains?

Accidents, injuries, and chronic health conditions could all be reasons for experiencing ongoing pain.

Aches and pains in the morning, however, could be the result of the following:

  • Diet – A diet that is high in fast food and processed foods can cause inflammation in the joints. Excessive amounts of sugar and red meat could also contribute to aches and pains.
  • Arthritis – If you’re suffering from any type of arthritic condition, pain and soreness may be more of a problem in the morning.
  • Inflammation – Chronic low-grade inflammation is sometimes the culprit when experiencing morning aches and pains. Inflammation and morning stiffness often increases with aging.
  • Poor Sleeping Positions – Aches and pains in the morning are often related to awkward sleeping positions. Sometimes pain is due to the wrong type of mattress or pillow.

There are several symptoms you might experience if you’re sore and achy in the morning.

Pain is often located in the neck and back area, although you may also experience pain in your legs, arms, and shoulders. Stiffness will often accompany morning aches and pains.

There’s a chance your morning aches and pains could be from your mattress

According to Spine Health, “Sleeping on the wrong mattress can cause or worsen lower back pain. Lack of support from a mattress reinforces poor sleeping posture, strains muscles and does not help keep the spine in alignment, all of which contribute to low back pain.

Sleep comfort is also sacrificed if a mattress does not match one’s individual preferences. A mattress that provides both comfort and back support helps reduce low back pain, allowing the structures in the spine to really rest and rejuvenate during the night.”

While the Better Sleep Council recommends replacing your mattress every 7 to 10 years, the way you feel in the morning is a better indicator that it’s time to replace your sleep surface.

If your mattress was once comfortable but now seems to be at the root of your aches and pains, it may be time to replace it. Physical changes like injuries, surgery and weight change can also change your body’s position as you sleep, necessitating a faster change in your mattress.

What else should I know about morning aches and pains?

Feeling achy and sore in the morning can be different from other types of pain you experience at other times throughout the day.

After an intense workout you might have sore muscles from overexertion. If you’ve experienced an injury of some sort, this can also cause pain. Aches and pains in the morning occur after you’ve been sleeping for several hours.

Morning pain and stiffness is usually not a cause for concern. Harvard Health Publishing states that if stiffness lasts more than 30 minutes you’ll want to see a doctor. These could be signs of more serious conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis or polymyalgia rheumatica.

Find relief today!

Contact our office in Oakville, ON to learn how physiotherapy can help eliminate your aches and pains.

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Stretching is Extremely Important, Both Before AND After Workouts

Did You Know Stretching Both Before and After Workouts Could Help Decrease the Risk of Injury?

Do you make time to go to the gym a few times per week? If so, you should commend yourself for your efforts.

But at our physiotherapy clinic, we notice an interesting trend with a lot of our active patients: they go to the gym regularly, but they largely neglect stretching and mobility work.

We’re not sure why this is so common—maybe because stretching doesn’t seem as “exciting” as an actual workout.

But proper stretching before and after exercise has many proven health benefits and can improve your workout, too!

Talk to a physiotherapist today about which types of stretching you should focus on and find out which areas on your body have a limited range of motion and flexibility.

In the meantime, keep reading to learn why stretching is so great for your body and mind.

Stretching and physiotherapy

There is a reason why stretching is a staple of physiotherapy. The act of stretching can do wonders for your health. In fact, according to Physiopedia,

“Stretching exercises have traditionally been included as part of a training and recovery program.

Evidence shows that physical performance in terms of maximal strength, number of repetitions and total volume are all affected differently by the each form of stretching – static stretch (SS), dynamic stretch (DS) and Pre-contraction stretching, Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation stretching (PNFS) being the most common type.

Stretching can help improve flexibility and range of motion about your joints. Improved flexibility may: Improve your performance in physical activities; Decrease your risk of injuries; Help your joints move through their full range of motion; Enable your muscles to work most effectively.”

Stretching provides numerous benefits to help your body keep itself healthier. One of the most important of these is stress relief. Everyday life throws lots of challenges at you, and the resulting stress can be held in your muscles.

This leads to tightness, spasms, and chronic discomforts such as headaches and neck pain. Stress also floods your body with “fight or flight” hormones such as cortisone and adrenaline. These imbalances can suppress your immune function, making you more vulnerable to viruses and other diseases. Hypertension is yet another dangerous consequence of chronic stress.

