As health care providers, your chiropractic and massage therapy healthcare team want you to know we are taking your safety very seriously.

As a doctor, I rely on information which is scientifically proven and medically backed and, accordingly, are closely monitoring and adhering to the advice given by public health officials.

Our commitment to putting the health and safety of our patients and staff first is unwavering. We have always taken pride in the cleanliness of our clinics and we would like to advise you of some of the risk mitigation measures we are taking to help protect you and the community

during this time:

• Continuing the sanitization processes for all medical equipment, tools and treatment tables after each individual use
• Air filtration system in waiting room and massage therapy treatment rooms with the use of HEPA filtration, ionization and UVC air sanitization
• Continuing and increasing sanitization protocols to all clinic touchpoints including, but not limited to, door handles, desks, display units, and payment terminals
• Hand sanitization stations throughout the clinic and entry/exits
• Masks are mandatory within the office
• Spreading out visit times to minimize contact with others
• Removing and spacing out waiting room chairs to allow for social distancing.  (During this time, we also ask patients to arrive as close to their appointment as possible to limit time spent in common areas)
• Removing all magazines from our waiting rooms
• Continuing to follow safe hygiene practices

Our clinic has always prided itself on providing quality care, with little to no time spent in the waiting room prior to your appointment. We have successfully accomplished this by increasing patient appointment times and running a “lower volume” clinic. It is just one way I prefer to provide quality care. Further, every treatment room is isolated (as opposed to other rehab or physio clinics with open treatment rooms).  As a result, any possible interaction with other patients is greatly limited.

If you have an upcoming appointment at one of our clinics and

1. are experiencing a fever, cough, difficulty breathing, or
2. have travelled in the past 14 days or have been in contact with individuals who have travelled outside of Canada, or
3. have been told to quarantine or you have been in contact with someone who has been told they have COVID19 and are in quarantine

….we request that for everyone’s safety you contact our team by phone or email to reschedule your appointment. Please be advised that ignoring these guidelines could result in refusal of treatment upon arrival.

BC Health Services Authority has valuable information and recommendations to follow which you can access through the following link:  http://www.bccdc.ca/health-info/diseases-conditions/covid-19

As the situation continues to evolve, please be assured that we will be constantly reassessing and adapting our processes to adhere to the latest updates and health guidelines. If you have any questions and/or concerns, you can email us at: [email protected]

We hope you’ll find it of use.

Stay Safe and Healthy,
Dr. Gordon Gertz

Pacific Chiropractic and Massage Therapy

PREPARATION FOR YOUR VISIT

Our commitment to putting the health and safety of our patients and staff first is unwavering. We have always taken pride in the cleanliness of our clinic and we would like to advise you of some of the safety measures and procedures we are following to help protect you and our staff during your upcoming appointment.

Please check the box next to all 5 questions approximately 24 hours prior to your appointment:

1. Please arrive at your recommended appointment time and not early. We are attempting to reduce any potential contact with other patients, and have reduced our waiting room to one chair. If possible, please use your bathroom facilities prior your arriving at the clinic
2. Please do not arrive at the office sweaty. If you use a bike to commute – please allow yourself enough time to cool down and dry off.
3. Please bring a mask to your appointment.
4. Your temperature will be taken upon arrival prior to entering the clinic.
5. Shara will direct you to the specific treatment room.

Please be aware that all treatment tables, chairs and touch points have been sanitized prior to your arrival.

The visit will proceed with both doctor and patient wearing a mask.

After your visit:

1. Please proceed directly to the front. Our payment terminal is “tap enabled”.
2. Please use the hand sanitizer dispenser on the way out. There are dispensers on both sides of the front door.

Thank you for your cooperation and we look forward to see you!

Please note that with the improvement of the situation in BC and the gradual relaxing of physical distancing guidelines, we are anticipating the office will reopen on Tuesday May 19, 2020 for regular chiropractic services and Registered Massage Therapy.

We will be reaching out to all of you first who have had their regular appointments postponed, and updating your treatment schedules. We will be following all recommended safety guidelines and we will be sending out a notice of what to expect and how to prepare for your visit prior to your appointment. Click here to read the notice – PREPARATION FOR YOUR VISIT. 

