Foot health is an essential but often forgotten component of physical health. Our feet have to provide a strong and stable base for the rest of the body, and dysfunctions at the base can lead to problems at the knees, hips, and back.

You’ll receive a full refund if you’re not entirely satisfied during the first visit or if the health professional thinks that he/she may not be right professional for you at this time, to address your specific health concern. 

Vous serez entièrement remboursé si vous n'êtes pas entièrement satisfait lors de la première visite ou si le professionnel de santé pense qu'il n'est peut-être pas le bon professionnel pour vous à ce moment-là, pour répondre à votre problème de santé spécifique. 

Personal Guarantee

Garantie personnelle

Your therapist guarantees that he/she will be reachable to answer any questions you may have about your prescribed treatment and anything related to your condition. Response time within a day.

Votre thérapeute vous garantit qu'il sera joignable pour répondre à toutes vos questions sur le traitement prescrit et sur tout ce qui concerne votre état. Temps de réponse dans la journée.

Follow through

Suivi des résultats

Every year, 50% of runners will suffer a running-related injury and most of them are easily preventable. Some people also complain of calf, knee or back discomfort while running. Whether you are an amateur runner or a more experienced one, I can help you heal your pain and injuries related to running, but also teach you how to prevent them.

Chaque année, 50% des coureurs vont subir une blessure reliée à la course et la plupart d’entre elles peuvent être évitées facilement. Certaines personnes se plaignent aussi d’inconforts aux mollets, genoux ou au dos en courant. Que vous soyez un coureur amateur ou plus expérimenté, je peux vous aider à guérir vos douleurs ou blessures reliées à la course, mais également vous apprendre à les prévenir.

Back pain affects a lot of people. Many with back pain don’t do anything to fix it because they think it’s normal and they just try to live with the pain. It causes them to move less and limit their activities. They avoid bending and have difficulty picking up objects from the floor. I can help you get rid of your pain, show you how to build a strong and resilient back, and teach you ways to prevent back pain in the future.

La douleur au genou peut limiter des activités simples comme s'accroupir, monter ou descendre les escaliers, ou même marcher. Ne laissez pas une douleur au genou restreindre votre mobilité ou vos activités sportives. La plupart des blessures au genou s'améliorent avec des exercices simples. N'attendez pas avant de consulter.


Pain when reaching for something high on a shelf, sleeping on your shoulder, or trying to put your hand behind you back? Do not wait to consult if this is your case. We do so many things with our arm every day and shoulder pain can really prevent one from functioning. Physiotherapy can help you get your range and strength back, and allow you to use your shoulder in a pain-free manner.

Les maux de dos touchent beaucoup de gens. Plusieurs ne font rien pour y remédier car ils pensent que c'est normal et essaient simplement de vivre avec la douleur. Cela les amène à moins bouger et à limiter leurs activités. Ils évitent de se pencher et ont de la difficulté à ramasser des objets au sol. Je peux vous aider à vous débarrasser de votre douleur, vous montrer comment bâtir un dos fort et résilient, et vous apprendre à prévenir la douleur à l'avenir.

Knee pain can limit simple activities such as squatting, going up or down the stairs, or even walking. Do not let knee pain restrict your mobility or your sports. Most knee injuries will get better with simple exercises. Do not wait before consulting.

Vous avez mal au bras en allant chercher quelque chose en hauteur, en dormant sur votre épaule ou en essayant de s'habiller ? Nous faisons tellement de choses avec notre bras chaque jour et une douleur à l'épaule peut vraiment limiter le fonctionnement. La physiothérapie peut vous aider à retrouver votre amplitude et votre force, et vous permettre d'utiliser votre épaule sans douleur.

Feeling like the room is spinning around you? You feel dizzy when changing positions or getting in and out of bed? You often lose your balance? Your vision gets blurry when you move your head quickly? Vestibular rehabilitation is a branch of physiotherapy that can help with those symptoms. If dizziness or vertigo is impacting your life, I can help you.

Vous avez parfois l'impression que la pièce tourne autour de vous? Vous avez des vertiges lorsque vous changez de position ou en se couchant et relevant du lit ? Vous perdez souvent l'équilibre? Votre vision devient floue lorsque vous bougez rapidement la tête? La rééducation vestibulaire est une branche de la physiothérapie qui peut vous aider à soulager ces symptômes. Si les étourdissements ou les vertiges ont un impact sur votre vie, je peux vous aider.

