Welcome back to in-person visits!

Updated June 25, 2020

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The ‘new normal’ looks a little different. Now that our doors are open again, we have made some changes to our clinics to better serve you in this ever-changing climate. Rest assured, as always, we have your best interests at heart.

Here are some Frequently Asked Questions about what we’re doing to help you have the best, safest, experience you can. Things are changing fast and often, so please check back here for any new updates! We follow first and foremost the Ministry of Health, so if there are discrepancies between this post and their site, please defer to them.

Are you open for in-person visits?

Yes. Both of our clinics at Queensview Drive and Lancaster Road are open as of June 8, 2020. As per the government directive on May 26, we have been readying the clinics and getting ready to serve you in person again. We will continue to provide [virtual appointments] for Physiotherapy, Chiropractic, and Integrative Health.

What measures are you taking to screen people for COVID-19?

As part of our new policies, we are required to screen our clients before treating them. Before you book online, we ask that you pre-screen yourself. A few hours before your appointment, you will be sent a screen via email that must be filled out before you come into the clinic. Your practitioner will go over this screen with you. Anyone who screens positive will be asked to reschedule their appointment and will be referred to public health.

What are you doing as a clinic to ensure my safety as a client?

We have made lots of changes to the clinic space, including:

• Installing plexiglass barriers at the front desk for safer re-booking and paying
• Increasing time between appointments to decrease traffic in the clinic
• Disinfecting treatment rooms between patients, and common spaces hourly
• Removal of some waiting room chairs to allow proper distance
• Increasing our tap limit to $250 to reduce the need to touch our payment terminal, and instituting direct billing to streamline the payment process.

Do I have to wear a mask to my appointment?

NEW AS OF JUNE 25, 2020: The Ministry of Health (MOH) is requiring that you wear a mask in public if you cannot keep a distance of 2m from others. We ask that you do bring and wear a mask to your appointment. All of our practitioners will wear appropriate PPE during your session. At this time we have limited disposable masks on hand for purchase for $2.

What about hand sanitization?

We ask that you sanitize your hands before entering the clinic. We have provided a table with hand sanitizer outside for that purpose.

Can I bring someone with me to my appointment?

To reduce the number of people in the clinic at one time, we are asking patients to attend their appointments alone if possible. If a patient needs or wants to have someone attend their appointment with them (a parent, guardian, caregiver etc) that person will be asked COVID-19 screening questions, will need to provide their name and contact information, and will be required to sanitize their hands upon entering the clinic.

I normally come early for my appointment. Is that still ok?

Being early is always better than being late! But in the interest of keeping clinic traffic to a minimum, we ask that you remain in your vehicle until maximum five minutes prior to your appointment time.

 

Things are changing rapidly, and our priority is to stay up to date with Ministry regulations and keep our clinics as safe for you as possible.

We welcome feedback and questions, so please don’t hesitate to reach out if you have any.

We can’t wait to see you!

Tele-rehabilitation is a method of treating clients and patients through a secure, online portal, from the comfort of your own home. Whole Therapy is now offering online sessions for physiotherapy, personal training, and integrative therapy as of March 23, 2020! 

We can assess, treat, coach, and train through this new type of service. Times like these call for new innovations, so if you are a current or new patient of ours and need assistance, please reach out and book with us!

While this type of rehabilitation has some limitations, there are many positives, including:

• Eliminating travel time (and currently, satisfying the need to stay at home during the COVID-19 outbreak)
• Continuing your treatment plan so that you stay on top of things and avoid regression of your symptoms
• Movement and self-care education, exercise correction and progression; generally ensuring that you’re doing the right things in the right ways to eliminate pain and get stronger
• Having your questions (about symptoms, pain, exercises, general movement) answered thoroughly and effectively
• Accountability for your rehabilitative exercise and personal training (because lets face it: self motivation can be hard!)

 

Some frequently asked questions about tele-rehab:

Q: Is telerehab effective?

A: In many cases, yes. Your physiotherapist will be able to determine whether telerehab will work for you and your condition. If it isn’t appropriate for you, your physiotherapist or trainer will be able to recommend a course of action to follow instead.

Q: How do you protect my information during a session?

A: At Whole Therapy, we use a secure, encrypted software which is compliant with privacy laws in Canada. Your therapist or trainer will be in a private environment, and you yourself will be encouraged to set up your computer in a quiet room away from others and distractions.

Q: Do I need an account or special equipment?

A: Not at all! Before your session you will be sent a URL which will take you to your practitioner’s virtual ‘waiting room’. When your treatment begins, the practitioner will click on your name and the session will start. No accounts needed. As for equipment, all you need is a desktop or laptop with a camera. For best results, the room you’re in should be well lit. You can even do this via cell phone, however we recommend a bigger screen just for logistics.

