Physiotherapy is a therapy that is used to preserve, enhance, or
restore movement and physical function impaired by disease, injury,
or disability and that utilizes therapeutic exercise, physical modalities
(such as massage and electrotherapy), assistive devices, and patient
education and training.
Physiotherapy is a registered profession in Canada, and one of the
allied health professions. It is provided by physiotherapists who are
highly trained, with master’s degrees in physiotherapy and registered
with the college of physiotherapists in their province/territory.
1. Sport Injuries and Rehab
At Xpertphysio, our registered physiotherapist has many years of experience in treating sports injuries for professional, college or high school athletes, or recreational sports enthusiasts.
Our goals are:
• Treat the causes
• Resolve the symptoms
• Rebuild the functions and movements
• Return to sports safely
We offer Sports Injury Rehab program that is sports specific, and tailored to your injuries. We provide:
• Pain relief and inflammation control
• Joints mobilization, stabilization and balance
• Muscles strengthening, stretching, and re-education
• Sports specific motion analysis and correction
• Return to sports training
• Prevention of future injuries
We can treat:
• Foot pain, knee pain, hip pain and lower back pain for runners, or bicyclists
• Foot pain, ankle sprain, knee pain, spine pain for dancers, or artistic gymnasts
• Shoulder rotator cuff tear, wrist strain, knee injury or back pain for baseball/ basketball/ volleyball players
• Knee ACL, MCL, Meniscus tear for downhill skiers or soccer players
• Post-concussion for hockey players
• Hand, wrist, shoulder, knee pain for tennis or golf players
• And more …
2. Pre/post-Knee/Hip Replacement Rehab
• Prior to your scheduled surgery, our registered physiotherapist will assess you to get baseline information including location and severity of your pain, range of motion and muscle strength of your hips or knees, and your functional mobility. Our experienced physiotherapist will prescribe exercises to strengthen your knee/hip muscles, improve flexibility to prepare you for your surgery, and help you recover faster.
• Post-Knee/Hip Replacement Rehab, after your knee/hip replacement, our physiotherapist will assess you, and provide:
• Treatments to reduce pain, swelling and stiffness of your knee/hip
• Exercises to restore range of motion and rebuild muscle strength
• Training for transfer and walk with use of walkers properly and safely
• Home safety assessment to allow you live independently and safely at home
3. Neuro Rehab
The common neurological conditions include stroke, cerebral palsy, brain injury, Parkinson’s disease, spinal cord injuries, and multiple sclerosis. Neurological conditions lead to difficulties with motor control, gait, balance, and activities of daily living. These can be improved by training and exercises focus on muscle strengthening, range of motion, balance, gait, simulated task practice to rebuild up the connection in our bodies.
Our experienced physiotherapist will perform a thorough assessment and design a personalized rehab program for you. A neuro rehab session involves extensive one-on-one treatment with our physiotherapist. The physiotherapist may use manual techniques, acupuncture, electrical modalities, and provide education as well.
4. Vestibular Rehabilitation
Vestibular rehabilitation therapy (VRT) is an exercise-based therapy designed to alleviate the symptoms of vestibular disorders. VRT uses specific head, body, and eye exercises designed to retrain the brain to recognize and process impaired signals from the vestibular system and coordinate them with information from vision and proprioception.
The common vestibular conditions include benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV), the unilateral or bilateral vestibular hypofunction, labyrinthitis, and vestibular neuritis.
Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo (BPPV)
BPPV is the most common cause of vertigo, often reported as a spinning sensation. It occurs when calcium carbonate crystals (otoconia) that are dislodged and displaced into one or more of the three fluid-filled semicircular canals. BPPV can be effectively treated with the Epley maneuver performed by a qualified healthcare professional.
5. Temporo-Mandibular Joint (TMJ) Dysfunction
TMJ connects your jawbone to your skull. You have one joint on each side of your jaw. TMJ dysfunction can cause pain in your jaw joint and in the muscles that control jaw movement.
Symptoms of TMJ dysfunction may include:
• Pain or tenderness of your jaw or TMJ
• Aching pain in and around your ear or in your face
• Difficulty chewing or pain while chewing
• Locking of the joint, and difficult to open or close your mouth
• Clicking sound or grating sensation when you open your mouth or chew
Our experienced physiotherapist will perform an assessment, and treat the problem with modalities, acupuncture, manual therapy, exercise program.
6. Post-Concussion Rehab
A concussion is a traumatic brain injury that is usually caused by a blow to the head, violently shaking of the head and upper body. It affects the brain function. Most concussions will gradually resolve in seven to ten days. When signs and symptoms persist for more than 3 weeks, usually a diagnosis of post-concussion syndrome (PCS) can be applied. Some concussions cause temporary loss of consciousness, but most do not. Common symptoms include headache, dizziness, fatigue, confusion or feeling as if in a fog, irritability, ringing in the ears, nausea, vomiting, sleep disturbance, sensitivity to light and noise, difficulty in balance, and concentration or memory difficulty.
A physiotherapist trained in concussion Rehab is able to evaluate and treat many of the symptoms related to concussions. The physiotherapist begins with a thorough assessement and develops a personalized treatment plan for the patient.
Treatment is initially focused on the vestibular rehab that involves the use of specific exercises to alleviate symptoms of vestibular dysfunction, and improve balance and the overall function of the patient.
