Enhancing Athletic Performance with Sports Physiotherapy in Ottawa

Ottawa’s sports enthusiasts, from amateur runners to professional athletes, understand the importance of maintaining peak physical condition. Sports physiotherapy in Ottawa has become a vital component of this, with PhysioExperts leading the way. Their specialized Ottawa athletic physiotherapy services cater to the unique needs of the athletic community, promoting faster recovery and better performance.

At the core of sports physiotherapy is the understanding that every sport demands different physical capabilities. The PhysioExperts exercise programs are meticulously designed to match these demands, ensuring that athletes can excel in their chosen sports. Ottawa sports injury therapy is not just about recovery; it’s about enhancing strength, flexibility, and endurance.

The PhysioExperts Ottawa team, known as physiotherapy specialists, applies a blend of conventional and innovative techniques to help athletes overcome their limitations. From manual therapy to advanced therapeutic exercises, they provide an all-encompassing approach to sports physiotherapy. The custom physiotherapy Ottawa athletes receive is tailored to their sport-specific needs, which is why many regard PhysioExperts as the go-to clinic.

Pain management, especially for chronic conditions, is another area where PhysioExperts shine. Their pain management programs are evidence-based and focused on long-term wellness. Utilizing cutting-edge Ottawa physiotherapy techniques, they help athletes manage pain effectively, ensuring that it does not impede their performance or quality of life.

In conclusion, whether it’s for injury recovery or sports performance enhancement, PhysioExperts Ottawa stands out with its comprehensive and compassionate approach to physiotherapy. Their dedication to providing advanced physiotherapy in Ottawa is evident in the success stories of their patients and the trust they have built within the community.

Shoulder Mobility Exercise

Shoulder mobility plays a crucial role in our daily lives, enabling us to perform various activities with ease. Whether you’re an athlete, an office worker, or someone recovering from an injury, maintaining or improving shoulder mobility is essential for optimal function and overall well-being. In this blog post, we will explore some effective shoulder mobility exercises recommended by PhysioExperts, a leading physiotherapy clinic in Ottawa.

Here are some more exercises that can help alleviate pain, prevent injuries, and enhance the range of motion in your shoulders. Let’s dive in!

  1. Pendulum Swings:

Pendulum swings are excellent for loosening up the shoulder joint and promoting fluid movement. To perform this exercise:

  • Stand with your unaffected arm resting on a table or chair for support.
  • Gently lean forward, allowing your affected arm to hang freely.
  • Begin swinging your arm in small circles, gradually increasing the size of the circles.
  • Repeat the motion for 10-15 times in each direction.
  1. Shoulder Rolls:

Shoulder rolls help to release tension and improve shoulder flexibility. Here’s how to do them:

  • Stand tall with your arms hanging by your sides.
  • Slowly roll your shoulders forward in a circular motion.
  • After a few rotations, reverse the direction and roll your shoulders backward.
  • Perform 10-15 rolls in each direction.
  1. Wall Angels:

Wall angels are a fantastic exercise for strengthening the muscles around the shoulder blades and improving posture. Follow these steps:

  • Stand with your back against a wall, feet shoulder-width apart.
  • Place your arms against the wall with your elbows bent at 90 degrees, forming a “W” shape.
  • Slowly slide your arms up the wall, keeping your elbows and wrists in contact with the wall.
  • Return to the starting position and repeat for 10-15 repetitions.
  1. External Rotation with Resistance Band:

This exercise targets the rotator cuff muscles, which are vital for shoulder stability and mobility. Here’s how to perform it:

  • Secure a resistance band to a stationary object at waist height.
  • Stand sideways to the anchor point, holding the band with your affected arm.
  • Keep your elbow bent at a 90-degree angle and your forearm parallel to the floor.
  • Slowly rotate your arm away from your body, maintaining control.
  • Return to the starting position and repeat for 10-15 reps on each side.
  1. Sleeper Stretch:

The sleeper stretch helps to improve internal rotation of the shoulder. Follow these instructions:

  • Lie on your unaffected side with your affected arm placed in front of your body.
  • Bend your elbow at a 90-degree angle, so your forearm is pointing upward.
  • Gently apply pressure to the back of your hand, pushing it toward the bed or floor.
  • Hold the stretch for 20-30 seconds and repeat 3-5 times.

