Category Archives: Massage Therapy

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.

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Thumb Pain – from an Oakville Physio

For being a small joint, having pain or issues in our thumbs can cause us big problems!

Our thumbs help us grip, and grab in fine ad gross motor tasks. From carry a baby seat to holding your hand open in a baseball mitt, to knitting and chopping dinner, you don’t realize how important you thumbs are until you have thumb pain that prevents you from doing these things comfortably.

Even though it’s a small area, your Physiotherapist and Massage Therapist take your complaints seriously. Like all injuries and pains in the body your physiotherapist will take a thorough history of our health, habits, the onset of the issue and how it is presenting. They will take you through movements and special tests to rule in and rule out various issues and types of tissues.

Like many issues in the body thumb issues and pains can from the joints (where the bones meet), the tendons, the muscles, and the ligaments. In some cases it can be more than one thing contributing to the pain.

Chronic Thumb Pain / Issues

With chronic or ongoing thumb pain Physiotherapists often look to the joints or the tendons as a primary culprit.

Osteoarthritis (OA) – the carpometacarpal joint of the thumb can cause ongoing thumb issues. As Physiotherapists we look to patterns of pain. The thumb joint may have a squaring type of change and the joint line may be tender to the touch. Your physiotherapist will work with you on your goals to help you protect the joint, manage your pain and get you closer to activity. Having osteoarthritis does not mean you cannot improve your pain.

Tendinosis – The tendons of the thumb connect the muscles to the bone. They act as a pulley system. These tendons over time and with repetitive loads can wear and thicken. Although less common than other areas of the body this can be an issue in the thumb. Your physio or massage therapist may suggest working on these tendons and the surrounding muscles. They may provide you with exercises to strengthen the area as well. Sometimes modifying what you do can also be part of the trick.

Trigger Thumb – Having the thumb catch and get stuck during movement can be painful, or not. When you move your thumb into a fist and then try and open it it may catch or click. For some people, they have to use their other hand to open the thumb back up. This can also happen in the fingers and is aptly named “trigger finger”. This is also known as “stenosing tenosynovitis”. The tendons move through the tendons sheaths and a series of pulleys. In trigger thumb or finger, an enlarged flexor tendon gets trapped or caught up in the pulley system. The area of entrapment may be closer to the palm than the area that gets “stuck”. This area of entrapment can be painful, but is not always. Your physiotherapist or massage therapist will give you treatment depending on how this presents and how it is affecting your daily life.

Like most things, these painful thumb issues are best treated early. If you have been having thumb pain that is new, not going away, is impacting your activities of enjoyment, or is worsening, it is helpful to have a thorough physiotherapy assessment. If the issue has been there for longer or there has been an increase in pain, physiotherapists are also a part of your team.

Our next blog post will talk about more acute, or sudden injuries of the thumb.

Contact us at our Oakville Physio, Massage, Yoga, and foot clinic to book with one of our trained practitioners.

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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.

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Osteoarthritis & Physiotherapy

As Physiotherapists, RMT’s, Chiropodists and Yoga Therapists we see many people who have osteoarthritis. We may or may not be treating them for issues directly related to the arthritis.

What is Osteoarthritis?

There are many different types of arthritis. Some affect the joints, some affect the tendons, muscles and ligaments. Some affects specific areas, and some affect the whole body.

The most common type of arthritis is Osteoarthritis or “OA”. This is a type of arthritis that affects a persons synovial joints. In OA, the cartilage that covers the ends of the bones may have changes or be worn away. Joint changes in OA can (but not necessarily) cause pain, stiffness, inflammation and trouble with movement.

OA refers to the classic “wear and tear” of the joints. It is commonly seen in the knees, hips, low back, neck, the joints of the fingers and the big toes. The pain generally stays locally in the joint that it is affected by.

Risk Factors of Osteoarthritis Include:

  • Age
  • Female Gender
  • Obesity
  • Anatomical Factors
  • Muscle weakness
  • Previous joint injury (eg. sports or occupation related etc)
Low back pain at oakville physio

Primary versus Secondary OA

Primary OA refers to normal “wear and tear” of the joints. It generally starts showing in people between 55 and 60 years of age. Everyone is different in how they experience symptoms and IF they have pain and limitations. The above risk factors also play a role in this.

