Physiotherapy Blog


By The Website Store 10 Jul, 2023
What is Sciatica? Sciatica refers to pain that radiates along the path of the sciatic nerve. The sciatic nerve is the largest and longest nerve in the human body beginning from the lower back through the hips and buttocks and down each leg. The nerve branches out in 2 nerves below the knee. A person having sciatica usually experiences pain and other symptoms down one leg but can be both. Because the sciatic nerve is so long there can be many signs and symptoms in the lower body. Common Signs & Symptoms of Sciatica Lower Back Pain Lower back pain is one of the most common symptoms of Sciatica and the pain can vary from a tingling sensation to a severe pain which makes any movement very painful. Lower back pain can lessen or worsen depending on the position that you are in and at times no position may provide relief. Sciatica is usually caused by a herniated disc placing pressure on the nerve. Often your family doctor may provide pain killers or muscle relaxants to help lower the muscle spasms associated with sciatica. Physiotherapy as well as Acupuncture is usually very helpful in treating sciatica. Hip Pain Another common symptom of Sciatica is pain in the hips. This may be in one or both hips but usually is on the one side. The pain in the hips can make rotation type movements painful as the nerve is in close proximity to the piriformis muscle. Another cause of hip pain which is sometimes mistaken for sciatica is Piriformis Syndrome which have similar symptoms. A Physiotherapist or Massage Therapist or Acupuncturist can differentiate each condition with orthopedic tests. Leg Pain In many referred pain syndromes the pain is usually worst closest to the area where the pain originates. In sciatica the pain can be very painful in the back and hips but it can also extend all the way down the leg to the foot. Often times the referred pain is severe and debilitating. The pain in the legs can often be described as sharp pain and may worsen with certain movements and may be relieved with other movements. Pain gets worse when the Leg is Raised While raising the leg increases pain associated with sciatica, the Straight Leg Raise is also an Orthopedic Test and one of the first tests used in getting a proper diagnosis. The straight leg test is performed with the patient lying on their back and then lifting one leg while keeping the leg straight. This can cause pain and is a clear indicator of sciatica (other tests may also be used in confirming the diagnosis). While this test can be done at home it is often advisable to have a medical professional perform the tests to confirm the diagnosis. Burning Symptoms in Leg Burning sensation can sometimes occur in those who suffer sciatica however it is often short lived and can sometimes be relieved by laying down. Moving the legs can often worse the symptoms and the discomfort can be quite strong. Burning sensations are often noticed more when sciatica is acute but it can show up if you have had sciatica for some time. Weakness in legs and Knees While most symptoms of sciatica are pain radiating down the leg and lower back weakness in the legs and knees can be a symptom as well. While the weakness can be quite noticeable it won’t cause a complete loss of movement but it can limit mobility. In many cases people are reluctant to seek help when weakness is present, however people should consult a medical professional when experiencing weakness in the legs. Pins and Needles At some point during our lives we have experienced the feeling of pins and needles either when sitting or laying in the same position for a long period of time. Pins and needles are caused by a restricted blood flow to a certain area or by the nerves being placed under pressure. Pins and needles are usually an unpleasant feeling but in some cases it can be quite uncomfortable. In those who suffer sciatica pins and needles are somewhat common and are usually from sitting down or being in an awkward position for too long. IF one experiences pins and needles try moving somewhat to have the symptoms reduced. Sciatica can be a very debilitating condition to suffer from with the most common symptoms being lower back pain and pain radiating down one or both legs but in most cases just one leg. Many of the symptoms of sciatica are often similar to a condition called Piriformis Syndrome especially hip pain and pain in the leg but there are differences. A Physiotherapist/Massage Therapist would be able to discern the difference by using Orthopedic tests to confirm a diagnosis. Our trained staff of Physiotherapists, Massage Therapist as well as Acupuncturists can help with the symptoms and in treatment of Sciatica or Piriformis Syndrome. Dynamic Physiotherapy & Sports Injury Clinic Inc. can directly bill to most insurance companies and appointments can be schedule usually within 48 hours.  For more information please contact us at 289-201-2435 or via our website at www.dynamicphysiotherapy.ca Appointments can also be schedule online.
