We provide custom and non-custom braces for a variety of musculoskeletal injuries. Knee injuries are one of the most common joints that benefit from functional support. We specialize in DonJoy braces, and we have a brace that will fit your lifestyle whether it is for playing hockey, skiing, golfing or getting you through the work day with less pain.

Knee Bracing can help for a Variety of Knee Issues

• ACL (Anterior Cruciate Ligament) Sprains or Tears
• MCL (Medial Collateral Ligament) Sprains or Tears
• LCL (Lateral Collateral Ligament) Sprains or Tears
• PCL (Posterior Cruciate Ligament) Sprains or Tears
• Osteoarthritis
• Patellar Dislocation or Patella Femoral Tracking Issues
• Meniscus Injury
• Tendonitis
• Prophylactic Use

Always discuss the purchase of a knee brace or any other kind of sports medicine product with your physiotherapist to help determine the appropriate brace for your needs.

Further details can be found at: http://www.donjoy.com

PDF link for patient application of DonJoy Custom Knee Brace: http://www.donjoy.com/PDF/acl_oa_fitting_guide.pdf

Alyssa Watkins, RMT

Registered Massage Therapist

Alyssa graduated from OVCMT’s 3,000hr program in 2009 and moved to Chilliwack where she started her career as an RMT in a multidisciplinary clinic and later a home-based practice. Recently relocating to Kelowna, she still enjoys treating clients with many different acute and chronic conditions with a focus on correcting postural imbalances that can often be root cause of their issues. 

Techniques primarily include trigger point therapy and myofascial release interspersed with Swedish massage and educating the client on what they can do on their own to correct their condition.

In her spare time, Alyssa loves trail running, hiking, skiing and camping with her family because to put it simply, it’s better outside!

Treatable Conditions

• Whiplash
• Headaches
• Back and Neck Pain
• Sprains/Strains
• Muscle Spasm
• Arthritis
• Tendinitis
• Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
• Edema
• Neurological Conditions such as Stroke, Muscular Dystrophy, MS
• Bursitis
• Sciatica
• Neuritis/Neuralgia
• Insomnia
• Stress
• Work Related Injuries
• Pregnancy

Why Choose a RMT?

British Columbia has the highest professional standards for Registered Massage Therapists (RMTs) in North America.

Registered Massage Therapists are more than hands-on professionals. They will also help you correct your posture, they will provide strengthening and stretching exercises that will help improve your condition and RMTs will instruct you on proper ergonomics at home and at the office, providing tips on desk, chair and computer adjustments. By correctly positioning your workstation or table and stretching, you can avoid painful problems such as carpal tunnel syndrome and tendonitis.

RMTs can help recognize conditions you have yet to notice. Tumors or potential skin cancer are just two of the disorders your massage therapist is trained to identify.  Upon their discovery, your RMT would send you directly to your physician. Registered Massage Therapists have stringent education requirements to protect you.

Registered Massage Therapists are different than those who call themselves masseuses or body workers. There is even one person who has come up with the term "Masseologist". When you are looking for a massage therapist, find a Registered Massage Therapist.  Their high-level of training makes them an expert in hands-on treatment, injury rehabilitation and prevention. The term "Registered" informs you that the person has three years of training and is regulated by the CMT.

People without the "Registered" designation cannot bill to the BC Medical Services Plan and do not have to follow regulations on professional standards, ethics, scope of practice and advertising. And if something goes wrong - for example, your injury or condition could actually be made worse - you would likely have no recourse against the service provider.

British Columbians can be sure that they are receiving the highest quality of care available. RMTs in BC are governed by the College of Massage Therapists of British Columbia (CMTBC).  This regulatory body is the profession's equivalent to the College of Physicians and Surgeons. The CMTBC ensures that the public receives safe and ethical care by establishing and enforcing standards of education, qualifications and the quality of practice for all RMTs.

The goal of Vestibular Rehabilitation is to retrain the brain to recognize and process signals from the vestibular system in coordination with information from the visual system, muscles, joints and skin receptors.

The treatment often involves desensitizing the balance system to movements that provoke symptoms. The first step is to first perform a thorough evaluation. This includes observing posture, balance, movement, compensatory strategies as well as the effect of head movements and position on symptoms.

Using the result of this evaluation, the therapist will develop an individualized treatment plan. The chosen treatment may be a particle repositioning technique or may include specific rehabilitation exercises. The exercises may combine specific head and/or body movements, eye exercises and balance exercises. Many times, treatment may also include increasing activities and exercise to increase tolerance for certain stimuli.

What are the Justifications for Referral?

• Positional Vertigo - Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo (BPPV)
• Persistent Vertigo
• History of Falls
• Motion Sensitivity
• Visual Motion Disturbances
• Poor Balance
• Post Motor Vehicle Accident Dizziness / Vertigo

What are Typical Diagnoses?

• Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo (BPPV)
• Labyrinthitis
• Vestibular Neuritis
• Disequilibrium of Aging
• Cervicogenic Dizziness

Acupuncture is an ancient form of Chinese medicine involving the insertion of solid acupuncture needles into the skin at specific points on the body to achieve a therapeutic effect. It has been used for more than 2500 years. No drug is injected. The needles alone create the beneficial effects of acupuncture.

Acupuncture is an effective modality for reducing pain, decreasing muscle tension and reducing inflammation. Studies have shown that acupuncture produces an analgesic effect similar to that of morphine. Acupuncture involves the insertion of a needle through the skin at certain loci called acupoints (which are areas of low skin resistance). Needles are inserted at these acupoints in order to restore balance to the body, normalize function and control pain.

Acupuncture requires appropriate acupoints for needle insertion. Acupoints are normally located through anatomical location, palpation (tender points), or by electrical means. Acupoints are often present in regions distant from the site of pain. For example, low back pain acupoints are not only found on the lower back, but also in the buttocks and legs. Needles are inserted 0.5 cm to 1.5 cm into the acupoints. After the needle is applied, varying manipulations can be applied to the needle. These include lifting, twirling, rotating, vibrating, heating or electrically stimulating the needle. Typically the needles are left in for 10-30 minutes.

Traditional Chinese Explanation of Acupuncture

Channels of energy, Qi (pronounced 'Chee'), run in regular patterns through the body and over its surface. These energy channels, called meridians, are like rivers flowing through the body to irrigate and nourish the tissues. An obstruction in the movement of these energy rivers is like a dam that backs up the flow in one part of the body and restricts it in others. Needling the acupuncture points can influence the meridians; the acupuncture needles unblock the obstructions at the dams, and re-establish the regular flow through the meridians. Acupuncture treatments can therefore help the body’s internal organs to correct imbalances in their digestion, absorption, and energy through the meridians.
Modern Scientific Explanation

Needling the acupuncture points stimulates the nervous system to release chemicals in the muscles, spinal cord, and brain. These chemicals will either change the experience of pain, or they will trigger the release of other chemicals and hormones that influence the internal regulating system of the body. The improved energy and biochemical balance produced by acupuncture results in stimulating the body’s natural healing abilities, promoting physical and emotional well-being, and decreasing the sensation of pain.

The Most Common Conditions Treated by Acupuncture

• Acute and Chronic Pain
• Neck and Back Pain
• TMJ (jaw joint) Pain
• Headaches and Migraines
• Neuralgia
• Arthritis
• Other Joint Conditions

Learn More

    Acupuncture Foundation of Canada Institute

    (http://www.afcinstitute.com)