Top 16 Reasons to See a Sports Physiotherapist

Even if you don’t consider yourself an athlete, or have never experienced a serious injury, you can improve your quality of life by visiting a sports physiotherapist. In fact, you don’t need to be a serious athlete to enjoy the lifelong benefits that come from a few sessions with a skilled physiotherapist.  Working with a sports physiotherapist is often the solution to a variety of common ailments. Whether you want to stay in shape and prevent injuries further down the line, or you are seeking help for a specific problem, like chronic pain, physiotherapy treatment is often the answer you might be looking for. Helping patients of all ages and levels of activity, some benefits of working with a sports physiotherapist include improved quality of life, improved physical function, and management or control of existing conditions. These results can be accomplished through a variety of methods including heat therapy, joint manipulation, ultrasound, acupuncture, and manual therapy.  What do physiotherapists do?  All sports physiotherapists in Toronto belong to the regulated healthcare body, The College of Physiotherapists of Ontario. This body regulates physiotherapists, to ensure the ongoing improvement of the practice of physiotherapists and to serve the public interest. Physiotherapists are university-trained...

10 Most Common (and Avoidable) Golf Injuries

Photo: Pexels There are two major types of golf injuries: The first are acute injuries, for example, hitting a tree root with a club.  The second are overuse injuries, which usually are the result of poor biomechanics.  Acute injuries are the ones that are difficult to avoid, of course.  But overuse injuries can be avoided by looking at a couple of different issues. First of all, warming up properly. Secondly, not overswinging. Third, assessing swing mechanics. And perhaps most importantly, looking at the grip. So What Are The Common Injuries In Golf? 1. Back Pain The first is back pain. Because this is an asymmetric movement, the swing puts a lot of pressure on the spine and the lower back muscles. Incorrect stance with rounding of the back at address leads to an increase in the amount of force applied to the back and increases that strain. 2. Elbow Tendonitis Elbow tendonitis is referred to as either tennis elbow, when there's an injury to the tendon on the outside part of the elbow, that is the side that goes down to the thumb. Or golfer's elbow, which is in the inner elbow, which is the side that goes down to...

Returning to Sports After an ACL Injury

The Golden State Warriors’ Shooting Guard Klay Thompson suffering from an ACL tear during Game 6 of the 2019 NBA Championships. Photo Source: NBA   An ACL (anterior cruciate ligament) injury occurs when the ACL -- the bands of tissue that hold your knee bones together -- stretches or tears. ACL injuries usually occur in sports, especially when athletes make sudden stops, sharp turns, or land awkwardly.  ACL tears are most common in high-impact sports like:  Soccer Basketball Tennis Squash Football And others Here’s a recent example: During Game 6 of the 2019 NBA Finals between the Toronto Raptors and Golden State Warriors -- the Warriors’ shooting guard Klay Thompson tore the ACL in his left knee after landing awkwardly on a dunk attempt.  How long will this put Klay Thompson out of commission?  On average, it takes between 8 and 12 months to recover from an ACL tear.  Fortunately, thanks to advances in sports medicine, athletes like Klay Thompson can return to playing form and thrive -- despite the seriousness of their injuries.  Some notable athletes who have recently suffered and successfully returned from ACL tears include the Raptors’ own Kyle Lowry, the Patriots’ Tom Brady, and Team USA’s...

Most Common Basketball Injuries

In the 2015 NBA Playoffs, the Cleveland Cavaliers’ forward, Kevin Love, suffered a shoulder injury that kept him out for the rest of the season. Photo source: USA Today.   In recent years, the pace of play and on court movement (especially off the ball) in basketball has shot up dramatically. From Coach Mike D’Antoni’s famous “run-and-gun” offensive system with the Phoenix Suns, to the Warriors’ off-ball cuts, basketball has never been as intense. However, with pro basketball being the “most demanding” sport today, the rate and number of injuries in the sport have gone up significantly (Bleacher Report).    In the 2019 NBA Playoffs and Finals, the Warriors lost 3 of their top 5 players to a major injury, while the rest of its line-up had played through many minor issues. We’re aware of how an ACL tear can set a basketball player back, but what about the more common injuries?   In this article, we look at how the most common basketball injuries happen, and how long it can take you to fully recover from them.    11 Common Basketball Injuries 1. Muscle Contusions A muscle contusion (also known as a bruised muscle) is generally a minor injury...

Hyaluronate Injections and Other Alternatives to Osteoarthritis Surgery

Folks suffering from osteoarthritis know very well how painful and inconvenient it is. Simple acts like getting in and out of your car can be challenging and the pain, swelling and stiffness in the joints is debilitating. Osteoarthritis generally affects individuals after the age of 45 but is also common in younger athletes. It affects the joints once the cartilage begins to break down over time. Osteoarthritis typically impacts the hips, knees, hands, and feet.   Unfortunately, cartilage in the joint cannot heal itself. Thus, those who suffer from osteoarthritis must seek out treatment the moment symptoms present themselves. Non-Surgical Treatment Options for Osteoarthritis There are many surgical and non-surgical treatment options for osteoarthritis patients. Yet, surgery can be invasive and painful; there are risks of bleeding and infection, coupled with long recovery times.   Fortunately, non-surgical treatments for relief from osteoarthritis are very effective. They include: Hot and cold therapy Medication that relieves pain and inflammation Physiotherapy Weight reduction Targeted exercise, prescribed by a physiotherapist Assistive devices, such as custom foot orthotics and custom knee bracing Hyaluronate (Durolane) injections PRP (Platelet Rich Plasma) injections Stem Cell injections Using Hyaluronate (Durolane) Injections for Osteoarthritis Treatment Durolane injections have become very popular...

