SOS Physiotherapy: Determining The Origins of Your Pain

SOS Physiotherapy: Determining The Origins of Your Pain

The Spinal Column The Newsletter About Your Health And Caring For Your Body

ISSUE NUMBER 29

HOME AWAY FROM HOME

What makes you, YOU? Certain things are better appreciated in hindsight. Looking back, it is remarkable how all the subtleties of our family upbringing, the friends we rubbed shoulders with, and even the places we visited, can facilitate the way we see the world and the character we establish. There is likely no single place that has had a greater impact on me than Camp Mishewah. A campground located on little Round Lake in Killaloe, Ontario (home of the Beaver Tail!)- 30 minutes outside of Pembroke in the Ottawa Valley. A place I was first dragged to with my family in my childhood to spend a week camping in a cabin, enjoying the outdoors through activities like canoeing, sailing, and swimming. As years progressed, I eventually made the decision to return to Mishewah on my own accord to serve as a camp counselor and eventually summer staff team leader. Children and youth week- long camp programming was typically run in the latter half of each summer. I spent the better portion of 6 consecutive summers at this camp, having the opportunity to love, encourage, and be

challenged by the various campers and counselors as I did my part to foster leadership and assorted life skills in these groups. These turned out to be some of the most trying and rewarding years of my life and where I would accredit the development of my heart for serving others and the fortification of many of my personal values. Camp Mishewah is also where I met my wife Emily. Together we continue to visit Mishewah seasonally at a trailer we have there. This affords us the ability to continue to cherish memories of this place from our younger years while building new memories as we camp lakeside with our family and friends. With the sun shining hot now, we have been able to take some time to head up to our trailer for another season of outdoor antics and spiritual rest. - Ryan

INSIDE: • Understanding Your Pain • Determining The Origins Of Your Pain

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UNDERSTANDING YOUR PAIN

When you meet with a physiotherapist to understand where your pain may be coming from, one of the first things you’ll do is have a conversation about your pain. How long you’ve been experiencing pain, where it developed and how the pain manifests itself are all very important distinctions that can help shed some light on what may be causing your discomfort. Here are a few things you may want to consider before heading into physiotherapy: • Consider exactly where the pain occurs in your body, and research what the different parts of the body are called so that you can have an accurate and helpful conversation about your pain. For example, back pain has a lot of different differentiations, and lumbar pain (which is in the lower back) is frequently caused by factors different from what would cause upper-back or neck pain. • How does the pain feel when it develops? Is it a lingering ache? Is it a sharp stab? Is it more of a tingling feeling? Each of these sensations are actually associated with different types of problems, so describing your pain appropriately may be helpful in determining the best treatment methods for your body’s needs.

• What do you think may be causing the pain? Of course, it happens that a pain will develop, and you are dumbfounded as to why, but more often than not, there is something that you think could be influencing it. If the pain started around the same time as a change in environment or life circumstances, then it is worth telling your physiotherapist about the association. Another thing to consider about your pain is whether or not it develops at particular times of the day or year. There are plenty of situations when someone begins to experience pain when the weather starts to change, and it turns out that the pain is a result of arthritis and inflammation. There are other situations in which the pain will develop as a result of prolonged sitting or the opposite — such as when things get crazy at home or at work, and you find that you are not getting as much sleep as usual. Considering any changes in your daily habits or environmental factors can be very helpful in determining what is causing your pain. Regardless of where your pain is, how long you’ve been dealing with it, or how intense the pain feels, the smart thing to do when pain develops is to speak with a physiotherapist. Working with a physiotherapist can help you finally get a step ahead of your pain, finding treatment options that are designed to provide you with long-term relief instead of temporary relief from medication. For more information about physiotherapy for overcoming bodily pain, contact us.

