Providers who specialize in chronic pain rehabilitation always evaluate the patient’s pain, of course, but they also always assess the stressful problems that the patient experiences. To the list above, we might add such stressors as depression, anxiety, past trauma, sleep problems, persistent problems with concentration and short-term memory, financial problems, loss of the role in your occupation or family, the loss of sexual and emotional intimacy in your relationship, and the list could go on. All these problems cause stress, which is why we call them stressors.

Why is it important to deal with stressors when having chronic pain?

There are a number of reasons why it is important, but let’s review two today:

If you can’t fix the pain, you might as well work on reducing the problems that occur because of the pain.

To successfully self-manage chronic pain, you have to manage your stress.

Let’s look at these reasons one at a time.

Stress caused by pain

Understandably, patients with chronic pain want to focus on how to reduce pain. To some extent, this focus is helpful. There are indeed a number of lifestyle changes, such as mild aerobic exercise and regular relaxation exercises, which, when done over time, can reduce pain. There are some medications, such as tricyclic antidepressants and antiepileptics, which have been shown to reduce pain also. However, these treatments are only so effective. We really don’t have any treatments that are super effective for chronic pain. (Procedures, such as injection therapies and spine surgeries, are known to be largely ineffective, despite how often they are pursued.) At the end of the day, chronic pain is chronic. It’s not ultimately fixable. While some of things that can be done to reduce chronic pain are helpful, they are only mildly so.

Given this fact, if you can’t fix the pain, then you might as well work on the problems that occur as a result of the pain. It’s possible to have chronic pain and not have it disrupt your life. It’s possible to have chronic pain and not be depressed about it. It’s possible to have chronic pain and sleep well at night. It’s possible to have chronic pain and work full-time. It’s possible to have chronic pain and have a fulfilling and intimate relationship.

Now, many people have to learn how. But, if they are open to learning, they can learn to self-manage pain well enough to be able to overcome these secondary problems. Such learning can take time and practice. It also takes a certain amount of devotion to maintain lifestyle changes, once you learn how to do them. Nonetheless, it is possible.

What patients learn could be called stress management and it involves cognitive behavioral therapies.

Good self-management of chronic pain involves stress management. When you overcome depression, even if chronic pain remains, it’s still a win for you. When you come to sleep well at night, after a period of chronic insomnia, life gets better, even if you continue to have chronic pain. When the strain in your relationships subside, your marriage and family life deepen, making life more meaningful and fulfilling, despite having chronic pain.

Overcoming the stressors in life, even when they occur as a result of chronic pain, is a way to get better when there is no cure for the pain itself. Patients with chronic pain might initially wonder why chronic pain rehabilitation providers want to focus on the stressors in their life, but from here we can see why. It’s a way to get better when there is no cure. If you can’t fix the pain, focus on overcoming the stressful consequences of living with pain. By doing so, you make life easier and better.

You also make the chronic pain more tolerable by coping better with it. By overcoming your depression or anxiety, everything in life gets easier to deal with – pain included. It becomes more tolerable. When you sleep reasonably well, on most nights, you deal with everything better – pain included. It becomes more tolerable. The same is true with any of the stressful problems that go along with living with chronic pain. When you overcome them, you cope better with the pain itself. By focusing on reducing stress, you come to cope better and pain can go from what was once intolerable to what is now tolerable.

Chronic pain rehabilitation is the form of chronic pain management that most focuses on helping patients to overcome the stress of living with chronic pain and thereby cope better with pain. The other forms of chronic pain management – spine surgery clinics, interventional pain management clinics, medication management clinics—focus mostly on reducing pain, and not on the stressors that occur as a result of pain. Chronic pain rehabilitation programs focus on both. They provide empirically proven methods to reduce pain, while also providing therapies to overcome depression, anxiety, insomnia, cognitive deficits, relationship problems, and disability.

