Blog | Sports Specialist Rehab Centre

Sep 22 0

Return to the Gym!

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Getting back to the gym!

Returning to a workout routine when you’ve taken time off can be exciting and sometimes intimidating. In order to reintegrate your body back to gym intensity, here are some guidelines to keep in mind. (Just remember: it’s a process and it’s all about taking baby steps!)

First, what are the current movement requirements for an adult in each week of life?

MINIMUM 150 minutes of moderate aerobic activity or 75 minutes of vigorous aerobic activity a week (or a combination of moderate and vigorous activity).
Complete strength training exercises for all major muscle groups at least 2 times a week.

Your level of progression is largely based upon your total time off, the reason for the break, and your level of fitness prior to it. What happens to your body when you take time off/come out of routine is your health is on the back burner. This is whether you’re back from surgery, work, children or COVID:

Flexibility is reduced after 4 weeks of detraining by ~7-30%,
Muscles start to atrophy after 2-3 weeks,
Endurance performance decreases up to 25% after 3-4 weeks,
VO2 max declines by 6-20% after 4 weeks of detraining,
Your body looks smaller with less muscle glycogen stores.

Start with 50-60% of the intensity prior to putting your training on pause.

Cardio:

If you previously ran 10km, plan on covering 4-5 km, at a slower pace than you once maintained. Start with strengthening your heart muscle at 60-70% of your heart rate max (220-age). Ex. If you are 40 years old your max heart rate (HRmax) is 180 beats per minute (bpm) with a 60-70% HR of 108-126 bpm. The treadmill, crosstrainer, and stationary bike are great indoor alternatives to work at a steady state of cardio. When in doubt, a brisk 20 minute outdoor walk will help invigorate your mind and get your body moving again!

RT:

Your time away from fitness probably involved a lot of sitting, which causes weakness in your posterior chain. These muscles are important for basic everyday movement, as well as keeping your spine erect when at your desk – incorporate exercises that improve posture, develop core strength, and activate muscles throughout your gluteus and hamstring regions. Again, work at ~50-60% of the weights you completed prior to the pause. If you were bicep curling 20 lb at 12 reps 3 sets, start with 10-12 lb for 12-15 rep for 2 sets for the first 2 weeks and move up to 3 sets, slowly adding more volume.

It’s important to remember that your overall health is more important than your fitness goals. As gyms reopen, take time to allow your body to adapt. It’s a different body than when you left the gym. In time, you can get back to doing your best to stay both fit and healthy – and that’s the best goal anyone can have!

Author: Adriana Renton, Fascial Stretch Therapist

Sep 15 0

How I Combat Stress!

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To say that times are crazy right now is an understatement; COVID-19 has thrown all our lives for a loop. Lock downs, masks, travel restrictions, social distancing – we have had to adapt to a new way of going about our lives. With all of these things come newfound stress that can cause us grief, anxiety, and nervousness. Everyone experiences stress in some shape or form, and each of us have different strategies for coping. Below are some of mine!

1. EXERCISE – this is by far my biggest stress reliever. It’s an hour out of my day where I can put my headphones in, be alone with myself in my thoughts, and focus on pushing weight! Anyone that knows me, knows that if I’m not getting my workouts in I get jittery and irritable (just ask Paolo or Marco!). I leave the gym feeling centred and accomplished, and hopefully sore the next day!

2. READING – I try to keep up to date with the latest news from around the globe. In light of the times and how media is very COVID-centred at the moment, I try to shift toward other issues happening locally, nationally, and globally. I’m also a bit of a Batman junky so I have a lot of those comics!

3. PODCASTS – I enjoy listening to these while I’m out on my bike, driving in the car, or when I’m cleaning my apartment. Personal favourites include Millenial Investing and The Motley Fool for hot market tips, and The Bill Simmons Podcast to get my sports fix (however biased Bill is toward his Boston sports teams!)

4. HIT A PATIO – summertime in Toronto is a patio haven, and especially with expanded room for restaurants this summer, social distancing made it easier to enjoy a couple cold ones outside. It’s also a great way to see your friends while still maintaining that physical distance!

Stresses affect all of us differently, and in different magnitudes. Don’t be afraid to reach out for help if you are struggling.

Here’s to hoping everyone stays safe and we get through this chapter in a future history textbook.

