Physiotherapy
Physiotherapists are graduates of a recognized university-based school of physiotherapy and are qualified to provide preventative, diagnostic and therapeutic services aimed at restoring function and preventing disability arising from disease, trauma or injury. With their applied knowledge and understanding of the human body in action, Physiotherapists are able to help you to increase your mobility, relieve pain, build strength and improve balance and cardiovascular function. Physiotherapists not only treat injuries, they also teach you how to prevent the onset of pain or injury that can limit your activity. 
 
Orthopaedics is defined as the branch of medicine devoted to the study and treatment of the skeletal system, its joints, muscles and associated structures. Physiotherapists specializing in this field have extensive knowledge of musculoskeletal anatomy and physiology which is the basis for the assessment and treatment of orthopaedic problems. 
 
Orthopaedic Physiotherapy commonly involves pain management, mobilization of soft tissue and joints and the selective stretching and strengthening of muscles. Gains in range of motion and strength are then applied to functional activity. 

At TRCC we integrate the practice of physiotherapy as it relates to enhancing fitness.  Our functional rehabilitation program involves the specific assessment of the physical function of your neuromuscular, and musculoskeletal systems.  We then put in place a plan that involves the treatment, rehabilitation and prevention of physical dysfunction (musculoskeletal weakness/injury, poor proprioceptive function, bone weakness/osteoporosis).  Our goal is to relieve pain, promote mobility and health, teach independence through exercise and to develop, maintain, rehabilitate or augment function. back to top

Chiropractic
WHAT IS CHIROPRACTIC?
Chiropractic is a regulated health profession that deals with the assessment of conditions related to the spine, musculoskeletal system, nervous system, and joints of the extremities. Chiropractic is not just about the bones in the neck and back. If there is a muscle, tendon, or joint that is injured a Chiropractor can help. 

Chiropractors provide diagnosis, treatment and management of such disorders. Treatments Include:

• Spinal Manipulative Therapy (Adjusting)
• Soft Tissue Therapy (Advanced Massage Techniques)
• Posture and Gait Analysis
• Therapeutic Exercise

Chiropractic is covered by most extended healthcare plans. back to top

:HOW DOES THE CHIROPRACTIC ADJUSTMENT WORK?

The bones in your back, called the vertebrae, are connected by cartilage and work together in a very specific way. When everything is working well, your spine is moving properly, strong and flexible. The stress of daily living, injuries, or accidents can cause the bones in the spine to jam and lose proper motion. Small changes in the motion and alignment of your spine can cause discomfort in the different joints, muscles, and nerves along your spinal column, and affect your range of motion. Chiropractors understand how to relieve this discomfort. They are specially trained to find the source of your pain, assess the problem, and make the proper adjustments that allow your spine to work properly again. Chiropractic joint manipulation, or adjustment, is a treatment in which the chiropractor uses his or her hands to apply a very quick, precise, and safe amount of pressure directly on the problem area of your spine. This pressure momentarily separates the joints, allowing a gas bubble to escape (this is the popping sound or cracking noise you might have heard about). The result? Relief of pressure on the joint and surrounding nerves, and most importantly, allows your spine to move properly. The adjustment is not painful, and often provides immediate relief.  

HOW MANY CANADIANS SEEK CHIROPRACTIC CARE?  

Four and a half million Canadians visited a chiropractor last year. Chiropractors are trained to provide care to all members of the public.  back to top

Acupuncture
Clinical Acupuncture refers to a technique used to relieve pain and muscle stiffness by the insertion and manipulation of threadlike needles at specific areas of the body along peripheral nerves. Acupuncture has been practiced in China for over 2000 years but Western medicine was only introduced to this practice about 300 years ago.

Clinical Acupuncture is an effective and simple treatment approach based on current concepts of neurophysiology, neuroanatomy, and pathophysiology. Insertion of solid needles and use of electrical stimulation are the foundation of this approach. The benefits of acupuncture treatments include muscle relaxation, pain modulation, changes in autonomic activity (vasomotor tone, cardiac rhythm, peristalsis), diverse neuroendocrine and immune responses, general relaxation, and a feeling of psychophysical well being. Clinical Acupuncture is generally performed by MDs, physiotherapists and chiropractors who use it as a tool to complement their regular treatment protocols, dealing mainly with pain related disorders.

Relaxation of "stuck" myofibrils, increased local blood supply, the release of spinal dynorphin and encephalin (endogenous opioid compounds) have all been put forward to explain the rehabilitative effects of trigger point needling. The distal points usually below the elbow or knee which are used to modulate the sympathetic nervous system and the various 'pain gates' represent another meeting point between modern neurophysiology and ancient traditional Chinese acupuncture. Trigger points or ahshi points can be analysed clinically by using a tissue sensitivity gauge. How trigger points are involved in the pathogenesis and maintenance of commonly encountered pain states and their involvement with the Autonomic Nervous System remains unknown and is an important area of research that may well resolve many of the questions involving common pain states. Melzack, in a recent article on the role of compensation in chronic pain states, appears to support the importance of these concepts. "Patients who failed to respond to conventional forms of therapy were sometimes cured if the physician recognised that abnormal autonomic nervous system activity may persist indefinitely after a brief injury or that trigger spots may develop at the site of even relatively minor injury. Major procedures such as cordotomies may fail, but simple ones such as trigger point injections, may produce sudden remarkable recovery and subsequent return to work."  

