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What Can You Do At Home For Back Pain?

Everyone suffers from the occasional bout of back pain… so what can you do at home to decrease the pain?

One way to decrease back pain is to get a good night sleep. Pain is a leading cause of insomnia: approximately two-thirds of people with chronic back pain suffer from some type of sleep disorder.  Make sure to organize your bedroom to help you get a good night sleep. Keep your room dark and cool, make sure you have ample pillows to help support your hips, neck and back as needed.

Another easy way to help reduce back pain is simply applying cold/hot packs.

Cold therapy – It reduces inflammation, acts as a local anesthetic, and keeps the nerves from “spasming” and causing pain.

Heat therapy –It stimulates blood flow, which brings healing nutrients to the affected area and can inhibits the pain messages being sent to the brain.

Not all types of heat will work for every person. Heat therapy can take the form of a hot shower, soaking in a hot tub, a heating pad, hot water bottle, or commercial heat wraps that you place on your body and they provide continuous, low-level heat.

Gentle stretching can also help to relieve back pain. When stretching, make sure that it is pain free and never force a stretch.

  • Move into the stretch slowly and avoid bouncing
  • Hold stretches long enough (20-30 seconds)
  • Repeat the stretch several times

If you suffer from chronic back pain or neck pain, check with your physician or health care practitioner before starting any type of exercise or stretching routine.

 Static back stretch:

  • Lie face-up in front of a sturdy chair, with your legs raised and buttocks close to the chair’s front legs.
  • Bend knees to 90° and place calves on chair seat, with legs relaxed in a comfortable position.
  • Breathe from your stomach and let the lower back muscles relax.

Knee to chest stretch:

  •  Lie on your back with your knees bent.
  • Grab both knees and slowly bring them towards your chest and a stretch is felt in your lower back.
  • Hold this position for 30 seconds before lowering your legs back to the floor again.
  • you can also complete this stretch with one leg at a time: Slowly bend one knee and pull your leg up to your chest. Wrap your arms around your thigh, and gently pull the knee towards your chest. Hold and slowly extend the leg to starting position, and repeat with other side.

Supine Groin Stretch:

  • Begin in Static Back position – lie on your back with one leg resting on a chair, knee bent at 90 degrees, while the other leg is extended straight out and resting on the floor alongside the chair.
  • Make sure both legs are aligned with the hips and shoulders
  • The foot of the extended leg should be propped upright to preventing it from rolling to one side
  • Stretch arms along the floor, straight out from shoulders, palms up. Relax entire body and hold

If you are still suffering from back pain after a day or two, contact your health care practitioner: chiropractor, physiotherapist, massage therapist or acupuncturist and make sure you rule out anything serious.

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Mobility And Balance Issues At Any Age

Any one at any age can have balance and mobility issues.  These types of issues can be caused by an illness, injury, or as a natural progression as we age. When you are dealing with a balance or mobility issue you can increase the chance of sustaining an injury from a fall.  A physiotherapist can help to treat these symptoms and can help to increase your range of motion, strengthen your muscles, and improve your posture.

The physiotherapists at Diversified Health are trained to assess joint mobility, muscular strength, balance and gait patterns.  Part of their assessment is to identify deficits and come up with a program to improve such key issues as quadriceps and gluteus (thigh and buttock) strength. The practitioners will advise you on which specific strength, mobility and balance exercises would be most beneficial for you, and will make suggestions on functional ways to work on these exercises at home or at the gym.

Balance is dependent on core stability, hip and leg muscle control and visual systems. There are two types of balance; static balance when you are not moving, and dynamic balance when you start to move.

Related conditions poor balance can affect:

  • Achilles Tendon
  • Back Muscle Pain
  • Facet Joint Pain
  • Hamstring Strain
  • Knee Injuries
  • Muscle Strain
  • Overuse Injuries
  • Sciatica
  • Plantar Fasciitis

At Diversified Health, some specific exercises you might be shown include wall squats, bridging, or outer hip strengthening.  You might use tools such as balance boards, BOSU balls, the Vibe machine, and various other cardio or weight equipment. Other treatment options include: Gait Analysis, Ultrasound, Supportive Taping & Strapping, TENS Machine and Laser therapy.

The physiotherapists also educate regarding footwear, posture and general activity, exercise, and help you come up with a plan to incorporate all three kinds of physical activity (strength and balance exercises; endurance exercises; and flexibility exercises) into your daily life.
In most cases, your balance deficits can be quickly improved with specific balance or stability exercises.

 

 

 

 

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What Is An IMS Treatment, And How Can It Help?

IMS, or dry needling is a therapeutic treatment that targets tight, sore, and injured muscles.  The goal of IMS is to release tight muscles in order to relieve nerve irritation and restore range of motion.

