Your Symptom is the Tip of the Iceberg
I can still clearly remember a poster I saw as a child in a healthcare clinic. It was a beautiful poster of an iceberg where you could see the exposed tip and the much greater mass underneath the water surface. It read, “Your Symptom is the Tip of the Iceberg”. At the time, the true […]
Help me, help you
Injured clients come in to PhysioWorks everyday seeking help in overcoming pain and injuries. Often, they are looking for a diagnosis and a clear pathway to recovery that they can follow under our care. But I would like to highlight the importance of how the client can be an active participant in this process. Here […]
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 […]
Whiplash 101
What is Whiplash? Whiplash is a sudden acceleration-deceleration of the head, most often during a motor vehicle accident, can cause injury and strain neck muscles and surrounding soft tissues. This type of injury is commonly referred to as whiplash. In such an event, the neck and head are suddenly forced backward and then forward, putting […]
To Ice or Heat? That is the Question
Therapists are frequently asked whether one should be applying ice or heat to an injury. My answer is “it depends”. Here are some simple guidelines to determine if you should be applying ice or heat: Acute injuries (occurring in the past 48 hours) should be iced. Chronic or longstanding conditions are more complicated since they […]
Delayed Onset of Muscle Soreness
You just finish a great workout. Your muscles are warm, your heart rate is up, and you feel pumped up. You’re feeling energized with a sense of accomplishment. The exercise gives you gratifying deep and restful sleep at night. You wake up the next day and BAM! You feel stiff and sore and the simple […]
Phases of Healing Post-Injury
Timing is key with management of injuries. As physiotherapists we are constantly assessing what stage of healing our clients are in to determine how to progress treatment, exercise and deciding when you are ready to return back to activity. The speed at which one moves through these phases depends on a number of factors including […]
Does Pronation Cause Running Injuries?
I thought it would be helpful to address a few questions that we get a lot in clinic when helping recreational and high level runners a like. A lot of us can get too caught up with the ideal posture and the ideal movement patterns when doing activities. The abundance of information in this day […]
Does pain = injury?
So you just woke up and your neck was hurting for some reason. You go to see your favorite therapist or doctor for some relief. You are in pain and not happy about it. Your practitioner treats you and advises you to move your neck around every so often even if it hurts. Wait a […]
Foam Rolling
What is it? You have probably seen or tried it at your gym or exercise class. It looks like a pool noodle but a bit thicker and firmer than it. That is a foam roller. It is a self-massage tool used to release muscle knots and enhance recovery after a workout. How does it do […]