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Tips for Back pain

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back pain

One of the most common injuries seen in our physiotherapy clinic is low back strain.

Low back pain from an injury can be totally debilitating. Fortunately in most cases, the degree of intense pain often does not correlate with the severity of the problem causing the pain. An example of this is a simple muscle spasm in your low back region can be completely disabling and can put you out of commission for several days.

Often the cause can remain a mystery for the victim of low back pain. Some of the common causes seen at our clinic for that mysterious onset of low back pain are:

  • poor posture
  • poor work ergonomics
  • sudden awkward movements  as seen in various sports 
  • participating in an activity you are not use to, for example, the first big snow shovel in the winter season or hours of gardening at the beginning of spring
  • herniated or ruptured discs( often due to prolonged sitting or bending forward for hours)

There are many different treatments for low back pain but the treatment must address the specific cause of your low back pain. There is not one treatment or set of exercises that treats all back pain. Using ice may help when the injury is acute, in the first 48-72hours. After 72 hours, heat can be used to help decrease the muscle spasm.

Anti-inflammatory medications have also proven helpful to help reduce the inflammation in the acute stage of the injury.

Complete bed rest is no longer indicated for low back pain.  Gentle stretches and easy movements such as walking help speed up the recovery.

Of course, seeing a physiotherapist will help you learn which movements and exercises are best for your specific injury and the hands-on work the physiotherapist can provide will help speed up the recovery.

Have you injured your back and need help to get your day to day life back to normal? Call the professionals at Durham Orthopedic Sports & Injury clinic to get onto your road to recovery today!

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Physiotherapy Vs Occupational Therapy

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There are many different ways to rehab your body after a sports injury, an illness or an accident. What method of treatment is best to get on the road to recovery?  

What is Physiotherapy?

Physiotherapy is a profession in which the physiotherapist will help to restore movement  which may be altered by an injury or an ailment. Injuries do not have to be sport related, they may be due to a trauma such as a motor vehicle accident.Ailments may include such conditions as a stroke, a neurological condition such as cerebral palsy or even the effects of transplants such as lung and heart transplants. All conditions have a similar goal of helping the client improve their quality of life by improving their mobility and their ability to complete their activities of daily living.

 A Physiotherapist will: 

  • Use exercise to strengthen weakened areas in the body
  • Use manual therapy to improve range of motion 
  • Help reduce inflammation and muscle spasm
  • Use a variety of treatments to reduce pain
  • In the case of permanent injury or disease, help lessen the effects of the dysfunction
  • Educate and instruct methods to help avoid future injury, and teach exercises to help recover from present injuries.

What is Occupational Therapy? 

Occupational Therapists help their clients recover, improve and maintain the skills needed for daily living and working .These skills include skills that help them participate effectively in their jobs, leisure and social activities, getting around, caring for themselves, and their home and much more.

Occupational therapist may accomplish this by:

  • Adapting the materials you use in your everyday activities such as using  a modified key holder to make turning keys easier
  • Recommending changes to the environment where you do your everyday activities such as lowering/raising desk tops or counters.
  • Suggesting activities that may improve the abilities you have or need to improve on for example,improving your coping strategies and managing multitasking.


Education and Background

Both Physiotherapists and Occupational Therapists are 

  • University educated professionals
  • Regulated medical professionals 
  • Trained to understand physical injuries

    In many cases, physiotherapists and occupational therapists work in partnership to help with the clients recovery.

If you have been injured and are looking to get on the road to recovery give the professionals at Durham Orthopedic Sports & Injury Clinic a call to book your next appointment. 

man with arthritis holding wrist
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What is Arthritis?

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At some point, most of us have woken up with stiff and sometimes even swollen joints. For some people, this is a common day-to-day occurrence. It is estimated that 1 in 5 Canadians have arthritis. What is arthritis and how is it treated?

What is Arthritis?

Arthritis is a very common condition that causes the joints in the body to swell and become tender. The five most common types of arthritis are; Osteoarthritis, Rheumatoid Arthritis, Psoriatic Arthritis, Gout and Lupus.

Signs of Arthritis 

Just as there are many types and causes of arthritis there are many symptoms too. 

  • Joint Pain 
  • Swollen Joints
  • Joint Stiffness
  • Muscle ache
  • Chronic Fatigue
  • Loss of range of motion in the affected joints

What Causes Arthritis?

There are many different reasons a person might develop arthritis 

  • Injuries
  • Genetics
  • Obesity 
  • Muscle Weakness
  • Age
  • Overuse of a joint

Treatments For Arthritis

There is no cure for arthritis but there are treatments that can be used to ease the pain and help with the movement of joints. 

  • Anti inflammatories 
  • TNF Blockers(used mainly for the auto immune associated arthritic conditions such as Rheumatoid arthritis)
  • Physiotherapy. The GLA:D program is a very effective program for strengthening  the arthritic hip and knee joints and helping control the pain and increase function.
  • Physiotherapy also assists in regaining the range of motion and providing education on how to manage your arthritis.
  • Heat or ice
  • Cortisone injections to help decrease the inflammation
  • Acetaminophen for pain control

It is always recommended to consult a healthcare professional for treatment options and procedures.  

Physical Therapy For Arthritis 

Physiotherapy is widely considered a treatment for people suffering with arthritis and joint pain. Your physiotherapist will help you exercise and strengthen the affected joints through low impact exercise and strengthening exercises.   

Low impact exercise is also recommended to help treat arthritis, activities like swimming.

If you are experiencing arthritis pain and are looking for treatment, call the professionals at Durham Orthopedic & Sports Injury Clinic. We have four physiotherapists on their staff and one massage therapist on their staff who are always able to help and treat your injuries at the source of the problem.  

Person icing their knee
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Is Icing a Good Treatment For Sports Injuries?

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We have all heard the term RICE (Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation) when you sustain an injury, but is icing alone a good treatment for sports injuries? What is the best way to take care of your sports injuries? Injuries can come from all different types of physical activity. Joint sprains, muscle strains and ligament injuries are the most common. 

Icing is found to be most beneficial within the first 24-72 hours of your injury. You want to apply ice for 15-20 minutes every 3 hours. 

 

The Proper Icing Technique

When Icing you want to make sure you are applying ice properly to the injured area. Below are some tips on how and when to ice your sports injury. 

  1. Get ice on the injury as quickly as possible

The beneficial effects of icing decreases after 48-72 hours. Applying ice to the injury as soon as possible will drastically reduce swelling and inflammation.  

  1. Elevate

Elevating your injury above your heart is very important when icing. This not only helps to reduce inflammation it will help you recover faster. 

  1. Time 

Time is very important when icing. Leaving the ice on for too long can cause tissue damage, reduce blood flow and sometimes it can even cause frostbite.

Ice vs Heat

As mentioned, you should ice as soon as you can after an injury, however heat can also be an effective treatment for injured or sore muscles. 

Heat should be used for conditions that are more chronic such as an ongoing sore back,tight muscle pain or to help alleviate arthritis pain. Heat relaxes the muscles and tissues, while ice is used to reduce the inflammation.

When To Seek Professional Help

It is recommended that you should seek professional medical help if your injury is hindering your day to day abilities. Chronic pain, recurring pain and mobility issues are all valid reasons to start physical therapy. See a physiotherapist so you can start your road to recovery.  

Looking to Book An Appointment?

Durham Orthopedic Sports and Injury Clinic have four physiotherapists on their staff and one massage therapist on their staff who are always able to help and treat your injuries at the source of the problem. For more information on our professionals click the link below. 

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