A Physiotherapist will insert thin needles into a tight muscle while changing the needles depth and direction. This motion will cause that muscle to “twitch”.  The “twitch” is caused by a quick contraction of the muscle.  This grasping feeling will then in turn become a feeling of release as the tightened and short muscle relaxes: the needle is then removed.  (A needle placed in a normal healthy muscle would cause no response and no pain).

The experience of an IMS treatment greatly varies from person to person. The response can be anywhere from uncomfortable to quite painful; but it’s temporary.  The level of discomfort is directly related to the level of nerve dysfunction, and the discomfort will decrease as the nerve returns to normal function.  It is not the needle causing the pain, but the muscle’s response to the needling that is causing the pain.

There are a number of changes that take place when the needle is inserted into a muscle.  First, the stretch receptor in the muscle is stimulated, producing a reflex relaxation (lengthening). Second, the tiny “injury” created by the needle draws blood to the area, initiating the natural healing process. Thirdly, inserting the needle also creates what’s called an “electric potential” which acts like a reset switch to make the nerve function normally again.

IMS is helpful for the following conditions:

  • Neck pain
  • Back pain
  • Sciatica
  • Whiplash
  • Shoulder pain
  • Tennis Elbow
  • Muscle sprains
  • Runners Knee
  • Plantar Fasciitis

The longer you have had your symptoms, the more treatments that are usually required. It can take 3-4 sessions to notice prolonged improvements in symptoms, though improvements are often found after the first session. On average, 4-8 sessions are required.

For more information on IMS/ dry needling, please contact our physiotherapists.

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The Two Must Do’s After A Car Accident

You can suffer injuries after a car accident even if there is no physical damage done to your car. The majority of injuries suffered in minor auto accident are soft tissue injuries. A chiropractor, physiotherapist or massage therapist can help you recover after your auto accident.

One of the most important things to do after an auto accident is to seek medical attention. Many people who have been in auto accident go straight to the ER. The ER may perscribe or conduct imaging, treat any cuts or broken bones, write a prescription for the pain and tell you to follow up with your primary care doctor.  There is also the option of going to your GP, walk in clinic or health care practitioner.

Some of the symptoms from a car accident that may not show up immediately are:

Arm / Leg Pain
Back / Neck Pain
Bruising / Tenderness
Dizziness / Headaches
Muscle Weakness
Numbness
Sprains / Strains
Whiplash

Don’t underestimate the emotional symptoms caused by a car accident and make sure you take care of your mental health. Following a car accident, you may suffer from depression, easily frustrated, difficulty concentrating, anxiety, and “mental fog”.

The second most important thing to do after a car accident is to start a medical file/journal. Take detailed notes on your injuries, (take pictures of the accident location, and photos of your car’s damage and photos of your own injuries) treatments and what challenges you experience on a daily basis starting from the day of the accident and continuing until your last treatment; which can be a few days to numerous months depending on the severity of your injuries.

  • Keep a list of all doctors, clinics, hospitals, and health care practitioners
  • Keep receipts for all medical bills and receipts
  • Keep all correspondence with medical professionals, (emails, telephone conversations etc.) insurance adjusters, and any accident reports from the police
  •  Keep records of financial losses, such as lost wages

After the accident, your number one priority is to restore your mobility and range of motion, so you can get back to enjoying your daily activities.

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Job Posting – Administrative Assistant/Receptionist

Exterior.jpg.4f0de2feDiversified Health Clinic is a multi-disciplinary, collaborative health and wellness center that combines a wide range of services including Chiropractic, Physiotherapy, Registered Massage Therapy, and Acupuncture.  We are currently hiring an Administrative Assistant/Receptionist to our growing team.

We are a high volume clinic with a strong team of practitioners and staff. The successful applicant will be comfortable working independently as well as being an integral part of our team.

This is a customer focused position with duties including patient bookings, answering phones and email inquiries, filing, insurance submissions and billings, MSP/Extended Health  billings and processing, opening and closing procedures and various office duties as needed. This is not an MOA position, however, a strong administrative background in health services is an asset and the ability to prioritize and multi-task are essential.

We are currently recruiting for a permanent part time position. This position is 3 days per week; Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays. The position is approximately 21 hours per week. This is an hourly wage-based position. Position to start immediately.

Resumes can be emailed to the Clinic Manager, Lola Steel at lsteel@diversifiedhealth.ca or dropped off at the Clinic at 1063 Fort Street, attention to Lola Steel.

