In total knee replacement surgery, the ends of the damaged thigh and lower leg (shin) bones and sometimes the kneecap are capped with artificial surfaces. These surfaces are made of metal and plastic. The plastic acts like hard cartilage, helping your joint to move freely. The metal and plastic parts of the artificial joint allow your knee to bend while also making it more stable.

Physiotherapy plays a major role in the pre-operative and post-operative process. Before the procedure, it is important to focus on strengthening the muscles around the joint that is to be replaced. This will increase the chances of optimal recovery from surgery. Your orthopedic surgeon may prescribe exercises or recommend physiotherapy before your surgery. Our staff will be able to demonstrate what exercises should be done and how to properly execute them to minimize pain and the risk of injury.

Physiotherapy after surgery focuses on regaining full range of motion and recovering strength in the muscles of the knee. Our physiotherapists can prescribe stretches and active exercises to improve range of motion. They will also demonstrate and supervise strengthening programs to maximize recovery. Our staff can also administer modalities and manual therapy to minimize pain and swelling after the surgery.

Spectrum Physiotherapy provides customized physiotherapy treatment before and after knee replacement surgery.  Contact us today to learn more.

Thankfully, people who suffer from arthritis can be treated and find pain relief through various forms of therapy. Since physiotherapists are specially trained in the diagnosis and treatment of joint and muscle ailments, they are able to help most patients with arthritic problems.

At Spectrum Physiotherapy, our team of professionals will discuss your medical history and examine the areas of the body which are giving you pain. The assessment will then allow us to come up with an effective treatment plan for your personal needs.

Managing Arthritis Pain

It’s easier to manage arthritis pain if you understand how and why it affects your muscles and joints. The pain be may centralized in one particular part of the body and it could also affect more than just one area. Since there are several types of arthritis there are several types of physiotherapy which can treat it and help you return to your normal daily routine as soon as possible.

These may include stretching, exercises, ice packs/heat, transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation machines (TENS), acupuncture, manipulation, taping, braces, splints, shoe inserts, walking aids and manual therapy.

Ice packs are often used to help soothe the swollen joints while heat packs are ideal for relaxing the tired and tense muscles. In some instances, temporary splints are used on the joints if you suffer from an attack of rheumatoid arthritis. TENS machines can be effective since they send electronic pulses to the endings of your nerves to neutralize the pain signal.

Physiotherapy for Arthritis

Physical massage is good for helping relax the stiff muscles and making the movement of the joints much more comfortable. Hydrotherapy pools are also ideal for some arthritis sufferers since exercises can be performed in warm water where it’s generally easier to move. You weight is supported by the water and the heat soothes the joints and muscles.

The type of treatment each patient will receive depends on their unique condition. We will also advise you on what is causing the pain and what specific actions may be increasing it. It’s important that you don’t overdo some types of physical activity, but it’s just as important that you don’t sit idle. Your therapist will be able to find the perfect balance between activity and rest to help treat your condition.

In general, physical exercise will begin slowly and gradually increase along the way. This will enable your joints and muscles to strengthen at a gradual pace and will also improve your stamina and overall fitness level. You will be able to increase your level of activity without an increase in arthritic aches and pains. In addition, exercising will also help reduce the pain as it stimulates your body’s production of endorphins, which are pain-relieving hormones.

It’s essential to stay active to a certain degree if you have arthritis since your body’s joints were designed for movement and the surrounding tissues and muscles will typically become weaker if they aren’t put to use. If this happens, the joints could become unstable which in turn will affect your mobility. Once your muscles strengthen and the range of movement returns to your joints you will be able to enjoy and perform more of your regular daily activities.

Our physiotherapists at Spectrum Physiotherapy will be able to help restore the mobility and strength of the affected joints as well as maintain your fitness at the same time. We provide physiotherapy in Newmarket and the surrounding area for Arthritis as well as other chronic medical conditions.Each individualized treatment plan is designed to improve flexibility, balance and coordination. For more information on physiotherapy for arthritis please feel free to contact us at your convenience.

Since the sport of tennis demands speed, agility, power, and aerobic fitness from participants, it’s not uncommon for players to suffer from a variety of injuries. One way to reduce the chance of an injury is to understand exactly why and how they occur. We’ll take a look at some of the most common tennis injuries and explain how physiotherapy can help you get back on the court as soon as possible. Many injuries are the result of repetition as essential joints, tendons, and muscle groups are often overused. Other injuries are often caused by acute incidents or specific trauma. Overuse injuries generally affect the arms, knees, shoulders, elbows, wrists, hips, rotator cuffs, lower back, and/or ankles because of constant pivoting and direction changes.

Tennis Elbow

Probably the most infamous injury in the sport is tennis elbow, which is technically known as lateral epicondylitis. This injury is the result of inflamed forearm tendons close to the elbow. The tendon tissue is typically damaged from constantly gripping the racquet.

Strains and Stress Fractures

Stress fractures and muscle and ligament strains aren’t restricted to tennis players as they’re common in most sports. It’s common for the muscles to tire and wear down from overexertion and this places more stress on other areas of the body. A muscle can strain due to a quick and/or sudden movement on the court and can usually be treated with rest, ice compression, and elevation, which is known as the RICE principle. If the muscle tear or strain doesn’t respond to RICE, its recommended that you visit a medical professional for advice, including a physiotherapist.

At Spectrum Physiotherapy we can help by improving your endurance, balance, agility, flexibility, mobility, and strength through specific exercise programs such as isometric exercises. These exercises are designed to help the muscles build up a load tolerance tiring the muscles or causing pain. Our team of experienced therapists can also analyze and help improve your tennis technique to cut down on injuries. We’ll be able to show you how to make sure your individual joints aren’t being overloaded or overused. It’s important to fully and properly rehabilitate after a tennis injury to make sure there’s no recurrence of it.

We’ll be able to correctly diagnose your medical condition and create a unique and personalized rehabilitation program which is designed specifically for you. Your joints and soft tissues will be examined and we’ll be able to help relieve the tightness, stiffness, and pain. Some of the hands-on techniques which may be used include RICE, acupuncture, taping, strapping, massage, strengthening exercises, stretching, yoga, medication, orthotics, ultrasound, and TENS machines etc. As well as treating your injury, we’ll be able to offer advice on the type of tennis equipment you should be using.

For instance, the type of racquet used and the string tension should be suitable for your size, experience, and style of play. You also need to make sure you’re wearing the right type of footwear for the courts you play on. If you’re feet don’t properly grip the surface you could easily suffer a lower-body such as a strain, sprain, tear or fracture. In some instances it may be recommended that you perform exercises to correct your foot arch or wear orthotics. Some players should also learn how to brace or tape certain areas of their body to help reduce the chance of a joint injury. Remember, that the proper preparation for tennis is important. You should always stretch, warm up and cool down and maintain an adequate level of fitness.

Like all other sports, you can basically suffer any type of injury while playing tennis as the possibilities are endless. Your goal is to then have it properly diagnosed and treated to you can return to your normal activities. You may have a common or uncommon tennis injury, but whatever it is, our team of therapists at Spectrum Physiotherapy of Newmarket will help you fully rehabilitate and have you back on the court as quickly as possible.