Secondary OA refers to a specific injury or trigger that may accelerate cartilage breakdown. Injury, obesity, a history of certain diseases like diabetes, marfan syndrome and other connective tissue disorders,

Signs and Symptoms of OA:

People with osteoarthritis may come into our Oakville clinic looking for treatment from one of our Physio’s, RMT’s or Chiropodists due to one or a combination of the following issues.

There may be a precipitating event that flairs up symptoms of OA like a fall or injury. A person may complain of local pain. The intensity of the pain may be variable. A joint with OA may have stiffness or a decreased range of motion. This can be from a combination of the joint as well as the soft tissue structures around it, over time.

A person with OA may hear clicking or cracking with movement of a joint that may or may not decrease as they move more. The noises may or may not be associated with pain. There may also be mild swelling around a joint with osteoarthritis.

Imaging and Arthritis:

In addition to the signs above some family doctors like to send people for X-rays to confirm their suspicions. X-rays show the joint surfaces and the space between the joints. This will show the thickness and smoothness of the cartilage.

X-rays can sometimes be a red herring.This means that sometimes there may be pain in an area and the imaging shows no joint changes or someone may not have any pain but X-rays show more significant arthritis.

Physiotherapy for knee pain caused by osteoarthritis / OAarthritis

Management of Osteoarthritis:

If you have OA and or the above symptoms, a physiotherapist is a key member of your health care team.

The treatment and education they will provide you should be focussed on your specific limitations, your lifestyle and your goals.

If a joint replacement like a total knee replacement (THR) or total hip replacement (THR) is in your future, we (physiotherapists) can BOTH help get you ready and help you with your recovery. Hopefully you will access physiotherapy early enough that we will help you delay or even prevent needing these surgeries!

Physiotherapists will help you with specific ways to add strength and mobility in an area. This will help with activities of daily living and pain. Fall prevention activities are very important in people with OA as there is a 30% increased falls risk in people with OA. Some of this may have to do with pain medications frequently prescribed. Physiotherapists can help both with a persons pain and pain management as well as longer term pain management strategies.

Massage Therapists can also help with pain and mobility in stiff joints.

Chiropodists can help with the joint alignment from the bottom up through the use of custom orthotics. This can help with both hip, knee and low back OA.

How WE can help!

Having Osteoarthritis does not mean you are destined for years of pain and problems. There is a lot that can be done conservatively to take action.

Oakville Physio showing exercise prescription

Our team at North Oakville’s Palermo Physio and Wellness centre is here to help not only with your aches and pains but also with prevention.

Our Registered Massage Therapists can work on joints and muscles that are stiff and uncomfortable. Many people book in for massage when they have pain and find value in booking massages at regular intervals.

Our Chiropodists provide thorough biomechanics assessments and gait analysis. They can give advise on footwear and measure and fit you for the best custom orthotics for you and your lifestyle and needs.

Our Physiotherapists will work with you to help you get stronger, move better and to work towards your goals. You deserve to have an amazing quality of life and we are here to help!

Contact us to see how we can help!

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Let’s Talk Snow Shovelling and Beyond

After a large snowfall, we often see patients in our clinic. From Physio to Massage, to Yoga, our practitioners are helping people with injuries and aches and pains.

We have shared blog posts in the past with snow shovelling tips (Click Here) to help prevent injuries.

While the advise still stands, it is often a surprise to people how challenging clearing the drive and sidewalk can be. People are often surprised by how they feel afterwards as well. The snow we got in North Oakville and the surrounding areas of Burlington and Milton was A LOT at one time on January 17, 2022. The Halton School Boards have their schools closed for a second day now.

BUT.

It is a good opportunity to be honest regarding how robust and resilient you are. Is there any activity you do in your week that helps to increase your robustness and resilience for tasks like this MASSIVE snow fall?

