Pro Fusion Rehab

As a physiotherapist in Milton, you must be aware of the importance of following evidence-based practices to treat lower back pain in your patients. A study found that each non-approved treatment administered to patients in the first 21 days of acute lower back pain significantly increased their chances of developing chronic pain.

A study titled Risk Factors Associated With Transition From Acute To Chronic Low Back Pain in US Patients Seeking Primary Care revealed that using three interventions (not guideline-approved) can double your patient's risk of developing chronic back pain. Moreover, the study added that nearly half of patients were treated with at least one discordant intervention within three weeks of their first visit. Physiotherapy clinics in Milton often deal with patients suffering from lower back pain.

What Are Evidence-based Or Guideline-concordant Interventions?

These are the best treatments for musculoskeletal pain as recommended by High-Quality Clinical Practice Guidelines. These ten recommendations for treating musculoskeletal pain are listed below:

Treatment should be patient-focussed, and proper care must be extended based on how the patient responds to individual treatments. This includes effective communication and a shared decision-making process.

Before starting with treatments, physiotherapists in Milton should screen patients to find out those with a greater likelihood of serious conditions.

The practitioner must also take into account psychosocial factors.

Radiological imaging is discouraged unless serious pathology is identified or non-response to treatment or among other factors.

The assessment should include physical examination, which conducts neurological screening tests, mobility and/or muscle strength.

The progress of the patient must be evaluated, which includes using validated outcome measures.

Patients need to be provided with sufficient and necessary information about their condition and options.

Management should focus on physical activity and can include exercise.

Manual therapy must be accompanied by other treatments and should not be applied by itself.

Promote the resumption or continuation of work.

Usually, anything which is not on the list could be regarded as non-guideline concordant and therefore increases the risk of lower back pain turning chronic.

If you suffer from chronic pain, then you know how debilitating it can be. You’re always on the lookout for a solution, and it can be tiresome and exhausting. Chronic pain is categorized as pain that lasts for three months or longer. There are different ways in which chronic pain presents itself, which include heightened sensitivity to pain, hyperalgesia, and allodynia. Those suffering from chronic pain have a poorer quality of life, as it impacts various aspects of their lives such as sleep, work, and the ability to interact with others. It has also been linked with other health issues such as anxiety and depression. Physiotherapy is a great addition to chronic pain treatment plans.

Physiotherapists are taught to understand chronic pain and the limitations and dysfunction that it ensues. Patients working with physiotherapists are able to treat their pain with a holistic approach to improve their quality of life. After assessing your pain a physiotherapist will work with you to determine a treatment plan that suits your lifestyle and will see benefits from.

How Can Physiotherapy Treat Chronic Pain?

Manual Therapy

If you have little to no mobility due to chronic pain, your joints will begin to feel stiff, which can be very uncomfortable. Your physiotherapist can help you regain mobility by manipulating or mobilizing your joints.

Hot and Cold Therapy

Hot and cold therapy is good for desensitizing pain. Heat applied to the affected areas will relax your muscles, encourage circulation, and increase blood flow effectively reducing pain in the process. Cold therapy, on the other hand, will reduce blood flow to a specific area and numb it, which limits the pain messages sent to the pain receptors in your brain.

Soft Tissue Treatment

Your physiotherapist may recommend soft tissue treatments such as massages and trigger point therapy. Sometimes, soft tissue treatments can be used to desensitize the areas where patients experience pain.

Acupuncture

Acupuncture is a traditional ancient Chinese medicine that can be a great alternative option when looking to treat chronic pain. Acupuncture is the stimulation of specific points of the body, usually with a small needle penetrating the skin. Studies have found that acupuncture is effective in treating chronic pain in the neck and back. Physiotherapists will need to get additional training in acupuncture in order to offer it as a treatment plan.

If you or someone that you know suffers from chronic pain, you may want to consider trying physiotherapy in addition to your current treatment plan. At Pro Fusion Rehab, we have experienced and qualified physiotherapists that work with you to determine the best course of action to take to reduce or eliminate your chronic pain so you can get back to living your life.

