New Partnership with Red Bull

The Action Sport Physio Downtown Montreal and Montreal-West clinics are proud to be partners of Red Bull Canada (Quebec). They will be in charge of giving physiotherapy treatments to the athletes taking part in the "Red Bull Flying Bach" show -- which brings together classical music and breakdancing -- in Montreal from Oct. 23rd to 26th.

ASP at Mont-Tremblant Ironman and Montreal Marathon

Action Sport Physio is proud to be the official sports medicine clinic for these two great events.



Jacinthe Lemieux

For the third year in a row, we will be in Mont-Tremblant on September 7 as part of the Ironman World Championship 70.3 to provide medical care and massages to athletes. Jacinthe Lemieux, athletic therapist and co-owner of the Action Sport Physio Mont-Tremblant clinic, is in charge of coordinating the medical efforts and the many ASP volunteers.

ASP was also at the other three Ironman events that took place in Mont-Tremblant this year: Ironman 5150 Triathlon Mont-Tremblant (June 8), the Subaru Ironman 70.3 Mont-Tremblant (June 22) and the Subaru Ironman North American Championship (17 August).

On Sunday, September 28th, we will be at the Oasis Rock 'n' Roll Montreal Marathon and Half Marathon to greet the runners at the finish line. Treatments and massages will be available to participants at our tent.

On the days before the marathon – on September 26 and 27 – we will be at the Expo-Marathon at Place Bonaventure. Running specialists and physiotherapists Éric Boucher and Rémi Bergeron will give lectures on running on Friday, September 26 at 5 pm and on Saturday, September 27 at 1 pm. Our spokesperson Jimmy Sévigny will also drop by. We hope to see you there!

Some ice with your treatment?

The Action Sport Physio Montreal West clinic took up the "ice bucket challenge" to get the ball rolling on raising funds for ALS research.

Enjoy the video and please consider donating to the cause: http://sla-quebec.ca/donate.php

Three new health videos

We are happy to announce the release of 3 new web videos on health-related topics. Created by Claudine Farah and April Edwards, two physiotherapists at Action Sport Physio Laval, the videos are on:

The Iliotibial Band Syndrome

The Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL)

How to Properly Lift Heavy Objects (in French)

If you have questions on running, tendonitis, knee arthritis, tennis elbow or ankle sprain – just to name a few – we invite you to visit our YouTube channel on which you will find tips on health topics and the practice of your favorite sports. You can even ask questions and an expert will answer you.

Comments are welcome too. It's a pleasure to hear from you.

 

Click on the image to go to our Youtube channel

 

Hot or Cold?

Proper application of hot or cold can, depending on the case, greatly assist the healing process of an injured muscle or joint. But how do you know when to apply them?

Applying cold (with a gel freezer pack, bag of frozen vegetables, or ice) reduces edema and inflammation. It also reduces pain with its analgesic effects while diminishing blood flow and muscle spasms. Whereas the hot, think of the famous “Magic Bag” and hot bottle, improves tissue repair while making the tissue suppler. It also reduces pain, acting like a muscle relaxant, and improving blood flow.

Cold applied to an acute injury (the initial 48 hours, during the first healing phase) relieves pain caused by muscle spasms, sprains and strains. It plays a vital roll in preventing excessive swelling in the area.

If your injury feels warm, or you feel pain in the area, your injury is red and swollen, and mobility is restricted: these are signs of inflammation, therefore the use of ice is prescribed. In certain cases, ice application is contraindicated. For example, if you suffer from advanced diabetes, Raynaud’s Disease, or diminished circulation, do not apply ice. If you are uncertain, please consult your physiotherapist.

After icing your injury, wait an hour before returning to action. Ice decreases sensation (and pain) in the injured area, so returning to play too quickly can aggravate your injury.

Once the edema has been reabsorbed, you can apply heat to stimulate blood flow. The use of heat is recommended in the sub-acute stage of healing (2 weeks into the healing process), or for chronic injuries (an injury lasting 3 months or more). You can apply heat for 20-30 minutes at a time. Accelerating the healing process of persistent bruises can be done with heat application as well.

Word of advice: don’t bring the heating pad to bed with you! If you fall asleep with it on, you can burn yourself. Also, do not sit or lie on the heating pad. Your body weight decreases blood flow to the area, which increases your risk of getting burned.

Keep Your Bones Strong

A healthy skeletal system is important for several reasons. Bones have several functions in the body. These include the protection of organs, structural integrity and calcium storage. Bones also serve as anchors for muscles. 

