Physiotherapists are highly trained health professionals with a focus on injury rehabilitation. They are experts on how your body moves and what stops it from moving. Many people have an injury or condition that can make moving difficult and this can affect every aspect of day-to-day life, from working in an office, to sports performance. Physiotherapists are movement specialists that use a hands-on approach to help you restore, maximize, and maintain movement and function throughout your life.
At Orchard Chiropractic & Physiotherapy, our Kelowna physiotherapists have extensive experience in treating a wide array of injuries, with advanced training in manual therapy, acupuncture, corrective exercise, and rehabilitation. Our physiotherapists will get you moving and keep you moving!
Manual/Manipulative Therapy
Our Kelowna physiotherapists are highly trained at using their hands to diagnose and treat restrictions in movement in the spine, arms and legs. Using gentle, hands-on techniques, we can help reduce muscle tightness, improve movement in the joints, reduce pain and improve function.
Intramuscular Stimulation (Gunn IMS)
IMS involves the careful insertion of acupuncture needles into tight muscle bands or trigger points to stimulate a “twitch” response in the muscle. This stimulation causes a reflex relaxation of the muscle with the goal of alleviating pain, muscle tightness, and improved movement.
Medical Acupuncture
Medical Acupuncture is the blending of Traditional Chinese Medicine and Western medicine to treat orthopaedic conditions. Your physiotherapist will insert acupuncture needles into acupuncture points that are specifically chosen for your injury to provide you with pain relief and improved healing.
Electrotherapy
Our Kelowna physiotherapists offer the following:
- Interferential Current (IFC): Interferential current is a treatment to reduce pain, relax and stimulate muscles, decrease swelling, and promote soft tissue healing. Tiny electrical impulses are induced into the tissues in the region of pain. The low-frequency stimulation increases circulation in the area and induces the body to secrete endorphins, which are the body’s natural painkillers. Most patients find IFC to be very beneficial and describe the treatment as relaxing and having a “pins and needles” sensation.
- Ultrasound: Therapeutic ultrasound is applied using a round head in direct contact with the skin. It is used to speed up the healing process by increasing blood flow to the area and decreasing swelling and pain. Ultrasound can also be used to create a deep heat in a localized area to ease muscle spasms and increase soft tissue relaxation prior to stretching.
- Microcurrent: Microcurrent is another form of electrical therapy that can aid in the healing process. Unlike IFC, the patient cannot feel microcurrent, as it does not stimulate sensory nerves. Microcurrent can be effective at reducing swelling, increasing tissue healing, increasing circulation, and stimulating bone healing.
RPW Shockwave Therapy
RPW (Radial Pressure Waves) Shockwave Therapy is an effective and non-invasive treatment solution for many stubborn musculoskeletal conditions. With virtually no side effects, this treatment method reduces pain and increases blood circulation to stimulate healing. By speeding up the recovery process, Shockwave Therapy enables our patients to regain the joy and comfort of natural mobility. To learn more, go to our
Shockwave Therapy page.
Exercise Prescription
Your Kelowna physiotherapist will carefully analyze any imbalances or deficiencies in your muscles, joints, nerves, and overall movement. We provide you with a customized exercise program to improve your injury condition by addressing your flexibility, strength, stability, balance, coordination, and any sport-specific skills.
Sports Specific & Post-Operative Rehabilitation
Whether you’re a competitive or recreational athlete, your Kelowna physiotherapist will work closely with your coaches, training program, or personal goals to get you back on track as soon as possible. If you have undergone surgery, your physiotherapist will provide you with optimal treatment and exercise progression in your rehabilitation.
Vestibular Therapy
Vestibular Physiotherapy addresses issues with the vestibular system which cause dizziness, vertigo and balance problems. We use specialized infrared goggles to help identify the problem, from which we develop an appropriate treatment program. Treatment may involve repositioning maneuvers, a customized exercise program and of course a thorough explanation of what is causing the symptoms. To learn more, go to our
vestibular therapy page.
Taping & Bracing
Functional Taping and Kinesiotaping involves taping over and around muscles in order to assist and give support, or to prevent over-contraction. Kinesiotape is an elastic form of tape that does not restrict motion, but rather enhances motion by affecting the activation of the neurological and the circulatory systems. Functional taping is used as an adjunct to therapy and exercise.Our Kelowna physiotherapists can help fit patients with a variety of high quality braces and supports to aid in their recovery. We can also provide custom knee braces for ACL and OA unloading.
Traction / Spinal Decompression
Spinal Decompression Therapy involves a specially designed table attached to an advanced computer module. The distractive (traction) forces performed by the table and unit create decompression (unloading) of the spine improving blood flow and delivering focused treatment to the neck or lower back. The traction head is programmed to deliver gentle stretching creating a relaxation of the spine, capsule and muscles, allowing the injured discs and soft tissue to receive treatment more easily and directly.
