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Integrated Therapy & Training ITT




PHASE I - Integrated Therapy & Training


Primary Goals:
  • restore optimal muscle balance and length
  • decrease pain
  • stretch tight and short muscles
  • activate weak and inhibited muscles
  • enhance and optimize performance
ITT, developed by Dr. Sender Deutsch, co-founder of SHAPE Health and Wellness Centres in Toronto, is a revolutionary, personalized approach to your overall health, fitness and performance. At the foundation of ITT is the seamless integration of Physical Therapy (Active Release Techniques (ART®), Manual Therapy, Medical Acupuncture, Chiropractic and Physiotherapy) fused with High Performance Personal Training techniques.

ITT addresses movement, muscle and joint function, and stability of the body from head to toe. Dysfunctional movement patterns and subtle instability can develop without warning, and may lead to pain, decreased mobility, or weakness, thus inhibiting proper muscle function and delaying the benefits of exercise. By identifying and rehabilitating faulty muscle and joint function, ITT will keep you functioning in your top physical form.

ITT is based on the principles of activating and stabilizing your muscles through a two-step treatment approach that is administered in an integrated manner. ITT physicians and therapists treat you and your body like a professional athlete. ITT eliminates muscle and joint pain, speeds recovery of sports injuries, facilitates post surgical rehabilitation and enhances the results of training programs. ITT takes Physical Therapy and High Performance Personal Training to a new level using the latest research to ensure that you achieve your goals with lasting results.

A personalized treatment plan is developed to accomplish personal goals.

Exercise is one of the most crucial aspects of recovering from injury, or improving health and wellness, therefore, we make it a key component of SHAPE's ITT program. Our approach is to ensure proper muscle activation and stability of the total body, especially the "core". SHAPE's ITT ensures that you have proper muscle balance (posture, alignment and flexibility) and a stable platform (core) from which you can graduate to more advanced training techniques. Ensuring proper function of the core musculature can help prevent future low back and neck pain and enhance the benefits of exercise. With the information gathered during the initial assessment, determination can be made of the areas that need improvement.

Once ITT has achieved its purpose, the next step is to transition you to HIGH PERFORMANCE PERSONAL TRAINING (HPPT) and/or a FUSION TRAINING program with a SHAPE Conditioning Specialist to keep you injury-free, continue stabilizing your core and improving your overall health and fitness.

Depending on how long you have had an injury or dysfunction, the number of treatments will vary. For optimal results treatments should be administered 2-3 times a week for the first 2 to 4 weeks for 30 to 60 minutes. Specific stabilization exercises are integrated early in the program and may progress for approximately 4 to 6 weeks before general strengthening and conditioning can begin. At SHAPE we recommend periodic ITT assessments for all of our valued clients to ensure that proper function is maintained, and the benefits of our program continue to be maximized. This could involve one session with an ITT therapist every 4-12 weeks, depending on the individual.

STEP 1 - Physical Therapy Techniques back to top
  • Active Release Techniques ART
  • Acupuncture (Medical electro-acupuncture)
  • Chiropractic
  • Custom Orthotics and Braces
  • Functional Rehabilitation
  • Gait Analysis
  • Injury Prevention
  • Injury Rehabilitation
  • Manual Medicine
  • Mobilization
  • Muscle Activation
  • Muscle Energy Techniques
  • Nutritional Counselling and Supplementation
  • Physical Rehabilitation
  • Physiotherapy
  • Postural Exercise
  • Post Isometric Relaxation Technique
  • Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation (PNF)
  • Soft Tissue Therapy
  • Spinal Manipulation
  • Sports Therapy
  • Thai Bodywork
PHASE II -Performance Training & Preventive Care

Overview back to top

Once the initial goals have been achieved, our next step is to transition you to PERFORMANCE TRAINING to keep you injury-free and improve your fitness and health. PHASE II treatments are administered on a prescribed basis as PREVENTIVE CARE to improve your health and well-being and allow you to achieve optimal performance by enhancing the results of your program.

If you've come to SHAPE for general fitness and health purposes, and have no injuries or conditions that required treatment, you will begin at this phase. Regardless of your initial condition, all exercise and treatment programs at SHAPE are designed specifically to meet your needs, and are supervised by one of SHAPE's Clinic Directors - Integrated Therapist and Trainer (ITT).

HIGH PERFORMANCE PERSONAL TRAINING (HPPT)

Primary Goals of HPPT:
  • Improve core stability
  • Increase muscle balance and flexibility
  • Improve cardiovascular and muscle endurance
  • Increase lean muscle mass
  • Improve functional performance - specific skill training (e.g. sports)
The primary component of PHASE II is our unique approach to exercise training called High Performance Personal Training (HPPT). The initial goal of this training approach is to ensure proper stability from head to toe, but particularly in the "core". As described in the goals above, we want to ensure that you have a stable platform (or "core") from which you can graduate to more advanced training techniques. Further, ensuring proper function of the core musculature can help prevent future low back and neck pain, as well as improve results of exercise in general. From the information gathered during the initial assessment, we can determine areas where you need improvement.

At SHAPE, all of our highly-skilled trainers provide high-intensity metabolic training and well-designed workouts designed to be efficient, effective and fun. Programs are individualized to meet your specific needs and are always conducted under the supervision of one of SHAPE's clinic directors.

