 By: Dr Sonya Hamilton
In our clinic, one of the most common issues I get asked about is sciatica. So what actually is sciatica anyways? Sciatica is a term used to refer to pain which radiates along the sciatic nerve. Sciatic nerve pain is a symptom of an underlying musculoskeletal problem. The sciatic nerve is the largest single nerve in our body. It begins from your lower lumbar region (L3), and travels through the buttock region, down the back of your thigh before it branches below the knee. When it becomes irritated, you may experience leg pain/tingling/numbness, lower limb weakness, burning or ‘electrical’ sensations down the back of your leg from the buttock to the ankle. The length of the sciatic nerve, and the fact that it originates from the low back, makes it susceptible to irritation from a number of different sources. Most commonly, sciatic nerve issues result from lumbar disc injury or herniation, degenerative disc disease, spinal stenosis, and low back muscle strains. Additionally, it can arise from piriformis syndrome, as the nerve passes through the muscles in the buttock region. Pregnancy and sacroiliac joint issues can also lead to sciatic nerve pain. Some may find the pain is made worse with sitting, and sometimes the pain may not travel beyond the buttock. Treatment for sciatic nerve pain is individualized for each patient, due to the fact that the pain may come from one of many sources. If you encounter sciatic nerve pain, you should work with your chiropractor to determine the cause of your pain, and the best course of treatment. Exercise and activity are important steps you can take towards improving your symptoms. Staying active will keep your muscles conditioned, and will encourage movement in the spine resulting in an improved flow of nutrients to your ligaments and joints. You should avoid high impact activities, and continue with your regular tasks and light exercise. Contrary to common belief, bed rest is not appropriate and may lead to your symptoms being prolonged or worsened. Bed rest is only appropriate in rare cases -if your pain is so severe you cannot move- and should be limited to only a day or two. Some of the common recommendations I make to patients include walking, gentle strengthening of core muscles, stretching of target muscles, low impact aerobics, and nerve flossing. It is important to seek out advice on which activities would help your specific cause of sciatic nerve pain, as the wrong exercises may in fact worsen your symptoms. Chiropractic care helps to decrease your symptoms, and your chiropractor can provide advice on how to prevent future sciatic nerve pain from reoccurring. For most, symptoms of sciatica should resolve with appropriate conservative treatment. Feeling some Sciatic nerve symptoms? Book your assessment with Dr Hamilton >>>>
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 By Charisse Manalil, RMT
What is KinesioTape? More widely known as K-Tape, it is a taping technique that is intended to provide support and stability to muscles and joints without restricting the body’s available range of motion. It also assists to extend the benefits of any manual therapy that was applied to soft tissue within the clinic setting. It has and continues to become popular with sports such as basketball, tennis, soccer and long/short distance running to name a few. However, the use of K-Tape is also appropriate for the average individual who perhaps works at a desk sitting in front of the computer, someone who is constantly bearing heavy loads, or someone who is working with tools majority of their work shift. Whether our bodies feel pain due to repetitive movements, bearing heavy weight, or adapting to improper posture, K-Tape can help reduce tension and provide support depending on how severe or acute the injury. Some Benefits of K-Tape
A proper assessment is very important with any treatment plan. With that said, in order to obtain any desired results from the use of K-Tape it is important to first determine if it is necessary. It is also important to remember that K-Tape does not target the cause of pain or work to eliminate it! It can be used in addition to other treatments such a chiropractic, physiotherapy, or massage therapy!  What influenced your decision to become a Massage Therapist?
I've always wanted to work in the healthcare industry. I find that helping individuals with their issues make me feel accomplished like no other job has. It wasn't until when my grandfather was sick that triggered my interested in massage specifically. I kneaded his hands and feet mimicking what he did back when he got sick. And to my surprise he got better. I had a realization that I was great working hands-on, so I pursued the career. It's been two and a half years now and I'm still loving every minute. What are the top three most common issues you help clients address? Number one would have to be low back pain, either from disk herniation or muscle strain. Second, shoulder injuries like rotator cuff tears and third, is knee pain from degeneration. What types of conditions/injuries do you enjoy treating? There is always something to treat. Even when patients only come for relaxation- stress creates tension, and tension builds knots in your muscles. A lot of people don't realize how much tension builds up throughout the week and they come in surprised at how sore their back & shoulders are. That said, I very much enjoy treating stress related tension and teaching patients proper posture and work ergonomics. What types of treatment methods/approaches do you use? I start out with an assessment to see where the patient is physically, or in some cases mentally. After ruling out any red flags I then set reasonable and achievable short-term goals for them. I would then give the patient a few remedial exercises after a treatment as we work together to achieve their goal. I provide deep tissue, or Swedish massage, and am certified in cupping therapy. What is your treatment philosophy? Don't make things more complicated than they need to be. What is a common question patients ask you? Do your hands get tired?... lol If you could give everyone one piece of advice this winter what would it be? When walking on snow or ice , look to the experts. Walk like a penguin. Center your gravity on your whole foot instead of your heels. You'll look a bit silly but at least you'll avoid injury. What do you like to do for fun/or tell us something most people don't know about you? On my free time you'll often find me playing my guitar or rocking the drums. I enjoy jammin' out with friends and occasionally singing karaoke after a few drinks. To stay healthy I try and squeeze in a workout between patients or during my lunch break. So if you see me around the gym, come say hi. I'd be glad to answer any questions or even spot you on your next heavy set.  Here are some great tips from the Ontario Chiropractic Association!
