Tendon Rehabilitation: Is it ok if my home exercises hurt?
A common question we get asked in clinic regularly is if the prescribed home exercise should hurt when they’re done. The answer is everyone’s favourite: “It depends.” Professor Hakan Alfredson, an orthopaedic surgeon, was a pioneer in tendon research who stumbled upon a treatment for tendon pain when he developed a painful Achilles tendinopathy (photo […]
What is Connect Therapy™ ?
Did you know that dysfunction at your ankle can cause pain in your knee and pelvis? Or that rotator cuff impingement can come from poor control in the thorax and neck? Regions of the body all influence one another for better or for worse and are all connected! ConnectTherapy is an evidence-based model developed by […]
Stretching: How often and how long do I need to stretch for?
Stretching is a common form of exercise to improve flexibility and range of motion. A recent article in the International Journal of Sports Medicine looked at which types of stretches were the most effective for improving flexibility. There is a variety of research in the field of stretching with varied and sometimes contradictory findings. This […]
Pace to the finish line
As one of the newest physiotherapists at Physioworks, this is my first blog post and I have decided to share some insight into my own personal journey towards training for the BMO half marathon. I hope that you can take away some educational advice from a physiotherapists perspective but also some personal advice based on […]
What is Pilates?
What is Pilates? Classical Pilates is an exercise system developed by Joseph Pilates over 100 years ago. He was an exercise enthusiast and started developing the ideas of what we know as Pilates while working with injured WW1 soldiers. Over many years he designed a methodical system of movements that he believed would develop our […]
Good Pain vs Bad Pain
Getting back into shape, taking care of your body, running that first half marathon…..all great goals. But, with an abundance of excitement and eagerness to tackle these goals, sometimes we go a bit too hard and our bodies pay for it in the form of pain. Isn’t this just normal though and part of the […]
The Importance of Having a Strong Butt
Your glute muscles were meant to act as more than just a cushion to sit on! Other than the core, glute strengthening is one of the top prescriptions I give clients for a variety of complaints. In particular, weak glutes have been shown in research to have a negative impact on the health of your […]
Snowshoeing Memories
I had the pleasure of going snowshoeing for the first time a few winters ago and here is how I remember it: It was a perfect day of blue skies and sunshine amongst the scenic trails of Mount Seymour. I was a little nervous not knowing what to expect and also having our baby strapped to […]
Referred Pain
Here are some scenarios I see as a massage therapist: “I had this chest pain that radiated to the arm last week but had gone to emergency and had all of the tests and nothing could be found.” Or “I have low back pain that keeps recurring intermittently for the last few years. But no […]
Hiking with Injuries
During August long weekend, I had planned to take on the Juan de Fuca trail. Unfortunately, 3 weeks before my hike I aggravated an old knee injury. The injury was not so bad that I couldn’t walk but it was definitely hard to hike up and down trails while carrying ~40 lbs comfortably. With good […]