Q: Do I need a doctor referral to book a physio appointment?

A: No, anyone can book an appointment.

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Q:  What should I wear to my physio appointment?

A: Loose fitting gym clothes and indoor shoes are a good choice. Your therapist should be able to access and see the skin of the area he is treating. If you are receiving treatment for your foot, ankle or knee, please bring shorts. If you are receiving treatment for your shoulder, bring a sleeveless top.

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Q:  Do you accept ICBC clients for physiotherapy ?

A:  Yes, we accept ICBC clients if you have a valid claim number.

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Q:  Do you accept WCB clients for physiotherapy?

A:  Yes, we accept WCB clients if your claim is approved.

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Q: What is shockwave therapy?

A: Shockwave Therapy is a proven technology used to treat conditions of the musculoskeletal system. It is a good treatment option when other types of therapy's have been exhausted. It is most suitable for chronic conditions that have persisted more than 3 months. 

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It is usually recommended to have 1 treatment per week for 3 - 5 weeks. Then we wait an additional 3 weeks without treatment to allow for healing to take place.

 

A shockwave is an intense, but very short energy wave traveling faster than the speed of sound. This high-intensity sound wave interacts with the tissues of the body and leads to a cascade of beneficial effects such as tissue ingrowth, reversal of chronic inflammation, stimulation of collagen and breakdown of calcium build-up.

 

Simply put, shockwave therapy stimulate certain components within the body, creating an optimal healing environment so the body is able to heal. It also has a direct effect on nerves, diminishing pain.

**Many traditional therapies--such as anti-inflammatory medications, steroid injections, physiotherapy, massage, acupuncture, and so forth--can assist the body during the early, acute phase of an injury.  However, they are much less effective in assisting the body to heal when an injury becomes chronic.  As an example, many patients can relate to a history where a steroid injection (like cortisone) seemed to be effective in resolving pain early in their

healing process, but subsequent injections were much less effective.  This isn't really surprising when you realize that a chronic-state, degenerative injury isn't likely to respond well to a medication designed to affect an acute-phase, inflammatory condition.**

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What makes Shockwave Therapy unique is that it is one of the very few technologies in any field of medicine that seems to work best when an injury reaches the chronic, non-healing state.  Shockwave Therapy is able to "jump start" the healing process in chronic, non-healing injuries and move them back into the acute phase of healing. 

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Q: What Conditions Can You Treat With Shockwave Therapy?

A: Shockwave Therapy can be used for a wide variety of musculoskeletal conditions,

particularly those where major connective tissues attach to bone:

• The shoulder/ rotator cuff

• The elbow (epicondylitis or tennis/golfers elbow)

• The hip

• The knee (tendinitis)

• The foot (Plantar Fasciitis, Strained Arch, Achilles Tendinitis or Tendinosis)

•  Muscle Pain and Injuries

• Joint Injuries

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 Shockwave Therapy also encourages bone healing and has been used to help treat:

• Stress fractures

• Avascular Necrosis (A dead portion of bone)

• Slow-healing bone (Delayed unions)

• Non-healing bone (Non-unions)

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Shockwave Therapy works best in chronic cases, when the body has demonstrated a previous unwillingness or inability to heal itself on its own.

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 Q: What is the success rate of shockwave therapy according to Health Canada?

• Tennis elbow (Lateral Epicondylitis)- up to 91%

• Calcifying tendonitis of the shoulder- up to 91%

• Plantar Fasciitis- up to 88%

• Patellar Tendonitis/tendonosis (Jumper’s knee)- up to 87%

• Achilles Tendonitis/tendonosis- up to 87%

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Q:Does shockwave therapy hurt?

A: Treatment can be uncomfortable, but most people are able to tolerate it. It is an intense 5 minutes

where 2000 shockwaves are administered.

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Post-treatment you will most likely be feeling no pain but it is possible to experience throbbing pain 2-4 hours following the treatment. This throbbing pain may occur for up to 24 to 48 hours. The shockwave will trigger an inflammatory response, which is the body’s natural process of healing. For this reason, refrain from using anti-inflammatory medications or ice. Use Advil or Tylenol if necessary. We recommend decreased activity for 48 hours following the treatment. 

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Q: Does shockwave therapy have contraindications and/or precautions I should be aware of?

 

             A:  YES

• Cortisone injections (within the last 6 weeks)

• Hemophilia or any blood coagulation disorder

• Blood thinning medications such as Heparin or Coumadin

• Heart or circulatory problems

• Cancer, Diabetes, Pregnancy

• Growing children (Growth Plates)

• Blood or nerve supplies too close to the affected area

• Shockwaves are generally not applied to target areas located above air filled tissue (lungs), large nerves and blood vessels, the spinal column or the head

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Q:  What is laser therapy?

A: Laser technology has been used safely and effectively worldwide for the past 20 years.

Our laser, the MR4 Laser is the "equipment of choice" for numerous national, professional and college teams worldwide- including Cirque du Soleil, NFL, NHL and the NBA.

 

The light rays from the laser stimulates the mitochondria which is the part of the cell that creates energy. Energy builds up inside the cell which makes cell function more efficient. The energy has nowhere to go, so it is put towards cell regeneration and as a result it speeds up healing. Laser therapy is suitable for acute conditions and injuries and musculosketeal conditions, such as muscle sprains and strains. 

Patients generally see results after 2 treatments but up to 5 treatments may be required. Your therapist will develop a treatment plan that is optimal for your condition. 

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Laser Therapy is non-invasive and there are no side effects.

It is approved by Health Canada and is Evidence Based Technology. 

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The MR4 laser is a good treatment choice for pain relief associated with:

• Soft Tissue and Sports Injuries

• Ligament/tendon/muscle tears

• Knee dysfunction (Meniscal/ligamentous tears)

• Stiffness

• Inflammatory Conditions

• Tendonitis (supraspinatus/achilles etc.)

• Plantar Fasciitis

• Rheumatoid Arthritis

• Repetitive Stress Injuries

• Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

• Rotator Cuff Injuries

• Epicondylitis

• Back Problems

• Degenerative Osteoarthritis

• Spinal Stenosis/Sciatica

• Disc Herniation

• Myofascitis

 

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Q:  What is IMS?

A: IMS involves the insertion of fine acupuncture type needles into the body where muscles have shortened or contracted. It is often effective when other forms of therapy have failed

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Q: What is the difference between IMS and acupuncture?

A: In comparison, IMS is a dynamic, hands-on treatment where the practitioner continually works to stimulate the trigger points within the affected muscle to elicit a twitch response. IMS is typically a shorter session than acupuncture but will often leave the patient with a bit more soreness after completion

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Q; Is shockwave therapy, laser therapy and IMS covered by my extended insurance?

A:Yes. these service are covered if you have extended insurance

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