Take care

Brian Culliton, Registered Physiotherapist

Aug 25 0

Backpack Safety!

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Everything regarding back to school is so confusing and up in the air right now. I don’t have young children so I can only imagine how all of the parents are feeling lost right now! However, if your child ends up heading back to the classroom in person, one thing you CAN control is how they pack and wear their backpack to help prevent back pain.

If a backpack is too heavy or worn improperly, there is a risk of back pain, neck pain, arm pain and headaches in your child.

The Ontario Chiropractic Association has some excellent tips on how to reduce these risks:

Picking a bag:
Choose a lightweight material like canvas or vinyl instead of a heavier material like leather.
Ensure there are wide, adjustable straps that can rest comfortably over the shoulders.
Even better if there is also a hip or waist strap to help spread the load out on your child’s body
Padding on the back can help with comfort
Lots of pockets to help distribute the weight around.
Ensure the bag is proportionate in size to your child and fits snugly around the shoulders.

Packing the bag:
THE TOTAL WEIGHT OF THE BAG SHOULD BE NO MORE THAN 10-15% OF YOUR CHILD’S WEIGHT
Make sure they only have what they need for the day, nothing extra
Pack the heaviest items close to the body and odd-shaped items further away
Try packing things among the different pockets to distribute the weight out

Putting on the bag:
Put the bag on a flat surface at waist height instead of lifting from the floor
Slip on the bag one arm at a time and then tighten the straps
Try to remind your child to lift using their arms and legs, not their back

Wearing the bag:
Ensure both shoulder straps are used and adjusted for a snug fit
You should be able to slide one hand between the bag and your child’s back.
Using the waist strap can help to evenly distribute the weight even further and add extra stability.

Is your child complaining of pain? One of our excellent practitioners at Sports Specialist Rehab Centre would be happy to help them get out of pain and return to their favourite activities! Get in touch if you have any questions!

Author:
Dr. Allie Dennis, BSc Kin (Hons), DC
Chiropractor | Acupuncture Provider | Functional Range Conditioning

Reference:
Pack it light. Wear it right. Ontario Chiropractic Association. https://chiropractic.on.ca/wp-content/uploads/Pack-it-Light-Wear-it-Right-Children-One-Pager-Aug16-1.pdf

Aug 18 0

We Live in a Changed World

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COVID-19 has not only changed our lives and our world, it has also changed the way we live and interact with our environment and each other.

We at The Sports Specialist Rehab Centre are eager to learn more regarding how this world altering event has changed your life. What are the emotional and physical challenges that you must contend with on a daily basis? What is your definition of “health”? What is your most significant challenge to staying healthy in our current world?

Please feel free to contact us via telephone or email to provide your responses to the questions above. Through your responses, we can better understand the new healthcare requirements of our patients. With this invaluable information, we can then modify, refine and develop services in order to meet those requirements, assisting our patients in achieving thier health goals as they each uniquely define.

We appreciate your time and the sharing of your thoughts.

Author:

Dr. Paolo De Ciantis, BSc.(Hons.), M.Sc., D.C.

Aug 05 0

Speak Up!

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Throughout my career I’ve received interesting feedback from patients regarding treatment from registered massage therapists. For example, patients have reported that they have experienced discomfort during treatments as well that the therapist worked too light, too deep, spoke throughout the treatment and worked on areas that weren’t asked to be treated. Frequently, these patients also reported that they were too scared to ask questions believing that they would distract the therapist and felt incredibly self conscious or even vulnerable during treatment.

In general, inherent in manual therapies such as massage therapy, is the possibility of the production of pain or discomfort. My first experience with massage therapy was when I was a high school student. Following my treatment, I was in such discomfort I couldn’t even sit in class the following day. From my perspective, massage therapy became associated with harm. In fact, it was not until 15 years later when I found myself in the massage therapy program that I received my next massage. However, my personal experience in conjunction with my education in massage therapy formulated my therapeutic approach to my own patients. I’ve made it my personal mission to ensure that during treatments, patients feel heard, safe and empowered that they are the ones in total control of a treatment session, not myself. My role is for treatment, guidance and education, lending a sympathetic ear if needed and with an overall goal to make an individual feel better.

