GENERAL

ASSESSMENT & TREATMENT

Assessments at the Activ Physio Clinic are one-hour long.

The assessment includes a thorough examination by the physiotherapist. History taking is followed by a physical examination and time permitting the patient is treated during the one hour assessment. We encourage clients to bring any relevant documentation, such as MRI results or X-rays.

The nature of the assessment will differ depending on the dysfunction. Each dysfunction has its own, appropriate, assessment approach. The assessment approach for osteopathic dysfunctions differs from that of urinary incontinence and likewise from that of other conditions. For more information on any of our specialties please read further by clicking on the appropriate toolbar navigation headings.

Analysis of the examination and approaches to a successful rehabilitation are then discussed with the patient. Short term goals and long term expectations are then established. Subsequent treatments are then scheduled to follow up with patients.

Treatments are 30 minutes of dedicated 1 on 1 time with the physiotherapist. Electro therapeutic modalities or heat/ice may be indicated after treatment, thus it is recommended that patients allow 45 minutes per treatment. In general patients can expect to book about 8 to 10 treatments, depending on the dysfunction. Sometimes very few treatments are needed and the physiotherapist can place the patient onto a home program with periodic appointments to assess and progress the patient as need be.

At Activ Physio we believe that patients are partners in their recovery. Exercises are often provided to the patients so that they can take an active role in their rehabilitation. Specific exercises given by the physiotherapist compliment the effects of treatment and improve the therapeutic outcome.

Orthopaedics
MANUAL THERAPY – HANDS ON APPROACH

You are in good hands at the Activ Physio Clinic. We provide expert treatment in orthopaedic and musculoskeletal injuries. Our therapists are hands on – manual therapists. All of our physiotherapists continue to partake in advanced training courses beyond their University baseline training to develop specific hands on techniques and clinical reasoning. During our one hour assessment we assess posture, biomechanical imbalances in strength and flexibility, as well as assess joint movement that may be contributing to your pain and physical limitations.

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FCAMPT Manual
Therapy

FELLOWS OF THE CANADIAN ACADEMY
OF MANIPULATIVE PHYSIOTHERAPY

Activ Physio prides itself in the number of FCAMPT orthopaedic physiotherapists who practice at our clinic. This is the highest standard of orthopaedic education in Canada and is recognized internationally. Fellows of the Canadian Academy of Physiotherapists have completed post-graduate education and attained internationally recognized qualifications in hands-on therapy. They provide focused treatment based on research-guided techniques that speed up patient recovery while educating them about their condition to reduce the risk of relapse. In addition, FCAMPT physiotherapists can teach post-graduate physiotherapy courses.

What makes FCAMPT Therapists Different?

  • FCAMPTs have completed a Physiotherapy education program beyond the core University education required to become a Physiotherapist in Canada.
  • FCAMPT therapists are not only in Canada, FCAMPTs are in countries around the world. FCAMPT education is regulated by the International Federation of Orthopaedic Manipulative Therapists (IFOMPT).

FCAMPT training improves the Physiotherapists ability to:

  • Identify, Understand and Treat a wide range of injuries and diseases.
  • To Use Hands-on assessment and treatment techniques – improving accuracy and results.
  • To Integrate Research into assessment and treatment – making treatment and results more consistent.
  • Think Globally About Injury – what it does to function AND the impact on daily life. This means not just walking, driving and sleeping – but how it impacts family, work, financial income, hobbies, social and public responsibilities, emotions, relationships, stress… and more.
  • Think Globally About Diseases – not just focused on what hurts; but what led to the pain, what healing and recovery can be expected, how long healing will take, what the impact will be long term on joints, nerves, organs, balance, coordination, medications… and more.

FCAMPT training permits/allows a Physiotherapist the ability to:

  • 'Manipulate Joints' – A unique, high-level, regulated skill that can help to reduce pain and improve movement and function.

We encourage you to visit their website at http://manippt.org

FCAMPT PHYSIOTHERAPISTS AT THE
KILLENS REID PHYSIOTHERAPY CLINIC ARE:

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Sports Injury

The Activ Physio Clinic has been instrumental in the advancement of health promotion, injury prevention, education and treatment of active individuals. Those benefiting from our services range from the recreational participant through the many levels of athletic competition.

Evaluation of sports injuries includes a thorough biomechanical assessment – range of motion, strength, flexibility and muscle imbalances are examined so that proper counseling can be provided. Treatment may include manual therapy techniques to restore normal active and/or passive range of motion; complemented by a specific exercise program to address the underlying pathology. Mechanical faults, core strength or muscle imbalances are frequently addressed to prevent recurrence and aid in rehabilitation. In addition, progressive exercise programs are frequently provided to ensure a safe return to activity.