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Treatments To Consider For Low Back Pain

Most cases of low back pain can be caused by a variety of problems, including muscle strain or sprain, herniated disc or degenerative disc disease. Typical sources of low back pain include:

  • Osteoarthritis
  • Muscle spasm
  • Ruptured or herniated disk
  • Sciatica
  • Strain or tears to the muscles or ligaments supporting the back
  • The nerve roots in the low back, may be irritated
  • The bones, ligaments or joints may be damaged

Low back pain from a muscle strain is the most common and can be caused by lifting a heavy object, lifting while twisting, or a sudden movement or fall.  While pain or discomfort can happen anywhere in your back, the most common area affected is your low back.

When the muscles in the low back are strained or torn, the area around the muscles becomes inflamed.  This inflammation causes the muscles in the back to spasm and cause low back pain.

Treatment for low back pain depends upon the patient’s history and the type and severity of pain. The vast majority of lower back pain cases get better within six to eight weeks.

Treating low back pain consists of a combination of treatments, such as Chiropractic, Massage, Physiotherapy, Acupuncture, Cryo/Hydro Therapy, Laser Therapy, TENS therapy, Ultrasound, eToims, Decompression Table, Graston Technique, Shockwave Therapy, Neuro-mechanical Adjusting Tool as well as topical ointments such as Traumeel and nutritional supplements that help with inflammation.

An exercise program is necessary and essential to rehabilitate the spine, increase your range of motion and help alleviate back pain.

With the first symptoms of low back pain, stop the activity for the first few days; this allows injured tissue to begin to heal, and reduce any swelling or inflammation. You can also apply heat/ice to the painful area. Always use ice for the first 48-72 hours, then use heat.  You can also take something to help with the inflammation such as ibuprofen or nutritional supplements.

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Shockwave Therapy For Acute and Chronic Pain

Shockwave Therapy is a non-surgical treatment of soft tissue, bone, and joint pain.  Shockwave Therapy provides a safe, non-invasive, non-surgical alternative for those suffering with acute and chronic pain such as: knee pain, heel pain, foot pain, ankle pain, hamstring pain, back pain, neck pain, shoulder pain, elbow pain, wrist pain and hand pain.  It is also used to address sports injuries, scar tissue, stress fractures, enhance bone healing, and anyone suffering from joint and tendon disorders.

There are no side effects or long term effects with shockwave therapy and no extended recovery period. Shockwave therapy improves the metabolism in the pain region, increases blood circulation, promotes and accelerates the recovery of injured tissue, and stimulates the body’s repair mechanisms. Damaged tissue gradually regenerates and eventually heals.

Shockwave Therapy:

~ Decreases muscle tension and spasms
~ Reduces pain in the affected area
~ Decreases risk of Oedema (build up of fluid in the body which causes the affected tissue becoming swollen)
~ Increases production of collagen
~ Improves metabolism and circulation
~ Increases oxygenation to the damaged tissue
~ Dissolves calcified fibroblasts (type of cell that is responsible for making collagen)

Shockwave Therapy is exceptionally good at pain management by stimulating a metabolic reaction in the affected tissue, causing stress fibers to change in their permeability. Shockwave Therapy breaks down calcific deposits which induces an analgesic reaction, which blocks pain messages.

During a Shockwave treatment, a high-intensity sound wave interacts with the tissues of the body, effectively re-injuring the area on a cellular level and breaking up scarring that has occurred in the tendons and ligaments.  The controlled re-injuring of tissue allows the body to regenerate blood vessels and bone cells.  The resulting re-vascularization leads to faster healing, reversal of chronic inflammation, stimulation of collagen and a return to pre-injury activity levels.

To find out more about Shockwave Therapy, and to find out if this treatment is right for you, please contact our health care practitioners at 250-382-0018.

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Physiotherapy & Running

Physiotherapy Association of British Columbia article on:  How Physiotherapy Can Prevent & Treat Injury

Whether you are new to running or a long time fan, injuries are unfortunately common in the sport. From minor aches and pains to strains, sprains or broken bones, many injuries can keep you from continuing to enjoy running. A physiotherapist can work with you to treat a running injury, and they can also help you prevent injuries before they happen by doing gait analysis, recommending stretches, warm up exercises and

Whether you’re a dedicated longtime runner or someone who has just started out with a running goal, a physio can be a great ally to helping you both excel at and enjoy running as form of exercise. No matter what your level of fitness is, a physiotherapist will help you diagnose a running injury, treat the issue and give you easy to follow exercises and stretches you can do to improve strength and prevent further injury.

Depending on the type of running injury, techniques to treat them can include manual therapy, specialized stretches and exercises, ultrasound, taping, night splints, orthotics, acupuncture and more. For immediate relief from sprains, for example, physiotherapists will treat you with electrotherapy such as ultrasound and laser, and supportive bracing and taping to start your recovery. Physiotherapists can develop custom treatments and exercises for you that will be appropriate to your specific injury and your own level of fitness.

