Conditions Treated
Rehabilitation can make a difference in an individual's ability to live a healthy, active life. Everyone can benefit from treatment whether you are living with a chronic illness, recovering from a work injury or suffering from a minor muscle strain.
Learn about some of the various conditions physiotherapy and rehabilitation can help:
Back Pain
Back pain is a very common ailment and unfortunately can affect us all. Most people will experience some form of back pain in their life. It is often caused by injury such as a car accident, sports, or improper lifting. Other times it's the result of poor habits such as slouching or incorrect posture while sitting or bending. Pregnant women often experience back pain as their body adjusts to the growing child. Back pain can usually be managed and controlled with proper care and attention.
The first steps to relieving back pain, is to first identify the source and what kind of pain it is. If you are among the vast majority of back pain sufferers, you are most likely experiencing a mechanical problem. This means that the source of your symptoms is likely coming from one of the spine's physical components: the bones, the discs or the joints. A physiotherapist can help restore the back to optimal functional ability by providing a routine that can include stretching exercises, a strengthening program, therapeutic massage and other forms of treatment such as joint mobilization and manipulation. They will also teach techniques to improve posture and reduce the risk of further back problems. Although there are often no quick fix solutions to back problems a physiotherapist can help to reduce the pain and improve the overall function and health of the back.
Read our Self-help guide to Back Pain
Neck Pain
Neck pain is a very common ailment and unfortunately can affect us all. A large percentage of Canadians will suffer from neck pain over the course of their life. Neck pain can usually be managed and controlled with proper care and attention.
The first step to relieving neck pain is to identify the source and what kind of pain it is. If you are among the vast majority of neck pain sufferers, you are most likely experiencing a mechanical problem. This means that the source of your symptoms is likely coming from one of the neck's physical components: the bones, the discs or the joints. The good news is that mechanical neck pain almost always falls into one of three common patterns of pain. Once you recognize your typical pattern, you can take steps to quickly reduce the pain.
To learn more, view our Self-help Guide to Neck Pain
Arthritis
Arthritis is one condition that can be debilitating, can cause pain, inflammation, stiffness, limitation of movement, and can keep you from fully enjoying an active life. Arthritis is the most common cause of chronic disability. There is no cure for most forms of arthritis, but with some effort, you can continue to have a strong range of motion in your joints.
At CBI we can develop a personalized program to help you maintain and even improve your strength and mobility. With some help from our physiotherapists and special equipment, arthritis won't always stop you from doing the things you enjoy or need to do. Our rehabilitation is a hands-on form of care and relies on your participation. It involves exercising, learning how to care for sore and swollen joints, and determining ways to minimize the stress on your joints.
In the early stages of arthritis, our goal is to maintain or improve your joint range of motion and muscle strength. If your joint is severely damaged, our physiotherapist will focus on managing your pain and finding special equipment to help you with necessary tasks. The rehabilitation experts at CBI are also experienced in helping people recover from joint surgery. Our rehab program will involve managing your symptoms, exercise, and lifestyle changes.
To find how we can help, read about our Physiotherapy services
Balance & Dizziness Disorders / Vestibular
A balance disorder is a disturbance that causes an individual to feel unsteady or off balance. It may be accompanied by the sensation of movement, spinning, or floating. Balance is the result of several body systems working together – the eyes (visual system), ears (vestibular system) and the body's sense of where it is in space need to be intact. When balance is impaired, an individual may have difficulty maintaining upright orientation. For example, an individual may not be able to walk without staggering, or may not even be able to stand.
A balance disordermay exist if you feel:
-
A sensation of dizziness or vertigo
-
Lightheadedness or feeling woozy
-
Problems reading and difficulty seeing
-
Disorientation
Some individuals may also experience nausea and vomiting, diarrhea, faintness, changes in heart rate and blood pressure, fear, anxiety, or panic. Some reactions to the symptoms are fatigue, depression, and decreased concentration. The symptoms may appear and disappear over short time periods or may last for a longer period of time.
To find how we can help, read about our Balance & Dizziness services
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
Carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) is a common problem affecting the hand and wrist. Symptoms begin when the median nerve gets squeezed inside the carpal tunnel of the wrist, a medical condition known as nerve entrapment. Any condition that decreases the size of the carpal tunnel or enlarges the tissues inside the tunnel can produce the symptoms of CTS.
It has been suggested that CTS may be linked with occupations that require repeated use of the hands, such as typing on a computer keyboard or doing assembly work. However, many people develop this condition regardless of the type of work they do.
One of the first symptoms of CTS is gradual tingling and numbness in the areas supplied by the median nerve. This is typically followed by dull, vague pain where the nerve gives sensation in the hand. The hand may begin to feel like it's asleep, especially in the early morning hours after a night's rest. Touching the pad of the thumb to the tips of the other fingers becomes difficult, making it hard to grasp items such as a steering wheel, newspaper, or telephone.
