What is a stroke? A stroke, also known as a cerebrovascular accident (CVA), is a medical emergency that occurs when blood flow to the brain is disrupted. This can happen in two ways: Ischemic Stroke: The most common type of stroke, which occurs when a blood clot blocks an artery that supplies blood to the brain. Hemorrhagic Stroke: A less common...
Over the last 20 years, recommendations for how to heal from a concussion have changed enormously. 20 years ago, when someone had a concussion, we used to recommend what is called “cocoon therapy”. Basically, it was recommended to stay in bed, in the dark, until you felt better. But, what happened if you never felt better? Or if lying in...
We have all been living with COVID-19 since March 2019. In the time since then, what we know about the virus, its method of transmission and symptoms has been changing, seemingly day to day. Initially, we were told that the hallmark symptoms of COVID-19 infection were loss of smell or taste, along with typical respiratory virus symptoms (cough, congestion, etc.)....
As a new parent, you probably have lots of information about what your baby should be doing, how they should be developing, and how you can be helping to stimulate their growth. You may not know about the difficulties he or she may encounter after birth regarding sleep, feeding, carrying, motor development or language, etc. The goal of this article is...
HERE’S HOW TO TELL, AND WHAT TO DO NEXT March is Brain Injury Awareness Month, and there is no better way to mark the occasion than by helping to share knowledge about concussions, how they can happen, and how to recognize if you have one. What is a concussion? According to the Concussion in Sport Consensus Guidelines, concussion: may be caused either by a...
What is Plagiocephaly? Positional or deformational plagiocephaly is a deformation of the bones of the skull resulting in asymmetry or flattening of the head. Plagiocephaly, commonly known as flat-head syndrome, is a common infant condition affecting up to 20% of infants. While many cases of plagiocephaly resolve by the age of 4 years old, physiotherapy treatment has been shown to be helpful...
Persistent post-concussion symptoms - Where do they come from? By Sarah El Queisi, physiotherapist What is post-concussion syndrome? Most people who are unlucky enough to have a concussion will improve quickly, usually within 2-4 weeks. For about 20% of people who sustain concussions, recovery can be much longer. WHY IS IT TAKING SO LONG TO GET BETTER? Questions we hear regularly in the...
Physiotherapy For Cervicogenic Headache By Sarah El Queisi, MSc(A)PT, FCAMPT, physiotherapist There are many different types of headaches that exist, each with its own causes and symptoms. Cervicogenic headaches are caused by a dysfunction in the muscles, joints or nerves in the upper cervical spine. Symptoms include pain on one side of the head, tenderness in the upper part of the neck,...
Many rehabilitation clinics and professionals have been jumping on the concussion rehab bandwagon in recent years, without necessarily offering services that truly help patients. To help patients navigate through the various competent and *ahem* less competent concussion care providers out there, the Canadian Concussion Collaborative published a guide for patients to help them navigate rehab offerings, you can find it here:...
After over 20 years of being a regular runner, and nearly 10 years as a physiotherapist working wih an athletic clientele, I have learned a lot about running injuries and injury prevention. As most runners end up hurt at some point, learning how to train smart can help you avoid the type injuries that take runners off the roads. Here...