For more info on how to take control of your health, and tackle chronic pain in a smart way, please reach out to:

Phone: (416) 477-1101

E-mail: reception@priclinic.com

Web:   www.priclinic.com

The road to good health in adulthood is paved with the decisions made during the teenage years. And as teen girls and boys continue to grow, there are daily nutrients and habits they’ll need to keep them happy and healthy.

“In the transition from the childhood to the teen years, nutritional needs increase with the rapid physical growth that occurs during those years,” says APHA member Nicole Larson, PhD, MPH, RDN, a National Institutes of Health-funded researcher and senior research associate at the University of Minnesota’s School of Public Health. “So there’s an increase in energy demands, but it’s also important to think about increases in nutrient demands

Teens need a variety of nutrients, such as iron, calcium, folic acid and protein, which can be found in lean meats, whole grains, low-fat dairy foods, fruits and vegetables, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion.

Iron is essential for teens, but especially for teen girls, as they’ll lose more of it after starting menstruation, Larson says. Good sources of iron include meat, fish, poultry, green leafy vegetables, nuts and seeds, she says.

“Another group of nutrients that’s important to be seeking out daily for bone health is calcium and vitamin D,” Larson says. Good sources of these nutrients are dark green vegetables such as broccoli, cabbage and okra, along with fortified foods like fortified juice.

While foods and beverages high in calories, saturated fats, sodium and sugar aren’t off limits, teens should aim to eat those foods only on occasion, according to USDA. Consuming such foods and beverages on a regular basis can have long-term health consequences into adulthood, Larson says. And skipping out on nutrients such as iron could lead to fatigue or anemia.

“You might tend to carry those eating behaviors with you over time,” Larson says. “And if you do not eat well over the adult years as well, there’s certainly an increased risk of cardiovascular disease, osteoporosis, Type 2 diabetes and (being) overweight.”

Good nutrition for teens starts at home. Larson says parents who want their teens to practice better nutrition should make healthy food readily accessible.

Keep portable foods high in calcium and vitamin D, such as yogurt and lower fat string cheese, in the fridge for teens. Low-fat granola bars and whole-grain crackers are an easy way for teens to get their fix of iron and whole grains, Larson says. Produce such as pre-washed carrots or sliced apples are also good on the go.

Parents should also encourage teens to eat breakfast before school and to pack their lunch during the school week, according to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. Parents of teens should try to schedule family meals, as research shows teens who eat with their parents tend to have healthier diets, Larson says.

“While that is not always possible, we know from research that teens really do appreciate having family meals, even though they’re often very busy,” Larson says. “But that is something that they enjoy. If it doesn’t work to meet up at dinner for a meal, try to be creative in terms of scheduling. Maybe it works better to have breakfast meals together or have lunch together on the weekends.”

When teens are out in restaurants, tips include ordering milk instead of soda and a side dish of fruit over something high in calories, such as French fries. Teens should also look for smaller portions to avoid excess calories, she says.

“Maybe it’s easier to order off the kids’ menu than the regular menu to make sure you’re getting a smaller portion and look for key words that indicate a healthier version of a sandwich or a menu item, like choosing a grilled chicken sandwich instead of a crispy chicken sandwich,” Larson says

Nutritional Medicine is about creating new lifelong habits as much as it is about restoring function. Ask our office for more advice on how to make your health goals more achievable.

Tel:      (416) 477-1101

E-mail: reception@priclinic.com

Web:   www.priclinic.com

Orthostatic hypotension (OH) is defined as a sudden drop in blood pressure upon standing from a sitting or supine position. It is also known as postural hypotension. Diagnosis is made if the blood pressure drops by or greater 20mmHg systolically and 10mmHg diastolically. This occurs within three minutes of standing after lying facing up for 5 minutes or at 60% angle on a tilt table. This sudden drop in blood pressure is due to failure of autonomic reflex, volume depletion, or adverse reaction to medication. Symptoms on presentation are commonly related to reduced blood flow to the brain but many patients can be asymptomatic. Frequent falls occur due to this disease process resulting in a high rate of morbitity and mortality and multiple hospital admissions.

