by PhysioLife | Jul 14, 2020 | News
Shockwave is a non-invasive form of treatment that has been around for 20 years now, initially being used to treat kidney stones. Shockwave produces acoustic waves that help in treating a number of musculoskeletal conditions, especially in those chronic situations termed tendinopathy. The energy that is produced by the acoustic waves promotes blood flow, regeneration of tissue, and collagen production.
Shockwave is great for treating:
- Jumper’s knee
- Tennis elbow
- Heel spur
- Chronic tendinopathy
- Medial tibial stress syndrome (shin splints)
- Calcification
- Hip pain
- Plantar fasciitis
- Achilles tendinopathy
- Trigger points
- Acute muscle cramps
Shockwave FAQ
What is Shockwave? Shockwave therapy is a form of treatment that uses sound waves transmitted through the skin into painful tissues. The shockwaves are produced by a change in pressure that sends energy output from an applicator through the body tissues. The energy that is transmitted promotes tissue regeneration, blood flow, collagen production, calcification breakdown, and ultimately, functional improvements and pain relief.
What kind of injuries or conditions can Shockwave treat? Plantar fasciitis; tendinopathy (Achilles, patellar); Tennis elbow; Golfer’s elbow; rotator cuff calcific tendinopathy; painful trigger points; Medial tibial stress syndrome (shin splints).
What will I experience during Shockwave treatment? You may feel some discomfort during your treatment, depending on the region being treated, however this discomfort typically doesn’t linger long after the treatment is over.
How long does it take, and is it part of my physiotherapy treatment? There will be a 15 minute window built into your treatment time in order to utilize the Shockwave machine. Treatments are usually broken up over a few sessions and spaced out by roughly a week, depending on the area and injury being treated. Shockwave requires an accumulative effect in order for it to have the maximal desired outcomes for a given condition being treated.
Are there any post-treatment instructions? Following shockwave therapy, you may want to use either ice or heat if you feel any soreness in the region that was treated. We also recommend taking it easy after your sessions and refraining from any strenuous physical activity in order to allow for the treatment to be fully effective.
Unsure if Shockwave Therapy is right for you? Speak to one of our physiotherapists to determine if this modality may be suitable for your injury.
by PhysioLife | Mar 25, 2020 | News
To assist our patients during clinic closures, we are pleased to offer telerehabilitation services with our physiotherapists starting March 26, 2020. These video conferencing sessions are available to our existing patients and can include injury consultation, education, check-ins with your physiotherapist, and exercise prescription and supervision. However, not all patients and injuries are appropriate for telerehab, so we suggest communicating directly with your physiotherapist to determine whether you’re a good candidate for this temporary treatment option. Please note, due to the inability to provide appropriate hands-on techniques via telerehab, we are unable to accept new assessments at this time.
For more information, please reach out to us at info@physiolife.ca and we can direct you towards your physiotherapist. In the meantime, some important things to note regarding our telerehab:
What type of care can I receive through telerehab?
-consultation (answer your questions) and check-in
-education and instruction
-monitoring your progress with a treatment program
-supervised exercise
What type of care will not be available through telerehab?
-hands-on treatment (manual therapy, soft tissue release, cupping)
-IMS dry needling or acupuncture
Is anybody else involved in the telerehab session?
-we ask that you have a family member available with you during your appointment, to assist with any emergencies (such as a fall)
What technology do I need to receive telerehab services?
-desktop, laptop, or tablet with camera and microphone (sorry, mobile phones and iPads do not currently work with our system)
-high-speed internet connection or Wi-fi
-FaceTime, Skype, Facebook Messenger, WhatApp Video Call, and Google Hangouts are not considered secure
Is there a fee for telerehab services?
-private 15 mins: $35
-private 30 mins: $65
-WorkSafe BC (up to 30 mins): no charge (direct bill to WSBC)
-ICBC (up to 30 mins): no charge with approval from claim adjuster (direct bill to ICBC)
Is telerehab covered by my extended health benefits?
-receipts will state “physiotherapy services delivered by telerehabilitation”
-it is the patient’s responsibility to ensure telerehab services are covered by their extended health plan
What payment methods are accepted?
