Propel Physiotherapy’s trusted healthcare team provides leading-edge services to special populations. When it comes to women, we offer customized programs tailored to address their unique conditions and specific needs to provide effective treatment at every stage of life.
Learn more about our integrated health services for women and the therapists who provide them at our Etobicoke and Pickering clinic locations.
Perinatal Massage and Doula Services
Perinatal massage is a treatment focused on the changes that happen to a woman’s body during the perinatal period — generally beginning between 20 and 28 weeks of gestation and ending between the first and fourth weeks after birth.
The changes that happen to a woman’s body during pregnancy include weight gain, a change in center of gravity, water retention, ligament laxity, increased pelvic tilting, and much more. Perinatal massage therapy can help identify postural imbalances to prevent back pain, headaches, neck pain, shoulder pain, sciatica and foot discomfort, as well as manage the soft tissue and joint pain through massage. If swelling occurs in extremities, like hands and feet, proper massage techniques can bring relief.
Perinatal massage therapy can also help reduce stress and anxiety, increase immunity, enhance lactation and increase prolactin production.
Registered massage therapist and birth doula Simone Costa treats women during this beautiful and sometimes difficult period of motherhood with a variety of massage techniques.
Contact us to find out more or book an appointment with Simone today.
Pelvic Floor Physiotherapy
Pelvic floor physiotherapy or pelvic physiotherapy, as it is also known, involves the assessment and treatment of various conditions that affect the pelvic floor. In women, pelvic floor dysfunction is often a result of pregnancy and/or childbirth, although there are many other causes.
Dysfunction can be caused by either weak pelvic floor muscles (hypotonicity), or tight pelvic floor muscles (hypertonicity) and can result in issues like:
- incontinence
- pelvic organ prolapse
- chronic pelvic pain
- sexual pain
- pregnancy related pain
- urinary frequency, urgency, hesitancy, stopping and starting of the urine stream, painful urination, or incomplete emptying
- constipation, straining, pain during or after bowel movements
- unexplained pain in your low back, pelvic region, hips, genital area, or rectum
- pain during or after intercourse, orgasm, or sexual stimulation
- uncoordinated muscle contractions causing the pelvic floor muscles to spasm
- diastatis recti
Pelvic floor physiotherapist, Talia Diamond assesses and treats people with symptoms related to pelvic floor dysfunction through exercise, education, and manual therapy.
Related story: Pelvic Floor Muscles’ 5 Important Roles
If you are experiencing any of these issues and have accepted them as the “new norm”, it may be time to rethink it.
For more information about our pelvic floor physiotherapy services or to book a phone consultation or assessment, please contact us.
Pediatric Physiotherapy
Our pediatric services include both group physiotherapy classes and individual physical therapy for all ages. Whether you are a new mom attending Beyond Tummy Time classes or the mother of a teenager with cerebral palsy, all therapy sessions are modified to each participant’s needs. As the primary caregiver, you will also be provided information and instruction on activities that you can use at home to further the goals of your child.
Related story: Pediatric Physiotherapist’s Role
Pediatric physiotherapist Janna Marvyn’s mindset when working with children and their parents is keeping it fun, exciting, and engaging the children as much as possible while ensuring they are accomplishing all of the therapeutic goals.
The next group physiotherapy class for infants and toddlers who are not yet crawling or standing on their own begins on Friday, June 7th.
For more information on our pediatric services, register for group physiotherapy classes or to book a private session, please contact us.
Osteoporosis Prevention
Osteoporosis is a condition that causes bones to become thin and porous, decreasing bone strength and leading to increased risk of breaking a bone. In Canada, 1 in 3 women are likely to break a bone due to osteoporosis versus their male counterparts who have a 1 in 5 chance. While Osteoporosis can affect people at almost any age, it is most common among Canadians 50 years of age or older. When women reach menopause, and estrogen starts decreasing, the prevalence of osteoporosis is greater.
One of the things we can do to decrease the risk of osteoporosis and slow the progression is exercise. Loading the bones in your body via exercise and general physical activity increases bone mass and makes them stronger.
Kinesiologist Sabrina La Rosa develops exercise programs for osteoporosis prevention and for women and men who have been diagnosed with osteoporosis.
Sabrina La Rosa discusses how to decrease you risk of osteoporosis in her latest article. In it, she provides a general exercise prescription guidelines for osteoporosis prevention for women.
Contact us for more information or to book a session with Sabrina.
Talk to Us About Our Women’s Health Services
These are just a few of the services that we have to offer women of all ages at Propel Physiotherapy. We are big believers in preventative physiotherapy and can put together plans to help mitigate symptoms related to many of these issues. If you are already experiencing issues, our rehabilitation services are also highly effective.
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OUR WOMEN’S HEALTH TEAM
