Our Services
Physiotherapy
A Physiotherapist is a primary healthcare professional dedicated to helping people restore, maintain and/or maximize physical function and promote fitness, health and wellness. Physiotherapy is developed within the sciences of movement and looks at the function of multiple body systems to restore or enhance function. Our physiotherapists here in Ancaster use in-depth knowledge about how the body works with specialized hands-on clinical skills to assess, diagnose and treat symptoms of illness, injury or disability.
Vestibular Physiotherapy
Vestibular physiotherapy involves the organs of balance. Specifically vestibular physiotherapy includes the parts of the inner ear, the pathways that lead to the brain, and the brain itself that help control balance and eye movements. Vestibular disorders or balance difficulties (vertigo) can result from pathology to this area by disease, aging, or injury.
The symptoms from vestibular pathology can include dizziness, vertigo, lightheadedness, imbalance, difficulty concentrating, blurry vision, nausea, and fluctuating hearing.
Vestibular physiotherapy involves hands on maneuvers that can relocate the inner ear crystals to normalize balance and dizziness impairments. The primary goal involves retraining the brain to coordinate information from the inner ear balance organs, vision and the proprioceptive system (sensory receptors that are sensitive to stretch or pressure).
What does a vestibular Physio session involve?
Here at Total Health Physio will use infrared video googles to illuminate the eyes of a patient suffering from dizziness to vertigo to determine whether the pathology is of a peripheral or central origin. This technology allows us to gain an accurate diagnosis and perform the appropriate treatment maneuvers for BPPV or start vestibular rehabilitation exercises.
Shockwave Therapy
Shockwave therapy, an acoustic pressure wave is transmitted to the body tissue and, consequently, to the painful area. The pressure wave created at the point of contact transmits radially inside the patient’s body.
Shockwave therapy was initially introduced as a way to break down kidney stones without direct contact. It then evolved to treat non-healing bones by activating osteoblasts.
Today it treats a wide range of medical conditions, including:
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Plantar fasciitis
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Achilles tendinopathy
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Jumper’s knee (Patellar Tendonitis)
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Treatment of tendinopathy
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Hamstring muscle injuries
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Myofascial trigger points
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Bursitis
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Stiff big toe (Hallux Rigidus)
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Non-healing ulcers
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Tendonitis
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Scar tissue
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Calcific rotator cuff tendonitis
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Frozen shoulder (adhesive capsulitis)
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Broken bones that have failed to heal (non-unions)
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Shoulder pain
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Tennis elbow
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Heel spurs
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Shin splints
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Stress fractures
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Enhancing bone healing
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Muscle and connective tissue injuries
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And more
A shockwave is an intense, but very short, energy wave travelling faster than the speed of sound. Because it is so powerful, most patients who undergo shockwave treatment recover faster than those treated by other methods.
Shockwave therapy sessions are usually 20 minutes long and provide successful relief and restore mobility painlessly. Permanent relief typically begins about 72 hours following treatment.
Most patients require three-to-six sessions. There is no downtime for recovery.
There are no shockwave therapy side effects. Treatments are non-invasive and promote accelerated recovery of injured soft tissue, bone, and joint pain.
Chiropractic
Ancaster Chiropractor, Dr. Brittany Boot, uses various treatments, depending on her patient’s specific needs and preferences. Common treatments include:
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Manual, ‘hands-on’ therapy
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Soft tissue therapy
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Customized, therapeutic exercise programs
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Self-management tools and techniques (like positions for relief or coping strategies for pain)
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Acupuncture
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Advice and education
Instrument Assisted Soft Tissue Mobilization (IASTM)
Instrument assisted soft tissue mobilization (IASTM) is a skilled myofascial intervention used for soft-tissue treatment. It is applied using instruments that are usually made of stainless steel with bevelled edges and contours that can conform to different body anatomical locations and allows for deeper penetration. It is used for the detection and treatment of soft tissue disorders. Instruments effectively break down fascial restrictions and scar tissue. The ergonomic design of these instruments provides the clinician with the ability to locate restrictions and allows the clinician to treat the affected area with the appropriate amount of pressure.