To read more tips about how working with a physio can help you either prevent a running injury or recover from one, download  the Physiotherapy Association of British Columbia’s tip sheet.

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Vitamins You Need If You’re A Runner

Eating a healthy diet is essential to having a healthy body. If you are a runner, you need to make sure that you are eating well and consuming the right amount of nutrients and vitamins to help fuel your body.

Below are a few of the essential vitamins that runners should be incorporating into their diets.

Vitamin B12

Vitamin B12 is a water-soluble vitamin that is involved in the formation of red blood cells. as well as being a a key role in the normal functioning of the brain and nervous system.  The daily recommend amount is 2.4 micrograms.

Vitamin B12 is naturally found in animal products, including fish, meat, poultry, eggs, milk, and milk products.

Calcium

Calcium is required for vascular health, muscle function, nerve transmission and bone health. The daily recommend amount is 1,000 milligrams.

Calcium is naturally found in milk, yogurt, cheeses, as well as non-dairy sources like cabbage, kale, and broccoli.

Vitamin C

Vitamin C is a water-soluble vitamin that is required for the biosynthesis of collagen and is, also an antioxidant. The daily recommend amount is 90 milligrams for men and 75 milligrams for women.

Good food sources for vitamin C include peppers, kiwifruit, broccoli, strawberries, citrus fruits, tomatoes and potatoes.

Vitamin D

Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin that promotes calcium absorption and is needed for bone growth.  The daily recommend amount is 600 IU.

Fatty fish such as salmon, tuna, and mackerel, as well as egg yolks are among the best sources of vitamin D.

Vitamin E

Vitamin E helps your immune system fight against viruses and bacteria. Vitamin E is also a powerful anti-inflammatory antioxidant.   The daily recommend amount is 15 milligrams.

Numerous foods provide vitamin E; such as nuts, seeds, and vegetable oils.

Iron

Iron is a mineral that is an essential component of hemoglobin, and is also necessary for the growth and development of normal cellular functions.  The daily recommend amount is 8 milligrams for men and 18 milligrams for women.

The richest sources of iron is lean meats, seafood, nuts and beans.

Omega-3

Omega-3s have been shown to reduce inflammation and help in the process of tissue repair.  The daily recommend amount is 1.6 milligrams for men and 18.1 milligrams for women.

The easiest way to increase your omega 3, is to consume cold-water fatty fish, such as salmon, mackerel, tuna, and sardines.

Eating a healthy diet is just part of a healthy lifestyle. Contact your health care practitioner for more information.

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TC10K Race – April 30th, 2017

One of the biggest running event of the year in Victoria BC is just around the corner: the 28th annual TC 10K run! This year the race is on Sunday, April 30th.

The TC10K Run is accepting registrations for racers of all ages, as well as, competitive and recreational wheelchair athletes , elite athletes, visually impaired athletes, Nordic pole walkers, and The Thrifty Foods 1.5K Family Run.  The Competitive Walk Category will not be offered this year.

Whether you are a seasoned runner or a first timer, here are a few tips to help you on your way:

The day before the race:

  • Keep to your regular schedule, eat correctly, hydrate and get sleep. Race week isn’t the time to try new shoes, new food or drinks, new gear, or anything else you haven’t used on several workouts.
  • Re-read your race package and double check that you have everything you need. Pack your race bag, lay out your clothes and runners and know what time you need to leave the house.

The night before the race:

  • Make sure that everything you need for the morning is ready to go. Make sure you pack essential items such as the Race Bib number, safety pins, race timing chip, watch, smartphone etc.
  • Don’t drink alcohol or caffeine the night before your race as it can have a dehydrating effect.
  • Find out the weather conditions and dress accordingly Don’t overdress –  a good rule of thumb is to dress for 20 degrees warmer than it is outside.

Race day: before the race

  •  Allow yourself plenty of time to travel to the race start area,  check in, and warm up – factoring in the large crowds and street closures.
  • The race start area will be chaotic. At the start of the race there will be lots of people running shoulder to shoulder so be mentally prepared for this. Take a few minutes to find your pace.
  • Line up early, so you don’t have to be rushing to the starting line
  • Try not to stress about the race – The TC10K  Race is a positive community events. There are volunteers throughout the race that will be cheering you on, offering water, and entertainment along the route.

For a “first timer”, is is better to start slow, and stay steady. Run the first 10 percent of the race slower than you normally would, and then keep an even pace throughout the reminder of the race.  Save your extra energy for the final stretch to the finish line.

Race day: after the race

  • When you’ve crossed the finish line, grab some water and get in some calories when you finish, then keep moving.  A 15 minute walk will help your recovery.
  • The next day, it’s important to do some sort of non impact activity like swimming to help your body recover.

On race day, it’s all about believing in yourself, enjoying the journey and having fun.

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