INSYNC PHYSIO BLOG

Caitlyn Dunphy, Physiotherapist at InSync Physiotherapy Burnaby Clinic on her trip to Honduras,

"I recently returned from volunteering with Global Brigades in Matasanos, Honduras. They are an amazing organization that creates sustainable change in communities by training local health staff, creating health systems, community owned banks, clean water systems, sanitation infrastructure and business development. I was on the medical/dental Brigade doing Physiotherapy work.


The first day we visited a local school and the kids did a dance performance for us and pulled us up on stage to learn the dance. After, we shadowed some of the local Community Health Workers (local volunteers trained by by Global Brigades to help provide care to their community). Then we did sanitation surveys of the local homes. The people were so kind and happily welcomed us into their homes.

The following 3 days were clinic days. The local school shut down and the classrooms were used as clinic rooms. Communit…

Your core muscles help strengthen and stabilize your spine and pelvis, which is why developing a powerful core is the first step to making your whole body stronger. Start firming up your core with these gentle Pilates-based exercises, which will give you a solid foundation for all other movements. Perform 15 repetitions of each exercise, most days of the week. Pelvic Bowl Lie flat on back with knees bent and feet gripping floor, arms facing down at sides. Raise right hipbone as high as you can toward ceiling. Hold momentarily. Slowly shift and raise left hipbone. Gently sway from right to left, as if you have a bowl of soup between your hip bones and you're gently rocking it without spilling. Counting right and left as 1 rep, perform 15 repetitions. Pelvic Tilts Lie flat on back with knees bent and feet gripping floor. Lift hips up toward ceiling in bridge position, and place thumbs on ribcage with middle fingers on hipbones. Tilt pelvis toward ground, expanding distance between …

We absolutely love using foam roller exercises to work out those nagging aches and pains, but sometimes they can't get into a tight area quite as well as a pair of human hands. The next best option after a massage? This series of mini self-massage techniques using nothing more than a few tennis balls. These moves get into the deepest layers of your muscle and connective tissue to pry apart adhesions so your muscles can fully contract and stretch. They'll also relieve soreness, pain, and increase circulation. So grab a pair of tennis balls (you know there's one buried somewhere in the garage) and get started. If You've Got... Achy Feet Try... Sole SearchingWhy it helps: The ball loosens up stiffness in your sole's muscles, joints, and connective tissues.How to do it:While standing next to a wall or chair for stability, place a ball underneath the arch of your foot. Keep your heel on the floor and let your body weight sink in. Take deep breaths for 30 seconds to 1 mi…

A bunion is an enlargement of the joint at the base of the big toe and it is a frequent cause of foot pain. The tissues around the joint cause the big toe to rotate toward the smaller toes and result in pain, redness, or swelling. Bunions may arise from a number of factors such as inherited foot type, flat feet, or excessive pronation. Rheumatoid arthritis (gout), tightly worn shoes, or foot injuries can further exacerbate symptoms. Weak muscles in the foot and calf may also contribute to bunion-related pain and movement issues. Strengthening these muscles with the exercises below can help stabilize body movement and support the arch of the foot from rolling inwards. Additionally, wearing proper shoes, cushioning pads, orthotics, and avoiding activities that add pressure to the bunion can help provide relief for the foot.


FOOT EXERCISES
Perform the following exercises barefoot. Begin exercises from a sitting position to a standing position on two legs, then using one leg and alternate…

Place your right hand on the bar (or door frame) and step back with the right foot and lean back holding on tight with the right hand. You should feel this stretch under your arm pit. Hold it for 30 seconds. Do 3 sets and repeat it for the left side. This stretch is great if you have back or shoulder tightness or pain.

Carpal tunnel syndrome is a condition that arises from pressure against the median nerve that passes through the carpal tunnel in the wrist. Conditions that cause this syndrome may include pain or inflammation of the joints and soft tissues in the arm from obesity, rheumatoid arthritis, gout, diabetes, lupus or dislocated bones. Work or exercise related injuries from repetitive hand and wrist movements can also cause swelling in the surrounding tendons. Symptoms can range from moderate to severe pain, numbness, and weakness in the wrist and hand.

Interventions and Exercises In some extreme cases, surgery may be the ideal option for treatment. However, more than a third of patients do not return to work immediately after the operation and may take more than 8 weeks to recover. Therefore, physical therapy has been concluded by researchers to be as effective as surgery in reducing pain, improving function, and increasing grip strength. In one study, a combination of manual therapy focus…