Health and Performance Weblog

NEW Physiotherapist

healthandperf — Sat, 01 Oct 2011 12:45:52 +0000

Mark Howard hails from Northern Ontario where he worked in an upper extremity clinic. Mark is starting his clinic Oct 3/2011. Book with him for that nagging pain or injury today. HPC is excited to be able to begin offering custom splinting as well!!
In Health,
AB

NEW Staff – Welcome to Mr. Matthew Casey

healthandperf — Mon, 06 Jun 2011 15:48:46 +0000

We are pleased to announce that Mr. Matthew Casey has joined our growing staff. Mr. Casey recently graduated with a Kinesiology degree from Dalhouse University. He will be lending his expertise to our growing Body-Fit program and also to our ongoing return to work conditioning program.

Star Performers

healthandperf — Mon, 02 Aug 2010 17:29:01 +0000

Congrats to Mr. Lee Miles of Health and Performance for completing his very first Triathlon!! He stuck to the training program, battled the open water at the Glynmill pond and looked solid (for the most part LOL) on the mountain bike and run this past Sunday. He has inspired the rest of the group to aim for completing next year’s event! Way to go Mr. Miles.

Also, congrats to Mr. Rob Ryan for completing his first ever competitive cycling event. Rob shed his Downtown Dash running shoes and clipped on a skinny-tire road bike on Sunday. His upper body mass propelled him down hills at monster speed only to offer him the challenge of the up hill climb on Mt. Bernard. He maintained fine form to the finish in excellent time.

Great job to Rob, Lee and Mr. Alex Clark who finished FIRST PLACE in the team sprint event!

Corner Brook Triathlon Three Weeks Away! Sign up Today for Chance to Win!

healthandperf — Thu, 08 Jul 2010 23:44:49 +0000

The Health and Performance Corner Brook Triathlon is only three short weeks away and with the participant cap at 150, people are encouraged to register today to ensure their spot in one of the toughest Triathlon in the province. “We’ve received tremendous support from the community with Sponsors and now we’re getting interest from beginner and seasoned athletes here and outside the province”, says Event Organizer Jennifer Rumbolt, “What people may not know is that there is a cap to the event and so we’re encouraging all those who are interested – from the regulars (Triathletes) to people who are looking to try the event for the first time – to sign up soon to ensure their place. We have a great Organizing Committee this year and I think it’s going to be an exciting event for everyone”.

By signing up before Friday, July 23, Cycle Solutions is offering the chance to win one of their new Cycling jerseys. Register online at www.cyclesolutions.ca/cbtri

Media Contact:

Jennifer Rumbolt, Event Coordinator

Cycle Solutions

Tel: (709) 634-7100 Fax: (709) 634-5011

Email: events@cyclesolutions.ca

Training to become functionally FIT. (Daniel DeGrace, Kin)

healthandperf — Fri, 25 Jun 2010 19:20:52 +0000

Physical activity and exercise are becoming increasingly important in our society. We like to believe it is the fountain of youth, and it certainly does help us in more ways then one as we age. A topic of interest in the fitness industry is the concept of functional movement. This is one reason most of us exercise on a regular basis. We want to remain functional, and capable, as we get older. To run, jump; take the groceries in the house by the armload effortlessly.

If you walk in to most health clubs and gyms around the nation you will bear witness to trainers working with their clients on Swiss balls, fancy weight machines, and assisted cardiovascular equipment (elliptical, stair climber, ect). It is true that an exercise program should fit the individual, and each persons athletic profile will be different from a 20 year old man to a 50 year old woman. However, irrespective of an individuals’ capability we all have day to day activities which demand us to move our bodies dynamically. Activity such as hiking up a steep incline to bending over to tie up our shoes, to moving a household object are all dynamic activities. In specific exercise terms, performing a seated leg extension does not translate well into to everyday life as well as exercises such as squats, dead lifts, or a single arm clean. While leg extensions provide isolation of one muscle, whole body movements like squats require the use of multiple muscle groups. Exercises like squats are functional since their use translates well into everyday tasks. If we extend this to the cardio realm we find that running outside is far more functional than on a treadmill. Running on ground requires us to propel our bodies ahead and adapt to the surface we are moving on. On a treadmill, the surface is steady and is moving for us where we are not required to propel ourselves forward.

