Active Release Techniques ® (ART)

Advanced Soft Tissue Treatment

ART® is a patented, soft-tissue treatment system that treats problems associated with muscles, tendons, ligaments, fascia, and nerves.

This non-invasive hands-on technique can simultaneously locate and break-up scar tissues and vastly improve overuse and strain/sprain injuries. By breaking and releasing restrictive adhesions, ART can restore mobility and increase circulatory and neurological functions.

We have found that combing ART with other treatment techniques like Graston, Acupunture, and Chiropractic Care produce optimal results for our patients.

“For 18 years, my therapists, doctors and top North American neurologists said the loss of feeling in my feet and hands was permanent and progressive. After spending thousands of dollars at leading clinics, I was referred to Back to Function who prescribed Active Release treatments. After my first session, I felt feeling begin to return. Two years later, I only have a small amount of numbness left around my little toe.”
- B. Roth

For more information on ART®, please visit www.activerelease.com.

Acupuncture

Acupuncture reduces neurogenic pain, stops muscle spasm, and balances energy meridians, and is effective when treating acute cases of soft-tissue injuries.

It is often combined with Active Release Technique® in order to break up the pain cycle for patients with soft tissue injuries.

Acupuncture may sometimes be combined with manual or electrical stimulation to enhance the healing and pain alleviation effects.

Treatment options involving Acupuncture may be prescribed following a clinical assessment by one of our Sports Chiropractors or Physiotherapists.

For more information on Contemporary Medical Acupuncture, please visit www.contemporaryacupuncture.com.

Athletic Event Coverage

Providing on-field sports medicine first responders has become the benchmark for front-line emergency care at athletic events and competitions.

Our certified first aid professionals and sports first responders are highly trained and skilled in CPR, first aid, splinting, taping, bandaging, acute injury management, and concussion recognition.

We have provided coverage for a wide range of sports and community events including:

  • The Ontario Winter Games
  • Junior A, Senior Men’s, Women’s and High School Hockey
  • Football
  • Rugby
  • Snowboarding and Skiing

Biomechanical Gait Analysis

Improve Foot Function / Reduce Injury Risk

Proper gait is very easy to describe but sometimes difficult to attain due to the learned motor programs that we have created and modified since birth.

Virtually all injuries are the result of movement dysfunction. By improving your movement, you decrease the stressors that create injuries.

Our movement based approach is a very effective and simple way of identifying the issues that are creating your injury.

Chiropractic Care

Heal Injury / Relieve Pain / Speed Recovery / Optimize Performance

Work, accidents, sports injuries, illness, chronic conditions, stress, muscle overuse and even household chores can cause painful and debilitating joint, nerve, and spinal problems.

Chiropractic care helps restore healthy function to your joints, muscles and ligaments so your body can perform at its optimal level  - and you can get back to your daily activities.

Our expert Chiropractors assess your symptoms, diagnose your condition and develop a treatment plan to accelerate your recovery, improve function and produce long-lasting results. Your treatment plan may include:

  • Hands-on adjustment and mobilization of the joints
  • Muscle release and stimulation techniques
  • Therapeutic exercises
  • Recommendations for work or lifestyle changes to help prevent pain and injury from recurring

For more information about Chiropratic Care visit www.chiropractic.on.ca.

Graston Technique ®

Advanced Soft Tissue Treatment

Graston® is an innovative, evidence-based form of instrument-assisted soft tissue mobilization that enables clinicians to detect and effectively break down scar tissue and fascial restrictions, as well as maintain optimal range of motion.

It is clinically proven to achieve faster and better outcomes for acute and chronic conditions such as Achilles Tendonitis, Carpal Tunnel, Adhesive Capsulitis, IT Band Syndrome, Lumbar Strain and Plantar Fasciitis.

Our specially trained and accredited professionals use the instruments to identify the areas of restriction, release and lengthen tight, shortened restricted tissue and break up scar tissue so it can be re-absorbed into the body.

For more information on Graston visit www.grastontechnique.com.

Kinesiology

Our team of Registered Kinesiologists are rehabilitative exercise specialists.

