Myofascial Therapies
A hands-on approach to assessment and treatment is often necessary. As therapists, we utilize palpation to identify sources of pain, such as “trigger points/ muscle knots”.
Treatment using massage techniques can be effective in similar ways as mentioned with acupuncture. In addition, manual therapy can promote proper hydration of “fascia”, a connective tissue that sits between all layers of muscle.
Medical Acupuncture
We use medical acupuncture for:
- Pain Relief
- Wound Healing
In other words, acupuncture has the ability to:
- Block pain signals by stimulating the nervous system
- Promote tissue healing by supporting the immune system
Corrective Exercises
Pain and Injury, especially with movement, tend to correlate with imbalances with muscle activation.
To correct these imbalances, we prescribe various muscle activation exercises.
FAQ
I’m not currently injured/ have pain can I still see a physiotherapist?
- Yes! Physiotherapy is concerned with all conditions affecting physical function and PTs can play a role in all levels of disease prevention and health promotion.
- PTs are primary healthcare providers which means we can be the first point of contact you have with the Canadian Healthcare system. A core competency of PTs is to act as an advocate for our patients and this includes helping them navigate the larger healthcare system and obtain referrals to the necessary professionals.
How do I know if physiotherapy is right for me compared to chiropractic, massage or osteopathic treatment?
- In the internet era where it is easy to become overwhelmed by the amount of information that is available it’s no surprise that figuring out what you need is challenging.
- The rehabilitation industry is massive, there are various professional designations such as PT, DC, RMT, Osteopathic Manual Practitioners, Stretch Therapists, Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialists, yoga teachers and more.
- To make matters more complicated, there are further continuing education courses and certifications which are not exclusive to any one designation. So you might find two PTs to practice as polar opposites while a PT and a DC who have similar training practice similarly.
- My general advice would be to find your professional and not the profession. Search for a therapist who can demonstrate that they have your best interests at heart and will be resourceful while attempting to solve your pain problem.
- If all else fails, reach out to me and I can help you navigate the healthcare and rehabilitation industry!
I've tried Physiotherapy before but I didn't do the exercises or it didn't work.
- In this case the devil’s in the details. Although most scientific literature supports active therapy for rehabilitation, it is actually an art to prescribe the best exercise with the perfect amount of overload to induce positive adaptation. It is my professional opinion that passive treatments such as manual therapy or acupuncture are important in creating a “window of opportunity” where a larger variety of exercises might help the patient achieve full recovery.
Is it normal to feel sore after my last appointment?
- Yes, this happens as a result of the blood flow and inflammation changes that occur after treatment. Often this will resolve in 24-48h. Therefore, it is important to keep track of specific goals to ensure we are making progress.
