At Toronto Physiotherapy, we treat a variety of injuries and conditions. We also have special rehabilitation programs that can be tailored specifically for your injury.
Foot Injuries
The foot is made up of 26 bones, 33 joints and over a hundred muscles, tendons and ligaments. As you can see, it is a rather complicated structure. The feet are important in locomotion and for most of us, hold our body’s weight for the entire day. It is important that we maintain a strong base because when our base (feet) is compromised, daily life can become very challenging and complicated and may lead to more serious issues if left unattended.
Some of the injuries that we commonly treat at our facility are:
- Heel pain (Bone Spurs or Bruises)
- Plantar fasciitis
- Collapsed arch
- Bunions
- Metatarsalgia
- Achilles bursitis/tendonitis
- Mortonís Syndrome
- Fractures in any of the bones
Common treatments are ultrasound, strengthening exercises, orthotics, manual therapy and vibration therapy. Your treatment will vary depending on your specific injuries and symptoms.
Lower Leg and Ankle Injuries
Lower Leg Ankle InjuriesThe lower leg is made up of the tibia and fibula bones. These bones connect with the talus of the foot to form the ankle joint. The ankle has three key ligaments for support on the lateral side and one ligament that connects to four different places on the medial side. When a person sprains their ankle, often these ligaments are stretched, and therefore create an unstable ankle joint which will be prone to re-injury. The lower leg has a major tendon called the Achilles tendon coming from the gastrocnemius (calf) and soleus muscles and inserts into the heel. This tendon is important for the movement of the ankle. This is often a major site for injury and once injured, can take a long time to recover.
Common Injuries for this area include:
- Fractures
- Shin Splints
- Calf Strains
- Ankle Strains
- Ankle Sprains
These symptoms are often treated with TENS, IFC and ultrasound therapy. Strengthening and stretching exercises may be encouraged as well. The use of proper shoes, with proper support could benefit some symptoms. Manual and Massage therapy could also potentially be used to treat these class of injuries.
Knee Injuries
The knee is made up of two bones, the tibia of the lower leg and the femur of the upper leg. A third small bone is called the patella (knee cap) that slides over the two bones and makes movement of the knee more smooth and efficient. The patella is held in place by a tendon originating in the quadriceps and attaching to the tibia of the lower leg. There are two main muscle groups that are responsible for the movement of the knee. The first is the quadriceps which allows the knee to straighten and the hamstrings which allows the knee to flex.
The knee is not the most stable joint in our body, however, it is made strong through 4 key ligaments. The first is the medial collateral ligament which prevents medial movement of the knee. Next is the lateral collateral ligament which prevents lateral movement of the knee. Thirdly, is the anterior cruciate ligament which prevents anterior movement in the knee and lastly is the posterior cruciate ligament which prevents posterior movement. These ligaments form an ìXî in the inside of the knee to maintain its stability. There is also a shock absorbing cushion in the knee known as the meniscus. These cushions are disc shaped and together form a figure eight. They are located on the top of the tibia bone. They help prevent the bones from rubbing together and give the knee its shock absorbing abilities.
Injuries often associated with the knee are:
- Ligament Sprains
- Meniscual tears
- Muscle Strains
- Bursitis
- Patella Femoral Syndrome
- Patellar Tendionopathy
Lower Back Injuries
Lower back pain in North America is the second most common reason for people to take time off of work. The lower back is comprised of the five lumbar vertebrae of the spine. Because the vertebrae are stacked, they provide more support and protect the spinal cord. The spinal cord is made up of bundles of nerves that will provide the lower body with feel and a connection to the brain centre. Thus, injuries that pinch the nerves, break this connection and can often become quite painful. Between each of the vertebrae are intervertebral sacs that look like donuts. These discs provide a cushion between the vertebrae so they can absorb shock and so they don’t move bone on bone.
Toronto Physiotherapy treats Lower Back PainThe most common causes of lower back injuries are associated with deterioration of the spine. This can involve either the vertebrae themselves or the intervertebral sacs. Wearing of the spine can cause pain and eventually possible nerve impingement. Furthermore, Too much pressure on the intervertebral discs can cause bulging of the discs. Nerves can also become impinged. One of the most common nerves that becomes impinged is the Sciatic nerve. This is a nerve that runs down the leg, so people may often feel pain radiating from the lower back down as low as the heel. This is a very common problem among pregnant women.
Some injuries associated with low back pain include:
- Cauda Equina Syndrome
- Sciatica
- Slipped Disc
- Ankylosing Spondylosis
- Lumbar Strain/Sprain
- Nerve Irritation
- Bony Encroachment
- Lumbar Radiculopathy
Many injuries are caused from degeneration which in most cases cannot be avoided with age, However, many issues can be prevented if detected in the early stages. Lower back and abdominal strength is crucial for preventing lower back pain.