 

Shoulder mobility exercises are crucial for maintaining healthy shoulders and preventing injuries. By incorporating these exercises into your daily routine, you can improve range of motion, reduce pain, and enhance overall shoulder function. However, it’s important to consult with a qualified physiotherapist, like those at PhysioExperts in Ottawa, to ensure the exercises are appropriate for your specific needs and to receive professional guidance. Remember to start slowly, listen to your body, and gradually progress as you build strength and flexibility. Here’s to achieving optimal shoulder mobility and enjoying a pain-free, active lifestyle!

Shockwave Therapy benefits

Shockwave Therapy: Common Conditions It Cures and Its Benefits

Persistent pain like chronic joint or muscle pain restricts you from carrying your day smoothly and often makes you feel lethargic and lousy. Chronic pain requires multiple sessions that can take up to more than 7 weeks to resolve. Not quite intriguing, is it? 

However, what might be compelling to you is the new highly popular SHOCKWAVE THERAPY that we acquire here at PhysioExperts in Kanata! 

WHAT IS SHOCKWAVE THERAPY? 

Shockwave therapy is the most progressive non-surgical technology that helps to heal chronic inflammation, stimulates collagen (which connects and supports tissue), and also breaks up excessive calcium deposits. This therapy has proved to be a great leap of success in multiple disciplines like orthopaedics, physiotherapy, sports medicine, etc. 

WHAT IS THE “MECHANISM OF ACTION” INVOLVED IN SHOCKWAVE THERAPY? 

Shockwave is an acoustic wave that carries the energy of low to high intensity promoting energy to the painful spot on your body. This energy endorses the healing process of the smallest tissue as well as the repairing process of the bones. 

The therapy is initiated in 3 simple steps

  1. Location of the area to be treated

This is done so by using palpation to precisely detect the location of the pain. 

  1. Gel application 

Applying gel helps to transfer the waves efficiently and smoothly.

  1. Therapy initiation

Finally, with utter care, the therapeutic motions of the shockwave machine begin under the supervision of an expert. 

WHAT IS THE BENEFIT OF THE SHOCKWAVE THERAPY? 

There are umpteen benefits of this painless treatment of which some are: 

  • Helps to stimulate blood flow necessary for the regeneration of new healthy cells and tissues
  • Accelerates the repairing and healing process of the scar tissues
  • Controls muscle spasms 
  • Helps consolidate ligament tear and tendon ruptures 
  • Heals chronic inflammation 
  • Breaks excessive calcium deposits 
  • Restoring mobility 
  • Relive pain and relax muscles


WHAT CONDITIONS DOES SHOCKWAVE THERAPY CURE?

Some common conditions for which shockwave therapy used are:

  • Frozen shoulder
  • Shoulder tendonitis and calcifications
  • Achilles Tendon Pain
  • Neck and Back strains
  • Shin splints
  • Muscle trigger points
  • Chronic knee tendinitis
  • Shoulder rotator cuff pain
  • Hamstring tendinitis
  • Plantar fasciitis
  • Shin splints
  • Hamstring tears
  • Chronic neck pain
  • Chronic back pain
  • Muscle tightness
  • Stress fracture
  • Tennis elbow
  • Jumper’s knee
  • Scar tissue

The effectiveness of shockwave therapy is excellent, typically with a success rate of 90% when combined with exercise therapy. Many times, relief is achieved after just 2 or 3 sessions, with an overall success rate of: 

  • 91% for calcific tendinitis of the shoulder and Achilles tendinopathies
  • 90% for plantar fasciitis
  • 77% for tennis elbow

WHAT ARE THE SIDE EFFECTS OF SHOCKWAVE THERAPY? 

Shockwave therapy shows minimal to no side effects but, you may expect mild bruising, swelling, numbness or tingling sensation in the treated area. However, these are all a result of increased blood flow to the injured spot and the constructive repair of damaged tissues, muscles, ligaments, tendons and bones. This is a pathway to optimal recovery that is appealing to athletes especially. 

DID YOU KNOW, a consistent course of shockwave therapy could save you from undergoing surgery? 

To know more about Shockwave Therapy Treatment in Ottawa, book an appointment with us at PhysioExperts in Kanata. 

For any concerns, Call Us: 613-672-6000 or drop us an email: info@physioexperts.ca
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Stiff Upper Back

How a Stiff Upper Back Can Spiral into More Issues and What to Do About It?