Essentially, you need to be shown exercises that will make your quality of life improve and provide long term benefits. Bent over rows are not easy to teach, but a good trainer will take five to ten minutes to teach this particular skill for a client. The take home message is that your program should make the use of every minute dedicated to exercise since you want to see actual results. Your time would be best spent on exercises that will help you become functionally fit.

I have just injured myself. Should I use ice or heat?

healthandperf — Fri, 18 Jun 2010 00:38:00 +0000

This topic is as old as the hills and has been explored by many authors. I have personally been asked the question thousands of times and have likely have given many variations of answers over the past 10 years as a therapist.
There are well known and well defined rules to follow and of course there are exceptions to the rules.
Most people have done a first aid course in their life at some point. Also, you have learned some basics in health class (credit to Mr. Randall, G.C.Rowe Jr High, 1990; Mr.Carberry, Herdman Collegiate, 1994). What we all should remember is the acronym RICE. Essentially, in case of acute orthopedic injury you should Rest, Ice, Compress, and Elevate. That rule has been studied for different types of injuries and in terms of individual parts and in combination with other treatments such as anti-inflammatory medication.
My personal recommendations are as follows. Use ice in the first 24 to 48 hours following all acute injuries, especially those involving visible swelling or non-relenting ache or pain. I will guarantee you that your injury will be lessened in duration if you heed this simple instruction. Place a damp towel between your skin and a mouldable ice pack. Apply for 12-15 minutes as many times as you can daily. Do let the skin warm between sessions. Lessen the time for areas directly over bony prominences or if you are elderly with thinner skin. Apply light compression as well – a tensor wrap works very well.
After the acute stage you may continue to apply ice regularly if you are aggravating condition by just general movements. If pain persists, and especially night pain, I advise continuing with the ice as long as it takes to see the pain lessen. You should consult one of our Physiotherapists if pain or swelling persists beyond the first 2-4 days. Our new treatment procedure will reduce swelling immediately.
One exception is if you are experiencing muscle spasm more than inflammation. In cases of back and neck pain which has acute muscle spasm, heat application is beneficial. However, the safest thing to do is to ice first. If you apply heat in the first stage of injury you may worsen inflammation, swelling and bleeding.

Ashley Buckle PT MCPA

Triathlon Training Plan

healthandperf — Mon, 07 Jun 2010 18:30:37 +0000

Contact Kevin Oram, Athletic Therapist, to get yourself in peak condition for your upcoming races. Tweak your triathlon plans leading up to the event August 1!!

7-day Carb LOADING!!

healthandperf — Wed, 26 May 2010 16:40:54 +0000

Carb loading is a method that is used by endurance athletes that are competing in a high intensity exercise that lasts longer than 90 minutes. The purpose of carb loading is to improve athletic performance. This is done by forcing your body to store more glycogen (storage form of sugar) for energy. The carb loaded muscle can store about 35-40 g of glycogen/ per 100g of muscle vs 32g of the same trained muscle.

How this is done:

There are several ways to carb load your muscles. Traditionally 7 days before the competition you would deplete the muscles of glycogen by performing exercise to exhaustion. For the nest 3 days you would eat a low carb diet with a low level of exercise intensity. Then the 3 days from the event the diet switches to high carb. (70%) This forces to muscles to take on as much glycogen as possible.

More recently the depletion phase has been discontinued. Carb loading works best when your diet has already been rich in carbs (3g per lb of body weight) because the body learns to more effectively use and store carbs. Three to four days before the event the carbs are increased to about 70% of your daily intake or 4-4.5 g/ lb of weight. For example if you are 160 lbs then you should take in about 650g of carbs a day divided into meals and snacks. Also to ensure that you are not depleting your glycogen stores your exercise will have to be tapered as well. It is important to mention that you should maintain a diet that contains .6- .7g of protein per lb of body weight. You may have to have 2 small servings of protein foods each day in addition to the protein you receive from daily meals. Fats should be kept to 20% of your intake.

Disadvantages:

With the benefits that come with increased performance there may also be disadvantages.

1. Weight gains. It is estimated that 1g of glycogen stores 2.7g of water. Therefore a well conditioned carb loaded athlete may be about 4 lbs heavier at the start of the race.
2. Digestive discomfort. Foods high in fiber may need to be decreased a few days before the event as will as any “gassy” vegetables. Also don’t try a new food or supplement on the day of the race.
3. Blood sugar levels. Carb loading may affect an individuals blood sugar levels, especially if you have diabetes.

