Trying to get in a lot of exercise before the holidays? Don't forget to take care of your body and consider the following to help with your recovery! Do not work out the same muscle group two days in a row (allow 48 hours between work outs for recovery) After a set of exercise, 2-3 minute rest intervals are sometimes needed, and up to 5 minutes may be needed Aim to drink 2-3 litres of water per day, increase your water intake with the more exercise that you do Ensure you warm up adequately prior to exercising (your warm up should be an activity that gradually increases your heart rate and includes dynamic stretches and movements that are similar to...
November 17 is National Take a Hike day! We hope you will consider hitting the trials on this day (or any day for that matter!). Hiking has so many benefits, including: elevating heart rate and boosting circulation, releasing endorphins and improving mood, and it’s a great way to exercise our quads, glutes, calves and intrinsic foot muscles. Here a few tips before you hit the trail: Plan your trial: choose a distance that is something that is feasible for your current fitness levels (remember hiking usually involves a lot of hills, and some lengthy trails). Choose a hike that you feel comfortable with. Consider checking out an app such as All trials to get helpful route information and read reviews. Pack...
Shoulder pain is something I see on the regular in clinic. And let me tell you, it is painful. Our shoulders are susceptible to injury as they are very mobile and the tendons responsible for stabilizing the shoulder can develop tendinopathies. Tendinopathies occur when the tendons fail to adapt and recover from tensile load, which can lead to pain. So I’d like to share with you a few tips for preventing stress to your rotator cuff tendons while you’re exercising at the gym. Overhead pressing: keep your elbows in front of your chest Bench press: align your grip over your AC joint, try not to let your elbows lower past your trunk (don’t puff that chest!) Upright rows: do not...
Today is National Go Barefoot day! Do you ever spend time in your bare feet? Doesn’t it feel so great to walk in the warm sand, or on freshly cut grass? How about dipping your feet in the water? How good does it feel to take your shoes off after a long day of being on your feet? Not only are our feet important for our balance and stability but they are also important for our sensory system (hence why putting our feet on different surfaces can feel so good!). Our feet have over 200,000 nerve endings which sense and relay information to our brain. Some shoes can prevent this sensory input and prevent our small muscles (intrinsic muscles) from...
While I am not the best golfer, I do love to get out and hit the fairways from time to time. With the current "stay at home" order in effect in Ontario, golf courses are unfortunately closed. This is devastating for so many of us! But, on the bright side, the delayed start to the golf season offers the perfect opportunity to get your body prepared for the upcoming season. Golf is a very technical sport when it comes to the demands required by your body. A golf swing requires seamless mobility in the hip and thoracic spine along with stability in our core and shoulder girdle. The power from the swing starts with your legs. Restrictions in any of these...