Q: What if something goes wrong during the session?

A: Logistical errors such as internet connection can mostly be prevented by setting up in a place with reliable internet. If something does go wrong, your session can be re-booked. Safety is also an issue with this type of appointment. We recommend you clear your area of hazards so that your movement can happen in an unimpeded manner. You and your practitioner will discuss what will happen should a serious situation arise, before the session begins.

Q: Does my insurance cover this?

A: We suggest calling your insurance provider to confirm, but most seem on board with this type of rehabilitation. We will provide you with an insurance receipt (in the case of physiotherapy) as usual.

Q: Do you direct bill?

A: We do now! As of March 23, 2020, Whole Therapy is set up for direct billing. You need to fill out a form for us online, authorizing us to bill for you, and voila! The balance remaining will be invoiced to you online through our software, and you’ll be able to pay via credit card.

 

For more information, please visit the College of Physiotherapists of Ontario page HERE

The Functional Movement Assessment

Picture this: you’re heading to the gym for a workout. Are you excited? Nervous? Finding excuses to dive back under the covers? Feelings about workouts and gym spaces vary vastly.

Common amongst us all, however, is a desire for our bodies to look good and move well. And we know that those two things are not mutually exclusive.

And guess what else? We are all getting older. The longer we live, the more we repeat movement patterns that aren’t necessarily serving us.

Are my movements that bad?

If you’re working out, whether in a gym, a studio, or your kitchen, you’re generally moving along the same planes, doing different variations of the same exercises:

• Squat
• Lunge
• Push
• Pull
• Bend
• Twist

These exercise types make up most of our workouts. BUT doing them correctly (and being able to scale them up by adding weight, extra reps or sets, or variation) requires our muscles to work together properly, fire at the right times, and recover well.

Which isn’t always the case.

Enter: The Functional Movement Assessment.

Even at the best of times, repetition of patterns in exercise (and life) leads to the eventuality of said patterns to veer off course. Like the alignment of your car, you need re-calibration from time to time. If we don’t regularly assess our movement and correct where necessary, it can lead to injury, and setbacks.

Could I use an Assessment?

Likely. We love when people are pro-active about their wellness and come in every 6-12 months for a functional top-up. But otherwise, you could use one of these if you are:

• Starting a new program (a new sport or activity, or training for something specific)
• A competitive athlete (we recommend starting every season with an Assessment)
• Coming off of an injury and getting back to your regular activity levels
• Feeling generally ‘off’ or wary during activity, almost like you’re on the edge of injury

What happens during an Assessment?

You spend an hour with one of our highly trained Personal Trainers in the Whole Therapy gym space, where you will go over your personal health history. He or she will assess basic movement patterns with you, and educate you during the process on what your body is doing and ‘saying’.

After the assessment, the Trainer will lay out a recommendation of corrective exercise and a plan to address any areas that need improvement.

I need this! Book Now

Do you suffer from Tech Neck?

What is Tech Neck??  A term coined by a chiropractor, ”tech neck” refers to overuse syndrome or a repetitive stress injury in your neck from looking at your mobile electronic device for too long. It sounds crazy, but this is the world we live in now! The American Posture Institute has identified three different levels of posture severity: 

Level 1: Proper Tech Posture

• Ears are aligned over the shoulders
• Eyes looking forward instead of looking down
• Back is straight
• Person is standing or sitting up

Level 2: Standing & Slumped Tech Neck

• Ears are in front of the shoulders
• Head drops down
• Shoulders and upper back are rounded forward
• Person is standing

Level 3: Cervical Spine Tech Neck

• Ears are in front of the shoulders
• Head drops down
• Eyes are looking down
• Shoulders and upper back are rounded forward
• C-shaped spinal curvature
• Person is seated and slumped

Most of us won’t be in perfect posture all the time, and we will sometimes experience discomfort in our neck and shoulders from everyday life. How do you know if you’re past normal aches and pains and require some intervention? Here are three main symptoms to look for.

• When you’re not looking at a phone: Rounded shoulders with head forward neck posture

Head forward posture, while common, is not a normal state for your body to be in. Every centimeter your head is forward puts more pressure on the spine, jaw, and neck. Muscles in the front of the neck become weak and stretched out, while muscles in the upper chest and neck become short, tight, and knotted. Take a picture from the side and line your ear up with your shoulder. If your ear sits forward of your shoulder, it might be time to get checked out.

• Headaches

Tension-type headaches affect us all occasionally. But if that vice grip around your temples or throbbing in your eyes is happening on a weekly (or more frequent!) basis, your screen time may be to blame.

• Neck and upper back pain

Like headaches, neck and back pain are facts of life sometimes. If your shoulders feel like rocks and are really tender when you squeeze them (or if you find yourself trying to massage your own shoulders often during the day), it’s gone past the normal wear and tear of daily living.

