Address muscle imbalances

Often we are unaware of existing muscle imbalances until the imbalances get to a point where they elicit pain and discomfort. Imbalances develop from sustained poor posture or chronic overuse of the same muscles. Repetitive movements such as mousing/keyboarding can lead to elbow pain (aka “tennis elbow”). Marathon runners perform the same repetitive movements over and over again, which can lead to an irritation in their iliotibial bands. Physiotherapists are able to assess the muscles for any imbalances and provide a plan to improve or optimize function.

Prevention of injuries

There are many things you can do to prevent future injury and flare ups of existing conditions. Whether you’re training for a sport, competition or starting a new activity, a Physiotherapist will be able to assess your current mobility, strength and stability. Based on your specific goals, a customized treatment plan will be provided to get you safely to your goals.

Improve stabilizer muscle strength

There are larger muscles called prime movers that flex and extend the joints to move your body. These muscles are the ones we tend to strength train at the gym, and we can see them get bigger with weight training. Another group of muscles that are equally important during movement are stabilizer muscles. These stabilizer muscles work to hold you steady during a movement and provide support to joints during the movement generated by the prime movers. Stabilizer muscles are often not visible as they lie close to the joints and under the prime movers. Strength in both these muscles groups are needed to produce efficient, normal movement. Physiotherapists can assess the strength of these stabilizer muscles and provide specific exercises to improve their strength and control.

Improve post-surgical recovery outcomes

Healing after a surgery can take time. There may be a period of restricted activity which can lead to muscle atrophy, weakness and general deconditioning. Poor pain management can also limit post-surgical recovery. A Physiotherapist can help you progress along your rehabilitation in a safe and effective manner.

Improve balance & coordination to prevent falls

Balance impairment is commonly associated with an older population. However, anyone who has sustained injury to a lower extremity can also present with a balance impairment. For example, an individual who sustains an ankle sprain starts the rehab process but doesn’t fully follow through with all the strengthening exercises. If they have not completed the proprioception and balance retraining, a balance impairment can lead to future injury. Impaired balance in the elderly population will increase their risk of falling. A Physiotherapist can prescribe specific balance and strengthening exercises to minimize the risk of future falls.

Improve frequency of headaches

At some point in your life, you will most likely experience a headache. There are primary headaches and secondary headaches. A primary headache is caused by over activity of the pain sensitive structures in your head and neck. They are usually not life threatening. Migraines, tension and cluster headaches are all examples of a primary headache. Secondary headaches are caused by an underlying condition like a sinus infection or tumor, which irritates the pain sensitive structures in your head and neck – triggering a headache. These can be be harmful or more dangerous. Physiotherapists can assess your head and neck to try to find the source of your headache. If the source of your headache is from pain sensitive structures, various treatment options can help alleviate your pain.

Improve urinary incontinence

Men and women can experience urinary incontinence for a variety of reasons. It has been widely accepted that a little bit of incontinence is normal and nothing can be done about it. The good news is that this is a myth! Pelvic Health Physiotherapists are specifically trained to help determine the cause of your incontinence and develop a treatment plan to help you get back to running, jumping, coughing and sneezing without leakage. You don’t have to just live with it.