Physio Blog

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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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Health, Health Tips, Osteoporosis

OSTEOPOROSIS AND OSTEOARTHRITIS

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Despite the fact that osteoporosis, arthritis and osteoarthritis (a form of arthritis) are completely different conditions, they are frequently confused, in particular osteoporosis and osteoarthritis, because both names start with “osteo.”

A FEW BASIC FACTS:

  • Osteoporosis is a bone disease in which the amount and quality of the bone is reduced, leading to fractures (broken bones). Osteoporosis produces no pain or other symptoms unless a fracture has occurred.
  • Arthritis (arth = joint; itis = inflammation) is a disease of the joints and surrounding tissue. Osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis are the most common forms of arthritis.
  • A joint is the location at which two or more bones make contact and allows for movement of the bones.
  • A person can have osteoporosis and osteoarthritis at the same time.
  • Both diseases may cause pain and limit mobility, but the cause of this pain and the way it is treated are quite different.
  • An accurate diagnosis of your pain is very important. With an accurate diagnosis, you will be better able to develop a pain management program that works for you.
  • The prefix “osteo” (which means “bone”) is the only thing that osteoporosis and osteoarthritis have in common.
OsteoporosisOsteoarthritis
DefinitionOsteoporosis is a bone disease. The word “osteoporosis” literally means porous bones. It is a bone disorder characterized by decreased bone strength as a result of reduced bone quantity and quality. A person with osteoporosis has an increased risk of breaking a bone (fracturing) easily.Osteoarthritis is the most common form of arthritis. It is a degenerative joint disease that involves thinning or destruction of the smooth cartilage that covers the ends of bones, as well as changes to the bone underlying the joint cartilage. Osteoarthritis produces pain, stiffness and reduced movement of the affected joint, which ultimately affects ones ability to do physical activities, reducing quality of life.
SymptomsOsteoporosis is called “the silent thief” because it can progress without symptoms until a broken bone occurs. When bones become severely weakened by osteoporosis, simple movements – such as bending over to pick up a heavy bag of groceries or sneezing forcefully – can lead to broken bones. Hip, spine and wrist fractures are the most common fractures associated with osteoporosis.Osteoarthritis most often affects the hips, knees, fingers (i.e., base of the thumb, tips and middle joints of the fingers), feet or spine. It affects each joint differently, and symptoms are easy to overlook. It can be painful – the pain may result from overuse of a joint, prolonged immobility or painful bony growth in finger joints.
DiagnosisOsteoporosis is diagnosed through a bone mineral density test, a simple, painless test that measures the amount of bone in the spine and hip.Osteoarthritis is diagnosed based on medical history, physical examination and x-rays of the affected joints. activities, reducing quality of life.
Risk FactorsThe risk of osteoporosis may be reduced by becoming aware of these risk factors and taking action to slow down bone loss. Low bone mineral density is a major risk factor for fracture, the main consequence of osteoporosis. Other key risk factors include older age, prior low-trauma fracture, a history of falls and use of certain medications, such as corticosteroids (for example, prednisone). Family history of a fragility fracture is often a contributing factor.Learn more about risk factors for osteoporosis. >>Some factors that can contribute to the development of osteoarthritis include family history, physical inactivity, excess weight and overuse or injury of joints.
TreatmentOsteoporosis can be treated with lifestyle changes and, often, the use of prescription medication. Paying attention to diet (adequate calcium and vitamin D intake) and getting regular physical activity are important lifestyle changes. Weight-bearing and strength training exercises can help to manage pain and improve the strength of bones and muscles, which helps to prevent falls. Broken hips caused by osteoporosis usually need to be repaired surgically. This can include the use of specialized “pins and plates,” but can also involve hip replacement surgery. This is determined by the surgeon based on the exact type of hip fracture that has occurred. If you have osteoporosis, there are effective medications that can reduce your risk of fracture.Osteoarthritis can be managed with the use of joint protection (decreasing the amount of work the joint has to do), exercise, pain relief medication, heat and cold treatments, and weight control. Severe arthritis may be treated with an operation, where damaged joints are replaced with an artificial implant. Knee and hip joint replacements are commonly performed.

IF YOU HAVE BOTH DISEASES

Individuals who suffer from osteoarthritis and osteoporosis should seek help planning a program to manage both conditions and pay special attention to advice about exercise.

Regular weight-bearing exercise is usually recommended for individuals with osteoporosis, but may be difficult to follow in the presence of significant hip or knee arthritis. Keeping joints mobile requires a special approach to exercise and movement. A specially trained physiotherapist can help ensure exercises are safe and beneficial for both conditions.

WHERE TO GET HELP

ARTHRITIS

The Arthritis Society (TAS) is the leading source of information on arthritis, including osteoarthritis. For more information about arthritis, contact:

The Arthritis Society
1-800-321-1433
www.arthritis.ca.

OSTEOPOROSIS

Osteoporosis Canada (OC) is the leading source of information on osteoporosis in Canada. OC provides individuals concerned about their risk of developing this disease and those who have been diagnosed with up-to-date information on all aspects of bone health. Our information counsellors on our toll-free line (1-800-463-6842) can also help you to connect with Chapters of Osteoporosis Canada in your area.

Originally Posted By : https://osteoporosis.ca/about-the-disease/what-is-osteoporosis/osteoporosis-and-osteoarthritis/