Greetings
Skye Physiotherapy & Pilates is now online! I would like to introduce you to our website:
www.skyephysiopilates.com
Skye Physiotherapy has expanded and Cheryl Richardson and Jane Freure, both enthusiastic and experienced Physiotherapists, have joined Our Team. Cheryl and Jane have advanced degrees in Manual & Manipulative Physiotherapy, Sports Medicine and pain management. I am so pleased to have them on board.
The Core Family Health Centre has expanded as well! Dr. Vineet Nair has been joined by Dr. Tetyana Pelipyagina. In addition, the Centre has Massage Therapy, Chinese Medicine Accupuncture, Custom Orthotics and Psychotherapy practitioners who work together to improve your function and reduce your pain.
Please visit our web-site and have a look. Here you will find information about the clinic, members of our team, and the range of services provided at the Centre. You can also "EXPLORE" patient information articles under the "Injuries & Conditions, Sports Activities, Work Activities, and Injury care" sections to the left of the website. We have a range of interesting content and have just added over 150 new articles on our website. Some of the featured new content includes a sports section about Swimming, and educational articles about Low Back Pain, Avascular Necrosis of the Hip, and Adolescent Osteochondritis Dissecans of the Elbow
The new Clinical Pilates Class Schedule is posted and classes will begin next week. Please note that the Pre- Post Natal class on Tuesday evenings is now open to all Essential/Intermediate level clients.
I am so pleased to introduce our expanded team at Skye Physiotherapy & Pilates at the Core Family Health Centre. Please see the Newsletter Feature Article below, and visit the web-site if you require further information. Thanks again for all your support.
Take care,
Kubet Weston, Physiotherapist
This is our Featured Article:
Physiotherapy versus Surgery: Selecting the Best Treatment For Knee and Back Pain
When it comes to treating chronic knee and back pain, too often surgery is considered as an option. While many people do benefit from early surgery, there are other equally effective options that are less expensive and less invasive. When used early in the course of treatment, Physiotherapy can relieve pain and restore function, either postponing or even preventing surgery.
Knee Pain
Knee pain is caused by increased stress or mechanical load on the joint. This can be the result of abnormal movement patterns or simply a part of aging. As a result, activities that may not have caused problems in the past, like sports or kneeling in the garden, may become quite painful.
Most knee pain in older adults is diagnosed as osteoarthritis. Osteoarthritis occurs when cartilage, the protective tissue cushioning the knee joint, deteriorates. Arthroscopic surgery uses a variety of techniques to remove debris and particles from the knee joint, as well as to smooth the joint surface. This helps reduce inflammation in the joint and eliminate anything that might interfere with joint movement.
Although arthroscopy is the most common knee surgery performed in the US and Canada, there is little published evidence that proves its long-term effectiveness. The results of a large randomized clinical trial published in 2002 showed that surgery had no benefit in patients with moderate-to-severe osteoarthritis of the knee. However many doctors questioned the validity of the findings and continue to rely on arthroscopic surgery. A more recent clinical trial may change that, though.
In this study, 178 patients over the age of 60 with moderate-to-severe osteoarthritis were recruited to participate. Half of these patients had arthroscopic surgery plus Physiotherapy. The other half only had Physiotherapy. After two years, the researchers found that arthritis severity was about the same in both groups, making them conclude that surgery provided no additional benefit to Physiotherapy alone. Although arthroscopy addresses the joint deterioration issues associated with osteoarthritis pain, it does not address the underlying muscular or dynamic factors – factors targeted by Physiotherapy.
A Physiotherapy plan of care is specifically designed for each patient after a thorough evaluation by a licensed Physiotherapist. Physiotherapy sessions for knee osteoarthritis may include exercises that help improve motion, balance, and strength training.
Back Pain
At least 75 to 85% of adults will suffer from lower back pain sometime during their life. This pain could be due to a herniated disc, stenosis, or bad habits like slouching. No matter what the cause, though, the American College of Physicians and the American Pain Society both recommend Physiotherapy as treatment.
A variety of clinical studies have shown that exercise and Physiotherapy decreases pain and improves function in patients with chronic or acute lower back pain. But how does this relief compare to surgery?
A study published in 2007 focused on a group of 283 patients who had suffered from sciatic pain for at least six weeks. Sciatica is caused by a herniated, or protruding disc pinching the sciatic nerve and sending pain through the back and leg. Half of the patients in the study were scheduled for surgery, while the other half used stretching and back-strengthening exercises. After one year, 95% of people in both groups told the researchers that their symptoms had significantly improved – meaning surgery was no better at treating sciatic pain than Physiotherapy.
Like Physiotherapy for knee pain, Physiotherapy for back pain is tailored specifically to each individual after a detailed evaluation. Your Physiotherapist will recommend exercises to strengthen core muscle groups, including the abs and lumbar region, as well as stretching exercises. Clinical Pilates is an effective method of training the core muscles in functional positions using equipment or matwork alone.
In many cases, Physiotherap%y is as effective as surgery in relieving pain and improving function long term. If you are suffering from knee or back pain, our Physiotherapists at SKYE HEALTH would be happy to talk to you.
References:
1. Moseley JB, O’Malley K, Petersen NJ, et al. A controlled trial of arthroscopic surgery for osteoarthritis of the knee. N Engl J Med. 2002;347:81-88.
2. Gillespie WJ. Arthroscopic surgery was not effective for relieving pain or improving function in osteoarthritis of the knee. ACP J Club. 2003;138:49.
3. Jackson RW. Arthroscopic surgery for osteoarthritis of the knee. N Engl J Med. 2002;347:1717.
4. Morse LJ. Arthroscopic surgery for osteoarthritis of the knee. N Engl J Med. 2002;347:1718.
5. Chambers KG, Schulzer M. Arthroscopic surgery for osteoarthritis of the knee. N Engl J Med. 2002;347:1718.
6. Ellis TJ, Crawford D. Arthroscopic surgery for arthritis of the knee. Curr Women’s Health Rep. 2003;3:63-64.
7. Ewing W, Ewing JW. Arthroscopic surgery for osteoarthritis of the knee. N Engl J Med. 2002;347:1717.
8. Kirkley A, Birmingham TB, Litchfield RB, et al. A Randomized Trial of Arthroscopic Surgery for Osteoarthritis of the Knee. New Engl J Med. 2008;359(11):1097-1107.
9. Andersson GB. Epidemiological features of chronic low back pain. Lancet. 1999; 354:581-585.
10. Madigan L, Vaccaro AR, Spector LR, Milam RA. Management of Symptomatic Lumbar Degenerative Disk Disease. J Am Acad Orthop Surg. 2009;17(2):102-111.
11. Hayden JA, van Tulder MW, Malmivaara A, Koes BW. Exercise therapy for the treatment of non-specific low back pain. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2005;(3):CD000335.
12. Peul WC, van Houwelingen HC, van den Hout WB, et al. Surgery versus Prolonged Conservation Treatment for Sciatica. New Engl J Med. 2007;356(22):2245-2256.