Other treatment approaches include bracing or tape which may be used to improve stability or help with proprioceptive feedback. Electrotherapeutic modalities such as ultrasound, interferential, electrical muscle stimulation or transcutaneous electrical neuromuscular stimulator (TENS) may be used to facilitate the healing process.

Activ Physio Clinic strives to promote injury prevention; educate active individuals before, during and after injury.

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Vestibular & Concussion
Rehabilitation

Vestibular rehabilitation encompasses evidence-based assessment and treatment approaches.

This is physiotherapy for dizziness and imbalance, or more generally; balance rehabilitation.

Who is appropriate for Vestibular Rehabilitation?

Individuals who report any or all of the following symptoms as a result of a vestibular disorder:

  • Dizziness
  • Unsteadiness
  • Vertigo
  • Balance Problems
  • Motion sensitivity (quick head movements provoke dizziness).
  • Problems with gaze stability (blurring of vision with head movement)

Balance problems may be as a result of upper neck and/or inner ear and/or vision problems as a result of:

  • Head Trauma (car accidents, falls, impact sports)
  • Ear infections including vestibular neuronitis and labyrinthitis
  • Aging
  • Postural dysfunctions
  • Illness or disease
  • Insidious onset such as Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo (BPPV) where crystals get displaced and get caught in one or more of the semicircular canals in the inner ear
  • Stroke or brain injury

What can you expect?

Vestibular Rehabilitation is a specialized physiotherapy treatment program that is individualized for each client and aims to relieve the symptoms and discomfort associated with dizziness and balance problems.

OUR VESTIBULAR & CONCUSSION REHABILITATION PHYSIOTHERAPIST IS:

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Dry Needling

Functional Dry Needling, or FDN, (Intramuscular Stimulation (GUNN IMS)) is a treatment technique that uses small, sterile filament needles to release muscular trigger points, tightness and spasm. It is called “dry needling” because it is an insertion of a needle without any substance injected. It is the needle which is the tool of treatment.

The goal of FDN is to treat the neuromuscular system – reduce muscle pain, improve joint range of motion and allow a faster return to strengthening, exercise and full function. Physiotherapists are now using this technique all around the world to effectively treat acute and chronic orthopaedic and musculoskeletal conditions.

Myofascial trigger points (TPs) can develop in a muscle secondary to a variety of stressors i.e. injury, degenerative changes, faulty posture, repetitive motions and psychological or emotional factors. In addition, the trigger points are more likely to develop in tissue which is already sensitized due to i.e. disc dysfunction, decreased circulation and metabolic – biomechanical stresses. When muscles develop trigger points, the tension within the muscle can create compression on local vessels, nerves and joint structures – all of which will affect the normal function of these tissues.

THE THERAPISTS THAT ARE FDN CERTIFIED ARE:

The GunnIMS course is very similar in its approach to Functional Dry Needling.

THE THERAPISTS THAT ARE GUNN IMS CERTIFIED ARE:

Myofascial Trigger Points (TPs) are hyper-irritable spots, usually found within a taut band of skeletal muscle or in the muscle’s fascia. These spots, or knots, are usually painful on compression and can give rise to familiar referred pain patterns, tenderness and autonomic phenomena, such as sweating, altered skin temperature and goosebumps. Research has demonstrated that there are numerous inflammatory and pain-producing chemicals at the site of an active trigger point, in addition to an increase in spontaneous electrical activity (SEA). The dry needle has been shown, when causing a twitch response in the muscle, to decrease the SEA and reduce the irritating chemicals.

Note that penetration of a normal muscle is usually painless, however a shortened supersensitive muscle will “grasp” the needle in what can be described as a cramping sensation. The result will be threefold. One, a stretch receptor in the muscle is stimulated, producing a reflex relaxation (lengthening). Two the needle also causes a small injury that draws blood to the area, initiating the natural healing process. Three, the treatment creates an electrical potential in the muscle to make the nerve function normally again. The needle used in IMS or FDN stimulates muscle spindles, and essentially becomes a specific and unique tool for the diagnosis and treatment of neuropathic muscle pain.

During treatment the patient will often feel a significant cramping sensation from the twitch response followed by an immediate improvement of their symptoms. You may also feel sore in the areas that were treated for up to 24 hours . It is also common to feel tired, queasy, and/or emotional after treatment. This is a normal response that can last up to an hour or two after treatment.

After treatment it is highly recommended that you increase your water intake for the 24 hours following treatment to help avoid soreness. Soaking in a hot bath or hot tub will often alleviate post-treatment soreness.

