Services

Our Physiotherapy Services

Sporting Edge Physiotherapy offers the following services:

MANUAL THERAPY

Physiotherapists with manual and manipulative therapy training use ‘hands-on’ treatment to help restore joint range of motion, muscle function, nerve mobility, and to reduce pain.

Treatment techniques may include joint mobilization or manipulation and soft tissue mobilization techniques.

A comprehensive manual physiotherapy approach always involves biomechanical analysis and exercise prescription to augment/maintain the gains made in treatment.

Sporting Edge Physiotherapy

Manual therapy techniques include joint mobilization/manipulation, myofascial release, soft tissue release, strain-counter strain, muscle energy technique, neural (nerve) mobilization, and the Mulligan concept, amongst others.

CONCUSSION TESTING & REHABILITATION

A concussion is a traumatic brain injury that occurs due to the brain being shaken inside the skull. When sustaining a concussion, there are four other parts besides the brain that can be affected. These may include your inner ears, neck, eyes, and all of the connections between them.

It is very common for those who have a concussion not to lose consciousness. Symptoms of a concussion can either be subtle or severe. If you believe you have a concussion, the following symptoms may be present: dizziness, poor balance/coordination, visual problems, sensitivity to light or noises, and headaches.

It is important to keep in mind that every concussion is different and recovery time can vary in length. In order to combat, manage, and treat concussions effectively, it is necessary to recognize the injury early, educate the client/athlete, have an objective clinical evaluation, provide sound evidence-based treatment practices, and have a treatment plan for return to play or return to daily activities.

Concussions are not something to be afraid of or an injury to hide. 15-20% of individuals experience post-concussion syndrome for months post-injury, simply due to the reason of not receiving proper treatment and diagnosis of the injury that has occurred.

At Sporting Edge Physiotherapy in Vaughan, we pride ourselves on delivering best evidence practices to combat concussions as well as many other injuries.

Sporting Edge Physiotherapy

At Sporting Edge Physiotherapy, our clinicians' aid in the treatment of concussions using vestibular-ocular therapy, exercise guidance/prescription, and cervical spine rehabilitation to aid in the recovery of your concussion.

Call us at (905) 417-4646 or come in to visit our clinic located at 3611 Major Mackenzie Drive West, Unit #4, to book your initial assessment with our clinicians.

Sporting Edge Physiotherapy

SHOCKWAVE THERAPY

Shockwave Therapy is an effective, non-invasive therapy used for the healing of soft tissue injuries. It uses an acoustic wave to carry high energy to the chronic painful area. The high energy, in turn, promotes regeneration and repair processes, resulting in accelerated healing, decreased pain, and increased mobility.

  • Formation of new blood vessels
  • Reversal of the chronic inflammation process
  • Stimulation of collagen production (which is required for tissue repair)
  • Breakdown of calcium deposits or calcifications
  • Dispersion of painful chemicals out of the painful area

Shockwave therapy is useful for treating common conditions, such as:

  • Plantar fasciitis
  • Achilles tendonitis
  • Shin splints
  • Jumper’s knee (patellar tendonitis)
  • Hamstring strains
  • Hip bursitis
  • Gluteal tendonitis or groin strains
  • Inflammation and calcification of shoulder tendons (i.e., rotator cuff and biceps tendons)
  • Golfer’s and Tennis Elbow (medial and lateral epicondylitis)

There is mild discomfort during a shockwave therapy session, which usually lasts around 4 to 5 minutes. The intensity can be adjusted during the treatment to keep it within your limit of discomfort.

After a treatment, you may experience some temporary tenderness or soreness over the treated area. This is due to the inflammatory response brought on by the shockwave therapy and initiation of your natural healing process.

Treatments are normally administered once per week for three weeks.

  • Temporary swelling or redness in the treated area
  • Temporary numbness or itching in the treated area
  • Bruising
  • Skin damage

Sporting Edge Physiotherapy

DRY NEEDLING/ INTRAMUSCULAR STIMULATION (IMS)

Intramuscular Stimulation (IMS) is a total system for both the diagnosis and treatment of myofascial pain. IMS relies heavily on a very thorough patient physical examination by a trained practitioner who can recognize the physical signs of neuropathic pain. This physical exam is crucial since chronic pain is often neurological (as opposed to structural) and is not visible on any sources of imaging.

