Our team here at JointAction has decided to once again support the Denise House this holiday season. Founded in 1991, the Denise house provides a shelter for women and their children who suffer at the hand of domestic violence here in the Durham Region. Below is a list of gift suggestions for Mothers and their Children, we will be collecting the items here at the clinic until December 16, 2016.
To learn more about the Denise House and their mission, click on the link below:
It is National Massage Therapy Awareness week. In honour of our wonderful Massage Therapists here are just a few reasons as to why you should book your Massage Therapy appointment today!
At JointAction Physiotherapy & Wellness Centre we are happy to have 3 Registered Massage Therapists apart of our team. We have 2 Massge Therapy treatment rooms and offer Massage Therapy 6 days a week! Direct billing available should your extended health benefit plan allow it! Contact us to book your massage today!
Many colleagues would agree that pain is the most common reason why people will come and seek out your help. That statement has a lot more variability than you would think. I would like to say that we all wish that everything could be a quick fix but in most cases that isn’t the case because our bodies are such masters of adaptation.
We are wired to avoid pain and your body does everything it can to guard ourselves from dangerous situations. Beyond the physicality, each person is unique in their perception of pain. It can be very subjective as per their tolerance. Looking at a Visual Pain Analog Scale, from 0 to 10, 0 means you don’t feel any pain at all and 10 means the maximum amount of pain that you have ever felt. So what one person may feel is a 2 out of 10 another may say that is an 8.
Lately, I’ve been having a lot of patients come in with some chronic aches and pains and we have talked a lot about how your thought process can influence your health and well-being. This particular article post by the Canadian Chiropractic Association sheds a little bit more light on some of the potential cognitive barriers that can hinder your recovery.
“This is just how I am and I have to deal with it.” People get stuck in the chronicity of it all because they think that’s their normal. That being said, you should listen to your body. I tell my patients all the time that they are their best advocate. No one can tell you how you should feel. Health professionals can give you their recommendations and expertise from an objective standpoint. Our job is to inform you and educate you and give you treatment options.
There are many aspects of dealing with issues that manifest through your health so seek out various health professionals that can address and are experts in those areas. A multi-disciplinary team approach is an ideal one and can be the most optimum.
By: Dr. Teesha Geevarghese (B.Sc., D.C.) Chiropractor
To book an appointment contact us today!
Have you ever experienced a shooting pain or sensation that travels? If you have, you may have encountered a Myofascial trigger point. Most often, people will refer to these points as “knots” or adhesions. You may usually find them within a taut band of skeletal muscle or its fascia. It tends to be tender to touch, and exhibits pain referral patterns that cause the affected muscle to shorten.
Myofascial trigger points are very common to everyone regardless of age and condition. Our bodies go through constant changes and adaptations to fit our needs and lifestyles.
For example, an individual who sits at a desk eight to ten hours a day, for many years, will show a neck-forward posture with shoulders rolled forward. Without any postural exercises and other preventative measures, that body will slowly adapt and change to that positioning which yields muscle imbalances. These imbalances indicate that there are muscles that have shortened and some that have lengthened and lost its strength. To add to the postural changes, some people may experience referral pain. Tension headaches are one of the most common examples that can indicate a trigger point is present in your upper trapezius.
Some signs and symptoms of trigger points will include: 
Trigger points are often treated a variety of different ways. The most common is a technique known as ischemic compression. A static compression is applied to the affected muscle which creates a local ischemic point. While applying pressure, the referral pattern will reveal itself and the therapist begins to treat. After treating, the result is a reactive hyperemia that follows. In simpler terms, we are suffocating the muscle “knot” and then allowing re-circulation into the tissue to flush metabolites and release any built-up pressure. This is then followed up with heat and stretch.
Although it may be a painful technique, your massage therapist should always inquire about your pain tolerance and make sure that you are comfortable. We are here to make sure we provide the most safe and effective treatment for you.
If you ever feel that you are struggling with trigger points, your local massage therapist will be able to treat those trigger points and provide a full analysis of postural imbalances as well as remedial exercises to prevent further injury and trigger points forming.
By: Jonathan Chang, RMT, SMT(cc)
References:
http://bmcmedicine.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/1741-7015-9-8
Contact us today to book your Massage Therapy appointment!
