Physiotherapy
Our physiotherapy team at Advance Health and Wellness Centre (AHAW) has experience working with a wide range of conditions. This includes everyday muscle strains, ankle sprains, carpal tunnel, osteoarthritis, back pain, sports injuries and many other common issues.
The Goal of Physiotherapy
Physiotherapy aims to identify and understand a patient’s source of pain and formulate a plan alongside the patient to help them return to activities of daily living, hobbies and sports they enjoy.
We believe that by utilizing a patient-centered treatment approach, as well as individualized goal setting, patients will become educated in their rehabilitation, resulting in better long-term results and the ability to get back into what they love doing most in a safe manner.
Our physiotherapists hope that their passion and knowledge about improving overall health will enable people to optimize their lifestyles and achieve what they want to do.
Certifications and Skills
Did you know, physiotherapy is not only beneficial for rehabilitation or after injuries? It is also useful for maintaining a healthy lifestyle and improving performance. Our physiotherapists are certified National Strength & Conditioning Association (NSCA) Coaches, which means they have the skillset to get you performing at a level above and beyond what you’re at currently!
Our physiotherapists are also equipped with additional certifications and skills such as but not limited to:
- Dry Needling / IMS - Dry Needling is a great way to treat soft tissue structures such as muscles and tendons to reduce pain, inactivate trigger points and restore function.
- Concussion Management - Concussion Management can involve baseline testing, or treatment of an ongoing concussion through various tests and specific equipment.
- I.A.S.T.M. -Instrument Assisted Soft Tissue Mobilization is a technique used to decrease myofascial restrictions (scar tissue etc.), increase range of motion, increase blood flow and decrease pain.
- Sports Taping / Taping
Sports Strengthening and Training (Sports Rehab)
Who is it intended for:
Sports strengthening and rehab can be utilized by various populations, ranging from injured athletes to healthy individuals that simply want to improve their performance during competition. Athletes from many different sports can benefit from Physiotherapy and Sport strengthening. Typical sports/activities may include but are not limited to basketball, soccer, golf, snowboarding, badminton, football, or running.
A specific sport strengthening program can assist you in maximizing your performance, accelerate your return to play and reduce your chance of injury/ re-injury in the future.
What is it:
Sport strengthening and sports rehab implements the most current evidence and research into your program, incorporating sport specific exercises according to the area of injury. Your Physiotherapist will work alongside you to determine what your tailored program should include. Providing education, soft tissue treatments and exercise programming modifications as needed. At later stages, a return to play protocol will be designed with your input to allow a safe, sustainable return to your sport if necessary.
How Often:
This will depend on the severity of injury and the assessment findings from your Physiotherapist.
Baseline testing:
During your initial assessment a baseline test for various physical parameters will be recorded. This typically will include vertical jump, agility, muscular strength and cardiovascular tests. However, this will also depend on the type of sport and specific demands of an athlete.
What to expect:
- Initial consultation to determine goals and sport specific demands
- Assessment/baseline testing
- Exercise demonstration and coaching
- Program design
- Execution of program and additional treatment as needed
- Routine reassessments for progress approximately every 3-4 weeks
FAQ:
How long does it take to see results?
This depends on the consistency with which you “the athlete” can perform the exercises outside of the clinic sessions. Although your Physiotherapist can give you guidance in the clinic, you must continue with these exercises independently as programmed to see constant results.
How is this different than personal training?
Your Physiotherapist will apply knowledge of human anatomy, physiology, metabolic systems, sport specific demands, and research of most prevalent injuries into designing a unique strength & conditioning program to maximize your performance. It’s not just about the beach muscles!
IMS Needling
Who they are intended for:
IMS can be used for various types of chronic injuries, typically utilized for patients with persistent pain that has lasted for a prolonged period and other exercises/modalities have not produced the desired results. A thorough assessment is required prior to receiving IMS.
What is it:
Intramuscular Stimulation or IMS is a form of dry needling where sterile, thin solid filament needles are inserted into the affected musculature or tissue. It is thought that the needles are able to provide an input to the nervous system and muscles to desensitize the pain area.
How often:
Typical treatment period is approximately 1x/week for 6 weeks to produce the desired effects of IMS.
What to expect:
- Thorough assessment prior to receiving IMS, including contraindications and precautions check.
- Informed consent with possible risks and adverse effects, providing reasonable time for questions and concerns.
- Appropriate education on goal of treatment, sterilization of area and needles with sanitation precautions in place.
- Insertion of needle and sanitary disposable of needles in sharps container.
- Reassessment of symptoms post treatment.
FAQ:
Does it hurt?
The needles may produce a minor, short-lived stinging sensation. However, most of the time patients may just feel a small twitch and an achy sensation.
Will I be sore?
Yes, you may be sore up to 48hrs post treatment. Occasionally, IMS can make the symptoms worse for a short period and settle to baseline or improve after 48hrs.