Fresh Tracks Physiotherapy
1978 Cliffe Ave. #205 V9N2L1 Courtenay, BC, Canada

FOOT STRENGTH . If you’ve made any resolutions to ramp up your strength training in 2021 we urge you not to forget about your foundation - your feet! Neglecting foot strength exercises may lead to poor impact absorption and faulty mechanics which could result in injury. . In the physio clinic this may present as metatarsalgia, plantar fasciitis, ankle tendonitis, knee pain, hip pain and so on up the chain....... . The foot tent or short foot exercise in this video is one example of activating the intrinsic muscles that support your arch. The idea is to make the foot shorter by lifting the arch and without using the muscles that move the big toe. . Start in sitting, then standing on two legs, then single leg stance. If it’s hard for you that probably means you need it! . #freshtips #footstrength #footintrinsics #strongfoundation #injuryprevention #activerehab #freshtracksphysio See more

2020 . We look forward to seeing you in the new year! . #happynewyear #welcome2021 #mymw #comoxvalley #vancouverisland #freshtracksphysio

HAPPY HOLIDAYS . Wishing you a happy and healthy holiday season from our entire team at Fresh Tracks Physio!

HAPPY WINTER SOLSTICE . I think we can all agree that the shift towards more light (literally and figuratively) is most welcome this year ! . We are in the clinic as usual until Thursday this week. Holiday hours are as follows:... Dec 24 OPEN (no front desk) Dec 25 CLOSED Dec 28-31 OPEN (modified practitioner/front desk hours) JAN 1 CLOSED . #wintersolstice2020 #happyholidays #comoxvalley #comoxvalleysmallbusiness #courtenaybc #freshtracksphysio See more

A few fresh tracks to be had @mountwashington this morning . #earlybirds #grom #weekdaywarriors #mymw #lovewherewelive #freshtracks #freshtracksphysio

PRODUCT PURCHASES = FOOD BANK DONATIONS . For the month of December we will be donating all proceeds from the purchase of our rehab product to the Comox Valley food bank. So if you’ve been needing to stock up on tape or want to stuff stockings with mini bands and trigger point balls this Christmas now would be a great time to grab your rehab products! . Thank you for your commitment to your home exercise and community!... . #foodbankdonations #rehabproducts #doyourhomeexercise #helpyourcommunity #givingback #tistheseason #freshtracksphysio See more

Happy unofficial last weekend of summer the clinic will reopen tomorrow after some rest and recovery - an important component of rehab ! . #labourday #freshtracksphysio #r&r

LEVATOR SCAPULAE STRETCH . When our shoulders start to feel like they are creeping up towards our ears (ahem.. stress!) try this stretch which targets the levator scapulae muscle - as the name suggests, it elevates the scapula. The muscle lives near and helps out the upper trapezius and travels from the corner of your shoulder blade all the way up to the top 4 vertebrae of your neck. It can be a contributor to neck pain, shoulder pain and headaches. . Part 1 Elevate your ar...m overhead and rest your elbow on a wall or doorframe to upwardly rotate the scapula putting one end of the lev scap on stretch. . Part 2 Look down toward opposite side armpit and enjoy the stretch between the two insertion points of this muscle . *Note: While this may feel great, remember that simply stretching a tight muscle doesnt address the CAUSE of your pain and tension. Forward head posture and muscle weakness can be the root of levator scapulae tightness so if tension persists its always best to assess the WHY You know where to find us! . #freshtips #levatorscapulae #neckstretch #stressrelief #courtenaybc #freshtracksphysio See more

This time last year at our open house celebrating our 1st birthday Hard to believe weve been in the Comox Valley for 2 years and we cant think of a better place to call home!

YANA Ride 2020 was a success! Thank you to all who donated to this amazing cause helping team Fresh Tracks raise $1300 for @yanacomoxvalley ! . It was fun to participate in this event together.. apart.. and to be able to include some of our younger family members (like Owen, pictured here, age). . Thank you to @comoxbikecompany for organizing this event ... . #yanaride2020 #yanacomoxvalley #comoxbikecompany #freshtracksphysio See more

Our staff will be taking a mini summer break from the clinic starting this afternoon until Tuesday, August 18 See you next week!