Many GPs have responded to their patients' needs by adding pain management tools to their practices. These tools frequently include pain assessment techniques, Acupuncture, Manipulation, Relaxation Training and Re-education of job task and posture. Clinical acupuncture in particular is one of general practice's growth areas.  

From the early 1970s when only a few medical practitioners used acupuncture, there is now widespread use and integration of alternate stimulation techniques developed from Traditional Chinese Acupuncture. (Stimulation techniques developed from Traditional Chinese Acupuncture include Dry needling, Electro-acupuncture and TENS, Trigger point injection and dorsal column stimulation.)  

The results of controlled studies which have been extensively reviewed show good evidence for the short term effectiveness of acupuncture in many pain states. The long term studies, particularly where the well trained acupuncturist has been given the freedom of (traditional) normal practice profiles, have been encouraging, with success rates far higher than those associated with the placebo response. back to top

Registered Massage Therapy
The Origin of the word “massage” is derived from either the Arabic “mass” or the Greek “massein”, which mean to touch and to knead, respectively. For millennia there has been written recordings of healing involving kneading, pressing, anointing or rubbing.  
 
The Massage Therapy Act (Ontario 1991) defines the practice of massage therapy as the assessment of the soft tissue and joints of the body and the treatment and prevention of physical dysfunction and pain of the soft tissue and joints by manipulation to develop, maintain, rehabilitate or augment physical function, or relieve pain. 
 
Massage is a well recognized as an effective treatment for decreasing or palliating pain.  A Massage Therapist focuses on the normalization of soft tissues affected by stress, injury and illness through the use of manual techniques.  This helps to improve circulation, enhance muscular relaxation, relieve pain, reduce stress, enhance immune function and promote health and well-being. Massage therapy effectively increases blood flow to injured tissues which aids in healing.   Improved blood flow can help relax muscles, decrease spasms, reduce trigger points and remove scar tissue and adhesions caused by injuries or an underlying medical condition.   Massage Therapists specialize in the use and application of therapeutic massage techniques. 
 
An increasing number of research studies show massage therapy reduces heart rate, lowers blood pressure, increases blood circulation and lymph flow, relaxes muscles, improves range of motion and increases endorphins and enkephalins, which are the body's natural painkillers. Although therapeutic massage does not increase muscle strength, it can stimulate weak, inactive muscles and partially compensate for the lack of exercise and inactivity resulting from illness or injury. It can also hasten and lead to a more complete recovery from exercise induced muscle injury. 
 
Many clients use massage therapy for relaxation.  Massage can be used to reduce stress levels, anxiety and depression, which helps clients to live more normal productive lives. It provides many with a sense of relaxation and well-being.  Physical and psychological effects have been thought to be due to the release of endorphins and enkephalins 
 
Massage therapy is equally preventive in nature. When muscles are loose and circulation is sufficient, the result is better health and less chance of injury or dysfunction. back to top

Custom Orthotics and Bracing
Orthotics are inserts that comfortably fit into shoes. They are designed to support and improve the functioning of feet. Health care practitioners will prescribe orthotics to patients suffering from chronic foot or lower limb problems or to athletes to help maximize performance during sport.

• Orthotics are shoe inserts that bring an abnormal foot closer to a neutral position.
• Orthotics reduces stress and strains on muscles, tendons, ligaments and joints of the foot.

Braces will vary depending on the condition but are used for functional, rehabilitative and protective purposes.

• Functional braces aid in treatment of carpal tunnel syndrome, plantar fasciitis, tennis/golfer’s elbow, and many other overuse and tendonitis injuries.

By offering a wide range of prescription orthopaedic supports, stock and custom foot orthotics, TRCC provides the maximum support needed by its clients. We know the value of proper prescription, fit and wearing instructions, because a support that fits improperly, functions improperly. All of our products are 100% guaranteed.  

Unlike many other clinics TRCC does not just deal with one orthotic manufacturer or brace supplier. We choose the company that will provide the best product for you. We carry a range of orthopedic braces and supports by epX, corflex, serola, and landmark. We carry stock orthotics by Superfeet, and utilize Orthotic Energy, The Orthotic Group, and NexStep Custom Orthotic Labs. back to top

Low Level Laser Therapy
Low Level Laser Therapy is a form of light therapy that utilizes a specific wavelength range (near the infrared part of the light spectrum), which has been shown to have a number of effects on our body.  Injured cells use this type of light to increase cellular metabolism. This allows the cells to progress through the inflammatory cycle in a fraction of the normal time, while at the same time causing release of endorphins (a 'feel good' chemical in our brain).  The cold laser also causes angiogenesis (growth of micro-capillaries, which increase local blood supply, which increases the rate of healing. It’s effects are summarized below.

