Physiotherapists are university trained primary health care professionals that use evidence based treatment and assessments to ensure that they are treating your problem specifically and timely. We are also members of our professional association that ensures that we are up to date and have access to new learning and methods of treatment.
All assessments and follow-up appointments are individual one-on-one sessions in a private room for your comfort and confidentiality. Whether you are recovering from a surgical procedure (joint replacement or scope), a sprain/strain, a painful shoulder/back, arthritis, or other physical limitation the physiotherapists at Welcome Back Clinic can help. Physiotherapy can also be very helpful in treating less familiar ailments such as pelvic disorders such as incontinence or pelvic pain in both males and females.
Through both hands-on therapy as well as a personalized online home exercise program tailored to your specific condition, physiotherapy can help to reduce pain, improve physical function, and prevent future injuries. We expect you to be a big part of your recovery; your goals and your motivation will affect how you recover.
Prior to major surgery it can be very beneficial to undergo an assessment to determine your current joint range of motion, strength, and functional abilities. Then we can show you gentle exercises to begin to move your joint and strengthen your muscles to help ensure your joint is as healthy as possible going into surgery.
Joint replacement is a complex surgery and requires significant dedication to mobility and exercise to ensure optimal outcomes. Physiotherapy after total joint replacement will involve an assessment of your surgical site, joint range of motion, flexibility and strength of the muscles surrounding the joint. Physiotherapy following surgery can help to alleviate pain and stiffness and guide you through the process from crutch walking to return to work or sport.
This is variable depending on the individual. If you are healthy going into surgery and do not have any issues with other joints or areas of the body, most people come to the clinic 1x/week for the first 2-3 weeks after initial assessment, and then once every 2 weeks for 2-3 weeks before continuing there recovery on their own.
Did you recently break a bone? Are you in a sling, cast, or air cast? Physiotherapy can help!
Often with ankle/foot breaks the doctor will place the individual in an aircast. These typically can be removed for an hour each day. This is a great time to move your joint to prevent long term stiffness. A physiotherapy assessment will review your fracture, assess your mobility, and guide you through exercises that you can do NOW to prevent significant decline in muscle mass and function. This is also true for other types of casts. You may be on crutches initially so starting exercises for your hip flexors and hamstrings to prevent these muscles tightening can make a large difference once your cast if off.
Many people suffer from symptoms related to pelvic area problems and do not realize that something can be done about it. Our pelvic floor muscles are often an ignored part of our body, yet they can be a crucial part of our everyday activities affecting our core strength, our 'going to the bathroom' function and sexual function.
Symptoms that may be due to pelvic muscle problems are urinary incontinence (i.e. difficulty controlling the urge to pee), problems controlling bowel movements, pain in the pelvic area and low abdominal area as well as sexual dysfunction. Other symptoms are constipation and unexplained pain in the low back, pelvis and bladder regions. Other disorders which can be helped by pelvic floor physiotherapy are interstitial cystitis, irritable bowel, prostatitis and pelvic organ prolapse.
There is very strong research evidence to support the role of physiotherapy in treating pelvic pain and strengthening for incontinence.
Pelvic physiotherapy involves assessing the control of the muscles in this area. They can be weakened due to childbirth or aging or they can also be very tight which leads to problems with control and pain. The muscles are also affected by surgery in the area - such as after prostate surgery in men. Pelvic floor physiotherapy should be part of pre and post pregnancy care as it is standard treatment in some European countries.
In order to have success with treatment an internal exam is needed to properly assess the muscles. The physiotherapist that does this is a trained professional and will discuss the issues and obtain your consent after explaining the assessment and the treatment procedure and options. Treatment may include education, lifestyle changes (such as diet) manual techniques to help decrease pain, strengthening, postural education and retraining of the bowel and bladder.