Please note that we are continually monitoring advisories by the public health authorities closely and will update you if we need to extend this projected re-opening date.

We apologize for any inconvenience the period of temporary closure may have caused. Trust that we recognize the importance of your health care appointments and appreciate your understanding as we navigate this unprecedented and challenging situation together.

EMERGENCIES:  URGENT APPOINTMENTS WILL STILL BE SEEN UNTIL THE RE-OPENING ON MAY 19 ON AN INDIVIDUAL BASIS. PLEASE CALL THE OFFICE OR TO SEND AN EMAIL REQUEST – CLICK HERE

Our office has implemented recommended precautions and made various changes to create a safer environment for the health of our staff and patients. Please read more here:   COVID19 Office Preparedness information

Stay Safe and Healthy,

Dr. Gordon Gertz

Dear patients,

As the health and safety of our patients and staff is of the greatest importance to us, in following public health authority recommendations on social distancing we have made the difficult decision to temporarily continue the closure of our clinic in an effort to help slow the spread of COVID-19.

Please note that with the improvement of the situation in BC and the gradual relaxing of physical distancing guidelines, we are anticipating the office will reopen on Tuesday May 21, 2020 for regular chiropractic services followed by Registered Massage Therapy sometime thereafter.

We will be reaching out to all of you first who have had their regular appointments postponed, and updating your treatment schedules. We will be following all recommended safety guidelines and we will be sending out a notice on what to expect for your visit, and any preparations required.

Please note that we are continually monitoring advisories by the public health authorities closely and will update you if we need to extend this projected re-opening date.

We apologize for any inconvenience this period of temporary closure may have caused. Trust that we recognize the importance of your health care appointments and appreciate your understanding as we navigate this unprecedented and challenging situation together.

EMERGENCIES:  URGENT APPOINTMENTS WILL BE SEEN DURING THIS TIME ON AN INDIVIDUAL BASIS. PLEASE CALL THE OFFICE OR TO SEND AN EMAIL REQUEST – CLICK HERE

When the office re-opens or before any emergency appointment request, please read the our COVID19 Office Preparedness information prior to attending your appointment.

Stay Safe and Healthy,

Dr. Gordon Gertz

Laptops and Ergonomics: this is almost a contradiction! With a fixed design, if the keyboard is in an optimal position for the user, the screen isn’t and if the screen is optimal the keyboard isn’t. This results in a higher incidence of repetitive strain injuries than the desktop computer. Laptops were originally designed for convenience during travel, meetings and for their portability. They were not designed for continued or permanent usage. However, the incidence and popularity of usage as a user’s primary computer has increased dramatically. Walk into any coffee shop in Yaletown, and one could make a study of poor ergonomics! Ouch! Combined with a poor work station at home, it’s even worse now with many people forced to work from home during this crisis.

There are several factors will increase the likelihood of future chronic pain.  The furniture in hotel rooms, trains, cars, or planes, and at home, is invariably inadequate for laptop use. Lighting conditions are often not adjusted for laptop use. Therefore, glare, combined with improper viewing angle and lack of display adjustability often results in awkward posture. The narrow viewing angle of Liquid Crystal Displays (LCD) is poorly suited to sharing, discussion, and collaboration with multiple people.

Research carried out by Dr Benedyk discovered that 57 per cent of respondents to their student survey had experienced aches and pains as a result of their laptop use, with an overwhelming majority unaware of proper ergonomics on using laptops. 649 undergraduate and postgraduate students from a range of nationalities completed the set of survey questions. 166 teaching staff responded to a separate online survey. The most prevalent aches and pains were in the neck (21 per cent), shoulders (21 per cent), wrists (16 per cent), back (15 per cent) and eyes (11 per cent). Many survey respondents admitted to having frequently positioned their laptop on their laps (42 per cent), in bed (29 per cent) and on the floor (13 per cent).

