Why Massage Therapy?

Massage therapy uses classic soft tissue massage techniques, joint play, and hydrotherapy to break down scar tissue, improve blood flow, and increase flexibility leading to long-term health benefits.

When massage therapy is performed on a healthy person, it increases muscle flexibility and relaxation and decreases stress levels. When performed on an individual experiencing pain, the benefits are even more significant.

 

Benefits of Massage Therapy

Massage therapy effectively reduces pain caused by accidents, immobilization, or chronic injuries by relaxing muscles, decreasing spasms, improving the length of the muscles (flexibility), and reducing trigger points (decreasing stress).

By applying massage techniques, it’s possible to break the cycle of pain by improving blood flow to areas of poor circulation which might have been caused by trauma, post-surgery, chronic headache, fibromyalgia, arthritis, etc.

Self-care and stress management are natural byproducts of massage therapy. A soothing touch or gentle pressure will release tension, fatigue, anger, and even confusion. Massage therapy has the power to reduce stress, anxiety, and depression, creating a more profound sense of wellness and relaxation.

Massage is no longer a luxury item reserved for pampering at the spa. It is an essential part of keeping your body at its best to keep living an active, healthy lifestyle.

 

Massage Therapy (RMT) at Trailside

Trailside Physio is an interdisciplinary clinic focusing on the physiological well-being of all our patients. We’re always looking for new therapies or services we can offer at our clinic to make this the only place you have to think about coming to when pain arises in any shape or form.

The registered massage therapists at Trailside work closely with the physical therapists when necessary to create a fully-integrated rehab program for your unique needs. 

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Meet the Trailside RMTs

Drew Wilson, RMT

Drew graduated with honours from the Vancouver College of Massage Therapy in 2019. He is excited to be working at Trailside Physio and is currently accepting current and new patients. He utilizes a combination of techniques such as myofascial release, joint mobilizations, and active stretching creating an individualized treatment plan for each of his patients.

 

Trailside RMT Reviews

Had my first massage with Drew Wilson (RMT) last month. Turns out I was his first client at Trailside! Drew is professional, knowledgeable and always checks my pain tolerance level before continuing with stretching or massaging. Covid 19 safety practices are followed very closely at Trailside clinic.

-Fay Yap

What is active rehabilitation?

Active rehabilitation is a personalized exercise and education program designed by a registered kinesiologist to optimize your recovery following motor vehicle accidents, sports injuries, and to manage chronic health conditions. Following a 60-minute comprehensive assessment, a program is created to help you minimize pain relief, restore mobility, improve posture and build muscular endurance according to your needs.

Each program is designed for your individual needs with input from your physiotherapist or chiropractor. Your recovery plan will be customized with your unique activity goals in mind. You will also be provided with a home exercise program giving you the keys to managing your symptoms and taking control of your own recovery in between appointments and going forward from your final treatment.

When should I get started?

With most injuries caused by motor vehicle accidents, the earlier we can reintroduce proper movement patterns, the better the recovery process will be. Early restoration of proper body mechanics will help minimize the muscle spasms and stiffness experienced in patients with whiplash, neck and lower back pain, shoulder stiffness, etc.

During your one-on-one active rehab sessions, your kinesiologist will work with you and your current tolerated movement and pain level to create a treatment program that suits each stage of your recovery process. Through feedback from other therapists in our multi-disciplinary clinic, your program will also be individualized to compliment your other concurrent treatments.

How do I get started? Is it covered by my insurance?

No referral is required for active rehab following an accident, however, you are welcome to check with your GP or physiotherapist to see if you are a candidate if you are looking to get an active rehab appointment to address a chronic injury or other medical condition (commonly these include arthritis, chronic pain, old sports injuries, etc).

Following a car accident, ICBC will automatically cover your first 12 active rehab sessions during the first 12 weeks immediately following your accident. If additional treatment is required, or the first 12-week period has passed, your kinesiologist can request a treatment extension for you.

Active rehab with a kinesiologist is also covered by some private insurance provider policies through companies like SunLife, GreatWestLife or Manulife depending on your extended healthcare benefits plan. Check with your insurance professional to see if kinesiology treatments are included in your coverage.

Book an Active Rehab appointment with a Trailside Kinesiologist now!

Many athletes are familiar with physiotherapy as a means of rehabilitating from an injury.  You sprain your ankle, you go to physio until you’re back on the field and feeling decent, you stop going to physio.  End of story.  But what if that really isn’t the end of the story?  What if that’s only the end of the first chapter?!

At Trailside, we pride ourselves in having the ability to take you all the way from an acute injury to being back to full participation, pushing you to regain the strength and control required for whatever sport or activity you would like to return to.  Through each therapist’s individualized assessment of your overall body mechanics and movement patterns, they are able to identify areas of weakness and/or stiffness, sometimes far away from your actual injury.  However, working on these deficiencies can often help to improve your overall performance.  Combine this fine-tuning of your movement patterns with the management of your acute injury, and you are often returning to your sport feeling even better than before you were injured.  In fact, sometimes these deficiencies can have such a large impact on your performance that it’s worth a check-in with your therapist even when you don’t have an acute injury, just to maintain your body at its peak performance level.

