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.

Concussion Prevention in Children

If your child participates in sports, there may be a cause for concern as it pertains to head injuries and concussions. Concussions can happen at any time, especially if your child is involved in a high impact sport like ice hockey. A groundbreaking study on Canadian junior ice hockey published in the November 2010 edition of Neurosurgical Focus uncovers alarming head injury/concussion data and trends that raise many questions about the safety and well-being of teenagers and young adults who participate in this popular sport.

So what is a concussion?

Basically, a concussion occurs when trauma to the head and neck causes a vigorous, unnatural impact to the brain. In most cases, the side-effects of a concussion are short-lived and appear as a headache. However, in some situations, a concussion may result in impaired brain function.

So how do you prevent a concussion?

Besides wearing a helmet, it's crucial for children to learn neck-strengthening exercises. The strength and stability of the muscles of the neck and trunk will help minimize the impact of injuries and the likelihood of concussions in high impact sports like football and hockey.

For children (and young adults) participating in sports, an evaluation from a physiotherapist can help determine potential areas of weakness and instability. Information from the evaluation will help your physiotherapist design a neck-strengthening program that can help avoid serious injury and possible concussions due to weak neck muscles.

Is prevention really possible?

It's almost impossible to prevent concussions, but it is possible to reduce their risk. One of the easiest and most effective ways to reduce the risk of a concussion is to wear a protective helmet. Even if a sport does not require the use of a helmet, we strongly suggest that you encourage your child to use one anyway.

The earlier you can instill this habit, the better. Teach them that a helmet is not an option but a necessity. If children begin wearing helmets at an early age, they will be more likely to use them as they grow older instead of thinking that a helmet is not 'cool' enough.

The first rule for your child's safety should be: "If you want to play, you need to wear a helmet."

Physiotherapy for concussions

What is the damage caused by a concussion?

Concussions can be detected years after they occur in MRI scans as "white spots". The meaning of these spots is often debated, along with the long-term impact of a concussion.

Regardless of the severity of concussions, you want to minimize them as much as possible. Concussions have been known to cause temporary visual impairment, speech impairment, balance issues, memory loss and other problems. How long these effects last depends upon the severity of the concussion and the time between when the concussion occurred and when it was treated.

Physiotherapy can help

Your physiotherapist can work closely with other health professionals responsible for your child's safety. The therapist can help your child by creating a structured, personalized neck strengthening and core strengthening program. This will minimize the risk of concussions. If your child works closely with a coach, a trainer and a physiotherapist, he or she will be able to handle the physical stress associated with the sport.

When it comes to the head and neck region, an ounce of prevention is certainly worth (more than) a pound of cure. Give us a call and set up an appointment to discuss how we can help your young athlete be safe and injury free.

Can Physiotherapy Train Your Brain?

We exercise to keep our bodies fit, but did you know that exercise can also train your brain? You have likely heard of the effect of endorphins on your mood, and you probably know that you feel better after exercising. Exercise can improve clarity, increase brain function, and possibly stimulate the formation of new brain pathways by restoring and stimulating nerve cells, called 'neurons'.

Mental exercises can keep you alert, and must be accompanied with physical exercises for best results. Exercise helps improve circulation in your cardiovascular (heart), pulmonary (lungs) and nervous (brain and spinal cord) system.

The Mind-Body Connection

As one grows older, the human brain starts to lose nerve cells and this can result in varying degrees of mental decline. Exercise is one of the most effective ways to challenge your nerves. Your brain function is improved through mental stimulation as well as through physical exercise. The inevitable mental declines often associated with the aging process can be minimized with a well-designed exercise routine.

Exercise triggers communication between (and blood circulation to) brain cells, which interact with other parts of the nervous system. The processing system of the brain is challenged during workouts, as certain chemicals such as adrenaline are triggered. 

