SERVICES

SEE BELOW FOR FULL DESCRIPTION:

Physiotherapy – Physiotherapists are registered with the College of Physiotherapy and provide active, individualised, evidence-based treatment for orthopaedic and neurological conditions. A variety of treatment techniques such as manual therapy, functional exercises or modalities may be used with the goal of optimizing a patients overall function, maintaining independence and preventing injuries. The physiotherapy treatment approach is client-centered. Each visit is one on one (30-60 minutes) and each treatment plan will be individualised and focused on each patient’s specific life demands and goals. Physiotherapists have extensive training in orthopaedic injuries, sport specific rehabilitation and neurological conditions. Due to extensive Manual therapy courses some physiotherapists can also provide ART – active release techniques, acupuncture, peripheral and spinal mobilizations and manipulations. Due to the individualised, client centered approach, as well as the evidence-based treatment and increased one on one time, patients typically require fewer treatment sessions.

Acupuncture – Acupuncture is a treatment where fine needles are inserted into various points on the body, some of the points will feel like an ache, some may feel like a small pinch and some will be painfree. Acupuncture benefits include increased circulation, decreased pain, increased muscle recruitment, increased relaxation and decreased muscle tone or trigger points. Needles come individually packaged and sterile and are for one time use only.

Trigger Point Dry Needling – Myofascial Dry Needling derives from acupuncture and specifically targets trouble spots known as “trigger-points”. These acutely contracted muscle bundles are “deactivated” and released with a very fine acupuncture needle by creating a local muscle twitch (sometimes felt as an uncomfortable cramping sensation) in order to release the muscle tension, decrease pain and restore optimal muscle length and function. Healthy muscles feel very little discomfort and are unlikely to twitch with the needle insertion. This approach is more anatomically based, and focuses on key areas of concern, as assessed by the therapist.  The inherent reaction to pain is always spasm, and thus often more structures become involved in an injury and thus affect the mechanics of our joints; therefore, this method is a fast and effective way to release muscle tension, of even several trigger-points in a single session, allowing the therapist to efficiently treat the underlying joint dysfunction. Following a dry-needle treatment, some local pain or tenderness is common similarly to a weights work-out, of note this discomfort is often managed with ice and/or heat. This treatment benefits patients with injuries of all types: acute, surgical, chronic, postural, etc.

Acupuncture with electrical stimulation – Electrical stimulation can be added to the needles to increase the effects of acupuncture listed above. Depending on the nerves that the therapist would like to stimulate and the stage of healing a therapist can chose different frequencies of current for various effects. The current is painfree and feels like a strong buzzing or tapping sensation.

Small Group Physiotherapy Functional Training – Functional training is specific to each patient, but coordinated in a small group setting. It involves strengthening the body for the specific demands of injury recovery, sport performance, postural rebalancing, etc. for each client, with clients grouped together with similar clients to encourage a motivating atmosphere and a platform for supervised physiotherapy programs with the ability to accelerate at a more timely rate than typical home exercise programs. Although these are conducted ins mall group settings, due to the nature that each client in the group has been individually assessed, the class is tailored appropriately and each exercise is highly supervised per client offering a focused program per client.  Small group physiotherapy/functional training provides a more motivating, instructional, safe and progressive alternative to typical home physiotherapy exercises programs to ensure you are able to get back to the activities you love following an injury and with the goal of preventing any re-injury.

Injury Prevention Training/Therapy – If you have not had an injury and are an active individual a functional assessment can help address any areas of muscle imbalances or joint restrictions before an injury occurs. A proactive functional training program can be designed to ensure you are working to prevent any injuries before they happen. Whether you are being rehabilitated from a specific injury or being proactive and trying to prevent injury your program will be designed specifically to suit you and your individual goals and lifestyle.

Pre and Post Operative

Rehabilitation

Pre-Operative – The stronger you are before surgery the quicker you will rehabilitate after. As such we provide pre-operative rehabilitation programs to help strengthen the specific area and get you in the best shape possible pre-surgery in order to allow the best outcome post-surgery.

