Physiotherapist spotlight: Heather Ritchie

Well it’s that time of year and Physiotherapy Month is well under way!  It’s a great time to reach out to those in our community, promote our profession and highlight how beneficial physiotherapy can be. Recent Canadian Census data collected in 2016 shows that baby boomers now out number the younger population for the first time ever. Physiotherapists will play a large role in assisting the population in maintaining healthy, active lives well into their senior years.

I first became aware of physiotherapy as a profession when I was 10 years old watching TV on a Saturday morning.  A company had sponsored a segment called “When I Grow Up”, which aired during the commercial breaks.  That morning it was “when I grow up, I want to be a Physiotherapist”.  I watched as they showed how these professionals could fix their clients’ injuries with their hands and exercises!  I was so interested that I went to the encyclopedia (pre-google days folks) and looked up this fantastic job and decided then and there that this was what I was meant to do.  I went downstairs and told my mom that I was going to be a Physiotherapist.  I’m not quite sure my parents believed me or thought I was being serious but I had made up my mind.  In grade 8 we were supposed to participate in ‘take your kids to school day’.  But with my parents being teachers, I already knew what that entailed and didn’t want to just go to another school for the day.  So for half a day, my mom arranged for me to go to a physiotherapy clinic.  It was so exciting to see the clinic, talk to the clients and the Physiotherapists and learn about how they helped people.  I was lucky enough to back that experience up with volunteering at clinics in high school and in my undergraduate university years which prepared me for the full expectations of the job.

Back then I certainly had no idea how much more popular and how important this profession would become.   I am very grateful to have found a career that is so rewarding and constantly evolving.  During this special month I want to thank my fellow Physiotherapy colleagues and all my clients who keep me motivated to learn new things. 

Remember to live balanced, live well and be YOU at your PRIME.

Heather Ritchie  M.Sc.PT, B.Sc. Kin, Dip Manip. PT, FCAMPT

Registered Physiotherapist

May is Physiotherapy Month !

May is physiotherapy month! We at PRIME physiotherapy are a staff of highly trained, skilled and enthused therapists who are here to get you back to the think you love to do. To start off the month, today’s blog post is talking about what physiotherapists can do for you. We are ultimately here for you! Helping you achieve your goals!

Physiotherapists in Ontario are direct access practitioners. This means that you do not need a referral from your family doctor to come and see us. That being said, some insurance companies may require a referral from your family doctor for coverage. This is something you should look into before booking your assessment appointment.  So the first step in the path to achieving your goals, is booking your assessment appointment. This assessment appointment at our clinics is an hour long and is dedicated to figuring out what your goals are and how we can help facilitate them.  During the assessment appointment, your physiotherapist and you will spend a portion of time talking about what brought you in that day, what you are feeling, what you do for work and what you do recreationally. We want to know about you, not just your injury.  The second half of the appointment is where we get you moving. We use specific objective examination skills to determine the causes of whatever ailments you may be having. This may include active movement, a gait analysis (where we watch you walk), a strength assessment and so on.  From here we determine a plan of care to get you to your optimal functioning.  

A physiotherapist can help you with a number of different injuries including but not limited to:

·         joint pain (knee pain, hip pain, shoulder pain)

·         muscle strains (muscle spasm, back spasms,  quad strains)

·         ligament sprains (sprained anklels)

·         Arthritis

·         Back, neck, joints pain

·         Sciatica

·         Hip, knee replacements

·         Carpal tunnel syndrome

·         Herniated disc

·         Muscular conditions

·         Diabetes

·         Muscle imbalances

·         Whiplash

·         Sports injuries

·         Headaches

·         Postural correction

·         Scoliosis

·         Cardiovascular rehabilitation

·         Post surgery rehabilitation

If you have any of these conditions or in general need help getting back to the things you love to do, please let our team help you. To celebrate physiotherapy and how much we what we do, we are going to share everyone’s personal story about why they became a physiotherapist or why they love what they do.

Remember to live balanced, live well and be you at your PRIME.

Amanda Homen D.P.T., B.Sc.Kin

Registered Physiotherapist

Safe Shoveling: Avoiding injury this winter.

Well winter has officially made its way to southwestern Ontario. I hope everyone is staying warm and staying safe out there.  One of the most physically demanding tasks during the winter is shoveling the snow. It is something that we all have to do, but it also comes with great risk of injury. If you are using poor body mechanics, you put yourself at a risk of injuring your back or forearms. This blog is here to help reduce this rick of injury.  By keeping with proper body mechanics and shoveling technique, you can clear your driveway safely and efficiently.

1.      Use a sturdy, large shovel meant for lifting snow. A shovel with a small blade at the bottom will create too much tension when trying to lift snow from the ground. There are also some ergonomic shovels out there that claim to reduce amount of effort required when moving snow.

2.       Dress warmly. Having muscles that are cold will put you at risk of strain.

3.       Wear proper footwear. Have a good pair of winter boots with a decent amount of traction on them so that you do not lose your footing while moving the snow.

4.       Before you begin, have a plan of action. Shovel high priority areas first and leave others in case you feel like you need a rest.

5.       Avoid twisting motions while shoveling. You should scoop up the snow in the shovel, bring it up and then pivot/ step with your feet in the direction you need to put the snow.

6.       Lift with your legs.  When you have filled the shovel, bend down and push up through the legs to bring the snow up to a level so you can pivot / move it.

7.       Do not reach too far ahead of you to shovel. Bring your feet close to the area you are shoveling.  As if you are standing over a box to lift.

8.       Only load up the shovel with an amount of weight you can lift without strenuous effort. If the snow is built up, chisel at it. You are better off doing multiple “lifts” in the same area then straining your back trying to do it all at once.

9.       Do not hold your breath. Remember that breathing helps with efficiency and keeping your muscles working optimally.  You want to time the lifting of the snow to exhaling (breathing out).

10.   Listen to your body. If things start to hurt, or become too strenuous, take a rest.

Hopefully these tips help keep you safe and injury free this winter.

And remember live balanced, live well and be you at your PRIME 

Amanda Homen
Resident Physiotherapist
DPT