The Tri-Cities Off Road Cycling Association is a group of dedicated individuals who are working to grow the sport of mountain biking.  These wonderful friends of the sport have been engaged in trail maintenance, building relationships with land owners and organizing events.  They have been successful in growing our network of trails and in growing our network of friends.

Trailside is proud to be a sponsor and encourages all of our mountain biking athletes to join up and participate.

Please visit the TORCA website for more information:

http://www.torca.ca

Vestibular Disorders and Rehabilitation

Dizziness…it can mean many different things to many different people. Is it light-headedness, floating, swaying, imbalance, rocking or spinning (better known as vertigo)? Your definition of dizziness can help your doctor and/or physiotherapist determine what the cause of it is. Causes are many, and may include, but are not limited to, medications, health conditions such as blood pressure issues, or vestibular system problems which are your inner ear and part of your balance system. If you have checked in with your doctor and your health and medications check out, check in with your physiotherapist to see if it’s your inner ear causing your symptoms…we can fix it!

The vestibular system (your inner ear) is composed of fluid, semicircular canals, crystals, and much more. Problems can arise from each of these structures caused by ear infections, injuries, tumours, ageing, head trauma (car accident, falls, impact sports, strokes, brain injuries), illness or disease, medication, blood flow problems or insidiously. People often present with dizziness and/or vertigo when the vestibular system is affected. The two most common vestibular disorders are benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV) and unilateral vestibular loss (UVL).

BPPV is a common cause of vertigo (the sensation of you spinning, or the room spinning around you). The most common complaint of those with BPPV is vertigo brought on by positional changes such as lying down to sleep at night, rolling in bed, bending forward to tie their shoe laces, or looking up. BPPV happens when crystals in the inner ear are ‘out of place’ and travelling through the canals. The causes of BPPV include head trauma, specific trauma to the vestibular apparatus (such as an inner ear infection), or insidiously (just because). Now the good news…BPPV is treatable in 1-3 sessions with a simple manoeuvre that can be completed by your physiotherapist!

A unilateral vestibular loss (UVL) can also cause vertigo initially, however, is often paired with nausea and/or vomiting with any and all movements, and unsteadiness. It often comes on quickly and without warning, with severe symptoms lasting a few days. After the initial week, symptoms often settle down and for most people have no lasting symptoms as the brain compensates for these changes. Others, when the brain has poorly compensated, will continue to have mild symptoms, often including unsteadiness, dizziness, or a catching up sensation when turning the head. These symptoms are pronounced when walking, going grocery shopping or in large crowds. When symptoms persist beyond one week after the initial event, the brain needs help to compensate requiring specific exercises to aid in recovery.

In all cases of dizziness or vertigo, proper consultation is important to determine the exact cause of your symptoms. After ruling out specific medical issues or medication side effects, seeking out a physiotherapist who is trained in vestibular rehabilitation may be your next step for assessment and treatment of your dizziness and vertigo. Your physiotherapist will complete and in depth assessment to help determine the cause of your symptoms, and provide treatment and/or home exercises to reduce your symptoms.

Antonio Zenone
Physiotherapist
Trailside Physio

How do you know if you are seeing a therapist with a specialization in Sports Physiotherapy? There are over 600 therapists in BC who are members of the Sports Physiotherapy Canada (SPC) division of the Canadian Physiotherapy Association (CPA). Of those members, only a very small percentage can call themselves Sports Physiotherapists. Within British Columbia, there are less than 40 physiotherapists with their Diploma in Sports Physiotherapy. In order to become a Sports Physiotherapist, one must pass a series of written and practical exams, in addition to providing hundreds of hours of volunteer or paid work with sports teams, a portion of which must be with contact sports.

There are 2 levels within the education system of SPC: The first level is the Sports Physiotherapy Certificate. The second level is that of the Sports Physiotherapy Diploma. In order to be called a Sports Physiotherapist in Canada, one must achieve the Diploma level. To work at international events, including Olympics, Pan Am Games, Commonwealth Games and FISU Games, a therapist must have Diploma status within SPC, unless given special exception.

The BC section of the Canadian Physiotherapy Association (CPA) is one way to find a Sports Physiotherapist near you. Look for Sports Physiotherapy Diploma or Certificate holders under the ‘Find a Physio’ tab on the BC Physiotherapy website (www.bcphysio.org). One of the few Diploma holders in the Tri-Cities is Director of Trailside, Kevin Stoll. Kevin is a former National Team physiotherapist for the Canadian Alpine Ski Team, Canadian Men’s Field Hockey Team, and is the current Head Physiotherapist for the Vancouver Stealth Lacrosse Team of the NLL. Trailside Director Francisco Gatchalian holds his Certificate in Sports Physiotherapy, and works with the New Westminster Hyacks Football Team, and has been involved extensively in the mountain biking community, as well as many other sports over his career.

Amongst our Trailside group of therapists, we have sports therapy experience at the local, provincial, national, international and professional levels of sport.  Nearly all of our therapists are involved with sports coverage in our local communities.  We treat athletes every day in our clinics, and we have the experience to help them get back to their chosen sport quickly and safely. Our experiences cover almost every sport imaginable, and we continue to strive towards furthering our skills and experiences.  Whether you’re a weekend warrior or a professional athlete, we’re here to help.

In the health care and fitness industries the words ‘functional’ and ‘function’ are used to describe many different things.  With respect to WorkSafeBC, a functional assessment may involve lifting weighted boxes or climbing ladders.  Practitioners who use modern taping techniques will refer to some of their approaches as ‘functional’.

func·tion·al

ˈfəNG(k)SH(ə)n(ə)l/

adjective


of or having a special activity, purpose, or task; relating to the way in which something works or operates.

