Services
At Aurora Sports Medicine Professionals we have an array of services to meet any rehab needs you may have. Each service provider is highly trained and experienced in the management of a number of injuries and conditions. We utilize the most up to date treatment strategies to ensure your injury recovery is fast, efficient, and effective.
Sport Medicine Physician
A sport medicine physician has special expertise and knowledge in musculoskeletal medicine and sports-related illness. Their primary training may be in family medicine, orthopaedic surgery, emergency medicine, or physical medicine and rehabilitation.
All sport medicine physicians in Canada have written an exam and hold a Diploma in Sport Medicine, administered by the Canadian Academy of Sport and Exercise Medicine. The letters “Dip Sport Med” after a physician’s name indicates their special qualifications in sport medicine. Sport medicine physicians diagnose and manage musculoskeletal injuries and illness in active people, usually resulting from participation in sports and recreational activities. They are knowledgeable about appropriate bracing, splinting, taping and orthotics for injuries, as well as about nutritional issues affecting sport performance, including fluid and electrolyte replacement. They work closely with other health professionals, such as physiotherapists, athletic therapists, and radiologists in the rehabilitation of injuries.
Orthopaedic Surgery
Your Orthopaedic Surgeon manages special problems of the musculoskeletal system. This involves:
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Diagnosis of your injury or disorder through examination and diagnostic testing.
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Treatment with education, medication, exercise, surgery or other treatment (i.e. injections).
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Rehabilitation by referring to a Registered Physiotherapist to restore movement, strength and function
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Prevention meaures through treatment planning to prevent injury or slow the progression of diseases
While Orthopaedic Surgeons are familiar with all aspects of the musculoskeletal system, many specialize in certain areas, such as the foot and ankle, spine, hip or knee. They may also choose to focus on specific fields like paediatrics, trauma or sports medicine.
Dr. Patrick Gamble is the consulting orthopaedic surgeon at Aurora Sports Medicine Professionals Inc. Dr. Gamble is the head of Orthopaedic Surgery at Southlake Regional Hospital and focuses on lower extremity cases including hip and knee injuries.
Medical Acupuncture
Medical Acupuncture is a neuromuscular stimulation technique, in which fine, solid metal needles (acupuncture needles) are inserted into anatomically defined sites, for the therapeutic purpose of modulating abnormal activity of the nervous system and/or muscular system. Therapeutic goals and treatment targets are selected based on the identified neuromuscular dysfunctions contributing to the clinical presentation of the symptoms. Only regulated health professionals with specific acupuncture training may administer acupuncture as a form of pain management.
Chiropody
Chiropody is a branch of medical science that involves the assessment and management of foot and lower limb disorders. This includes the management of a wide variety of disorders, acute injuries and local manifestations of systemic conditions such as diabetes.
A Chiropodist is a primary care professional practicing in podiatric medicine that specializes in assessment, management and prevention of diseases and disorders of the foot. An essential member of the inter professional healthcare team, the Chiropodist is skilled in assessing the needs of their patients and of managing both chronic and acute conditions affecting foot and lower limb function. The role of the Chiropodist is to maintain and improve patient mobility, to alleviate foot pain, provide health education and thereby improving one’s quality of life. A Chiropodist uses a multitude of different treatment approaches such as dispensing orthotics and Ankle/Foot orthoses to minor soft tissue surgery and footwear modifications.
Shockwave Therapy
Shock wave therapy is a noninvasive treatment used by physiotherapists that involves delivery of shock waves to injured soft tissue to reduce pain and promote healing. Most patients require a series of 4-6 treatments, each of which lasts less than 20 minutes. Shockwave therapy is a viable option to consider for many patients who present with chronic tendinopathy such as golfers/tennis elbow, plantar fasciitis or rotator cuff tendonitis, that hasn’t responded to more-conservative treatments. Shockwave therapy is a safe and effective, noninvasive option, for treating tendinopathy throughout the musculoskeletal system.
Cryotherapy
Game Ready helps you Accelerate Your Recovery. Used by the Toronto Maple Leafs, Toronto Raptors, Toronto Blue Jays, Toronto Marlies & across the world, the Game Ready unit doesn’t just treat symptoms, but it accelerates your recovery.