Regular stretches help your body release all that pent-up stress. By relaxing and loosening your muscles, you can maintain better control over your blood pressure, avoid chronic muscle pain, and keep your immune system ready for anything.

What can stretching before and after workouts offer?

1. Preparing for exercise ahead of time.

Dynamic stretching before a workout can help your muscles, ligaments, tendons, joint capsules, and other tissues become loosened up and prepared for exercise.

Pre-workout mobility also increases core body temperature and stimulates increased blood flow throughout the body so your tissues will have adequate amounts of oxygen to work.

Meanwhile, stretching after a workout helps you cool down appropriately and reduce tissue tightness and pain.

2. Working out better!

A personalized stretching routine that addresses your specific areas of postural imbalances and tightness can help you improve your range of motion.

When you combine this with strength training and aerobic conditioning, you can expect to function more efficiently during your workouts and enjoy greater stamina, power, and speed.

Since pre-workout mobility also prepares your body for exercise, it’ll also help you safely reach your desired workout intensity more quickly since you’ll be able to start a workout already warmed up and ready to go.

3. Relieving stress.

Stretching regularly—especially when combined with deep breathing and mindfulness exercises—is a great way to ease mental stress and even reduce signs and symptoms of depression and anxiety.

4. Reducing injury risk.

Some studies do show that stretching may reduce your risk of muscle strains, ligament sprains, joint damage, and other painful injuries common with sports and athletics.

5. Enhancing your health.

Regular stretching has been shown to improve your blood pressure and heart rate as well as maximize your overall mobility, especially as you age.

The importance of warm-ups

You may have heard that stretching “cold” muscles isn’t ideal—which is true. Our bodies need to be adequately warmed up prior to stretching—otherwise we increase our risk for injury and tissue damage.

This doesn’t mean you should never stretch at all before a workout, however. A simple 5-minute warm-up such as light jogging, brisk walking, and arm circles and leg swings is usually sufficient to get your joints and tissues warmed up and prepared for mobility work.

For many folks, dynamic stretches are the most effective for pre-workout mobility. Meanwhile, they’ll save static stretches and foam rolling for after the workout. Wondering what works best for you?

Our physiotherapy staff is happy to help you problem-solve and figure out the best routine for your body.

Want more help? We’ve got you covered!

If you’d like to become more disciplined with a mobility routine and need some inspiration and education on the best mobility moves your body needs, schedule an appointment with a physiotherapist today.

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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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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.

Have You Been Stretching? If Not, These 5 Reasons Will Make You Want to Start!

Add Stretching to Your Daily Routine Today!

Some people think that stretching is an unnecessary part of exercising. The truth is that stretching is a necessary component of exercise.

Can some simple physical motions dramatically improve your overall health, wellness, and quality of life? In the case of stretching, the answer is most definitely yes. Stretching exercises are a staple of physiotherapy for just that reason.

In fact, according to physiotherapists, stretching is an important part of one’s daily routine – whether you’re exercising or not.

What are the different types of stretching?

Stretching involves stretching connective tissue, a muscle or a tendon. The goal of stretching is to improve range of motion, flexibility and muscle elasticity. The five most common stretching exercises are:

  • Low Load
  • Static
  • Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation (PNF)
  • Ballistic
  • Dynamic

Ballistic stretch physiotherapy is a rapid bouncing motion to stretch a muscle. Dynamic stretching by a physiotherapist entails stretching with motion at different speeds and distances.

These movements are performed in a controlled and slow manner. Examples include torso swings, arms swings and leg swings. Static stretch physiotherapy involved stretching the muscle and holding it for a few seconds.

PNF entails holding and controlling techniques to activate specific receptors in muscles. This technique improves muscle length and decreases muscle tension. The low load stretching technique is gradual application of tension to enhance connective tissue remodeling.

A physiotherapist will determine the best stretching exercises for your affected area and implement them into your treatment plan. They will also give you home exercises.

These stretching exercises may include groin stretches, quadriceps stretches, knee stretches, calf stretches and more. They will also show you how to do easy stretches with a towel at home. Knee stretches are very common in all age groups. That’s because knee injuries are common due to overuse or athletic injuries.

Activities like running and biking can result in tight quadriceps muscles. Keep in mind that tight muscles can predispose you to injury. If so, quadriceps stretches will be implemented into a treatment plan.

Improve your mobility with stretching

It’s quite common for a physiotherapist to prescribe various stretching exercises to individuals suffering from chronic pain conditions. Stretching takes on special importance when you’ve become less mobile due to issues such as osteoarthritis. The less you move your joints, the greater the likelihood that your muscles and connective tissues will lose some of their length.