High Performance Personal Training Stages:

Stage 1: Muscle Activation and Stabilization (approximately 2 weeks)
Stage 2: Muscle Endurance (4-6 weeks)
Stage 3: Power Endurance / Complex Training (6+ weeks)

HIGH PERFORMANCE PERSONAL TRAINING (HPPT) TECHNIQUES back to top
  • Active Isolated Stretching (AIS)
  • Agility Training
  • Athletic Training
  • Boxing (Cardio and Rehabilitation Based)
  • Circuit Training
  • Core Performance
  • Core Stability
  • Injury Prevention
  • Injury Rehabilitation
  • Functional Training
  • Medicine Ball Training
  • Olympic Lifts
  • Performance Enhancement
  • Performance Training
  • Plyometrics
  • Speed and Power Development
  • Sport Specific Training
  • Swiss Ball Training
  • Thai Stretching
  • Theraband Exercises

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News & Events

Shawn Speaking @

British Chiropractic Autumn Conference
Kenilworth, England
Sept. 15-16 / 2012
'Do we really provide evidence-informed care?'
'Hip mobility to spare the spine - practical applications for older patients.'

Ontario Chiropractic Assoc.
'Pathways to Practice' Seminar'
Oct. / 2012
Topic to be Announced

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Testimonials

"Dr. Thistle provides us with a crucial piece of the puzzle when it comes to providing effective patient care. I found his presentation to be extremely informative and immediately applicable in practice. Epicurean Scholar will play an important part in my ongoing continuing education."
Dr. Chad Conaway Hanover, Ontario
NOTE: Shawn spoke to the Grey/Bruce Chiropractic Society Apr. 26 / 2012
"It was by chance I met with Dr. Thistle. I reside in Los Angeles, CA and while visiting family in Toronto, I complained of upper-back and shoulder pain which had been ongoing for three months. My father suggested I go to a chiropractor. I was not enthusiastic. Subsequently, my father took it upon himself to find a chiropractor. Luckily, his online search led to Dr. Thistle, whom I met 24 hours later. He provided immediate relief. Although you can't undo months, weeks or years of issues with one visit and a few adjustments, it is clear to me that my visit with Dr. Thistle was the springboard I needed to get on the right track. Further, I have been pain free since. Dr. Thistle also went out of his way to help find a doctor in Los Angeles. I highly recommend Dr. Thistle to anyone in need of chiropractic care.
Erik B. - Los Angeles"
"Through many years of sports and competitive dance, I've had numerous injuries which became chronic. For years I visited many physiotherapists, massage therapists and acupuncturists, but it wasn’t until I was treated at SHAPE that I recognized the remarkable difference. In fact, its almost unbelievable how accurately they can make a diagnosis, and then perform the right treatment for the right injury. Bottom line is they provide results quickly. I can’t tell you how thankful I am to be out of some of the pain I was experiencing for years. If there’s such a thing as a miracle worker – these guys (Shawn and Sender) are it!. The fact that they follow up the next day with a phone call or an email asking how I am doing, speaks volumes for the service!
Heather F."
"I felt I had conquered the world! I placed 17th in my age group out of 90 competitors at the Sarasota International Marathon 2008. A week before, I had to halt my training and was terrified I would not be able to compete. I could barely manage to walk, let alone make it through training runs because my knee pain was so excruciating! I contacted SHAPE, and Shawn came to my rescue! He was able to quickly discover the area bothering me, explain why I was feeling the pain and how to avoid it in future. Without Shawn and his outstanding ability to alleviate pain through ART®, I may not have made it through my warm up on race day! He was genuinely concerned and determined to do whatever possible to make sure I could compete. He is my new HERO!
Jess H."
"I have been very impressed with all of the services I have utilized at SHAPE. The focus on client experience is clearly evident and I am happy to say that I am in much better physical condition overall since starting at SHAPE – greatly reduced back and neck pain since working with Shawn and definitely increased strength and cardio fitness from working with Tuan and Eric as well!"
Matthew M.
"We are tournament champs! We were ranked #1 out of 40 teams and held our ground - undefeated 7:0. Despite the rain, it was awesome. I played a fair amount of points and felt 100%! Jumping, cutting, diving, and bending low were a breeze - nothing compared to Eric and Gregg's workouts! Tonight I have a game and the legs are feeling excellent. Good job Dr. Thistle - I think I was fixed after the first week! Thanks for making me bionic again!
Mica W."
"I just want to thank you for the treatments I have been getting from you.. The last one has changed my life. Sounds dramatic, I know, but I have finally been able to experience pain-free living for the first time in a long time, so thank you, thank you, thank you."
Phil M.
"I went airborne down a flight of stairs, badly bruising my left thigh and tailbone! It was quite sore and very uncomfortable. Dr. Thistle listened attentively, assessed my injuries and helped loosen and relax my tense glute and lower back muscles. I went in feeling as though I'd been hit by an SUV and walked out feeling limber and hopeful. I seldom entrust my body to chiropractors as I'm usually cautious of having more damage done to me. This is certainly not the case with Dr. Thistle. To ensure I was feeling better after my first treatment, he sent a quick note to check up on me. Hats off to the Dr. Thistles of the world, who put their heart into their work.
Rosa L."