Hope Physiotherapy Kingston

Last long bike ride of the season! Highway 2 towards Gananoque has some AMAZING fall scenery! As Thanksgiving rolls around the corner, let's take the time to reflect during a walk or hike on the many, many things we can be thankful for, even in the midst of COVID-19 challenges. #thanksgiving #fall #physiotherapy

This past weekend I had the privilege of tagging on with a friend who is doing the Frontenac Challenge - completing all 11 loops at the beautiful Frontenac Provincial Park. We did the 16k Big Salmon Lake Trail (my body is telling me I maybe should have stuck with Little Salmon!) but it was a great day of seeing amazing nature and quality friend time. Take advantage of the fall weather and get outdoors while you still can! Your body and your mind will thank you for it!

After the past few days of major DOMS (delayed onset muscle soreness) post-run...this amazing gift came in the mail today! Created by my innovative and brilliant physio colleague Stefan Arezina, the Rehab Roller can be used for a host of different things - rolling out a stiff spine, releasing tight muscles, and stretching out your calf muscles, to name a few. It has unique features that sets it apart from a traditional roller; it has a peanut shape that allows for more comfort when rolling the spine; one end is shaped in a way that allows for specific targeting of muscles; and there are holes at the base that allow for finger stretching as well as gripping for easier maneuvering of the roller. I’m excited to use this after workouts! For more information or to get your own, visit www.rehabroller.com or email [email protected]

Without fail, Kingston continues to bring us amazing summer scenery! Thankful for sunny, low wind days to get in mileage on the bike. Even though the recent outbreak of COVID-19 is affecting our ability to participate in many outdoor activities, there are still lots of ways we can stay fit and maintain mental health! Going for a swim, jog, bike ride or hike in small numbers with social distance or with your bubble community are some examples. For updates and guidance on restrictions from KFL&A Public Health, visit www.kflaph.ca. Stay safe!

Hope Physiotherapy will be re-opening the week of June 15! The government as well as the College of Physiotherapists of Ontario have authorized physiotherapy clinics to resume services in the community. After months of online physiotherapy care, I am very much looking forward to reconnecting with clients in person! Protocols will be in place to minimize the risk of COVID-19 transmission at the clinic. This includes COVID-19 screening before appointments, physical distancing m...easures in the centre, use of appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE), and thorough sanitization of the room between patients. Hand sanitizer will be readily available for use. Please don’t hesitate to contact me at [email protected] or 613-770-4635 if you have any questions or would like to pursue physiotherapy care. See you soon! Abigail Hum, PT

Excited to share that Hope Physiotherapy will be launching telehealth next week! Through a secure online platform with video calling, I will work together with you to identify and treat your condition with creative solutions. Current and new patients welcome! In recent conversation with others, I have heard skepticism about physiotherapy care being delivered online. Although it is true that there are some limitations to telehealth physiotherapy, a well-trained and thorough cl...inician can still put together an accurate picture of what’s going on and provide insightful education and exercise programs that will empower patients get to where they want to be. Research indicates that there is a high level of agreement in clinical decision-making between telehealth and in-person clinicians, and that telehealth can lead to significant improvement in health outcomes. For more information on Hope Physiotherapy’s telehealth services, please visit www.hope-physiotherapy.com and click on the Telehealth Services tab in the menu bar.

In light of the COVID-19 situation and recommendations from governing bodies to postpone non-essential health care services, Hope Physiotherapy will be closing for the next few weeks. I will give an update on the clinic status as the situation continues to evolve. Thank you for understanding - stay safe at home!

It was a privilege to play volleyball with these talented people yesterday! An awesome day full of fun, laughs and a ton of great games. A big thank you to the Ryatt organizers for putting the tournament together!

A big thank you to Andrea Picket for these lovely pieces of art for the office! Thankful for the privilege of practicing pelvic health with Andrea in Perth over the past several years - she has been a significant role model as a clinician and businesswoman. Leaving Perth is bittersweet, but looking forward to expanding Hope Physio in Kingston!

