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Year: 2017

JointAction Physiotherapy & Wellness CentreBlog2017
By admin 0 Comments Chiropractic Care, Massage Therapy, Physiotherapy

Neck pain

Neck pain plagues us all. Whether we sit at a desk all day long or perform as a high functioning athlete, we all experience neck pain at one point in life. There are a dozen reasons as to why we experience neck pain. They can range from underlying conditions such as arthritis, biomechanical and postural inconsistencies, or you just slept on the couch wrong and kinked your neck. This first part of the series, we will start by looking at the general anatomy of the neck and the movement.

Anatomy of the neck

At its core, the neck is comprised of seven cervical vertebrae that house your nerves which innervate specific areas of your body. You can think of these bones as your car frame and the nerves as your electrical wiring for everything else. Between each bone you have discs that serve to function as shock absorbers and cushioning between those joints. These discs can be comparable to your car shocks that help whenever it runs over bumps. Layers of muscles, ligaments and other supportive structures serve to move the head and stabilize the joints between. Ligaments serve to provide support to structures, while muscles also act to stabilize and move the neck and shoulder in certain directions.

There are many muscles which range from being thin and small, to larger and thicker muscles. Most of these muscles either aim to 1) stabilize and/or 2) produce movements. The neck is able to produce movements of flexion (chin to chest), extension (chin to the sky), lateral flexion (ear to shoulder) and lateral rotation (chin to shoulder).

 

 

 

A quick check of how your neck is can be as simple as performing these movements and looking at how balanced each side is along with if you experience any pain local or away from the neck. Give it a try!

 

We experience pain whenever the body fails to balance the forces on our neck due to posture, or there is some underlying cause. Typically, as therapists we look at your signs and symptoms in addition to if there is pain with active or passive neck movement. All of the observations we make help us play detective to determine what exactly is the root cause of neck pain.

In our next post, we will look at some of the major muscles that we all have struggles with. We will go over some ways to stretch these muscles and exercise them. Till next time!

 

Jonathan Chang RMT, SMT (cc)

Contact us today to book your massage!

By admin 0 Comments Chiropractic Care

Back to school: Is your backpack fitting properly?

We are only a couple of weeks away from the kids heading back to school. It is  important to take a moment and address one of the major accessories that are used during the school year. Backpacks!!!! 

Backpacks can be used to carry the necessities of the school day as well as being part of your child’s style statement. When used properly, the weight can be evenly distributed using the body’s super strong back and abdominal muscles. But if not worn in the correct manner, they can strain muscles in your child’s neck, back and shoulders.  That can result to injury of the joints and muscles long term causing postural changes.

1. They should only be carrying between 10(elementary student)to 15(high school student) per cent of their body weight.

2. Pack it right! Heavier items should be placed low and in the back end of the backpack so that the heavier weight will be distributed properly.

3. The size of backpack should be proportionate to the student’s body size as it should never be wider /horizontally larger than your child’s torso and the bottom hanging more than 4 inches below your child’s waist.

4. Shoulder and back straps should be padded and adjustable. They should not be too tight around the underarm or shoulder area.  You should be able to fit your hand between the child’s back and the backpack. A strap around the hip/waist area is also a good thing to look for as it helps even out the strain on the spine by placing more weight around the pelvis area.

Carrying the backpack using the two straps will also lessen the pressure and likelihood of injury. Encourage that your child carry it this way as opposed to just wearing one strap and slinging it on to the shoulder as this puts more stress into the shoulder area, mid and lower parts of the spine.

5. Lightweight material such as  vinyl, canvas or nylon can also help decrease the weight of the backpack.

6. The more compartments to keep contents organized and from shifting, the better. This also helps in the redistribution of weight.

7. Children should try their best to bend their knees  and pick up their backpack as opposed to twisting the backpack and slinging it on their back.

Chiropractors provide diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of disorders related to the spine, nervous system and joints. For more information on how to pack, lift, carry, and choose a backpack, visit the OCA Website at www.chiropractic.on.ca- Pack it Light and Wear it Right!

By: Dr. Teesha Geevarghese (B.Sc., D.C.) Chiropractor

Still not sure if your child’s backpack is fitting properly? Bring them by the clinic on Tuesday August 29, 2017 or Friday Sept 1, 2017 from 1pm-4pm to get their backpack checked by Dr. Teesha G!

