Happy Holidays from Activa

Activa Physiotherapy Ottawa wishes you and your family all the best during this Holiday season. Please be advised that Activa will be closed from December 22, 2017 until January 2, 2018 due to renovations. Feel free to contact us if you would like to schedule your physiotherapy or massage therapy appointment for the New Year: 613-744-4188. Happy …

Mommy Thumb Prevention: 5 Exercises

We recently shared a blog post about preventing Mommy Thumb, which is a condition increasingly experienced by new moms known as de Quervain’s tendonitis, de Quervain’s stenosing tenosynovitis and mother’s wrist. While anyone can develop de Quervain’s, mommy thumb is caused by ongoing stress on the wrist among new mothers who repeatedly lift their babies. Recognition and …

Mommy Thumb: 5 Ways to Relieve Pain

“Mommy thumb” (de Quervain’s tenosynovitis) is a common condition among new mothers when tendons from the thumb to the wrist are inflamed causing mild discomfort to severe pain on the thumb side of the wrist. While anyone can develop de Quervain’s, mommy thumb is often caused by stress on the wrist among new mothers who …

4 Tips: Preventing ACL Knee Injury in Female Athletes

Over the past 30 years, the number of females participating in recreational and professional sports has largely increased. As play has evolved from a defensive approach to an emphasis on power and speed, so has the increase of serious injuries among young female athletes. An area of concern among young female athletes is severe knee injury to the ACL (anterior …

Back to school backpacks: Protect your kids from back pain

With back to school in full swing, your kids are back to carrying their backpacks filled with books, items and learning materials. As many children and adolescents walk to and from school, parents should be aware that a heavy backpack can cause back pain and other strains. Activa recommends 3 tips to help your children stay safe …

Golf season is here! 3 tips to prevent low back pain

Summer is here! For many, the favourite sport of the season is golf. Like any sport, golf can trigger low back pain with muscle strains and sprains combined with injuries to the spine. Individuals who suffer from chronic or recurring episodes of low back pain can be frustrated when pain hinders their time on the …

Cycling Season: 4 Ways to Prevent Knee Pain

Cycling season is here! While biking is considered a low-impact sport, the repetitive mechanics of cycling combined with high reactive forces between your foot and bike pedal create high pressure on your lower extremity and can predispose you to knee pain. Knee pain is the most common lower-body issue among cyclists with as many as 65 per cent experiencing …

Activa Approach to Healing and Relieving Pain

The origins of physiotherapy (physical therapy) as a profession date back to the 19th century when Per Henrik Ling, “Father of Swedish Gymnastics” founded the Royal Central Institute of Gymnastics (RCIG) in 1813 for massage, manipulation, and exercise. Modern physiotherapy (physical therapy) was established in Britain towards the end of the 19th century. In Canada, …

5 Ways to Reduce Risk of New Year’s Resolution Injuries

Happy New Year from Activa Physiotherapy Ottawa! It’s that time for New Year’s resolutions so we encourage you to be careful and reduce risk of injury if you’re pursuing an ambitious fitness plan after time away from regular exercise. A rapid increase in physical activity and intensity often causes common injuries including achilles and gluteal, calf and hamstring …