Pelvic Health

Pelvic Health services are provided for men or women and include treatment for:

• Bladder Incontinence

• Pelvic Organ Prolapse

• Pelvic Pain

• Urinary Retention

• Urgency

• Pre and Post Natal Treatments

• Symphysis Pubis Separation 

• Pelvic, low back and/or hip pain

• Abdominal Seperation 

Pre and Post Natal Care 

Many changes can occur to your body when you become pregnant.  Your ligaments become looser, blood volume increases, there are various stresses applied to your joints.   These changes can cause pain, discomfort and even effect your body’s alignment.  Even more changes can occur during the process of giving birth, and many of these changes are still present afterwards.  

Physiotherapy can help with symptoms such as leaking urine, gas or stool when you laugh, cough, or sneeze, pelvic or back pain, pressure or heaviness in your vagina or rectum and pain during intercourse.

Diastasis

When you are pregnant, your abdominal muscles expands to make room for your growing baby. Within the first 6-8 weeks following the birth of your baby, the abdominals are supposed to come back together and start to tense up again.  When this does not occur, your physiotherapist can assess the abdominal wall and prescribe you proper exercises to bring the abdominals back together.  While it is best to begin these exercises around the 8 week mark, they can still be effective even years later.

IMS (Intra-Muscular Stimulation)

IMS can effectively treat conditions such as chronic headaches, back pain, neck tension, tennis elbow, golfer’s elbow, shoulder pain, rotator cuff tendinitis or recurrent pulled muscles. 

The goal of IMS treatment is to release muscle shortening, desensitize the nerve and create a new healing process.  Supersensitive areas can be desensitized and the persistent pull of shortened muscles released.  If you have a muscle that is supersensitive, shortened or dysfunctional, IMS will give you a feeling like a muscle cramp or dull ache. The result is the release of tense muscles and a reduction of pain.

Infant Head/Neck Disorders

 Also known as "Positional Plagiocephaly", Flat Head Syndrome is a flattening of one or both sides of the head due to constant pressure acting on the skull.

It happens very quickly, especially within the first 3 months of life, when the skull is still malleable and the head and brain are growing fast.  During this time baby spends long hours sleeping and lying on his/her back.

If your baby's head stays in the same position for long periods of time, the areas of the skull lying against the surface may become flattened.

In infants less than 6 months of age, counter-positioning techniques, taught by a physiotherapist, are effective in returning the head to a more normal shape.  Helmet therapy is suitable for babies above 6 months and/or with more severe asymmetries.

Prevention is the Best Therapy!

Uretsky Physiotherapy performs paediatric consults for the following conditions:

• Plagiocephaly/Brachiocephaly (Flat Head Syndrome)

• Prevention of Plagiocephaly

• Torticollis (Wry Neck)

You have up to 2 years to change your baby's head shape.  Mild to moderate flattening can be improved by strict positional therapy.  Severe flattening will require orthotic treatment, such as a helmet and will need to be assessed by a head-shape clinic.

Consultations involve measuring your baby's head and determining treatment required.  Treatment involves educating parent's/caregivers on how to prevent Plagiocephaly (flat head) from occurring or how to minimize and even reverse any flattening present.  If there are tight and/or weak neck muscles present, appropriate stretching and strengthening exercises will be taught.

Myofacial Cupping

Cupping is a therapy originating from traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) to remove stagnation and stimulate the flow of qi (chi). Qi is the free flow of vital energy circulating through the body and the world around us, if the qi is disrupted or disturbed, it can create stagnation (blockages) or imbalances in the body.

Therapeutic cupping treatment increases the blood flow, loosens the fascia or connective tissue, and is thought to stimulate healing. It is similar to the way deep tissue massage can be used to break up scar tissue and reduce pain. The cups are often placed on the back, neck, and shoulders or the site of pain. Cupping may cause temporary bruising.

Acupuncture

Acupuncture is the insertion of fine needles into the body at specific points, which have been proven effective in treating many disorders. The Chinese have mapped these points over the last two centuries.

Traditionally, acupuncture is based on the ancient Chinese theories of the flow of Qi or energy through meridians which are mapped out pathways throughout the body.   According to this theory if there is pain, there is a blockage of energy flow.  If there is an injury, the flow is also blocked.  Acupuncture is used to open up the flow of energy and relieve the pain.

We understand, through scientific research, that acupuncture can stimulate the body to release endorphins, natural pain killers and natural anti-inflammatories.  Acupuncture promotes a decrease in inflammation, increased circulation and ultimately relieves pain.

K-Tape

Kinesiology Therapeutic (KT) tape is used to support and relieve pain in muscles, joints, and/or ligaments. It reduces swelling, increases mobility and enhances recovery.   Depending on the direction of the pull of the tape, K-Tape can stimulate a muscle or de-stimulate it.  It can also be used to dissipate a bruise quickly to help ready the injury for rehabilitation.