Orthostatic hypotension etiology can be caused by

1. Neurogenic. This occurs due to autonomic instability secondary to neuropathic disease, neurodegenerative disease, or aging eg Diabetes, Lewy body dementia, Demyelinating diseases, Huntington’s, Parkinson’s, MSA.
2. Non neurogenic. Volume depletion eg Dehydration, Hyperglycemia, Hemorrhage, Vomiting.
3. Medication related. eg vasodilators, diuretics, antidepressants, antipsychotics and dopaminergic drugs , polypharmacy

Signs and Symptoms

The person will present with symptoms occurring when rise from standing or sitting, particularly if done rapidly. The related signs and symptoms are due to reduced cerebral blood flow. These include: lightheadedness; generalised tiredness; vertigo; blurred vision; difficulty concentrating; palpitations; anxiety; nausea; falls

Diagnostic Procedures

Take the BP

5 minutes after lying down facing upwards. Record or memorize this number

1 minute after standing

3 minutes after standing

A drop in systolic BP of 20mmHg or greater, a drop in systolic BP of 10mmHg or greater is diagnostic tool. Three subcategories exist

1. Classic as defined above
2. Delayed OH, when the blood pressure changes as noted above go beyond 3 minutes
3. Initial, which is a normal finding. A drop 40 mmHg systolic and 20 mmHg diastolic BP on initial 15 seconds or less of standing, which returns to normal in less than 30 seconds.

Management / Interventions

Apart from removing any offending medications, the initial line of management are lifestyle related. These include; Drinking 2-3 litres of water, in small boluses over the day; increasing salt intake or salt supplements; elevating bed head at night to decrease fluid to kidneys with resultant urine production and fluid loss; use of compression stockings and corsets when out; exercising major muscle groups eg static gluteals just before standing or on standing; counting a slow 10 before moving on from sit to stand position.

Pharmacologic treatment via MD consultation should be considered after conservative lifestyle interventions have failed to relieve symptoms. Medications that work through different mechanisms in order to increase vascular tone are utilised. However, since some of these medications may result in side effects, we encourage our patients to consider conservative care first through physiotherapy and chiropractic care.

To find out how we can help you, please contact us at:

Tel:      (416) 477-1101

E-mail: reception@priclinic.com

Web:   www.priclinic.com

Raising healthy families is the goal of every parent. Moms and dads innately want the best for their beloved. With the right health philosophy and action steps, you and your loved ones can enjoy an excellent quality of life together. Here’s a super healthy philosophy with some science and common sense to back it up.

Health comes from within. The moment you were conceived, one cell from your mother and one from your father united to form a unique and magnificent you. This united cell multiplied over and over again during the next nine months into 80 quadrillion cells without any help from the scientific community. Your heart, lungs, fingers and toes, were all positioned by the Universe to develop and function properly.

As long as there is no interference to this process, everything can develop perfectly and you are prepared to be delivered into this world. This mechanism  stays with you after you are born. With the nervous system as its conduit, this intelligence controls and coordinates the function of your entire body. Keeping this system free from interference is essential to a healthy life. It keeps you healthy in mind and body. If you teach this philosophy to your children you will raise them as strong, confident individuals who trust their body, immune system, and genetic potential. They will be “super” healthy kids.

On the other hand, teaching a drug-oriented philosophy from birth can lead to drug-dependency as an adult. Too many people buy into the philosophy that they need drugs to be healthy.

While this may be true in limited cases of extreme pain, sickness and disease, it is not true or healthy as an overall philosophy or lifestyle.

Think about the impact of a “drug first” philosophy. When your baby gets sick for the first time, you have a choice. If you do not have confidence in your child’s natural immune system, you might immediately panic and give your child a drug. In their toddler years when they get a cold or infection you may give them a drug right away so they won’t “suffer”. Each time they say they do not feel good, rather than rely on their body’s innate wisdom, do you call in a prescription or go to the store and get them an over-the-counter drug?