If you suffer from chronic pain, then you know how debilitating it can be. You’re always on the lookout for a solution, and it can be tiresome and exhausting. Chronic pain is categorized as pain that lasts for three months or longer. There are different ways in which chronic pain presents itself, which include heightened sensitivity to pain, hyperalgesia, and allodynia. Those suffering from chronic pain have a poorer quality of life, as it impacts various aspects of their lives such as sleep, work, and the ability to interact with others. It has also been linked with other health issues such as anxiety and depression. Physiotherapy is a great addition to chronic pain treatment plans.

Physiotherapists are taught to understand chronic pain and the limitations and dysfunction that it ensues. Patients working with physiotherapists are able to treat their pain with a holistic approach to improve their quality of life. After assessing your pain a physiotherapist will work with you to determine a treatment plan that suits your lifestyle and will see benefits from.

How Can Physiotherapy Treat Chronic Pain?

Manual Therapy

If you have little to no mobility due to chronic pain, your joints will begin to feel stiff, which can be very uncomfortable. Your physiotherapist can help you regain mobility by manipulating or mobilizing your joints.

Hot and Cold Therapy

Hot and cold therapy is good for desensitizing pain. Heat applied to the affected areas will relax your muscles, encourage circulation, and increase blood flow effectively reducing pain in the process. Cold therapy, on the other hand, will reduce blood flow to a specific area and numb it, which limits the pain messages sent to the pain receptors in your brain.

Soft Tissue Treatment

Your physiotherapist may recommend soft tissue treatments such as massages and trigger point therapy. Sometimes, soft tissue treatments can be used to desensitize the areas where patients experience pain.

Acupuncture

Acupuncture is a traditional ancient Chinese medicine that can be a great alternative option when looking to treat chronic pain. Acupuncture is the stimulation of specific points of the body, usually with a small needle penetrating the skin. Studies have found that acupuncture is effective in treating chronic pain in the neck and back. Physiotherapists will need to get additional training in acupuncture in order to offer it as a treatment plan.

If you or someone that you know suffers from chronic pain, you may want to consider trying physiotherapy in addition to your current treatment plan. At Pro Fusion Rehab, we have experienced and qualified physiotherapists that work with you to determine the best course of action to take to reduce or eliminate your chronic pain so you can get back to living your life.

Electrical stimulation therapy—otherwise known as electrotherapy—involves attaching electrodes to the skin over a muscle. Once activated, it sends an electrical current through the muscle, causing it to contract repeatedly. This simulates using the muscle over and over to help re-educate the brain by building new neural pathways. This takes advantage of a principle called neuroplasticity: an idea that repetitive exercises promote building neural connections. This is why you will often be asked to perform repetitive tasks when recovering from many types of injuries.

When a stroke occurs, parts of your brain may be damaged and no longer function. This means that the areas affected by the stroke will have to be “rewired” to return to full functionality. Electrotherapy can not only allow your muscles to go through repeated motions to aid in speeding up this process, but it can also help to prevent other issues like muscle weakness or atrophy, chronic or acute pain, impaired circulation, and has been shown to potentially aid in sensory loss.

There are a few different types of electrical stimulation, each with different benefits, depending on the needs of the patient.

Functional Electrical Stimulation (FES): Restore function to a paralyzed limb.

Electrical Muscle Stimulation (EMS): Stimulate muscle tissues. Also known as Neuromuscular Electrical Stimulation (NMES).

Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation (TENS): Chronic or acute pain management through the promotion of endorphin production.

Electromyogram (EMG) Triggered Stimulation (ETS): Detects muscle movements and stimulates according to those movements to encourage development.

Reciprocal EMG Triggered Stimulation (RETS): The most common treatment for stroke patients, helping to reduce tone or relax muscles on an affected limb.

When not to have electrotherapy?

Although electrotherapy has been shown to help some, it may also be harmful to others. It is important to consult a physician prior to electrotherapy to determine if any of the following areas or issues are of particular concern to you:

Carotid sinus

Active deep vein thrombosis or thrombophlebitis

Near the uterus or lower back during pregnancy

Cancerous lesions

Superficial metal like staples or pins

Localized infections

Open wounds

Neck or heart

If you have a cardiac pacemaker or defibrillator

Untreated osteomyelitis

If you are prone to seizures

Electrical therapy usually achieves the best results when combined with repetitive functional exercises provided by your physician. Your therapist will either provide the appropriate settings for your treatment or work with you to determine the most comfortable settings for you. Always check your skin after using electrical stimulation devices, as you want to be sure you are not experiencing adverse reactions to the equipment or the treatment itself.