Winter weather can pack a punch and, with the season’s heavy snowfalls, injuries often result. Improper snow shovelling is often to blame. But shovelling out after a storm doesn’t have to leave you stiff and sore. With a little know-how, you can clear your driveway without the all-too-common back, neck and shoulder pain cramping your style. Here’s how: Before You Start
BEND YOUR KNEES.Use your knees, leg and arm muscles to do the pushing and lifting while keeping your back straight. WATCH FOR ICE.Be careful on icy walkways and slippery surfaces. Intermittent thaws and subsequent freezing can lead to ice building up underfoot, resulting in nasty slips and falls. Throw down some salt or sand to ensure you have a good footing. Once you’ve mastered safe snow shovelling techniques, you’ll be free to have fun and stay fit all winter.  This month we sat down to chat with our newest physio Steven. He is in clinic Tues/Thurs, and every other Sunday!
What influenced your decision to become a physiotherapist? I had many sports injuries growing up and have always tried to find ways to help myself rehab from those injuries. My interest in learning about the human body grew stronger when I enrolled in the Kinesiology program at York University and took courses in athletic injuries. However I soon realized that there was more to rehab than just helping athletes, I wanted to treat all kinds of injuries and that’s why I decided to go into physiotherapy. In this field, I can combine my passion for helping athletes return to their sports and also help treat pain and injuries that are affecting the lives of the general population. What is your treatment philosophy? I believe TENS and electrical modalities has its place in physiotherapy but I do not believe it should be used as the ONLY treatment option. I also believe that patients will have better results in their rehab if they spend more time with the physiotherapist instead of assistants. I believe that these two things are what separates Rebound Health and Wellness from other clinics, I do not use any assistants during my treatment sessions and so you will spend one on one times with me for your entire visit. Our treatment sessions will include more than just a heat pack on your back as well! What can someone expect an initial appointment with you to look like? We will first try to figure out the cause of your pain by taking a detailed history of your pain to narrow down the cause. Next, we will go through specific movements and special tests to pinpoint which exact treatment you will need. The rest of the initial appointment will be treatment of your problem areas using specific strengthening and stretching exercises, joint mobilizations, soft tissue massage, athletic taping, and electrical modalities. What types of treatment methods/approaches do you use? Once I find out what issues my patients have, I like to use a variety of techniques to treat those issues. -Cervical, thoracic and lumbar mobilizations using various Maitland, Kaltenborn, Mulligan, traction, and Snag Techniques -Mobilization of SI joint, knee, ankle, shoulder, elbow, wrist and phalanges -McKenzie Method of Mechanical Diagnosis and Therapy for neck and low back pain -Soft Tissue release techniques including Petrissage and Kneading Massage, Percussion Massage, Deep Friction Massage, Trigger Point Release Technique, GTO release -Myofascial release techniques for commonly tight muscle groups including: trapezius, suboccipital, scalene, lats, hip flexors, piriformis, hamstring, gastrocs, quadriceps, supraspinatus, plantar fascia -Therapeutic taping techniques using Leukotape and KT Tape What are the top three most common issues you help clients address? 1. Shoulder pain (either from a rotator cuff issue or shoulder impingement) - don’t know if I should be specific or general 2. Neck pain (from pinched nerves in the that causes pain to radiate down the arm) 3. Low back pain If you could give everyone one piece of advice this winter what would it be? Hmmm, I would advise everyone to watch their steps and be careful of the slippery ice! It is much easier to prevent a fall than to deal with all of the pain and complications that come from a nasty slip and fall! What do you like to do for fun? I like to play basketball, volleyball, badminton and basically any sport for fun. If I’m not being physically active, I like to relax by reading up on the news while listening to music or watching TV shows. Book Online with Steven>>  What is FASCIA? Does FST have anything to do with stretching my face?
A very common question! And no- fascial stretch is not a facial stretch! Fascial Stretch involves fascia- fascia is the connective tissue that wraps and connects muscles, joints, nerves, bones, and organs. Similar to muscles, fascia can get tight and bound down, however it responds better to movement and stretching and than to traditional massage and other therapies. Can you tell me more about FST? What can I expect? How long is a session? Is it covered by benefits? Fascial Stretch Therapy (FST) is a pain free, hands on treatment that targets the fascia. FST is a unique, complete and complementary system of table-based assisted stretching. It focuses on the fascia and joint capsule as the key elements in achieving optimal flexibility, strength, performance and pain relief. FST will help uncover areas of tightness you didn’t realize existed, while simultaneously creating release through a gentle, pain free, traction/contract and relax approach. FST is compatible with other forms of treatment and training. Results are often seen within 1-3 sessions and accumulate over time. Combined with exercises to help maintain mobility and strengthen your body in its new range FST will help you move and feel better for whatever your needs may be. Sessions last 60 minutes, and cost $100. FST is offered by a licensed Chiropractor, if you have extended health coverage for Chiropractic care FST sessions will be eligible (check with your plan for specific details on chiropractic coverage). Certain plans can be direct billed in our clinic. What are the benefits of FST? Benefits of FST include: -increased flexibility and mobility -decreased pain -decreased joint compression and impingement -improved posture -improved sport performance and muscle function -increased blood supply -reduced risk of injury -reduced mental and physical stress -better sleep Book an appointment with Dr Stephanie Tabbert>> |
AuthorWritten by the team at Rebound Health and Wellness Archives
March 2023
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