Toronto Women's Hockey Has Become Very Popular - Here are Some Tips For Players Who Want To Avoid A Knee Ligament Injury

Toronto women’s hockey has grown in popularity over the last decade. With the rise of such stars as Tessa Bonhomme and Cassie Campbell, women across the province have taken to the ice to show that they have just as much spirit and drive as their male counterparts. With back-to-back gold medals at the Olympics, women’s hockey has risen to new heights, and with the rise of Toronto women’s hockey, so too have the incidences of knee ligament injury.

Although a knee ligament injury is a common injury for athletes in all kinds of sports, it's increasingly common for Toronto women’s hockey players. But just what is a knee ligament injury? A knee ligament injury is a tear of ligaments in your knee, the ones that connect your thighbone to your lower leg bones, and that are vital to movement.  

There are several different ligaments that can be torn in a knee ligament injury: the posterior cruciate ligament, the anterior cruciate ligament, the lateral collateral ligament, and the medial collateral ligament. It is possible to injure one or more of these ligaments at the same time, and thus, it's incredibly important to try and avoid injuries of this kind.

A knee ligament injury is considered a ‘sprain,’ and is graded on a scale of 1 to 3. A grade 1 sprain is the least severe, when a ligament is stretched slightly, but not torn.  A grade 2 sprain is when the ligament is stretched to the point that it becomes loose (often called a partial tear). The grade 3 sprain, which is the most severe, is when the ligament is completely torn, thus rendering the knee unstable.

Multiple knee ligament injuries can have devastating long-term effects, impacting blood flow to the leg, impacting the nerves, and in rare cases even leading to amputation. Since a knee ligament injury is so common, even when playing Toronto women’s hockey, avoiding one is crucial - as is seeking proper treatment from a sports injury clinic if you have suffered a knee ligament injury.

So ladies, how can you avoid a knee ligament injury when playing Toronto women’s hockey? Here are a few tips:

-          Consistent and appropriate training and conditioning year round, not just during hockey season, will keep your knee in good shape.

-          Pivoting, crouching and bending at the knee helps to keep your ligaments in use and helps to reduce stress on them.

-          Strengthening your hamstring and quadriceps muscles will work to strengthen the entire leg, the knee included.

-          Developing an exercise routine that works to increase balance and strength to your core muscles helps keep your knees flexible and your ligaments stable.

Treating a knee ligament injury can be a pain, so avoiding one is a good idea. For more information about how to avoid a knee ligament injury while playing Toronto women’s hockey (or any sport), contact Athletic Edge Sports Medicine by calling 416 800 0800, or visit www.aesm.ca.

2013 Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic Cancelled - Will Your Own Year Be Hockey Concussion Free?

The annual Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic may have been cancelled for this year, leaving many hockey fans further disappointed with this season’s showing, but that doesn’t meant that you can enjoy your own hockey season any less. Getting out there on the ice is a great way to exercise over the winter months. But will this year’s season be hockey concussion free? How can you ensure your own game keeps you hockey concussion free? 

Any hockey player or fan knows that hockey concussions are all too common, keeping players off the ice at regular intervals. A hockey concussion can be a damaging injury that can decrease an individual’s ability to do the things they normally enjoy on a regular basis, particularly participate in sports, and so if a concussion occurs it is incredibly important to seek out proper concussion management and concussion treatment.  

Those hockey players who normally participate in the NHL Winter Classic have a team on hand of highly  concussion. You, however, may not be in the same position. So what can you do to deal with a hockey concussion?  

One of the hardest parts about treating a hockey concussion is actually diagnosing it. Too many athletes suffer concussions while playing sports but brush them off as something else without seeking proper treatment. Whether your hockey concussion is mild or severe – or even if you are unsure if you have a concussion or not – it is first crucial to seek out medical advice.

A good sports injury clinic will employ a variety of tests, including:

-          A BESS test - a standardized balance test, which has been shown to correlate well with cognitive recovery after concussion

-          An IMPACT test - a computer-based cognitive test, which examines such things as memory and cognitive functioning (processing speed and reaction time).

Together these tests work to diagnose the severity of the concussion, determine the proper treatment plan, and assess and estimate recovery times.

After diagnosing a hockey concussion (or any other sports related concussion), the right sports medicine specialist will develop a plan for recovery, allowing you to return to work and play as quickly as possible while still avoiding the costly long-term effects that often accompany an untreated hockey concussion.

If you are a fan that also likes to play hockey, try to maintain the same level of injury prevention and treatment as the pro’s. If you suffer a hockey concussion, do not ignore it – this can lead to devastating future injuries, which can ultimately keep you from the rink permanently. Treat a hockey concussion seriously and seek treatment immediately.

One of Athletic Edge Sports Medicine’s own doctors, Dr. Grant Lum, MD, CCFP, Dip Sport Med, is a consultant for the NHL Players’ Association, and consistently works with sports injury specialists within the NHL. For more information about hockey concussion diagnosis and treatment, please contact Athletic Edge Sports Medicine by calling 416 800 0800, or visit www.aesm.ca.

