BodyTech Physiotherapy

We are a team of qualified physiotherapists providing services to skillfully treat many conditions. These services include manual therapy, exercises prescription, education and pain modalities including acupuncture. BodyTech Physiotherapy also offers massage therapy by a registered massage therapist. See below for more detailed descriptions or click here for a list of conditions treated. A price list is available below.

Physiotherapy

Physiotherapy is a health care profession which helps people to restore, maintain and maximize their strength, function, movement, and overall well-being through examination, evaluation, diagnosis and physical intervention. Physiotherapy includes rehabilitation, as well as prevention of injury, and promotion of health and fitness. Your physiotherapists will provide you with an individualized program to meet your specific goals. Your treatment may consist of hands-on manual therapy, pain relieving modalities (Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation (TENS), Ultrasound, Heat/cold packs, Acupuncture), postural or corrective taping, specific exercises and education. We believe in educating our clients to complement their understanding and therefore response to treatment and aid in injury prevention.

Our approach is based on active participation; therefore exercise will be an important part of all treatments. Both strength and flexibility are essential for joint stability and postural alignment. In addition, your physiotherapist will provide you with a preventative exercise program for you to continue beyond your treatment.

Please see our price list below.

Virtual Physiotherapy

Virtual Physiotherapy sessions are a one on one secure web-based meeting with you and a registered physiotherapist. Meeting virtually allows the therapist to see and assess your movement patterns, as well as identify the source of your issue. Your therapist can prescribe and demonstrate exercises for your specific condition. In a virtual appointment the physiotherapist is able to observe you doing your exercises and correct them if needed. During these sessions you will be able to ask questions and receive professional advice.

Virtual physiotherapy appointments are not eligible for direct billing. You will receive a detailed invoice upon receipt of payment which can be submitted to your extended health plan. Payments will be accepted via e-transfer.

Please note that not all benefit plans cover virtual appointments, call your provider to check. Click here to see a list of extended health providers that are covering virtual appointments.

Please see our price list below.

Pelvic Health Physiotherapy

The inner core consists of 4 structures: the diaphragm, the pelvic floor, transversus abdominus (TA), and multifidus. The pelvic floor is a group of muscles, tendons, and ligaments that sit inside your pelvis and help stabilize the pelvis and spine, as well as support organs during static and dynamic activities. The pelvic floor muscles play an important role in continence and sexual function. The pelvic floor works silently in the background to support us through our daily activities. However, because of this, many people do not realize that this group of muscles exist and therefore they are not usually incorporated in regular health or recovery programs, especially when a dysfunction exists.

The pelvic floor is just like every other muscle in the body, it can be injured, become weak, and lose flexibility, which leads to dysfunction. This dysfunction can present in a variety of ways, including incontinence, pelvic pain, and even chronic back or hip pain. Although many of these symptoms may occur during or after pregnancy or with increased age, they are often dismissed as normal but that is not the case. These symptoms may be common, but they are not normal and they are not something you have to live with.

At BodyTech Physiotherapy, our pelvic therapist takes a global approach, integrating advanced orthopedic and pelvic training to determine the root cause of your symptoms. A pelvic floor assessment involves a detailed history, a low back and pelvis screen, and an internal vaginal and/or rectal examination, if needed, to fully assess your pelvic floor strength and function. This comprehensive approach allows your pelvic therapist to assess how your pelvic floor function integrates with the function of your body as a whole unit. If there are specific activities that you are experiencing dysfunction with your pelvic therapist will be able to assess your strength, stability and function throughout these activities. Many patients are nervous about the internal component of the assessment, this is a normal feeling! Our assessments and treatments are completed in private rooms and your therapist will fully discuss all portions of the assessment with you before proceeding.

Pelvic physiotherapy treatment will be individualized based on assessment findings and your individual goals. Treatment may include both internal and external work and involve techniques such as soft tissue release to the pelvic floor and surrounding structures (abdomen, low back, hips), pelvic floor retraining, mobilizations to the spine and pelvis, breathing and relaxation techniques, core strengthening, and functional retraining.

Physiotherapy treatment for pelvic floor dysfunction is well supported by research to help with a variety of conditions including:

• Urinary incontinence
• Stress incontinence: leaking with coughing, sneezing, laughing, or activity
• Urgency
• Frequency
• Over Active Bladder
• Pelvic Organ Prolapse
• Pelvic Pain
• Endometriosis
• Pain during menstruation (dysmenhorrhea)
• Pain with sexual intercourse (dyspareunia)
• Vaginismus
• Vulvodynia
• Tail Bone Pain
• Genitourinary Syndrome of Menopause
• Chronic Constipation
• Fecal Incontinence

Prenatal and Postpartum Physiotherapy

During pregnancy the body undergoes many changes. From a physical perspective, these changes particularly impact the abdomen and pelvis. The abdominal wall is stretched to make room for the growing baby, which also leads to postural changes to the spine. The pelvic floor is under increased stress due to the increasing weight of the uterus and baby. The hormone Relaxin is released into the body to relax the ligaments in the pelvis to allow for delivery. This relaxation increases the demand on the muscles in the core and pelvis to help maintain stability. These changes are all necessary to support the growing baby, but unfortunately can cause a variety of aches and pains.