The IMS treatment uses acupuncture needles because they are able to penetrate deep within muscle tissue. The acupuncture needles specifically target injured muscles that have contracted and become shortened from distress. The needle sites can be at the centre of muscle bands, or they can be near the spine where the nerve root may have become irritated and hypersensitive. Acupuncture on a normal muscle is painless, but a shortened, hypersensitive muscle will ‘grasp’ the needle, and this may cause a cramping sensation.

The goal of IMS treatment is to release muscle shortening. Supersensitive areas can be desensitized, and the persistent pull of shortened muscles can be released. IMS is very effective for releasing shortened muscles. When competently performed, IMS has a remarkable success rate.

EXERCISE THERAPY/ PERSONAL TRAINING

Exercise is an important aspect of general health and has been shown to improve mood, heart health, and diabetes control. Exercise also reduces the risk of some cancers, osteoporosis, and prevents obesity. Exercising is also a way to re-centre your body after an injury or to help with arthritis or other muscle/joint problems.

At Sporting Edge, our staff Physiotherapists will prescribe different types of exercises depending on your needs. Some types are remedial and are designed to improve your flexibility, posture, and strength. Others are focused on restoring natural muscle-use patterns, or to manage uncomfortable or painful symptoms better. Your physiotherapist will discuss your exercise schedule with you

Sporting Edge Physiotherapy

MEDICAL ACUPUNCTURE

Medical acupuncture involves the use of both traditional Chinese medicine techniques and evidence-based concepts in acupuncture to treat many types of conditions. It is a very safe, relaxing, and effective alternative to traditional medication.

Acupuncture involves inserting fine, sterile needles into specific points on the body but may include sites far from the injured area. Needles can then be rotated or stimulated with a current to enhance the effects.

The benefits of acupuncture are many and varied. Acupuncture can be used to treat conditions related to stress, allergies, and many acute or chronic injuries. Acupuncture can also be used to decrease or relieve pain, decrease inflammation, alter movement patterns, improve performance, and encourage natural healing through.

Sporting Edge Physiotherapy

Some of the conditions treated by acupuncture include:

  • Acute/chronic pain (e.g., strains, sprains, osteoarthritis)
  • Nerve referral pain (e.g., sciatic/disc herniation pain)
  • Allergies (e.g., seasonal/ragweed)
  • Headaches (e.g., migraine or tension-type headaches)
  • Frozen shoulder

PELVIC HEALTH PHYSIOTHERAPY

Sporting Edge Physiotherapy

Pelvic health Physiotherapy (also called Pelvic floor Physiotherapy) is the assessment and treatment of various conditions that involve the pelvic floor muscles and symptoms that manifest in this area.

The pelvic floor includes muscles, ligaments, nerves, and connective tissue. It has important functions including:

  1. Holding up all the organs directly above against gravity and intra-abdominal pressure.
  2. Controlling the openings of the urethra, rectum, and vagina.
  3. Sexual sensation.
  4. Stability to the low back, hip and sacroiliac joints.

What is the Pelvic Floor?

The pelvic floor is a group of muscles that sit at the very bottom of your pelvis, usually described as sitting in a hammock type fashion. They span from the coccyx and sacrum in the back to the pelvic bones along the sides, and the pubic bone in the front. These muscles have important functions including:

  • holding up all the organs directly above against gravity and intra-abdominal pressure
  • controlling the openings of the urethra, rectum, and vagina
  • sexual sensation
  • stability to the low back, hip and sacroiliac joints

What is Pelvic Floor Dysfunction?

Dysfunction of the pelvic floor occurs for different reasons, however, in all cases, the pelvic muscles are not performing as they should. Generally, the muscles can be HYPOTONIC which is when the muscles are long and weak or HYPERTONIC which is when the muscles are short and tight. The dysfunction in the muscles leads to various conditions.