How To Eat Healthy During Winterlicious 2013 in Toronto

With the New Year just around the corner, foodies in Toronto are getting excited about the prospect of Winterlicious 2013 taking place January 25^th to February 7^th. The 11^th annual Winterlicious, whose inaugural predecessor included only 35 restaurants, is set to rival last year’s participation of over 175. This appetizing festival allows you to savour foods from a plethora of menus, at price points set to fit the average budget. But wait – it is important not to let this overwhelming expanse of choice and variety kill your healthy eating routine. Follow these tips on how to eat healthy during Toronto’s Winterlicious 2013. 

Winterlicious How to Eat Healthy Tip #1: Don’t overindulge. Just because all of these restaurants are promising a fantastic meal at a great price does not mean that you should try and fit in as many as you can in the few short weeks that Winterlicious 2013 in Toronto is on. Rather than spoiling yourself by eating out every night of the week, which we all know will only lead to packed on poundage, treat yourself by picking 2 or 3 of those restaurants that really stick out, or those ones that you have been dying to try but are just too expensive for a casual Friday night out. Limit yourself to these few and your Winterlicious 2013 dining shouldn’t get out of hand.

Winterlicious How to Eat Healthy Tip #2: Don’t get faked. Beware of those meals that pretend to be healthy. Winterlicious 2013 claims to offer the best of the best from the best – but they make no claims about being the healthiest. A good way to avoid those faker meals, like salads that pretend to be health conscious while being loaded with cheeses, sauces, and a variety of other not so healthy toppings can be deceiving. Avoid those healthier meats, such as a baked chicken breast, smothered in rich sauces that pile on the calories. Keep a watchful eye on those pesky little menu offerings that may be much worse for your waistline.

Winterlicious How to Eat Healthy Tip #3: Beware of that dreaded 3^rd course. Yes, most of the restaurants included in the Winterlicious 2013 roster offer a 3-course meal – the third course almost always being dessert. Although this may seem super tempting, if you are full, do not overeat. If, when your main meal is done, you have to pop the top button on your pants, dessert is probably not the best idea. However, if you feel like dessert is just going to be that cherry on top of the sundae, choose something that is tasty yet still heart and body healthy. For example, a bowl of deep fried ice cream, though tempting, is probably not as healthy as a fruit-topped sorbet…

Winterlicious How to Eat Healthy Tip #4: Don’t go it alone. Speak with a registered dietician, one with experience helping people get in, and stay in, good physical health. Those fad diets that never work just waste time, and so getting nutrition counselling that fits your lifestyle is very important. A registered dietician can work with you to develop a smart eating plan, unique to you, to help you get healthy and stay healthy.

For more tips about how to eat healthy during Winterlicious 2013 in Toronto, or all throughout the year, please contact Athletic Edge Sports Medicine to speak to our registered dietician, Stephanie Senior, by calling 416 800 0800, or visit www.aesm.ca.

Figure Skating at Central Toronto Skating Club - A Great Opportunity For Winter Fitness

With winter just around the corner, it is sometimes easy to forget about the importance of keeping fit over the winter months in exchange for curling up beside the toasty warm fire with a cup of hot chocolate and a good book. However, this doesn’t have to (and really shouldn’t) be the case, as figure skating represents a great opportunity for winter fitness that is both fun and great exercise for you. Figure skating at places such as the Central Toronto Skating Club offers you the chance to keep fit even when it is snowy and cold. 

Figure skating is a great way to enjoy time both indoors and outdoors during the long winter season.  Spending time with friends and family while still getting some exercise means you can still keep in shape during the winter months. Getting to the local rink, skating club, or even out on the pond represents the perfect chance to exercise.

So how can you make the most of your winter fitness by figure skating? By making sure that your body is in good shape and that you are prepared.  Stretching before heading out onto the ice is always a smart idea, and can help you stay limber and flexible and avoid figure skating injuries.

Making sure that your skates fit well is also important when taking part in this type of winter fitness. Skates, like any sporting equipment, are built to fit a certain way in order to provide the best protection, so ensuring that your skates fit you properly can help keep many injuries at bay, including ankle or foot injuries due to improper support.

Sometimes, even though to many figure skating may seem like a low impact sport, injuries do occur, and it is important to deal with them as soon as they occur. There are several different injuries that can occur when figure skating. Some of the most common include stress fractures, often to the foot or spine, shin splints, or even head injuries, such as a concussion.

So what should you do if you sustain an injury while figure skating? Ignoring what may seem like a small ache or pain can ultimately lead to even bigger problems, so attending to that injury effectively can save you a lot of hassle. Going to a sports injury clinic and working with an experienced sports injury specialist is a surefire way to get your body back to normal if you have sustained a figure skating injury.

If you are suffering from a sports injury or to learn more about preventative measures, please contact Athletic Edge Sports Medicine by calling 416 800 0800, or visit www.aesm.ca