How Top Physiotherapy Clinic Can Help in Post-Pregnancy?

 

Did you know that the top physiotherapy clinic in Vaughan can do wonders for a newly become mother to regain her lost physical and mental health? A physiotherapy is a good option for newly become mothers. Unfortunately, not many know it. Most people associate physiotherapy with post-accident or post-surgery recovery. The post-pregnancy physiotherapy you get at Complete Care Physiotherapy is reliable, affordable, and beneficial. Our expert physiotherapists are in line with the latest methods.

Why post pregnancy physiotherapy is crucial?

A mother’s body undergoes a number of changes throughout pregnancy, including physiological, psychological, and hormonal shifts. Sometimes these alterations progress and cause severe distress even after they have begun to fade after delivery. A mother’s health might be negatively impacted by factors such as lack of sleep, exhaustion, nursing, etc.

Aches and pains in numerous areas of the body are typically brought on by uterine contractions during delivery, incisions, and hormonal changes. A newly become mother needs physiotherapy to help with the severe discomfort she experienced during pregnancy. In the best physiotherapy clinic in Vaughan, one of our expert physiotherapists will assess your condition and design the best physiotherapy treatment.

Benefits of physiotherapy for mothers

As the top physiotherapy clinic in Vaughan, we strongly recommend that newly become mothers go through a basic session. Physiotherapy exercises for the new mother are beneficial for getting back into shape and maintaining an active lifestyle after giving birth. Postpartum physiotherapy focuses on restoring the new mother’s strength and stamina by targeting her core muscles.

The pelvic region endures the most stress during pregnancy and labor. Hence, the workouts created for the postnatal program concentrate on strengthening those muscles. Postpartum physiotherapy often entails a regimen of exercises targeting the pelvic floor and abdominal muscles to regain strength. Weight loss after pregnancy is facilitated by postnatal physiotherapy. Special exercises can help alleviate these issues.

Top physiotherapy exercises

All new mothers should seriously consider these physiotherapeutic procedures performed after giving birth. The top physiotherapy clinic in Vaughan will suggest you the right combination of physiotherapy exercises according to your condition.

Muscles of the pelvic floor

The uterus relies on the strength of the muscles of the pelvic floor. The natural birth process causes these muscles to stretch to four times their normal size. It is not uncommon for them to burst during this procedure. Muscle rehabilitation in the top physiotherapy clinic in Vaughan is necessary because of all these dramatic shifts.

Strengthening the core muscles

The two primary abdominal muscles separate from one another during pregnancy. When you do a certain exercise, you can strengthen and reconnect those muscles that have become weak and disengaged. By consistently engaging in physical activity, the patient’s muscles will eventually thicken and strengthen, allowing them to help repair the separation.

With regard to the skeletal system

Back and pelvic pain is common symptoms for new mothers in the days following delivery. A mother’s head and shoulders are constantly hunched forward while carrying or breastfeeding an infant. The pain can be alleviated with the help of physiotherapy and specific exercises. Visit the top physiotherapy clinic in Vaughan and discuss it with one of our professionals.

Impairment of the bowel and bladder function

To urinate or defecate, the pelvic muscles must contract and relax in a specific pattern. Rupture or distortion of these muscles can result in excruciating pain and impaired function. Physiotherapy is a simple and effective way to treat such problems.

Formalized exercise after giving birth

After giving birth, getting back to one’s pre-pregnancy shape is essential. New mothers need to establish regular exercise and meditation practices in order to stay healthy and up to the challenge of motherhood. If you need more physical strength to complete the task at hand, we welcome you to visit our top physiotherapy clinic in Vaughan. With a homely atmosphere, we take care of you like a family.

 

Physiotherapy for Achilles Tendonitis

Do you experience pain behind your heel ? Does it affect your walking and other activities?  If you or loved one experience that then It can be Achilles Tendonitis. Please continue reading to know more about it and how physiotherapy helps with Achilles Tendonitis. 

Achilles Tendinopathy is characterised by pain at the back of the heel. The Achilles tendon essentially bears the entire weight of the body in all the weight bearing activities. This makes it prone to a lot of stress and overuse injuries.

There are different types of this condition – midportion (more common) or Insertional.

Insertional Tendonitis involves injury to the portion of the Achilles that inserts into the calcaneus, which is the bone at the heel.

Midportion Tendonitis involves injury to the portion of Achilles a few cm above the insertion.