Running away with the circus

Ever wonder what it would be like to run away with the circus? Well, one of our therapists Cristina Piticco had an amazing experience running away with Cirque Éloize to Europe, this past summer, as their onsite therapist. Here is her story! When people hear of the word “circus”, many think of “traditional” circus shows in red and white tents, where fierce animals are performing dangerous tricks and the weirdest of the weird are performing humanly impossible feats.  Today, the word circus has a very different meaning. It has transformed over the decades to be associated with spectacles that encompass physical and acrobatic excellence. Within the performing arts domain, Cirque Eloize has taken the stage as a contemporary circus, alongside her more well known sister company Cirque du Soleil. This summer, I had an incredible opportunity to spend a few weeks abroad with Cirque Éloize’s show Cirkopolis in Linz, Austria, during their international tour as their onsite physiotherapist. I was extremely happy to have had this opportunity as it was both a very challenging and rewarding experience, where I was be able to help those who push the barriers of human capability. “Ever since I got accepted to my master’s...

Five outstanding benefits of Toronto sports psychology

Getting the competitive edge on the court, field or ice is critical. Having the right frame of mind is an important part of an athlete’s success. Climbing over the mental barriers that keep you from your goals is one of the main focuses here. Here are five outstanding benefits of Toronto sports psychology. Finding the Zone Finding the level of mental arousal that allows you to do your best varies from person to person and sport to sport. It’s important to feel motivated but not agitated. It’s a fine line you need to walk mentally to do your best. Developing team spirit If you want to think and act as a team and increase your winning skills, you’ll need to think like a unit. Communication and cohesion as a team go hand-in-hand. The more a group works together on the mental aspects of this, the better they can accomplish an overall goal. Developing coping skills It’s important to master set of skills so you can adequately work through mistakes and setbacks. Toronto sports psychology services can help individuals and teams deal with the good and the bad. If you want to get in the zone and stay there, you’ll need...

Here’s a few ACL treatment Toronto pointers

Research tells us this injury is one of the most common sources of athletic problems. Many times, these centre  around the ligaments and tendons that support the kneecap. The AESM facilities provide expert care to help you get back into the game as soon as possible. Here’s a few ACL treatment Toronto pointers that you should know about concerning this common issue. General concerns Preventing injuries is one of the most common concerns for athletes. It’s easy to see why when you consider how important healthy knees are to sports like running, soccer and hockey. Preventing ACL injuries is all about understanding how your exercise or training program needs an element of flexibility. Adding strength programs to your workout is also a good idea to prevent these problems.  However, overtraining is an element that you need to avoid. Prevent injury Following are some pointers that should help to prevent ACL injuries. However, these aren’t designed to enhance your performance. One of the best ways to prevent injury around the knee is to follow a stretching regime. The hip and thigh muscles should be focused on. Paying special attention to the knee flexors is another good idea. Stretching all of these...

How to Treat Tennis Elbow with Shockwave Therapy

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]It can be caused by striking your elbow off the court or another traumatic event. However, our Toronto shockwave therapy experts find that tennis elbow is primarily an overuse injury. Here’s some information that you’ll need to know about this common problem. Putting a strain on the tendons in your elbow by constantly twisting is the major cause. If you hold your racket improperly or have other bad body mechanics, you can find yourself getting this nagging problem. If you use the wrong kind of racket that’s too heavy, issues can arise. Prevention There are a few simple things that you can do to prevent tennis elbow. These include: • Keeping your arms straight when you are lifting things up. Bending your elbows to pick things up at work causes unnecessary stress on the elbow and tendons. Practice this technique at home as well. • Finding the right exercise that strengthens the elbow and wrist is a good idea. Reducing the stress and strain on your elbow helps you to perform injury free on the court. • Making sure your racket is the right size and weight is essential. Our Toronto shockwave therapy experts can help with the right information....

Toronto physiotherapy and common training injuries

It doesn’t really matter whether you are a professional athlete or someone who loves to play their favourite sport on the weekends. It doesn’t matter what level you are at , there are some common injuries that our Toronto physiotherapy experts see over and over again. Here are just a few of the more common ones. Injuries from overuse Repetitive motion can cause these types of injuries. Repeating the same training exercise over and over again causes irritation and rubbing that can lead to inflammation. In a worst-case scenario, this situation can lead to bursitis which can become a chronic condition. Pains and sprains in the shoulder Most athletes use their shoulders a lot but overall these are considered a very stable joint. However, without the right kind of expert care, shoulder injuries can become hard to manage. Keep in mind that our expert Toronto physiotherapy professionals are on hand to help you with a variety of sports injuries. Of course these include anything to do with your shoulder. We have a variety of tailor-made programs that deal specifically with your specific issues. Sprained Ankles Some of the sports traumas on our list are common to a variety of different...