Stretching: How often and how long do I need to stretch for?
Stretching is a common form of exercise to improve flexibility and range of motion. A recent article in the International Journal of Sports Medicine looked at which types of stretches were the most effective for improving flexibility. There is a variety of research in the field of stretching with varied and sometimes contradictory findings. This […]
Importance of Cross Training
Do you have a particular exercise or sport you can’t get enough of? Maybe it’s lifting weights, running, or perhaps you’re an avid rock climber. While it’s fine to be devoted to one sport, you owe it to your body to “mix it up” now and then through cross-training activities. Cross training is typically defined […]
Pace to the finish line
As one of the newest physiotherapists at Physioworks, this is my first blog post and I have decided to share some insight into my own personal journey towards training for the BMO half marathon. I hope that you can take away some educational advice from a physiotherapists perspective but also some personal advice based on […]
SMART Goal Setting
It’s that time of year again where we all gather our best intentions and put together new years resolutions. I’ll be the first to admit that I don’t practice this common ritual due to my terrible track record. Be it racing into the gym in January and stopping by February, to planning out all your […]
Good Pain vs Bad Pain
Getting back into shape, taking care of your body, running that first half marathon…..all great goals. But, with an abundance of excitement and eagerness to tackle these goals, sometimes we go a bit too hard and our bodies pay for it in the form of pain. Isn’t this just normal though and part of the […]
Snowshoeing Memories
I had the pleasure of going snowshoeing for the first time a few winters ago and here is how I remember it: It was a perfect day of blue skies and sunshine amongst the scenic trails of Mount Seymour. I was a little nervous not knowing what to expect and also having our baby strapped to […]
Energize your body with the proper snack!
I was volunteering at a fencing competition when the parent of a young fencer asked me if I had any ideas for energy snacks her son could have that were healthy, not full of artificial sugar and that was vegan. I thought… challenge accepted! I tried out a number of ideas; some worked really well, […]
Referred Pain
Here are some scenarios I see as a massage therapist: “I had this chest pain that radiated to the arm last week but had gone to emergency and had all of the tests and nothing could be found.” Or “I have low back pain that keeps recurring intermittently for the last few years. But no […]
Sleep Well
With the leaves changing colour and the days growing shorter and colder, it seems like a great time to talk about sleep – I think the bears would agree! Although we aren’t aware of it in the moment, sleep is an active and complex process. Sleep cycles through predictable stages during the night, beginning with […]
Hiking with Injuries
During August long weekend, I had planned to take on the Juan de Fuca trail. Unfortunately, 3 weeks before my hike I aggravated an old knee injury. The injury was not so bad that I couldn’t walk but it was definitely hard to hike up and down trails while carrying ~40 lbs comfortably. With good […]