Health and Wellness Archives

Cracking the Code: What is Endometriosis

Post author:admin
Post published:September 19, 2023
Post category:Health and Wellness

What is Endometriosis? Endometriosis is a condition in which tissue similar to the lining of the uterus grows outside the uterus. This leads to an inflammatory reaction within the pelvis and abdomen. It affects 10-15% of female-bodied people and 35-50% of people struggling with pelvic pain and infertility (~200 million people). It is often referred to as the “great imitator” which leads to it being under-diagnosed or misdiagnosed, and contributes to why it often takes 7-20 years to be diagnosed. What causes Endometriosis? The cause of endometriosis is unknown. It…

Rock Climbing Technique Basics

Post author:admin
Post published:May 5, 2023
Post category:Climbing Exercises Health and Wellness Sports

If you are new to rock climbing and have started your journey by yourself in a gym, then you have probably heard other climbers discussing different types of holds and techniques. If you are confused or unsure of what they are talking about, then this is a great place to start. In this post we will talk through some common terms in regards to technique and how you interact with a wall, however this will not be an exhaustive list by any means as there are many climbing specific words,…

Building Strength with Limited or No Equipment

Post author:admin
Post published:April 7, 2023
Post category:Exercises Health and Wellness Strength Training

The plethora of at-home workouts and access to virtual exercise classes has been a definite bright spot in our current situation. Coaches and instructors have begun to utilize dozens of variations and combinations of the squat, push up, and sit up to create equipment-free programming for us to do at home. Usually, this style of exercise primarily targets muscular endurance and has fantastic cardiovascular benefits, but building strength and promoting muscular hypertrophy are difficult to achieve unless you have the means to appropriately load (e.g. have your own fully stocked…

Static Stretching for Distance Runners

Post author:admin
Post published:March 17, 2023
Post category:Health and Wellness

To Stretch or Not to Stretch? What Runners Should Know About Stretching for Injury Prevention and Performance: I have had numerous runners over the years come into the clinic and tell me they have pain. They will then look down at their feet and admit “I don’t stretch though, so I guess it’s my own fault.” The perception that stretching is an important feature in injury prevention and recovery is pretty pervasive, but is it accurate? First, we can look at pre-exercise stretching. It appears that following a sustained static…

Desk Job Mobility

Post author:admin
Post published:February 16, 2023
Post category:Exercises Health and Wellness

If you spend hours per day on a computer or at a desk, take a look at the photo below. We all used to deem the body on the right as having “bad posture,” but the truth is that this is merely our body’s response to the repetitive positioning demands placed on it. Good news! It is retrainable, and the concept is simple: stretch the structures that are tight, activate/strengthen the structures that are inhibited/weak. Below are some movements that you can incorporate into your work day to supplement all…

Spinal Manipulation For Back Pain

Post author:admin
Post published:January 18, 2023
Post category:Back Pain Health and Wellness

Back and neck pain are two of the most common reasons why individuals seek care from a health professional. A popular manual treatment technique at the back and neck is a thrust manipulation. Most people at some point in their life have seen a YouTube video of someone causing a loud crunching sound after manipulating someone’s back, but does it help reduce pain and improve function? Current research suggests that spinal manipulation can be an effective technique when addressing back pain. The following is a guide for those who are…

I Just Injured My Ankle, Do I Need An X-Ray?

Post author:admin
Post published:November 10, 2022
Post category:Health and Wellness Strength Training

Ankle sprains are one of the most common injuries in the United States and commonly happen during sports and recreational activities. Injuries can result from rolling the ankle, falling on the ankle, or contact injuries from sport. After an ankle injury occurs, one of the first questions asked is; do I need to go to the doctor or get an x-ray? The following blog is a guide for individuals who suffered an acute ankle injury and are unsure if they need an x-ray. The Ottawa ankle rules: The Ottawa ankle…

Training in the Transverse Plane for the Lacrosse Athlete

Post author:Ariana Maxwell
Post published:October 3, 2022
Post category:Exercises Health and Wellness Sports Strength Training

We move in 3 major planes of motion. These planes include the frontal, sagittal and transverse planes. The frontal plane divides the body into front and back and includes lateral movements. The sagittal plane divides the body into left and right and includes flexion and extension movements. The transverse plane divides the body into top and bottom halves and includes rotational movements. A lot of the time, training includes frontal and sagittal plane movements, (squats, deadlifts, lateral lunges) but neglects the transverse plane. Training in the transverse plane is crucial…

ACL Injuries & Prevention in Sports

Post author:admin
Post published:August 30, 2022
Post category:Exercises Health and Wellness Sports

The anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) is one of the four main ligaments that connects the femur (thigh bone) and the tibia (shin bone) together. The ACL sits in the middle of the knee. Its main job is to prevent the tibia from sliding out in front of the femur. So how can you injure your ACL? It can happen from a contact injury (like getting tackled in football), but most of the time, it occurs from a noncontact injury (like planting your foot to quickly change direction while running or…

Tendon Pain

Post author:admin
Post published:August 29, 2022
Post category:Exercises Health and Wellness Physical Therapy

Tendinopathy, or previously referred to as tendonitis/osis, is an injury that causes a spectrum of changes to occur in a damaged or diseased tendon. This process can lead to pain and/or reduced function in activities of daily living or sporting activities. The risk factors for tendinopathy are multifactorial, but are most influenced by sport, occupation, and genetic factors. Sporting activities require increased amounts of force to be placed on a tendon, which requires increased loadability of the tendon. The most common types of tendinopathy: Rotator Cuff Wrist and Forearm Flexor/Extensor…