Regular exercise can help keep brain cells healthy and functioning properly. An active lifestyle can improve mental focus, accelerate the healing process for patients with brain or nerve injuries and can reduce the risk of dementia as we grow older.

There is a strong correlation between physical exercise and good mental health as people age. Individuals who stimulate their nervous system through exercise tend to function at a higher level physically and mentally.

Physical Activity and Brain Training

Exercise at low to moderate levels is best for training the brain. Very intense workouts can leave you exhausted physically and mentally. Ideally, you need at least half an hour of moderate exercise 3 times a week. Longer sessions may provide added benefit. You can also consider shorter, more frequent exercise during the day.

Moderate activities like brisk walking, hiking, biking, and swimming are beneficial, as are calming activities like yoga and deep breathing exercises. Your physiotherapist will help you determine what's best for you.

If you want to maintain mental acuity well into advanced age, contact your physiotherapist to learn more about how exercise therapy can help train your brain. Physical activity can help ready the brain for new information, leading to increased interest, improved attitude, and better learning outcomes.

How to rake leaves without hurting yourself

Raking and collecting leaves is good physical exercise which helps to reinforce muscles, improve posture and reduce the risks of certain pathologies such as osteoporosis. Although pleasant for some, raking leaves is vigorous activity which causes many injuries treated in our clinic. Raking involves repetitive movements and tireless work combining bending, reaching, twisting and carrying over a long period of time.

To prevent this activity from becoming a burden, injuries and overworking the muscles, here are some tips you should follow.

• Change your heavy old rake for an updated ergonomic version. Look for a light-weight rake with a bent shaft and a padded handle.
• Warm up and stretch out your muscles.
• Keep your back straight, your neck muscles relaxed and keep your elbows slightly bent and close to the side of your body.
• Face the pile and rake the leaves towards your body, in a front-to-back motion.
• Do not rake on wet ground while leaves are heavy and slippery!
• Regularly change the positions of your hands on the shaft of the rake; while simultaneously changing your forwardly positioned leg with the back in order to prevent muscular aches and distribute the work more evenly.
• Take frequently breaks in order to avoid becoming tired, which could cause you over-compensate also causing injuries.
• Do not bend at the waist when you fill the bag instead bend your knees and do not fill it excessively. Also bend your knees when you raise the heavy bags and do not use your back.
• Wear shoes adapted to the work to prevent falls.
• Finally, if you already suffer from back pain, elbow pain, or any other injury, this kind of seasonal work can worsen your situation. Get your kids involved or hire your young neighbour to do the work if necessary. It is a small investment which will prevent injury and several treatments of physiotherapy.

Written by Dominique David

The Healthy Living Formula

Healthy living involves discipline and a strategic approach towards exercise and nutrition. It requires small, consistent changes every day to increase your metabolism and fuel your body with the right types of nutrients.

Here are some simple ideas to help you live a healthier life:

• Take frequent breaks when sitting for long periods of time. Avoid staying in one position in front of your computer or television. Change positions at frequent intervals so you're not sedentary all day.
   
• Get on your feet and move an hour or two a day to decrease cholesterol levels and reduce blood pressure. Moving around gets your blood flowing and your body working. 
   
• When you're on the phone, try to walk around while you're talking. 
   
• Park further away from your destination so that you will be required to walk a little bit more than usual. 
   
• Get a good night's sleep (at least 7 hours). Your body relies on rest to rejuvenate and heal itself. 
   
• Eat only when you truly feel hungry or consume small portions every 2-3 hours instead of 3 large meals. 
   
• Drink plenty of water. 
   
• Cut down on smoking and drinking. 
   
• Relax with a regular routine of yoga and meditation. 

Nutrition for Healthy Skin 

Nutrition plays an important role in helping maintain and improve skin tone. Smooth and healthy skin is a sign of good health. The phrase "you are what you eat” holds true as far as the health of your skin is concerned.