1. Increased cellular metabolism
2. Quicker resolution of inflammation    
3. Release of endorphins
4. Increased local blood supply

 

It are these combined effects that make Low Level Laser Therapy an exceptionally powerful tool for speeding up the healing process and reliving pain.

Other current areas of global application and research of low level laser therapy include:

1. Antibiotic-resistant wound closure
2. Burn treatment  

Low Level Laser Therapy in our clinic is used to promote healing, decrease pain, quickly reduce inflammation, and increase local blood supply. It works excellently on conditions such as:

1. Tendonosis/Tendonitis (eg. Shoulder pain, Tennis or Golfer’s Elbow, Wrist and Hand pain, Hip, Knee or Ankle pain.)
2. Inflammation & Swelling
3. Arthritis by reducing inflammation and pain.

Following Low Level Laser Therapy these areas are usually less painful and more mobile so that active therapy and resolution can be reached much more quickly.  

Unlike many other clinics TRCC does not charge extra for Low Level Laser Therapy. It is included in Physiotherapy and Chiropractic treatments when deemed necessary by the practitioner.  back to top

Exercise Rehabilitation
Rehabilitation is concerned with restoring musculoskeletal function in patients with sub acute, chronic, recurrent and post operative conditions. Rehabilitation attempts to prevent or manage disability through functional restoration, work hardening, and psychosocial intervention. The basic goal of rehabilitation is to return the individual back to their baseline functioning. Neuro-musculoskeletal rehabilitation is composed of three basic phases.

Phase 1 or the "acute" phase focuses on stabilization of the injured part, pain control, promotion of soft tissue healing, and the reduction of inflammation or swelling. 

Phase 2 or the sub-acute / recovery phase focuses on restoring physiologic capabilities such as flexibility, range of motion, muscular strength, muscular endurance, proprioception, and cardiovascular endurance. 

Phase 3 or functional restoration focuses on the transition back to sport, leisure activity, or work.

All of TRCC’s practitioners include functional exercise rehabilitation programs in their treatment plans. We also design Custom Exercise Programs to help patients achieve their health or athletic goals. back to top

Kinesiotaping
Kinesio Taping is a therapeutic and sports taping breakthrough that stands ahead of all other therapeutic and sports taping methods.

Kinesio Tape has 140% elasticity matching that of the skin, giving non-restricted support that allows muscles to perform a full range of motion, easily and comfortably.

A durable 3 to 4 day wearing period avoids the hassle of applying and removing traditional sports tapes every few hours. It also gives lasting support and pain relief.

The unique Kinesio Taping Method structurally lifts the skin and allows the flow of body fluids under the application area, reducing edema, inflammation, and discomfort.

Kinesio Tape has a 100% high grade cotton patented design that enhances comfort and channels out air, sweat, and water to enhance skin breathing.

Kinesio Tape is also durable and latex free.

Kinesio Taping gives support and stability to your joints and muscles without affecting circulation and range of motion. It is also used for Preventive Maintenance, Edema, and Pain Management.

More information:

Kinesio Taping is a technique based on the body's own natural healing process. This Kinesio Taping exhibits its efficacy through the activation of neurological and circulatory systems. This method basically stems from the science of Kinesiology, hence the name "Kinesio". Muscles are not only attributed to the movements of the body but also control the circulation of venous and lymph flows, body temperature, etc. Therefore, the failure of the muscles to function properly induces various kinds of symptoms.

Consequently, so much attention was given to the importance of muscle function that the idea of treating the muscles in order to activate the body's own healing process came about. Using an elastic tape, it was discovered that muscles and other tissues could be helped by outside assistance. Employment of Kinesio Taping creates a totally new approach to treating nerves, muscles, and organs. The first application of Kinesio Taping was for a patient with articular disorders.

For the first 10 years, orthopedists, chiropractors, acupuncturists and other medical practitioners were the main users of Kinesio Taping. Soon thereafter, Kinesio Taping was used by the Japanese Olympic volleyball players and word quickly spread to other athletes. Today, Kinesio Taping is accepted by medical practitioners and athletes in Japan, United States, Europe, South America and other Asian countries.

The Kinesio Taping Method is applied over muscles to reduce pain and inflammation, relax overused tired muscles, and to support muscles in movement on a 24hr/day basis. It is non-restrictive type of taping which allows for full range of motion.

In contrast, traditional sports' taping is wrapped around a joint strictly for stabilization and support during a sporting event obstructing the flow of bodily fluids... an UNDESIRABLE side-effect.

Kinesio Tape is used for anything from headaches to foot problems and everything in between. Examples include: muscular facilitation or inhibition in pediatric patients, carpal tunnel syndrome, lower back strain/pain (facet strain, herniated disc), knee conditions, shoulder conditions, hamstring, groin injury, rotator cuff injury, whiplash, tennis elbow, plantar fasciitis, patella tracking, pre and post surgical edema, ankle sprains, athletic preventative injury method, and as a support method.

Please note there is a $5 charge for Kinesiotape application with a treatment. As a stand-alone therapy the cost is $10. For patients who require numerous applications rolls of kinesiotape can be purchased for $25. back to top