It is important to distinguish between the two types as the treatment can be slightly different for each type. We are discussing the symptoms, causes and treatment options for the mid-portion Tendonitis as it is more common.

What are the Symptoms?

  • The most noticeable symptom is the pain in the Achilles tendon. This pain is usually aggravated on walking, running or any other weight-bearing activities.
  • Swelling and thickening of the affected Achilles might be observed as compared to the opposite side
  • Stiffness in the Achilles tendon and calf, especially in the morning, is also very common

 

What are the Causes?

A few common factors that are associated with Achilles Tendonitis are  as follow. Your physiotherapist may discuss one or many possible  factors that may cause the Achilles tendinitis. 

–        Poor Footwear

–        Flat Feet (Overpronated Feet)

–        Overuse : years of running, increased time on foot, any recent change in your activity load (eg. Increase in running time or running distance)

–        Calf muscle tightness

–        Weak muscles of the calf, hamstring, gluts

–        Obesity

–        Any direct blow or trauma to the Achilles tendon

 

Treatment Options –

There is not a consensus about the most optimal treatment option to deal with Achilles Tendinopathy. But evidence shows that exercise is one of the most effective ways to tackle the symptoms associated with midportion Achilles tendonitis. A few things that you can do at home are –

  1.   Ice

If you are experiencing acute symptoms of Achilles pain along with swelling, you can put cold pack at the area to for pain relief and decrease the swelling

  1. Avoid Walking barefoot or in flat footwear

Use sport shoes to ensure proper foot posture. Orthotics are also very helpful in improving your foot biomechanics. 

  1. Stretching –

Stretching is important to reduce the stiffness in the tendon and the calf muscle. Your Calf is made of 2 different muscles – Gastrocnemius and Soleus.  there are different ways to stretch each.

You can use a towel to stretch out as shown below. Hold the stretch for 20 sec and perform 3 times each. 

Calf Stretch

Ankle stretches
Calf muscle stretching

 

2. Common Ankle  Strengthening exercises recommended by physiotherapist for Achilles tendinitis. 

As mentioned above, exercise has been shown to improve the midportion Achilles tendinopathy. A steady progression of rehab exercises for 6-8 weeks is necessary to completely resolve the symptoms of this condition.

You can begin with some Isometric exercises in the beginning as shown below to start putting load on the muscles of the ankle.

Isometric Ankle muscle strengthening exercises

Ankle muscle strengthening exercise
Ankle Plantar Flexion Isometric (Wall)
Ankle muscle strengthening
Ankle Inversion Isometric (Towel)
Ankle strengthening
Ankle Dorsiflexion Isometric
Ankle muscle strengthening
Ankle Eversion Isometric

Further progression can be made to eccentric training exercises. Studies have shown that eccentric loading shows better results in cases of midportion Achilles Tendonitis.

Eccentric Gastrocnemius muscle strengthening exercise 

Ankle muscle strengthening
Calf Raise Eccentric | Single Leg (Chair)
Ankle muscle strengthening
Calf Raise Eccentric | Single Leg (Step)

To get a personalised approach to your exercise regime, it is always better to consult an exercise expert to get you through your rehab process. 

Remember, if in doubt regarding any aspects of the above options,  it is always better to get an opinion by an expert. There are many other treatment techniques that can help you accelerate your healing process.  Common Physiotherapy for Achilles tendinitis includes techniques like Shockwave, Laser Therapy, Taping, Massage Therapy, Acupuncture, all have been shown to be effective in adjunct to Exercise Therapy. 

Our Heel and foot pain expert at Complete Care Physiotherapy Centre can help you to recover from your heel pain and get you back to your favourite activities as soon as possible. We have successfully treated many heel and ankle injuries in the Etobicoke, Mississauga, Toronto and Vaughan region. 

Physiotherapy for Plantar Fasciitis

Is that first step too painful in the morning??…You may have Plantar Fasciitis. Continue reading to learn more about your Heel Pain.

Is that first step in the morning too painful for you? Does your heel feel sore and achy every time you step on it? Do you have any burning or stabbing pain in your feet? You may have a condition called Plantar Fasciitis.

With summer almost upon us, we all want to get out of the house for our regular exercise. This is the season for walking, running, hiking. However, if you are wrestling with heel pain like this, it can put a damper in the sunshine. It can definitely be debilitating to live with this pain – whether it is excruciating enough to stop your daily activity or just a mild pain. But you are not alone and this is a very common condition which can be effectively managed.

