What is a Contusion?
There shouldn’t be any confusion about a contusion. In plain English, it’s a bruise. We’ve all had them, especially as children: bumping into the dresser in…
What is Whiplash?
In Canada, whiplash accounts for more than $2 million in insurance claims each year that cost the economy about $600 million in lost work productivity, sick…
Abnormal Gait and Balance Problems
Most of us give little thought to walking; it’s movement that seems to come as naturally to us as breathing – except when it doesn’t. Walking takes strength,…
What is Degenerative Disc Disease
The discs that reside in our spinal columns are a vital part of our anatomy, acting as shock absorbers for our vertebrae and allowing our spines to bend and…
How to Get Rid of Muscle Cramps
Our muscles are the body’s gateway to movement. They are the only tissues in our body that can contract and move the other parts of our body, so we rely on…
How to Treat a Calf Strain
The area of the leg behind the knee that reaches to the ankle is called the calf, deriving from the Old Norse word, kalfi, which referred to muscles in the…
What is Osteoarthritis of the Hip?
With our aging population here in Canada, you may have noticed an increasing number of people walking with canes or limping as they walk. Aging translates to…
How to Heal a Strained Hamstring
If you work for a large organization or are required to deal with one, you may have been hamstrung – prevented from taking action – by the endless bureaucracy.…
What is Facet Joint Syndrome?
When we think about our joints, it’s the larger ones that usually come to mind: hips, knees and shoulders, for example. We rely on them to keep us moving, but…
What is Post-Concussion Syndrome?
Hard hits to the head in any sport, including ice hockey and football, can cause mild traumatic brain injury, which is essentially how a concussion is defined.…
What Is Spinal Stenosis?
Referring in frustration, to a “pain in the neck” is a figurative way of calling someone annoying. However, it’s also an apt descriptor for cervical spinal…
What is Sciatica?
Do you have pain radiating from your buttock to your calf? Perhaps you have discomfort running from groin to knee. Interestingly, both of these diverse…
What is Temporomandibular Joint Disorder (TMJ)?
Here’s a topic worth jawing about: temporomandibular joint disorder, or TMJ disorder (TMD), a facial joint disorder that is painful, rather than fatal;…
What is Carpal Tunnel Syndrome?
On a daily basis, we don’t give much thought to our wrists, unless we are putting on a bracelet, affixing cufflinks or buttoning a sleeve. They are simply…
Laser Therapy for Pain
“No pain, no gain,” says the common saying, but those who are victims of physical pain would undoubtedly agree that this aphorism refers to growth and…
What is Intramuscular Stimulation (IMS)?
You’re in pain and the sensation just won’t go away. You may have had an X-ray or an MRI that has not discovered any problem, but the pain continues to linger.…
Stiff Neck Remedies
Anyone who has ever had a stiff neck knows that they’re painful and awkward. The inability to turn your head sideways without pain makes everyday tasks…
Extended Health Benefits Explained
Canadians are fortunate, compared to their neighbours south of the border, in having most of our basic medical needs taken care of by the government. Of…
What Is Kinesiology?
Many people get referred to a Kinesiologist for rehabilitation and recovery, after a motor vehicle accident or work related injury, or as part of a return to…
What Is a High Ankle Sprain?
If you’re a professional basketball fan you’ve undoubtedly seen one of the players on your favourite team hobbling off the court in pain, often supported by…
What is a Rotator Cuff Injury?
As the Major League Baseball season heads toward the World Series, its dramatic conclusion, commentators can be heard chattering about the pitchers whose arms…
What is Shoulder Bursitis?
You’ve caught that high fly ball winging its way toward left field with a leap and a grab. As you throw it to third base for the out, you feel pain in your…
What is Massage Therapy?
Are your neck and shoulders tense from hunching over a computer for eight hours a day? Are you in pain from a sports injury? Perhaps you’re anxious about a big…
How to Treat a Pinched Nerve
As a child growing up, you, like most of us, were probably victimized on occasion by a sibling who pinched you for effect: the resulting screeches tend to be…
Herniated Disc vs. Bulging Disc
We don’t usually give our spines much thought – they are simply part of our anatomy. We know they help keep us upright, but that’s about all the attention they…
Tennis Elbow and Golfer’s Elbow
“Summertime, and the livin’ is easy,” says the old song. School is out, vacations are on the calendar and the weather is conducive to all sorts of outdoor…
Ankle Sprain and Instability
You’ve undoubtedly seen it happen while watching a basketball game: a player jumps to grab a rebound and turns his foot as he lands awkwardly on his ankle. The…
Achilles Tendon Problems
In Greek mythology, Achilles was the son of King Peleus, a mortal, and a sea nymph, Thetis, and the greatest warrior of the Trojan War. His mother attempted…