Wrist Hand Injuries
The hand is made up of 27 bones, 8 of which are carpals or wrist bones, 5 are metacarpals, and 14 are phalanges also known as the fingers. The fingers are separated into 3 sections, proximal, intermediate and distal, except for the thumb which is only the proximal and distal. The three sections helps us to move our fingers and to grasp objects.
The wrist is made up of eight tiny bones that are positioned in two rows of four. These bones slide and move against each other. There is a tube that runs down the wrist called the carpal tunnel, which incases the tendons and nerves of the hands. This is a common site of injury and is most common with jobs that require repetitive typing. Most wrist injuries are caused from repetition such as, typing, racquet sports and sewing.
Other Wrist and Hand injuries could include:
- Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
- Fractures
- Dislocations
- Osteoarthritis
- Tendonitis
- Sprains and Strains
Wrist and hand injuries are often treated with ultrasound, mobilizations, massage, and often strengthening and stretching muscles. Paraffin wax can also be used to help relieve pain as well as anti-inflammatory medications.
Elbow Injuries
Acute and chronic overuse of the elbows can result in elbow injuries in students, athletes and average individuals at any point in time. As the public embraces athletics and amateur sports more frequently across the country, the Greater Toronto Area grows more and more each year with people who participate in organized activities that result in multiple sports injuries to different areas of their bodies. Some sports activities such as golf and tennis demand a greater performance from repeated action in the elbow region, and these actions are generally concentrated on only one of the 2 elbows. People either choose and use 1 of their 2 elbows, resulting in excessive use in one of them, which eventually results in tennis elbow, golfer’s elbow, students elbow or other causes of elbow injuries. At our Centre, we can treat these injuries and repair the damage caused by the overuse of these muscles and help you regenerate the areas affected the most.
Toronto Physiotherapy – Elbow InjuriesSome people experience hyperextension injury in the elbow that occurs when the muscles are bent back in the wrong direction. This type of elbow injury will occur more frequently in contact sports than most other single man sports, and the effectiveness of such an affliction will be more severe. Your recovery from these types of injuries will involve the occupational therapists, physiotherapists and massage therapists at our Centre who will provide one of the top care and therapy programs across the Greater Toronto Area. Athletes from all over Mississauga, Oakville, Brampton, Woodbridge, Etobicoke, Toronto, North York and Scarborough visit our centre on a regular basis to receive the type of chiropractic care, massage therapy and physiotherapy that helps maintain their muscle mobility. Aside from any sports related injury, the average person is prone to elbow injuries from less common soft-tissue problems that could result in a number of chronic conditions. Elbow dislocations are also considered a major culprit of an elbow injury, causing damage in the joints and tissue of the region. We strongly believe that with our compliment of experts it will be easy for you to regain full functionality of your elbow and heal your injuries with long-term success.
Upper Back & Neck Injuries
The neck is made up of 7 vertebrae also known as the cervical spine. These vertebrae allow the neck to have support but also much movement. The first vertebrae allows the head to flex or extend (nod) and the second vertebrae allows for the rotation from side to side (shaking). There are many muscles that surround the neck and help in movements. Neck pain is most often caused by tight muscles in the neck, jaw, head or upper arms. When these muscles get tight they may put pressure on the nerves that run down the spine. This is usually caused from overuse of the neck such as, holding it in one position for a long period of time, or also from sleeping incorrectly. Often people who are involved in motor vehicle accidents suffer from whiplash, which is the fast motion of the head moving forward and back. This type of injury can cause a lot of pain in the neck and can take some time to heal.
Upper back pain is often caused by tight muscles surrounding the base of the neck and upper back. This can be caused from improper posture, inadequate strength as well as stress and tension. The most common place to feel pain is the area between the base of the neck to the shoulders. The muscle that is often responsible is the upper trapezius muscle. Therefore it is very important to have a daily stretching routine and when you begin to feel tension, massage can sometimes help relieve the pain and tightness.
Other injuries involving the neck and upper back are:
- Muscle Strains/Sprains
- Whiplash
- Cervical Disc Injury
- Cervical Radiculapthy
- Thoracic Outlet Syndrome
- Repetitive Strain Injuries
Shoulder Injuries
The Shoulder joint is a highly mobile but very unstable joint, and therefore prone to injury. The shoulder itself is a grouping of bones and articulations; the humerus bone from the arm, the scapula or shoulder blade, the clavicle and the sternum or breast bone. When ever the arm is being moved these bones are moving. There are a series of muscles that over lap the shoulder joint. The most visible being the deltoid muscles which are compromised of the anterior, medial and posterior muscles. Also important are the rotator cuff muscles; teres minor, sub scapularis, infraspinatus and supraspinatus.