To find how we can help, read about our Physiotherapy and rehabilitation services
Degenerative Joint / Disc Diseases
Degeneration is the most common cause of spinal stenosis. Wear and tear on the spine from aging and from repeated stresses and strains can cause many problems in the lumbar spine. The intervertebral disc can begin to collapse, and the space between each vertebrae shrinks. Bone spurs may form that stick into the spinal canal and reduce the space available to the spinal nerves. The ligaments that hold the vertebrae together may thicken and also push into the spinal canal. All of these conditions cause the spinal canal to narrow.
Degenerative disc disease refers to a combination of problems in the spine that begins with damage to a disc. It can affect any part of the spine. The most common parts of the spine affected by degenerative disc disease are the lower back and neck areas, however any level of the spine can be affected. Degeneration of the disc can cause local pain in the affected area. When Degenerative Disc Disease specifically affects the spine of the neck, it is more specifically referred to as cervical disc disease. When the mid-back is affected, the condition is known as thoracic disc disease. Degenerative Disc Disease affecting the lumbar spine is referred to as lumbago. The pain from degenerative disc disease is usually treated with heat, rest, rehabilitative exercises, and medications to relieve pain, muscle spasm, and inflammation. The most common early symptom of degenerative disc disease is pain in the back that spreads to the buttocks and upper thighs. Another symptom is a stiff spine.
To find how we can help, read about our Physiotherapy and rehabilitation services
Disc Herniations & Sciatica
Although people often refer to a disc herniation as a slipped disc, the disc doesn't actually slip out of place. Rather, the term herniation means that the material at the center of the disc has squeezed out of its normal space. Healthy discs work like shock absorbers to cushion the spine. They protect the spine against the daily pull of gravity. They also protect it during strenuous activities that put strong force on the spine, such as jumping, running, and lifting.
Vigorous, repetitive bending, twisting, and lifting can place abnormal pressure on the shock-absorbing nucleus of the disc. If great enough, this increased pressure can injure the annulus, leading to herniation. A lumbar disc can also become herniated during a sudden injury. A disc can also herniate from a heavy impact on the spine, such as falling from a ladder and landing in a sitting position. Many cases of lumbar disc herniation result from degenerative changes in the spine. The changes that eventually lead to a disc herniation produce symptoms gradually. At first, complaints may only be dull pain centered in the low back, pain that comes and goes over a period of a few years.
When you visit CBI, our physiotherapist will conduct a complete exam to determine which movements cause pain or other symptoms. Our physiotherapy treatments focus on relieving pain, improving back movement, and fostering healthy posture. The first goal of our treatment is to control symptoms. Your physiotherapist will help you find positions and movements that ease pain. Treatments of heat, cold, ultrasound, and electrical stimulation may be used. Lumbar traction may also be used at first to ease symptoms. In addition, our physiotherapist may use hands-on treatments such as massage or spinal manipulation. These forms of treatment are mainly used to help reduce pain and inflammation so you can resume normal activity as soon as possible.
To find how we can help, read about our Physiotherapy and rehabilitation services
Fibromyalgia / Chronic & Neuropathic Pain
Fibromyalgia (FM), a syndrome causing widespread pain and tenderness, can severely impact your ability to perform everyday tasks and affect your quality of life. Fibromyalgia involves pain throughout the body with especially tender spots near certain joints. The pain stops people with fibromyalgia from functioning normally, partly because they feel exhausted most of the time. Fibromyalgia is a chronic (meaning long-lasting) condition that usually requires many years of treatment. It can occur along with other forms of arthritis or all by itself. It can occur after an injury or out of the blue. Most people diagnosed with fibromyalgia are women in their middle years.
Pain in fibromyalgia is present in soft tissues throughout the body. Pain and stiffness concentrate in spots such as the neck and lower back. The tender spots don't seem to be inflamed. Most tests show nothing out of the ordinary in the anatomy of people with fibromyalgia. Increasing evidence is demonstrating that exercise, such as that prescribed and supervised by a physiotherapist, is an important part of easing fibromyalgia symptoms
To find how we can help, read about our Physiotherapy and rehabilitation services
Foot and Heel Pain/Disorders
Because we use our feet constantly, tendonitis in the foot is a common problem. Chronic, or long-term, tendon problems are common. Tendon problems are especially common in people who play certain types of sports.
One of the most frequently affected tendons is the posterior tibial tendon. This is one of the tendons on the inner side of the ankle and attaches from the back of the shin bone to the bones of the foot. Problems with the posterior tibial tendon seem to occur in stages. Initially, irritation of the outer covering of the tendon, called the paratenon, causes paratendonitis. This means the tendon is inflamed where it runs through the tunnel behind the medial malleolus.
