Liam Dessureault PT

06/06/2023

Call for volunteers! Looking for course marshalls for a mountain bike race this sunday (June 11). No experience necessary. Its at Nakkertok Nordic Centre just on the edge of Gatineau. We need people on the course, but there are other positions to be filled too. PM me if you have questions, or just sign up:
https://clubskinouk.ivolunteer.com/coupeskinoukvdm_2023?fbclid=IwAR0oy_KAUqSr0zltXpB_dM4hOwza_wwr5bQZ_j-eLXZuo5RoMmnWBFOksBw

04/07/2023

It’s my ‘’rebirthday’’!
A year ago, I started seeing patients again. After treating 200+ deserving humans, I am still pumped by my decision to return to the frontline. I have a few thoughts for those of you here that provided some support and encouragement...

1) Some people really need to hear a diagnosis. But a diagnosis has limited value IMO when answers are missing to a most important next question clients have: ‘’what do I do?’’. To answer that, wise therapists know that the more one listens to a client, the more the client exposes the heart of the problem to solve. Its amazing what can happen when you let someone just ‘’go’’. In my personal life, I am honestly not the best listener so I love how physio requires me to be quiet and let someone tell me what is going on.

2) Of course I had to do a little brain dusting to get back in the swing of things. I have enormous gratitude for the wide community of mentors and experts out there that give their time to help others refine their practice and get a little better every day. (A few photos below from a lunch and learn last week on pelvis imbalances with my colleagues). There are so many specialities even just within physio, there is no shortage of cupboards to open and explore. For me, 2022 was about getting better at treating vertigo, and hip pain. That brought me to Montreal and then to Australia (web courses lol). While I, of course, wished that learning would have been just about building on top of what you already know, the truth is that it’s a disruptive process. A learner has to dismantle old ways of thinking and this can be confusing and discouraging! So you can actually get worse before getting better.

3) Finally, a tip of my cap to the kids and adults that brought their best effort to the table. From my first patient (a hemiplegic golfer!), working with motivated, conscientious and realistic people inspired me to give my best, too. Definitely a few late night research sessions to be ready to step up and earn the respect and meet the expectations that most patients have for their next appointment. If you are seeing a therapist, put in your time and do your homework. Its a team thing!

With warm weather comes more people keen to get active again. I am looking forward to the next work with interesting and intriguing problems.

Happy rebirthing to all of you!

03/11/2023

For skaters that didn’t get their fix this year:

Tomorrow is likely the last day of the season up at Patinage en Foret in my old hood in Lac des Loups. Went yesterday and really recommend a morning slot. It’s about 45 min from Hull.

The ice quality is still really good and personally I really like gliding thru the forest. I was practicing long hip strides, and with some convincing Mateo (normally a small rink sprinter) picked it up with practice.

Long hip strides = great bun burner 💪🏻

Surprisingly, it was really quiet for a March break weekend (which I loved) ….And they have their own homemade Beavertails!

02/10/2023

Had a fun time with the kindergarteners à Ecole international Mont-Bleu. I consider myself a teacher - but of physical literacy - in my day job so it was exciting to bring in a fun twist with a group of little ones. They were doing a module on the animal kingdom so I covered the feats and ‘’record holders’’ (Did you know the puma has a vertical jump of 7m, or that kangaroos cannot dissociate their legs???). I had fun anyway and no one cried. I got a few hugs and some cool drawings. Had been a while since I was officially in charge of a group. OMG, a renewed respect and admiration for school teachers! 🤯🫠🤓

01/26/2023

Why complain about drifts when you can ski to work? Once again, active commuters have no issues finding parking.

01/12/2023

Quelques bons points pratiques qui s'appliquent en physio aussi!

Découvrez 11 choses, dans l'ordre et dans le désordre, que votre massothérapeute aimerait que vous sachiez afin de vous offrir une détente en profondeur.

12/17/2022

Did a live interview for Radio Canada's morning show yesterday. They were looking for a physio for a short segment on healthy shoveling tips. I shared some points I learned during my time working in cardiac ICU: more heart attacks happen in the morning, and big snowfalls are heart killers. Take away: drinking a coffee and then shoveling snow is not the way to wake up. I also explained how ice and anti-inflammatory meds are no longer best practice for acute injuries. Have a listen (and hear that they introduced me as ''Luc'' 🫤)

https://ici.radio-canada.ca/ohdio/premiere/emissions/Les-matins-d-ici/episodes/675218/rattrapage-du-vendredi-16-decembre-2022/8

11/26/2022

I think this almost daily when a patient asks why this has happened to them. Let’s be thankful that our bodies are so normally miraculous!

