The Bones Fund

Nikki here, a new year brings re-evaluation and change! In 2022, I am choosing to do one day a month as a “pay what you can” day for current clients. All monies coming in from that day will be donated to rescues who take in those small, misunderstood animals. I’m doing this for two reasons:

1.) As prices rise, I understand paying for professional services, such as physical rehab, can be very difficult. This is the reality for many people, but especially for those without insurance coverage. I care deeply about trying to meet the needs of my client-base while still running a sustainable business. So, I’ve decided to offer this once a month, “pay what you can” option as our prices increase in January, 2022.

2.) Many people in my life are aware that I had a bunny named Bones. I found him outside at about 4 months old, starving (skin & bones), covered in mites, teeth overgrown and growing into his face, with infections everywhere. Long and wonderful story short, that bunny gave me 11.5 years of love, support, and laughter. And not only me, but many of you as well!

Bones chilling out under a treatment table in the clinic (2016)

My focus rescue is Popcorns and Binkies Rescue Haven for all the hard work they do taking in and caring for these little guys. Additional donations will go to the Humane Society and any other rescue I hear about that takes in small animals.

So here’s to taking care of each other, both big and small, very small.

- Nikki Smith CAT(C)

Dry Needling vs Acupuncture

Like acupuncture, dry needling uses thin, stainless steel needles that are inserted into the skin. Both practices are safe and frequently effective, especially when combined with other forms of therapy. That is about where the similarities end!

Acupuncture
In acupuncture, therapists insert filiform needles into very specific acupuncture points with the intension of creating either a local response (such as increased circulation) or a global response (such as dialing down the fight or flight nervous system). All in all, the main goal of acupuncture is to create balance within the body to manage pain and promote healing.

Athletic Therapist, Nikki Smith, as a practice model for colleague Ashley Burr CAT(C)

Dry Needling
In dry needling, therapists use a filiform needle to target either a trigger point or area of tension within a muscle, break up scar tissue and increase circulation, or promote healing in a target area. The most familiar technique in dry needling is the pistoning technique. This is where the therapist moves the needle in and out of the tissue repeatedly. Other techniques in dry needling include rotating the needle and using electrical stim. It may sound intense, but dry needling is not nearly as uncomfortable as you would think!

In Manitoba, Dry Needling can only be performed by a therapist who is also certified in Acupuncture.

Dry needling of the upper traps

Acupuncture and Dry needling at Revolution: Both Physiotherapist, Patrick Quimo, and Athletic Therapist, Nikki Smith offer acupuncture and dry needling within their treatments.

Therapy styles, straight from the therapist!

“Certified Athletic Therapists are the musculoskeletal injury specialists who work primarily with a healthy population. We predominantly use movement or “athletics” as our main assessment and rehab tool, and while our active approach to addressing injuries has made us the therapist of choice for athletes, anyone moving can see an athletic therapist. Whether it’s post-surgery rehab of an ACL repair, managing an acute-on-chronic plantar fasciitis, educating patients on bracing and stretches for tennis elbow, or addressing back pain through re-education of dysfunctional movement patterns secondary to texting, we can help!”

-        Nikki Smith CAT(C)

 

“Physiotherapists (or Physical Therapists) are regulated healthcare professionals with specialized hands-on skills to assess, diagnose, and treat neuro-musculoskeletal or cardiopulmonary injuries, conditions, or disabilities. We use an evidence-based approach to help restore movement and function across all ages, populations, and conditions. With the use of education, exercise and conditioning, manual therapy and modalities, physiotherapists aim to improve physical dysfunction and improve overall physical literacy, activity engagement and health and well-being.”

-        Patrick Quimio M.Sc.(PT)

 

“As Registered Massage Therapists, we offer a practical approach to treatment, utilizing various massage and manual therapy techniques. Our purpose is to identify the root cause of the issue with proper testing and assessment, instead of chasing the pain, so that we can begin to restore muscle function in patients with acute, subacute, and chronic conditions. Whether patients need to reduce pain, improve function and range of motion, or are seeking relaxation, we take the utmost care, because improving the patient’s health is our priority.”

-        Patrick Boiteau RMT

Ask a Therapist: What is DOMS?

What is DOMS or delayed onset muscle soreness?

"When your body moves in a way it's not used to (like shoveling after the first snow fall) or if you exert more force and energy than normal (like starting a new years resolution workout plan) you can end up sore. Usually this soreness appears after your activity and can get worse as time goes on. We believe the pain is part of the inflammatory response from the very small tears (microtrauma) to the muscle fibers that occur with higher intensity / unaccustomed activity. Often the pain will peak 24 to 48 hours post exercise and then subside.