Pain when eating, yawning, or opening wide? Dysfunctions of the jaw, also known as the temporomandibular joint (TMJ), are pretty common and it can lead to pain, cracking, and also headaches. The good thing is that your jaw is a joint like any other. You can retrain your habits and posture, your jaw mobility, and how the muscles around your jaw work to make your symptoms go away. TMJ rehabilitation is one of my specialties and I can help you if you are dealing with pain around the jaw.

Des douleurs en mangeant, en baillant ou en ouvrant grand la bouche ? Les dysfonctions de la mâchoire, également appelée articulation temporo-mandibulaire (ATM), sont assez courantes et peuvent entraîner des douleurs, des craquements et des maux de tête. La bonne nouvelle, c'est que votre mâchoire est une articulation comme une autre qui peut se retravailler afin de faire disparaître vos symptômes.

Such as soccer, hockey, tennis, skiing, and more.

Je pratique des activités telles que le soccer, le hockey, le tennis, le ski, la randonnée et bien plus!

I love eating and trying out new restaurants.

J'adore manger et essayer de nouveaux restaurants.

Can You Stand on One Leg for at Least 10 Seconds?

How is your balance in standing? What about on one leg? If you are experiencing a gradual loss of balance, daily tasks that were once simple to do may now be more difficult to accomplish, such as pulling on a sock or sliding one foot through a pant leg while standing on the other foot. You may be finding yourself reaching for support to maintain your balance, such as leaning against the wall or holding onto a countertop, to manage daily tasks. For activities that require you to use both hands, and therefore without a free hand to hold yourself steady while standing, you may find yourself sitting down instead.&nbsp;

Good static and dynamic balance are an integral part of successful participation in our daily routine, whether it be managing household chores, walking the dog, negotiating the stairs, or practicing tai chi. In other words, good balance enables us to preserve our independence for functional mobility, which in turn, facilitates meaningful engagement in our self-care tasks (activities of daily living), domestic tasks (instrumental activities of daily living), productivity (school, work, volunteering), and leisure (sports, hobbies).&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

Balance is an important physical component of our bodily structures and functions. It involves a complex interaction between several different systems in the body. For instance, input from our eyes, muscles, tendons, joints, and the inner ear are processed and coordinated to ensure proper balance. Adequate balance is acquired during the early developmental stages of childhood and is slowly lost with the process of aging in later years, especially with increasingly sedentary lifestyles and fewer opportunities to maintain it. Poor balance can also be a byproduct of serious conditions, such as multiple sclerosis and Parkinson’s disease. However, exercise and interventions provided by a Physiotherapist can help to regain, maintain, and optimize balance for everyday functions. Compensatory strategies for diminished balance might also be explored. If you experience a sudden, noticeable change in your ability to balance, you should consult a professional.

It is important to recognize that the loss of balance can quickly accelerate without timely intervention. Older people who can’t – or are afraid to – walk around outside their homes, let alone tackle anything more strenuous, are prone to becoming more unsteady on their feet as their abilities to right and control their postural alignment atrophy, making falls more likely.

Whatever activity you choose and whatever stage of life you’re in, the take-home lesson is to find activities that engage and work on your balance. It is worthwhile to prevent a loss of balance as addressing it once it becomes an issue brings added challenges. It is difficult to get back balance once it is gone. Resistance exercise, whether lifting weights, piggybacking your grandchild, or hiking with a backpack, comes with a host of other proven health benefits, from improved bone density to a reduced risk of cognitive impairment. Just 15 minutes a day of balance practice can be beneficial.

I grew up in Vancouver, BC, as part of a large athletic family. From a young age I was involved in a wide variety sport…soccer, field hockey, baseball, track &amp; field, swimming, alpine skiing, water skiing, gymnastics, karate, volleyball, rugby…I tried it all! While my main sport was soccer, the rest of my family has a huge passion for ice hockey. Needless to say, many injuries were sustained between my siblings and my own years of exploring the world of sport (namely for myself: Osgood Schlatter’s syndrome and patellar tendonitis during my adolescence and later on multiple shoulder dislocations), and thus physio was never too far away.&nbsp;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;After high school I moved to Calgary, AB, to complete my Bachelor’s Degree in Natural Sciences with concentrations in Chemistry and Biology. While I loved learning about science (especially Chemistry!) and working hands-on in the lab to solve problems, I felt something was missing to make this field my career. After my studies I began working as a receptionist in a physiotherapy clinic back in Vancouver and immediately felt at home in that environment. I loved being a part of the team, building connections with each person that walked through the door, and getting to observe how each person advanced through their journey working with their physiotherapist. So, I decided to move once again, this time to Montreal, QC, to study physiotherapy at McGill University.&nbsp;

I love physiotherapy because it blends together many of the things important to me: helping and caring for others, creating human connection, teaching and learning, problem solving, being detail-oriented, and simply being active.&nbsp;

I find the human body and how it moves mesmerizing, and I love that I get to apply my knowledge of biomechanics to each individual case in a very hands-on way. Orthopedic physiotherapy practice is a prime example of where theory meets application. Just having the expert knowledge is not enough, the therapist must also be flexible, creative, and able to adapt their treatment approaches to the individual presenting before them. This creates a rewarding challenge every day, and encourages ongoing growth through life-long learning.

