If you’ve experienced back pain, and even leg pain, you might have a deeper issue. Your minor aches and pinched nerves could be symptomatic of sciatica. While “sciatica” may sound serious, it’s entirely curable.
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MAKING MOVES TO UNDERSTAND SCIATICA BACK PAIN INSIDE: A 30-Second Self-Test for Sciatica • Exercise Essentials • Featured Service: Massage Therapy • RMT Spotlights • Quick & Easy Healthy Recipe
OUR LOCATIONS: Find Your Equilibrium
Equilibrium Therapeutics (Eagle Creek) Unit #2-130 19 Helmcken Rd. Victoria, BC V8Z 5G5 LOCATION COMING SOON!
Equilibrium Therapeutics 101 – 3645 Tillicum Rd. Victoria, BC V8Z 4H4 Phone: (250) 590-7888
Equilibrium Massage Therapy 101 – 1121 Yates St. Victoria, BC V8V 3N1 Phone: (250) 388-7888
MAKING MOVES TO UNDERSTAND SCIATICA BACK PAIN
If you’ve experienced back pain, and even leg pain, you might have a deeper issue. Your minor aches and pinched nerves could be symptomatic of sciatica. While “sciatica” may sound serious, it’s entirely curable. What Is Sciatica? Sciatica is pain that radiates alongside the sciatic nerve. This nerve, which branches from your lower back — spanning across your hips, buttocks and legs — can be injured or stressed in several ways. The most common cause of sciatica-related pain is inflammation along the spine, where compressed nerves are aggravated. While sciatica pain can be intense, it is treatable. A lot of sciatica cases, in fact, can be resolved without operation — and within just a few weeks. Even if you’ve suffered severe sciatica spawned from leg weakness, bladder changes or nerve issues, there’s still hope.
treated, it can hinder mobility altogether. How Our Multidisciplinary Practitioners Can Help with Sciatica If you’re experiencing sciatica, contact our multidisciplinaryclinic immediately.Over-the- counter painkillers may alleviate pain in the short term, but in-depth manual therapy and rehabilitativeexercise isthelongtermsolutionof choice.OurteamofPhysiotherapists,Massage therapists, Chiropractors, Osteopaths and Acupuncturistscanreducesciaticacompression by carefully introducing exercises and relaxing treatments.Thesetreatments,hand-pickedby professionals,canreduceoreliminatesciatica over time. If you’re experiencing back pain, don’t wait. Call us today and ask about our manual therapy options. Your mobility is important, and your back can be healed. Sources: webmd.com/back-pain/what-is-sciatica#1 • medicinenet.com/sciatica/article.htm • mayoclinic. org/diseases-conditions/sciatica/symptoms-causes/syc- 20377435 • medicalnewstoday.com/articles/7619.php
What Causes Sciatica? In most cases, sciatica occurs when one of the back’s discs are herniated. It can also happen if the spine narrows — an effect called spinal stenosis. As we age, our backs undergo a lot of stress. This stress takes a toll, causing inflammation in several areas. If this inflammation reaches a certain point, it may compress these nerves — resulting in pain. What Are the Symptoms of Sciatica? Sciaticabackpain isnormallynoticedasapain radiating from the lower back. Often, this pain extends to the buttock, spiraling down the leg andextendingtothecalf. Ifyou’resufferingfrom sciatica,youmightfeelthediscomfortanywhere along this nerve pathway. Thepain itselfcanbedull,achingorevensharp. Insomecases,thecompressednervemay feel like it burns. In other cases, the compressed nervemaysimply issueasharp joltofpain.Some peopleexperiencingsciaticamayexperienceleg numbness,tinglingorweakness. Ifsciatica isn’t
EXERC I SE ESSENT I ALS USE THIS EXERCISE TO STRENGTHEN YOUR CORE Brace Marching While lying on your back with your knees bent, tighten your stomach by drawing in your belly button close to your spine. Slowly raise up one foot a few inches and then set it back down, and continue as if marching for two minutes. Try not to move your pelvis or back while moving your legs. Drawing in your stomach helps to keep your spine frommoving. Next, perform the same exercise with your other leg. Repeat 10 times.
Always consult your physiotherapist or physician before starting exercises you are unsure of.
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O U R M A S S A G E T H E R A P Y F I L L S U P Q U I C K LY, S O B O O K N OW !
Do you have back pain or leg pain with standing or walking? A 30-SECOND SELF-TEST FOR SCIATICA 1. Sit on a chair and keep good posture. 2 . Straighten one of your legs out in front of you, while pointing your toes to the sky. Pay attention to how high your leg can go and if you have any pain, numbness, or tingling. 3. Place your leg back down to resting position, and repeat the same movement with the opposite leg. Do you have a shooting pain in your leg when you stand up? Do you need to sit down for a minute for the pain to go away?