When your child is old enough to go to school, the teacher might inform you that they are struggling to concentrate or sit still. The child might be labeled and immediately given a drug.

What is the message that is constantly sent to a child under these “drug first” conditions? If a child is taught that they should take a drug every time they do not feel good, this drug-first mentality becomes conditioned. Is it any wonder that when this child has a minor ailment, does not make the team, or has a social conflict that they turn to drugs to “feel better?”

Your health care philosophy is your choice. PRI long and lustrous lifestyle delivers an innate health care philosophy which is working for millions. It can also work for you and your family. Isn’t it time you begin trusting yourself and this innate philosophy and begin living the healthy life that you and your children deserve?

For more info on how to take control of your health, please reach out to:

Phone: (416) 477-1101

E-mail: reception@priclinic.com

Web:   www.priclinic.com

There is a growing need for primary health care providers who use natural methods which are safe, effective, and without side effects, especially for developing children. Many parents turn to chiropractic care for their children. Many more parents are bringing in their children soon after birth to have their spines checked; these babies are not sick!  But, these parents realize that the birth process itself may place stress on the developing spine. They don’t want to wait until symptoms develop and there is a problem!

DRUG FREE HEALING, NATURALLY

Instead of using drugs, our therapists work with children’s bodies to help strengthen their immune systems and heal. In the common ills of children, gentle chiropractic adjustments, cranio-sacral work, and sometimes nutritional modifications are used to help regain homeostasis – that fine line between well-being and dis-ease.

WELLNESS CHIROPRACTIC

PRI is a big advocate of preventative chiropractic care.  You don’t wait until you child’s teeth are rotting before you take them in to the dentist, do you? So why should you wait until your child has a spinal curvature, earache, asthma, or allergies, before you take them in for a chiropractic check up? Prevention is the key!

Because the nervous system controls and coordinates many functions in the body, regular chiropractic care starting at birth (or preferably in utero!) absolutely helps children to grow up healthier and happier! Even “normal” births can cause trauma to the spine, especially the neck and cranium of the newborn. When forceps, vacuum extraction, or cesarean section are used, the trauma increases.

Your baby’s spine will grow 50% in that first year, making it very susceptible to injury. Your child’s spine must also develop curves in the neck and low back during that first year in order to continue growing properly in childhood. After that first year, the child’s activity level increases, which may subject the spine to repeated physical trauma. Look at a child who’s learning how to walk. Can you imagine falling on YOUR butt so many times a day? And have you seen older children playing on the playground? Those repeated stressors can cause vertebrae to misalign and affect spinal health.

REACHING THEIR FULL HUMAN POTENTIAL

We all have high hopes and dreams for our children. Each child is special in their own way. Chiropractic can help YOUR child reach THEIR full human potential, whatever that may be. This includes those children with special needs, such as those Down’s Syndrome, Cerebral Palsy, and others who are physically or mentally challenged. This may help them grow up healthy – in mind, body, and spirit!

Indications that your OLDER CHILD may benefit from chiropractic include:

* Backaches and Growing pains

* Sports injuries

* Headaches

PRI  believes “A well-adjusted kid is a child who gets regular chiropractic care!”

No matter what your childs health concerns or goals may be, this approach and care can make a big difference for you like it has for millions of others.

Ask our office for more advice on how to make your health goals more achievable.

Tel:      (416) 477-1101

E-mail: reception@priclinic.com

Web:   www.priclinic.com

Do you feel it’s harder for you to stay thin than it was for your grandparents at your age? You are right! Though we may be eating the same foods and exercising just as much as they did, we are about 10 percent heavier than people were in the 80’s. This may be due to changes in lifestyle and environmental factors that impact our BMI, or body mass index.