I had initially been introduced to physio in a sports-related context, but through my studies and experiences I have seen the range of circumstances where physio can be beneficial, which makes me love it that much more.&nbsp;

My primary expertise is musculoskeletal injury/conditions in a private clinic setting. This includes conditions such as sprains, strains, hypomobilities, tendonitis, bursitis, fractures, post-op rehab…etc. I have also worked in an acute hospital setting seeing patients immediately post-operation (hip and knee replacement, surgical fixation of fractures, etc). During my studies at McGill, I was a student therapist with the Martlet’s Women’s hockey team, treating the players at the rink before, during and after their games/practices.

I also have experience working with patients with various neurological conditions. This includes both a short-term rehab hospital setting (stroke, Parkinson’s), and a long-term out-patient clinic for adults with neuromuscular conditions (muscular dystrophy, ataxia).&nbsp;

I have taken over 140 hours of continuing education courses to expand my practice and expertise further. This includes part A and B from the McKenzie Institute International (mechanical diagnosis and therapy of the lumbar, thoracic, and cervical spine) - with plans to complete all five parts offered by the institute. As well, level I and II in advanced manual therapy courses through the AQPMA. I am also certified as a Pain Truth Program Health Care Provider through the APTEI.&nbsp;

I am very passionate about the anatomy of the human body; I find it so fascinating how complex it is and yet how fluidly it can all work together. I absolutely love learning and teaching, to me the sharing of knowledge and experiences with others is one of our greatest privileges as humans. I still love sports as much as I ever have. I love yoga for the physical and meditative benefits of it. I also love swimming and road cycling – my current personal challenge is to complete my first solo triathlon by the end of summer 2023! In my time to relax, I cannot deny my sweet tooth – I love to bake desserts!

There is a little snapshot of me, I am looking forward to getting to know you further as we work together in the future&nbsp;😊

About Me

- &nbsp;I think it’s my posture. Since Covid-19, I’ve been sitting a lot more. I should probably change my desk and buy a standing one.&nbsp;

- You better watch your posture and stand up straight, or you will have back pain.

- I’m tired of my back pain… oh, then you should probably change your chair.

- Try spending more time standing its good for your back

- Don’t have your head too forward, or else you’ll have neck pain, stop looking at your screen.

- I think what you have is called a texting neck problem (people get told that by some “professionals” …)

Do these claims sound familiar to you? Posture is a vast and gray topic many claim to be professionals and gurus of,&nbsp;but what does the science say and what is accurate and helpful in all this?&nbsp;My goals with writing this are to find to&nbsp;demystify posture&nbsp;and make it accessible to everyone,&nbsp;show you why posture is important and yet not so important and give you tools to help your back and neck when you don’t have the choice but to sit or stand all day.&nbsp;

For those looking for a quick answer, the answer to “should you be conscious of your posture and work on it” is YES.&nbsp;The answer to “is there a good and a good, bad posture” the answer is NO, there isn’t a single posture that is bad for you when held for a short time.&nbsp;Every position held for a short period is perfectly healthy and isn’t problematic usually.&nbsp;Any sustained position for too long or overly repeated over a period can be harmful and induce pain. This is true for sitting perfectly upright with your head straight arms at 90º on armrests as well as sitting slumped in a chair. These two positions are each other’s opposite, yet both are bad for you, and this is true for any position between these two that is sustained for too long.

What do we refer to when we talk about posture?

Most of us think of posture as sitting but sitting is only one type of posture. Posture is an umbrella term that englobes (sitting, bending, standing, walking, lying on your back/stomach and your side).&nbsp;Posture is simply the position of your body at a given time.