Reflections on 2019 If I had to use one word to capture Hope Physiotherapy in 2019, it would be 'growth'. Growth is a broad term. From a business perspective, indicators of growth can include a blossoming piggy bank, increasing number of patients, or the hiring of employees. Although Hope Physiotherapy has grown in some of these ways, I am grateful for the more intangible aspects of growth I have experienced this year through my business.... To give a bit of context, business was never really on my radar. In my homogenous family of physios (dad and two brothers), the unspoken word was that I was the least likely to start my own business. But in 2018, with inspiration by my faith to one day see business development as a tool to influence global health in Africa, I embarked on the task of starting up Hope Physiotherapy Kingston. Growing pains happen - they must happen - in order to mature. I had to learn how to market myself (uncomfortable!), how to organize all the logistical and financial pieces of business (must keep CRA happy), how to receive help and advice from my business-savvy circles when I had no clue how to proceed, how to face ethical dilemmas as a healthcare practitioner in business. I'm thankful for the patients I've had the privilege of treating this year, the wonderful staff at the Live Well Centre and the beautiful space I get work in, and of course all the family, friends, mentors and co-workers who have supported me along the way. Starting a business - or any new venture - can be risky, discouraging, and uncertain at times. But the foundational reasons for why we choose our paths can continue to drive us to press on. Cheers to new adventures in 2020!

I took this picture during a neighborhood walk in Vancouver and was captured by the radiant nature that graced many properties. I am reminded that at every crossroad - whether a difficult stage of life, a health struggle, or a change in relationship - we can CHOOSE to have hope; and that hope can fuel us to rise above the challenges we face.

Rocking Hope Physiotherapy swag!! A big thank you to my team for a great season and to Kingston Sport and Social Club for organizing our games! Fall is around the corner...what sport or physical activity will YOU choose to take part in?? ... #hopephysiotherapy #kingstonvolleyball

Anatomy Spotlight #1 - Your TEXTING Muscle Texting has become one of the main methods of communication since the rapid rise of the smart phone in North America. My patients who are teachers and social workers tell me that young kids (and even toddlers) are being equipped with electronic devices something unheard of when I was growing up! Although small, the thumb is complex it can move in several different directions, controlled by 9 different muscles. The abductor polli...cis brevis (APB) is a muscle of the thumb that works very hard during your texting frenzy. If you’re having a 3 hour long texting conversation (which probably could have been a hour phone call), you can thank your APB for allowing you to do that. Sometimes avid texters will experience pain along the side of their thumb and wrist the tendons of the muscles are probably overworked and irritated (too many of those 3 hour conversations). Take a break from texting, be physically active, or pick up the darn phone! You’ll be happy to hear the sound of a human voice again. Photo by Paul Hanaoka on Unsplash

The weather today is PERFECT for doing something active! Go outside and enjoy the sun, the cool breeze, and the epic nature in Kingston. A group Tai Chi or Qi Gong class in the park, a solid bike ride, a beach volleyball game...take the opportunity before fall (and then winter) hits us!

It was a privilege to race alongside over two hundred amazing athletes in the sold-out duathlon/triathlon series this past Sunday! A big thank you to Multisport Canada/Somersault events and the city of Kingston for hosting the race! This was my first ever duathlon (4 km run, 30 km bike, 7 km run), and despite brick training beforehand (training biking and running back to back), my quads were not happy when I started the second run. With one kilometer to go in the whole race, ...I was tempted to slow down and walk. BUT - another triathlete (complete stranger) who I came across in that moment - REFUSED to let me walk. For that solid kilometer, he stayed and ran with me, encouraged me, motivational coached me, and literally pushed me on until I crossed that finish line. I am so grateful for the unexpected people who cross my path and push me to achieve a higher goal.

Are you an avid cyclist or a regular commuter? Kingston has made some good headway with making parts of the city more bike-friendly, but there is still lots of room for improvement. Come out to this meeting to learn more about cycling issues in our city.

Pelvic Health Series Blog #5 - My health care provider told me my SI (sacroiliac) pain is because the joint slipped out of place and now I’m unstable. I hear this often from patients. The sacroiliac (SI) joint refers to the region in the low back where your pelvic bone (ilium) connects with your lower spine (sacrum). This is one of the most stable joints of the body. It is supported by 5 sturdy ligaments (bands of tissue that stops excessive movement from happening at a jo...int), and the joint surfaces are rugged to allow for better connection, and therefore, resistance to movement. The SI joint is designed to carry huge amounts of force and load which allow us to function in our day to day activity. Essentially, it is pretty difficult to have a dislocated or slipped SI joint unless there was either major trauma (e.g. car accident, traumatic sports injury) or a genetic or systemic disorder that affects the integrity of the joint. For the average person, pain in the SI joint is not due to dislocation or ‘instability’, but is more likely caused by something else. Possible physical causes of SI pain include increased muscle tension, muscle weakness or poor biomechanics during work or sport. Sometimes SI pain - especially when experienced in conjunction with generalized pain in the pelvic region - can also be affected by psychosocial factors (e.g. stress, fear, anxiety, catastrophization). The next time you are told your pain is due to dislocation or instability, seek clarification from your health care provider, and think about the factors that led you to the point of having SI pain. Photo by Larm Rmah on Unsplash