Recent research by York University’s Faculty of Health shows it’s more difficult to maintain the same weight at a certain age than it was for someone 2 or 3 decades ago. Even if you eat exactly the same macros (protein, fat, and carbs) and perform the same amount and type of exercise, you are likely to be heavier than they were at your age.

In fact, accounting for all the factors, the predicted BMI has risen 2.3 points between 1988 and 2006.

Jennifer Kuk, the study’s author, states “Our study results suggest that if you are 40 years old now, you’d have to eat even less and exercise more than if you were a 40-year-old in 1971 to prevent gaining weight. However, it also indicates there may be other specific changes contributing to the rise in obesity beyond just diet and exercise.”

Specific factors contributing to our increased BMI

In the past, we tended to look only to dietary and exercise habits when we considered our weight or BMI (body mass index).

However, managing your weight is much more complex than simply watching what you eat and working out regularly. Our BMI can be impacted by many factors such as:

Medication use

Environmental toxins

Genetics

Timing of meals

Stress level

Gut bacteria populations

Nighttime light exposure

While the study’s authors admit we need more research to determine exactly how these variables contribute to the changed BMI picture, they suggest three main factors:

Increased environmental toxins. Compared to 30 years ago, we are exposed to a higher level of environmental toxins such as pesticides, air pollution, heavy metals, flame retardants, plastics found in food storage containers, and more. These toxins place a heavy burden on the endocrine system and alter the hormonal processes which affect metabolism and weight management.

Increased use of prescription drugs. Since the 1970s, prescription drug use has risen dramatically. In the US, antidepressants are the most prescribed drugs for those between the ages of 18 and 44 and are also linked to weight gain.

Our gut microbiome has changed. The gut microbiome, which is comprised of the good and bad bacteria that naturally inhabit the digestive tract, has drastically changed since the 1980’s.

Americans eat differently than they did in the past. The products we eat now contain more antibiotics, pesticides, and other toxins; we consume more artificial sweeteners; and we eat more junk food. All of these factors may negatively impact the population of our gut bacteria.

A hot topic of research, the gut microbiome is now being connected to more and more aspects of health and disease. For example, some gut bacteria are linked with weight gain and obesity. In fact, doctors are even using fecal implantation — inserting gut bacteria from a healthy thin patient into the gut of an unhealthy obese patient — to reduce chronic obesity.

For ways to support a healthy microbiome, please contact our office. We can help you evaluate your microbiome health and show you how to improve it so you can maintain a healthy weight.

Nutritional Medicine is about creating new lifelong habits as much as it is about restoring function. By injecting the best the placebo effect has to offer into your daily diet and protocol, you are laying the groundwork for a lifetime of more positive outcomes.

Ask our office for more advice on how to make your health goals more achievable.

Tel:      (416) 477-1101

E-mail: reception@priclinic.com

Web:   www.priclinic.com

Although physical activity and exercise is known to benefit people with multiple sclerosis (MS), the ability of these individuals to participate in such interventions is difficult due to the mobility impairments caused by the disease. Keeogo is a lower-extremity powered exoskeleton that may be a potential solution for enabling people with MS to benefit from physical activity and exercise.

Last year, McGibbon et al evaluated the Keeogo exoskeleton for assisting ambulatory activities in people with multiple sclerosis in an open-label, randomized, cross-over trial that was used to examine the immediate performance effects when using the device, and the potential benefits of using the device in a home setting for 2 weeks. Clinical performance tests with and without the device included the 6 min walk test, timed up and go test and the 10-step stair test (up and down). An activity monitor was also used to measure physical activity at home, and a patient-reported questionnaire was used to determine the amount and extent of home use. Generalized linear models were used to test for trial effects, and correlation analysis used to examine relationships between trial effects and usage.

RESULTS:

Twenty-nine patients with MS participated. All measures showed small decrements in performance while wearing the device compared to not wearing the device. However, significant improvements in unassisted (Rehab effect) performance were found after using the device at home for 2 weeks, compared to 2 weeks at home without the device, and participants improved their ability to use the device over the trial period (Training effect). Rehab and Training effects were related to the self-reported extent that participants used Keeogo at home.