Sundays YANA Ride . Kelsey & Lissa rode 50km (pretty much) from Cumberland to Tsable Lake and back, 1273m elevation gain - $200 raised . #partnersinsuffering #yanaride2020 #comoxbikecompany #tsablelake #freshtracksphysio @ Tsable Lake

Saturdays YANA Rides . 1. Dustin rode up to Cypress Ridge, 40km return from home, 1000m elevation gain - $200 raised! . 2. Paisley (8 years old!) crushed her goal of riding 7km in under 1 hour - $100 raised! (Honourable mention to trusty sidekick Rojer the dog)... . Thank you to all who supported them with your donations to @yanacomoxvalley! There is still one more week to donate. . #yanaride2020 #yanacomoxvalley #comoxbikecompany #teamfreshtracksphysio #freshtracksphysio See more

Fresh Tracks staff member Melissa just crushed her goal Y.A.N.A ride today of riding all the way up to Mount Washington ! On top of that she has personally raised $250 to contribute to our team donations. We are so proud/impressed by her effort and grateful to those who supported her and @yanacomoxvalley . #yanaride2020 @ Mount Washington Alpine Resort

Happy BC Day! We hope everyone had a wonderful long weekend. Back at it tomorrow at the clinic! . #lovewherewelive #bcday #longweekend #freshtracksphysio

YANA RIDE 2020 . In light of the recent medical challenges faced by baby Beckett (our coworker Thoms newest family member) and the incredible support they received from YANA, we have decided to enter a team into this years YANA Ride put on by @comoxbikecompany . @yanacomoxvalley is a registered charity offering support to Comox Valley families who need to travel to receive medical care for their children. They offer accommodation and provide funding to help with ...expenses while families are away from home. They cant do what they do without the help of fundraising and donations so please consider donating to our team if you can! . Our team members have begun setting some lofty goals for their YANA rides - click the link in our bio to visit our pledge page if youd like to support us! . #yanaride2020 #yanacomoxvalley #comoxbikecompany #rideforbeckett #teamfreshtracks #freshtracksphysio See more

We are so excited to see this friendly face in the clinic again this week! After spending more than 6 weeks in Victoria to receive medical care following the birth of his second son Beckett, Thom is finally coming home to The Valley and looking forward to seeing clients starting July 16th. . Welcome home Thom - your work family, your clients and your community are behind you and so happy to have you back! . Call now or book online to make an RMT appointment with Thom ... . #welcomeback #registeredmassagetherapy #comoxvalleymassagetherapy #courtenaybc #freshtracksphysio See more

SHOULDER STABILITY . A good shoulder stability exercise must address more than just the muscles around the shoulder. Whether we throw a ball for the dog, lift a bike off the roof rack or push ourselves up off the ground we need our full body to work together. Therefore when we train the shoulder we should remember to train it in different positions, through movement and in both open (hand free) and closed chain (hand bearing weight) positions. . This is an example of a lat...e stage rehab exercise which challenges the arms/shoulder, shoulder blade and core. Focus should be on 1 shoulder blade stability (maintain a slightly pushed away from the ground position of the blade), 2 neutral spine (no sagging or arching) and 3 avoiding unnecessary weight shift side to side. . This can be appropriate for later stage rehab of rotator cuff injuries, scapular dyskinesia, post dislocation or subluxation. . #plankwithatwist #shoulderstability #shoulderrehab #injuryprevention #activerehab #freshtracksphysio See more

We feel beyond lucky to live, work, raise our children and play freely in this beautiful place It is not lost on us the ways in which we have benefited from some of the darker parts of our countrys history and we will work to be better allies to Canadas indigenous communities. #canadaday

ELBOW PAIN . Sore elbow? Look at the wrist/finger mover and stabilizer muscles who attach there. Look at the shoulder and shoulder blade resting posture and movement quality. If you have nagging elbow pain and havent looked at these areas you might be (probably are) missing a key piece of the puzzle . This exercise targets several areas that may be lacking strength and stability:... maintain straight wrist position throughout rotate forearms back and maintain activation of shoulder blades down and back as you row the band back try not to engage upper traps too much as you press overhead . #freshtips #elbowpain #epicondylitis #tenniselbow #golferselbow #rootoftheproblem #lookaboveandbelow #freshtracksphysio See more

