Intramuscular Stimulation (IMS)

Intramuscular Stimulation (IMS): What is it and how can it help get rid of your chronic pain?

In this article I am going to focus on the treatment of chronic muscle and nerve pain and why it can be so difficult to find a solution for this type of pain. It is estimated that over one third of the adult population in North America suffers from chronic pain. That is a staggering statistic! This means that 1 of out of every third person out on the street is dealing with ongoing daily pain. Research shows that suicide is nine times more prevalent in people with chronic pain than with depression and it is estimated that in the United States, chronic pain affects more people than diabetes, cancer and heart disease combined.

So is chronic muscle and nerve pain so common? To understand this question we have to look at the gradual process that happens to all of our bodies to some degree over many years. As harsh as it sounds, the reality is that as we age our bodies are slowly ‘rotting’. By the time we reach our 50’s and 60’s we will all get some amount of arthritis in our spine. How fast we ‘rot‘ depends on a variety of factors including our overall fitness levels, nutrition, the types of jobs we do, family genetics and any traumatic injuries we sustain along the way ie. motor vehicle accidents. As the arthritis in the spine progresses, the nerves that exit the small spaces between each spinal bone (vertebrae) start to become irritated. In response to this irritation, the muscles that these nerves supply then start to form tight bands. These bands are the ‘knots’ you feel when you rub sore muscles. The muscle bands not only cause pain but they also begin to pull at joints and tendons as well as compress the already sensitive nerves at the spine. These tight bands often do not respond to traditional treatment approaches such as stretching, massage and spinal manipulation.

A form of treatment that has been gaining popularity in the last 5 to 10 years for chronic muscle and nerve pain is Intramuscular Stimulation (IMS). This treatment technique was developed by a Doctor in Vancouver by the name of Dr. Chan Gunn. Dr. Gunn developed this technique while working with people who were injured on the job and whose pain was not going away with traditional treatment approaches. What he found in these patients was that by stimulating their tight muscles with an acupuncture needle, the pain very often significantly improved or in many cases disappeared.

So the key to addressing this chronic pain process is to release the muscle tension. In an IMS treatment, when the needle enters the taut band the muscle will ‘grab’ the needle and a deep, cramping sensation is felt. Once the muscle grabs it then typically will ‘reset’ itself and begin to relax. When the tight muscle relaxes, a decrease in pain should follow. IMS is now being recognized and used by physiotherapists and doctors around the world to treat chronic pain of musculoskeletal origin. If you are suffering from ongoing muscle or nerve pain and haven’t had success with traditional types of treatment, IMS may be worth trying. For more information about IMS visit:www.istop.org

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Sun City Physiotherapy Locations

Graham Gillies, M.Sc.PT, CAFCI, FCAMPT, MCISc(MT), CGIMS

Graham Gillies is a registered Physiotherapist at Sun City Physiotherapy Winfield and is a fellow of the Canadian Academy of Manipulative Therapy and a certified Gunn IMS and acupuncture practitioner.

suncityphysiotherapy.com/our-team/the-winfield-team/graham-gillies/

Know Pain or No Gain

Physio Articles

The phrase “no pain, no gain” would probably be the leading misconception about pain that I hear – live by this slogan at your own risk. Why? Because first and foremost, pain is a protector. Pain is a wonderful and fascinating perception that helps to keep us out of danger. I can certainly sympathise that when you’re experiencing persistent or intense pain, its hard to see it as “wonderful” or “fascinating” but it truly is a remarkable defence mechanism that we possess.
When you step on a nail, twist your knee or tweak your back, what comes to your defence first? The simple answer is pain. It’s your first warning of actual or even potential tissue damage. Yes, that’s correct – “potential” tissue damage, meaning your body is smart enough to tell you to withdraw from danger before the damage is done. Wow! When tissue damage does occur, such as a strained ligament, tendon or muscle, your body sends all its best healing products to the area in the form of ‘inflammation’. The brilliance of inflammation is that it increases the sensitivity of the danger detectors (receptors) in the damaged area, which send more danger messages to the brain where they are processed and a pain experience can result. What do you think of that? Essentially, your body doesn’t just heal you with inflammation but it also tells you about it through the feeling of pain as a way of changing your behavior, allowing the area to rest and heal more effectively.