Pelvic Health Series Blog #4 Why do I still have pain in my back even though my car accident was 10 years ago? The impact of car accidents can range from mild to debilitating. Some individuals escape with almost no injuries; others end up with severe concussions, multiple fractures, and organ damage. I have treated a few patients who were involved in car accidents many years ago, and continue to experience pain in their pelvis and hips. Why? One major reason is that, eve...n though the bones and muscles have fully healed since the initial injury, the nervous system becomes sensitized. This means that the central wiring within your body which both provides instruction as well as receives feedback has an extremely heightened awareness and sensitivity. Movements or stimuli that are not typically painful (e.g. gentle pressure on the low back) can be interpreted by the brain as painful. This heightened sensitivity may also lead to a block in rehabilitation which prevents an individual from fully regaining strength or function. As mentioned in previous blogs, pain can have several contributing factors aside from the physical body, including mental and emotional states. Many people experience symptoms consistent with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) which can then affect the body’s capacity to recover. High levels of stress post-accident (which could be related to job, legal action, family etc.) can also significantly impact the hormonal balance in the body, both short and long term, which can heighten the pain experience. Photo by Matthew T Rader

Perspective. Sometimes, a thorough and well articulated discussion can give us fresh perspective; other times, witnessing an event or observing a person will bring valuable insight. While training recently for a duathlon, I was pushing along at the tail end of my bike ride and felt exhaustion from the physical strain as well as the heat and humidity. As I continued on, I noticed a man from the military running along the road in my direction. He was dressed in full army gear ...carrying a 50 lb bag (I'm guessing) on his back - and he was SMILING! Seeing his expression in light of his heavy physical task and the beating sun gave me a boost of energy and fresh perspective: our choice of attitude and outlook can completely change the experience of challenges we face and enable us to push a little harder and reach a little further towards our goals. Photo by Markus Rauchenberger

Pelvic Health Series Blog #3 - Why do I have pain with sex? More and more research in the health care field supports an approach to looking at health issues that is not simply biological, but includes psychological and social factors. This does not mean the physical is not important, but it must be examined as one of several pieces of the human experience. Sexual intimacy between two individuals requires vulnerability. In this space, emotional and psychological health unit...es with the physical. Sometimes, only one factor may be causing pain with sex; other times, there may be a combination of issues leading to the pain. Examples include: Physical: increased muscle tension in the pelvic floor muscles, acute injury to the skin/muscles after physical trauma such as birth or an accident Emotional/Mental: fear or expectation of pain, stress, past history of abuse As a concrete example, Jane Doe gives birth to her first daughter and in the process has a fourth degree tear. For months she struggles with having leakage (due to weak pelvic floor muscles) and feels embarrassed and ashamed of her body changes post-partum. Eight months after the birth, she has sex for the first time with her husband and immediately feels pain. Although the acute injuries from the birth have fully healed by 8 months, she may be experiencing sexual pain because of scar tissue tightness, hypersensitivity of the pelvic tissues, or tension in her muscles from stress or fear of pain in that area of her body after birth trauma. Every human being is different and unique with personal experiences that can deeply affect the body. If you are experiencing pain with sex, consider consulting a pelvic health physiotherapist. Photo by Jessica Castro on Unsplash

Pelvic Health Series Blog #2 Why am I constipated all the time? Feeling backed up down there is not only uncomfortable at times, but can have some serious impact on your pelvic floor muscles. If you find yourself pushing and straining to get rid of some hard-as-rock pebbles from your rectum, you are likely going to get weakness in your muscles, which will lead to a host of other issues. Doing your best to have a good bowel movement (BM) should be high priority! 1) Fluid... intake are you drinking enough water (at least 6-8 cups)? Coffee lovers (I include myself here), coffee cannot replace water intake because caffeine is a diuretic (gets the water out of your system) and can potentially further worsen the constipation 2) Fibre intake are you getting a good mixture of fibre sources into your diet (30-40 g/day)? Fibre is responsible for stimulating the colon and contributing to a softer BM so you don’t have to strain 3) Exercise are you regularly being active? Doing aerobic activity (e.g. brisk walking or jogging) can also help stimulate the colon and reduce transit time of food in the colon (less water absorbed back into the body = softer stool) High tension in your pelvic floor muscles (which may be affected by non-physical factors such as stress) can also affect your BM and lead to incomplete emptying. Seeing a PT can help you to identify the specific causes of your constipation and optimize your BM! Photo by Marc Schaefer on Unsplash

Have questions or would like to book an appointment? Email Abigail Hum (PT) @ [email protected] or call 613-770-4635