If you are ever involved in a car accident, the aftermath can include minor or serious injuries, both of which can have long lasting effects on your body and health. Your injuries can prevent you from doing the activities you love and can even affect your everyday routine. In many cases, the injuries a person sustains from a car accident will significantly impact their life and physiotherapy will be necessary to help restore their health and mobility.

What to expect from your physiotherapist after a car accident.

There are several things you need to do after a car accident and recovery is the most important aspect. Your health should be a priority, which is why you need to report the accident as soon as possible so that you can deal with your car insurance and use the benefits they provide for your physiotherapy appointments. Your first physio session will include an assessment to provide the physiotherapist with information regarding your condition as a result of the car accident. This will allow them to get a better understanding of your situation and needs so that they can proceed accordingly. The physiotherapist will ask you questions about the accident and follow up by assessing your painful areas. Once they have all of the information they need, they will then provide you with a treatment plan to assist in your recovery. They will also discuss the number of treatments they recommend for you as well as the type of treatments you require and in many cases, this information will be sent to the car insurance adjuster so they can have a record of the information as well.

The physiotherapist will discuss the contents of their plan with you and will base the timeline of the treatment plan on the severity of the injuries. The number of visits that will be required will vary based on the circumstances of the injury and whether they are considered serious or minor. Some physiotherapists will also recommend massage therapy or other products to help with your recovery process if they feel it is necessary.

Consistency is the key.

All of your follow-up appointments will focus on helping you feel better and while the treatment each patient receives will be different, the following is a basic explanation of what each patient can expect. Firstly, electro therapy or therapeutic ultrasound will be placed on your body to help reduce the pain, which will be followed by hands-on treatment techniques and the session will conclude by providing you with exercises you must do at home. It’s important to complete the recommended exercises at home because it will help speed up the recovery process. The body becomes very stressed after a car accident and the injuries can take a very long time to heal, which is why it is crucial that you remain consistent with your treatment plan.

What is Frozen Shoulder?

Frozen shoulder is a condition that develops over time and often starts with pain in the shoulder joint during basic movement; it is also diagnosed as adhesive capsulitis. Many people do not realize they have this condition because a stiff shoulder that feels tight and immobile can be mistaken as the result of bad posture, working out too hard or sleeping in an awkward position. If you see that the pain and stiffness lingers, it’s very possible that you have a frozen shoulder and if you do not seek the proper treatment, your pain will increase and your mobility will decrease, making the condition far worse.

What Causes a Frozen Shoulder?

Frozen shoulder is most common in adults between the ages of forty and sixty and more women develop this condition than men, although it can happen to anyone. It occurs whenever the tissues around the shoulder joint thicken and tighten and if left untreated, scar tissue will develop over time, limiting the space around the shoulder joint, resulting in restricted mobility. Once your shoulder joint becomes less mobile, it will affect the movements of your entire upper body.

While the exact root cause of frozen shoulder has yet to be discovered, it is believed that it occurs whenever the lining of the shoulder joint becomes inflamed, which causes scar tissue to form around it, leaving less room for movement. Stiffness will occur once inflammation and scar tissue increases.

Are You at Risk of a Frozen Shoulder?

Those with diabetes, hormonal imbalances and weak immune systems have a greater chance of developing frozen shoulder as do people who are prone to joint inflammation. Hormonal changes are why more women develop this condition than men, particularly women who are menopausal. A prolonged period of upper body inactivity because of injury, illness or surgery can also lead to a frozen shoulder as can poor posture because rounded shoulders will cause the shortening of one of the ligaments of your shoulder.

Physiotherapy Benefits Frozen Shoulder.