If you understand that the experience of pain is a critical response when the body feels threatened or in danger, then you will see how the slogan “no pain, no gain” will quickly lead you astray. Instead, us ‘pain geeks’ like to encourage the slogan – “know pain or no gain”, meaning that if you understand why you are experiencing pain and what it means, you are more likely to adopt the appropriate behaviour to encourage recovery.

The story of pain can get rather complex but equally as fascinating. Like any of our body systems, our defence systems can sometimes get a bit carried away and malfunction. This is often the case in the event of persistent pain – a story that will have to wait for another time. Until then, remember “know pain or no gain”.

Skiing and Snowboarding

Sports

Physiotherapy » Posts Tagged "winfield physiotherapy" (Page 2)

Skiing and Snowboarding

Ski and snowboard season is here!

I’m sure many of you skiers out there have already started to dust off your equipment, check the daily snow report and maybe even head to the mountain for some early season skiing.

We are fortunate in Kelowna to have so many great ski resorts nearby. Skiing and snowboarding are great ways to get some fresh air and exercise when it can be a challenge to stay active in Kelowna through the fall and winter. This is especially true lately when it has been so wet, cold and dark outside. Since most outdoor activities have wrapped up for the summer, I think that this is the perfect time of year to start conditioning your body in preparation for the upcoming ski season, if you are not already doing so. A good exercise program which addresses core and hip stability, balance, flexibility, muscle endurance and aerobic conditioning will go a long way to help improve your endurance and technique on the mountain to help you get the most out of your season.

If you are currently recovering from an injury or if you have just been sedentary for some time and are noticing a lack of strength, balance, range of motion or overall conditioning, it can be very useful to engage in a progressive rehabilitation exercise program prior to doing something more demanding on your body, like hitting the slopes for the day.

In the clinic, it is not uncommon to see overuse or traumatic injuries pop up as a result of unresolved muscle weakness, due to injury or sedentary behaviour, followed by more demanding or intense exercise. This excessive demand could come from lifting very heavy weights, running too fast or too far, attending an advanced exercise class or participating in a full day of winter activities. While the above examples may very well be a realistic long term goal, you may be putting your body at an increased risk of injury if you engage in an activity that your body is not adequately prepared for.

Exercise needs to be consistent and frequent, rather than all or none. Set a goal to exercise small amounts each day. An exercise program should include a combination of core stability, strengthening, stretching, balance training and aerobic conditioning.

If you are currently recovering from an injury or if you have been inactive for some time and are not sure where to begin, a physiotherapist can help get you on the right track, by developing a safe and effective individualized home exercise program based on your specific goals and current ability.

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Sun City Physiotherapy Locations

Vertigo, Inner Ear & Dizziness

Vestibular Rehabilitation (Dizziness and Vertigo)

Vertigo, Inner Ear & Dizziness

Vestibular Rehabilitation’ is an area of focus in my physiotherapy practise – I am often asked what exactly that means. The vestibular system (involving your inner ear) is responsible for sense of movement, body orientation and balance. The vestibular system (along with our eyes, muscles, and joints) send constant feedback to our brain about our body’s movement and orientation.

Dysfunctions, disorders, trauma or viruses that affect the inner ear can be a potential cause of vertigo, dizziness, decreased balance, tinnitus (ringing in the ears) or a change in hearing. As a vestibular therapist I can assess the potential causes of the mentioned symptoms and provide treatment to help decrease dizziness, vertigo and improve balance.