Example:

“there are important functional differences between left and right brain”

The brain as an example underscores the fact that the brain’s design lends itself to certain tasks and abilities.  This can also be said of the entire musculoskeletal system.  Every segment of your body has a natural ‘function’ which is dictated by its anatomical, physiological and neurological design.

In light of this, one view of ‘function’ is that our body has a natural ability to move in a certain way.  When these abilities are altered by pathology, injury, compensations or pain, we change how we move, leading to inefficient patterns of movement.  These inefficiencies will often lead to breakdowns in anatomical structures or a disruption of performance.

Here at Trailside Physio, our therapists take function and functional assessment seriously.  Ensuring that your body and limbs move in the most efficient manner help people avoid further injury and assists in maintaining a high level of performance.

One method of assessing function is the Selective Functional Assessment (SFMA) as developed by the renowned physical therapist, Gray Cook.  For example, if we accept that the ability to perform a toe touch is inherent to the human body, a physical therapist would delve into the reasons why a person could not do this.

The inability may be due to:

1. pain or inflammation
2. tightness also known as hypo-mobility or restriction
3. weakness or instability
4. motor programming (think of the software your brain uses to move your body)

One or more of the above inabilities may be involved at any joint/segment or multiple joints/segments.  With specific training, your therapist at Trailside Physio will not only get to the crux of what structure is generating the pain, but also what effect it has on normal movement, and how/if abnormal movement contributed to your pain.

After a detailed assessment treatments will be directed to restore normal and natural pain-free movement.  Pain may be treated by modalities such as control of activity, ultrasound or electrical currents.  Tightness may be addressed with massage, stretching or manual joint mobilizations.  Weakness may be addressed by specifically prescribed exercises.  Motor programming would involve education, coaching or specific exercises.

It is important to note that therapists must apply exercises that are relevant to the current level of ability for the segment involved and for the patient.  An exercise that is too difficult will result in poor compliance, poor technique or further maladaptive compensations.  An exercise that is too easy will likewise foster disinterest or simply be a waste of a patient’s time and money.

To find out if your movement patterns are functional and efficient, please feel free to book with a Trailside therapist.

Trailside Physiotherapy is proud to be returning as the official therapy provider to the Vancouver Stealth Lacrosse Team of the National Lacrosse League (NLL).

Physiotherapists Kevin Stoll, Teresa Agar and Christina Mattiello will be working with the team, along with chiropractor Kevin Lunnie.  Therapists attend practices and games in order to provide preventative taping, treatments, and injury management to the Stealth players.

Working alongside other healthcare professionals, including Dr. Don Hedges, Dr. Dory Boyer, Dr. Jason Exner, acupuncturist Ian Dunsmuir, and registered massage therapist Danielle Mah, we strive to provide the players with optimal injury management and prevention.

Trailside physiotherapist Kevin Stoll is acting as Head Therapist for the Stealth this year, overseeing management of all player injuries along with Dr. Hedges.  He will also be travelling with the team to provide therapy and first aid as needed during ‘away’ games.

Teresa Agar and Christina Mattiello are both physiotherapists and former recipients of the BC Lacrosse Association (BCLA) ‘Trainer of the Year’ award for their work with the 2010 Minto Cup Champion Coquitlam Junior ‘A’ Adanacs.  They both bring a wealth of experience and knowledge to the team in their second year with the Stealth.

Trailside Chiropractor Kevin Lunnie has first-hand experience on both sides of the bench.  His expertise as both a former WLA and NLL lacrosse player, as well as his experience as a team therapist for many sports, make him an invaluable part of the Stealth therapy team.

Assisting with therapy coverage will be trainer Tahira Larson.  Tahira has worked with the Langley Thunder of the WLA, as well as several other sports.  An accomplished athlete herself, Tahira knows what it takes to perform at a high level.

We look forward to a successful year, and a long partnership between the Stealth organization and our Trailside team.

Trailside Physiotherapy is proud to be the official therapy provider to the Vancouver Stealth Lacrosse Team of the National Lacrosse League (NLL).  The Stealth are making the move from Washington to Vancouver for the 2014 season. Physiotherapists Kevin Stoll, Teresa Agar and Christina Mattiello will be working with the team, along with chiropractor Kevin Lunnie.  Therapists attend practices and games in order to provide preventative taping, treatments, and injury management to the Stealth players.

Working alongside other healthcare professionals, including Dr. Don Hedges, acupuncturist Ian Dunsmuir, and registered massage therapist Danielle Mah, we strive to provide the players with optimal injury management and prevention.

Kevin Stoll will be acting as Head Therapist for the Stealth, overseeing management of all player injuries along with Dr. Hedges.  He will also be travelling with the team to provide therapy and first aid as needed during ‘away’ games.

As a player himself, Kevin Lunnie has first-hand experience on both sides of the bench.  His expertise as both a player and therapist make him an invaluable part of the Stealth therapy team.

Teresa Agar and Christina Mattiello are both former recipients of the BC Lacrosse Association (BCLA) ‘Trainer of the Year’ award for their work with the 2010 Minto Cup Champion Coquitlam Junior ‘A’ Adanacs.  They both bring a wealth of experience and knowledge to the team.

Assisting with therapy coverage will be trainer Tahira Larson.  Tahira has worked with the Langley Thunder of the WLA, as well as several other sports.  An accomplished athlete herself, Tahira knows what it takes to perform at a high level.

Trailside is proud to have been selected as the 2014 Vancouver Stealth therapy providers.  We look forward to a successful year, and a long partnership with the Stealth organization.