As a matter of course, prior to any patients of mine (new or existing) even laying upon the treatment table, I establish an open line of communication. This makes them aware that they can feel free to speak to me throughout the treatment and there is no risk of distracting me. This helps to establish and foster a trust in myself and my capability to not only treat my patients but to address any questions or concerns that they may raise.

Massage therapy can be an uncomfortable experience, but doesn’t have to be if communication is established. Please be aware that you never have to be afraid to ask any questions or to let your therapist know what you’re experiencing during a treatment, particularly if you’re feeling pain or discomfort. If you ever find yourself in the situation where you feel that the therapist is not listening to you or addressing your concerns during treatment, it’s your right to request the session be shortened or terminated. This advice applies to appointments of any healthcare professional.

There are many registered massage therapists who are just as passionate as myself about our profession and who tirelessly promote massage therapy in a positive light. We strive to make our patients feel empowered, ensuring they are safe and that their voices are always heard!

Author: Lesley Andress

Jul 28 0

Floss Your Joints

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How often do you brush and floss your teeth?

Every day, right? You know it is important for the health of your teeth, and they go yellow and fuzzy if you don’t. Your partner will tell you when you need to brush your teeth, if you haven’t. But what about your joints? How often do you floss your joints for their health so you can move better and feel your best?

Having a daily mobility routine immediately improves and maintains your joint movement, reduces soft-tissue stiffness and allows for easier access to your active available range of motion (ROM). Everyday, just like brushing your teeth, you need to facilitate movement of every joint to keep it healthy until you are 100 years old. What if I told you that at the age of 70 we could get you back doing the splits again within a year? Yes, your body is malleable!

When you were born, your body was at its most malleable. You can take a baby’s ankles and move them to do the splits in every direction with minimal resistance. Then as we grew up to start walking, running, playing soccer and sitting – we created the range of motion that our body now uses today based on our individual movement patterns and postures. If you don’t use it, you loose it! Those sitting positions restrict and don’t allow you to use your hips and their surrounding muscles and soft tissues to their optimal potential. What does your current ROM look like for your neck, shoulder, hips, ankles?

Your mobility is indicative of your quality of life. Do you have control of the range of motion that you have access to?

I believe in coaching through assisted stretching of Fascial Stretch Therapy in combination with Functional Range Conditioning with the goal of decreasing back pain, injury prevention in athletes, reducing stiffness in older adults and improving the quality of life of every patient on my table. Strength + control + breathe are prioritized as the pillars in order to expand upon usable ranges of motion, articular resilience and overall joint health and facilitate alterations in blood flow parameters as well as relative tissue glide. These principles in your prehab, rehab and training can be a game changer!

If you don’t brush your teeth, you get cavities. If you don’t articulate your joints, you get pain, decrease ROM and even joint degradation. Don’t just move more, move better and feel better!

Author: Adriana Renton

Jul 22 0

Keto Coffee and Almond Milk

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There are many misconceptions about smoothies. You throw in some fruit, pick a milk base and off you go. But do you really know how much sugar you’re drinking?

Here is my rendition of a smoothie, that’s low in sugar, I drink daily to help curb cravings and keep me full on a busy day between patients.

Keto Coffee

Depending on my mood that day I either add the coffee or just use the base of unsweetened almond milk.

INGREDIENTS

1 ½ cups of unsweetened almond milk ( I increase by ½ cup of almond milk if i remove the coffee that day)

½ cup fresh brewed coffee

1 tbsp chia seeds

2 tbsp MCT Oil ( Medium chain triglycerides)

1 tbsp powdered peanut butter

half of a scoop of whey protein powder (chocolate or vanilla works well)

1 tbsp of marine collagen

Place all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth

* Please note that you have to slowly introduce MCT oil into the diet as it can cause gastrointestinal disturbances. I would recommend starting with 1 tsp and see how your body reacts and gradually increase.

*I usually make this the night before and store in a mason jar in the fridge, allowing the chia seeds to gel and flavors to heighten.

I’ll include the recipe I use if I’m feeling particularly adventurous that week and make my own almond milk.

Fresh Almond Milk

I’m sure you have noticed when reading a carton of alternative milk products there can be a long list of ingredients- added thickeners, sweeteners and flavourings.

Homemade nut milks are very easy to make and so unbelievably fresh!