Dizziness is the umbrella term that refers to a sensation of abnormal, unwanted, movement – a feeling of unsteadiness, lightheaded or feeling ‘off’. Vertigo is a more specific term and implies that there is a rotational component to your dizziness – either the room is spinning around you or you are spinning in the room. Both vertigo and dizziness are symptoms, not a diagnosis, so part of my job is to figure out the possible cause and provide treatment.

One of the most common conditions within the inner ear that I treat is a condition called BPPV – benign paroxysmal positional vertigo. BPPV is caused by a crystal that is free floating within the inner ear. The signs and symptoms are pretty easy to recognize (vertigo brought on when lying flat, rolling in bed, looking up to the ceiling or bending forward). Treatment for BPPV is also quite effective.

It is also important to recognize that not all causes of vertigo or dizziness are associated with problems in the inner ear. Cardiovascular (heart) disorders, thyroid conditions, anxiety, migraines, neck disorders/injuries and neurological conditions are all potential causes.

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Sun City Physiotherapy Locations

Robina Palmer, B.Sc.PT, CAFCI, Vestibular Therapist

Robina Palmer is a registered Physiotherapist and co-owner of Sun City Physiotherapy.

Robina is a graduate of University of British Columbia’s School of Rehabilitation Medicine. She has practiced in sports and orthopaedic rehabilitation in various clinical settings throughout the United States and Canada.

suncityphysiotherapy.com/our-team/the-downtown-kelowna-team/robina-palmer/

Iliotibial Band Syndrome and Running

Sports

Running is a popular activity that can help maintain or improve your cardiovascular fitness and in some cases help you lose weight. There are many different reasons to run but often there is a goal set that may include 5Km, 10Km, half marathon, or full marathon.
When training for longer runs including 10km, half and full marathons it is important to remember that the training schedule should take place over long periods of time to allow your muscles and joints to accommodate for the increased strain that will be placed on them during the long run. As a physiotherapist, I treat many runners with all sorts of injuries. Some of the most common injuries include plantar fasciitis, achilles tendonitis, muscle strains, and Iliotibial band friction syndrome (IT band syndrome).
IT band syndrome is a repetitive stress injury that occurs when the iliotibial band glides over the lateral femoral condyle on the outside part of the knee. The iliotibial band is the thick band that runs from the outside of the hip down to the outside of the knee. It is a common injury for long distance runners (20-40 miles/week) but is not limited to only long distance runners. Running on various terrains can increase the risk of developing this condition. Up and down hills, graded slopes, and cambered roads have all been shown to increase the risk. This syndrome may also be found in other athletes or weekend warriors such as cyclists, weight lifters, and participants in jumping sports.
With IT band syndrome there is rarely a history of trauma. Patients will often complain of knee pain that may be difficult to localize and usually increases with repetitive motions like running. The symptoms usually get worse with changes in training surfaces, increasing mileage, or training on crowned roads.
Studies have found that long distance runners with IT band syndrome have weaker hip abductor and glut muscles on the involved leg compared to the uninvolved leg. The hip abductor muscles are located on the outside part of the hip and help prevent the leg from moving towards the centre of the body. It is also noted that fatigued runners are more prone to having their hip adduct (move towards the centre) and internally rotate (leg turns inwards) which causes more friction on the iliotibial band and therefore the symptoms get worse.
The management of IT band syndrome usually includes: 1) activity modification (usually decreasing mileage). 2) New running shoes. Shoes should be replaced about every 500km. 3) Heat or ice. 4) Stretching the IT band. 5) Strengthening the hip abductors and glut muscles.
If you are interested in pursuing long distance running you should: 1) follow a certified training schedule. 2) Make sure the shoes you are wearing are the right shoes for you. 3) Increase your mileage slowly to allow your body to accommodate for the increased strain. 4) Hit the gym – muscle weakness can cause problems down the road. 5) Go in for an assessment with a health care professional if you start to experience aches and pains that aren’t going away.