This change obviously limits your joint motion even further and leaves you in even more pain. Stretches naturally support physiotherapy recommendations such as walking, heat therapy, or massage therapy in increasing blood flow to painful joints and widening your pain-free range of motion.

Chronic pain syndromes often involve tight muscles. Syndromes such as fibromyalgia and its cousin, myofascial pain syndrome, cause muscle knots that limit muscle motion and trigger referred pain to other parts of the body. Regular stretching can help you “untie those” painful knots.

PT and stretching

It’s important to make sure you’re doing the right kind of stretches before and after your workout. A physiotherapist can put together an exercise routine for your specific type of workout.

Whether you’re playing a game of tennis, training for a mini-marathon, or walking through the neighborhood, physiotherapy can help you make the most of your activities. A physiotherapist can guide you regarding which types of stretches are the best for your current physical condition and the type of activities you’re participating in.

It’s also important to make sure you’re doing the right exercises in the correct way. You’ll want to make an appointment with a qualified physiotherapist to learn what stretches are right for you. Physiotherapy can help you make the most of your workouts and improve your overall health.

5 more reasons why you should stretch

1. Stretching helps reduce muscle tension. It’s a therapeutic treatment by a physiotherapist. You’ll feel the rewards of stretching during your daily routine, walking or lifting.

2. Another benefit of stretching is increased blood circulation. Muscles require sufficient oxygen and nutrients in order to perform well. Stretching ramps up blood flow and transports oxygen and nutrients.

3. Stretching specific exercises prior to exercising helps the muscles to achieve maximum range of motion. It also helps strengthen the muscles. That is why during physiotherapy stretching is a main focus.

4. Stretching enhances joint range of motion. It enables the body part to move easier. For more dynamic movement, stretching increases muscular coordination. Some physiotherapy sessions focus on a muscle group instead of just one muscle for stretching.

5. Lastly, a benefit of stretching is heightened energy levels. The increased circulation increases energy levels. Learning to stretch properly will lead you to a more active lifestyle. “According to results of a new systematic review, moderate-grade evidence seems to support strengthening and stretching exercises to help ease chronic neck pain.”

Get started today

Whether you see a physiotherapist or not, stretching should be a part of your daily routine. You’ll feel better, perform better, and avoid injury. Contact BeActive Physio today to learn more!

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Ready to Rid Yourself of Headaches? PT Can Help

Finally Find Relief for Your Persistent Headaches with Physiotherapy

If stress-related headaches are happening so frequently that they are impacting your daily life, it’s time to start thinking about physiotherapy for relief. Stress-related headaches, also called tension headaches, are the most common type of headache that impacts people.

While they are not as serious as migraines, tension headaches are a sign that something in your body is “off.” A physiotherapist can work with you to determine the cause and eliminate stress-related headaches for good.

How can a physiotherapist help with my headaches?

The ultimate goal of your physiotherapy regimen will be to eliminate your stress-related headaches. However, in addition to relief, you will gain additional benefits that will likely improve your overall quality of life:

  • Improved posture. Bad posture is really one of the leading causes of stress-related headaches. If you don’t enjoy good posture throughout the day, it is likely to lead to more generalized aches and pains, as well as the muscle tension that contributes to stress-related headaches.
  • Neck tension relief. You will have better range of motion in your neck and reduced tension, thanks to manual physiotherapy techniques applied to the muscles there.
  • Increased strength: Your therapist will teach you exercises to strengthen your neck and upper back, which will lead to improved posture. With better posture, you will be able to stand and sit longer without experiencing discomfort.

The many benefits of physiotherapy

The treatment of your stress-related headaches will depend in part on the diagnosis. For example, one course of treatment that would work for correcting your posture and strengthening the neck muscles might not be appropriate if your headaches are the result of a past injury.

In general, you can expect stretching and strength training to be part of your treatment. Other options that your physiotherapist might employ can include:

  • McKenzie therapies
  • Cervical traction
  • Body mobilization
  • Hot and cold compressions
  • Soft tissue mobilization

Aside from your physiotherapy sessions at the clinic, your therapist will also recommend exercises, stretches and lifestyle changes that you can make at home, which will all contribute to eliminating your headaches.

How else can PT help my headaches?

Our physiotherapist can help you get to the bottom of your headache problem.

