“Are there any exercises that can help me?” “Are there any exercises, or things I shouldn’t do?” These are two of the most common questions we hear and are difficult to answer simply. The short answer is yes and no to both!
Recent research has changed the way therapists use exercises for both rehabilitation as well as strength and conditioning. For all areas of the body, the evidence supports correcting problems associated with how you use your muscles in a coordinated manner (e.g. ensuring proper timing of muscle activation during a task so you get optimal muscle engagement); this differs from the previous philosophy of focusing on exercises for strength and power of individual muscles (e.g. doing isolated exercises for your quads (leg extensions) and hamstrings (bent knee curls)).
Focusing on how you use your muscles will reduce the potential of reinforcing poor movement patterns and will optimize the retraining of your brain’s movement patterns/habits. The focus on quality of movement will reduce the irritation of injured areas and improve your recovery. Think of it this way – if you always do what you’ve always done, then you can’t expect any positive changes!
The key to correcting dysfunctional patterns of movement is to integrate ‘mindfulness’ or ‘awareness’ of movement during the task and to focus on making the task functional; this is often harder on the brain than the body! Our therapists use tools such as imagery in order to help you internalize, feel, and become aware of your muscles and this translates into an improved sense of less effort during your desired task or activity. Once you have new ways to think about, and perform, your meaningful task/activity (sit, stand, walk, run, cycle, triangle pose, sleep), you can begin to merge these new strategies with more traditional training.
We collaborate with many personal trainers and exercise facilities in the South Surrey/White Rock area and are happy to refer you to an appropriate trainer for ongoing exercise instruction when you are ready to take on more.
A final note: What tells your muscles how to behave (i.e. when to contract, how much, when to relax etc)?…. The nervous system does. Understanding your brain and knowing what to ‘think about’ rather than ‘do’ will help to change your pain, posture and movement patterns, and really quickly too. If you are interested in reading more about this topic, we would highly recommend the following articles and books:
- Core Training vs Core Strengthening education article by Diane Lee on this website
- The Brain that Changes Itself by Norman Doidge
- Mindsight by Daniel Seigel
Related Services
Clinical Pilates
Take your treatments to the next level with a personalized rehabilitative Pilates program designed with your injuries in mind.
Related Practitioners
Cathy Rogers
Cathy received a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of British Columbia in 2000. As a member of the varsity women’s volleyball team at UBC during those years she was first exposed to physiotherapy and it’s positive impact on her own personal athletic career.
Leigh Fortuna
After studying kinesiology in university for two years, Leigh decided that pursuing a career in physiotherapy was the path she wanted to follow. She graduated from The University of British Columbia in 2005 with a Bachelor of Science in Physical Therapy.
Eric Perkio
Eric has been practicing Physiotherapy since 2006. He received his Masters of Physiotherapy from the University of Sydney, Australia and began his career working in a private clinic where he gained valuable experience in working with Rugby, Soccer, and Aussie Rules Football clubs.
Brittany Wade
Brittany graduated from the University of Ottawa with an undergraduate degree in Human Kinetics followed by a Master’s Degree in Physical Therapy from the University of Toronto.
Judit Orban
Judit has a special interest in helping people with various spinal conditions such as back pain, scoliosis, kyphosis, chest conditions and spinal fusions.
Since graduating in 2010 from the Semmelweis University of Hungary, Judit has been working in various spine specific clinics around the world. She started dancing at a young age and after high school she completed a Contemporary Dance Teacher course. Learning about the capabilities of the human body influenced her to study more and to earn a degree in Physiotherapy
Sarah Hamanishi
Sarah received her Bachelor of Science with a minor in Nutritional Sciences at the University of British Columbia. She then pursued a Master of Physical Therapy degree, graduating in 2013 from UBC. Sarah has taken post-graduate courses for dry needling, rehabilitation Pilates, visceral and neuromeningeal manipulation, and temporomandibular joint (TMJ) dysfunction.
Megan Davis
Megan graduated from the University of Ottawa, with a Master of Health Science in Physiotherapy and a BSc honours in Biomedical Sciences. She also completed her Master’s in French. Megan carries a wealth of knowledge from a patient perspective as she has worked hard to rehabilitate multiple injuries, as she has made it back to competitive powerlifting at the Canadian National level after hip surgery.
Cheri Le Cappelain
While working as a nurse Cheri saw the importance of physiotherapy on the rehabilitation ward to help patients regain their independence. As a result of these positive experiences she decided to go back to school to become a physiotherapist so she could have a more direct role in rehabilitation and help others regain their independence. Cheri graduated in 2018 with a Doctor of Physiotherapy from the University of Melbourne in Australia.
Lily Han
Lily is passionate about assisting her clients in gaining and regaining their function. She obtained her Master’s of Science degree in Physical Therapy from the University of Alberta. She has diverse experience within the healthcare field, including in diagnostic laboratory, pharmacy, medical first aid, and with other interdisciplinary teams allowing Lily to approach each patient’s condition holistically. Lily is fluent in both English and Mandarin.
Josh Toor
Josh graduated from the University of British Columbia with a Bachelor of Science (with distinction) in 2019 and a Master of Physical Therapy degree in 2024. He grew up in North Delta and is fluent in both English and Punjabi. His journey into physiotherapy was fueled by a passion for movement and sports, as well as a dedication to helping individuals of all ages and activity levels overcome injuries, restore mobility, and achieve their personal goals, whether that involves returning to daily activities, excelling in sports, or managing chronic conditions.
Olivia Zawadiuk
Olivia graduated from the University of British Columbia (UBC) with a Master of Physical Therapy in 2024. Prior to this, she completed her Bachelor of Kinesiology at UBC, where she was also a member of the UBC artistic (synchronized) swimming team. Olivia’s desire to become a physiotherapist was inspired by personal experiences as a competitive athlete, coach, and kinesiologist.
Tina Lin
Tina began her career in rehabilitation by completing a Bachelor’s of Kinesiology with a minor in Nutritional Science at the University of British Columbia. She then went on to pursue a Master’s Physical Therapy degree from the University of British Columbia. Tina has experience in a variety of settings including medical and critical care units in the hospital, a Clinical Pilates studio, and volunteering with Skate Canada and Women’s Rugby teams. Tina has a special interest in helping both women and men with their pelvic health (incontinence and prolapse).
Noëlle Trotter
Noelle Trotter graduated in 1996 from the University of Waterloo’s Health Sciences Faculty with an honours degree. In 2000, she obtained her Certified Pedorthist designation after completing 3000 hours of clinical work and Pedorthic exams.
Leanne Kitteridge
Leanne is a Registered Yoga Teacher with Yoga Alliance and has been teaching yoga since 2004. In 2006, Leanne became interested in Anusara Yoga®, a style of yoga that assisted with the healing of chronic pain issues in her shoulder.