What is Plantar Fasciitis?

Plantar Fascia is the band that covers the sole of your feet – from your heel to your toe. A local inflammation of this fascia, most often due to overuse, is called Plantar Fasciitis. 

The most common characteristics of Plantar Fasciitis are 

  • Heel Pain, which is often the first symptom you may notice. Heel pain can start with just that first step in the morning and decreases with activity. Later it can progress on to a constant pain while weight-bearing on the foot. 
  • Your heel may be extremely tender or painful to touch and pressure.
  • There may even be some swelling over the heel at the site of most pain in severe cases.

 

What are the causes?

You are probably wondering why you got this condition in the first place. Some of the most common causes and risk factors to develop Plantar Fasciitis are

  • Increased Weight Bearing activities

An increased time on feet is one of the common factors to develop Plantar Fasciitis. This can include work requiring a lot of standing, walking or recreational activities like running. Even athletes are at a risk of developing this overuse condition. 

  • Improper Foot Posture

Any abnormal arches in the foot are a risk factor to develop Plantar Fasciitis. The most common is flat foot (reduced footarch) or overpronation of the feet. But, even an excessively high arch can cause this overuse syndrome. You should get a proper foot examination to understand if you have any of these and the different options available to correct or manage it.

  • Inappropriate Footwear

Proper footwear is very important, not just for your feet but for your entire body mechanics. This is especially true if you spend a lot of your time on your feet for work, sport or any recreational activity. If you recently changed your footwear, that could also be the culprit for your pain. 

  • Obesity

Obesity increases the pressure on your feet during regular weight-bearing activities and increase the chances of heel pain.

  • Muscle Imbalance or tight muscle

Plantar Fasciitis has also been associated with tight calf or Hamstring muscle and weakness in the  foot intrinsic muscles.

Oftentimes, it is not just one factor but a variety of factors that can play a role in you developing this condition.

What can you do to manage it?

It is important to manage Plantar Fasciitis as soon as possible. A few things that have shown to help with Plantar Fasciitis are

  • Avoid activities that aggravate your pain

Take frequent breaks from weight-bearing activities. Avoid running, jogging if they are aggravating your pain. You should also avoid walking barefoot on hard surfaces.

  • Ice Bottle Roller

Cold compression helps to relieve the pain. Also, rolling the bottle helps to gently relax and massage the plantar fascia.

Heel pain relief

 

  •  Self Massage

Gently massage your foot to help relax the fascia. You can even use a tennis ball to roll over the foot if there is not too much pain with it.

  •  Stretching 

You need to stretch the calf muscles to improve the ankle and foot mobility. The plantar fascia can also be stretched gently to relieve the tightness. Hold each stretch for 20 sec and repeat 3 times each. 

Calf Stretch – Use a towel to pull your foot towards yourself as shown in the picture. Remember to keep your knee straight. You should feel a good stretch at your calf.

Ankle stretches

Plantar Fascia Stretch – Gently pull toes up and feel the stretch along the sole of your foot. 

 

  • Ankle Mobility Exercises 

These exercises will help to improve your ankle ranges. Move your foot up, down, inwards and outwards to maintain and improve ankle ROM.  Perform these exercises 8-10 times.

  • Ankle and Foot Strengthening Exercises

Strengthening the muscles of the ankle and foot will help to provide better support to the feet in weight-bearing activities.      

  • Footwear and Orthotics

Change your footwear to the ones that provide good support to your arches. Orthotics, are foot inserts that provide support to your foot arches and help maintain a good foot posture. Custom-made orthotics specifically modelled for  your feet can relieve the pressure and provide cushion to your heel.  A specialist would be able to guide you better about the kind of footwear and orthotics that are good for your feet.

In addition to the above, you would also benefit from getting help from a physiotherapist to address your heel pain. Physiotherapy for Plantar Fasciitis will involve a combination of stretching and strengthening specifically designed for you. A physiotherapist can also use a variety of different treatment modalities and techniques to address your heel pain and help you overcome it. These can involve Shockwave Therapy, Laser Therapy, Taping, various Manual Therapy techniques, etc. 

If you want to know more about Physiotherapy for heel pain, you can contact us here at Complete Care Physiotherapy Center. We can help you to recover from your heel pain and get you back to your favourite activities as soon as possible.