Category Archives: General

Why Stretching is Essential for a Healthy Body


Benefits of Stretching:

Improved Flexibility: Stretching helps to increase your flexibility by lengthening your muscles and improving your range of motion. This can help prevent injuries and make everyday tasks easier to perform.

Reduced Muscle Tension: Stretching can also help to reduce muscle tension and soreness. It can improve blood flow and help to release any built-up tension in your muscles, allowing you to feel more relaxed and less stressed.

Improved Posture: Stretching can help to improve your posture by reducing any imbalances in your muscles. This can lead to a better alignment of your spine and improve your overall body mechanics.

Increased Energy: Stretching can also increase your energy levels by stimulating your body and mind. It can help to improve your circulation and oxygen flow, allowing you to feel more alert and focused.

Effective Ways to Stretch:

Dynamic Stretching: This type of stretching involves movements that take your body through a full range of motion. It is an effective way to warm up your muscles before exercise and can help to prevent injury. Examples of dynamic stretching include lunges, leg swings, and arm circles.

Static Stretching: This type of stretching involves holding a stretch for a period, typically around 30 seconds. It is an effective way to improve flexibility and reduce muscle tension. Examples of static stretching include hamstring stretches, quad stretches, and shoulder stretches.

Foam Rolling: Foam rolling is a type of self-massage that involves using a foam roller to apply pressure to your muscles. It can help to release any knots or tension in your muscles and improve your range of motion.

Yoga: Yoga is a form of exercise that involves stretching, breathing, and meditation. It can help to improve flexibility, reduce stress, and promote relaxation. There are many different types of yoga, so it’s important to find one that suits your needs and abilities.

In conclusion, stretching is essential for maintaining a healthy body. It has numerous benefits and advantages that can improve your overall health and wellbeing. By incorporating stretching into your daily routine, you can improve your flexibility, reduce muscle tension, improve your posture, and increase your energy levels. There are many effective ways to stretch, including dynamic stretching, static stretching, foam rolling, and yoga. So why not start incorporating stretching into your daily routine and experience the benefits for yourself?

If you would like to learn more or book your initial physiotherapy assessment along with treatment, please feel free to contact us.

Are You Struggling with Shoulder Pain?

One of the most common areas of injuries we see at our clinic is the shoulder. The shoulder is one of the most mobile joints of the body but as such, it’s also very complex. Though a lot of shoulder issues present similarly, there are a few differences we can take note of. Here are some of the most common injuries we are at our clinic:

Rotator Cuff Tear

The rotator cuff is a group of four muscles around the shoulder girdle that are responsible for holding your shoulder in its socket as well as its movement. Tears can occur in the rotator cuff muscles as they can in any muscle throughout the body. Rotator cuff tears can occur either through trauma, such as a fall, or through degenerative changes caused by repetitive stress on the tendons. 

Symptoms of rotator cuff tears may include:

  • Pain at night
  • Pain with reaching overhead
  • Shoulder stiffness
  • Weakness of the shoulder and the arm

Most rotator cuff injuries do not require surgical repair but are rather treated with physiotherapy. In some cases, orthopedic specialists may recommend a corticosteroid injection to help with your pain.

Shoulder Impingement Syndrome

“Impingement” of the shoulder is a general term that refers to the rotator cuff tendons being pinched in the space underneath the acromion – the point of the shoulder. This type of condition is non-traumatic. Oftentimes, it can be related to postural imbalances or anatomical factors affecting the way your shoulder sits in its socket. Patients with shoulder impingement syndromes often have pain with movement of the shoulder especially at and above shoulder level. 

Frozen Shoulder

Patients who have frozen shoulders usually start experiencing pain around their shoulder without a specific mechanism of injury and over time, start to notice significant restrictions in the movement of the shoulder especially with overhead movements. This makes it quite difficult to complete day to day activities such as washing/brushing hair, cooking and cleaning. 