The following foods will facilitate healthy skin: 

• Antioxidant-rich foods. Antioxidants play a key part in the prevention of diseases like heart disease and cancer. Some of the foods in this group include blueberries, cranberries, strawberries, plums and apples. 
   
• Foods rich in vitamin E. Vitamin E protects against cardiovascular diseases by defending against plaque formation in the arteries. Some of the foods that are rich in vitamin E include peanuts, almonds, hazelnuts, spinach, broccoli, kiwi, mango and tomatoes. 
   
• Selenium-rich foods such as fish, Brazil nuts, liver and sunflower seeds help to keep the skin fresh and looking youthful. 
   
• Foods rich in beta carotene. Some of the foods that are rich in beta carotene include hot peppers, kale, carrots, sweet potatoes and spinach.

Most of these foods can easily be found in your local grocery store and there are many ways to introduce them in your diet. Please remember that all foods should be eaten in moderation, and it's best to combine healthy foods with an exercise program for best results. A physical therapist can help you with an exercise program that compliments a healthy nutrition program.

Stress Management with Exercise 

Stress is a part of day-to-day life, but the manner in which you handle your stress is a key factor. Stress management is the best way to minimize strain on your cells and live a healthy life.

Stress is a normal psychological and physical reaction to the increasing demands of life. At some point, everyone experiences stress. If you are uncertain about how to handle stress, begin with a positive mindset. Surround yourself with family and qualified health professionals. A physical therapist can provide support, expertise and design exercise programs (muscle relaxation techniques, for example) to help you deal with stress.

Learn to relax physically and mentally. A massage can help you release muscle tension, and it's best to ask your physical therapist if a massage is right for you. In many cases, this can help reduce stress, leaving you relaxed and rejuvenated. A massage is just one component of stress release and it can be used in addition to full body strengthening and relaxation program.

Call us for an appointment and we'll quickly get you on the road to a healthy and stress-free lifestyle.

Preventing Back Pain: Tips for New Moms

Complaints of back pain by pregnant women are common. Usually, the pain diminishes within two weeks after delivery. But back pain may return as you begin lifting and carrying the infant on a daily basis. As the infant grows, the weight load increases and back pain can result.

Caring for an infant puts stress on your back. Initially, you may be lifting the 7- to 10-pound baby up to 50 times a day. By the time the child is a year old, you are lifting and carrying 17 pounds. Two years later, you will be lifting a 25- to 30-pound child.

Here are ten ways that new mothers can help reduce their risk of injury and back pain. Many of these tips also work well with new fathers!

Begin exercising soon after delivery to restore muscle tone to the abdominal and back muscles. While the baby is napping, take 10 minutes to do stretching exercises on the floor each day. This will help restore hip and back flexibility.

• Try to return to your normal weight within six weeks after giving birth.
• Do not stretch your arms out to pick up the baby. Bring the baby close to your chest before lifting. Avoid twisting your body.
• To pick up a child from the floor, bend at your knees-not at your waist. Squat down, tighten your stomach muscles and lift with your legs.
• Remove the high chair tray when you are trying to put the baby in or take the baby out of the high chair.
• When lifting the child up out of the crib, put the crib side down and pull the child toward you. Do not bend over the crib side and lift the baby over the top.
• Consider using a "front pack" to carry the baby when you are walking.
• Do not carry a child on your hip; this overloads the back muscles.
• To avoid upper back pain from breastfeeding, bring the baby to your breast, rather than bending over the baby. While you are nursing, sit in an upright chair rather than a soft couch.
• Do not stand outside the car and try to place the child in the car seat. Kneel on the back seat as you place the baby into the car seat. Consider trading in your sporty two-door model for a four-door vehicle, which will make it easier for you to place the child in the car seat.
• If you had a Caesarian-section (C-section) delivery, wait six weeks or until you get the permission of your obstetrician before you begin exercising. Additionally, the risk of back pain is greater among young, overweight women.

Created by: Melissa Rachiele (Action Sport Physio West Island)