By The Website Store 10 Jul, 2023
Regular exercise is one of the keys of staying healthy and strong and should be maintained even into one’s older age. Exercise makes you feel better, have more energy and can add years to your life as well and make your senior years even better. The benefits of regular exercise or physical activity are hard to ignore and becomes even more important the older we get. Some of the benefits of exercise are: Exercise can help to control weight Regular exercise or physical activity helps your body burn calories and the more intense the activity the more calories your body will burn. This is important in keeping calories in check will help prevent weight gain and can help with losing weight as well. Even if the goal is not to lose weight staying activity will help you feel better. The type of exercise is not important but doing so regularly is. Whether you spend hours at the gym or go for a long walk, stay active and see the benefits of exercise. Exercise can reduce the risk of Heart diseases and other conditions Regular exercise is great for your heart by helping to reduce risk factors such as high blood pressure and high cholesterol. Heart disease is one of the leading factors which can shorten your life. Regular exercise can keep the blood flowing smoothly which decreases the risk of cardiovascular diseases. But that’s not all, regular exercise can help to many other health problems such as: High blood pressure Depression Arthritis Anxiety Strokes Type 2 Diabetes Some forms of cancer Regular exercise can help reduce the risk of death from almost all causes and can also help improve cognitive function. Exercise can help boost energy Do daily activities of life have you winded? Carrying the shopping into the house or going up a flight of stairs have you stop and take a few moments to gather your breath? If so regular exercise or physical activity can help improve your endurance and strength. The benefit increases when the activity or exercises are done regularly. Exercise helps to bring oxygen and nutrition to your tissues and helps your cardiovascular system work more efficiently. The more energy you have the more you can achieve. Exercise can help promote better sleep Some people struggle to fall asleep or end up falling asleep late and waking up tired and lethargic. Regular exercise can help you fall asleep more quickly and also deepen your sleep. Being well rested can do wonders for your body, our bodies tend to heal faster when we are rested and a good sleep goes a long way to making your day a productive one. Exercise can be fun Exercise doesn’t have to be boring it can be fun especially if you participate in activities with other people. Exercising or physical activity outdoors can be more enjoyable allowing you to connect with nature. Choosing a park or trail to walk or run, walk along the lake would be ideal ways of being fun and becoming stress free. Exercise can strengthen muscles and bone Regular activity/exercise is a great way to not only strengthen muscles but also bones. Activities with resistance such as weights (the weights don’t have to be heavy) can be beneficial for your bones. Regular activities are very beneficial and help when dealing with conditions such as osteoarthritis and keep your bones strong and healthy. Benefits of regular exercise on the body and mind Exercises/Activities can help improve mood Staying active and regular activities are great ways to reduce stress and give us an emotional lift. I find a good workout is a fantastic way to get rid of stress and feeling on top of the world. Activities and stimulate the brain that make you feel happier, more relaxed and less anxious. Regular activities can also make you feel better about your fitness levels and appearance which can help improve your self-esteem and confidence. Exercise done regularly has many benefits that were just listed but there are countless other ways exercise can be beneficial. Regular exercise/activities should become a part of your routine at least several times a week and is best if we continue staying active until our senior years. The benefits of exercise can help make those senior years easier and more manageable and most importantly avoid being dependent on anyone. For more info contact Dynamic Physiotherapy & Sports Injury Clinic Inc. at 289-201-2435 or at www.dynamicphysiotherapy.ca
By The Website Store 10 Jul, 2023
Have you ever had an injury that just didn’t heal quickly or smoothly? All of us at some point have had an injury whether by a fall, during an activity or via an accident. Unfortunately some injuries just don’t heal like we would like and even not in a progressive and uniform way. Some complex injuries may take extended time to heal and may heal in a fixed way. The road to recovery is not always smooth and at times doing everything correctly doesn’t necessarily provide the results we expected or looked forward to and understand that at times this can be totally normal. Our bodies are extremely complex and results may not be predictable. Even when we are healthy we have our good days and bad days. One day we can feel great the next day when it is raining and looks terrible outside we may not feel that great either. There are many factors that can contribute to healing that can affect our journey such as: Stress can affect the recovery process especially if one is under stress over a prolonged period of time. Stress can reduce the body’s ability to fight off toxins and its ability to control inflammation which can make recovery more challenging.Lack of sleep can also adversely recovery after an injury. When we fall into the deep stages of sleep muscles the brain signals the release large amounts of growth hormones and testosterone and are responsible for building new proteins to replace damaged ones in muscles, bones, tendons and ligaments. These hormones are at their highest during sleep. Even one night of poor sleep can slow the repair process by as much as 20%. Consistent sleep helps the body to heal more quickly and also helps reduce stress.As we become older our bodies take longer to heal. It is a gradual process but when your young(er) your injuries tend to heal much faster and as we age that process of healing slows down.Having a previous injury may also slow down the recovery process especially if the current injury is the same as previously. Chronic injury sufferers also take significantly longer to heal than those that are considered acute.Medications, activity level as well as work schedule can affect your recovery following an injury. While our bodies are very resilient they also need time to adapt to changes. And while a recovery may not be linear and in many cases is not, we must remain patient and not focus on the day to day. Recoveries tend to not be linear and may have its ups and downs, as long as the recovery is moving in a positive direction is the most important. Look for the positives in your recovery such as: Intensity of the symptoms. A natural progression of the recovery process is the intensity of symptoms such as pain and inflammation decrease.Another positive trend is to look for is the frequency of the symptoms. A positive recovery process is to see the frequency of symptoms go down.Look for the ability to do more without symptoms holding you back.Feeling better and more confident in movements and seeing an overall improvement in both mood and energy. One thing that may get overlooked in the recovery process Is when the pain and/or inflammation goes away. Does that mean the recovery is over and we get back to daily living? In some cases depending on the extent of the injury more therapy may be needed. Your strength may need to be increased, your endurance may need to be improved and the range of motion of the injured joint may need increase as well. At times when the recovery is progressing well and the pain and inflammation stop, exercises that have been prescribed have helped and exercise in itself has a pain reducing effect. If the exercises continue for a period of time then all is OK but when one feels better a lot of us stop doing those exercises and if done prematurely may have the pain return. Tips to help you recover from an injury The final thing to consider is that perhaps your injury was quite substantial and surgery may have been required. These can make the recovery process not only longer but may have more ups and downs. The good thing is that the majority of injuries are less severe and that therapy such as Physiotherapy, Massage Therapy, Chiropractic or Acupuncture can certainly help recover following an injury. The majority of the injuries we see tend to be mild to mid-level strains and sprains, muscle spasms or injuries that occurred during an activity such as sports where we could have twisted an ankle or hurt your hand. Most injuries or muscles, ligaments, and tendons as well as bones usually progress well and may not require a lot of therapy. Obviously the more severe the injury is the longer the treatment protocol may take. If you get injured seek out help to speed up the healing and recovery process. Some injuries may only take a few treatments to get you back to your pre-injury level and our facility can usually bill most extended health plans directly. You don’t need a referral to see a Physiotherapist, Massage Therapist or Acupuncturist however your extended health insurance (if applicable) may require one. For more information on the recovery process or to book an appointment please call 289-201-2435 or schedule an appointment online.
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