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97% of patients experienced a better post-operation recovery using the game ready unit rather than an alternative.
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88% of patients outlined that the game ready unit reduced the amount of pain medication they required or stoped using the pain medication earlier in the recovery process
Used by Olympic athletes across the world and professional sports players here at home, the game ready unit is ready to help you heal faster!
Ultrasound Guided Injections
Musculoskeletal ultrasound has established itself as a very powerful clinical tool. Using ultrasound in a Sports Medicine/Orthopedic setting enables the practitioner to obtain safe, high resolution, real time, and even dynamic soft tissue imaging at the bedside. Ultrasound is very effective both in helping make a diagnosis, and in guiding procedures that may be required to help manage or treat various musculoskeletal conditions. Evidence has demonstrated that doing injections under ultrasound guidance offers more accuracy and in turn, more efficacy, when done by a skilled practitioner.
Physiotherapy
Physiotherapy is a healthcare profession dedicated to working with people to identify and maximize their ability to move and function throughout their lifespan.
Specifically, physiotherapy improve’s a client’s quality of life by:
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Promoting optimal mobility, physical activity and overall health and wellness;
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Preventing disease, injury, and disability
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Managing acute and chronic conditions, activity limitations, and participation restrictions
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Improving and maintaining optimal functional independence and physical performance;
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Rehabilitating injury and the effects of disease or disability with therapeutic exercise programs and other interventions; and
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Educating and planning maintenance and support programs to prevent re-occurrence, re-injury or functional decline.
Physiotherapy is anchored in movement sciences and aims to enhance or restore function of multiple body systems. This holistic approach incorporates a broad range of physical and physiological therapeutic interventions and aids.
Physiotherapy services are those that are performed by a Registered Physiotherapist who is registered by the College of Physiotherapists of Ontario.
Our team of Registered Physiotherapists at Aurora Sports Medicine Professionals Inc. have many years of experience treating a wide range of injuries from sports, workplace incidents, motor vehicle accidents, post-operative rehabilitation, neurological diseases, and everyday sprains and strains. Our Physiotherapists are highly trained in advanced orthopaedic manual therapy. We use the knowledge and skills achieved in this advanced training to ensure your injury is fully assessed and treated to its maximal potential. Our approach is unique and thus we utilize up to 60 minutes for an initial assessment on new injuries and 30-45 minutes for follow-up treatment sessions. This amount of time provides ample one on one care to answer questions, provide education about your injury, treatment and exercise prescription to promote a quicker recovery.
Massage Therapy
Massage therapy is a comprehensive intervention involving a range of techniques to manipulate the soft tissues and joints of the body. The purpose of massage therapy is to prevent, develop, maintain, rehabilitate or augment physical function. It is a clinically-oriented health option that achieves undeniable results in the relief of an array of discomforts stemming from stress, muscular overuse and many chronic pain syndromes.
While many individuals might provide “massage”, massage therapy should be provided by a Registered Massage Therapist (RMT). An RMT is an individual who has completed a diploma program at a recognized school of massage therapy and who has passed a registration examination offered by the College of Massage Therapists of Ontario.
Custom Orthopaedic Bracing
Custom orthopaedic devices are available for a variety of functions. We utilize a number of industry leading manufacturers to ensure each patient’s individual bracing requirements are met.
Custom knee bracing requires detailed measurements to be taken thus ensuring a custom fit for the client. Some conditions requiring a client to wear a custom knee brace include: Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) tear or post-operative function, Medial Collateral Ligament (MCL), Posterior Cruciate Ligament (PCL) injuries or instabilities; Osteoarthritis; pre and post-surgery requirements; genetic conditions; and, conservative management for non-surgical patients.
Custom orthopaedic devices are covered under most extended health plans. Check your plan details to verify the coverage you may be eligible for.
