SOS: Shoulder, Elbow, and Wrist Pain

Coco TAKES ON THE RIDGE! The Spinal Column The Newsletter About Your Health And Caring For Your Body

Crisp air, beautiful mountains, and a stunning scenic view. When it came to deciding on where I wanted to visit, it was a no brainer. British Columbia combines two of my greatest passions; hiking and adventure (other than physiotherapy of course…). I was able to complete multiple hikes, but the most memorable hike, by far, was the Panorama Ridge. Although this hike is typically done in two days, I decided that in order to try and save time, I would try to complete this hike in one day.

Next up on the itinerary was bungee jumping at Whistler Bungee! As I drove closer and closer to the bungee site, my excitement grew. However, once I got set up with my safety gear and was staring down 150ft over the glacier fed Cheakamus River, fear and nerves immediately set in knowing that my next step was to jump. The operator at the top started to count down from five and I knew that if I didn’t jump when he reached zero, I would’ve stayed at the top for a long time contemplating whether or not I should really do this. When he reached one, I took a deep breath and against all my nerves, I jumped as soon as he got to zero. Free falling over 150ft turned out to be one of the most stress-relieving activity I had ever experienced and I would recommend that everyone give it a try! This trip was definitely one of my favourite trips I have ever gone on and I cannot wait to go back! Coco

After climbing over 1,520m in elevation, the 360 degree view at the top of the mountain was absolutely breath- taking. Off one

end of the mountain offered an amazing view of Lake Garibaldi, and the opposite was a view of a mountain named, Black Tusk. In total, this grueling 30km hike took about 12 hours to complete. Even though there were many, many, MANY times I wanted to give up and turn around during this hike, I am so glad I stuck it out and completed it. I wouldn’t have done it any differently!

www.sosphysiotherapy.ca

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

SHOULDER, ELBOW&WRIST PAIN Enjoy Special Moments Without Fear of Pain!

INSIDE: • The Pain Is In My Shoulder... • Tennis/Golfer’s Elbow & Braces at SOS

• Know Your Physio • Exercise Essentials

Common issues that can lead to shoulder, wrist and elbow pain include: • Issues with poor posture • Carpal tunnel syndrome, which can develop from overuse of the wrist and regular, repetitive motions, such as typing • Heavy lifting • Athletic injuries • Muscle sprain and strains • Dislocation or hyperextension of the joints Oneof thebiggestconcernsregardingpain in thewrist,elbowandshoulder is that it is difficult to impossible to actually allow these parts of the body time to rest. Every movement and action requires these body parts — and when the pain develops in both arms, as it often does, treating the pain becomes even more complicated. It is impossible to care for your basic needs without involving your shoulder or wrist, let alone get through a day at the office. 3 8 1 6 3 4 4 7 5 3 6 7 5 9 6 2 7 9 7 5 8 4 2

It’s time to say goodbye to elbow, wrist and shoulder pain once and for all. Identifying the cause of your pain and taking steps to combat ill habits that may be contributing to your discomfort can have a significant impact on your quality of life. Wave goodbye to pain in your hands, wrists, elbows and shoulders with targeted techniques from your experienced physiotherapists. What is Causing the Pain? Think about the tasks that make up the majority of your day-to-day life. It is often said that life in the 21st century is way easier on the body than life during any other time in human history — and it’s true that there is a fair amount of evidence to support this idea. Rather than spending all of your days working in a factory or on a farm, the vast majority of North Americans work indoors, often at a computer for a predetermined number of hours week after week. But this new lifestyle isn’t exactly harmless for the body, either. There are plenty of ways in which the common tasks of 21st-century life put the body under a great deal of stress. Sedentary lifestyles frequently contribute to weight gain, which increases your risk for a long list of obesity-related diseases. This puts additional stress on your body, which could result in pain in crucial joints like your shoulders, elbows and yes, even your wrists. But even aside from that, there are a lot of potential issues that your body can face as a result of sedentary behavior in the workplace — including shoulder, elbow and wrist pain. Elbow, wrist and shoulder injuries are especially common as a result of workplace injury and overuse. While it is sometimes possible to take action to prevent an injury from developing, it is especially important to be able to recognize when an injury develops and to understand ways that you can combat that injury by identifying what may have caused the pain to develop in the first place.