While going for walks and doing steady state cardio is fine. It is good for your heart, lungs, brain etc. It is NOT strength training. Including exercise that challenges your muscles in your week is what will prepare you for these types of tasks.

Snow shovel showing Oakville Physio and massage clinic

Whether you lift large amounts of snow all at once or do repeated smaller shovels, the net amount of snow is still the same.

If there is one thing our North Oakville Physiotherapists, Massage Therapists and Yoga Therapists can encourage people to do, it is to add global strengthening activities to your week.

PUSH

PULL

SQUAT

LUNGE

HINGE

CARRY

If you are new to these types of activities, are recovering from a surgery or health issue, or recovering from a surgery or are post part, our Physiotherapists are here to help get you started safely.

Kettlebells at Physio clinic in Oakville

If you are injured from this past snowfall our Oakville RMT’s and Physio’s are here to hep you recover with the goal of preventing the same thing from happening in the future.

Contact us to book in at our North Oakville Clinic serving Oakville, Milton and Burlington in person. We also treat physiotherapy patients virtually all over Ontario!

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How a Massage can Help with Stress

Many of our Oakville Massage Therapy patients first come to see one of our Massage Therapists for pain. When they are finished their RMT appointment they comment on how related they feel and sometimes are a little sleepy!

There are many reasons having regular Massage Therapy can help with stress.

First we need to acknowledge our nervous system. Our sympathetic nervous system (SNS) is our fight or flight system. It is the system that responds with physical or mental stressors. It is helpful for us, but stops being helpful if we stay in the system longer then we really need. Our sleep may be affected as well as our general health when stress hormones stay circulating in the body.

Our parasympathetic nervous system (PNS) is our rest and digest system. This is the system we (should) revert to when at rest. One of our Oakville Physiotherapists does an excellent job exploring how these systems affect our pain experience in this blog post.

Relax - words to show oakville massage and physio
Massage Therapy can help with stress as it allows us to switch from our sympathetic nervous system to more of our parasympathetic nervous system. The whole experience can do this in many ways:
  1. Unplugging – setting aside specific time for ourselves where we unplug from work, home and other distractions allows us to focus on ourselves.
  2. Room Setting – having the lights lowered and non-stimulating music playing also calms the nervous system down.
  3. Touch – non-invasive human touch helps tap into the parasympathetic nervous system.

Many of our patients identify this positive side effect of massage therapy. They then choose to book more consistent and regular massages with our registered massage therapists as well.

Contact us to book your next massage therapy session, whether it be for pain, injury recovery, or stress / relaxation. We are able to provide direct billing to most insurance companies.

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Most common issues people are experiencing during the pandemic!

Ever since we re-opened our physical doors on June 1st, 2020 (during the initial lockdown, we were only available for virtual therapy!) some cases have stood out more than others…

  1. A lot of neck / upper back / shoulder / arm pain as people are working exclusively from home
  2. Injuries resulting from people taking advantage of being home to exercise more, specifically by running (e.g. Achilles issues)
  3. Chronic issues resurfacing because people have not being able to work out regularly at the gym (e.g. back pain)

1. Neck / upper back / shoulder / arm pain

The first issue has been directly as a result of the change in ergonomics and working longer hours! Think about it. If you didn’t have a home office, you probably ended up working at the kitchen table, or from the couch. Sitting for eight hours in a kitchen chair, or sinking into the couch the whole time, can get quite uncomfortable.

Plus, at home we don’t have meetings in conference rooms… we don’t drive to see clients… we don’t get up to go talk to someone at another desk… There are lot less breaks from sitting and a greater opportunity to work longer, especially when there is no commute back home!

So… we end up spending longer time in positions that are less than ideal, and end up putting stress on certain muscles or joints.

Not to mention the stress associated with a pandemic! You don’t know how long it’s going to last and it affects your life in so many ways both work and non-work related… And stress causes us to tense up, raises our heart rate and blood pressure, reduces our adaptability and immune system…

It’s no wonder we start having pain!

So what can you do about this?