-we accept credit cards and etransfer at this time
by PhysioLife | Mar 18, 2020 | News
To our valued patients,
Like the rest of country, we have been closely monitoring the progression of the COVID-19 virus and the advice of Canada’s public health authorities. As a clinic, we have implemented changes to focus on the health and safety of our therapists, administration, and patients.
However, as the virus continues to spread in communities across our country, and our government takes a firmer stance on non-essential trips out of the home, we are forced to consider more extreme measures aimed at reducing the spread of the virus and the demand on our health care system. As physiotherapists and massage therapists, we work in very close contact with our patients, and we see many patients each day. In these types of settings, the potential risk of transmission is elevated, and we need to do our part limiting the spread of this virus and protecting vulnerable populations in our community.
For that reason, we are writing to inform you that we have made the very difficult decision, following recommendations from the Canadian Physiotherapy Association, to close our clinics effective Wednesday March 18th. We will be responding to e-mails to help reschedule appointments and ensure your immediate questions are answered until we can see you again. As of right now, we anticipate remaining closed until Monday March 30th, at which time we will re-evaluate based on current guidelines set forth by the provincial and federal governments, and our physiotherapy and massage therapy associations.
We appreciate your cooperation and understanding during this difficult time, and hope to have your continued support and loyalty as we navigate the upcoming weeks.
Should you have further questions or concerns, please contact the clinic at info@physiolife.ca. Alternatively, to reach your physiotherapist or massage therapist directly, please see below:
Physiotherapists:
Amar: amar@physiolife.ca
Andrea: andrea@physiolife.ca
Brinder: brinder@physiolife.ca
Johnny: johnny@physiolife.ca
Ken: kenneth@physiolife.ca
Krystie: krystie@physiolife.ca
Lisa: lisa@physiolife.ca
Massage Therapists:
Courtney: courtney@physiolife.ca
Karin: karin@physiolife.ca
Laura: laura@physiolife.ca
Ryan: ryan@physiolife.ca
Thank you everyone, we hope you and your families remain safe.
Regards,
The Team at PhysioLife Physiotherapy Clinic
by PhysioLife | Feb 21, 2018 | News
In our last blog entry , we discussed elements of a well-rounded running program. We also discussed why preventing injuries is critical to achieving your running goals and how physiotherapy can help.
In this blog entry we’d like to discuss injuries that tend to appear in runners. While there are a number of really common ones, we’re going to focus on “shin splints”. We’ve treated a few patients lately who have developed this condition while running. Shin splits are a common running injury, but have an excellent prognosis and are relatively straight forward to treat (if treated early).
What exactly are shin splints?
Most people first learn about shin splints when they develop pain (sometimes excruciating) on the front or inner-side of their lower leg. Shin splints can affect one, or both, legs. It tends to get worse with running (or any loading activity), and feels better with rest. Often, the pain associated with shin splits makes running, and other loading activities, unbearable.
Shin splints are essentially an overuse injury of the muscles that attach onto your shin. If you feel pain on the front of your shin, it’s likely the tibialis anterior muscle. If the pain is on the inner-side of your leg it’s commonly the tibialis posterior muscle. These muscles may become inflamed, tender, and sore to the touch – this signifies that the muscle has been damaged (strained) and needs to recover. Patients sometimes ask if shin splints mean the shin bone (tibia) is fractured – it does not. However, in exceedingly rare cases untreated shin splints can develop into tibial stress fractures. Therefore, it is important to seek advice early in order to obtain a proper diagnosis and begin treatment.
What causes shin splints?
While many things can contribute to shin splints, we’ll focus on the big ones in running: overuse, and improper running biomechanics (poor running form). Generally speaking, overuse refers to those increasing their training load too quickly. There’s a reason why Sun Run training clinics are spread over three months – gradually increasing training load helps prevent these types of injuries. Improper running mechanics are often due to tight or weak muscles in the glutes, core, legs, etc. While these two causes are most evident in newer runners, they can appear from time to time in even the most trained runners.
How can I fix my shin splints?