Although DOMS is painful, you usually don't need to worry. Try to keep hydrated, stay moving at a lower intensity (walking, easy biking, etc.), and avoid aggressive stretching. If the pain continues past the 48 hour mark, your body might be letting your know it's lingering on the injured side and investigation may then be a good idea."

- Nikki
Certified Athletic Therapist

Ask a Therapist: What is the rotator cuff?

What is the rotator cuff?

"It's a group of small muscles around the shoulder joint that control the smaller, fine movements of the arm. These little muscles help with activities like carrying groceries and rotating your arm to put your jacket on. As a group they all pull together to hold the arm bone (humerus) onto the body, much like your hand grabbing a knob style door handle!"

- Nikki CAT(C)

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Our Story - How Revolution was born

Nikki here, owner of Revolution. I’ve yet to put into writing online the beginnings of this budding beast that is Revolution. I also don’t like writing so I’m going to do this in my own style, which is try to be straight to the point but you get all the details and a novel.

(Spring 2014) Building a practice:

As an Athletic Therapist (AT) working in the private sector, I can tell you it’s a struggle building your own business. It’s an uphill battle for all of us in the private sector but I believe AT’s get the short end of the therapy business stick. Most people don’t even know what Athletic Therapy is, never mind having an insurance plan that covers it or a doctor that prescribes it. This means as an AT, you need to be freaking fantastic at what you do and hope to GOD people tell their friends and family about you.

Anyway, I did something right because my little practice was growing. Located above a bowling ally on the second floor in a room in a gym, I believe word of mouth is the only thing that sustained that gym’s clinic. Then at one point I realized I was choosing to work one-on-one with the clients and preferred it that way, but there are only so many hours in a day and I wanted to help more people. So a friend recommended using Instagram and Facebook to connect with more people and educate them. That is where the name Revolution Rehab came into existence, I needed an IG handle!

What’s in a name?

The name has two meanings:
The first was to change the way we look at therapy and make it about communication and understanding (revolutionize therapy).
The second was based on my interpretation of the Athletic Therapy treatment model - rehab the initial injury, but go beyond allowing the client to surpass themselves with the goal of avoiding future injury (to circle around and lap yourself in a revolution).

So now I’m trying to create content for social media and guess what? I HATED IT!! It’s so non-specific and I found it lacking the individual nuances that working one-on-one with another human brings to the table.

(Summer 2016) A change in perspective:

During this time I took a trip to a fitness conference but found myself lacking interest in the popular classes like booty blast, hard core abs and crap like that. Instead, I ended up in the smaller rooms chatting up large chain gym owners, CEOs and fitness craze creators. I remember speaking with them and thinking, “If this guy can do this, so can I. If they can make fitness so acceptable, palatable, and mainstream, since the days of Arnold, why can’t I do that with therapy? Why can’t I break down the barriers between medical professional and human being?”

There was a fire lit under my ass but I had no idea what was cooking!

So, apparently I was a ball of fire when I came back to Winnipeg because the gym owner overheard me speaking about this revelation and that night we had a sit down and chat. He said it was in the best interest of his gym to keep me there for as long as possible and asked if I wanted to oversee the clinic. I told him I wasn’t interested in investing in his business and so we decided it made the most sense to have Revolution rent the space and dissolve the gym’s clinic.

So, now I had the chance to create a space that supported other therapy professionals that had the same values I did. Revolution was then incorporated and became it’s own entity December 2016, I went to a lawyer to make sure the contracts were done correctly and started sending out feelers for like-minded therapists. This was the main criteria (aside from the legal/ professional competence stuff):
- is passionate about physical therapy and helping people
- values working one-on-one
- respects other types of therapy and therapy professionals
- has plans for continuing education
- has a sense of humor/ and good interpersonal skills

It took a YEAR to find a multi-disciplinary team of therapists and to get everyone integrated into Revolution. We’re a family, new therapists have come since then and some have gone, but they are family and we are ever growing our therapy family! I believe if you support the therapist, they provide the best service. Therefore, Revolution is actually there for the therapist and in-turn, our clients are the main priority to their therapist every time they step in the door!

The next step:

Once this Revolution entity began to take shape, I realized the current situation was not going to be sustainable for the type of vision I had. So we began to search for a different clinic space late fall 2017, and found our new home at 230 Marion Street.

THAT is another story, but we have been in our new home for 6 months (since Oct 2018) and our therapy family is happy, meaning our clients are getting results, healing and moving on with their lives, and that is what is most important!