Headache, neck pain and stiffness are common following a concussion. A physiotherapist can resolve the problems by applying traction of neck, myofascial release technique, acupuncture and acupressure, and exercise program. A physiotherapist also provides the education to guide the clients to return to work or sports safely.
7. Arthritis Care
Arthritis is a common health problem characterized by theinflammation of the joints. It is the leading cause of disability in Canada. The most common symptoms associated with arthritis include pain, tenderness, swelling, stiffness of joints, and limited joint mobility. As arthritis progresses, it causes permanent damage to the joints and deformity of the joints, and affects the activities of daily living.
Our treatments include:
• Modalities: Ultrasound, IFC, Ice or hot pack to decrease pain and inflammation
• Acupuncture or electroacupuncture to reduce pain and improve circulation in the joints
• Massage and joint mobilization to reduce pain and increase range of motion of the joints
• Exercises to strengthen muscles around the joints and improve range of motions of the joints
• Training of use of an assistive device safely
• Education: balance between rest and exercises or activities, and avoiding excessive repetitive movements
8. Geriatrics
Geriatric physiotherapy uses a wide range of skills to accommodate the unique issues of the seniors.
These issues include multiple chronic medical conditions, mobility and balance impairments, social isolation, insufficient emotional support, and difficulties in independent living. Three of the most important areas that physiotherapy would address are pain, impaired balance and mobility, and falls.
What our physiotherapist can do for the seniors?
• Use different modalities, acupuncture, or manual therapy for pain relief
• Provide exercises and training to improve mobility and balance, transfers and walking
• Recommend assistive devices such as walkers and canes
• Provide training and education to decrease the risk of falls
9. Home Visit
If you have difficulty to come to our clinic for treatment, our registered physiotherapist can provide the services in the comfort of your own home. Our physiotherapist comes to your home to do an assessment and perform individualized treatments. Depending on your conditions, the physiotherapist may choose to use modalities such as ultrasound, TENS, acupuncture, EMS, or give your muscle relaxation, prescribe home exercise program, instruct balance and gait training. Home physiotherapy will improve your pain, mobility, balance, ambulation, and functional capacities.
10. Ergonomic Assessments
An ergonomic assessment is the process of performing an evaluation of an individual’s work station and environment in order to identify the problems and provide recommendations and modification of the work station. The goal is to minimize or prevent injury to the individual and promote workplace efficiency through the application of ergonomics.
An ergonomic assessment is usually provided by registered physiotherapists, registered occupational therapists, or certified kinesiologists who have additional courses and training in ergonomics.
11. Bell's Palsy
Bell's palsy is an episode of facial muscle weakness or paralysis resulting from damage to the facial nerve (the 7th cranial nerve). It begins suddenly and worsens over 48 hours. Symptoms usually occur on one side of the face or head.
These are the most common symptoms of Bell's palsy:
• Impaired facial expressions, such as smiling, squinting, blinking,
• Loss of feeling in the face
• Headache
• Tearing
• Drooling
• Loss of the sense of taste on the front two-thirds of the tongue
• Hypersensitivity to sound in the affected ear
• Inability to close the eye on the affected side of the face
Jian, our registered physiotherapist received the special training to treat Bell’s palsy from Guangzhou Chinese Traditional Medicine University in China in 2002. She practiced the unique technique to treat Bell’s palsy for many years, and successfully resolved the pain, restored the movement and facial expression for her patients in a short of period time.
The treatments include:
• Modalities such as ultrasound, IFC, ice pack
• Facial acupuncture and facial electroacupuncture
• Home exercise program
12. Blocked Milk Ducts
A blocked milk duct is when breast milk can't flow through your breasts to your nipple because the duct transporting the milk is blocked. The symptoms involve reddened skin and hard, painful lump in the area where the milk ducts are blocked. Physiotherapy treatment is very effective in resolve the blockage. A physiotherapist will use ultrasound, moist heat, acupuncture, and massage to the affected milk duct. The education will be provided as well to improve breast feeding position and prevent re-occurrence. Typically, the blockage will be resolved with 2-3 physiotherapy treatments.
13. Pelvic Floor Rehab
Pеlvіс floor dуѕfunсtіоn can be caused by weakness of the pelvic floor muscles or by tightness of pelvic floor muscles or tears of the soft tissues of the pelvis. It can contribute to symptoms of incontinence, pelvic organ prolapsed, chronic pelvic pain, pain with intercourse.
Pelvic floor rehab is an evidence-based treatment for common conditions within the pelvis. The treatments are performed in a private room by our female physiotherapist who had the additional courses and trainings in pelvic floor rehab.
14. Gait Analysis/Training
Gait analysis is a comprehensive evaluation of the way an individual stands and walks. Gait analysis is used to identify movement-related abnormalities, pain, or inefficiencies while standing or walking.
Our physiotherapist is well trained to assess your gait pattern, range of motion, muscle strength, body alignment and posture, balance, rhythm and speed of movement, and identify the problems and design a training program tailored to your specific needs.
Gait training is an exercise program and may also use a stationary bike, functional electrical stimulation, and other modalities. It is designed to improve your range of motion, flexibility, muscle strength, balance, and gait pattern.