Doctors | Sports Specialist Rehab Centre

Apr 28 0

The DOMS

Posted by ssrcadmin

Why does my body hurt after a workout?
You know that feeling a day or two after a really tough or new workout? The one where everything just hurts? Well that pain has a name! You might be suffering from something called DOMS (aka Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness).

What is DOMS?
DOMS is muscle pain that typically begins approximately 12-24 hours after a particularly difficult or new workout. The pain tends to peak between 24-72 hours after the offending exercise routine and can sometimes last up to 1 week!

Why does DOMS happen?
For many years it was believed that a build-up of lactic acid was the cause of this post-workout pain; however, more recently this has been proven untrue. Although there is still some controversy and unknown variables surrounding the exact mechanism of DOMS, the current general consensus is that it is related to the healing of microtears or microscopic damage to your muscle tissues that occur during eccentric contractions. Eccentric contractions are what happen when your muscle is both contracting and lengthening at the same time (for example, when bringing your arm back down in a slow controlled manner during a bicep curl, you are eccentrically contracting your bicep – keeping that contraction while bringing the muscle into a position of length).

How do I make it feel better?
Again, for this, the evidence is conflicting. Mostly, just giving your body some time to heal will help you out. This isn’t to say you should go sit on the couch and wait it out! Out of all of the poor evidence on treatment for DOMS, exercise has been found as one of the most effective methods (MOTION IS LOTION!). Instead of another gruelling workout right off the bat, try some lighter movements like a light jog, some light yoga and stretching for a few days before getting back into it. Things like ice or an Epsom salt bath might help speed things along as well but the evidence is poor on these. Make sure you are always hydrating!

Can I prevent DOMS?
While DOMS may not be entirely prevented unless you just don’t move ever (in that case, you’ll likely end up with worse problems than just some good ol’ DOMS), there are some ways to reduce the severity. When you’re starting a new exercise, make sure you progress slowly into it to give your muscles time to react to their new demands. Some evidence shows a proper warm-up and cool down might also be beneficial in prevention.

What if it isn’t DOMS?
If the pain occurs DURING the workout, if the pain persists beyond 1 week, or it is preventing you from doing your activities of daily living, then it might be something else. Make sure to seek care if things aren’t progressing the way you think they should. Of course, you always need to trust your own body and seek care if something doesn’t feel right.

Author: Dr. Allie Dennis

Resources:
Cheung K, Hume PA, Maxwell L. Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness: Treatment Strategies and Performance Factors. Sports Med. 2003; 33 (2): 145-164.
American College of Sports Medicine: https://www.acsm.org/docs/brochures/delayed-onset-muscle-soreness-(doms).pdf

Apr 21 0

Dr. Paolo’s Morning Shake

Posted by ssrcadmin

I love to begin each day with a hard workout session! Following that session, I need a high energy, hearty and protein filled shake in order to get may day going! Here is what I found works best for me, try it out if you like:

1. 710 mL (about a pint and a half) of cold water.

2. 1 large banana (or 1 cup of frozen unsweetened mixed berries)

3. 1 tsp of ground unsweetened cocoa pods

4. 1 tsp of ground turmeric

5. 2 cups of ground rolled unsweetened oats

6. 1 tsp of ground cinnamon

7. 2 tbsp of ground flax seed

8. 1 avocado

9. 1/2 scoop of whey protein isolate (I prefer chocolate or vanilla flavoured)

Enjoy!

Mar 27 0

Virtual Appointments now available!

Posted by ssrcadmin

We would like to announce that as of today, patients can book virtual appointments online with their Chiropractor, Fascial Stretch Therapist and Physiotherapist! Virtual appointments with your therapist can be used to guide home self-care management of pain, lifestyle recommendations, anxiety relief and rehabilitation activities. The virtual appointment option is particularly useful for certain members of the population who are at greater risk to COVID-19. Keep yourself motivated and on track while at home by booking your virtual appointment today.

Mar 21 0

COVID-19 Update Contacts and Stress Management

Posted by ssrcadmin

Here at Sports Specialist Rehab Centre, we are not only committed to your physical health but also your mental and social well-being. The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic represents a new territory that we are all navigating together and as such, the SSRC team will be keeping you up-to-speed with the latest developments in disease prevention, treatment options and self-management care. Thus, below you will find techniques to cope with stress produced as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

For those with suspected COVID-19 symptoms or those with related concerns, please use the online assessment tool found at Ontario’s COVID-19 info page or contact Telehealth Ontario at 1-866-797-0000.

Please visit Ontario’s COVID-19 info page for the latest information regarding the pandemic: https://www.ontario.ca/page/2019-novel-coronavirus

Mar 21 0

Congratulations Dr. Marco for winning the Up and Coming Award!

Posted by ssrcadmin

In October 2019, Dr. Marco was awarded the Up and Coming Award from the Ontario Tech University. This award was granted based on his professional and humanitarian work since graduating with his Master’s in Health Science at Ontario Tech University in 2017. Please visit the Ontario Tech University Alumni page (https://alumni.ontariotechu.ca/alumni-association/alumni-association-awards/recipients/index.php) to read more about the award recipients.

Jan 14 Comments Off

Progression is Key

Posted by ssrcadmin

By Dr. Paolo De Ciantis

It’s a new year and many of us who are active in exercise or sporting activities may have taken some time off during the recent holiday season in order to participate in office, family or friend parties and enjoy as much food and drink as possible! That being said, it’s great that we get back into the grind of our workout and training regiments. However, progression is key!