It is important to understand that injured tissue does not properly remodel without therapeutic exercise.

At our clinic, we create an individualized exercise plan tailored to support your treatment and help restore normal function.

We assist people of all ages and abilities to improve their function, performance, health and wellness including amateur and professional athletes, spinal cord injured patients, those recovering from workplace injuries or motor vehicle accidents, and people with other many painful chronic or acute conditions.

Treatment costs can now be claimed as an eligible medical expense on your tax return.  Please visit the Canada Revenue Agency website for detailed information at http://www.cra-arc.gc.ca.

Laser Therapy

Laser Therapy is an effective, painless and non-invasive treatment.

It uses the application of light energy at specific wavelengths and power densities to penetrate into the tissue and be absorbed by the cells.  It stimulates growth factors and immune levels, decreases swelling and promotes healing.

Following a clinical assessment, Laser Therapy can be prescribed as a stand-alone treatment or used in conjunction with other types of treatment.

Sports Performance Care

Our sports specialists have treated athletes at over 100 international events including 6 Olympic Games and 14 World Championships. Whether you are coming back from injury or want to optimize your performance, our experts have the experience to guide you.

Our Chiropractors, Physiotherapists, Massage Therapists, Kinesiologists and Sports Medicine Physician work as your rehabilitative team to provide you with the range of specialized treatment and care you need.


Sport Specialist Chiropractors

Sports Chiropractors are specialists in the diagnosis, management and rehabilitation of sport specific injuries. Sport Specialists are Board certified and undergo a rigorous 2-year full time post-graduate program and fellowship examination after their 8 years of undergraduate education.  There are just over 100 Sports Specialist Chiropractors across Canada and we have 3 on staff.

For more information on Sports Specialist Chiropractors, please visit the Royal College of Chiropractic Sports Sciences www.rccssc.ca

Massage Therapy

Relieve pain / Improve function / Increase wellness

Through expert hands-on manipulation of the soft tissues of the body, our Registered Massage Therapists can help relieve arthritis, tendonitis and other inflammatory conditions, stress related conditions, headaches and migraines, joint stiffness, spasm, sprains, strains and other muscle related conditions. They are fully trained to provide a range of highly effective massage therapies including:

Reflexology

A massage performed by applying varying pressure to the reflexes of the feet. These reflexes correspond to every organ and gland in the body. A treatment will typically induce relaxation, encourage circulation, decrease stress, and increase energy levels

Reiki

An ancient laying-on of hands holistic healing technique that can enhance and accelerate the body’s own healing process and restore physical and emotional balance and well being.

Most extended health care packages have full or partial coverage for Massage Therapy including Reflexology and Reiki. To find out what you are entitled to with your particular policy, contact your administrative department or call your extended health care company directly.

Sports Medicine Care

Our Sports Medicine Physician has expertise in diagnosis and management of injury and illness. Her clinical focus and interest is to help physically active people recover from injury, prevent future injuries and improve athletic performance.

The same expertise used to treat athletes also helps people with injury or chronic conditions increase mobility and regain function. Treatment plans could include:

Platelet Rich Plasma Injections (PRP)

Platelet Rich Plasma is made from a portion of your own blood that has platelets and growth factors. These play a key role in the process of wound and soft tissue healing. Several clinical studies have demonstrated that PRP injections can improve function and decrease pain in the elbow, wrist, shoulder, hip, knee, and ankle. Early work is also showing promise for osteoarthritis. The side effects of PRP injections are rare as it uses your own blood products.

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Viscosupplementation / Hyaluronic Acid Injections

Joints naturally contain fluid made up of hyaluronic acid. When a joint becomes arthritic, this natural joint fluid decreases and becomes less viscous. Hyaluronic acid (or viscosupplementation) injections augment this decrease in joint fluid to improve pain and ability of the joint.

Cortisone Injections

Corticosteroid (or cortisone) is a potent, steroidal anti-inflammatory. Injections may be used to relieve pain from osteoarthritis of the knee by reducing swelling in the joint. Relief is often felt quickly following an injection and can last from a few days to a couple of months, depending on the individual. Most injections typically take 24 –48 hours to obtain full effect.