Common conditions treated include

  • Stress Urinary Incontinence: peeing when you cough, laugh, sneeze, lift, exercise, and during transitional movements
  • Urge Urinary Incontinence: peeing after a strong uncontrollable need to void
  • Pelvic Organ Proplase: protrusion of an organ at or near the opening of the vagina
  • Dyparenuia or pain with sex
  • Bowel dysfunction: fecal incontinence, constipation, hemorrhoids
  • Coccydynia: pain over the coccyx or tailbone
  • Endometriosis: tissue outside the uterus causing pelvic pain
  • Vaginismus: spasm of the muscles with vaginal penetration
  • Vulvodynia: generalized pain over the vulvar region
  • Interstitial cystitis or Painful Bladder syndrome
  • Dysmenorrhea
  • Chronic Pelvic Pain Syndrome
  • Unexplained low back, hip, and groin pain
  • Pregnancy and post-partum related pain and incontinence (see below)

Prenatal and Postnatal Physiotherapy

Pelvic floor physiotherapy during and after pregnancy is being recognized as a necessary part of raising the standard of care for women. Regardless of your pregnancy journey and delivery, there are many implications for the pelvic floor. Some of the common concerns that can be addressed by a pelvic health physiotherapist include:

  • Preparation for labour and delivery
  • Pelvic Girdle Pain
  • Perineal stretching
  • Perineal and caesarean scar mobilizations
  • Diastasis recti support (AKA “mummy tummy”)
  • Pelvic floor muscle and core re-training after birth
  • Exercise during pregnancy and returning to exercise after birth

What can you expect during your sessions?

Our Registered Physiotherapist, Marlene Luis, has specialized training in both orthopedic and pelvic health conditions. As such, a thorough orthopedic and pelvic floor history is conducted followed by the assessment and treatment of the pelvic floor. You can expect the following to be evaluated:

  • Muscle tone & specific muscle trigger points
  • Strength, endurance and coordination of the pelvic floor
  • Diastasis recti
  • Spinal, hip, abdominal, and pelvic mobility

The preferred method of assessment is an internal pelvic exam since the proper evaluation of the pelvic floor requires internal palpation in the vagina and or rectum. This is a unique and specialized skill that allows the therapist to confirm muscle function directly. A good example of why an internal exam is important is when we consider the performance of Kegels. It is now well known that these pelvic floor muscle contractions, or Kegels, are oftentimes being performed incorrectly and are usually overdone. Having confirmation by a digital exam allows for the best performance feedback.

Your sessions will give you a better understanding of your current pelvic floor function and how it has practical implications in your everyday demands. An individualized and supervised training plan is best when looking to restore your functional strength and mobility.

Learn More

If you suffer from any of the symptoms below, you may benefit from pelvic floor Physiotherapy:

  • Urgency - a strong, compelling urge to urinate or defecate that may be difficult to control.
  • Nocturia - waking at night repeatedly to urinate.
  • Constipation - difficult passage of hard stools less than three times a week.
  • Frequency - having to urinate so frequently that your normal routine is affected.
  • Incontinence - leakage of urine or feces that cannot be controlled.
  • Chronic pelvic pain - pain within or around the pelvic region present for three months or more without any positive physical diagnosis or medical explanation.
  • Painful intercourse
  • Heaviness

Prenatal and Postnatal Physiotherapy

Pelvic floor physiotherapy during and after pregnancy is being recognized as a necessary part of raising the standard of care for women. Regardless of your pregnancy journey and delivery, there are many implications for the pelvic floor. Some of the common concerns that can be addressed by a pelvic health physiotherapist include:

  • Preparation for labour and delivery
  • Pelvic Girdle Pain
  • Perineal stretching
  • Perineal and caesarean scar mobilizations
  • Diastasis recti support (AKA “mummy tummy”)
  • Pelvic floor muscle and core re-training after birth
  • Exercise during pregnancy and returning to exercise after birth
Sporting Edge Physiotherapy

NATUROPATHIC MEDICINE

Sporting Edge Physiotherapy

MSK Naturopathic is a dynamic approach to health care. People are unique, and being so require individualized care. At MSK Naturopathic, we take all that we know about medicine and apply it to everything we learn about you in order to come up with the best treatment plan possible to accomplish your health goals.

With a focus on pain management, rehabilitation, weight loss, and sports nutrition, you can trust that we will take the time to get to know you and your concern. This will help us to arrive at an appropriate and individualized treatment plan that will return you to optimal health and function.

Book an appointment today and start to take control of your health!