11/24/2022

Its that time of year…snow flies and the salt trucks come out of hibernation. For me, this means putting my summer bike away and getting out the winter machine. Here is my winter bike now in the shed's prime berth with Priscille’s own winter ride on the left. Mine is an old vintage Sekine that I got on a trade 4 years ago. Despite its be**er rusty look, this one has lasted the longest of my winter bikes…probably since it was not out much over the last 2 years. Hers is my way-old mountain bike – a KONA explosif from the 90s. The Marzocchi shock died but otherwise quite a longevity record – they just don’t make them like that anymore….

I started winter biking in 2007, when I lived near Parc Moussette and needed to get in to U of O when I was doing my Masters. I found it a great way to arrive in class or lab ready to go, full of O2. The same applies to the working me – a sure fire way to be ready for the day.

I wanted to post 3 myths to inspire anyone considering trying.

#1: its too cold. I quickly realized that I was far warmer biking than when busing or even parking and walking (the frugal student way). My method is that if I am not cool when I first step outside, I am overdressed and will be sweating in minutes. Most winter I have a thin baselayer and just a wind breaker. Under -15, I add a thin second layer. What I like about winter is that you actually have an easy cool down option (just open your jacket).

#2 Its too dangerous. This is determined by your skill and the characteristics of your route. The more you bike, the better you become at reading the surface and judging your grip. For example, I will corner differently in winter. I tend to assume I have no grip so you learn to turn in a way of keeping the bike more vertical to the ground. I fall once or twice a year and spills are usually in early December when the first black ice appears and usually in weird transition spots like exiting the roadway or around parking lots. Usually stings a bit and I tend to giggle. Unlike the summer there is no bare skin! Being a good summer commuter means being predictable, visible and flowing with traffic and this applies to winter. The better you know your route, the more you know where the pinch points are and where the road (or drivers) are sketchy.

#3 You need a fat bike. People ask if I have fat tires with studs. Actually I have skinny tires, no studs (hard to get for my vintage wheel size), and for last few years actually have hardly any tread. They are pretty much slicks. This is what I prefer, as I am faster and I rather cut through the snow/slush than slide around like on a sandy beach. As far as I can tell, studs are only needed for real icey conditions. This is like only 10% of the winter, and the days I tend not to bike. 90% of the time is dry pavement or a thin layer of snow with reasonable traction. For me a good winter bike should not cost more than 150 second-hand (Dave's Bike Dump on Catherine Street has kept me going all this time)

The one downside is how much more difficult repairs are to make en route – usually parts are much stiffer to move due to rust and of course you end up bare-handed handling cold metal :( . Not very fun.

If you are thinking about it, find out more and talk to someone for ideas. Its more accessible than you think!

10/11/2022

Another memorable paddle camp on 31 Mile Lake this weekend. Really proud of the skills the boys are building. Canoe camping is a potent activity to grow ‘’physical literacy’’ – the application of body force and timing to move in and affect your surroundings.
Such as
-honing the paddle strokes against a cross wind
-swinging an axe (and only chop what you are supposed to)
-wrestling and really pinning your brother on a bed of sleeping bags
-scrambling over quartz and finding delicate shells
-swiping the dirt off your breakfast while not spilling hot chocolate all over your jacket...

It was just the 3 of us. Like I learned from my dad, these skills have to be passed on. I started doing this for me, but when my resolve wanes I realize I have to do this for them. I am a fortunate man!

10/07/2022

Had a great time this week at the new Domaine Kanawe in Cantley with my son Mateo. He started grade 7 this Fall in Sports Études - mountain biking. THese programs put real meaning into lessons of “physical literacy”. Their new head coach (far right) has such a great balance of working hard and learning while having fun. Seeing him show these kids how to use their growing bodies is heart warming. Mateo is junior and surrounded by people to look up to. Feeling grateful Mateo has such a supportive and positive school space. I so wish this existed when I was young!

09/14/2022

Had a great time with my clinic buds trading ideas and sharing techniques for treating the plantar fascia - ''healing the heel'' 😅
Tried a taping technique I haven't used before, and shared my go-to method that others didn't know.

Having a focused topic was a fun way to learn about treatment approaches of my osteopath and massage therapist colleagues. I really dig working with people who are career-long learners.🤓