CONCLUSIONS:

Keeogo appears to deliver an exercise-mediated benefit to individuals with MS that improved their unassisted gait endurance and stair climbing ability. Keeogo might be a useful tool for delivering physical activity interventions to individuals with mobility impairment due to MS.

If you have been suffering from MS, please see a specialist at the PRI clinic. This multi-disciplinary team is specifically trained to properly introduce your body to the Keego^TM device, which will allow your body to achieve a remarkable improvement in your lifestyle. To book an appointment, please call or follow these links.

Tel:      (416) 477-1101

E-mail: reception@priclinic.com

Web:   www.priclinic.com

We look forward to helping you out!

The term rounded shoulders is used to describe a resting shoulder position that has moved forward from the body’s ideal alignment. Rounded shoulders, sometimes known as “mom posture,” are part of overall bad posture, and they can get worse if left untreated. There are a few simple exercises that can help keep the shoulders in their correct position and relieve the stress caused by slumping.

Causes and risk factors

Posture is an example of how a person’s habits can affect their physical body. Conditions such as text neck and rounded shoulders are some of the most common ways poor posture begins. Any activity that causes the body to look down and forward for long periods of time can contribute to slumped shoulders. These positions disrupt how the muscles in the neck, back, and shoulders normally function. It is these muscles that control the way the body maintains its posture throughout the day.

Daily tasks that may contribute to rounded shoulders include:

using a smartphone or tablet

using a computer or laptop

sitting for long periods

driving a vehicle

bending over repeatedly

carrying heavy objects all day

The risks of rounded shoulders include the negative impact they can have on health and appearance.

By inadvertently training the body to be hunched forward over time, the muscles interpret this slumped position as the body’s natural state. This can be very harmful for the body if left untreated.

Increased stress on the shoulder joints can cause pain around the neck and upper back.

It is best to correct rounded shoulders by adjusting the posture as soon as possible.

Diagnosis

Chiropractors and physical therapists may lead a person through a few tests to see if they have rounded shoulders.

The doctor may first look at the person’s resting position while they are standing. A person with slumped shoulders may seem to slouch, even when asked to stand up straight. Their hands are also likely to face behind them, with the thumbs pointed at each other.

A correct standing posture will see the hands facing towards the body with the thumbs facing ahead. This is a simple test, but it will give doctors a good indication of a person’s everyday posture.

Doctors may use a variety of other tests to help them diagnose rounded shoulders and poor posture, in order to recommend the best treatments.

It is always advisable to work directly with a knowledgeable practitioner to treat rounded shoulders.

Stretches and exercises

The good news is that, in most cases, rounded shoulders can be easily fixed or prevented.

Just as the muscles and joints have been trained to hunch forward, they can be retrained to find the correct resting position.

A simple exercise routine can be followed to support correct shoulder position and posture in many people. Dedicating 20-30 minutes a day to these exercises, at least twice a week, can help an individual improve their posture and alleviate any associated symptoms.

It may take time to notice the adjustment to the shoulders, but it is better not to rush or force the body into a position that is not comfortable.

Handclasp

The handclasp stretch is simple and can be done every day. Standing up straight with the hands by their sides, a person reaches their hands behind them to clasp them together.

Gently, they then pull the shoulders back, while taking care not to allow the neck to push forward.

The shoulders should be pulled back until the chest opens and a deep stretch is felt. The position should be held for 30 seconds.

Door chest stretches

Just as the shoulders were stretched, the chest needs to be stretched to keep a person’s posture strong. One simple way to do this involves the use of a doorframe.

Standing straight in front of a doorframe, a person should place one hand on either side of the frame, just above head height.

Moving one foot forward and gently lunging past the frame will stretch the chest and shoulders. Hold this position for 30 seconds.