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Treatment from our Sports Medicine Physician is covered by a valid OHIP card and you can be referred by your family doctor.

Note: Our Sports Medicine Physician does not impact family physicians as she has a focused practice designation in Sport and Exercise Medicine.

For more information about Sports and Exercise Medicine Physicians click here.

Physiotherapy

Physiotherapists are primary health care professionals with a significant role in health promotion and treatment of injury and disease. They combine their in-depth knowledge of the body and how it works with specialized hands-on clinical skills to assess, diagnose and treat symptoms of illness, injury or disability.

Following a thorough physical assessment, our Physiotherapists will develop an individually tailored program designed to meet your specific needs, condition and goals. Potential components of your care plan may include:

  • Therapeutic exercises
  • Manual therapy such as soft tissue release, mobilizations
  • Modalities like Laser therapy
  • Acupuncture
  • Body mechanics education

To learn more about physiotherapy, please visit www.physiotherapy.ca.

Sports Specific Conditioning

Taking Athletes to the Next Level of Performance

We work with athletes and teams at all levels  - from entry level to Olympic champions.

We are experienced in designing individual and team-based programs for all sports backgrounds including gymnastics, wrestling, hockey, football, volleyball, soccer, skating, cycling, running, rugby, golf and others.

Your program begins with an assessment of your core strength, mobility and stability, rotational flexibility and other key indicators of optimal athletic function. It’s tailored to address your specific strengths and weaknesses and targeted at enhancing your athletic performance.

Stabilization, Flexibility & Strength Training

Reduce pain / Decrease risk of injury / Improve performance

Research shows that evidence-based treatment targeted at specific areas of the body is highly successful for healing injury and in many cases, can negate the need for surgery. Some of these treatments include:

Functional Movement Screen (FMS)

Identify and resolve movement dysfunction and muscle imbalances throughout the body.

A therapeutic exercise program is prescribed to optimize mobility and movement patterns.

Core Stabilization Program

Reduce low back pain and the risk of spinal injury.

Strengthening muscles around the mid section of the body helps to better control motion of the vertebrae and lower back. This helps alleviate chronic low back pain, sciatic pain, instability and misalignment.

Shoulder Stabilization Program

Reduce neck and shoulder pain.

This helps improve overall function, posture and scapular function to resolve rotator cuff injuries, other shoulder and arm problems and many painful neck conditions.

Lower Kinetic Chain Program

Improve hip, knee and foot function.

“The knee does what the ankle tells it to do and what the hip allows it to do.” Chronic knee and hip problems, foot and ankle injuries and shin splints can be addressed by improving lower kinetic chain function.

Water Exercise Therapy (WET)

Your rehabilitation can start sooner when programs are water based because you can exercise without the impact that would be sustained on land.

The deeper water exerts more pressure, stimulating improved circulation.

WET is used for a range of injuries and conditions resulting from:

  • Motor vehicle accidents
  • Work accidents
  • Sports injuries
  • Chronic conditions like arthritis, multiple sclerosis

People with hip and knee replacements looking to regain mobility and strength have also had much success by using WET as part of their pre and post-operative treatment plans.

Anyone can successfully participate in a WET program, whether you are a confident swimmer or a non-swimmer.

Workplace Services

Reduce Employee Absence / Prevent injuries

We work with many small, mid-size and large companies to address and prevent repetitive strain injuries and reduce resulting employee absenteeism.

Some of our services include Worksite Ergonomic Evaluations and Physical Demands Analysis.

We also assist injured workers with Functional Capacity Evaluations and Work Hardening Programs to ensure employees are ready to safely return to workplace tasks.

Please contact us if you are looking to develop a strategy to assist your company with reducing employee injury and absenteeism.

Worksite Ergonomic Evaluations

Help prevent injuries.

Physical Demands Analysis

Determine abilities and demands necessary for a given job.

Work Hardening

Getting employees fit for work after an illness or injury.

Functional Capacity Evaluation (FCE)

Assess employees functional abilities as compared to demands of the job.