Spacing out appointment times means fewer opportunities for staff members to see each other at work so into the forest we must go! . Our physical well-being depends on our emotional well-being so we hope youre all enjoying the sun and finding ways to get your social fix these days. Bonus when combined with exercise! . #missedyou #socialcreatures #coworkersworidetogether #sweattogether #freshtracksphysio

We would like to extend a big congratulations to our favourite RMT Thomas Peter Williamson on the birth of his son Beckett last night! We will be rescheduling massage therapy appointments as Thom will be taking some time for his family

Is getting swag from a race you didnt run cheating or is it awesome? Either way, loving these @thecumbytrailrace socks and @freshtracksphysio is proud to have sponsored this awesome event raising money for the Cumberland Community Forest Society ! . #thecumby #proudsponsor #savetheforest #cumberlandbc #freshtracksphysio

Week 2 of Phase 2! Getting the hang of things and learning to smile with our . #happytobeback #physiotherapy #massagetherapy #comoxvalley #courtenaybc #freshtracksphysio

Quarantine beard is gone but the mullet remains. Dustin will be visiting @ucbarbershop soon but until then hes happy to be back in the clinic seeing clients! We are almost through calling our wait list and will be opening up online booking tomorrow. . Managing new schedules and putting new safety protocols in place has been a big change from last week but we are so glad to help those who have been waiting patiently for treatment and to see your smiling... eyes ! . Tha...nks @protechfacemask - if we have to wear masks all day we are glad to have these! . #backtoworkweek #reopening #phase2 #safetyfirst #physiotherapy #comoxvalley #courtenaybc #freshtracksphysio See more

We have the green light! The College of Physical Therapists and Registered Massage Therapists of British Columbia have now outlined guidelines for return to practice. Now that we have these guidelines we are finalizing our clinic safety plan and will be opening therapist schedules gradually starting May 19! . We are viewing this as a careful restart. Patients for whom hands-on assessment and treatment are not essential are encouraged to continue with virtual care. We wi...ll continue to offer this option for the foreseeable future. . Patients who are resuming in person appointments are asked to carefully read their booking notification emails for pertinent information regarding our new safety standards. Safety of our clients and staff is our top priority! . For multiple reasons we will be operating with a slightly reduced staff but we will do our best to get waitlisted and urgent patients in as soon as possible! . Thank you as always for your patience and support - our clean, quiet clinic eagerly awaits . #reopening #safetyfirst #phase2 #physiotherapy #registeredmassagetherapy #courtenaybc #comoxvalley #freshtracksphysio See more

Not quite yet but SOON! . Our premier and provincial health officer announced yesterday that, starting mid-May, BC will likely be able to reopen some services including Physiotherapy with new safety restrictions in place. . As we await official recommendations from our Physiotherapy governing body we will start to plan what our reopening and future operations will look like ... . We will be in touch with you soon and will be giving appointment priority to those clients whose appointments were cancelled in March and April. Virtual care will still be an option for those who are at risk or feel more comfortable receiving treatment from home for now. . Thank you for your patience and support, we cant wait to see you! . #reopening #phase2 #almostback #seeyousoon #physiotherapy #comoxvalley #courtenaybc #freshtracksphysio See more

Did you know you can still find RMT Thom leading his mobility class on Wednesdays from 6:30-7:30pm? Follow the link in @wild_and_united bio to reserve a spot as spaces are limited in this popular online class. . Big thanks Thom and Wild and United for keeping everyone moving . #mobility #recovery #onlinefitness #courtenaybc #comoxvalley #wildandunited #freshtracksphysio

SELF MOBILIZATION - THORACIC SPINE . Each joint or series of joints in our body has a specific function and is prone to predictable levels of dysfunction. Thats why we can assume that most bodies have a tendency towards stiffness in the thoracic spine or mid-back (especially right now ). Loss of mobility here often presents as neck pain, low back pain, loss of overhead reach, shoulder pain etc. . To mobilize at home: grab two tennis balls and tape them together or pu...t them in a sock and tie a knot to keep them together. Position them on either side of the spine between the shoulder blades. Hug yourself to get those shoulder blades out of the way as you lay on the balls. Perform mini crunches and allow your back to extend over the balls without letting your ribs flare in the front or your low back to arch (requires some abdominal activation). . Repeat ~10ish at each segment and move the balls up and down the thoracic spine to target different segments. . #freshtips #athometreatment #selftreatment #selfmobilization #thoracicspine #thoracicmobility #freshtracksphysio See more