Is the work-from-home situation turning you into a couch potato due to lack of physical activity? This could be one reason behind the sturdiness of your thoracic spine leading to an unrecognized disrupted posture. 

The neck and the lower back are usually more prone to injuries and common pain as compared to the upper back which over time can turn into something serious. As unusual as the pain to the upper back is, it is also not easy to distinguish the upper back pain from the neck strains. This is why, by the time you realize the pain, it’s a red flag. 

The upper back is the region that lies below the cervical spine (neck) and above the lumbar spine (low back). The upper back is called the thoracic spine, and it is the most stable part of the spine. The range of motions in the upper back is limited because of the thoracic spine’s attachment to the ribs (rib cage). 

Some of the Upper Back Pain Symptoms are: 

The pain in the upper back region does not solely remain in one spot. There occurs: 

If your upper back pain is related to the bones, nerves, or discs of your thoracic spine, your symptoms may also include:

  • Pain in the lower back
  • Pain down the legs
  • Incontinence (bowel and/or bladder leakage) 
  • Numbness or weakness in your legs

Burning Sensation in the Upper Back Region: 

When the upper back pain becomes serious enough to limit your movement, there is a sharp pain and burning sensation localized to one spot along with pain in the neck, shoulder and elsewhere. This is due to the below mentioned two reasons. 

  1. Muscular irritation.

The shoulder girdle is the area where more than 1 bones attach. It is here that a large muscle attaches on our shoulder blade and the back of the rib cage. These large upper back muscles are prone to developing strains or tightness that can be painful and difficult to alleviate. Muscular irritation in the upper back is typically due to either de-conditioning (lack of strength) or overuse injuries (such as repetitive motions).

  1. Joint dysfunction. 

It is either from a sudden injury or a natural degeneration due to ageing, joints in the upper back can dysfunction and cause pain. 

However, you could yourself examine the stage of your pain. There are 3 stages to the pain: 

  1. Stage One: 

It is the pain in the centre of your back though aiming in the upper middle part. There is mild pain and on stretching a little you feel relaxed. 

  1. Stage Two: 

Now, the pain has elevated and you will feel it when you move quickly or even sneeze. If you are not sure if the pain associated with it is regarding the same issue, you can test so by taking a deep breath. 

  1. Stage Three: 

By this point, you are going to feel the pain so intense just as if it were a burning sensation by doing the simplest of the tasks or even by doing nothing! 


Exercises to Relieve Upper Back Pain:

To relieve upper back pain, try these simple home remedies: 

  • Gentle stretches
  • Ice to reduce pain and swelling
  • Heat to improve mobility and ease stiffness 


Exercises to improve posture and pain:

  • Imagery. 

Imagine there’s a cord passing through your body from ceiling to floor. Now imagine someone pulling that cord upward, slightly lifting your chest and ribcage.

  • Chin tuck.

Sit in a chair with your feet flat on the floor. Your shoulders should be relaxed and down. Now pull your chin in toward your neck. Count to five, then relax. Repeat 10 times.

  • Shoulder blade squeeze.

Put your hands on your thighs and keep your shoulders down, roughly at chin level. Slowly squeeze your shoulder blades together. Count to five, then relax. Repeat three or four times.

  • Upper back stretch.

Raise your right arm to shoulder level, directly in front of you. Bend your arm at the elbow and grasp that elbow with your left hand. Now gently pull it across your chest and hold for it 20 seconds. Repeat three times on each side. 

How Serious is an Upper Back Pain? 

Most cases of the upper back are not due to a serious underlying cause, but in some cases, it may be caused by an infection or from the compression of the spinal nerves further leading to spinal instability. With serious upper back pain, comes serious underlying symptoms. These may include, radiating pain or pins-and-needles tingling in the chest or abdomen, fever or chills, reduced coordination, problems walking, or severe headache. 

This brings us to conclude that DO NOT unsee or neglect any pain in the back as with time, the condition may get serious which might as well not be related to muscles or bones. 

Get an analysis as to what is causing you back pain and get a permanent solution to it at PysioExperts, Kanata. 

For any questions regarding Upper Back Pain, Call Us at 613-672-6000 or drop us an email: info@physioexperts.ca Book an appointment today with one of our experts and get the solution to all of your problems!  Follow Us Facebook | Twitter |Instagram