Q: What is Achilles tendonitis? A: The Achilles tendon runs down the back of the leg and connects the calf muscle to the back of the heel. It can become inflamed due to overuse or inflexibility. An inflamed Achilles may feel tender and stiff. To deal with the pain, stop doing any aggravating activities and take an anti-inflammatory two or three times a day. In some cases, a 1 to 2 cm heel lift will reduce the tension in the tendon. Stretching before and after activities can help prevent the problem from recurring. If the pain persists after 10 to 14 days, you should see your doctor, a sports-oriented physical therapist, or a podiatrist.

Many find it hard to stay active during the long winter days. Once spring arrives, aches and pains can stand in the way of carrying on as you remember. Joints, muscles, and tendons decondition rapidly. Often, a little bit of concerted effort can get you back on track. A proper diagnosis and treatment plan will outline realistic options. Non-surgical interventions are often enough. Recalcitrant problems may respond to precisely administered injections; ultrasound imaging and careful local anesthesia make this well tolerated by virtually everyone. This smooth and effective treatment brings early and reliable improvement in pain, often allowing return to activity within days.

As our pets age, their health naturally begins to decline and there is a higher risk of developing certain age-related conditions, such as heart disease, diabetes, and cancer. Some senior pets develop arthritis in the joints, reducing mobility and, if they’re suffering in pain, quality of life. Like humans, pets need us to pay increased attention to their health in order to help them feel good for as long as possible. Preventative checkups become very important as pets get older as they allow you to catch emerging conditions early and implement nutrition and exercise plans that will benefit your pet. Please call 604-560-8344 to schedule your evaluation.

Athletes are always looking to get into “the zone” – a balance of attention, concentration, and confidence. Quick thinking is crucial to making decisions that can be the difference between winning and losing a game. Neurofeedback is a tool that allows for identifying the areas of an athlete’s brain that are responsible for mental flexibility, task switching, and rapid decision-making. This allows an athlete to control how their brain reacts to stress, which in turn can help achieve peak performance. Neurofeedback training can help an athlete increase their cognitive abilities, while reducing the white noise of distractions around them.

Input from the vestibular system (located in your inner ear and brain) is essential for equilibrium, and dizziness can occur when this system is impaired. Vestibular disorders can be caused by trauma to the head (whiplash), degeneration of the system itself, ear infections, ototoxicity (high dosage of certain drugs), acoustic neuroma, poor blood supply, or trauma induced by pressure to the ear. Treatment depends on the underlying cause of your dizziness and is highly individual. Working with a physiotherapist who is certified in vestibular rehabilitation can help you sort the cause and best treatment for your dizziness so that you can reduce and hopefully eliminate this very disturbing symptom.

Excess weight can be due to a variety of underlying causes, such as hormonal imbalance, emotional eating, liver dysfunction, and malabsorption. Weight management programs require a tailored approach to help clients successfully lose weight. Laser acupuncture uses a non-invasive cold laser to stimulate various acupressure points on your body. Stimulating these points causes your body to release endorphins, which can help with suppressing your appetite, controlling hunger cravings, speeding up your metabolism, and enhancing your current diet and exercise program, all of which can help lead to weight loss and successful weight management.

We have all experienced pain at some point during our life. But there are some people for whom pain is a daily burden that doesn’t seem to go away. For those people, it is important to find a practitioner who has extensive experience in assessing and treating acute and chronic pain conditions. It doesn’t matter if your pain is from joints, muscles, nerves, organs, emotional trauma, or even an unknown origin, there is almost always something that can be done to decrease or remove the pain. Get a thorough assessment that can uncover previously overlooked or misunderstood aspects contributing to your problem.

make sure your back is healthy! It’s very important to make sure your neck and back (your spine) are fit enough to handle the rigours of movement that a new exercise regime brings. At the centre of spinal health is movement, and alignment is key to proper health and movement. A misaligned spine cannot function well. So what happens when you embark on a new exercise regime with an unhealthy or dysfunctional spine? Potential damage to the joints, nerves, muscles, cartilage, and ligaments. A thorough chiropractic examination would be a safe and recommended starting point to any new exercise regime.

Q: I have issues with depression and anxiety. Can acupuncture help with this?
A: Stress can result in several symptoms, such as insomnia, constant worry, weakened digestive system, and others. Acupuncture treatment can adjust and balance our meridians to reduce emotional and physical stress. During treatment, the patient will feel more relaxed and joyful, and some will fall asleep. They will also sleep more soundly when they go home. After a few treatments, they will feel stronger and can better resist the stress.

All behaviour serves a purpose, and substance abuse is no exception. The calming effects of alcohol may provide feelings similar to those of love and connection. Cocaine use makes people feel elated and full of energy – attractive feelings for someone who feels “numb”. If you or someone you know is struggling with a substance abuse problem, remember: the opposite of addiction is connection. Do your best to build community around those who are suffering. Seek a counsellor who can identify healthier ways of coping and support those transitioning out of problematic use. Help is out there – please reach out!

A ballet dancer who has near perfect turn-out is the envy of the class. Turn-out is important not only for the esthetics of ballet, but also safety. Turn-out (or external rotation of the leg) should come solely from the hips. The trouble is many dancers wiggle their feet out further, squeeze their thighs, or drop their arches to make it look like they have more turn-out than they do. Unfortunately, this creates alignment problems and muscle tightness, which puts them at risk for injury, especially if they are working on jumps or pointe work. Working with a physiotherapist to do a full-body assessment can help you prevent injury and improve your form.