Frozen shoulder must be treated; otherwise, the pain and stiffness will become unbearable and will last for a number of years. Medication and surgery can help with recovery; however, the most common and effective form of treatment for this condition is physiotherapy, which will help treat a frozen shoulder successfully. Patients will see a significant difference because physiotherapists focus on stretching the shoulder joint to improve mobility while also relieving any pressure on the joint. Depending on the patient’s age, severity of the condition and other contributing conditions, therapy can take anywhere from just a few weeks to almost a year. Physiotherapists will also recommend gentle exercises for you to do at home to help improve your range of motion.

Also our physiotherapy clinic in both Pickering and Milton, Ontario is equipped with Extracorporeal Shockwave Therapy (ESWT), which is clinical proven to be very effective in treating Frozen Shoulder. Based on past years experience our physiotherapy treatment with use of ESWT can shorten healing time of Frozen Shoulder.

The application of extracorporeal shockwave therapy (ESWT) in musculoskeletal disorders has been around for more than a decade and is primarily used in the treatment of sports related over-use tendinopathies such as proximal plantar fasciitis of the heel, lateral epicondylitis of the elbow, calcific or non-calcific tendonitis of the shoulder and patellar tendinopathy etc. The success rate ranged from 65% to 91%, and the complications were low and negligible.

Whether you work from home full time, remotely, or because you are in self-isolation during the COVID-19 pandemic, chances are you spend most of your time in front of a computer screen. A workstation at your home might consist of perching over your kitchen counter, sitting on your couch, or lying in bed with your laptop. Although working from home might sound comfortable, physiotherapists indicate that it can increase your risks of developing pain, discomfort, and injury, which can lead to musculoskeletal disorders.

In reality, you may not get access to the pieces of ergonomic equipment that you utilize in the workplace daily. But it is still vital to consider home workstation ergonomics to prevent injuries. You can make some small changes to your workspace and habits that will reduce stress on your body and boost your productivity. Here are some useful tips to help you improve your home office ergonomics.

Maintain a good posture at all times

You should sit up straight while resting the back against your chair from time to time, but you should avoid leaning forward. It is also important to vary your posture during the working day because sitting in the same chair or position all day might lead to neck, back, and shoulder pain. For instance, you can begin your day sitting on a soft couch, then change to a standing position and later move to your coffee table. We also recommend you to read our blog post regarding how to correct your posture.

What is Compression Stockings or Socks

Compression socks and compression stockings are designed to offer graduated compression starting with the highest compression at the ankle with reduced compression as you move up the leg. The pressure of compression hosiery is measured in mmHg (millimeters of mercury).

When you walk or exercise your legs, compression socks help the natural pump mechanism of the muscles in your legs. This improves the flow of blood back towards your heart.

Symptoms that need wearing compression stocking:

Varicose veins (swollen and enlarged veins).

Venous leg ulcers (a sore, damaged area of skin that takes weeks to heal).

Lymphedema (when the body’s tissues swell up painfully).

DVT (is a blood clot that forms in one of the deep veins in your body, usually in your legs).

What conditions can be benefited by wearing compression socks?

To minimize the spread of Coronavirus (COVID-19) we are actively implementing Public Health Measures (PHM) as guided from Public Health Agency of Canada. To ensure everyone’s health and safety in our clinic, here is what we are doing:

Keeping Our Environment Clean

In all our clinics, we are cleaning surfaces with hospital grade disinfectant cleaning products, we have increased the frequency of both cleaning and sanitizing tasks throughout the day. In addition we remain focused on sanitizing the surface that’s being used most frequently in workplace, including: door knobs, phone handsets, chairs, tables, treatment beds, reception desk top, exercise equipment and washroom.

Supporting Our Teams

At Pro Fusion Rehab, all of our team members are fully aware of the public health threat posed by the COVID-19. We are recommending our team members to follow self-isolation protocol if they developed any symptoms of novel virus infection or have recently travelled internationally. We also are asking all our staffs to implement PHM in terms of personal hygiene practices.

An injury caused by excessive force, whiplash occurs when the neck is violently whipped back and forth. This is most likely to happen in a rear-end vehicle accident, but it can also be caused by physical abuse, a sporting mishap and other neck trauma. Also referred to as a neck sprain or neck strain, whiplash can seriously affect your mobility for the long-haul if it’s not properly treated right away.

know more about whiplash symptoms, treatment, physiotherapy.