River Ridge Physiotherapy - Take Control of Your Health! 2 convenient locations to serve you.

All of our physiotherapists have taken extensive training in “hands on” or manual therapy techniques used to treat many orthopaedic conditions. Manual therapy treatment may include a combination of joint mobilization or manipulation, muscle repatterning, myofascial release techniques, and neural tissue mobilization. An experienced physiotherapist uses their hands as very effective assessment and therapeutic treatment tools. After thoroughly assessing your condition, your physiotherapist will discuss with you which manual therapy techniques might be appropriate.

Our massage therapists are registered with the College of Massage Therapists of Ontario (CMTO). Massage therapy is used to maintain, rehabilitate and improve muscle function, as well as provide pain relief and relaxation. It is very useful in the treatment of low back pain, whiplash, sports injuries, pregnancy related discomfort; as well as many other muscle and joint problems.

Many different massage therapy techniques are used such as deep tissue massage, lymphatic drainage, trigger point massage, and myofascial release techniques. The technique used is dependent on the underlying problems being addressed and the desired outcome. Our massage therapist will be happy to discuss your goals with you and determine an appropriate approach to your treatment.

Spinal Manipulation

Joint manipulation is a “hands-on” treatment used by physiotherapist involving a small, high-speed, controlled movement to a specific joint to improve function. Only physiotherapists with post graduate education and certification by examination in manual and manipulative therapies are qualified to perform spinal manipulation. You can recognize these highly trained professionals by the initials FCAMT after their names.

If your medical professional feels you would benefit from such treatment, a consultation appointment will be arranged with Jason Van de Sande, BScPT, FCAMT at River Ridge Physiotherapy.

Individual Exercise Programs

Every client who comes into our clinic is viewed as an individual. As such it is important to create a physiotherapy program to suit that person’s specific injury and fitness level.

With equipment including treadmills, stationary bikes, leg press, pulley systems, free weights, gym balls and much more, your therapist will be able to instruct you in the most effective and appropriate exercises for your condition.

If your goal is to improve your fitness level and avoid injury, a qualified physiotherapist can help you by assessing for any potential problem areas. They can then help you set up a home or gym program suited to your specific needs.

Acupuncture is one of the tools that can be used to reduce pain and promote healing. It is an ancient healing technique that is now well supported by research to provide proven success in treating many muscle and joint disorders.

We use a combined approach of anatomical and traditional Chinese acupuncture incorporating our current knowledge of anatomy, physiology and pathology with ancient traditional techniques. It involves the insertion of very fine needles at very specific points in the body. These needles stimulate the body to release endorphins (naturally occurring pain killers) and activate the body’s own anti-inflammatory effect.

Clinically we have found that acupuncture can be extremely useful in the treatment of tennis/golfer’s elbow; “frozen” shoulder; neck pain; headaches and pain from arthritis. Acupuncture can often result in a dramatic and relatively quick improvement in one’s condition.

Sports Injury Assessment and Treatment

Our physiotherapists understand that athletes demand a lot from their bodies and need expert care and guidance to rehabilitate them back to their sports activities. Whether you are a high performance or recreational athlete you can expect: a thorough assessment of your condition; appropriate and effective treatment; advice on your training practices; sport- specific exercises; and encouragement to safely return you to the sports you love.

Therapeutic Modalities

We can use a wide variety of machines/modalities in the treatment of many soft tissue injuries. Your physiotherapist will discuss the indications for their use with you. The modalities available include:

Custom Orthotics

Custom orthotic devices are useful for many painful and debilitating conditions of the lower limbs, feet and low back. They help to improve balance, accommodate foot abnormalities and control the lower limb positioning. Many athletes find that orthotics are not only useful in injury treatment and prevention, but they help to enhance athletic performance.

Orthotic castings are done with a 3D laser scanner for extremely accurate measurement without the need for casting. This high resolution imaging, by ORTHOSCAN, can then be electronically transferred to the lab for the construction of your orthotics.

If you have further question regarding custom orthotics or you would like to book an appointment for your custom orthotics – you may contact our Certified Pedorthist, Pam Shabaga, directly at
416-986-3338.

Functional Abilities Evaluations

The Functional Abilities Evaluation (FAE or FCE) is an objective assessment of a person’s ability to perform a physical task or job demand. It is used following an injury to determine if a person is able to return to their regular work demands and their activities of daily living.

We perform different types of FAE’s depending on the detail and depth of information required. The brief FAE required by WSIB can be easily performed at both our clinic locations. If a more thorough evaluation is required we use the ARCON - a computerized system at River Ridge Physiotherapy. We have a highly trained kinesiologist who administers these testing procedures and produces a very detailed and objective report upon its completion.

Onsite Physiotherapy

Large companies should consider having satellite physiotherapy treatment center set up in their facility. This can save them significant amounts of time and money, as the employees can easily access the treatment they need without having to leave work. It allows for good communication between all parties and helps to keep workers on the job in some capacity. We have had experience setting up and operating these ”satellite” clinics in both temporary and permanent arrangements.

Post Offer Job Screening

Many employers find it useful to have a screening assessment done to determine the best job placement for an individual they have just hired. These assessments are done by a physiotherapist and include a medical screening questionnaire, musculoskeletal examination, fitness testing, and functional abilities testing to meet specific job demands of the workplace.

The tempromandibular joint (TMJ) of the jaw can be affected by a wide range of factors. Patients with a TMJ disorder can often experience recurring headaches and/or neck pain, as well as jaw pain and dysfunction.

Treatment for tempromandibular dysfunction focuses on restoring the normal biomechanics of the head, neck, and craniomandibular system and may consist of joint mobilization, muscle repatterning and postural correction.