Post-Operative – With new advances in medicine it is now more and more apparent that is very important to get moving right after surgery. Depending on your surgery you may have specific movement or weight bearing restrictions. You should book in for physiotherapy ASAP after surgery. Your treatment on the day after surgery may be more passive and focus on surrounding joints, decreasing swelling and initiating muscle recruitment, however the sooner you start mobilizing the quicker you will recover. A physiotherapist will assess you and make a specific rehabilitation plan depending on your surgery, any surgical restrictions and your specific goals.

Manual Therapy – Physiotherapists often use a variety of hands on manual therapy techniques to mobilize joints and soft tissues. Many courses are offered through the Canadian Physiotherapy Association’s different divisions, and allow for a comprehensive spectrum of manual therapy techniques to most efficiently treat your injuries to help your safe and timely recovery. Manual therapy training promotes holistic approach to treating the client as a whole, thus ensuring all areas of restriction that may be contributing to the symptoms, including secondary results of an injury, are treated thoroughly.

Active Release Techniques (ART) – ART or Active Release Technique is a technique that was developed and refined by chiropractor Dr. Michael Leahy DC, CCSP. It is a soft tissue technique that uses patient generated movement to improve muscle length, decrease adhesions, break up scar tissue, decrease nerve entrapments and improve circulation. ART can be used to treat muscle, tendon, nerve, ligaments and fascia. As adhesions build in tissue muscle can become shorter and weaker. This affects both the tissue, joint and nerve mobility around the scarred tissue. Scarring can result in decreased blood flow and mobility to the affected tissue as well. The goal of ART is to improve the mobility of the tissue, joints and nerve by decreasing adhesions and improving blood flow. To be trained to perform ART health care providers (massage therapists, chiropractors and physiotherapists) must take the ART courses and pass the corresponding written and practical exams. ART providers are the main therapy providers for various sports teams and the Ironman series of races.

ART treatment is often combined with other forms of manual and soft tissue treatments such as physiotherapy, joint mobilizations or manipulations, acupuncture and functional exercise. In combination with working on tissue that is scarred and has decreased length, exercises must also be incorporated to address any muscle imbalances that lead to this condition in the first place. Similarly joint mobilizations or manipulations might be required to address underlying joint restrictions. Your first visit will include a full assessment of joint, nerve and tissue mobility and strength in order to determine the best course of treatment. Treatment will be individual and specific to the functional sport or work demands of each patient.

Modalities – Modalities may be incorporated into your physiotherapy treatment, although are rarely the primary focus of your treatment. These may be provided to supplement the manual one on one treatment. In order to add to symptomatic relief. Modalities such as TENS, acupuncture, dry needling, electrical acupuncture, ultrasound interferential current and muscle stimulation can help to decrease pain and inflammation, increase muscle recruitment, improve motor patterns and promote tissue healing.

Heat/Cold – Heat and cold therapy may also be a part of your physiotherapy treatment, this may be at the clinic and/or at home. These treatments are often incorporated to decrease any post treatment soreness, inflammation or to increase tissue mobility pre-treatment.

Team training and Injury prevention talks – Injury prevention talks for teams, team sports specific training and sport groups, such as running groups, yoga groups, youth groups, etc. is available for all sports and ages. Learning how to incorporate a dynamic warm up,  proper post-training static stretching, creating sports specific strengthening programs, general injury prevention education principles etc. will help to significantly decrease injuries for you and/or your team this season.  Please visit the Blog section for upcoming talks in the Ottawa community, and please contact FL!P Physiotherapy Centre for more information on upcoming talks or to discuss meeting the needs of you and your teams talk/seminar/workshop.

On site game sports physiotherapy therapy – On site Physiotherapy is available for your team depending on availability. Contact FL!P Physiotherapy Centre for more information and to discuss your specific needs. Services can include emergency first aid, on-site treatment and assessment, taping, stretching, ART (Active Release Techniques), injury prevention seminars and workshops, ergonomic assessments, etc.

In Home Physiotherapy Treatment – In home treatment may also be available, depending on scheduling availability. Please contact FL!P Physiotherapy Centre for more information.