The pandemic is not going away any time soon. If you haven’t already, it might be a good time to invest in your workspace at home. Here are some suggestions about how to optimize your workspace:

  • Desk and chair height should allow for your forearms to be parallel to the ground while keyboarding and mousing
  • Ideally, chair height should allow your feet to comfortably rest on the ground
  • Seat depth and distance from desk should allow for you to sit as far back as you can, so that you are taking advantage of the backrest
  • Backrests for the full back are preferable to backrests that only go up halfway
  • Backrests with adjustable lumbar support are preferable
  • Screen(s) should be at eye level so you are not constantly looking down
  • If you use a laptop only  consider getting a riser table so that the screen is at eye level, and a wireless keyboard so that your forearms can still be parallel to the ground
  • Consider setting up reminders on your phone to get up to move and stretch, or get a drink of water
  • If possible, consider switching for half an hour to the kitchen island with your laptop so you spend some time standing instead of sitting. Or, when you have conference calls, taking them standing.
physio blog at palermo physio about common injuries and pains during pandemic, discussing tips for home ergonomics
An optimal workspace ergonomic setup at home can make a huge difference!

These ergonomic modifications can make a difference over time. But if your pain has been worsening, let us know so we can help! We are considered an essential service and remain open during lockdown for all of our services: physiotherapy, massage therapy, yoga therapy, chiropody, and acupuncture!

2.  Injuries from exercising more

A lot of people have been walking more, especially in the past Spring and Summer. There have also been a lot more runners and cyclists. This is great news! These are activities that don’t require much (or any) fancy equipment and can be done alone, or with family.

However, when you are adding a new activity for exercise, overdoing it is a concern.

Here are some tips when adding in new exercises to your routine:

  • Do not go from 0 to 100! If you never used to run, start with 2-3x week, not every day.
  • Do not push yourself right off the bat! Start with light jogs, or a run-to-walk ratio. Think more about endurance (pacing yourself) rather than speed. Same goes for biking.
  • Fit bits and 30-day challenges are great motivators. However, pushing yourself to the limit for the sake of hitting a mark can cause more issues than it’s worth. If you are getting pain, do NOT push through it! If you really don’t want to skip the day, replace or modify the activity.
  • Recovery days are just as important as workout days. Whether it’s a full day of rest, or a lighter activity like yoga, recovery days are important to let your tissues recuperate and adapt. What’s more, exercise normally increases your heart rate, blood pressure, and muscle tension. Recovery activities are meant to reduce these metrics so your system is in more balance. This reduces the risk of injury.

If you’ve taken up running have you been having any foot, ankle, knee, hip, or back pain? If you’ve been cycling, any wrist or elbow or shoulder pain?

Oakville Physio clinic showing shoe tying
Running and walking are great activities during the pandemic to stay active.

Let us know so we can help! If you’re not comfortable coming in due to COVID-19 concerns, we continue to offer Telehealth services (video calls). Click here for more information.

3. Chronic issue resurfacing because we are not going to the gym

Do you have any chronic neck or back issues? Did you have a regular workout routine prior to the pandemic? Was this routine interrupted as a result and you’ve been noticing your old issues creeping back in?

If so, you are not the only one!

A lot of people manage certain conditions with regular exercise. They usually notice that if they are not as diligent about their exercises, their pain and mobility may worsen.

Unfortunately, access to gyms has been spotty. Even when lockdown restrictions were lifted in Summer and Fall, gyms were operating at limited capacity and by appointment-only. Unless you have all or most of your workout equipment at home, you were likely affected.

While investing in a new desk or office chair is cheaper and more pressing, investing in workout equipment is not. You may buy some free weights, or splurge on a stationary bike, but you likely are not replacing all the equipment you used to use at the gym.

Or perhaps it’s not the equipment that you miss, but the dynamic and instruction of group exercise classes.

Unfortunately, in-person exercise classes are gone for a while, but there are other options!

So what can you do?

