Why you need to stay active over lockdown
During the current climate it may be difficult to find the motivation to train with no gyms or sports clubs open for business. However, regular physical exercise can still be done which will have significant benefits for your health and will get your body prepared for when sport starts up again. Evidence shows that the benefits of physical activity and training in the senior population continue to grow. These benefits include that people have fewer falls with injury, improved muscular strength and endurance, a decreased incidence of coronary artery disease, and a lower risk of cardiovascular related mortality. Senior athletes can enjoy participating in a variety of athletic or sport related activities including running, walking, swimming, golfing, lifting weights, cycling and tennis. Based on the activity you are training for, the training regimen should be specifically designed to produce both metabolic and physical adaptations aimed to improve health and performance. The American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) recommends the following training guidelines for senior athletes: •Train 3-5 days per week •20 to 60 minutes of continuous or intermittent aerobic activity •Any activity that engages the large muscle groups like walking, jogging, running, cycling, rowing, stair climbing. •Perform resistance training: One […]
Tight Calves?
💥Have you had overly tight calves for a long time? Hip extension may have something to do with this. 🏃🏻 Your hip and ankle are key components in your gait/running cycle. Normal range of motion is 10 degrees for hip extension and 40 degrees for ankle dorsiflexion. 💥If you are restricted in these movements then there may be long term effects of your running performance and you could incur injuries or overly tight muscles along the way. 💪🏽There are 2 main muscles in your calf. The Gastrocnemius and the Soleus. The main firing of these muscles is when your heel lifts. The gluteus maximus at the back of your hip stops firing just before your calf muscles, this acts as a one two punch that propels you forwards. 💥Normally ankle dorsiflexion should be equal to hip extension. So if your ankle is restricted in movement, then you will not be able to access your full hip extension and therefore affect performance and increase your susceptibility to injury. This is termed the Z angle. ✍🏻 It has been shown if you can not get into full hip extension then your calf has to fire early to still help you move forward […]
Can we help with Scoliosis?
What is scoliosis? Scoliosis is a lateral bending and/ or rotary deformation of the spine presenting as one or multiple curves in the back. It can be functional or structural. If it is functional, then it is usually a compensatory pattern, possibly posture-related, and can be corrected with stretching, strengthening, joint manipulation, and postural retraining. If it is structural then it is due to anatomical changes. There are wide varieties of structural scoliosis, but the most common one is Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis (AIS). What is Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis? Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis (AIS) is of unknown cause and usually happens during adolescence- age 10 to 18. It is more common in young girls and the progression usually slows down after the menstruation starts. What is the treatment for AIS? There are many different approaches to help prevent AIS progression and also possibly decrease its curve if it has a functional component. It can be addressed with: Possible bracing depending on the severity of the curve Strengthening and stretching exercises to properly address the curvature Dynamic Neuromuscular Stabilisation Chiropractic treatment Breathing exercises Soft tissue work Below is an exercise that can help: If you suspect that your child has a scoliosis contact […]
Triathlon’s shoulder
Triathlon’s shoulder (also known as swimmer’s shoulder) is a term that is used a lot, and not only in the world of athletes. But what does it really mean? What is involved in creating the pain and what can be done to help alleviate it? What is triathlon’s shoulder? The medical terminology for triathlon’s shoulder is “impingement syndrome” which is a fancy term to say that there is a narrowing in the space between the acromion (the most top bony part of the shoulder) and the humeral head (connecting the arm to the shoulder). This narrowing causes a “pinch” in the tendons going through that space: usually the rotator cuff (supraspinatus and subscapularis in the picture below) and/ or the biceps. What causes it? It occurs more often in athletes and labourers that perform repetitive motions which can in the long term cause this sort of overuse injury. The typical sports include but are not limited to triathlon, swimming, baseball, volleyball, and racket sports. Jobs involving repeated overhead activities such as painters, carpenters, and electricians are also more at risk. Some of the most common causes are: Poor scapula posture Forward shoulder posture Overtraining Poor mechanical technique Overactive/ underactive muscle […]
Gaelic sports and hip mobility
Gaelic sports usually cause athletes to work their hips mainly in an externally rotated position due to the demands of the sports. This can cause a significant decrease in hip internal rotation as the body will compensate due to the increasing demand on the hips to open in one direction over the other. Why does this matter? This matters because having such imbalances will cause your body to create more compensatory patterns which can eventually lead to decreased performance or injury. If you have limited hip internal rotation, then eventually the way you walk and move might be changed. For example, you could start walking with your feet and toes pointing out more as your hips will not have the full movement to allow your foot to go back to a neutral position. The foot and ankle will then no longer be functioning in their optimal patterns and might start overpronating to allow you to keep walking undisturbed. The knee may also start picking up the slack for both the hip and ankle which could put more stress on the knees and the body as a whole. With every step, you are reinforcing these patterns which can eventually lead to […]
Holiday Stress Relief
Holidays are just around the corner, a lot of us can feel overwhelmed by the number of things left to do on the famous “to-do list” we give ourselves. How can one get everything done and not be completely overwhelmed by stress or physical exhaustion? Here are a couple of easy tips to help you through the holiday season: Sleep:Make sure you get enough sleep before, during and after this holiday season. Sleep is very important, it is the time your body uses to regenerate itself. Hydration:Make sure to drink plenty of water during your holidays! Especially if your holiday’s meals come or are followed by any alcoholic beverages. Alcohol can very quickly get you dehydrated, so if you know it’s coming, grab an extra cup of water for yourself. Stretch & Exercises:Staying active during the holidays doesn’t have to be hard or time consuming: a walk after a meal, going on a hike (make sure to bring enough layers with you to stay warm), or even having a little stretching session in the morning and/ or evenings. Any of these can do the trick and help you feel better throughout the holidays. And Breath: Yes, something as simple as […]
Can Chiropractic Help With Migraines?
