COVID-19 Update: Clinic Open for Urgent Cases

For the safety of our community, clients and staff we have postponed all appointments for two weeks. We hope to resume our in clinic services the week of March 30th. If this date changes, we will update you.
 
For now we are still open to service any urgent cases:
 
If you have recently had surgery and need physio please contact us immediately to ensure continuity of care post-op.
 
If you have an acute injury/or in a lot of pain that requires immediate physiotherapy assessment/treatment please contact us immediately.
 
If in our professional assessment and judgement we deem that care needs to be provided we will take all the necessary precautions including spacing out appointments and thorough frequent cleaning/disinfecting to decrease any potential risk.
 
We still ask that if you are not feeling well and/or have recently traveled (past 2 weeks) or been in close contact with anyone that has traveled in the past 2 weeks, please let us know and we will determine the best route for your care.
 
In the meantime, we are setting up our Tele-Rehab physio sessions and will be contacting all eligible patients with more information.

The Denise House 2019

Our team is once again collecting items this season for The Denise House. 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.  Here is a list of gift suggestions for Mothers and their Children, we will be collecting new and unwrapped items here at the clinic until December  13, 2019. 

The Activator Technique (Instrument Adjustment)

What is the Activator Technique?

Activator Methods Chiropractic Technique is a chiropractic treatment method using a Mechanical Force Manual Assisted Instrument to deliver a controlled impulse to particular areas of the spine and extremities in order to restore motion. It is an alternative to the manual form of spinal manipulation in which a High Velocity Low Amplitude thrust is used to adjust the spine.

What is the Activator?

The Activator V is a handheld electronic tool which allows for a specific, gentle and controlled adjustment to be delivered. There are multiple settings depending on which area is being adjusted. They range from 1 to 4. The purpose is to create a force wave that is quick and that is localized without any pulling or twisting. This is an advantage as there is less muscle resistance.

How is the Activator used? (See Video below!)

The Activator method relies on a specific protocol. This protocol is based on any changes that you would see in the patient’s leg lengths or leg length inequality. These changes would be evaluated by having the patient perform certain muscle and spinal tests in order to activate certain muscles which are attached to specific vertebrae. If the leg lengths are found not to be the same then there would be a problem in that corresponding area. We would evaluate using this method from the feet towards the head.

Please note, it is very important that the chiropractor is trained and certified to use this instrument as there are specific ways to use it.

Any thorough evaluation always involves the procedure of taking a health history and assessment which may involve orthopedic, neurological and physical components. There is a focus placed on musculoskeletal elements looking for spinal restrictions, postural limitations and any areas of muscular tightness.

The Activator Technique can be used on people of all ages including babies and the elderly.

Please refer to www.activator.com for more information.

To find out if this is right for you contact us to book in for your free 15 minute meet & greet with our Chiropractor!

Written by: Dr. Teesha Geevarghese D.C.

Acupuncture as part of your Physio, Chiro or Massage treatment!

Did you know that several of our Registered Physiotherapists, Registered Massage Therapist and our Chiropractor are trained and certified to include acupuncture as part of your treatment plan!

What it does and what condition can it be useful for?

Acupuncture needles are placed at certain known points that have been shown to have an impact on certain conditions and pain. Acupuncture can impact blood flow and alter the release of neurotransmitters (1) that impact the bodies natural healing process. Several reported effects of acupuncture include improvements in low back pain (2), musculoskeletal conditions (1, 3) including neck, elbow, wrist and shoulder pain related to tendonitis and muscle strains. Acupuncture is also used for treating ankle sprains and knee pain.

What does it feel like?

You may or may not feel the needle when inserted. Even if you do it is generally not a painful feeling. However, everyone’s tolerance and perception of what is painful plays a role here.  After the needle is inserted some people describe a deep aching or heaviness locally or in the area surrounding the needle. Some report they don’t feel anything at all!…but still notice improvement in their symptoms.

The number of sessions and outcome of treatment varies from one individual to another. However, improvement is usually noted within 4-6 treatments provided over a period of 2-4 weeks.

Contact us to discuss if acupuncture is right for you! We offer free 15 minute consultations (in person or over the phone) to discuss your concerns and find the best treatment option for you.

References:

  1. Acupuncture. NIH Consensus Statement Online 1997 Nov 3-5; 15(5):1-34.
  2. Furlan, A.D., van Tulder, M.W., Cherkin, D.C., Tsukayama, H., Lao, L., Koes, B.W., Berman, B.M. (2005). Acupuncture and dry-needling for low back pain. The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews.
  3. Vickers AJ, Cronin AM, Maschino AC, et al. Acupuncture for chronic pain: individual patient data meta-analysis. Archives of Internal Medicine. 2012;172(19):1444-1453.

Treating Low Back Pain with Exercise

Treating lower back pain: A few simple exercises and stretches

This recent article and video gives a good perspective on a lot of misconceptions that people have about dealing and treating back pain. The statistics of eighty percent of the population around the world experiencing lower back pain at some point in their lives is quite high. The old school of thought was that one needed bed rest and some medication to mange the issue and that was that. Society is always looking for that quick fix, or to slap a band-aid on it of sorts and move on.

You want to be able to recognize where and what is causing your back pain and be able to nurse it back to health. That doesn’t mean that you want to stop all activity right away, you may want to minimize certain things but not all. Motion is lotion for the joints.

Exercise is not only for strengthening certain areas but also for stabilizing them as well. To incorporate a consistent daily stretching program is an important key to long term recovery and preventing recurrent episodes.

There are many resources and outlets you can use to find out what is the cause of your back pain and how to treat it and it goes well beyond visiting your primary care physician. Health care practitioners such as physiotherapists, registered massage therapists and chiropractors are well versed in addressing these issues and coming up with a program that would best suit the patient. Contact us today to book your free 15 min meet & greet with one of our therapists to find out how we can help you.

By: Dr. Teesha Geevarghese

Remember to take care of you!

Denise House Holiday Season Gift Program

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 15, 2017.

 

To learn more about the Denise House and their mission, click on the link below: