News
Newsletter – January 2010
January 5, 2010
HAPPY NEW YEAR!!
The staff at Royal Centre Physiotherapy hopes you have enjoyed a happy and healthy holiday season. As we embark on a new decade, we are working as hard as ever to ensure that our treatments are evidence-based, current and tailored to meet your individual lifestyles and activities.
This past year our physiotherapists completed several continuing education courses. The clinic upgraded our software to enable emailing of invoices, appointment reminders and online appointment booking. In the coming year, we hope to offer small group core strengthening classes, increase our involvement in the local community, and attend additional continuing education courses.
Clinic News
In November 2009, Steve Nairn completed his Part B Manual Therapy Exams, earning him the designation of Fellow of the Canadian Academy of Manipulative Therapy (FCAMT). This is the highest manual therapy designation for physiotherapists in Canada and qualifies Steve to perform spinal manipulation. Congratulations Steve!!
Continuing Education
Mark Borslein and Helen Ries completed Level 1&2, and Level 1, respectively, of the Body Balance Pilates Mat Instructor certification. Look out for upcoming pilates-based core stabilization classes being offered at the clinic.
Helen Ries completed both a Vestibular Rehabilitation course and a course on the Assessment and Treatment of Benign Paroxismal Positional Vertigo (BPPV). Ten percent of physician appointments are for dizziness, and BPPV is the leading cause of dizziness. When BPPV is accurately assessed and treated, symptoms can be relieved with as little as one treatment session. Contact Helen today if you or someone you know may benefit from this treatment.
Clinical Focus: The Rotator Cuff
What is it?: A group of four muscles located in the shoulder girdle.
What does it do?: When all muscles act together, they center the head of the Humerus (arm bone) in the shoulder socket (Glenoid Fossa). When acting in isolation, these muscles rotate the Humerus in the socket.
Why is it important?: In centering the Humerus, the Rotator Cuff provides stability to the shoulder girdle. The shoulder girdle has a minimal ligamentous support, so relies on muscle stability instead.
When is it injured?: Often over-reaching movements performed at higher than normal speeds while carrying higher than expected loads; for example a quick jerk of the arm when lifting or throwing. Commonly occurs with the arm in an overhead position. When one of the 4 muscles is injured and isn’t pulling equally to the other 3 muscles, the Humerus is no longer centered into the socket and compensatory symptoms ensue. Often this is felt as pain or pulling along the upper arm.
How is it treated?: Treatment includes: reducing inflammation and scar tissue in the damaged muscle, strengthening the muscles that support the shoulder blade, strengthening the 4 muscles of the rotator cuff (most effectively in a neutral position), and stretching any muscles that may have been overworked in compensating for the damaged muscles.
A general rule with a Rotator Cuff Strain or any other musculoskeletal injury is to seek the assistance of your physiotherapist no more than 2 weeks post-injury. The longer an injury persists the longer it will take to overcome.
WHAT’S COMING UP IN 2010?
We’re running two clinics to get you started on the right foot in the New Year. Please check out the links below for further details:
NORDIC WALKING CLINIC
Starts Monday, January 25, 2010.
LEARN TO RUN CLINIC
Starts Monday, March 1, 2010.
Listen to your body …
February 15, 2009
February 15 was supposed to be the morning I ran the Vancouver First Half 1/2 Marathon for the first time. Unfortunately, despite my best intentions, injury has delayed this goal another year.
My training started slowly and progressively. I had a solid 10 Km base going into the autumn of 2008 and my body was feeling strong. Despite freezing weather in Alberta over the holidays, I managed to keep up the training and started out the New Year with a solid 1.5 hour run.
Unfortunately, ever looking for another endorphin-fix sport, I did a skate skiing lesson later that first week of Jan. This was my first mistake … getting away from my regular activities. My body balance is fragile after years of abuse playing team sports … I should have known better!
At the beginning of the 2 hour lesson I noticed that something did not feel right in my rented boot. But I had to keep up with the group, and though my poor technique was probably exacerbating the problem, I persisted through.
By the time I got home after the 45 minute drive, my foot was painful and swollen. I duly iced then went to bed.
The ensuing days of working on my feet did not seem to be too bad. I continued to ice and and only ran a short 30 min run. I never would have suspected a stress fracture was settling in.
The following week, while at the doctor’s for a routine visit, I got her to take a look at my foot – it just wasn’t right. She agreed and prescribed an x-ray and a bone scan.
I completed another two 1:45-2:00 runs over the coming weeks while awaiting my results. No serious pain while running. No night pain. No next-day pain. I iced after the runs and all seemed to be okay.
Then I got the results of the bone scan. Stress fracture to the Cuneonavicular joint.
It was a bit strange, but it was after I received the fateful results that I started to be aware of a dull ache when I was going to sleep and again when I woke up in the morning. Walking in shoes with poor support was out of the question. Walking barefoot on a hard floor was torture. The cumulative effect of my runs must have been exacerbating the stress in the joint.
I had to face it … I had a stress fracture and it was time to be a good patient.
It has now been over two weeks since I last ran. I can tell it’s still not right, but it does feel as though it’s on the mend. I’m doing my best to do my exercises and also have been applying Arnica cream.
It’s definitely difficult being a patient. It’s sometimes hard to find time for my exercises … now I know how my patients feel.
As it turns out, February 15th is turning into a beautiful day. I had a 40K ride instead of the run … around Stanley Park and out to UBC … it was beautiful with the sun glistening over the water. I am so lucky to live in such a beautiful place! With my stiff bike cleats on, I didn’t have an inkling of any stress fracture.
I ended my ride at the finish line for the race. Seeing some of the runners limp over the line at the end, I was glad that I listened to my body. There were definitely a lot of strong finishers too … any many of them well into the prime of their lives. This was all the inspiration I needed to set a new goal for next year … where if I listen to my body, I’ll manage to put in a strong finish too!
Helen Ries
RCP – Now on Facebook!
February 15, 2009
Royal Centre Physiotherapy has created a profile on Facebook. To connect with us, check out our Facebook page, and become a “fan” of RCP!
Newsletter – December 2008
December 11, 2008
Season’s Greetings!
Welcome to Royal Centre Physiotherapy’s newsletter, “PREHAB” Edition. Before getting too tucked into the holiday season (and perhaps the holiday goodies), why not prepare for that New Year’s Resolution now? This season at Royal Centre Physiotherapy, we are encouraging our patients to come in for a prehab session with one of our highly trained physiotherapists, either before Christmas or first thing in the New Year.
It is common for many people to start the New Year off right with a new fitness regime. Unfortunately, weighed down by the guilt of Christmas excesses, we often go too hard too soon and find ourselves quickly slowed down with injuries … and so goes another year. While we do appreciate the surge in our business treating the resulting injuries, we at Royal Centre Physiotherapy would prefer our role to be helping you with your prehab rather than your rehab. Wouldn’t you like to avoid injury this year?
“PREHAB”
Prehab refers to the prescription of specific exercises, tailored to your body and your sport. Physiotherapists are “body specialists”; we are highly trained in the assessment of the body and how it moves, and in the prescription of specific exercises. If you’re reading this newsletter, it is likely that you have had an injury in the past that has required treatment by one of our skilled therapists. If you are planning on starting a new activity, or just getting ready to resume one you haven’t done in a few months, it’s a good idea to make sure you’re all “lined up” and ready to go! Even if your previous injury is not painful right now, if you don’t properly prepare the right muscles at the correct speeds of movement, specific to your sport or activity, then you may be setting yourself up for re-injury.
Our goal in prehab is to assess for any limitations your body may have specific to your desired activity. From there, we’ll set out a home exercise program and we’ll propose a realistic timeframe for you to be able to participate in your sport/activity of choice. Once you start your regime, you may need a couple of ‘tune ups’ along the way, but hopefully a little prehab will go a long way to preventing serious injury and pain.
To learn more about Exercise Therapy and how we can help, please click here.
WHAT’S COMING UP IN 2009?
In cooperation with Inspirations Fitness, we’re running two clinics to get you started on the right foot in the New Year. Please check out the links below for further details:
NORDIC WALKING CLINIC
Starts Monday, January 12, 2009.
LEARN TO RUN 5KM CLINIC
Starts Friday, January 16, 2009.
New ownership at RCP
August 6, 2008
Helen Ries, a physiotherapist at Royal Centre Physiotherapy since 2005, has taken over ownership and management of the clinic, effective August 1, 2008. Helen plans to work hard to ensure that Royal Centre Physiotherapy continues to provide an excellent patient-focused treatment experience.