If your headache is cervinogenic in nature, we may need to work on your neck. For instance:

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

Diagnosing headaches with PT

Before your physiotherapy treatments begin, your therapist will work with you to diagnose your headaches. You’ll need to discuss your medical history with the therapist. If you sustained an injury to your neck, back or jaw years ago, it could still be contributing to headaches to this day. The location where you experience pain, such as in the face, back of the neck or forehead, can also help to diagnose the source.

Your physiotherapist will likely run you through some tests as part of the diagnosis phase. For example, your posture will be checked as you engage in several activities. The strength of your muscles and the range of motion in your neck and shoulders will be tested. Your therapist might do some manual therapy to see how mobile your neck joints are.

Once the cause of your stress-related headaches is determined, a customized course of physiotherapy can be prescribed to treat them.

So, what’s causing my headaches?

One of the main causes of stress-related headaches is right there in the name: stress. The headache generally happens when the muscles in the neck or scalp become tense and contract.

Depression and anxiety are similar emotions to stress that can also lead to headaches. In addition, there may be a physical cause behind your stress-related headaches. An accident or injury to the neck or back can contribute to headaches. Poor posture and arthritis are two other potential causes.

Find relief for your stress-related headaches today

What are you waiting for? Stress-related headaches can be a thing of the past for you, after working with a physiotherapist to correct the problem. Contact BeActive Physio today to schedule your first appointment.

Manage Your Arthritis the Natural Way – With the Help of Physiotherapy

Arthritis Pains Don’t Need to Slow You Down Any Longer!

If you have arthritis, then you know all about the difficulties with moving and functioning in daily life that it can present. What you might not know, however, is that physiotherapy can help you find relief from your arthritis pain.

There is no cure for arthritis, but by using the exercises and techniques that your physiotherapist can teach you, the onset of arthritis can be slowed and you will experience less pain overall.

You have the choice for a safer, more effective path toward arthritis pain management: physiotherapy. Contact BeActive Physio and schedule a physiotherapy appointment today.

What can I expect from PT for my arthritis pains?

Physiotherapy visits are often short in duration. Your therapist will be focused on spotting problems with your physical function that are related to arthritis, and teaching you methods you can employ at home to relieve pain.

The way to actually achieve pain relief from your arthritis is to keep up with the teachings for the long term. The improvement will be gradual, so it’s important that you follow your physiotherapist’s instructions.

In order to help your physiotherapist to provide you with the best advice possible, think carefully about different physical goals that you might have.

For example, you might want to be able to do your daily job without straining your hips or knees, to reach things high up on a kitchen shelf, or to simply get in and out of your car without pain. Expressing these goals to your therapist will aid in ensuring that your treatments are as specific to your goals as possible.

Your physiotherapy sessions probably won’t need to be done on a weekly basis. Once every few weeks to monitor your condition and progress should be sufficient.

How do I know what type of arthritis 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:

  • 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.
  • 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.

How will I benefit?

Arthritis attacks the joints of the body, so the goal of physiotherapy will be to restore the use of those joints and improve your ability to move around and engage in daily activities.

This will be achieved through a combination of exercise to strengthen the support structures around the joints, and teaching you how to move and engage in activities without worsening your symptoms. The exact course of treatment that your physiotherapist will prescribe will depend on how advanced your arthritis is and which parts of the body are impacted.

The physical exercises your therapist will teach you will be directed toward improving your mobility, range of motion, flexibility, and coordination. Your plan may include any combination of:

  • Environmental modifications: Your physiotherapist can make specific recommendations for additional therapeutic aids based on your type of arthritis. These can include ergonomic furniture or cushioned mats in areas of your home or at work where you tend to stand on your feet for long periods of time.
  • Treatments: Modern physiotherapy has a broad range of treatment options available to assist with arthritis pain. Hot and cold therapy can relieve the pain and stiffness in joints; braces or splints can help to stabilize and support arthritic joints; shoe inserts can relieve arthritis pain in the lower extremities; and so on.
  • Education: Sometimes arthritis in the hip or knee will require the use of assistive mobility devices, such as a cane or walker. Your physiotherapist will teach you the proper way to use these devices.
  • Posture: Your therapist will teach you various body mechanic techniques that will improve joint function and reduce pain. You will also be taught ways to use your strongest muscles and joints to relieve pressure on arthritic joints.

Get started today

If you are ready for relief from arthritis pain, contact BeActive Physio to schedule your first appointment with a physiotherapist.

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