Pilates was developed in the early 20th century by Joseph Pilates. While Joseph was working with the soldiers of WWI at the hospitals in England, he started to teach his own technique of exercise with minimal equipment. This form of exercise would later become known as Pilates. Joseph Pilates took his knowledge and experience with him when he emigrated to …
What is IMS? Is This Treatment For Me?
What is Gunn IMS Treatment? If you’ve heard about Gunn IMS and are wondering what it is, here’s some information to determine if it’s a potential treatment for you. Gunn IMS is a type of IMS needling technique (intramuscular stimulation) in which its theory and practical application were developed by Dr. Chan Gunn who worked as a physician for the …
Prevention of Running Injuries
Spring has come, and so has the running season! Do you do any preparation before going out for a run? How do you usually warm-up? What about stretching? How important is that for the prevention of injuries? To help you on your fitness journey, here are some thoughts about running warm-ups, stretching, shoe selection and strategies to prevent injury. Stretching …
Core Exercises
Strengthening Your Core Core muscles are essential for the stability of the lumbar spine. “Core stability” describes the ability to control the position and movement of the central portion of the body. Core stability training targets the muscles deep within the abdomen that connect to the spine, pelvis and shoulders, which assist in the maintenance of good posture and provide …
How To Treating Your Sciatica?
A variety of factors could cause symptoms associated with sciatica, which is an umbrella term that includes pain in the back/buttock (which may radiate down the leg), numbness in the affected area, tingling sensations and muscle weakness. Finding out the specific cause of sciatica is especially important for the proper treatment, as each cause has a different approach. Three of …
Understanding Dizziness: The Vestibular System
Many of us have experienced dizziness sometime in our lives. Studies have shown that about 7% of the general population live with frequent dizziness. There are several mechanisms that may cause dizziness: cardiovascular problems; peripheral vestibular problems; and central nervous system problems. This article discusses in more depth the vestibular system. This system provides feedback to the body about one’s …
Recovering from your ACL Surgery
Anterior cruciate ligament, or ACL, injuries are amongst the most common type of injuries affecting today’s athletes. According to the Canadian Academy of Sport and Exercise Medicine, about 250,000 ACL injuries occur in the USA and Canada each year. ACL injuries are usually caused by either an impact or a sudden shift in position; according to the American Academy of …
Management of Headaches
In the previous blog entry, we have explored the various types of headaches one can experience. Pharmacological interventions are often prescribed by doctors for severe headaches, ranging from simple analgesics or NSAIDS for mild to moderate migraines to triptans or ergots for moderate to severe headaches. However, many pharmacological interventions have adverse side-effects and some carry the risk of drug-drug …
Understanding Headaches
Headaches are an almost universal experience, but not well understood. There are many types of headaches and different causes to them. Let’s explore some of the more common types of headaches to understand why sometimes we have them and in the next blog, how they are managed. Primary Headaches Primary headaches, as classified by the International Headache Society, are …
Understanding Acupuncture
What is acupuncture? You may have heard of it from a friend, or even received acupuncture from a practitioner yourself. It is a versatile tool used by not only Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) professionals but also physiotherapists and doctors to treat a variety of symptoms and conditions. It is a powerful modality and extremely versatile in its applications, yet surprisingly …