Plantar fasciitis is painful condition affecting the bottom of the foot. It is a common cause of heel pain and is sometimes called a heel spur. Plantar fasciosis is more accurate when there is no inflammation but chronic degeneration instead. Acute plantar fasciitis is defined as inflammation of the origin of the plantar fascia and fascial structures around the area. Plantar fasciitis or fasciosis is usually just on one side. In about 30 per cent of all cases, both feet are affected.
Osteochondritis dissecans (OCD) is a problem that causes pain and stiffness of the ankle joint. It can occur in all age groups. Most cases of OCD usually follow a twisting injury to the ankle and are actually fractures of the joint surface.
To find how we can help, read about our Physiotherapy and rehabilitation services
Rotator Cuff Injuries
The shoulder is designed to allows us to reach and use our hands in many different positions. However, while the shoulder joint has great range of motion, it is not very stable. This makes the shoulder vulnerable to problems if any of its parts aren't in good working order.
The rotator cuff tendons are key to the healthy functioning of the shoulder. They are subject to a lot of wear and tear, or degeneration, as we use our arms. Tearing of the rotator cuff tendons is an especially painful injury. A torn rotator cuff creates a very weak shoulder. Most of the time patients with torn rotator cuffs are in late middle age. But rotator cuffs tears can happen at any age.
The rotator cuff tendons have areas of very low blood supply. The more blood supply a tissue has, the better and faster it can repair and maintain itself. The areas of poor blood supply in the rotator cuff make these tendons especially vulnerable to degeneration from aging.
The degeneration of aging helps explain why the rotator cuff tear is such a common injury later in life. Rotator cuff tears usually occur in areas of the tendon that had low blood supply to begin with and then were further weakened by degeneration.
This problem of degeneration may be accelerated by repeating the same types of shoulder motions. This can happen with overhand athletes, such as baseball pitchers. But even doing routine chores like cleaning windows, washing and waxing cars, or painting can cause the rotator cuff to fatigue from overuse.
Spinal Stenosis
Spinal stenosis is described as a clinical syndrome of buttock or leg pain. These symptoms may occur with or without back pain. It is a condition in which the nerves in the spinal canal are closed in, or compressed. The spinal canal is the hollow tube formed by the bones of the spinal column. Anything that causes this bony tube to shrink can squeeze the nerves inside. As a result of many years of wear and tear on the parts of the spine, the tissues nearest the spinal canal sometimes press against the nerves. This helps explain why lumbar spinal stenosis (stenosis of the low back) is a common cause of back problems in adults over 55 years old. In the lumbar spine, the spinal canal usually has more than enough room for the spinal nerves. Spinal stenosis develops when the canal shrinks and severe symptoms of lumbar spinal stenosis occur.
There are many reasons why symptoms of spinal stenosis develop. Some of the more common reasons include:
- congenital stenosis (being born with a small spinal canal)
- spinal degeneration
- spinal instability
- disc herniation
Spinal stenosis usually develops slowly over a long period of time. This is because the main cause of spinal stenosis is spinal degeneration in later life. Symptoms rarely develop quickly when degeneration is the source of the problem. A severe injury or a herniated disc may cause symptoms to develop immediately. Patients with stenosis don't always feel back pain. Primarily, they have severe pain and weakness in their legs, usually in both legs at the same time.
Sprains / Strains
An ankle sprain is a common injury and usually results when the ankle is twisted, or turned in (inverted). The term sprain signifies injury to the soft tissues, usually the ligaments, of the ankle. A ligament is made up of multiple strands of connective tissue, similar to a nylon rope. A sprain results in stretching or tearing of the ligaments. Minor sprains only stretch the ligament. A tear may be either a complete tear of all the strands of the ligament or a partial tear of only some of the strands. The ligament is weakened by the injury; how much it is weakened depends on the degree of the sprain. Initially the ankle is swollen, painful, and may turn ecchymotic (bruised). The bruising and swelling are due to ruptured blood vessels from the tearing of the soft tissues
Tennis Elbow
Lateral epicondylitis, commonly known as tennis elbow, is not limited to tennis players. The backhand swing in tennis can strain the muscles and tendons of the elbow in a way that leads to tennis elbow. But many other types of repetitive activities can also lead to tennis elbow: painting with a brush or roller, running a chain saw, and using many types of hand tools. Any activities that repeatedly stress the same forearm muscles can cause symptoms of tennis elbow.
TMJ - temporomandibular joint dysfunction
Temporomandibular joint dysfunction or Oro-Facial Pain causes pain and interferes with the movement of the jaw and the surrounding muscles, ligaments and nerves. Common Symptoms include facial pain, jaw clicking, jaw locking, dislocations, trouble chewing, decreased mobility and stiffness within the jaw, headaches, teeth pain.
People who may suffer Oro-Facial pain can include car accident victims, individuals with high stress, individuals who grind their teeth, headache and migraine sufferers, people having extensive orthodontic care, individuals suffering from arthritis.