Acupuncture & Dry Needling
Acupuncture involves the use of several needles in multiple points of the involved area, or more than one area of the body. These needles can target nerves, trigger points and traditional Chinese medicine points.
Dry needling is a single-needle technique that targets a trigger point or “knot” in a specific muscle.
Most of our practitioners here at Ancaster Physio and Chiropractic provide acupuncture.
Custom Bracing
Total Health Physio offers a wide selection of custom and off the shelf bracing. Our custom bracing specialist is certified for both Donjoy and Ossur ligament and/or osteoarthritis unloader knee braces.
Ossur and Donjoy braces are the number 1 preferred braces in the athletic community, worn by professional soccer, football and hockey players. Custom braces come with an ACL knee guarantee and a lifetime warranty on the carbon fiber frame. The Donjoy and Ossur Osteoarthritis unloader braces are backed by the Arthritis Society and are considered the best unloader brace on the market. We also offer a wide selection of Bauerfeind braces, Donjoy products, Ossur products, McDavid Braces, MedSpec Braces and Mueller Braces.
Muscle Activation Technique
Muscle Activation Techniques® assesses and corrects muscular imbalances, joint instability, and limitations in range of motion.
MAT® IS:
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A revolutionary approach to the assessment and correction of muscular imbalances, joint instability, and limitations in range of motion within the human body
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A non-invasive technique, designed to balance the muscular system of people of all ages.
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A unique systematic format used to “jumpstart” the muscles in order for them to function with maximum efficiency.
WHO IS MAT® FOR?
MAT® is effective for EVERYONE from elite athletes to rehabilitation patients, and anyone in between. MAT® has been successfully implemented with professional athletes (NFL, NBA, NHL, CFL, PGA, etc.) in clinical rehabilitative, personal training environments, and countless other settings.
WHAT CAN MAT® DO FOR YOU?
Muscle Activation Techniques® is a specific and unique process for evaluating an individual’s ability to produce efficient muscle contraction. Loss of muscle contraction results in a decreased range of motion, and therefore decreased physical performance.
Range of motion testing can indicate which muscles have decreased contractibility, and precise forces are applied to restore that muscle’s efficiency. The MAT® Certified Specialist is trained and certified to perform several force application techniques that can restore function and strengthen weak muscles.
In no time at all, you will be performing your daily activities with ease, whether that means throwing 100 yard passes or walking up the stairs!
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Pelvic Health Physiotherapy
Pelvic health physiotherapy is an evidence-based treatment for common conditions within the pelvis such as incontinence, pelvic organ prolapse, and pelvic pain. A comprehensive subjective and objective evaluation is conducted to identify all the factors that are contributing to your symptoms. A treatment plan will be formulated with personalized short and long-term goals.
The subjective assessment can include reviewing your past medical history and asking appropriate questions pertaining to pain, bladder and bowel, and sexual function with the use of validated and reliable outcome measures.
The objective assessment will look at global contributors such as breathing, posture and alignment, movement patterns, overall strength and conditioning, the lumbar and thoracic spine, and the pelvic floor muscle function.
Registered Massage Therapy
Ancaster Massage Therapy offers therapeutic massage,
which is the manipulation of soft tissues of the body including muscles, connective tissue, tendons, ligaments and joints. Massage therapy is a clinically-oriented healthcare option that helps alleviate the discomfort associated with every day occupational stresses, muscular over-use and many chronic pain conditions.
Massage therapy can be used as a treatment for both acute and chronic conditions. RMTs work with a wide variety of patients in the treatment of illness, injury rehabilitation and disability.
Massage therapy treatments provided by a Registered Massage Therapist can offer significant benefits for a variety of conditions and for diverse patient populations. Whether you need to have a moment of relaxation, reduce muscle tension or attain relief from chronic pain, massage therapy can enhance your overall well-being. Massage therapy can help alleviate musculoskeletal disorders associated with everyday stress, muscular overuse, physical manifestation of mental distress and many persistent pain syndromes.
Concussion Management
Complete Concussion Management Inc. is a concussion research company that educates healthcare practitioners on evidence-based concussion therapies and management strategies so they may provide high-quality concussion programs and cutting-edge rehabilitation to athletes and concussed patients across Canada.