Are you a weekend or Summer warrior? You know…someone who spends their weekdays behind a desk and their weekends running marathons, gardening for hours on end, building a deck or cycling across the city. While you may think that you can get away with saving your physical activity for the weekend, think again! In Canada, 35% of injuries occur during participation in some type of sport or exercise and studies show that weekend warriors are actually at a greater risk of developing an injury. Especially, warriors who are over the age of 30 and are not making time to exercise during the week. Weekend and summer warriors have a tendency of doing too much, too fast and that’s what puts them at extra risk for injuries like muscle sprains and chronic tendonitis. To avoid injury, it’s best to break your physical activity into smaller, more frequent sessions. Yes, this also goes for activities like gardening, building a deck or even house cleaning! Listen to your body. If certain activities cause your pain or discomfort like neck pain, back pain or joint pain, consider hiring someone to help get the job done. When it comes to exercise, consider a workout Read more…
Tips for Having a Healthy Holiday Season!
The holidays are meant to be a time of great joy and cheer, but sometimes they can be downright stressful. Especially, when we aren’t planning enough time for ourselves. That’s why I wrote this week’s blog. While the holiday season will always be a little hectic, not sticking to your healthy habits can result in you feeling run down (or even worse…sick!) over the holidays. Here are a few tips to keep you working out and eating right this holiday! Tips for Working Out During the Holiday • Pencil it In. You are less likely to skip your workout if you make a point to pencil it into your calendar. Look over your plans for the holiday and figure out when and where a workout could fit in. • Keep it Short. You don’t have to run a marathon. Schedule a quick HIIT circuit or a walk with the family to keep your body moving. • Get the Family Involved. After all, there’s nothing like skating or tobogganing to get you in the holiday spirit. Tips of Eating Healthy During the Holidays • Try Your Best. Let’s face it, it’s hard to eat clean during the holidays. If you do happen to fall Read more…
5 Summer Sports That Can Cause Back Pain
Summer is officially here meaning Summer sports are in season. This week’s blog discusses five sports that are known to cause back pain, so that you can protect your spine when participating in your summertime activities! 1. Football All contact sports are rough on the body, but football is especially rough. Even as a spectator, my body starts to hurt after seeing someone take a big hit. One common back injury football players are plagued with is called a stinger “a sports related injury to the nerves around the neck or shoulders.” 2. Running Running is a well-known perpetrator of back pain. Its repetitive and high impact nature will often lead to, or worsen back injuries. Why is this? Your spinal discs are your body’s shock absorbers. Similar to the shocks on a bike or car, they are susceptible to wear and tear especially, if used often and for long durations. One common type of back pain runners experience is sciatica — a shooting pain that radiates from the back into the legs. Those experiencing back pain should consult a health care professional before running to ensure the action will not aggravate the problem. 3. Golf Though golf is one Read more…
Stuck in the same old workout routine? Looking to change things up a bit? Why not try a fitness class? We asked some of our patients which Ottawa fitness classes they enjoy the most and here’s what they said: 1. Greco Fitness [Multiple Locations] You’ve probably heard of Greco Fitness before. Heck, you may even train there! There are 14 Greco locations across Ontario and that number keeps on growing. Their claim to fame is their ever so popular “Lean & Fit” class. The 45-minute full body conditioning circuit is offered 7 days a week at various times throughout the day. The circuits are always changing, so it’s unlikely you will do the same workout twice. The best part is that you set your own pace, so it doesn’t matter what skill level you’re at! Beyond “Lean &Fit” they also offer kickboxing, martial arts, HIIT workouts and personal training! 2. iNSiDE Out STUDiO barre [1416 Wellington Street West] Popular with celebrities, barre fitness is a unique combination of strength training, yoga, Pilates and ballet barre that allows you to work on individual muscle groups. Using tiny isometric movements, barre fitness allows you to burn fat and sculpt muscles—helping you achieve a long, lean, and toned body. iNSiDE Read more…