Whether you’ve had a vaginal or cesarean delivery, your core and pelvic floor are weakened from pregnancy and delivery. Tearing, an episiotomy, the use of forceps or a vacuum can further weaken the pelvic floor and may also lead to pelvic pain. It is important to retrain these muscles to help your body return to optimal function before restarting activities.

A pelvic health physiotherapy assessment at BodyTech will include a detailed history, an external exam of your back and pelvis and, if necessary, an internal vaginal and/or rectal exam to fully evaluate the function of the pelvic floor. Your therapist will discuss the internal exam with you prior to proceeding.

Physiotherapy is able to help with a variety of conditions including:

• Prenatal
  • Labour and delivery preparation
  • Pelvic girdle pain
  • SI joint pain
  • Pubic symphysis pain
  • Sciatica
  • Incontinence (prevention and treatment)
  • Prevention of pelvic floor dysfunction
• Postpartum
  • Retraining and strengthening of the pelvic floor and core
  • Diastasis recti
  • Scar tissue release (post C-section, tearing, or episiotomy)
  • Pain with intercourse (dyspareunia)
  • Pelvic or low back pain
  • Incontinence
  • Preparation for Return to activity

Physiotherapy treatment will be individualized based on the physiotherapist’s findings during the assessment. Treatment may include both internal and external work and can include manual therapy (stretching, joint mobilizations, biofeedback) for muscles and joints, strengthening of the pelvic floor and core, and functional retraining. Your therapist is also able to help you with labour and delivery preparation, including relaxation strategies for the pelvic floor and perineal massage to help prevent tearing. They can also provide you with management strategies for the early postpartum period.

Sports Physiotherapy

Sports physiotherapy is an area of physiotherapy that deals with the prevention, assessment and management of sports injuries and other issues related to physical activity. Services are available to people of all ages involved in sports at any level. Your physiotherapist will help you with a sport specific treatment program to maximize your recovery, aid in safe return to sport and prevent injury reoccurrence.

For safe and quick recovery and return to sport it is important to seek care if symptoms persist for more than 3-5 days.Pain and dysfunction for longer than this period of time could cause you to compensate by moving in different ways or using other muscles to reduce the pain and discomfort. This could delay recovery and/or cause further injury. Our primary acute care focus is on pain relief; however, pain resolution does not indicate complete recovery. At BodyTech Physiotherapy we focus on a complete approach which also includes flexibility, strength and restoration of sport specific function. This approach ensures gradual and safe return to sport.

Concussion Management

Concussion is a mild traumatic brain injury, which can be caused by impact to the head, face, neck, shoulder or elsewhere in the body, or by a sudden stopping movement. This can occur during sports injuries, motor vehicle accidents, or falls. A concussion can occur with or without loss of consciousness. Symptoms of concussion vary greatly from person to person and may include, but are not limited to, headache, confusion, irritability, insomnia, dizziness and trouble concentrating. Concussion symptoms may appear right away or hours after the injury. Full recovery is possible for most people with proper diagnosis and management. Recovery can vary from days to weeks, but differs for all individuals.

Physiotherapy can be a useful tool in the management and treatment of concussion symptoms. During your concussion assessment at BodyTech Physiotherapy, your symptoms, neck and eye movements, and balance will be examined. You will also be tested on your memory and learning skills, your ability to concentrate, speed of thinking and problem solving. Your physiotherapist will then develop and monitor an individualized return to activity plan, so that you can return to work or sports as safely as possible. A gradual progression of activity, as well as frequent monitoring, will ensure symptoms do not persist longer than necessary, or return once subsided. Additionally, your physiotherapist will be able to treat any concurrent injuries sustained during the concussion, and provide education on prevention of concussions in the future.

Baseline concussion testing also available.

Vestibular Rehabilitation

The vestibular system is a sensory organ inside the skull that connects with the inner ear on both sides of the head. The vestibular system contains organs that sense gravity and acceleration (turning, bending, spinning, etc.). The brain uses the information from these vestibular organs to determine how the head is moving in space. The brain and body use the information from these organs for postural responses, to stabilize vision, and for balance. The vestibular system shares close connections with your hearing organs and some conditions may also affect your hearing as well as the vestibular system.

Dizziness from the vestibular system often presents as vertigo, the illusion of movement. A person with vertigo will often feel as if the room is spinning or they are spinning within the room. Other people may describe dizziness or the room shifting or tilting. You do not need to feel dizzy to have a vestibular problem. Many people with vestibular problems will feel off-balance and unstable, report blurred vision or generally feel “off.”