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PELVIC HEALTH FOR ALL
GENDERS

Pelvic Health concerns are very common yet rarely discussed openly, if at all. Many women and men suffer in silence without realizing that there are effective, evidence-based treatment solutions. Pelvic Floor Physiotherapy has been established in the research as a first line of defense against Incontinence and Pelvic Pain for women.

«Prevention, community education and advocacy are key to our integrated approach.»

The muscles of the Pelvic Floor have 5 important functions:

  1. Maintaining continence of our bladder and bowel
  2. Supporting to our internal organs (bladder, uterus, intestines)
  3. Stabilizing the low back and pelvis
  4. Improving sexual function/sexual pleasure
  5. Pumping action, helping the lymphatic and circulatory systems to pump fluids from the legs back to the trunk

Dysfunction of this system can cause a host of problems, including:

  • Urinary/fecal urgency
  • Urinary/fecal incontinence
  • Pelvic organ prolapse (POP)
  • Pelvic pain
  • Dyspareunia (painful intercourse), Vaginismus, Vulvodynia
  • Pudendal neuralgia
  • Interstitial cystitis
  • Chronic constipation/fissures/voiding difficulties
  • Vaginal stenosis

"In many cases, incontinence can be prevented."

What is Urinary Incontinence?

Urinary incontinence is the complaint of an involuntary leakage of urine.

Incontinence facts:

  • Urinary incontinence affects 50% of women at some point in their life. Incontinence is a significant public health issue affecting 3.3 million Canadians!
  • 1 in 4 women are incontinent!
  • 1 in 9 men are incontinent!
  • 1 in 6 children under 17 years of age are incontinent!
  • 50% of nursing home residents are incontinent!
  • Risk factors: obesity, pregnancy & childbirth, obstetric trauma (e.g. forceps, tearing), previous gynaecological/urinary surgery, menopause, > 40 years of age, medication smoking, chronic straining, radical prostatectomy (men).
  • Incontinence can have a profound impact on Quality of Life, leading to depression, social isolation, loss of self-esteem, restricted participation in social activities and, in the elderly population, institutionalization.

What do the Assessment and Treatment involve?

  • The Initial Assessment is 1 hour and will include a detailed history-taking, an internal vaginal/anal exam and preliminary lumbo-pelvic orthopaedic assessment. The internal pelvic exam is the Gold Standard in pelvic health physiotherapy and is the only method to accurately assess the function of the pelvic floor muscles.
  • The client may be asked to complete a bladder voiding diary and specific questionnaires related to their condition.
  • Follow-up treatments vary from 30-60 minutes and may involve vaginal/anal manual techniques (to restore normal pelvic floor muscle tone, release scars and myofascial tensions, improve strength/coordination of the pelvic floor), orthopaedic manual therapy to assure proper function of the ‘core’ body, specific exercise instruction, discussion re movement/posture/breathing and healthy bowel & bladder habits. Other treatment modalities, such as biofeedback and muscle stimulation, functional dry needling and kinesiotaping may be used as well.

"Incontinence is not a normal process of aging."

Do I need a doctor’s referral?
No, you do not require a doctor’s referral to see a pelvic health physiotherapist however your insurance company may require this should you be submitting a claim for reimbursement through your medical plan.

How many visits will I need?
On average, you will require 8-10 visits, however this number will vary depending on each client’s individual condition. A successful outcome requires a serious commitment on the part of the client, as the daily exercise component of the program is key!

What is a Pelvic Health Physiotherapist?
A Pelvic Health Physiotherapist is a registered physiotherapist who has undertaken a course of study in pelvi-perineal rehabilitation and has met the educational and regulatory standards required to provide pelvic health assessment and treatment in Ontario.

“Incontinence can always be greatly improved or cured with treatment.”

THE THERAPISTS THAT WORK WITH PELVIC HEALTH ARE:

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Manual Osteopathy

Manual Osteopathy is a hands-on, non-invasive, non-aggressive, drug free treatment that assesses and treats imbalances within the body. This treatment focuses on the imbalances within the musculoskeletal system and looks at the body as a whole, searching for the root of the problem.

Manual Osteopathy utilizes three main techniques; joint mobilizations, muscle energy techniques and soft tissue therapy. Other techniques may include cranial osteopathy, visceral manipulation, strain-counter-strain, myofascial release, and lymphatic drainage.

Most techniques are performed seated or laying down on a treatment table. Patients remain clothed during treatment.

Manual Osteopathy is safe and effective in treating people of all ages.

For more information on the Manual Osteopathy, go to:  www.natinonalacademyofosteopathy.com

OUR MANUAL OSTEOPATHIC PRACTITIONERS ARE:

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