Even if you don’t have chronic pain but would like to get back to being active, here are some ideas:

  • Accept that your workouts do not have to look like what they used to be. A lot of shoulder, core, and leg exercises have equipment-free alternatives that rely on body-weight resistance only!
  • If you have some free-weights but you used to use machines, the free-weights are still better than nothing!
  • If you miss the group classes, a lot of places have online classes. It may not be the same but it’s still better than nothing! Sometimes, it just takes a while to get into a new routine.
  • Take the opportunity to try a new form of exercise that doesn’t require gym equipment (just make sure you follow the tips outlined in the previous section!)
  • If you find it hard to get motivated at home, consider what puts you in the right state of mind… what kind of music do you like working out to? Is there a time of day that works best? Do you like having the motivation of peers? Then ask if some friends want to join you in a remote challenge! Are they free 2-3x week to attend an online class with you? Do they want to check in at the end of each week or each day to make sure everybody is meeting their activity goals?
  • If you need 30-60 minutes on your own 3x week for your health and well-being, have this conversation upfront with family members about helping you do this and how it’s going to work! You don’t have to do this alone!

If your chronic issue has flared up because of the lack of maintenance, let us know! We are here for you whether it’s an in-person appointment or virtually!

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What is Thoracic Outlet Syndrome?

It is easy to mistake the symptoms of Thoracic Outlet Syndrome (TOS) for other things.

TOS is a complex issue that can take time to diagnose. This is because the symptoms can be seemingly diffuse and difficult to pinpoint.

Thoraoc Outlet Syndrome is a condition affecting the upper extremities. There are a number of arm symptoms.

TOS is caused by the compression of structures in what is called the neurovascular bundle. The name is just what you think. This bundle contains nerves and vasculature (veins and arteries) that move together. They are responsible for sending messages to and from the brain and spinal cord, and blood to and from the heart.

The area of compression of these structures is in the thoracic outlet. The thoracic outlet is made of the area above the first rib, at the side of the neck, between the collarbone and rib and between the top ribs and the muscle of the pectorals minor.

Some Facts:

  • TOS is more common in women
  • Structural anomalies, can contribute to the development of TOS. This includes having an extra rib, or differences where some neck muscles attach.

Types of TOS:

  1. Vascular – Is less common. It affects the blood supply in the thoracic region.
  2. Neurological – Is broken into true neurological and symptomatic subgroups.
  3. True Neurological – is called true, because it can be confirmed using imaging.
  4. Symptomatic TOS – is the presence of symptoms without finding anything in the imaging. This is the most common type of TOS by far. Because of this many people are lead on a “wild goose chase” of tests and imaging, even before being sent to Physio, Massage, or Acupuncture.

Signs and Symptoms of Thoracic Outlet Syndrome:

The signs and symptoms can vary between people. They can fluctuate and range from an annoyance to very painful.

  • Pain – in the neck, shoulder, arm or chest.
  • Tingling and Numbness – in the arm and / or hand
  • Swelling, coolness, visible discolouration of the arm / hand are more rare symptoms.
  • Tension or thickening in the side neck muscles (called the scalenes).
Man at desk showing tennis elbow being treated by an Oakville Physio

Yes we Treat TOS at our North Oakville Clinic:

We benefit form working in a multidisciplinary clinic where we can work together to help the same person. We are able to collaborate and bounce ideas off of one another (with a patients permission of course).

Our Oakville Physiotherapists, Massage Therapists, and Acupuncturist are able to work within their scope of practice. This allows us to help a person with TOS manage their symptoms as well as improve.

TOS is generally treated conservatively. This means through the use of medications prescribed by your physician, exercises, and some hands-on treatment. Most cases do improve over time with consistent treatment including a home program.

Exercises for TOS focus on postures, nerve mobilizations, muscle strength and control of the shoulder blade muscles. Physiotherapists may provide some stretching, soft tissue techniques of tight muscles and mobilizations of the ribs and neck. Your Massage Therapist will offer gentle stretching, and massage of areas of tension. Your acupuncturist may provide acupuncture along the course of the nerves affected. This may help decrease the numbness and tingling, relax muscles, help with pain and help with inflammation.

photo showing Massage Therapy in Oakville

If you have been having pain, tingling, and numbness in the arm, we are here to help.