 

The team of therapists at Trailside Physio is extremely active in the community, covering a wide variety of athletic events.  Our therapists have a wealth of experience, training and knowledge in sports event coverage – ranging from high school sports to National teams to professional athletics.  Our event coverage can include pre-event taping and treatment, first aid, injury assessment, return to play evaluations, post-event recovery and sport specific training.  We have covered events on the sidelines and at the finish line, on foot, skis, boards and bikes – and we are always looking for new events and challenges.

Trailside Physio therapists work with

• New Westminster Hyack Football
• Terry Fox Football
• Coquitlam Express Hockey
• Adanacs Lacrosse
• Salmonbellies Lacrosse
• Stealth Lacrosse
• Wheel to Heal
• TORCA
• Suburban Rush
• Kick for a Cure

Vestibular rehabilitation is used for the treatment of a number of different vestibular conditions which can cause dizziness, vertigo (spinning), unsteadiness, imbalance, and/or motion sensitivity. Vestibular problems can come from ear infections, injuries, tumours, aging, head trauma (car accident, falls, impact sports, strokes, brain injuries), illness or disease, medication, blood flow problems or insidiously.

Vestibular rehabilitation helps to reduce your symptoms to help you return to your regular activities, often seeing results in as little as 2-3 treatments. At your appointment you can expect to receive an assessment, treatment, home exercise program, and education about the vestibular system and your assessment findings.

 

Manipulation is a ‘hands-on’ treatment technique within the practice of manual therapy. A manipulation is a passive, high velocity, low amplitude controlled movement (thrust or distraction technique) applied to a specific joint beyond its physiological limit of motion, but within its anatomical limit, with the intent to restore optimal motion, function and/or reduce pain.

Active Release Technique® or ART® was developed in the mid 1980’s by Dr. Michael Leahy, a Colorado based Chiropractor and aeronautical engineer. It is a state of the art, hands-on soft tissue technique designed specifically to find scar tissue in damaged tissues and release the adhesions that are resulting. This scar tissue is caused mostly by repetitive use or overuse of a certain muscle or tissue. Most commonly athletes and industrial workers doing repetitive movements suffer from such a condition, however, anybody can be affected by this injury.

Healthy tissues in the body normally slide over each other smoothly. When tissues are injured either by an acute trauma or repetitive microtrauma over time, the tissues experience tiny tears, and these tears fill in with scar tissue. This scar tissue is the body’s simplest grade of tissue, and often in the intent to repair, the scar tissue does more harm than good. Scar tissue build-up hinders the muscle’s ability to glide smoothly or to lengthen fully. Often the scar tissue can trap nerves, reduce blood flow to the muscles, and restrict movement creating pain, swelling and decreased range of motion. ART® works by breaking up the scar tissue that binds muscle fibres together. This is done by starting with the muscle in a shortened position as the practitioner traps the scar tissue under their finger or thumb, then the muscle is lengthened fully. Patients often feel sore the day following a treatment, but the day after that, many patients reported a significant decrease in their pain.

© Dr. Michael Leahy

Chiropractic therapy treatment usually involves assessing the movement of the body, spine and joints to determine if any restrictions of movement are in place. These restrictions are usually addressed with chiropractic manipulations or adjustments in order to restore proper movement and function to the joint.

Many chiropractors, however, do additional training to further expand their treatment options. Dr. Kevin Lunnie is a fully certified Active Release Techniques (ART®) provider and primarily uses that technique to help free the movement of restricted joints. Dr. Lunnie also employs Graston Technique® in the course of his treatments as well.

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The Graston Technique® incorporates a patented form of instrument-assisted soft tissue mobilization that enables clinicians to effectively detect and treat scar tissue and restrictions that affect normal function.

THE TECHNIQUE:

• Separates and breaks down collagen cross-links, and splays and stretches connective tissue and muscle fibers
• Increases skin temperature
• Facilitates reflex changes in the chronic muscle holding pattern
• Alters spinal reflux activity (facilitated segment)
• Increases the rate and amount of blood flow to and from the area
• Increases cellular activity in the region, including fibroblasts and mast cells
• Increases histamine response secondary to mast cell activity

WHY IS SCAR TISSUE A PROBLEM?

Scar tissue limits range of motion, and in many instances causes pain, which prevents the patient from functioning as he or she did before the injury.

HOW IS SCAR TISSUE DIFFERENT FROM OTHER TISSUE?

When viewed under a microscope, normal tissue can take a couple of different fashions: dense, regular elongated fibers running in the same direction, such as tendons and ligaments; or dense, irregular and loose with fibers running in multiple directions. In either instance, when tissue is damaged it will heal in a haphazard pattern–or scarring–that results in a restricted range of motion and, very often, pain.

HOW ARE THE INSTRUMENTS USED?

The Graston Technique® instruments are used to enhance the clinician’s ability to detect adhesions,scar tissue or restrictions in the affected areas. Skilled clinicians use the stainless steel instruments to comb over and “catch” on fibrotic tissue, which immediately identifies the areas of restriction. Once the tissue has been identified, the instruments are used to break up the scar tissue so it can be absorbed by the body.