“I think this describes me.” you say. “What do I do?”

Multi-disciplinary care, including chiropractic, can help with Tech Neck.  Booking an assessment to determine where you’re at and coming up with a plan of action is our recommendation. Here’s how the process begins.

• A complete history and spinal exam to ensure proper care for your back, neck and any other potential issues. Followed by:
• Chiropractic adjustments: With several different techniques to make all patients feel comfortable, including soft-tissue work for your rock-hard muscles.
• Specific stretches and strengthening exercises to speed the healing process and maintain a healthy and pain free body.

Remember this, tilting the head forward only 15 degrees places approximately 27 lbs on your neck. Forget carrying a toddler on your back. This is like placing one on the back of your head all day!! And it only gets heavier the greater the angle!

Some things you can do today to stop Tech Neck from getting worse (prevention is key!!)

• Avoid excessive mobile usage and take frequent breaks.
• Avoid prolonged static postures. Position the device such that it reduces stresses both on the head/neck and the upper extremities.
• Avoid high repetitions of movements such as prolonged typing or swiping.
• Avoid holding large or heavy devices in one hand for a prolonged duration

With over 90% of the population using handheld devices, remember: Just because neck and back pain are common, does not mean it’s normal to be in pain.

BOOK YOUR ASSESSMENT HERE

 

 

 

 

Concussion or whiplash, whiplash or concussion. Do you know the difference? Check out this video to get the info!
And if you’re still unsure, feel free to give us a call at 613-599-2311 or email us.

Concussion management appointments and Chiropractic adjustments with Dr. Turner are available now. Book yours today!

BOOK YOUR APPOINTMENT HERE

 

DO I NEED AN ASSESSMENT?

-Are you dealing with a current running injury?
-Do you have a history of running injuries and want to prevent future ones?
-Do you want a more efficient running gait and to improve your performance?
-Are you a beginner and would like to learn how to start running properly?
-Do you want an individualized training program tailored to your specific needs and goals?

SO WHAT’S INVOLVED? 

Step 1. Subjective history with focus on current/past injuries, review of any previous therapies, and review of current training program (if any).

Step 2. Running gait analysis on our clinic treadmill.

Step 3. Functional strength and mobility assessment to test running- specific muscle imbalances.

 

WHO WILL I BE SEEING? – ABOUT RICHELLE 

Richelle graduated with a Masters in Physiotherapy in 2009 from Dalhousie University. She has completed courses in the Prevention of Running Injuries and has hosted several run groups, seminars and workshops on running well. Richelle is an experienced runner with the OAC racing team, and a member of Run Ottawa. She is passionate about working with runners to both decrease injuries and improve performance! Don’t forget to check her out on Instagram and Facebook!

BOOK YOUR RUNNING ASSESSMENT HERE

Flashbacks often leave people feeling powerless and frustrated.  They’re taken on a ride against their will which only reinforces the trauma.  One tool my clients report finding very helpful is free, simple, safe and grounding.  Start off by practicing it in a safe place while not experiencing a flashback.  Use the conscious intent to prepare yourself to engage it whenever it’s needed. This ingrains the muscle memory and pre-programs the subconscious mind that “this is the first thing we do when any degree of flashback intrudes”.

Sitting or standing, firmly press one forefoot and the heel of the other foot into the floor. Slowly and deliberately rock the one foot back onto the heel while the other rocks forward onto the ball of the foot. Slowly alternate until you feel the pattern is well established in both mind and body.  Set the firm mental intention that at the first onset of any flashback, this is what I’ll always do until it loses its power.

This technique offers relief by restoring a sense of personal power and authority over these events.  It doesn’t heal the triggering trauma itself. That’s what resources such as Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT, Tapping), Picture Tapping Techniques and EMDR are for. However, my clients often report that being able to take some form of concrete action brings them a welcome sense self agency. As one client said with a smile of wonderment on her face “for the first time, I owned this @#!&%. It didn’t own me”

Like anything else, practice creates habits, so let your feet rock on. If you forget, don’t give up. You’re always doing the best you know how to do at any moment, so have compassion on yourself and just keep practicing.

For further information, contact our Integrative Therapist @ 613-747-5458 or david@david-gilbert.com .

Yours in good mental/emotional health.

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Author: David E P Gilbert. David is a highly experienced Integrative Therapist particularly focused on anxiety/depression, stress, burnout, grief, trauma or PTSD, Post Concussion Syndrome and self-sabotage. He’s based at Whole Therapy and ECOSYS Wellness Center in Ottawa ON. Canada. Being trained in a number of modalities including Emotional Freedom Techniques and PTT (Picture Tapping Techniques), he works with clients both in-office and via phone or video cam across the world. Work so powerful it’s guaranteed