Pelvic Health
Pelvic Health Physiotherapy is the assessment and treatment of various conditions of the pelvic floor by a specially trained Registered Physiotherapist. These conditions may include bladder and bowel incontinence, pelvic pain, postpartum issues and sexual pain. Pelvic health physiotherapists are trained to complete both external and internal exams. In doing so, we are able to obtain more information on how your pelvic floor is functioning and ensure an effective and individualized treatment plan.
Vestibular Rehab
Vestibular Rehabilitation Therapy (VRT) can involve both a therapist-assisted maneuver and an exercise-based program designed to provide therapy for inner ear deficits. Vestibular Rehabilitation Therapy can help with a variety of vestibular problems, including Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo (BPPV), Labyrinthitis, and Vestibular Neuritis. Even individuals with long- term unresolved inner ear disorders who have undergone a period of medical management with little or no success may benefit.
A trained Physiotherapist will first perform a thorough evaluation that begins with a medical history and includes observing and measuring posture, balance and gait. The assessment may also include eye-head coordination tests that measure how well a person’s eyes track a moving object with or without head movement.
Other assessments may be used, such as a questionnaire measuring the frequency and severity of symptoms and associated lifestyle changes.
Using the evaluation results, the therapist will develop an individualized treatment plan that includes specific head, body, and eye exercises to be performed both in the therapy setting and at home. These exercises are designed to retrain the brain to recognize and process signals from the vestibular system and coordinate them with information from vision and proprioception.
Depending on the diagnosis, the in-office treatment with the therapist may also involve a specialized form of VRT called a canalith repositioning procedure, which is often referred to as the Epley Maneuver.
Dry Needling
Dry Needling (DN) is an intervention provided by a trained Registered Physiotherapist that uses a thin filiform needle (similar to an acupuncture needle) to penetrate the skin and stimulate underlying myofascial trigger points, muscular, and connective tissues. The purpose of this treatment technique is to manage neuromusculoskeletal pain and movement impairments.
A myofascial trigger point is a taut band of skeletal muscle located in a larger muscle group. Trigger points can alter the function of a muscle limiting its ability to contract and stretch properly. These points may also be tender to touch and can refer pain to other parts of the body. The primary goal of Dry Needling is to “release” the trigger points to restore muscle function and relieve pain.
Within our scope of practice as a Registered Physiotherapist, the application of Dry Needling follows a thorough assessment and management plan, including other therapies such as manual therapy, exercise, and education. Dry Needling is used as an adjunct tool treating the patient’s dysfunction or injury as a whole and not simply treating the pain in isolation.
The application of Dry Needling involves:
• A thorough intake of your medical history including pre-existing conditions and medications
• A description of Dry Needling – the risks and benefits of its use in order to provide informed consent
• Careful infection control measures including single use needles, sterilization of the needling site, and clinician sanitization protocols
• A ‘prick’ to the skin when the needle is inserted – careful movement of the needle to identify the trigger point – and release of the trigger point characterized by a small ‘local twitch response’ felt in the muscle.
• Post treatment the patient may feel some slight discomfort in the area that is short lasting but is often overlooked by the improved mobility and function in that region
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“Absolutely fantastic team and facility! The safety measures now in place make me confident that I can safely visit in person. Stephanie is a truly amazing physiotherapist, supporting me with deep massages, ultra sound, a fancy ice machine, and an exercise plan tailored to me — and clear answers to my many questions. She’s also super encouraging!”
“I highly recommend this sports clinic! Alex is my physiotherapist, he is incredibly knowledgeable and has helped a lot in healing my injury, even through Covid. They have the option to book a session virtually or in clinic, I chose to do it virtually and it has been seamless. The front desk is also incredibly friendly and helpful. Thank you guys for what you do, highly recommend!”
“Excellent professional physio therapists. In pain going in and after two treatments with Giacomo I was pain free. Highly recommend everyone there, very professional. Another big plus is having Dr. Gamble located on site…. non better my leg can attest to that even phoned night before op and dropped by the house after … exceptional!!.”
“Excellent clinic with caring staff! Loved the webinars during the pandemic, they gave me a lot of useful information to help keep me active and safe. They always make me feel important and will work with me through problems that I’m having. I’m grateful that I can continue playing sports and do the activities that I love!”
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