Over time, patients will also experience significant weakness in their shoulders. The exact cause of frozen shoulder is not entirely understood. Many doctors may suggest a corticosteroid injection to help reduce inflammation throughout the shoulder joint. 

If you are struggling with shoulder pain our team of experienced physiotherapists are here to help and get you back to your best self. We understand that shoulder pain can be debilitating, but with the right care, you can overcome it. Don’t hesitate to reach out and take a first step towards a pain-free life.

Contact us to book your initial physiotherapy assessment + treatment or to learn more.

Don’t let your year end health benefits go to waste-Massage

The year 2022 is moving quickly as Halloween marks the last day of October.

Time does get away from us and things we have been thinking of seeking appointments for for ourselves often get put on the back burner. Most private insurance benefits end at the end of the calendar year and restart in January.

When it comes to treatment with a Physio, RMT, Chiropodist (foot specialist), and acupuncturist, people often think of seeing them when they have sudden or acute injuries, or after surgeries like knee replacements.

There are so many ways that these health care professionals can help benefit your quality of life.

Registered Massage Therapy (RMT)

Many of our patients see their massage therapists when they have tension in their neck and shoulders. They will also book RMT visits for low back pain and stiffness. Massage Therapists are so helpful with those things but they can also treat other things.

Sports Recovery / Maintenance:

Many runners, walkers, hikers, soccer players and hockey players benefit from seeing an RMT as they increase training frequency and difficulty. They find that treatment of the thighs, glutes, calves and feet help with recovery and injury prevention. People involved in weight lifting like CrossFit and HIIT training can benefit from regular recover massage on the back, chest, shoulders, forearms and quads etc.

oakville physio biking injury

Headache Management and Treatment

People who experience tension headaches and migraines keeping a regular massage schedule can help with the frequency and severity of headaches.

There are connections of muscles from our necks, shoulders and upper backs and even to our heads. Many people experience headaches when these muscles are tense, tight and sore. Having regular massage therapy can help break this cycle and keep those headaches less intense and possibly further apart.

Your RMT will also leave you with personalized advice for home care and self management for your headaches.

Help in Managing Stress

Often low back stiffness, and neck and shoulder tension has a driver behind them. Certainly last of motion and non-optimal posture on a daily basis can contribute to these issues. Booking regular massage in addition to other positive lifestyle habits can help manage these stress levels. Having set time during massage where you unplug, slow down your breath and feel your body relax into the treatment table helps downgrade your nervous system. People often comment on how they sleep better after they have had massage.

Your massage therapist may suggest a visit as well to a yoga therapist in breathing techniques, movement and meditation to help supplement your massage treatment.

Massage therapy post surgery

Post-Surgical Massage

We often move less or have compensations in our movements when we are going through recovery. Massage Therapy can help prevent pain associated with these things as well as help with recovery from the surgery as well.

At a certain stage of healing, usually ascertained by your medical specialist you will be able to have massage in the direct area of your surgery. Some people will have scar massage locally of lymphatic drainage massage to address swelling. Earlier in healing and recovery you may benefit from massage on areas further from your surgery site.

For example, after a rotator cuff repair or a shoulder stabilization surgery, you may be asked by your surgeon to keep your arm in a sling. As the shoulder will not be moving it may be helpful to have massage around the shoulder blade and neck area, as well as the hand and forearm. Your massage therapist will make adjustments to your positioning and may even have you in sitting for some of the massage. As you progress through rehabilitation and start strengthening exercises having massage therapy as part of your recovery will be beneficial. Post total knee replacement surgery and total hip replacement surgery Massage would have the same benefits.

Massage can also be helpful after surgeries that may not be “orthopaedic” in nature. They can help with stress management, with pain and stiffness of the body, with swelling and lymphatic drainage as well as around the scar tissue. If you are unsure of how an RMT may address your particular needs after a surgery contact us at our North Oakville clinic or an RMT that is local to you.

Progressive Health Issues or During Treatment

Having massage can help with issues that present from progressive health issues like Parkinson’s disease and MS or during treatment of things like cancers. Whether it be stiffness or pain your massage therapist will work with your particular needs.