Fortunately, treatment for shin splits is relatively straight forward and prognosis is excellent. Your physiotherapist will assess the severity of the injury and then focus on reducing pain and inflammation. The therapist will also help determine the cause of the shin splints (for example, improper biomechanics, overuse, or other) so an appropriate treatment plan can be developed. Typical treatment includes muscle strengthening, stretching, heat/ice and biomechanical corrections. A majority of patients are well on the road to recovery after 4-6 weeks or so.
If it sounds like you are suffering from shin splints, come see one of our physiotherapists for an appointment and we can get you on the road to recovery.
by PhysioLife Admin | Jan 12, 2018 | News
January 1st often signals the start of running season for many local runners. Whether your goal is running your fifth BMO Vancouver Marathon, or your very first Sun Run, training injuries are a demoralizing setback. Unfortunately, many runners, especially those new to the sport, often quit their training entirely after an injury. It seems every runner eventually breaks down as their weekly mileage increases. What can be done about this seeming inevitability? First, remember injuries are extremely common in any sport, especially a sport as demanding as running. Second, having an injury doesn’t mean you’ll need to skip the races you’ve signed up for, or quit your training. Our physiotherapists often see clients starting from a similar place: they are eager to finish a race, but often their training programs are missing critical elements.
The components of a training program should not only build up your running endurance, but also help prevent injuries from occurring. A “good” running program should include elements such as:
- Proper warm-up and cool-down
- Workout progression (ie, increase running intensity/volume each week)
- Stretching
- Massage (either self-massage or via a massage therapist)
- Muscle strengthening (one of the best ways to prevent injuries)
- Cross training & variation
Although these elements sound time consuming, it doesn’t have to be. A well rounded workout and recovery program is critical for you to properly prepare and enjoy your race.
So how can a physiotherapist help you achieve your running goals? Physiotherapists can assess a runner’s flexibility and muscle strength/function to identify any muscle imbalances you may have. These muscle imbalances are often where injuries occur as your training ramps up. Once identified physiotherapists can work with you to correct these imbalances through exercise (point #5 above). Physiotherapists can also provide advice on stretches (point #3 and #4 above), exercises and gait assessment (correcting poor running technique).
When you’re ready for professional help in achieving your running goals this season, be sure to give us a call, or send us an email. If you can drop by one of our clinics in South Surrey or White Rock, that’s great. If you don’t live close by, one of our physiotherapists would be happy to refer you to a physiotherapist trained in running injuries closer to where you live or work. Have fun running, and we’ll see you out on the courses!
by PhysioLife | Oct 14, 2017 | News
Another successful student practicum! Tyler Chong joins the PhysioLife team! PhysioLife is pleased to welcome Tyler Chong to our team of physiotherapists. Tyler was introduced to the team while completing his final practicum earlier this year, and had so much fun learning and working with our therapists that he decided to join us permanently!
Tyler holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Kinesiology and a Master’s Degree in Physical Therapy from the University of British Columbia. He has already completed Level 1 Advanced Orthopaedic Manual and Manipulative Therapy and the Mulligan Concept. His thirst for knowledge continues, as he currently pursues his doctorate of Physical Therapy.
Tyler first chose to pursue a career in physiotherapy after working with various sports physiotherapists, which inspired him to further help the people around him. He has always been passionate about sports medicine, health, and physical fitness, and holds an internationally recognized ACSM personal trainer certification. He has volunteered as a weight training coach for Special Olympics Vancouver, and has worked as a lifeguard, personal trainer, and fitness instructor. These opportunities have helped Tyler gain valuable experience creating customized exercise programs to help his clients’ achieve personal goals. He himself has taken his love of training into competition, where he successfully won the BCPA 2015 Winter Open Bench Press competition for his age and weight class.
Throughout his career, Tyler has developed a keen interest in treating sport and work-related injuries. He enjoys volunteering on the sidelines at various sporting events, including the 2017 Beach Volley Provincials. Tyler is able to serve a variety of clientele as he can converse in his native English, and is also fluent in French and Cantonese.
Outside of the clinic, Tyler is an avid gym enthusiast with the hopes of competing again in power-lifting. Tyler also enjoys playing the piano, basketball, kickboxing, and especially eating good food with his friends and family.