To learn more about Chiropractic care click here!

Should you have any questions or concerns contact us for your free 15 minute meet and greet today!

 

By admin 0 Comments JointAction Clinic, Massage Therapy

We’re hiring!

An opportunity has opened up to come and join our team here at JointAction Physiotherapy in Whitby!  We are a multidisciplinary clinic (Physiotherapy, Chiropractic and Massage Therapy) looking for an RMT (Registered Massage Therapist) who is eager to work in a team setting and appreciates the value that each profession can bring to helping a patient achieve their treatment goals.

Applicants must be registered with and in good standing with The College of Massage Therapists of Ontario. For more information please apply below.

Job Type: Part-time, must be willing to work evenings (to 7pm) and Saturdays (9am -1pm)

Job Type: Part-time

https://ca.indeed.com/cmp/JointAction-Physiotherapy-&-Wellness-Centre/jobs/Massage-Therapist-1be9618455087393?q=Registered+Massage+Therapist

 

 

By admin 0 Comments Physiotherapy

What should I know about classic “tennis elbow”?

What is it?
Lateral epicondylalgia, more commonly known as “tennis elbow”, is a common chronic injury to the tendons (tissues that attach a muscle to a bone) that are attached to the outer part of the elbow. This type of injury will often lead to pain and/or tenderness around the outside of the elbow, and may affect the ability to grip and bend the wrist backwards.

Common causes
The main cause of lateral epicondylalgia is due to the overuse of the elbow and wrist over time. More specifically, it commonly results after performing activities that involve repetitive motions of straightening the elbow, and bending and turning of the wrist. This overuse can result in small tears and deterioration of the tendons that control these areas. These tendons are not given enough time to heal, which contributes to the duration of the injury.

Signs & symptoms
• pain and/or tenderness over the outside elbow
• pain travelling down from the elbow into the forearm and wrist
• increased pain with repetitive motions of the arm and elbow (especially with elbow straightening and backward bending of the wrist) that gets better with rest
• increased pain when pressure is applied over the outside elbow and forearm muscles
• pain that increases in the evening

Treatment plan
We provide individualized treatment plans that may include but not limit to guided stretching and strengthening exercises, hands on mobilization, transverse friction massage and modalities to reduce pain, improve muscle integrity and maximize participation back to work & daily activities.

 

By: Jie (Janet) Yang, PT.

 

If you have any questions or concerns, please don’t hesitate to contact us today for you FREE 15 minute meet and greet!

By admin 0 Comments Paediatric Physiotherapy, Physiotherapy

Reaching the next milestone: ground to standing

Getting into a standing position independently is a massive and exciting milestone for a developing child. The progression of developing this important skill goes from the child pulling to stand at support with their hands, to standing up with support at the hips, to standing up independently and hands-free. In this post, we will cover pulling to stand.

The height level of the support surface that a child pulls to stand is a big factor in determining successful standing. Generally, the higher the surface, the more support that it will provide, making it easier to pull into standing. Using the couch (with the seat cushions in place) is a common place to start. Place toys of interest at the elevated surface to draw the child’s attention. Ideally, this should draw the child towards the couch and crawl up the face of the couch and place them in a kneeling position with their hands on-top of the couch. From here, encourage the child to take a step forward with a foot into a half kneeling position, then stand up from this position. Hands-on support can be provided throughout these movements to help the child along. As this transition becomes easier, lower the support surface; this can be easily done by removing the couch cushions, and progressing to even lower support like a step stool. As the support decreases, there is more demand on the legs and balance to stand up, driving the strengthening process.

Once the child is up and standing at support, the previous activities discussed in the previous post can be easily practiced to bring together all of their skills. After they have spent some time standing and need a rest, the transition to the floor is essentially reversed: standing to half kneeling, and half kneeling to high kneeling.

Next post will continue with the theme of standing up, but this time without using the hands to pull for help.

By: Chris Dahiroc PT.

 

Questions or concerns regarding your child’s development? Contact us for your free 15 minute meet and greet today!

By admin 0 Comments Physiotherapy

Tips for the Travelling Passenger

As is usual for many of us in the summer we usually end up spending some time sitting as passengers during our travels. Whether it’s in the car off to the cottage, road trips or via plane. Common issues we hear most about associated with long travels are the aches and pains we experience with prolonged sitting. As is the case for some that sit at a desk for 8 hours a day. Our bodies don’t respond well to such prolonged times sitting. Moving around helps increase the blood flow to our muscles and joints as well as maintain our joints natural lubrication.