Common Signs and Symptoms of Overuse Injuries from Poor Laptop Ergonomics:

• Muscle fatigue, aches which initially subside during rest
• Tight band of pain across shoulders or back
• Pain or stiffness when changing positions, or rising from bed in the mornings
• Difficulty in finger, thumb or wrist movement
• Difficulty gripping things
• Numbness, tingling, weakness, burning or pain
• Headaches
• Blurry vision
• Difficulty concentrating due to discomfort
• To name a few!!

Some Simple Tips:

1. Put the laptop in a docking station or sit it on some books so that the top of the screen is roughly level with your forehead

2. Attach an external keyboard and mouse and set these up in an ergonomic fashion whenever possible. A wireless keyboard and mouse can be purchased relatively inexpensively these days.

3.  Move the laptop close enough so you do not hold your head forward to see what is on the screen. Sit back in the chair and keep your head directly over your shoulders.

4. Avoid working on the hotel bed or at a table that is too high or low. Use a small pillow to support your lower back.

5. Buy a roller bag or backpack with straps to decrease strain while transporting the laptop, instead of a shoulder or handbag.

6.  Avoid working in lighting that is too bright or behind your screen to avoid leaning in to see the screen creating eye strain.

7. Set a reminder to pop up to let you know when it is time to stand up and stretch!

8.  When working from home, take advantage of your space, roll out a yoga mat and take some regular stretch breaks.

IMPORTANT:

The reality is that our bodies are really not designed to be sitting for the amount of time that we do these days. We are designed to be in motion!!  Our joints, bones, ligaments and muscles respond best and are the healthiest when they have regular use. So if you have a job that requires sitting for long periods of time, make sure you incorporate a regular exercise routine into your leisure time activities. You should stand up every half hour just to get the blood flowing through your neck, back & legs. Stand up and stretch by walking around a bit. This will relieve tension from your system and reduce overall stress.

If someone you know is suffering from the results of poor work ergonomics needlessly, start with calling our office to schedule yourself, or someone you know in for a check up appointment to see what treatment options are available to you.

~Dr. Gertz

COVID 19 NOTICE OF TEMPORARY OFFICE CLOSURE

March 21, 2020

Dear Patients,

As the health and safety of our patients and staff is of the greatest importance to us, in following public health authority recommendations on social distancing we have made the difficult decision to temporarily close our clinic in an effort to help slow the spread of COVID-19.

Please be advised that Pacific Chiropractic and Massage Therapy will be closed effective immediately until Tuesday March 31, 2020.

All scheduled appointments during this time period will be postponed, and patients will be contacted as soon as possible to reschedule.

You can book future appointments from our online booking system, “Request an Appointment” form submission (both located on our website), send us an email or call to leave a message. Note: only regular RMT appointments or new chiropractic appointments can be booked using the online booking system.

Please note that we will be monitoring advisories by the public health authorities closely and will update you if we need to extend this projected re-opening date.

When the office re-opens, please read the our COVID19 Office Preparedness information prior to attending your appointment.

We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause.  Please read any prior notices in this blog.  We recognize the importance of your health care appointments and appreciate your understanding as we navigate this unprecedented and challenging situation together.

Stay Safe and Healthy,

Dr. Gordon Gertz

Pacific Chiropractic and Massage Therapy

COVID 19 PREPAREDNESS AT OUR CLINIC

March 10, 2020

Dear Patient,

As health care providers, your chiropractic and massage therapy healthcare team share in the increasing global concern about COVID-19. We want you to know we are taking the situation very seriously. As a doctor, I rely on information which is scientifically proven and medically backed and, accordingly, are closely monitoring and adhering to the advice given by public health officials.

Our commitment to putting the health and safety of our patients and staff first is unwavering. We have always taken pride in the cleanliness of our clinics and we would like to advise you of some of the risk mitigation measures we are taking to help protect you and the community during this time:

• Continuing the sanitization processes for all medical equipment, tools and treatment tables after each individual use
• Continuing and increasing sanitization protocols to all clinic touchpoints including, but not limited to, door handles, desks, display units, and payment terminals
• Inserting sanitizer dispensers at points where you may touch door handles
• Spreading out visit times to minimize contact with others
• Removing and spacing out waiting room chairs to allow for social distancing.  During this time, we also ask patients to arrive as close to their appointment as possible to limit time spent in common areas.
• Removing all magazines from our waiting rooms
• Continuing to follow safe hygiene practices

Further, every treatment room is isolated (as opposed to other rehab or physio clinics with open treatment rooms).  As a result, any possible interaction with other patients is greatly limited.

