Falls are a leading cause of injury and death, particularly in seniors. When it comes to Generation X, Baby Boomers, and even Millennials, injuries often happen at work as a result of too much sitting.
Have you ever worried about either of these issues and wondered how to stay injury-free?
In an exclusive interview, physiotherapist Brad Ross shared his secrets for preventing falls and keeping work-related injuries at bay. He also explained…
- Why physiotherapy is good for people with Parkinson’s disease
- How physiotherapy treats arthritis
- The type of time commitment new patients should expect to give a physiotherapy program
Read on to learn more about how physiotherapy can change your life. There’s no better person to provide information about physiotherapy than an experienced physiotherapist.
Physiotherapist Brad Ross Explains How to Prevent Falls, Stay Injury-Free at Work, and Much More
Q) What is the #1 question you get asked as a physiotherapist? What is your answer?
A) I often get asked “can you treat arthritis?” The answer is “yes.” The aspects of arthritis that we treat are pain, inflammation, flexibility, range of motion, strength, and function. Whether O.A. (Osteoarthritis) or R.A. (Rheumatoid Arthritis), these aspects are treatable, but the general approach differs based on the type of arthritis and upon each person.
Q) Typically, how much of a time commitment is physiotherapy for a new patient?
A) A first session might average 70 minutes from start to finish in-clinic, but it varies based on complexity. All patients are provided home exercises which might be done a few times a week or, in some cases, several times each day. Treatments are generally one to three sessions per week. People off work generally attend more often. Our goal is to bring patients to either 100% recovery or to their best level of recovery (i.e., their “rehab plateau”).
Q) What are two practical ways readers can prevent falls in winter?
A)
1) Perform balance exercises for a few minutes per day. Your physiotherapist can instruct you on these, on the floor and/or possibly on a wobble board.
2) Have a pail of an ice-melting chemical outside to spread onto areas that might ice up.
Q) Why does physiotherapy benefit individuals with Parkinson’s disease? How can patients with this disease expect their lives to improve as they participate in a physiotherapy program?
A) Parkinson’s patients typically lean forwards in standing/walking, they slouch in sitting, and they have various body areas of rigidity. The position of leaning forwards in standing/walking and the slouching posture in sitting lead to muscle fatigue, muscle tightness, and loss of flexibility in joints. These problems affect areas such as the neck, shoulders, lower back, hips, and knees. Your physiotherapist can maintain and/or restore range of motion which results in better function and comfort. In some cases, a caregiver can be instructed on how to assist in doing exercises and also with regards to how and when to change positions. Safety is also evaluated and addressed.
Q) What is one effective way someone who sits at a desk all day can keep his or her body injury-free?
A) Move before your body is telling you to move. If it takes you 30 minutes to feel neck or low back stiffness, then walk around after, say, 20 minutes. Perhaps set a timer as a reminder. Your physiotherapist can provide you with neck, shoulder, low back, and hip movements to perform regularly.
Healthy posture requires:
- Postural strength
- Postural flexibility
- Attention/awareness
- General fitness.
If any one of these is lacking, problems often develop over time. A physiotherapist can help you with your posture.
Q) In your opinion, what is one of the hardest conditions a physiotherapist often treats?
A) A bulging disc in the neck area that is irritating a nerve root is a difficult condition that physiotherapists treat. The pain level and restlessness caused by this can be temporarily disabling. And the arm symptoms need to be well controlled before the neck range of motion can be fully addressed, so the treatment must be very specific and delicate. At first, irritability is hard for the patients to avoid. As patients improve, it’s interesting and satisfying to see them evolve and settle down. It’s a major relief to patients to recover from this kind of episode.
Are you interested in working with Brad or a physiotherapist with his same level of skill, dedication, and knowledge? If so, and if you live near Winnipeg, consider Elite Sports Injury Physiotherapy Clinics for your physiotherapy needs. Elite provides physiotherapy services such as…
- Sports training
- Sports injury rehab
- Total joint replacement therapy
- Pre- and post-surgical rehab
- Core stability
- ACL rehab
Discover Elite’s other physiotherapy services here.
If you need an amazing physiotherapy team, contact Elite Sports Injury Physiotherapy Clinics today.
Related Reading: Interview with Physiotherapist Paula Sather