Massage After Heart SurgeryBenefits of massage therapy after heart surgery  According to research from Monash University in Australia, massage therapy is helpful for people recovering from heart surgery (Braun et al., 2012). Cardiac surgery, also known as heart surgery, is used to repair heart structures and treat various heart conditions. Each year, more than 400,000 heart surgeries are...

Cervical Dystonia PhysiotherapyWhat is cervical dystonia?  What is cervical dystonia? Cervical dystonia (or spasmodic torticollis) is a painful neurological condition that causes involuntary contractions of muscles in the neck. This results in abnormal neck movements and postures (e.g., head tilting forward or backward). These movements or postures may come and go or last for a long time...

Physiotherapy can help prevent spinal stenosis surgeryA study found that physiotherapy is just as effective as surgery in treating spinal stenosis (Delitto et al., 2015) What is spinal stenosis?  Spinal stenosis is a condition that happens when the spinal canal is too narrow. The spinal canal is a tunnel-like passage made up of the backbone, spinal cord, and nerves surrounded by cerebrospinal...

What is arthritis?Arthritis is a general term used to describe disorders affecting the joints. It includes osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, gout, as well as others. A joint is an area where bones meet. For example, the knee is a joint.What is osteoarthritis? Osteoarthritis is the most common arthritis disorder. It is characterized by wear-and-tear-like changes in the structure surrounding...

What is a meniscus ?The meniscus is a piece of cartilage found in the knee. It plays an essential role in knee stability and mobility by acting as a shock absorber. Each knee has two menisci: medial and lateral. Symptoms of a torn meniscus Symptoms of a torn meniscus may appear up to 24 hours after tearing. The most common symptoms include: A popping sensation/sound at the time of tearing...

Acupuncture Can Prevent Shoulder Sports InjuriesThe shoulder is a common injury site for young athletes. This is especially true for those in sports involving repetitive overhead motions such as swimming and rugby. Previous studies reveal that up to 91% of swimmers and 55.6% of rugby players are at risk for shoulder injuries. (Wanivenhaus et al., 2012; Bathgate et al., 2002). A shoulder injury...

A new study adds to a growing body of evidence that laser therapy improves ankle sprain recovery.Anatomical StructureThe ankle is made up of two joints, five bones, and four ligaments.  Ligaments are connective tissues that attach bones together, usually at the joints. They help stabilize ankle joints by preventing their over-extension. An ankle sprain injury occurs when the ankle ligaments are...

Can acupuncture treat vertigo/dizziness?A recent study found that one 30-minute acupuncture session immediately relieves vertigo and dizziness symptoms (Chiu et al., 2015).What is vertigo?Contrary to popular belief, vertigo is not a disease. Instead, it is a symptom of diseases like migraine, benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV), and inner ear infections. Vertigo is characterized by the...

Acute vs Chronic  There are two types of low back pain (LBP): acute and chronic (NIH, 2020). Acute LBP appears suddenly and subsides after a few days or weeks; it is usually caused by a sudden injury such as a fall. If pain persists for longer than 12 weeks, it is considered chronic (Nava, 2022). Since 1990, the prevalence of LBP has increased by more than 50% (Wang et al., 2022). Today, LBP has...

If you are suffering from low-back pain during pregnancy you are not alone. Up to 80% of women suffer from low back pain at some point during their pregnancy (Wedenberg et al., 2000). Moreover, almost all women cited low-back pain as a “significant problem” that negatively impacts their daily routine (Ostgaard et a., 1991; Sabino & Grauer, 2008). Treatment options for pregnancy-related low back...