Pediatric Massage

Children should be covered under the benefits of their parents. Many kids complain of growing pains that can be associated with their knees, feet and heels. Massage Therapists often work with physiotherapists in treatment of Sever’s Disease and Osgoode Schlatter’s, jumpers knee and plantar fasciitis.

Many children are active in more than one activity or sport and with the amount of activity during growth spurts can have aches and pains in the body. Having Physio and Massage Appointments to work on these areas and have advise of home care can make sports, dance, and cheerleading seasons more pleasant and successful.

Parents are asked to be present during massage treatments.

Contact us to book your Massage Therapy appointment today. We are able to bill directly to most insurance companies. You can also use our online booking for most practitioners.

FAQ: Do you Direct Bill for Insurance?

This is a question we receive frequently at our North Oakville clinic.

The short answer is yes. We are able to direct bill to insurance.

Here is the “long answer”

  1. We are able to direct bill to most insurance companies. Most private / work insurance companies allow us to direct bill on your behalf. In order for us to do this you need to fill out paperwork that allows us to do this.
  2. Most insurance companies allow us to direct bill for certain services. This includes physio, massage, and acupuncture. Chiropody, or foot care specialists generally do not allow this.
  3. Everyone’s insurance is different with regards to direct billing. This is based on your employer and their arrangements with the insurance. Not everyone with the same insurance provider has the same coverage or the same rules with regards to direct billing. For example, we may be able to provide direct billing for Sunlife for one person but not another due to coverage difference.
  4. Usually we are able to at the very least submit your physio or massage to insurance and they will reimburse you. This will still require you to pay after your treatment.
  5. Some private benefits require a doctors referral before the will start to reimburse you for massage therapy or physio treatments. Read HERE for more information on this.
  6. You are responsible for understanding your own private benefits. The coverage for each service may be different. You will have a total dollar amount per year available. Each service will also have a percentage coverage or maximum per treatment. For example you may have a maximum of $1000 per year for physiotherapy. Each physiotherapy visit may be covered for up to 80% or maximum of a certain dollar amount.
telehealth physio for pain and injury

While we do our best to direct bill on your behalf for physio, massage and acupuncture, what we are able to do for you is dependent on your own personal insurance.

Contact us at our North Oakville clinic if you have more questions or would like to book in with one of our Physiotherapists, RMT’s, Acupuncturist, Chiropodists (foot care specialists).

Yoga and Diabetes

In the West, Yoga is often thought of as simply physical exercise and stretching.

It is that. But only partly.

The movements are designed to prepare your body for meditation and mind work.

If you are attending a yoga class or participating in an online version. Don’t skip over breath work. It can be very helpful for your physical and mental well being.

For example, yoga and other mind-body practices have been shown in a study to help with blood sugar levels in Type II diabetics.

Yoga has also been shown to be helpful in managing pain and pain that persist.

yoga therapy in Oakville and Halton, virtual / private online yoga

If you do not know where to start or would like to try / start yoga but are unsure how you may modify or adapt a class for your own body or needs it may be helpful to start privately with a one one one / private yoga session.

Our North Oakville Physio, Massage, Foot Care, and Acupuncture clinic has a private yoga available with a yoga therapist. Whether you have a progressive health condition or an injury, one on one yoga is helpful for maintenance or progression.

Contact us to book in or learn more.

Palermo Physio and Wellness Thanksgiving -2022

The team at North Oakville’s Palermo Physiotherapy And Wellness Centre would like to wish everyone a happy and safe Thanksgiving long weekend.

Our clinic hours are as follows:

Saturday October 8, 2022 – OPEN 8-1pm

Sunday October 9, 2022 – CLOSED

Monday October 10, 2022 – CLOSED

Tuesday October 11, 2022 – OPEN regular hours.

We hope that you are able to enjoy the fall weather and beauty of the changing leaves around Oakville, Burlington, Milton and the Escarpment! All the best from our front desk team, and our team of Physio’s, RMT’s, Chiropodists, Acupuncturist and Yoga Therapists.