Even if you carb load before a race remember that you still need to replenish then during the event to maintain your blood sugar levels and prevent “Bonking”. It is recommended that 25-60g of carbs be consumed each hour if you are exercising greater that 60 min. These carbs should come from a variety of sources to better absorption rate.

New Physiotherapist

healthandperf — Mon, 17 May 2010 00:50:56 +0000

Rory graduated from Leeds School of Physiotherapy in the UK in 1990. She returned to university in 1993 and graduated with a Masters Degree in Sports Medicine from Trinity College in Dublin, Ireland. She also has advanced manual therapy training with the Manipulation Association of Chartered Physiotherapists of the UK.

Rory specialized in orthopedics and sports medicine from early in her career and her work experience has included working in large teaching hospitals, private clinics, GP practices and with sports teams in the UK and Ireland.

She worked with the Great Britain Speed Skating Team for 5 years, travelling extensively to world cup events, world championships and to the Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City. She has also worked with elite cyclists, runners and figure skaters amongst others.

Rory is a qualified personal trainer and fitness instructor. She teaches fitness classes at the YMCA and seniors aquasize classes. Rory has a particular interest in sport and exercise rehabilitation including biomechanics, muscle balance, flexibility, maximizing performance, minimizing limitations, overuse injuries and breaking the cycle of recurring injuries. All of these factors also apply to work related injuries and day to day activities. Her commitment is to help to improve the overall health and performance of her clients.

Improve your sleep – naturally!!

healthandperf — Sun, 24 Jan 2010 21:33:39 +0000

The 6 Drugless Steps to a Better Night Sleep

Step #1: Avoid Potential Stimulants
• Avoid all caffeine containing drinks or foods (i.e. chocolate) for at least 6 hours before going to bed
• Avoid all alcohol for at least 4 hours before going to bed
• Avoid all decongestant cold medicines at night
• Avoid large meals or spicy foods for at least 3 hours before bedtime
• Avoid nicotine completely, or at least before going to bed

Step #2: Avoid Potential Night time Tension & Anxiety
• Avoid reading or watching the news before going to bed
• Avoid paying bills, checking financial reports etc. before going to bed
• Avoid arguments before going to bed

Step #3: Plan Your Sleep
• Try to go to sleep and wake up at the same time each day in order to train your biological clock
• If you do not fall asleep within 30 minutes, get up and do something quiet and non-stimulating.
• When tired, try going back to bed again
• Do not “force yourself” to fall asleep, the anxiety is counter-productive!
• Avoid afternoon naps

Step #4: Take away Potential Distractions
• Try using earplugs and eyeshades to block out all noise and light
• Move the alarm clock away from the bed (It can be a distraction)
• Do not watch TV, read or write in bed. Let your mind and body identify bed with sleeping (Okay, only one other activity in bed is allowed!)

Step #5: Get Yourself Physically Tired….Not just Mentally Tired
• Regular exercise (aerobic, walking, weight training, cycling, Yoga, Tai Chi, swimming…in fact anything) any time in the day may help deepen sleep.
• Suggested amount of exercise is at least 45 minutes 3 – 5 times per week

Step #6: Relax and Breathe
• Listen to a relaxation CD that teaches progressive physical and mental relaxation along with deep focused diaphragmatic breathing.

Sleeping Postures
Whatever position you sleep in, the important goal is to keep the body in the midline
position and maintain a neutral spine. Sleeping on your stomach is not advised due to
the increase strain this position places on your back and the fact that the neck is turned
to one side. If you prefer this position, try to keep one shoulder slightly back with a
pillow under the chest to help keep your neck straighter.

Lying on Your Back
• Place pillows or rolled up sleeping bag under your knees to ease the strain on your lower back
• Use pillows that will keep your head and neck in the neutral or mid-line position
Lying on Your Side
• This is the preferred position to sleep in. The knees should be bent and a pillow placed between them to help keep the spine neutral.
• Drawing one knee up high and in front causes asymmetry and can result in pain over time.
• If there is a space between your waist and the bed it can be helpful to roll a small towel into a pair of pantyhose and place it around your waistline. This is especially helpful for people with wide hips and a small waist.