We consider you a valid member of your rehabilitation team as for that reason we have a strong passion for educating our patients. Below is a table of definitions for you to use and learn at your leisure.
| Asymmetry | When there is a difference in one part of the body compared to the other side. |
| Avascular | Not having a blood supply. |
| Avulsion | The forcible tearing away of a part or a structure. |
| Biomechanics | Branch of study that applies the laws of mechanics to living things. |
| Body Mechanics | The application of physical principles to achieve maximum efficiency and to limit risk of physical stress or injury. |
| BPPV | Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo — sudden and brief spells of non-serious sensations of movement brought on by changing positions of the head. |
| Bursitis | Inflammation of a bursa. Often those located in the shoulder and knee. |
| Calcific Tendinitis | Deposition of calcium in a chronically inflamed tendon. |
| CAMPT | Canadian Academy of Manipulative Physiotherapy (linked). Canada’s member organization of IFOMPT(linked). |
| Chiropractic | Chiropractors practice primarily using their hands, providing diagnosis, treatment and preventive care for disorders related to the spine, pelvis, nervous system and joints. |
| Chondromalacia | Abnormal softening of cartilage. |
| Chronic injury | Injury with long onset and long duration. |
| Chronic Pain | Pain that persists beyond expected timelines. |
| Concussion | Also known as minor head trauma or mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI). a head injury with a temporary loss of brain function. |
| Deconditioning | State in which a person’s body loses its regular or expected level of fitness. |
| Degeneration | Deterioration of tissue. |
| Direct Billing | The ability for an Extended Health Care plan or Insurer to directly pay the provider for treatment–without the patient needing to pay out of their own pocket before being reimbursed. |
| Epiphysis | Cartilaginous growth region of a bone. Often called a growth plate. |
| Extended Health Care | Funding for various therapies and drugs beyond those of OHIP. Usually from a group benefits plan provided by an employer. |
| FCAMPT | A Fellow of CAMPT(linked). |
| Hypermobility | A common benign condition where joints move more than average. |
| Hypomobility | A common benign condition where joints move less than average. |
| Interferential Current | A commonly used piece of equipment that produces electrical currents that pass through tissues to reduce pain and assist in healing. |
| Joint Manipulation | A high velocity low amplitude thrust performed on a joint by a qualified Physiotherapist or Chiropractor often resulting in a cavitation (noise) of the joint. |
| Joint Replacement | A surgical procedure in which parts of an arthritic or damaged joint are removed and replaced with a metal, plastic or ceramic device called a prosthesis. The prosthesis is designed to replicate the movement of a normal, healthy joint. |
| Manual Therapy | A clinical approach utilizing specific hands-on techniques, including but not limited to manipulation/mobilization. |
| McKenzie Method / MDT | A system encompassing assessment, diagnosis and treatment for the spine and extremities. MDT categorises patients’ complaints not on an anatomical basis, but subgroups them by the clinical presentation of patients. |
| Mulligan Concept | The Mulligan concept is a relatively new method of treatment focusing on correcting altered arthrokinematics by mobilizing joints during active movement. |
| MVA | Motor Vehicle Accident. Sometimes called a Motor Vehicle Collision (MVC) |
| Nerve Entrapment | Sometimes called a “pinched nerve” it is a nerve that is unable to function and move properly. |
| Nystagmus | Involuntary back and forth, up and down or rotary movement of the eyeball. |
| Osteoarthritis | Changes to joints that occur over time and include additional formation of bone, cartilage changes and changes to the fluid within a joint. |
| Osteoporosis | Significant loss of bone density. |
| Paresthesia | Abnormal sensation such as itching or prickling. |
| Physical Therapy | In Canada, it means the same as Physiotherapy. |
| Physiotherapy | A treatment method that focuses on the science of movement and helps people to restore, maintain and maximize their physical strength, function, motion and overall well-being by addressing the underlying physical issues. |
| Post Concussion Syndrome | A set of symptoms that may continue for weeks, months, or a year or more after a concussion – a mild form of traumatic brain injury. |
| Proprioception | The ability to determine the position of a joint in space. |
| Rehabilitation | To restore to a condition of good health, ability to work, or the like. |
| Scoliosis | Lateral curve of the spine |
| Sprain | An injury to a ligament. |
| Strain | An injury to a muscle. |
| TENS | Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation – electrical stimulation of the skin to relieve pain by interfering with the neural transmission of signals from underlying pain receptors. |
| Therapeutic Ultrasound | Sound waves applied to tissues to facilitate healing, provide deep heating, or assist in the delivery of medications. |
| Trigger point | Small hyperirritable areas within a muscle |
| Vestibular Rehabilitation | A specialized form of therapy intended to alleviate both the primary and secondary problems caused by vestibular disorders. It is an exercise-based program primarily designed to reduce vertigo and dizziness, gaze instability, and/or imbalance and falls. |
| WSIB | The Workplace Safety and Insurance Board – provides funding for rehabilitation of workers injured on the job. |