Shoulder blade squeeze

This basic exercise reminds the body what good posture feels like, and helps build strength throughout the day.

Sitting up tall, a person should move both shoulder blades together, as if trying to hold a tennis ball between them. As they flex, the shoulders should move down and away from the ears.

This position should be held for 10 seconds, and repeated 10 times.

The T stretch

The T stretch is best done in the morning, just after waking, or in the night, just before sleeping.

The person lies flat on their back with their feet flat on the floor. Their knees will be bent and facing up.

The arms should be extended out to the sides of the body, palms facing up. When done correctly, there will be a slight stretch in the back and shoulders.

This position can be held for up to 10 minutes each day for the best results.

For more ideas on how to fix round shoulders please contact

Tel:      (416) 477-1101

E-mail: reception@priclinic.com

Web:   www.priclinic.com

Aquatic therapy is physical therapy that takes place in a pool or other aquatic environment under the supervision of a trained healthcare professional. Aquatic therapy is also known as water therapy, aquatic rehabilitation, aqua therapy, pool therapy, therapeutic aquatic exercise or hydrotherapy.

Aquatic therapy is considered an add-on certification for physical therapists and athletic trainers who often work closely with occupational therapists and exercise physiologists to develop a plan of care for each client.

Common goals of aqua therapy programs include:

Improving flexibility

Improving balance and coordination

Building muscle strength and endurance

Enhancing aerobic capacity

Assisting with gait and locomotion

Reducing stress and promoting relaxation

Aquatic therapy is different from aquatic exercise or aquatic fitness because it is a physical medicine and rehabilitation specialty that requires the involvement of a trained professional and is covered by many insurance providers due to the personalized nature of the treatment. Aquatic exercise does not need to be supervised by a trained professional. It is also not covered by insurance, and it often takes place in a group setting that includes multiple people with different levels of physical fitness.

Aquatic therapy should not be confused with adaptive aquatics, either. Adaptive aquatics is the process of teaching people with disabilities how to swim safely in the water. Aquatic therapy does not focus on teaching clients how to swim.

Water therapy services are generally offered in hospitals, sports medicine clinics and traditional outpatient rehabilitation centers. Senior living centers may also provide aquatic therapy services as a way to encourage their residents to maintain or improve fitness levels, balance and strength.

History of Aquatic Therapy

Water therapy has been used for thousands of years throughout the world. Consider the following examples:

Ancient Greeks and Romans bathed in hot springs to improve circulation and promote relaxation.

Hippocrates recommended bathing in spring water as a way to treat sickness.

Swiss monks were known to use thermal waters to treat sick or disabled people in their community.

Japanese hot springs, or onsens, are said to have medicinal effects that include healing chronic pain, treating skin problems, curing menstrual disorders and relieving constipation.

German physicians were firm believers in pediatric water therapy. Water birthing was very popular throughout Germany in the 1960s and 1970s.

Benefits of Aquatic Therapy

These are some of the ways that water’s natural properties create an ideal therapeutic environment:

Warm water provides a relaxing and soothing environment for aching joints and muscles.

Water’s natural viscosity or resistance can be used for muscle strengthening and increasing rehabilitation progressions.

Buoyancy allows for flotation and reduces the effects of gravity on injured or aching joints and muscles.

Hydrostatic pressure supports and stabilizes the client, allowing people with balance deficits to perform exercises without a fear of falling, decreasing pain and improving cardiovascular return.

Turbulence and wave propagation let the therapist gently manipulate the client through the desired exercises.

The respiratory muscles are forced to work harder in the water, allowing for a natural strengthening that benefits the client long after the therapy session has ended.

Compared to other forms of physical therapy, aquatic therapy results in a higher client compliance rate and less pain throughout the recovery process. Opportunities to significantly minimize the pain a client experiences should be taken seriously because with less pain, a client can enjoy a higher quality of life.