SELF MOBILIZATION - HIP . Skipping right over the knee (which requires professional assessment before mobilizing) to demonstrate how to mobilize the hip joint at home. The hip usually responds really nicely to self mobilization techniques and these are exercises we often prescribe our patients prior to discharge so they can self manage going forward. . The hip is a ball and socket joint with multiples planes of movement and loss of mobility here can create issues up and... down the chain. If the stiffness is joint related (as opposed to muscle tightness) these techniques can be helpful. Think osteoarthritis, FAI, labral tears, anterior hip or groin pain... Depending on the direction you are stiff this type of self treatment can be rigged up in many different ways. This is a lateral distraction which I use most often. . #freshtips #selftreatment #athometreatment #selfmobilization #hipdistraction #hipmobility #freshtracksphysio See more

For anyone missing RMT Thom during this lockdown: you can find him teaching mobility classes on zoom via Wild and United Athletics every Wednesday night and/or by clicking helpful links like the one below for at home mobility routines! Thanks Thom, we miss you!

Thank you to Karen McKinnon Photography for sharing our familys pandemic experience and for doing her part to support local small businesses like us! We you Karen!

SELF MOBILIZATION - ANKLE . Moving up the chain, here is another self mobilization technique for your isolation treatment pleasure. A loss of ankle range of motion particularly into dorsiflexion is quite common, especially if you have a history of injury to the area. This can put extra stress on the Achilles tendon, the plantar fascia and basically any structure up the chain as the body compensates for this loss of mobility. . Perform this self mobilization by positioning a s...trong theraband or elastic tubing below the malleoli (aka the bony bumps on the sides of the ankle), step up onto something, keep the foot flat and pump the knee over the toes > ensure the knee tracks over the middle toes and doesnt cave inward. . Restoring this motion can help your squat, normalize your gait, help with stairs and hills and protect the rest of your body from compensation injuries. As with all mobility work make sure to follow this with strength and stability training! . #freshtips #anklemobility #anklemobilization #dorsiflexion #mobilitythenstability #activerehab #injuryprevention #freshtracksphysio See more

SELF MOBILIZATION - MIDFOOT . Teaching our clients how to self manage their injuries at home is not new to us - we have always believed in educating and empowering our clients to take an active role in their own recovery. This is true now more than ever and its our main focus with telehealth/virtual rehab! . When you cant access your therapist for some hands on treatment there are almost always some tricks to mobilize your own joints.... . Heres an example of a self mobilization of the midfoot (with added benefit of spreading the toes ). The joints of the foot and ankle must serve as both a rigid lever and a mobile shock absorber depending on the phase of stride they are in. If youve been in an air cast, had an ankle sprain, have big toe, plantar fascia or ankle pain this area may be stiff. As always, mobility should be followed by strengthening to maintain gains! . Be the master of your own feet and have a Hoppy Easter everyone! For more physio advice and foot puns come see me for rehab online! . #freshtips #footmobility #anklemobility #selfmobilization #selfmanagement #athometreatment #freshtracksphysio See more

We cant wait to get this dream team back together! Flashback to one of the last times we were all together for a fun shoot with the talented and hilarious @karenmckinnonphoto Shout out to all of our fellow small business owners making it work through good times and bad! Sending positive vibes your way. ... #karenmckinnonphotography #comoxvalleybusiness #workfamily #strongertogether #freshtracksphysio See more