Oakville physio, massage, acupuncture and foot clinic

Common Causes of Foot and Heel Pain in Kids

Just like adults, children can experience foot and heel pain. They may not be able to communicate what they are experiencing or feeling.

Parents may notice that their child complains of their shoes feeling stiff or tight. They may also notice their child walking differently, limping or having a change in activity level.

In children these complaints or changes may be are result of:

  • Sever’s Disease (an inflammation of the growth plate of the heel bone)
  • overuse injury
  • stress fracture
  • plantar fasciitis
  • achilles tendinitis
  • Poor fitting footwear
  • flat feet / high arches
  • Plantar warts
  • Ingrown toenails
  • Athletes foot / fungal infections

If your child has been complaining of foot pain or you believe they are experiencing one of the above issues, our Oakville Chiropodists are experienced in working with children and their parents.

Most private insurance benefits cover foot care visits to Chiropodists.

Contact us to book with one of our North Oakville Chiropodists / Foot Specialists.

Thumb Pain and Injury – How Physio can Help

In a previous blog post we spoke about thumb pain and chronic issues associated with the thumb. These included things like osteoarthritis and trigger thumb. Trigger thumb like most things are helpful if addressed early.

Accessing physiotherapy early for thumb pain or issues can help delay or avoid needing injections or less conservative care from an orthopaedic surgeon or plastic surgeon.

Thumb injuries and issues can also be more acute or sudden. Changes or an increase in activity or things like contact or a fall can often be culprits of thumb injuries.

De Quervain’s Tenosynovitis

For some this can be thumb pain that strikes seemingly out of nowhere. This pain may happen when moving the thumb, gripping, turning the wrist, or lifting something. The pain is located n the thumb side of the wrist / forearm and may also be tender to the touch.

This thumb pain is caused by the swelling of the tendons that help move thumb out / extend the thumb. The tendons of the thumb when swollen and inflamed take up space in the sheath they run through.

The type of thumb and wrist pain is more common than you think. It is classified as an overuse type of injury, and is often brought on with new activities or increasing intensity of activities. Many post-partum women experience it from lifting, moving and carrying their babies and carriers in different, new, and repetitive ways.

yoga stretching poses from an oakville virtual physio

Your Physiotherapist will do a through assessment to ensure that this is the cause of your thumb pain. They will try and get to the root cause in order to provide education, possibly bracing, and advise on activity modification. They may provide supportive taping if it is impeding in your sport or daily activities.

In some cases less conservative treatment is warranted. Physiotherapy afterwards to work on scar tissue, strength and mobility can be helpful.

Like most things it is important to have your thumb pain addressed before if it is not improving or if it is impacting your activities and life negatively.

Skiiers Thumb / Game Keepers Thumb

This is the result of s sudden injury. It is a sprain of the inside ligament of the thumb or the ulnar collateral ligament. If it is not treated properly, it can result in long term problems of the thumb.

Manual testing and imaging will help in diagnosing the degree of sprain. The thumb should usually be protected from range of motion with a cast-like splint for a set period of time. During this time physio can start in a controlled way. If surgical repair is needed the surgeon will clear a person for physiotherapy after a certain amount of time to begin range and motion exercises and eventually strengthening.

oakville basketball thumb injury and physio

Fracture / Broke thumb

Thumb fractures (or breaks) can happen in variety of ways. Falls, sport impact or getting caught in a door are some common ways people break bones in their thumbs.

If you are losing time from sport / activity due to having your thumb immobilized, a physiotherapist can help provide ways to move your body without negatively impacting your healing bone.

Once your cast or splint is removed and your are cleared for activity based on your x-rays, Physiotherapy can help you restore normal thumb, hand, and wrist movement, manage pain, increase strength and return to sport / activity.

baseball player showing post ACL reconstruction rehab at Oakville Physio clinic

Contact us at our North Oakville Physiotherapy, Massage, and Foot Clinic. We are happy to help you recover from pain and injury that is impacting your life and activity.

