Physiotherapists & Occupational Therapists Collaborate to Maximize Outcomes
As physiotherapists (PTs), my colleagues and I have had many opportunities to work with occupational therapists (OTs) in hospitals, in the community, and during our training at University. In an outpatient clinical setting, however, these opportunities are more rare. At Propel Physiotherapy’s Pickering location, we are fortunate to share a rehabilitation work-space with OTs from Complex Injury Rehab. Like us, they take a client-centered and team-based approach to providing the best care for the people they work with; and believe that the client is at the core of the team. Working in proximity with OTs has provided us with a [...]
Physio or Chiro for Back Pain?
There are a variety of health professions and therapies that can help treat and prevent back pain. Two of the most commonly sought are physio or chiro. To help you choose between physio or chiro for back pain, we would like to help you understand a bit more about each profession and their approach. Back problems are among the most common chronic conditions in Canada. ¹ Four out of five adults will experience at least one episode of back pain at some time in their lives.² Back pain can have debilitating effects on a person’s day to day activities [...]
How the Ketogenic Diet Helps Brain Injury Recovery
The ketogenic diet is sweeping the country. There has been so much discussion and hype around the new diet that we wanted to discuss some of the benefits, specifically where brain injury and neurological conditions are concerned. What is the Ketogenic Diet? The Ketogenic diet is a high fat diet consisting of consuming 70-75% fat, 20% protein and 5-10% carbohydrates. Despite the recent surge in interest, the ketogenic diet was actually developed back in the 1920's to treat epilepsy in children. However, research has shown it to have many other health benefits as well, in particular, for neurological conditions including [...]
How Music Therapy Can Treat Parkinson’s, TBI, Stroke
During the month of March, we would like to take the opportunity to spread awareness of the breadth and benefits of music therapy. Music therapy is an increasingly accessible form of therapy that provides holistic treatment for a variety neurological rehabilitation goals. Neurological Music Therapy (NMT) techniques are effective with a range of populations such as Parkinson’s disease, traumatic brain injuries, stroke and more. Some clients may benefit from receiving NMT treatment alongside their existing rehab therapies. Although you may be hearing about NMT for the first time, research and clinical studies supporting the effects of using music clinically in [...]
Maintaining Heart Health with Spinal Cord Injury
Most spinal cord injuries occur in individuals under 30 years of age. This, along with medical advancements have allowed people with spinal cord injuries to have an increased life expectancy compared with past generations. Those with SCI are consequently susceptible to the same chronic diseases as the general population, including cardiovascular disease. Physical inactivity is a major risk factor of cardiovascular disease and premature mortality in persons with SCI[i]. While some of the same barriers exist to exercise, such as motivation or finding time for exercise, people with spinal cord injuries have additional challenges such as inaccessible equipment, and challenges [...]
Physical Therapy for Babies’ Gross Motor Skills Development
I am often asked questions about developmental milestones by parents who are anxious or concerned about their baby’s development. The truth is that every child’s development is different and milestones might be reached within a wide range of what is considered normal. If you are curious or concerned about your baby’s development, our pediatric physiotherapist, Janna Marvyn, can perform a comprehensive assessment of your child’s gross motor function. The assessment will evaluate your baby’s posture, strength (sitting, standing), movement (rolling, crawling, cruising, etc), flexibility, balance, coordination and sensory processing. A summary of the assessment will be provided in a detailed [...]