PRI started offering Aquatherapy classes over 5 years ago. Join us in our 92-degree salt-water pool. This is the safest possible low-impact therapy with world-class fitness results. Includes cardiovascular strengthening, core work, and stretching. If appropriate for patients, there are also running and jumping exercises. Bring your own towel and lock. Spacious locker room and post therapy shower space are also available.

For more ideas on how to keep your body healthy, contact our office at

Tel:      (416) 477-1101

E-mail: reception@priclinic.com

Web:   www.priclinic.com

What is a Groin Injury?

A groin injury is more technically known as an adductor muscle strain, which is an acute injury to the groin muscles on the inside of the thigh. Although many different muscles can be injured, the most common are the Adductor Longus, Medius and Magnus, and the Gracilis.

Symptoms of adductor strain may include dull and/or sharp pain the region (including when you lift your knee) in addition to bruising and swelling of the inner thigh, atypical warmth in the groin and/or inner thigh, weakness or tenderness in the area, and limping along with difficulty in functional movement. Walking much less running can become a tremendous is not impossible chore.

Like with most other injuries, a groin strain can be categorized as a Grade 1 to 3 injury with the stretch or muscle tear ranging from minor to more extreme, with severity of symptoms corresponding to the grade. Your first point of contact (physician or physiotherapist) will ask about whether you heard a popping sound when the event occurred, and/or if swelling and pain followed. When LeBron James’ injury happened there was no doubt about the significance as he grimaced and limped off the court.

Which Athletes Are Most Susceptible?

Data finds that ice hockey and soccer players are especially susceptible to adductor muscle strains, given the nature of the body movements applied to perform each. An estimated 10-11% of all ice hockey and soccer player injuries are groin strains. With these two sports being particularly popular in Greater Vancouver you can see why our clinic commonly sees athlete patients for this ailment. However, as this article’s all-star reference shows, no sport where running, jumping, kicking, or pivoting is done is isolated from this risk. Groin injuries are common in basketball, football, snowboarding, surfing, tennis, and even jogging/running. Knowing this will help you devise a prevention plan, which will be addressed below.

Risk Factors and Causes in Sports

Studies show that the most common risk factors for adductor muscle sprains include stiffness, previous history, an imbalance of hip adductors-to abductors strength, and a diminished ROM for hip abduction. The same studies find that while groin strain can come from quick changes in acceleration, speed, and direction, overuse injuries are considered to be the primary cause.

Treatment and Prevention

Training each of the 3 adductor muscles to improve both flexibility, range-of-motion (ROM), and strength is essential to treating and preventing groin strain. In addition, attention should be paid to the hips and lower extremities for additional support. A physiotherapist will walk you through a variety of exercises, including floor stretches, chair lifts, side lifts, and knee squeezes and bends. The following physical therapy treatments and therapies can be applied to address adductor muscle injury:

Massage therapy

Laser therapy to the pectineus and adductor complex to reduce inflammation and pain

Acupuncture and dry needling

K-taping (for when you’re back in training/playing)

IMS therapy

All of these are offered at PRI with professional therapists taking rehabilitating your groin injury.

Experts also find that groin injuries in professional sports typically occur in pre-season training, which indicates that extended periods of adductor complex inactivity are to blame. After months of less activity, the adductor muscles are not tasked as much as they should be, with flexibility, strength, and ROM falling to the wayside. Therefore it is imperative that athletes maintain their physiotherapist prescribed exercise regime throughout the entire year.

An improved Gait can also help make a difference, and so custom orthotics for both walking and playing footwear can become a part of your groin injury prevention plan. In addition, a physiotherapist can help identify biomechanical disorders of the lower limb (i.e. excessive pronation, leg length differences, etc.) that may contribute to groin strain risk and can provide corrective therapies.

Lastly, remember to warm up and cool down properly before game/activity time.

For more info, please reach out to:

Phone: (416) 477-1101

E-mail: reception@priclinic.com

Web:   www.priclinic.com