Massage is more than for Relaxation.

Many people equate RMT Massage Therapy with relaxation. There is nothing like slowing your day down and unplugging for an hour in a quiet room.

Our North Oakville RMT’s treat many people with tension from stress and work around their neck and shoulders, or low back.

As Registered Massage Therapists, they treat so much more than that also! Many of our patients that seek Physiotherapy do well when they see an RMT in conjunction with their Physio treatment. For example, frozen shoulder, the physio may spend more time mobilizing the shoulder and thoracic spine as well as stretching the shoulder and doing exercises with a person. An RMT will help immensely in working on the muscles and tissue in the shoulder, the chest and the shoulder blade. We often encourage patients to do their range of motion exercises after having a massage.

physio for shoulder range of motion for person with painful shoulder north oakville physio

The timing of Massage and Physio can help helpful too. Your Physio and Massage Therapist will let you know what they suggest and why.

Massage Therapy can be helpful when recovering and rehabilitating after a knee replacement surgery or hip replacement surgery. The RMT can help work on the muscles and tissues around the joint and the scar tissue. People also often find they walk differently or were de-conditioned prior to their surgery. Because of this they may have tension and soreness around the low back and hips. You RMT can also help with these types of muscle tension and soreness.

Registered Massage Therapists, like Physiotherapists are also able to formulate clinical judgement based on your physical presentation and suggest exercises for you. They may suggest and perform stretches and send you home with information to enhance your treatment session.

Have you recently gotten a cast off? You Massage Therapist can help work gently on an area to help enhance mobility and decrease stiffness.

cast on leg showing North Oakville Physio for broken bone , fracture, RMT, massage therapy

In order to reach your goals, it is helpful to have a few sessions with your RMT. They may suggest a weekly or biweekly session for a few weeks.

To book in with one of our awesome Oakville Massage Therapists contact us! We treat Massage Therapy clients from Oakville, Milton, Burlington and Mississauga. We are able to direct bill for most insurance companies for Massage Therapy and Physiotherapy as well, making it easier for patients.

Whether it be for relaxation and stress purposes or to treat a specific issue such as ITB friction syndrome, frozen shoulder, back pain, tennis elbow, plantar fasciitis etc our RMTs are here to help you.

Fun Labour Day Weekend Activities!

It’s almost unbelievable that we have already reached the unofficial end of the summer with Labour Day weekend coming up. Before the kiddos head back to school next week, its time to have one more epic summer celebration!

As always, if you’re outside, don’t forget your sunscreen and bug spray! Trust me, it’s what all the cool kids are doing.

Ribfest

If you like ribs, funnel cake or just hanging out by the water, this is the spot for you. Burlington lakeshore hosts Canada’s largest ribfest and its finally back after taking a two-year hiatus due the pandemic. This is the perfect end of summer activity for the whole family – there’s food, live music and lots of activities along the boardwalk. If ribs aren’t your thing, you can always grab an iced coffee or ice cream from across the street, walk around and enjoy the good vibes. 

Flower Farms

Flower farms are more than just a good Instagram photo op. Its fun to walk around and see the endless colors or get lost in the middle of a sunflower maze. Some places will let you pick flowers for a bouquet that you get to take home with you! It’s a nice way for the family to spend time together while getting a little sunshine. 

Go For A Hike

We are blessed in the Halton region with lots of trails to walk, hike or even bike if you’re experienced. Make sure to bring water or snacks for longer hikes. And always wear appropriate footwear like running shoes or hiking boots.  

Fireworks

Nothing says long weekend quite like fireworks! Canada’s Wonderland has a fireworks display on the Sunday of the long weekend. If that is too far of a drive, some parks in Hamilton are also having fireworks celebrations on Sunday.

Whether you have a weekend full of events or one where you are relaxing before the chaos of the beginning of the school year, we hope you have a wonderful and safe time with the family!