Contact our North Oakville Clinic. We service our local areas of Milton, Oakville, and Burlington within clinic and our Physiotherapists are able to “see” and treat patients virtually all over Ontario.

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Trigger Finger and Physiotherapy / Massage

Your hand and fingers are a complex system of muscles and pulleys. These pulleys act as anchors for the tendons that pass under them and allows you to use your fingers in different positions. With these systems, your hand is able to make different shapes. These shapes and different fists allow for hand function in a variety of ways!

Trigger finger is also known as stenosing tenosynovitis. The finger or thumb when you open and close your fist may click or catch. The finger or thumb may close and get “stuck” in that position or open and be unable to close.

When trigger finger happens, the flexor tendons of the finger , or pulley may be thickened or enlarged and become “stuck” during movement. The area may have local pain and a thickening or bump may be felt.

Most commonly this will happen where the finger attached to the palm. Many may recognize this as the palm side of the knuckle. It can happen less commonly further up the finger at the palm side of the joint, or where the finger bends.

If it is left untreated, the locking and catching may worsen and increase in frequency. It can also affect the range of motion and function of the hands and fingers.

What Causes Trigger Finger?

The cause of trigger finger isn’t always known. This is called idiopathic. It has been linked with diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, previous trauma, and carpal tunnel syndrome.

How can Physiotherapy and Massage help with Trigger Finger?

Our Oakville Physiotherapists will be able to assess your trigger finger for its stage of “triggering”. They’ll also discuss a plan of action with you.

Many people leave a trigger finger until it starts becoming more stuck and they have more functional problems with it. As with most things, early intervention and treatment are important.

Physiotherapists are direct access. This means you can book an assessment with one of our Oakville Physio’s without requiring a prescription from your doctor. Your private insurance may require one, so it is best to check.

Treatment may include activity modification, using a splint / brace, self massage, heat, and exercises that promote mobility of the fingers.

Your massage therapist will massage that area, the forearm musculature and may provide stretching as well.

You should avoid letting the finger lock or click, as best you can.

Oakville Physio clinic for sports injuries
Physiotherapy for Hands and Wrists

Please do not be discouraged if your trigger finger is slow to change and improve. It takes time for the tissues to adapt in such a way where it triggers. It takes time and consistency for the tissues to adapt and tigger less / stop triggering. We generally believe it is best to begin conservative measures and if this is ineffective over the

If you suspect that you have trigger finger of are developing trigger finger, contact us at our North Oakville clinic. Our Physiotherapists will be happy to assess you and discuss a treatment plan with you.

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Manage Stress this Back-to-School 2020, from an Oakville Physio

The team at North Oakvilles Palermo Physio and wellness would like to wish everyone good luck today.

I whatever form of school you have chosen in Halton this September we wish you and your loved ones all the best.

Remember,

if you are struggling to find ways to keep yourself or your children active, our Oakville Physiotherapists are here to offer suggestions.

If you are struggling with stress, tension or anxiety with these changes in the next few weeks, our Oakville Registered Massage Therapists and Yoga Therapist are here for you as well.

Please take extra care of yourselves over the next few weeks as any schedule changes can be challenging, especially in these time.

Some ways to manage stress as a family:

  • Stick to a schedule. Get started with a schedule in advance. This lets you know who should be where and when. This cuts down on brain energy as well as decreases the chances of missing important things.
  • Go for walks. Going for a walk as a family is a great way to get some stress relieving exercise. It also is a perfect opportunity to unplug and actually communicate about your lives.
  • Everyone chips in. Delegate tasks as part of your schedule. Everyone should be able to chip in, big or small.
  • Bed time routine. Unplugging an hour before bedtime and getting started with your bedtime routine is vital to flying and staying asleep. Think sleep training but for children and adults. You may all spend time reading, doing some yoga stretches or even having a shower or bath. This is a time to wind down. Remember, sleep is important for your functioning during the day, your recovery from physical and mental work, and definitely to help bolster your immune system.

To book in for Massage Therapy or Yoga Therapy with our Oakville RMTs and Yoga Therapist, contact us.

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