Osteopathy
Osteopathic Manual Practitioner, D.O.M.P.,D.Sc.O
Osteopathy is a manual therapy aimed at treating the source of dysfunction in the body in order to maximize health. Manual osteopaths use a variety of gentle hands-on techniques to address musculoskeletal issues such as neck pain and low back pain, and systemic issues such as digestive difficulties, respiratory and gynaecological dysfunction. By calling on their extensive knowledge of anatomy and assessing and treating the inter-relationships between various systems in the body, osteopathic manual practitioners can remove the barriers to the healing process. This can profoundly improve the health of the patient. I have completed a 5 year osteopathy program (+ additional years to write a thesis) at the Canadian College of Osteopathy where I wrote my thesis on "The Effects of Global Osteopathic Treatment on Postpartum Low Back Pain”. This involved conducting a clinical research trial measuring pain using the McGill Pain Questionnaire 2, and measuring viscoelastic change in tissue with the MyotonPro Myometer and presenting in front of a thesis jury including members of the international osteopathic community. I am sub specialized in Women’s Health and use an external treatment approach. Other areas of expertise are lower back and sacroiliac dysfunction in regular as well as pregnant and postpartum populations, MSK dysfunction i.e hip / knee / ankle / shoulder, TMJ alignment and postural issues. I see patients of all ages from newborns to the elderly.
www.synergysportsmedicine.com
Movement
Rehabilitative Pilates Mat & Equipment teacher / Yoga Teacher / Franklin Method Educator / Synergy Movement Therapy Director, Teacher Trainer and Mentor
I have been teaching Pilates for 27 years with a focus on its rehabilitative benefits. I participated in Downward Dog's first yoga teacher training in 1998 and taught the anatomy portion of their teacher training course for 12 years. I have been teaching yoga for 20 years with a focus on incorporating yoga into a rehabilitative setting. I have also taught anatomy for teacher trainings at Octopus Garden Yoga, 889 Yoga, The Alexander Alliance of Toronto, Sasha Padron’s Pre and Post Natal Yoga Teacher Training, have presented on The Sacroiliac Joint at The Yoga Festival of Toronto in 2010, at the Movement Research Intensives in 2017 and 2018, at The Yoga Conference and the Ontario Medical Association Sports Medicine Conference in 2019. I was co-owner of Mind the Body Pilates & Bodywork on Queen Street West for 12 years where I trained a number of movement teachers and ran anatomy modules for movement teachers. Teaching Mysore / self-practice at Downward Dog for many years gave me the experience of working with yoga students one-on-one in order to develop individual rehabilitative yoga programs specific to a given student and their particular needs. My strength as a movement teacher is the ability to analyze movement dysfunction and educate students in order to improve bio-mechanical deficits that may be causing injury or pain, and aid in strengthening and re-patterning movement within the context of Pilates, yoga and other movement practices. I am a Franklin Method Educator and I am currently studying DNS. I will be offering an in-person Foundational and Classical Pilates Mat Training at Synergy Sports Medicine in late spring 2022. I developed The Body Loop resistance band and community with Diane Bruni, who we sadly lost in January 2021 - a devastating loss to the movement community .
thebodyloop.com
Synergy Sports Medicine
”Empowering Through Movement”
Synergy Sports Medicine
Dr. Raza Awan attended my Pilates and yoga studio, Mind the Body on Queen Street West, and resolved a lumbar disc issue he had sought treatment for from many clinicians. In 2004 Dr. Awan began sending his patients to Mind the Body, using Pilates and yoga for their rehabilitative effects. In 2011 Dr. Awan and I opened Synergy Sports Medicine and collaborated on an outcomes-based rehabilitation model we call “Movement Based Rehabilitation”. Using our combined thirty five years of experience in the field we incorporated a strong exercise component that we felt was lacking in conventional rehabilitation programs.
As part of this model, we decided to explore the concept of using rehabilitative classes to teach exercises. Dr. Awan collected clinical patterns of deficits found with specific conditions based on his experience with patients who did not improve with conventional rehab care. I programmed exercises that targeted these deficits and coached a team of movement teachers who had been working with me for years to create the Synergy Movement Therapy Programs. Synergy now offers five Movement Therapy Programs to address various musculoskeletal components. The programs include: Back Care, Hip & Knee, Neck & Shoulder, ComputerFit and Foot & Ankle, and protocols include Stenosis and Pelvic Health. Post Covid we are running Back Care classes and focusing on patient centred movement in Pilates Machine classes using the Reformer, Cadillac, Wunda Chair and Arm Chair.
Our vision at Synergy is to build a spire of excellence in continuing education and develop a movement vernacular accessible to both the medical and movement communities in order to proactively improve the health of patients.