We are very pleased to announce the RMT Rehab Aboushita is joining our JointAction team! Rehab comes to us with a wide range of experience and has worked on many conditions such as chronic pain, headaches, frozen shoulder, acute injuries, sports injuries, sciatic pain, pregnancy, inflammatory conditions, stress related situations. Rehab will be available for treatments on Mondays, Tuesdays, & Thursdays! Check out her full bio here!
Due to growing demand we now have two Massage Therapy treatment rooms available and offer Massage Therapy from Mondays to Saturdays. Feel free to book in with any of our 3 Registered Massage Therapists today!
JointAction Physiotherapy & Wellness Centre offers Physiotherapy, Paediatric Physiotherapy, Home care Physiotherapy, Pelvic Floor Physiotherapy, Acupuncture, Taping, Cupping, Chiropractic Care, Massage Therapy, Custom made Orthotics, and Bracing!
Since the Olympics have come and gone, there was some question as to why there were very distinct circular bruises on some athletes. The explanation as some readers already know is from cupping therapy.
Cupping therapy has roots in traditional Chinese medicine. The primary goals of this technique is to reduce pain, improve range of motion, alleviate muscular “tightness’ or “stiffness”, improve blood flow, and induce a relaxation effect. These are achieved through creating a vacuum at the surface of the skin by using a cup and negative pressure to produce a suction force.
Some drawbacks from using cupping include redness, bruising, and it can subjectively feel painful during the process (i.e. depending on the severity of injury, the area that is being treated, amount of suction created, and pain tolerance). However, there are improvements in overall pain and range of motion with the use of cupping that are observed clinically.
One important to note is that cupping in Westernized medicine is considered to be a form of alternative therapy. Given this, the empirical data that supports the use of cupping is not as strong as other treatment options. However, it is equally important to note that physiotherapists consider the individual needs of each patient to determine which treatment options would be most viable; cupping is one part of an entire toolkit that can be utilized to address pain, lack of range of motion, muscular weakness, or any other issue that requires attention.
Should you have any questions or concerns please do not hesitate to contact us!
We are growing and we now have 2 fabulous massage rooms to treat our wonderful clients!
What are your thoughts on our new room?
Since it is the first day of school it is important to address posture with our children now carrying backpacks, sitting for prolonged periods and poor postural habits on a day to day basis such as texting, video games etc.
I usually will hear about a lot of parents who complain about their child’s slouching and keep on reminding them to stand up straight. Poor posture can actually affect more than the vanity aspect of the body but rather have a profound effect on the dysfunction of many vital systems and cause certain symptomology due to the compression of specific spinal areas.
Here are a few issues to watch out for:
Uneven Base of the Skull
Symptoms– Headaches, Neck Pain, Ear/Eye Problems, Sinus, Focus Issues
Rounded Shoulders/ Uneven Shoulders
Symptoms– Arm Pain, Middle Back Pain, Respiratory Issues, Digestive Issues
Uneven hip/ Increase in Lumbar Lordosis-curvature in the lower back
Symptoms– Lower Back Pain, Bowel and Bladder Issues, Constipation and Diarrhea
Flat Feet/Placing too much pressure in the medial arch and/or lateral portion of the foot.
Symptoms– Hip Pain, Knee Pain, Plantar Fasciitis
A common cause for the variation in a child’s posture can actually be due to a backpack and the incorrect mechanics of how to wear it properly and the actual weight distribution of it. A lot of the time a child’s backpack has everything but the kitchen sink inside of it. It is important to look at material, wearability and weight.
Here’s a link to the Ontario Chiropractic Association’s article on Pack it Light, Wear it Right.
www.chiropractic.on.ca/wp-content/uploads/Pack-it-Light-Children-PDF.pdf
Feel free to visit or contact us if you have any questions. We would be happy to assess posture, backpack fitting and overall spinal health of your child.
By: Dr. Teesha Geevarghese (B.Sc., D.C.) Chiropractor
For any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact us to book for FREE 15 minute consultation today!