INGREDIENTS

1 cup raw almonds

4 cups of water

1- 2 tsp of vanilla extract

1-2 tsp of cinnamon or cocoa powder (optional)

DIRECTIONS

Place almonds in a glass bowl and add 3 cups of filtered water, cover with a kitchen towel and refrigerate overnight.

Drain and rinse well, discard soaking liquid

Place nuts in a high-speed blender with 4 cups of fresh water. For a slight sweetness you can add dates, vanilla extract or cocoa powder to flavor the milk.

Strain using a nut milk bag you can find these at bulk barn. Over a glass bowl gently squeeze. Refrigerate and drink within 2 to 3 days.

*The discarded almonds I refrigerate and use as almond flour.

Jul 15 0

Acupuncture Can Help!

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Contemporary Medical Acupuncture

What is Contemporary Medical Acupuncture?
Contemporary Medical Acupuncture, sometimes also known as Neurofunctional Acupuncture or Electroacupuncture, is “a precise peripheral nerve stimulation technique, in which fine solid needles (acupuncture needles) are inserted into neuro-reactive loci, and stimulated manually or with electricity for the therapeutic purpose of modulating abnormal activity of the nervous system.”

How does it work?
There are several mechanisms by which acupuncture works to help patients move better and feel better. Our body really prefers to be in homeostasis, the tendency toward a relatively stable equilibrium between interdependent elements, especially as maintained by physiological processes. When an intervention like acupuncture is brought into the mix, it helps to precipitate the process of maintaining that equilibrium. This commonly happens by either up regulating or down regulating specific cellular processes based on the body’s need to “return to normal”. For example, if a muscle is “tight” or has high neural tension, the acupuncture will aid in reducing that tension.

Is it safe?
In short, YES. Of course, as with all treatments, there are some risks involved. However, in Ontario, practitioners who utilize acupuncture are all regulated healthcare professionals with extensive training in anatomy. Part of the training includes comprehensive discussions on the safest way to needle and how to best avoid any adverse events. Your safety, comfort and health are our top priority!

Does it hurt?
Generally, NO. However, at times, a patient may feel a dull ache or a twitch in the muscle; this dull ache is actually a positive thing and means we are affecting our target in the muscle. If there is ever too much discomfort, it’s important to let your practitioner know and things can be adjusted, or needles can always be removed.

What types of conditions can be treated with Neurofunctional Electroacupuncture?
Electroacupuncture can be used to treat a wide variety of neuromusculoskeletal conditions. Some of the more common conditions that respond well to acupuncture are:
Back pain
Neck pain
Headaches
Tennis elbow
Plantar fasciitis
Shin splints
Shoulder, hip and knee pain
Many more!

Author: Dr. Allie Dennis

Resources:
Elorriaga Claraco A, Fargas-Babjak A. Contemporary Acupuncture for Health Professionals. Handouts Unit 1-5. Fall 2016.

Jul 07 0

Partners in Healthcare

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As a rule, we at the Sports Specialist Rehab Centre recognize that there is no “i” in “team”. A team is always stronger than the individual. With respect to the healthcare of our patients, we apply the same rule.

It is our perspective that no one medical professional is superior to the other. Every healthcare provider, be it a physiotherapist, chiropodist, nurse, dentist, optometrist, family physician, chiropractor, etc. all possess a unique set of knowledge and skills. Their individual knowledge and skill set are developed over a period of years of formal education as well as practical implementation. However, there is a limit to what an individual can do. That said, the great thing about the knowledge and skill set of an individual provider is that when it’s combined with those of complementary healthcare disciplines, it results in a formidable assemblage of expertise. When this expertise is applied to a patient, the patient benefits from an overall healthcare perspective, rather than just a narrow scope from one healthcare discipline.

Moreover, there can be limits to the scope of practice for an individual healthcare provider. For example, a registered massage therapist could suspect a fracture but does not have the ability to order an x-ray. Establishing and nurturing relationships between different healthcare disciplines allows for the circumvention of these limitations so that the patient does not unduly suffer as a result.

In summary, a team based approach allows for an efficient and robust approach to the treatment of a patient. As a matter of practice, we at the Sports Specialist Rehab Centre make it a point to work together within the clinic and externally with other healthcare providers for the benefit of individual patients.

Author: Dr. Paolo De Ciantis

Jun 23 0