If you have an upcoming appointment at one of our clinics and are experiencing a fever, cough, difficulty breathing, or have travelled or been in contact with individuals who have travelled outside of Canada, we request that for everyone’s safety you contact our team by phone or email to reschedule your appointment. Please be advised that ignoring these guidelines could result in refusal of treatment upon arrival.

 BC Health Services Authority has valuable information and recommendations to follow which you can access through the following link:  http://www.bccdc.ca/health-info/diseases-conditions/covid-19

As the situation continues to evolve, please be assured that we will be constantly reassessing and adapting our processes to adhere to the latest updates and health guidelines. If you have any questions and/or concerns, you can email us, submit a request online or give us a call.

For information on safe hygiene practices we are providing the following Health Canada link for your convenience: https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/diseases/2019-novel-coronavirus-infection/prevention-risks.html

We hope you’ll find it of use.
Stay Safe and Healthy,
Dr. Gordon Gertz

Pacific Chiropractic and Massage Therapy

It has been said the upwards of 90% of communication between human beings are what we call “non verbal” communication. That is, our facial expressions, eye position, movements and importantly our posture. These are called non verbal “cues”. Subconsciously, we “read” others and form opinions, judgments, and make decisions subconsciously based on these non verbal cues whether we realize it or not. Likewise, our non verbal “cues” also govern how people think and feel about US! It works both ways. One of the most important non verbal cues is your posture. Human beings predictably exhibit posture that mirrors how we are feeling or what we are thinking internally.

What kind of postural “cues” do we exhibit? We can change our chin position – upward or looking to the floor; head forward and strained or upright and tall; the height of our shoulders – whether we are collapsed and slouched inward or  chest outward with a full breath; arms crossed in front of us or open with our palms facing outward; our feet positioning – facing forward or to the side; whether we are standing tall or slouched. There are literally dozens of possible variations or postural “cues” incorporating the posture of many of our body parts that others read subconsciously.

The interesting question, that social psychologist, professor and researcher at Harvard Business School Amy Cuddy discusses in her Ted Talk, is whether non verbal cues can also govern how we think and feel about OURSELVES? The answer is yes. By simply changing your posture, and other non verbal cues such as our facial expression, we can essentially change not only how others perceive and judge us but also our own attitudes about ourselves as well.

Our bodies can change our minds. Our minds then can change our behaviour. And our behaviour can change our outcomes.

For example, research conducted by Cuddy shows that simply by adopting a posture that exemplifies “power”, can increase your testosterone levels by as much as 20% and lower your cortisol levels by as much as 25%.  Adopting a “poor” posture can lower your testosterone levels by as much as 10% and increase your cortisol levels by as much as much as 15%.  Why is this important? Higher testosterone levels are a key marker of good health, and is associated with feelings of positivity, confidence and success. Higher cortisol levels are an indicator of stress, negative feelings and overall poorer health.

Yes! Your posture can actually change not only your own emotions but also your actual physiology.

Everyday my patients hear me harping about how important their posture is and the various ways it can impact their overall health. It’s always an ongoing battle to try to maintain or even improve our posture, when the nature of our work –  sitting in front of a computer all day creates just the opposite – poor posture.  Poor posture is a slippery slope as our bodies slowly adapt, joints stiffen and become misaligned, our muscles and ligaments become less flexible. Fortunately, there effective ways of correcting these changes such as with regular chiropractic care and maintenance of your flexibility through a consistent stretching routine or yoga.

If you feel that you are in need of an attitude shift, and some improvements to your postural outlook on life, schedule a chiropractic check up appointment. We will assess your current posture and let you know what needs to be done to safely and effective improve your posture.

~Dr. G