TECH NECK . Anyone spending more time than usual staring at a screen these last few weeks? Whether it be from working at home without your regular ergonomic set up or scrolling the news endlessly on your phone, many of us may be experiencing tech neck. Its a thing. . Signs and symptoms:... sore neck headache sore/tight shoulders chin poke posture . The fix: schedule frequent tech breaks - set a reminder at your work station to get up and move at least 2x per hour or set yourself a timer on your phone to break the scroll cycle daily mobility practice ideas above include aerobic + strength exercise in your routine - rib cage expansion helps with thoracic spine and shoulder mobility and increased oxygenation to your tissues helps flush out inflammation and improves postural muscle activation (some of our fave local accounts to follow for home exercise @wild_and_united @_jmwalks_ @efathletictherapy @innerpursuitfitness @kifitnessandhealth @bodynetix ) if you must stare at your mobile device hold it or prop it up at eye level instead of looking down . If you need us please come see us online for a Physiotherapy telehealth appointment - also a thing! Email, call or book online. . #freshtips #techneck #posture #mobilityroutine #dailypractice #freshtracksphysio See more

Now open - ONLINE! . A lot can change in a week and we all have to learn to adapt to our new normal. It goes without saying that wed rather be serving our community in the clinic but its a new week and our physiotherapists are happy to be offering telehealth appointments! . Many of us are finding ourselves in a different financial situation at the moment so, in light of this, we have reduced our regular rates for these appointments. At the moment several extended health i...nsurance companies cover this type of service but we recommend you check with your provider if you have concerns about coverage. We are also offering phone consults for quick check-ins when video assessment may not be needed. . Online booking is available https://freshtracksphysio.janeapp.com or email us [email protected] to book your appointment. We look forward to seeing you online! . #telehealth #physioonline #flattenthecurve #stayhome #stillgettreatment #comoxvalley #thanksdad #freshtracksphysio See more

UPDATE . In response to the growing concerns regarding COVID-19 we have made the difficult decision to close the clinic for the time being in an attempt to flatten the curve, as many of our community peers have done. The health and safety of our staff and clients is our priority as is our concern for the capacity of our healthcare system. . If you have an appointment scheduled in the next two weeks expect a phone call and email from us! We thank you for your understanding.... We are currently exploring ways we may be able to provide our services remotely Stay tuned! . Stay safe Comox Valley! . #socialdistancing #flatten the curve #closedfornow #freshtracksphysio See more

There are different kinds of therapy . #naturetherapy #freshair #mountaintops #freshgroomers #mymw #lovewherewelive #freshtracksphysio

Your health is literally our business so we would like to ensure our clients that our team are following current guidelines for sanitation of shared equipment, frequent hand washing as well as staying home if we experience any cold or flu-like symptoms. . We ask the same of you in return and will happily wave our 24 hour cancellation policy for any clients who are experiencing symptoms, have recently travelled or are attempting to self isolate. . For the moment we are operating as usual and look forward to seeing you in the clinic if you are feeling well!

We live for days like these! . #freshtracksfelix #springlaps #powderday #mymw #freshtracksphysio

THORACIC SPINE ROTATION . Ive been sitting and holding my toddler on my preferred hip more than usual lately > both of which are contributing to stiffness in my mid back or thoracic spine although its my lower back where I feel sore . Because Im a physio and I know some things I checked my thoracic spine mobility. A-ha! Loss of rotation to one side. Classic.... . The thoracic spine is literally the backbone for vital organs (heart + lungs) and a partner to your rib cage which protects said organs. It is involved in breathing and almost all movements of our torso but we sometimes forget about it since its not usually the site of our aches and pains. . Stiff T-spine may look like: neck pain low back pain shoulder pain loss of overhead reach loss of rib cage expansion which = decreased ability to access core/pelvic floor etc.. . I could go on! The point is - thoracic spine stiffness isnt always obvious but it is often to blame. Heres an easy way to get some mobility right in that spot where you need it (my current fave exercise compliments of @kelseyann19 ) . #freshtips #thoracicspinemobility #thoracicrotation #neckpain #shoulderpain #lowbackpain #posturalexercises #freshtracksphysio See more

Our GLA:D hip & knee osteoarthritis group got a break from circuit training today to learn about diet and supplements from local expert Naturopathic Doctor Dr. Graham Sigalet of @thegrovewellness . Education is a major component of the GLA:D program so thank you @dr.grahamsigalet.nd for sharing your knowledge with us We will all be more mindful of what we are consuming and may be heading to you or @purepharmacycourtenay for some quality supplements to help with osteoarthritis symptoms! . #collaborativecare #naturopathicmedicine #gladcanada #osteoarthritis #educationandexercise #thegrovewellness #comoxvalley #freshtracksphysio