Wednesday, July 18, 2012
What Do Physiotherapists Do?
Physiotherapists assess and analyze the effect of illness, disability, injury and develop specific treatment plans based on their assessment and the individual client’s goals.
Physiotherapists:
• Assess a client’s level of mobility strength and endurance
• Diagnose their condition and develop a treatment plan to restore movement and reduce limitations, including pain
• Prescribe and demonstrate specific therapeutic exercises, monitor the client’s progress over time, and adjust their treatment according to their needs and preferences
• Prepare the client for independence with the advice of how to manage the condition, including education on complications and prevention of recurring problem
Physiotherapists treat a broad range of conditions that affect the musculoskeletal, circulatory, respiratory and nervous systems. Here are some of the ways physiotherapy can help through therapeutic exercise, manual therapy, electrical modalities and a range of techniques.
• Treat and manage neck and back pain and other joint injuries
• Address physical challenges associated with pain, arthritis, repetitive strain injury (such as tennis elbow), etc.
• Treat sports injuries and provide advice on prevention and recurrence
• Provide post surgical rehabilitation including joint replacement
• Maximize mobility for clients with neurological disorders such as stroke, and spinal cord injury
• Treat children with paediatric conditions such as developmental delay, fractures and cardio respiratory conditions
• Assist in the management of incontinence
• Provide pre- and post natal care and other women’s health conditions
• Help manage the physical complications of cancer and its treatments
• Treat and manage respiratory and cardiac conditions and provide cardiac rehabilitation following a heart attach or cardiac surgery
Physiotherapists are experts in movement and mobility, body mechanics, muscles and joints. They help develop an exercise program specially tailored to your needs, putting together the right combination of activities to improve physical fitness and avoid injury.
For an assessment, call 604-520-7375 or visit www.physiotherapycentres.com
Tuesday, July 3, 2012
What is IMS?
A new understanding of chronic pain! Many people who suffer from chronic pain become frustrated and depressed when their doctors cannot help. Some people try medications and physical therapies (such as massage, physiotherapy and manipulations), even surgery, and do not find lasting relief.
Intramuscular Stimulation (IMS) is an effective treatment for chronic pain of neuropathic origin. IMS was developed by Dr. Chan Gunn while he was a physician at the Worker’s Compensation Board of British Columbia in the 70’s. He is presently President of iSTOP and clinic professor at the University of Washington’s Multi Disciplinary Pain Centre in Seattle. Dr. Gunn has been awarded The Order of Canada, the nation’s highest honor, for his contributions towards solving chronic pain. He has also been elected Honorary Fellow of Peterhouse Cambridge University.
IMS is effective and has few side-effects; the technique is also unequaled for finding and diagnosing muscle shortening in deep muscles.
Although IMS uses implements adapted from traditional acupuncture, it is based on scientific, neurophysiologic principles. The acupuncture needles used is very thin (much thinner than the hollow needle used to inject medicine or take blood samples). You may not even feel it penetrating the skin, and if your muscle is normal, the needle is painless. However, if your muscle is supersensitive and shortened, you’ll feel a peculiar sensation – like a cramp or Charlie Horse. This is distinctive type of discomfort caused by the muscle grasping the needle. Patients soon learn to recognize and welcome this sensation. They call it a “good” or positive pain because it soon disappears and is followed by a wonderful feeling of relief and relaxation. The needle may still be in you, but because the muscle is no longer tight, you no longer feel it. What has happened is that the needling has caused your abnormal muscle shortening to intensify and then release. It is important that you experience this sensation in order to gain lasting relief.
Intramuscular Stimulation (IMS) is an effective treatment for chronic pain of neuropathic origin. IMS was developed by Dr. Chan Gunn while he was a physician at the Worker’s Compensation Board of British Columbia in the 70’s. He is presently President of iSTOP and clinic professor at the University of Washington’s Multi Disciplinary Pain Centre in Seattle. Dr. Gunn has been awarded The Order of Canada, the nation’s highest honor, for his contributions towards solving chronic pain. He has also been elected Honorary Fellow of Peterhouse Cambridge University.
IMS is effective and has few side-effects; the technique is also unequaled for finding and diagnosing muscle shortening in deep muscles.
Although IMS uses implements adapted from traditional acupuncture, it is based on scientific, neurophysiologic principles. The acupuncture needles used is very thin (much thinner than the hollow needle used to inject medicine or take blood samples). You may not even feel it penetrating the skin, and if your muscle is normal, the needle is painless. However, if your muscle is supersensitive and shortened, you’ll feel a peculiar sensation – like a cramp or Charlie Horse. This is distinctive type of discomfort caused by the muscle grasping the needle. Patients soon learn to recognize and welcome this sensation. They call it a “good” or positive pain because it soon disappears and is followed by a wonderful feeling of relief and relaxation. The needle may still be in you, but because the muscle is no longer tight, you no longer feel it. What has happened is that the needling has caused your abnormal muscle shortening to intensify and then release. It is important that you experience this sensation in order to gain lasting relief.
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