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SOS PHYSIOTHERAPY IS OPEN FOR VIRTUAL AND IN-PERSON TREATMENTS! CALL ANY ONE OF OUR 3 LOCATIONS

Belmont Clinic Belmont Professional Centre 564 Belmont Avenue West, Suite 301 Kitchener, Ontario N2M 5N6 TEL: (519) 743-4355

Elmira Clinic Behind Wellness Centre (Clock Tower) 3 Wyatt Street East, Suite 2 Elmira, Ontario N3B 2H4 TEL: (519) 669-1212

Northfield Clinic (**Now Open**) Waterloo Corporate Campus (Sobeys Plaza)

595 Parkside Drive, Suite 5A Waterloo, Ontario N2L 0C7 TEL: (519) 888-7070

DETERMINING THE ORIGIN OF YOUR PAIN

Sometimes it happens when a pain develops that you can immediately identify the cause. A new pair of shoes may cause a sharp pain in your heel, or an old chair at work may cause your back to grow sore and uncomfortable as time goes on. But there are other situations in which pain develops, and the cause of the pain is unclear. Different types of bodily pain can tell you different things about your body and overall bodily health. Sometimes, a pain in your arm or your leg may have little to nothing to do with an actual issue in your arm or leg. Physiotherapists are like well-trained detectives when it comes to identifying the causes of pain. A physiotherapist knows the way that the nervous system works, making it possible to identify the potential causes of pain, even if the pain is manifesting itself in an unusual or seemingly inexplicable way. Whether you are suffering from pain in your head, your back, your neck or anywhere else in your body, working with a physiotherapist can help you find the relief you are looking for. Physiotherapists are trained in identifying and treating the cause of your pain, giving you the opportunity to shift away from the ongoing use of pain medication and instead find relief from your pain with a series of strategies that include stretching, muscle building and flexibility training.

For more information about physiotherapy for overcoming bodily pain, contact us today.

Fun With Physiotherapy

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Student Profiles

What Is Partner Acro/Acroyoga?

Hi, my name is Lavanya Amirthalingam and I am a second year physiotherapy student at the University of Western Ontario. I am so excited to work alongside the SOS physiotherapy team for 8 weeks at the Northfield location under supervision of Adam and Jon. I completed my 5 year undergraduate program in Kinesiology Co-op at the University of Waterloo and it feels so great to be back in this wonderful city. My mission as a physiotherapist is to

commit to lifelong learning and deliver professional treatment supported by current clinical guidelines to achieve beneficial outcomes. I hope to provide care with the highest level of quality while utilizing a holistic approach for effective treatment and optimal recovery. Some of my other interests lie in beauty and fashion but above all, I love to travel at least once a year! Experiencing the beauty of different cultures and foods as well as creating memories with loved ones are many reasons as to why I love to travel.

Acroyoga is a practice you can do almost anywhere. Often it involves having a partner and practicing different poses and movements that challenge your balance, strength, flexibility, and coordination. It may be as simple as doing what we call “bird pose” which looks like what I called airplane when I was a child (one person lying on the ground with their feet up and the second person balancing on their feet), or as complicated as doing a handstand balancing on someone else’s hands, and other tricks you many see in Cirque De Soleil. Difficulty level is all based on the participants desire, comfort, and ability. Here in Kitchener-Waterloo there is a large acroyoga community that you can connect with on Facebook by searching “KW AcroYoga Community”. Usually in the summer the group meets once or twice a week at Victoria Park in Kitchener to learn and practice new things together. This community is full of people of all ages (around 19-40 years old) and skill levels. If you have ever considered trying anything similar, I would recommend joining the group on Facebook and coming to one of the “jams”. Everyone is always excited to meet and teach new people fun tricks! As you can see in the above pictures I even got PT Melissa doing some acroyoga with me! - Leanne

Hello! My name is Leanne Park . I am a second year Western Physiotherapy student working with Melissa Norris at the SOS Physiotherapy’s Elmira location. My hometown is Waterloo, so I grew up going to the Elmira syrup festival every year. It has been wonderful spending more time getting to know Elmira this placement! I did my undergraduate degree in Kinesiology with a minor in Rehabilitation Sciences here at The University of Waterloo,

prior to starting my Masters of Physiotherapy at Western University. Believe it or not, my passion for physiotherapy started when I was only 12 years old! Growing up I was a competitive gymnast and through my sport I acquired many injuries which led me to seek physiotherapy treatment. With the help of my physiotherapist I was able to continue gymnastics, which at the time meant the world to me and inspired me to become a physiotherapist so I too could help improve others physical function. I have always valued my health and the freedom to participate in physical activity and believe everyone should have the opportunity to participate in any physical activity of their choosing pain free. My mission is to help others get back to partake in activities that are meaningful to them so they can enjoy their life to the fullest extent. In my spare time I can often be found upside-down. I regularly practice handstands as well as partner Acro. More recently I have started teaching myself how to slack-line.