Some common causes of Vestibular problems are:

• Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo (BPPV)
• Vestibular Neuritis or Labyrinthitis
• Unilateral or Bilateral Vestibular Hypofunction
• Meniere's Disease
• Vestibular Migraine

A vestibular assessment at BodyTech Physiotherapy involves a detailed history, a central nervous system screen (examination of reflexes, cranial nerves, cerebellar tests), vestibular function testing, and balance testing (static and dynamic). In most cases it will also involve a detailed assessment of the cervical spine and/or temporomandibular joint (TMJ). It may also include motion sensitivity testing, coordination testing and other tests to differentiate possible involved systems. Infrared goggles will be used during the assessment. The infrared goggles remove visual fixation, which allows for examination of nystagmus (repetitive, uncontrolled eye movement) that may be suppressed in room light. Use of the infrared goggles can help to differentiate between central and peripheral vestibular disorders, BPPV and other vestibular disorders.

Vestibular rehabilitation is a proven combination of progressive movements or exercises aimed to address the person's areas of dysfunction and to maximize recovery or compensation. These exercises work to retrain the brain to maximize the central nervous system compensation. Vestibular treatment is highly individualized and will vary depending on the condition, the presentation, and the individual's goals.

Pilates

Pilates instruction is coming April 22nd to Bodytech Physiotherapy! Book now with Stephanie Benninger by calling our Williamsburg location at 519-742-6001.

Massage Therapy

Massage therapy consists primarily of hands-on manipulation of the soft tissues of the body, specifically, the superficial and deeper layers of muscle, connective tissue, tendons, ligaments and joints. Various techniques are used to enhance function, aid in the healing process and promote relaxation for the purpose of optimizing health.

Massage therapy treatment has a therapeutic effect on the body and optimizes health and well-being by acting on the muscular, nervous and circulatory systems. Physical function can be developed, maintained and improved; and physical dysfunction, pain and the effects of stress can be relieved or prevented through the use of Massage Therapy.

Today's Massage Therapists use their knowledge of anatomy and physiology to combine traditional Swedish and modern Massage Therapy techniques with exercise and other therapies to treat their clients.

Massage therapy is a regulated health profession in Ontario and is performed by a Registered Massage Therapist (RMT). A Registered Massage Therapist is an individual who has studied anatomy, physiology, pathology, physical assessment, neurology and treatments at a recognized educational institution; completed 2200 hours of training; successfully completed examinations from the College of Massage Therapists of Ontario (CMTO); and have been "registered" by the CMTO in accordance with the Regulated Health Professions Act and the Massage Therapy Act. Massage Therapists maintain their registration by participating in continuing education and a Quality Assurance Program that assists them in the maintenance of high professional standards and quality care of their clients.

Please see our price list below.

Acupuncture

At BodyTech Physiotherapy, our physiotherapists use Western medical acupuncture, which is a modality involving the insertion of fine needles that is based on traditional Chinese acupuncture. The needles are inserted at specific points in the body and do not contain any drugs. They stimulate the natural release of your body's pain killers and anti-inflammatories and promote healing. Acupuncture is mainly used to treat musculoskeletal pain, myofascial trigger point pain, nerve pain, swelling and post-operative pain.

Acupuncture needles are solid, stainless steel, sterile one time use needles. The needles are very fine and flexible and do not have a cutting edge like a hypodermic needle allowing them to slide smoothly through the skin and underlying tissue without trauma. Most people feel a dull, achy sensation when the needle is in place. The needles are left in place for approximately 15-20 minutes.

There are minimal risks with acupuncture; some mild bruising, lightheadedness and sweating may occur. If these symptoms occur your physiotherapist will promptly remove the needles and help decrease these symptoms.

Canine Rehab

Check out our Canine Rehab website CanineTechRehab.ca

Price List

• Physiotherapy Assessment (60 minutes)-$125.00
• Physiotherapy Treatment (30 minutes)-$82.00
• Physiotherapy Complex Treatment (60 minutes)-$150.00
• Pelvic Health Physiotherapy Assessment (60 minutes)-$140.00
• Pelvic Health Physiotherapy Treatment (30 minutes)-$98.00
• Pelvic Health Physiotherapy Complex Treatment (60 minutes)-$165.00
• Vestibular/Concussion Physiotherapy Assessment (60 minutes)-$165.00
• Vestibular/Concussion Physiotherapy Treatment (30 minutes)-$92.00
• Vestibular/Concussion Physiotherapy Treatment (45 minutes)-$105.00
• Vestibular/Concussion Physiotherapy Complex Treatment (60 minutes)-$165.00
• Massage Therapy(30 minutes)-$76.00
• Massage Therapy(45 minutes)-$90.00
• Massage Therapy(60 minutes)-$112.01
• Massage Therapy(90 minutes)-$160.00