Almost everyone has experienced a headache in their lifetime. If it only happens once then there is usually no need to do anything about as it will be quickly forgotten. What about those that come back regularly, every month, weekly or even daily? There are many kinds of headaches which can be very debilitating, especially migraines. What is a migraine?A migraine is a specific type of headache. It is defined as recurring head pain due to changes in the brain and/ or surrounding vasculature. These can come with or without an “aura”. An aura is a symptom/ feeling/ sound/ vision that comes on before the migraine starts, as a warning sign. Migraines are usually related to triggering factors such as: Stress Hormonal changes Diet Medication Pain can be very intense and is usually described as pulsating or throbbing. More often than not it is located on one side of the forehead and can last several hours to days. Some common side effects of migraines are: Nausea Vomiting Sensitivity to light Sensitivity to sound What can ease the symptoms of migraine?Migraines can respond well to conservative care including: Chiropractic adjustments Mobilisation Active Release Technique (ART) Dry needling Diet Dynamic Neuromuscular Stabilization […]
Should you exercise during pregnancy?
According to the “2019 Canadian Guidelines for Physical Activity Throughout Pregnancy”, in general physical activity is associated with greater benefits and “has been proposed as a preventative or therapeutic measure to reduce pregnancy complications and optimise maternal-fetal health”. Women who were active prior to pregnancy are encouraged to continue exercising with appropriate modifications and going by how they feel at all times. Those women who were inactive before pregnancy are encouraged to start exercising during pregnancy, starting at lower intensity and progressively increasing the intensity and duration of the exercise to their tolerance. Always be sure to get the go ahead from a medical professional beforehand as there are several contraindications to exercise while pregnant that must not be ignored. Click the link below for the full article with a comprehensive list of all contraindications. 2019 Canadian Guidelines for Physical Activity Throughout Pregnancy Physical activity recommendations for pregnant women: All women without contraindications should be physically active throughout pregnancy A good goal is to aim to accumulate at least 150 minutes of “moderate intensity” exercise (being able to maintain a conversation during that exercise) spread out over at least 3 days a week. Being active everyday is encouraged Exercises should […]
Is Breastfeeding Impacting Your Posture
Those new born days and weeks for most women can be described as a being a bubble of love and awe at what your body has produced. During the nine months prior to this we invest so much time making sure we eat healthy, exercise wisely and educate ourselves of what’s to come. We may have attended ante natal classes that focus on breastfeeding and focus on how to get that perfect latch. Some mothers and babies take to it easily but many have obstacles to overcome, such as suboptimal latch, tongue tie and nipple pain. Breastfeeding is supposed to be the most natural thing in the world but it isn’t in anyway easy. Someone that is often neglected at this precious time is the mum. It can affect us in so many ways particularly emotionally, mentally and also physically. How does breastfeeding physically affect the mum? Many postpartum women who attend the clinic have issues with neck pain, mid back pain, headaches, low back pain and even referred pain into the arm/ hand. Basically their posture is inadvertently suffering from all that nursing, cuddling, holding and carrying of their little one. Of course this doesn’t just apply to nursing mothers but […]
Does Golf’s ‘X-factor’ Swing cause Back Injuries?
Golf chiropractor Shane Lawlor discusses the ‘X-factor’ swing, favoured by players like Rory McIlroy, and the importance of strength and conditioning. Harder, better, faster, stronger. Professional golfers are hitting the ball further and swinging the club with more force than ever before. Advancements in club and ball technology, along with improved strength and conditioning training, have helped players smash driving distance records, forcing designers, particularly in the United States, to lengthen their courses. Whether the arms race is good for the sport is up for debate. Another important discussion, however, is whether it’s good for the players. A study published in the Journal of Neurosurgery: Spine in February 2019 claimed the modern ‘X-factor’ swing – designed to increase distance – can cause back injuries. Read Full Article