Even though humans have evolved from primates, we haven’t evolved from our ancestors walking in the same streets as us 150 years ago. What we do every day has extremely changed. From the time we were apes to our great grandparents,&nbsp;never in history have humans been built and expected to stay in the same position for most of the day.&nbsp;Our ancestors used to run and be in movement, hunting and gathering all day. This is what our body is built for,&nbsp;constant&nbsp;movement, also known as “always changing our posture.” We weren’t and still aren’t built to sit static for 4 hours before a one-hour lunch break (where we sit to eat and look at our phone) before going back for a second shift of sitting. Nowadays, especially since COVID, most of us go through our day without spending more than one or two hours moving.&nbsp;

For example, we will assume that your job requires you to sit all day as this is the reality for most of us now. Most of our day is dedicated to sitting, whether by working, studying, eating, watching TV, reading on the couch… like it or not, most of our days are spent sitting. If you work standing all day in the same position, such as a cashier, this is also true for you. The only difference is that you stay standing in the same position for too long and don’t sit often enough.&nbsp;As you will see as you read the article, both extremes are to be avoided.

Ever wondered what your back goes through every day (ok, I know probably not, but this is useful). Our back can move in a lot of directions. For this article, we will only use two directions.&nbsp;The first one is called&nbsp;flexion (bending forward), which is the movement that occurs in your back when you try to touch your toes, the movement that curves your back like a turtle shell. Flexion postures would be&nbsp;sitting in any way that isn’t upright, bending, lying on your side in a fetus position, lying down in child pose, and walking uphill.

The&nbsp;second movement is called&nbsp;extension (leaning backward), which is the movement that happens when you get up from sitting for a few hours in your chair and try to lean back with your hands on your hips, or for the limbo adepts, the position of your back when you lean back to pass under the undefeated broomstick. When we are&nbsp;standing, usually, our back is in extension. Other extended postures would be&nbsp;sitting upright, standing, walking on flat and downhill, lying on your back and stomach, for instance, watching tv lying on your elbows.

To give you an idea of what a typical day looks like for your back, on average, your spine will move for a whopping total of 4400 times in a day&nbsp;(1). You will pass roughly&nbsp;5 hours (4.9) of your day in a moderate amount of flexion&nbsp;(bent forward) while passing a meagre&nbsp;24 minutes in moderate extension&nbsp;(leaning back)&nbsp;(1). You will also, on average, go 50x to the limit of your flexion (your spine bent to its maximum forward) and never go to the maximum of your extension&nbsp;(1). We will get back to these later, but already,&nbsp;we can see there is a huge discrepancy between how long and often your spine is bent forward compared to backward.&nbsp;

What is the optimal posture if you don’t have a choice?&nbsp;

Regularly interrupting with movement is the optimal sitting posture for spinal health and the prevention of low back pain.&nbsp;Because when we are sitting, we are in a flexion position. The goal would be to break that flexion and stand up every so often and extend backward as much as a possible. Here are a few examples of exercises that promote extension that could be worth testing out.

Thoracic extension in sitting&nbsp;

1.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;30/30 rule&nbsp;

If&nbsp;you find yourself having to sit all day,&nbsp;every 30 minutes, stand up for 30 seconds and lean back as much as possible or go for a quick 30 second walk.&nbsp;If you find yourself standing all day, every 30 minutes, sit down or try touching your toes for 30 seconds.

Not only will this be useful for you back, but it will also help improve your concentration by allowing you to rest every 30 minutes. I typically suggest 30 minutes because this is usually where people start feeling uncomfortable.&nbsp;The goal is to reset before it becomes painful.

2.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Correcting it yourself&nbsp;

A quick and easy way to fall in that extended posture but not overly upright is to do what is known as the slouch-overcorrect technique. This simple exercise will take you 30 seconds but allows you to find that sweet spot.&nbsp;You round your back to the absolute maximum and then extend to the absolute maximum while remaining seated. Repeat this 5-10 times and at the end of the last maximal extension, relax by 10%, so you don’t stay in an extreme position.&nbsp;Naturally your body will gradually fall more and more into flexion, with time, which is why starting in a more extended position is a good idea.

3.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Lumbar roll

If you don’t want to have to consciously keep in mind to stay upright as this can indeed be tiring, a better option would be simply placing a roll (lumbar roll) on your seat.&nbsp;This will allow you for the time that you are sitting to maintain a more upright posture.&nbsp;This can easily be removed regularly and, even when in place, allowing you to change positions.

4.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Back braces/belts&nbsp;

I wouldn’t recommend back braces for posture. The problem with back belts or back braces compared to the other options mentioned is that&nbsp;they are much more rigid and don’t allow you to change posture.&nbsp;They hold you in that upright posture until you remove them. They also reinforce the idea that there are good and bad postures. This&nbsp;goes against everything that was said in this article.&nbsp;I also believe that it would be better to try to control this without external means at first, so you don’t depend on them over time.