1

3

6 7 1 4

6

2

This is why so many issues regarding pain in the wrists, elbows and shoulders typically become chronic. Since it is difficult to allow these body parts time to properly rest, they continue being overused and the pain can actually worsen.

http://1sudoku.com

n° 318548 - LevelHard

http://

FUN & GAMES: SUDOKU

3 8

9 7

1 4 6 2

3 7

5 3 8 1 7

6

9

5 6 3 7 2

3 7 5 4

2 3

1 2

4

www.sosphysiotherapy.ca

http://1sudoku.com

n° 36953 - LevelHard

http://

THE PAIN IS IN MY SHOULDER... WHY ARE YOU TREATING MY NECK?

Very rarely is the pain ever just coming from the arm. The postural stress that poor upper back and neck position puts on the arm and shoulder girdle can cause injury to the nerves, joints, and muscular tissue. You can also have referred pain from structures in the neck. This is where the brain thinks the pain is in the arm, or even shoulder blade area, even though the injured tissue is in the neck. Here Coco is doing a common neck mobilization that is often used for patients with shoulder pain. Check out your posture in the mirror, or better yet have your friend or family member take a look at you. That might straighten you out!

Happy Oktoberfest!

Exercise Essentials Try these movements if you are experiencing elbow pain.

FOREARM EXTENSOR STRETCH Here Coco is performing a forearm extensor stretch. Common extensor tendonopathy (tennis elbow) is primarily caused by excessive tension throughout the forearm musculature that puts stress on the tendon. Elbow straight, palm down, hold with fingers and thumb bent in for 30 seconds and repeat 3 times. RADIAL NERVE MOBILIZATION The second picture shows Coco doing a radial nerve mobilization exercise. Often the nerve can get caught in the tissue and this can add to the symptoms of tennis elbow. Start with your elbow bent and the wrist relaxed. Now turn the hand and wrist inward as you straighten the elbow. Bend the wrist in as you move the entire arm down and behind you. This is an on/off exercise so only hold for a second then relax and complete the entire movement again. Do about 15-20 “sliders” as we call them and repeat for 2-3 sets.

CALL TODAY! 519.743.4355

Clinic Renovation Done!

Tennis/Golfers Elbow & Braces at SOS Physiotherapy

SOS Physiotherapy has a variety of bracing options to help with both tennis and golfer’s elbow. The fancy term is Force Dispersement Strap! This allows the tension that the muscle creates when active to be “dispersed” or spread across the brace and surrounding muscle, rather than directly on to the injured tendon. You may vary the position and tension slightly depending on your specific condition and your pain. You can also find bracing options for the wrist and hand and even stability options for the shoulder.Talk to your physiotherapist about what different bracing options are available that may be helpful for you. Did you know? Tennis or golfer’s elbow was previously (and is sometimes still....) known as epicondylitis due to its (previously thought to be) inflammatory nature at the edge of the bone where the tendon sits. However, the injury actually comes from the mechanical weakness of the tendon causing pain and irritation. So ice it if its sore but make sure you start strengthening soon! Your physiotherapist can help you out! Workshops at SOS Physiotherapy Back Pain & Sciatica Workshop Call & Register Today! Saturday, November 17th 10:00am @ Our Belmont Clinic Location Only

The clinic renovation is all done! Come by and see our new space!

Know Your Physio

Coco Ang BSc (Kin), MSc (PT)

Say hello to Coco! Coco is a Registered Physiotherapist working at our Elmira location. She received her Masters of Physiotherapy degree from Western University and her Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology and Health Sciences at York University.

As a clinician, Coco aims to inspire all her clients to reach their fullest potential through positivity, education, and motivation. She is committed to professional development as she aims to work towards the Diploma of Advanced Manual and Manipulative Physiotherapy among other post-graduate courses. During Coco’s spare time, she enjoys staying active by playing basketball and going on long hikes. She has a passion for traveling and is keen on seeing the world and trying all the great cuisine it has to offer!

There Are Limited Spots Available... So Call Now!

Belmont

(519) 743-4355

www.sosphysiotherapy.ca