We have all experienced it, we will be moving around and suddenly our low back is in severe pain! A lot of the time this low back pain is correlated to tight muscles. The tightness can pull the pelvis out of its neutral position, which causes your entire body to lose its natural and neutral spine and causes pain to radiate in all directions. The following stretches are going to help you release any tension in commonly tight areas of the body.
Quadriceps: Hip flexor
Position yourself into a deep lunge holding a 90 degree angle. Keep your chest lifted off your thigh (think upright as opposed to hinging forward). Once you are stable, grab onto the back leg and lift it up and pull it inward close to your bottom. This will release your front hip flexors. NOTE: fold over your mat, or use a pillow under your knee, as there will be a lot of weight placed upon it.
Hamstrings: Spine Dive
Sitting, legs extended, toes flexed towards ceiling, hands resting on thighs. Exhale, dip head down towards chest and roll down the spine sliding the hands towards the ankles/feet. Hold this stretch, maintaining core support and actively lengthening towards the feet until a stretch is felt in the hamstrings.
Hips/Glutes: Leg cross over
Lay on your back, pelvis flush and exhale to raise both legs to table top. Cross one leg over the other, and pull the back of the leg closer to your chest. Adjust the positioning, and apply more pressure to the inside of the knee if an extra stretch is needed. Great to do at home, or even at your desk at work! Releases front and side of hips, as well as the
Front abdominals: Swan/Extensions
Laying on your stomach, hands next to your shoulders, feet hip distance apart, actively tuck the pelvic under so that the pubic bone is dipping into your mat. Exhale, activate your abdominals and push down through your hands to lift up through your torso.
Back stabilizers and erectors: Cat/Cow or Shell
Side-body: Side Bend
Standing in neutral, exhale and slice your arm through the air and send your body into lateral flexion. Letting your head drop to the side while holding your arm overhead.
NOTE: All of these stretches can be incorporated into a daily stretching routine. All of these stretches will get the best results once the body is already “warmed up”, however will still be beneficial on their own. All stretches should be help from 15-30seconds and repeated 1-3 times per day as needed.
To learn more information about Pilates click here!
Pilates is a fantastic form of exercise that focuses on stability, flexibility, balance and total body strength. For days when you are not practising it in a class or at home. There are ways to improve your Pilates practise by implementing simple reminders into your everyday routine.
Posture
Pilates is huge on posture. If you have ever done a Pilates class, you know that before you begin a class- you set your body into standing neutral.
Start at the feet. Feet hip distance apart and heels are grounded/heavy, and toes are light. Knees slightly bent and tracking directly over your ankles. Neutral pelvis (engage pelvic floor) and tracking over the knees. Ribs hugging your spine (by engaging your abdominals). Chest open, shoulder blades sliding down your back and tracking away from your neck. Spine is lengthened (imagine a string attached to the crown of your head that is pulling you up towards the ceiling). Head is floating on top (almost giving yourself a double chin).
Now that you have a neutral spine, you are free to move around! It may feel strange at first, but your body will thank you later after a long day of sitting at a desk or driving. Be sure to maintain the upright posture for all activities. Whether it be jogging, sitting, or just everyday errands. If you focus on keeping your spine in neutral, your joints will decrease in pain over time and your muscles will automatically hold you in this position. This posture is life changing.
Engaging your core
Again, this is the foundation of Pilates! Your core should be the centre of all your activities- and I mean ALL your activities.
From walking to running to sitting at your desk (we are seeing a trend here!). Engaging your core (front abdominals- the “6 pack” muscles, as well as 
your pelvic floor) is not only going to encourage the spine maintain its neutral posture but it will also aid in strengthening and build endurance to the trunk throughout the day! Let’s take walking/running as our main example. When we walk/run, there is a significant amount of downward pressure/force put on our pelvic floor that overtime if it is not strengthened, will cause issues such as incontinence and prolapse. By engaging your core (front abdominals AND pelvic floor) you are strengthening, working on hip stability (internal and external) and muscular endurance. All of these will translate to less pain and an overall better quality of life.
Try these ideas out during your day and track how you feel over the next few weeks! Are you standing taller? Do you have decreased pain in your back? Do you feel more stable in your trunk? Pilates is a great exercise but also translates seamlessly into regular day to day activities! Give it a try- your body will thank you!