The take home message to me is that&nbsp;there are no inherent bad postures, only postures held for too long.&nbsp;If you want to make your life easier and not focus on changing your entire office and posture, every 30 minutes take 30 seconds to change posture.&nbsp;If you are sitting, get up and if you are standing, sit down.&nbsp;Posture is quite simple, but people tend to make it more complicated than it needs to be.

I tried but it changed nothing, I still have that back/neck or other body pains… if this is the case, I would recommend seeking professional help to see what the source of your pain is.&nbsp;Physical therapist would be a good way to start.

If you want to know the next steps if physical therapy fails to provide you with the relief you are looking for, make sure to&nbsp;read the third and last article of this series.&nbsp;This article looks at more&nbsp;invasive treatments such as injections and surgeries. I also give more&nbsp;tools to help you control your symptoms and stay as active and functional as possible.

If you feel like you would benefit from an evaluation to identify and treat your pain from a health professional, you are welcome to make an appointment with&nbsp;<a href="http://ericolivier.ca">me</a>. It will be my pleasure to guide and help you.&nbsp;

If you’d like to discuss any of the points raised in this article in more detail, I would love to speak to you. You can contact me by email at&nbsp;ericolivier.sirois@outlook.ca&nbsp;or by phone at&nbsp;514-692-3347. &nbsp;If you are not sure if you want to book an appointment or if I can help you, make sure to call me. It will be my pleasure to answer and guide you.

<a>1.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;The McKenzie institute international, PART A, The lumbar spine PDF, P. 74</a>

<a href="https://content.artofmanliness.com/uploads/2022/06/posture.jpeg">https://content.artofmanliness.com/uploads/2022/06/posture.jpeg</a>&nbsp;

<a href="https://img.emedihealth.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/5-lumbar-extension-600x400.jpg">https://img.emedihealth.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/5-lumbar-extension-600x400.jpg</a>&nbsp;

<a href="http://www.dynamicchiropractic.com/content/images/heller01_1_5264.gif">http://www.dynamicchiropractic.com/content/images/heller01_1_5264.gif</a>&nbsp;

<a href="https://b-reddy.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/lumbar-extension-flexion-trunk.png">https://b-reddy.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/lumbar-extension-flexion-trunk.png</a>&nbsp;

What is the Best Posture?

Over the years, humans transitioned from living barefoot to wearing shoes. Shoes have changed a lot over the years but today's conventional shoes tend to have a lot of features such as a raised heel, supportive arches, a cushioned sole, a narrow toe-box, and a rigid frame.

Contrary to popular belief, these conventional shoes are not what is best for our feet.

First, the support and cushion provided by shoes take over the functions of your foot muscles. Since the foot muscles are less solicited, they will eventually become weaker, and a weaker foot is more prone to injuries. This can also contribute to flat feet, which is often due to weak musculature. Spending time barefoot is a good way to stimulate your musculature and improve foot strength.

Second, thick and cushioned shoes reduce foot proprioception. Proprioception is the awareness of how our body is positioned and moving in space. It is essential for balance, stability, and proper movement. Shoes create a barrier between the sensory receptors within our feet and the ground, which limits the amount of information sent to the brain. Spending time barefoot is ideal to stimulate improve foot proprioception.

Third, conventional footwear is often not adapted to foot anatomy and compresses the feet. By compressing the feet and toes, shoes restrict the natural movements that normally occur within the foot, and this may lead to stiffness. Improperly fitted shoe wear may also cause bunions, hammertoes and other foot deformity. Spending time barefoot allows your feet to move freely.

For all these reasons, try to incorporate more barefoot time during your day. Another thing you can do is when purchasing shoes, aim for something that is flat, wide, flexible, and thin-soled. This will better allow your feet to work the way they are designed to.

- D’Août, K., Pataky, T. C., De Clercq, D., &amp; Aerts, P. (2009). The effects of habitual footwear use: foot shape and function in native barefoot walkers. Footwear Science, 1(2), 81-94.

- Holowka, N. B., Wallace, I. J., &amp; Lieberman, D. E. (2018). Foot strength and stiffness are related to footwear use in a comparison of minimally-vs. conventionally-shod populations. Scientific reports, 8(1), 1-12.

-&nbsp;Lieberman, D. E. (2012). What we can learn about running from barefoot running: an evolutionary medical perspective. Exercise and sport sciences reviews, 40(2), 63-72.

- Ridge, S. T., Olsen, M. T., Bruening, D. A., Jurgensmeier, K., Griffin, D., Davis, I. S., &amp; Johnson, A. W. (2019). Walking in Minimalist Shoes Is Effective for Strengthening Foot Muscles. Medicine and science in sports and exercise, 51(1), 104–113.

Neel Chandarana

Why Should You Spend More Time Barefoot?

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