TELL US ABOUT YOUR REHAB EXPERIENCE WITH SOS PHYSIOTHERAPY!

Belmont Clinic Belmont Professional Centre 564 Belmont Avenue West, Suite 301 Kitchener, Ontario N2M 5N6 TEL: (519) 743-4355 Elmira Clinic Behind Wellness Centre (Clock Tower) 3 Wyatt Street East, Suite 2 Elmira, Ontario N3B 2H4 TEL: (519) 669-1212 Northfield Clinic Waterloo Corporate Campus (Sobeys Plaza)

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595 Parkside Drive, Suite 5A Waterloo, Ontario N2L 0C7 TEL: (519) 888-7070

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SHOULDER PAIN WORKSHOP!

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We want to ensure that our patients stay healthy and remain on the road to recovery during this time. CALL US TODAY FOR YOUR FREE DISCOVERY VISIT! Book At Any One Of Our 3 Locations Today! Belmont Clinic (519) 743-4355 Elmira Clinic (519) 669-1212 Northfield Clinic (**Now Open**) (519) 888-7070

SOS PHYSIOTHERAPY IS OPEN FOR VIRTUAL AND IN-PERSON TREATMENTS! CALL ANY ONE OF OUR 3 LOCATIONS

Belmont Clinic Belmont Professional Centre 564 Belmont Avenue West, Suite 301 Kitchener, Ontario N2M 5N6 TEL: (519) 743-4355

Elmira Clinic Behind Wellness Centre (Clock Tower) 3 Wyatt Street East, Suite 2 Elmira, Ontario N3B 2H4 TEL: (519) 669-1212

Northfield Clinic (**Now Open**) Waterloo Corporate Campus (Sobeys Plaza)

595 Parkside Drive, Suite 5A Waterloo, Ontario N2L 0C7 TEL: (519) 888-7070

HOME RENOVATIONS DO’S AND DONT ’S As many people are spending more time at home due to the pandemic, many homeowners are taking on mini home renovation projects to improve their home. Whether it may be minor cosmetic changes such as a fresh paint job for your room or a DIY project using hand held tools such as a hammer or screwdriver, it is important to be mindful of your body mechanics to minimize stress on your joints which can lead to muscle strains and inflamed tendons. Repetitive movements such as painting and using a screwdriver (or any hand tool) can cause elbow pain and neck pain, therefore to avoid pain follow these DO’s and DON’T’s :

DO’s when using a screwdriver • Always try to match the screwdriver to fit your grip. Use a smaller screwdriver head if you have a smaller grip. This means less power is needed to grip. Over gripping can strain the tendons in your elbow. • Take frequent breaks as needed. Repeated motion can strain tendons overtime DONT’s when using a screwdriver • DO NOT apply excessive force, lean in or push onto the screwdriver

DO’s when Painting • Keep your shoulders, hips and knees pointing in the same direction. • Keep a neutral head position whenever possible and use a larger paint roller with an extended handle held at chest height to avoid overstretching of your neck • If you are experiencing fatigue in your neck and arm, take a break to perform neck stretches to prevent neck and arm pain. Bring left ear to left shoulder while keeping your head positioned slightly forward. The stretch should be felt on the opposed side of head bend. Hold for 30 secs and repeat on the other side.

DONT’s when painting • DO NOT slouch your shoulders forward.

• DO NOT keep your neck in an extended position for prolonged periods of time. This can put a great amount of stress on the spinal cord and nerves.

www.sosphysiotherapy.ca

SOS PHYSIOTHERAPY IS OPEN FOR VIRTUAL AND IN-PERSON TREATMENTS! CALL ANY ONE OF OUR 3 LOCATIONS

Belmont Clinic Belmont Professional Centre 564 Belmont Avenue West, Suite 301 Kitchener, Ontario N2M 5N6 TEL: (519) 743-4355

Elmira Clinic Behind Wellness Centre (Clock Tower) 3 Wyatt Street East, Suite 2 Elmira, Ontario N3B 2H4 TEL: (519) 669-1212

Northfield Clinic (**Now Open**) Waterloo Corporate Campus (Sobeys Plaza)

595 Parkside Drive, Suite 5A Waterloo, Ontario N2L 0C7 TEL: (519) 888-7070