As one grows older, the ability to build bone is decreased. Staying healthy and starting early are ways to keep your bones in good shape. Bone health is affected by the following factors:

• Race, body frame and family history.
   
• Hormone levels, including thyroid hormone.
   
• Physical activity levels.
   
• The amount of calcium in your diet. Low calcium contributes to early bone loss, diminished bone density, and increased risk of fractures. 
   
• Gender - Women tend to have less bone mass compared to men. 
   
• Men with low testosterone levels can experience a decrease in bone mass. 
   
• Excessive alcohol consumption and tobacco use.
   
• Eating disorders and other diseases. People who have bulimia or anorexia are at risk for bone loss. 
   
• Age: As you age, your bones become thinner and weaker. 
   
• Use of certain medications are damaging to the bones. 

The Healthy Bone Formula

To keep your bones healthy, start as soon as possible. Here are some guidelines to help keep your bones healthy.
 

• Eat high-calcium foods. Dairy products such as milk, cheese, and yogurt are good sources of calcium. 
   
• Consume plenty of vitamin D. 
   
• Avoid excess protein and sodium. 
   
• Avoid smoking and limit alcoholic intake. 
   
• Bone-boosting medications may be an option, after consulting with your physician. 
   
• Women may consider hormone therapy. Estrogen, especially when started soon after menopause, can help maintain bone density, and this should be discussed with a physician. 
   
• Exercise daily. 
   
• When exercising, change your routine often to surprise your body and challenge your bones. 
   
• Play sports and spend time outdoors. Challenge your body with movements that provide the impact necessary for bone stimulation. 

Physiotherapy and Bone Health

Orthopaedics is a branch of medicine that mainly focuses on the muscular and skeletal systems. Physiotherapy in this field deals with diagnosing, managing and treating injuries in the muscular and skeletal system and the associated rehabilitation.

A physiotherapist specializes in the treatment of bone-related conditions (fractures) and joint injuries, among other conditions.

Strength training, joint mobilizations, hot or cold packs, and electrical stimulation are some techniques used by physiotherapists. Other methods include:

• Stretching and strengthening exercise protocols to encourage muscle balance during recovery.
   
• Hot and cold therapy to increase blood circulation and assist with healing. 
   
• Ultrasound machines: The use of high or low frequency sound waves to facilitate healing. 

With a unique training background and the right set of skills to help you strengthen your bones and joints, a physiotherapist is best suited to help you recover from injuries and strengthen your bones at the same time.

Call us today - taking the time to strengthen your bones is one of the best decisions you'll ever make to improve your health, and we'll help you every step of the way.

Q&A on Running with Éric Boucher

What is the most important thing when beginning to run? 
The most important thing is to start running gradually. It’s important to not rely only on your cardiovascular abilities, but to also quantify the mechanical stress on your lower extremities. If your body is not already adapted to this stress (impact) and you progress too quickly, the risk of injury increases.

How long before a substantial run should I begin training?  
This all depends on your cardiovascular abilities and lower limb tissue adaptation regarding the repeated impact against the ground. So, depending on the adaptation of the lower limbs, it can take you 3 to 8 weeks before being able to run 30 minutes non-stop without the risk of injury. Furthermore, it’s important to know the distance you are going to run in a substantial race. This is, why with a gradual progression of a maximum of 10% of the total volume of running per week, it may take you 20 to 24 weeks of training before a marathon (if you had not started running beforehand).

What should I eat the day before a race?  
It’s good to eat plenty of carbohydrates the day before the event. However, since you are likely to experience stress on the eve of a run, you should not overeat so as to digest well. Also, this is a bad time to try new foods you are not used to digesting and it’s best to avoid alcohol the day before the event to avoid dehydration.

How much water should I drink on the day of the run? 
You must start drinking the week prior to the run to already be well hydrated the day of the event. On the day of the race, you must drink sufficiently and regularly, especially if the run will last more than an hour. However, beware of hyponatremia (over hydration). Research has shown that most marathon runners are more likely to suffer from hyponatremia than from dehydration! In conclusion, the level of hydration depends on the individual (people who sweat a lot, or who are very thin or very tall, etc. will all hydrate differently), so it’s important to know yourself well before the big event!

Éric Boucher is a physiotherapist and co-owner of the Vaudreuil-Dorion and the Valleyfield Action Sport Physio clinics.