Empirical research informs us that after discontinuing an activity, 14 days is all we need to be officially “de-conditioned”. This is generally irregardless of how active we were in that particular activity or for how long. That being said, after 2 weeks, should you get right back into an activity at the same level of intensity and frequency, you may injure yourself! As such, we generally recommend a progressive return back into the sport or activity. I like to recommend the “Rule of 25”. Now, this rule will require you to perform some math, but it’ll be worth it in the end. I recommend that you start off with 25% of your previous level or intensity, frequency, weight, reps, sets or time of the target sport or activity. For example, if my activity was weight lifting and prior the holiday break I left off my bench press at 4 sets of 10 at 100 lbs, I will sart back up again with 1 set of 2 reps at 25 lbs. If there is no pain or problems, then the next time the activity is performed, add 25% of the previous level of intensity, sets, reps, time and weight etc. until you’re back to 100%. This will give your body time to adjust and re-condition itself back to the specific activity as well as minimize the risk of injury!

Jan 09 0

Are you cracking my bones?

Posted by ssrcadmin

What is that popping sound during a chiropractic adjustment?

Chiropractors get this question all the time… what’s that sound? Are you cracking my bones?

First of all – NO – we’re not cracking your bones! Here’s an explanation of that “pop” or “crack” you might hear with a chiropractic adjustment. The more technical term for this noise is a cavitation.

To start off, I need to give a small anatomy lesson. Many joints in your body, especially the ones targeted by the chiropractic adjustment, are considered synovial joints. This means there is a capsule of connective tissue surrounding the joint and synovial fluid inside to help lubricate the joint.

http://chemistry.bd.psu.edu/jircitano/gases.html

Now we have to think back to high school science class and remember Boyle’s Law which states that the volume of a given amount of gas held at constant temperature varies inversely with the applied pressure when the temperature and mass are constant. In other words, when volume goes up, pressure goes down. You might remember that in some cases, liquid is just a compressed version of a gas. Lots of pressure can change the state of matter from a gas into a liquid. Alternately, if you reduce that pressure by increasing the volume of the space the liquid is being held, the liquid can change into a gas.

That is the basics of what is going on during an adjustment. Many would say that the goal of a chiropractic adjustment is to gap the joints to increase movement in a hypomobile joint (i.e. a joint that isn’t moving as well as we would like it to). With the high-velocity, low-amplitude manipulation, the gapping of the joint creates an increase in the volume of the joint capsule, which in turn reduces the pressure and allows some of that synovial fluid to change states from a liquid into a gas.

THAT is your noise – the change in state from liquid to gas. The formation of this gas bubble in the synovial joint can cause a “pop” or “crack” sound.

Dr. Greg Kawchuk and his colleagues recently did a study where they used an MRI to visualize a joint cavitation in real time. Below is a short video of their findings:

Kawchuk GN, Fryer J, Jaremko JL, Zeng H, Rowe L, Thompson R (2015) Real-Time Visualization of Joint Cavitation. PLoS ONE 10(4): e0119470. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0119470

Now you can teach all of your friends about the science the next time they cringe when you crack your knuckles…

Author: Dr. Allie Dennis, B.Sc. Kin (Hons.), D.C., FRCms
Chiropractor | Acupuncture Provider | Functional Range Conditioning Mobility Specialist

Nov 02 0

We’ve Been Nominated!

Posted by ssrcadmin

Sports Specialist Rehab Centre is proud to announce that we are an Official 2020 Top Choice Award Nominee! Thank you to all of those who have taken the time to nominate us! Now, we need your help to WIN! Voting is now open and if you feel that we have earned your vote, we would appreciate you taking the time to vote for us. Winning the Top Choice Award is one of the largest endorsements a business can receive within North America & Europe, so this is a BIG deal!

Show us some love by voting for us. Your vote will automatically enter you into a draw for a chance to win a grand cash prize of $2000 or one of many Toppy T-shirts. You can vote for us here: topchoiceawards.com/vote?survey_id=k82Yzj – Otherwise, you can contact Top Choice Awards via email or phone to vote for us.

‍Voting ends December 20th, 2019.

‍We would love to win the Top Choice Award… But we need your help to do so. If you believe we are your Top Choice, why not help us spread the word!Thank you for your time and we appreciate your vote!

P.S your written feedback in the survey is anonymous but very important to us, as it allows us to know what you love about us and what we can improve to continue serving you every day and providing the best customer experience possible. Many thanks in advance!

Jun 22 Comments Off

Join Marco at APHA Expo!

Posted by ssrcadmin

Dear Colleagues,

Join me at the American Public Health Association’s 2019 Annual Meeting & Expo where the scientific research I co-authored will be presented. The APHA Annual Meeting is the premier public health event taking place Nov. 2-6 in Philadelphia, PA. With more than 1,000 cutting edge scientific sessions, 600 booths of information and state-of-the-art public health products and services, this is an extremely important meeting in the public health field.

My submission, titled “Application and effectiveness of educational programming in musculoskeletal evaluation and management led by chiropractors in a rural Ugandan population” is scheduled to be presented at session , “Public health & chiropractic “, at . View the session online for more details.

For general information about APHA2019 or to find out about other sessions and presentations visit the Annual Meeting home page.

I hope you can attend my presentation and join the public health community and APHA in exploring the latest public health practices and challenges.

Sincerely,

Marco De Ciantis

Mar 27 0