 

Here are some tips and exercises to help ease those ages and pains when you are about on your travels as a passenger this summer:

  1. Aim to get up and walk around every 30-60 minutes
  2. Keep your legs moving on the spot by doing some marching and heel raises
  3. Slide your heels back and forth
  4. Pump your ankles by pointing your toes up and down
  5. Curl and extend your toes
  6. Keep your back from stiffening up by tilting your pelvis forwards and backwards.
  7. Avoid neck stiffness by turning your head side to side looking over each shoulder and bringing your ear to your shoulder on both sides.
  8. Roll your shoulders forwards and backwards
  9. Make a fist and extend your fingers
  10. Bend and extend your elbows

 

Basically, keep your muscles and joints moving every 30 minutes!

 

Please remember those exercises may not be appropriate for everyone. Consult your health care practitioner with any issues or concerns before doing any exercises.

 

By: Nelly Temraz P.T.

 

If you have any concerns or questions contact us to book your free 15 minute meet & greet today!

 

By admin 0 Comments Chiropractic Care

A helpful variation to carry a car seat

This video made by a chiropractor has gone viral and for good reason. The chiropractor demonstrates a good way to carry a car seat without putting as much stress into the shoulder girdle, hip, leg and back.  It distributes the weight differently. 

However, with that being said, do I think this technique should be used for when the travel seat is used for long distances.  No, because it still one-sided distribution of the weight. For shortened distances like transferring the travel seat from the house to the car and vice versa, it is recommended.  

Once again if you know that you are travelling long distances and are able to take your stroller or even a baby carrier with you, do so. 

 

 

By: Dr. Teesha Geevarghese (B.Sc., D.C.) Chiropractor

To learn more about Chiropractic care click here!

Should you have any questions or concerns contact us for your free 15 minute meet and greet today!

By admin 0 Comments Chiropractic Care, JointAction Clinic, Massage Therapy, Physiotherapy

Good Pain?? Bad pain!

good vs.badPatients usually find the term “good pain” odd…how can a pain be good? However, a “good pain” is often used to describe muscle aching you may experience during a long hold or after doing a few repetitions of a strengthening or resistance type exercise. For example, if you hold a squat and start feeling an aching in the thighs and gluteal muscles as a result of that long hold, or if you do leg raises in side lying and feel that aching in the gluteal muscles of the leg you are working out. Any type of muscle aching you experience after a workout: known as delayed onset of muscle soreness (DOMS) is an expected type of discomfort. Usually this type of “pain” or discomfort is relieved with moving those muscle groups and stretching. The idea is to keep the blood flowing to help the muscles heal after a strenuous workout.

 

Whereas a bad pain is usually described as aching or dull, stabbing, grabbing, sharp type of pain or even a referring, radiating, numbing and burning. This is usually experienced during, hours after or even the day after doing an exercise or activity that has caused injury. This is usually not relieved easily and tends to linger or come and go depending on the activity you are doing. For example, some people will only experience a sharp type of pain only mid-way through their run and may notice that they tend to get it earlier and earlier in the run over time which may indicate a worsening of the pain/cause.Studio shot of young man with pain in back

 

It is always best to seek a health professional’s opinion about pain that is consistent and interferes with your exercise routine or functional every day activities like walking, stairs etc. I would recommend you make note of the following to report to your health care professional which will help provide an idea on the potential cause of the pain:

  • What aggravates/causes your pain (i.e. stairs, walking, sitting, standing etc.)
  • What helps relieve your pain (i.e. walking, sitting, stretching, ice, heat etc.)
  • Type of pain (i.e. sharp, throbbing, aching, stabbing, burning, numbness)
  • Location of pain (i.e. take note of you experience any pain radiating down arm or leg)
  • Intensity and duration of your pain when you do get it

 

It’s important to note that you may not need a referral to see a Physiotherapist, Chiropractor or Massage Therapist UNLESS your extended health benefits plan requires one.

We also offer free 15 minute meet & greet which allow you the opportunity to meet the therapist and discuss your pain/concerns before booking an assessment. Contact us today!

 

By: Nelly Temraz, PT.