Many people have desk jobs that require them to work on a computer all day long, for forty hours each week. This much repetition and overuse can cause wrist issues. Even those who use a computer recreationally and spend several hours per day typing on the keyboard can be at risk for a wrist injury….
While the showoff muscles get all the acclaim, they’d be nothing without the supporting cast of smaller stabilizers and assisting muscles. Ignore them, and you’ll eventually pay the price. The cost? Injury. Missed workouts. Painful runs. An unbalanced body. Wondering if your’e guilty? Here, experts discuss the most neglected muscles, why they’re important, and how…
Let’s face it. Too much of our time is spent sitting these days, and it’s not always easy to think about doing your stretches after you get home from a loooong day at the office. So why not incorporate some stretching into your work day? 1. Neck side stretch: hold on to your chair with…
The gluteal or buttocks muscles are a muscle group that can be neglected during daily life because we spend so much time sitting these days. This sometimes means that when we do go to complete a workout, the gluteal muscles are a bit lazy at first. The glutes are a super important group both during…
Sciatica is not actually a specific diagnosis, but actually a symptom of another underlying cause. Sciatica refers to the pain that is produced in response to pressure on the sciatic nerve, which runs from your lower back (or lumbar spine) down to your buttocks, hip and lower limb. Characteristics of sciatic pain: – Pain that…
Let’s face it, getting to the gym or going for your run is not always easy. Life can get in the way and mess with your usual schedule, or there may be some days you are just not feeling up to the task. However, we all know that staying active is important in maintaining a…
As you can see from the image above, the shoulder joint is a very complex joint. In fact, each shoulder blade has 19 different muscles that attach to it in some way. And that’s just muscles! That does not include all the ligaments, nerves, blood vessels and bursa that also inhabit the area. Your shoulder…
CausesPlantar fasciitis may be the most common cause of heel or bottom of foot pain. It is common among runners and athletes due to the repetitive stress on the feet with running, sprinting and jumping. It may also occur after wearing footwear with inadequate support, or when you have a change in daily tasks (e.g….
After looking at some diet trends last week, you may still be wondering what you’re supposed to eat before, during and after a workout. Though this can vary greatly if you are training for higher level events (e.g. Ironman triathlon or body building prep – much more specific eating plans needed for these types of…
Today I’m wanting to talk diet trends. There are so many different kinds out there right now, I wanted to break it all down for you. 1. Paleo DietPaleo has grown in popularity by leaps and bounds. Supposedly it is based on hunting and gathering like in the good old days. So, anything you could…
Concussions are the most common type of traumatic brain injury (TBI). They can occur as a result of a motor vehicle accident as well as various sports. Symptoms can vary greatly from person to person and not everyone may be aware that they have experienced a concussion when in fact they have. CausesAs mentioned above,…
If you’re anything like what seems like most of the North American population these days, chances are you have trouble falling asleep. We are very busy beings and sometimes when it’s time to end the day and crawl into bed to rest, our brains turn up the hyperdrive and do everything except relax. If this…
Whiplash of the cervical spine or neck is common among patients who have been involved in rear-end motor vehicle collisions, and also can also affect those who participate in contact sports such as rugby and football, or those who have experienced other physical trauma affecting the neck. BiomechanicsThe most common cause of whiplash injury happens…
Nobody can escape stress 100% of the time, (and if you’ve figured out to do this, please share your magical secrets!). It is something that can get the better of us sometimes, and can have a negative effect on our health and well-being. Stress can increase the release of cortisol which can increase the risk…
Building on what we discussed last week, today we will be looking at how to strengthen the ankle joint to help prevent painful sprains from happening. Strengthening the muscles surrounding the ankle joint can also help to improve performance in a variety of activities because many land-based activities will require that you are upright, on…
Ankle sprains are by far one of the most common injuries, both in sport, and if you’re a bit clumsy like me, just walking normally down the sidewalk. The lateral ankle sprain is commonly known as the “rolled ankle.” Basically your ankle rolls outwards over your foot and pain is felt on the outside of…
Smart phones have gotten a bad reputation over the past few years due to the tendency of those who use them to fall into patterns of poor posture. However, although “text neck” has certainly become a thing, smart phones (and web programs) can also help in your pursuit of better health and fitness. Here are…
No pain, no gain at the gym, right? Right? Absolutely not! These days there seems to be an increase in the amount of fitness memes and “motivational” quotes that claim working through pain is something to be celebrated, something to strive for. Unfortunately, this is really not the case. If you are in pain during…
Last week we discussed the effects of upper and lower crossed syndromes. To follow up, this week we will discuss some stretches and exercises that can help to correct these syndromes and improve posture. Upper Crossed: As previously mentioned, upper crossed syndrome causes the pectoral muscles, upper trapezius and levator scapulae muscles to become tight…
Many people will experience chronic pain at some point in their lives. Often times this pain can creep up unexpectedly due to poor or non-optimal postural habits. In this day and age, poor posture has become common due to an increase in screen time and desk jobs. We spend a lot of time in the…
The internet can be an excellent source of gathering information, but it also has its downfalls. Around this time of year, we get bombarded with the idea of a “beach body” and that we all better jump on the next fad diet and increase our exercise to crazy amounts in order to achieve this so-called…