Take this 30-second self- test to see if you might have sciatica:
What Your Results Mean: If the leg with pain, numbness or tingling does not go up as high as the other leg, you likely have Sciatica. Give us a call today or visit equilibriummassagetherapy.ca to find out how we can help. equilibriummassagetherapy.ca
MASSAGE THERAPY FEATURED SERVICE WHAT IS MASSAGE THERAPY? • Massage Therapy is the manipulation of soft tissues, fascia and joints of the body toaugmentphysical function,reduce tension and relieve pain. • We use high quality massage creams, so you won’t feel oily after your massage. TYPES OF MASSAGE TREATMENTS: • Deep Tissue Massage • Sports Massage • Myofascial Release
QUICK & EASY HEALTHY RECIPE PART Y GUACAMOLE DIP: COMBINE & SERVE
• 6 large avocados • 1 can of green chilies, diced • 1 Roma tomato, diced
• 1/2 small onion, diced • 1/3 cup salsa • Garlic salt to taste.
• Swedish Massage • Trigger Point Therapy • Active Isolated Stretching • Corporate Massage
• Intraoral TMJ Massage • Prenatal and Postnatal
Don’t forget the lemon/lime juice, to help keep the avocados’ color!
RMT SPOTLIGHT ALI MITCHELL, Registered Massage Therapist
RMT SPOTLIGHT MICHELLE CL ARK, Registered Massage Therapist
Ali Mitchell was born and raised in Victoria. She became interested in Massage Therapy right out of high school and graduated in 2006 from The West Coast College of Massage Therapy and has been practicing ever since.
Michelle Clark is an experienced RMT, practicing since 2010. She’s a graduate of the West Coast College of Massage Therapy (WCCMT) Victoria and registered with The College of Massage Therapists of British Columbia. She is also a member of the Massage Therapists Association of British Columbia. Michelle works with a variety of patients whose conditions range from acute to chronic. She is experienced in treating a
Ali enjoys integrating many forms of therapeutic treatment which can include but are not limited to deep tissue, joint mobilization, trigger point therapy, TMJ therapy, pregnancy massage, anxiety and depression, all while providing an overall relaxation element. Yoga and Pilates are a part of Ali’s daily routine. In 2017, she completed her YTT (Yoga Teacher Training) 200hr Certification. While she is not currently teaching in Victoria, yoga and meditation are a very special part of her life and will continue to be a path that is followed—hopefully to all the warm corners of the world! With an extensive passion for travel and seeing new places, massage therapy has been a perfect career fit for helping others as well as following travel dreams.
wide range of conditions including overuse injuries, sports injuries, TMJ disorder, tension headaches, migraines, back and neck pain, plantar fasciitis, sprains, strains and frozen shoulder. Michelle has been trained in IASTM (instrument assisted soft tissue manipulation). She may use a combination of techniques such as swedish massage, joint mobilization, trigger point release and muscle energy technique based on what will work best for your specific concern. Michelle was born and raised on Vancouver Island so she is excited to practice in Victoria where she can share her knowledge and training to help her patients. As part of her practice, Michelle believes in educating patients and encouraging them to become active participants in their therapy and recovery.
• Trained in IASTM as a Modality To learn more, visit: equilibriummassagetherapy. ca/physiotherapy-treatments/ graston-technique
• Tillicum Rd. Location • 9 Years of Experience • TMJ Intra-Oral Massage
• Yates St. location • 13 Years of Experience
• TMJ Intra-Oral Massage • Integrates Yoga Into Homecare Exercise
RMT SPOTLIGHT GARY JOHNSON, Registered Massage Therapist
Equilibrium Therapeutics is opening a NEW LOCATION at Eagle Creek Village on Helmcken Road. Be the first to check out our newest location on October 1st. Stay Tuned! Eagle Creek Schedule will be Online soon! Equilibrium Therapeutics (Eagle Creek) Unit #2-130, 19 Helmcken Road, Victoria, BC V8Z 5G5 NEW LOCATION COMING OCTOBER 1ST! EAGLE CREEK VILLAGE NEAR VGH HOSPITAL
Gary’s main interest and focus in his practice is to help patients toward their goals, which may include rehabilitation, performance, pain relief and/or stress management. Gary’s current practice is informed by continuing education with an emphasis on biomechanics and pain science. Beyond hands-on treatment, he seeks to gain understanding through discussion and assessment, and to make sure patients
have self-care tools to take control of their needs between treatments. Gary graduated from the West Coast College of Massage Therapy in Victoria in 2012. Outside of work Gary enjoys spending time with his wife and family and pursuing his latest interests in vegetable gardening and strength training. Every year he takes some vacation time to visit family in the Kootenays and whenever possible goes on camping trips with his wife. • Yates St. Location • ICBC Provider
• 7 Years of Experience • TMJ Intra-Oral Massage
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