Treat Your Back to Some Much Needed Relief: Chiropractic Care for Chronic Back Pain

If you suffer from chronic back pain you are no doubt aware of how debilitating this pain can be. Everyday tasks that once seemed simple can become difficult, sometimes even impossible, and finding relief can be tough.

There are a number of different causes for chronic back pain, ranging from extreme physical exertion to falling to bending or crouching repeatedly. When you participate in a sporting activity that can lead to chronic back pain, the inability to continue can come about rapidly, and not seeking treatment can often make the problem worse.

Over the years, chiropractic care for chronic back pain has become more popular as a proven method for relief.

There are a variety of techniques used by chiropractors to manipulate and adjust joints that are misaligned. These help to reduce your back pain and restore normal function. Two of the most common chiropractic treatment methods are the Active Release Technique and the Graston Technique. Each offers its own benefits.

Active Release Technique: Active Release Technique is a movement-based massage system which locates and breaks up scar tissue. This scar tissue is usually the cause of any chronic pain, weakness, stiffness or numbness associated with soft-tissue injuries. This treatment is made up of over 500 different manual moves specific to ART, and your chiropractor’s assessment and examination determines which moves are best suited to your individual injury or pain.

Graston Technique: The Graston Technique is a form of instrument-assisted soft tissue mobilization. This method allows your chiropractor to find scar tissue and treat it to reduce or eliminate chronic back pain and restore normal function. This technique works to separate and break down collagen cross-links and increase skin temperature, as well as increase cellular activity and the rate and amount of blood flow to the affected area.

Other chiropractic care measures which may be used in your individualized treatment may include acupuncture. Acupuncture has been shown, through the painless insertions of tiny needles into the skin, to improve muscle activation and nerve function and to reduce pain. This is because the treatment helps restore the flow of energy through the body to remove the blocks causing pain or reduce normal function.

Stop letting chronic back pain hold you back from enjoying the sports (or just everyday activities) you love; stop suffering and get some help. Chiropractic care offers lasting relief. Your sports medicine specialist can examine and determine what treatment will best restore your body to its pain-free state, without invasive surgery or long recovery times.

For more information about how chiropractic care can help alleviate or eliminate your chronic back pain, contact Athletic Edge Sports Medicine by calling 416-800-0800.

NHL Season is Here – Are You Avoiding Hockey Injuries?

The NHL season has started and players all across North America are gearing up for the fight for the ever-elusive Stanley Cup. The ice is being readied for games across both nations and team therapists are readying team members for the added strains of season play. These doctors are working to help the pros avoid hockey injuries to keep them on the ice – but what are you doing to avoid them?

Just because you don’t play professional hockey doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t take those injuries, and their avoidance, seriously.  What kinds of injuries are we talking about? Here are some of the most common hockey injuries sustained during regular (or occasional) play.

Thanks mainly to the forward posture of skating and the frequent hyperextension stress, lower back pain or pulled muscles in the back are some of the most common hockey injuries that affect the back. These can often be avoided with proper stretching of the hip, as well as training, to strengthen the back and abdominal muscles. However, if you have already damaged these muscles and are suffering from an injury that keeps you off of the ice, a chiropractor may be your key to relief. Chiropractic care to treat hockey injuries is a smart way to both address the initial cause of the pain and to treat it effectively.

Knee injuries, including torn ACLs, are also common hockey injuries. This is because of the leg position (pushing off the inside of the blade). Strengthening exercises can help lessen the risk, as can the right equipment. However, if you have already suffered an injury you might want to think about a custom knee brace or viscosupplementation. 

A lot of people don't realize that a hard hit to the head, even while wearing a helmet, can jar the brain inside the skull leading to a concussion. Concussions can be hard to avoid, aside from wearing proper protective headgear, largely due to the fact that they occur as a result of a sudden traumatic jolt, such as those sustained from a hit. Concussions become even more troublesome due to the difficulty in diagnosis (most people assume being knocked unconscious is a pretty safe bet, but not everyone passes out when they are concussed), and thus should be treated seriously no matter the severity. Concussion management is a smart way to both diagnose a concussion as well as to develop a plan for recovery and returning to the rink.

Ready your body like an NHL pro by avoiding hockey injuries properly. Similarly, if you have already suffered an injury, treat it like the pros with the help of a trained and experienced sports medicine professional.

Get back on the ice after hockey injuries at Athletic Edge Sports Medicine. Call today at 416-800-0800.

Feeling the Winter Blues Already? How Athletic Therapy Can Help You Prep for Winter Activity

With November in full swing and the long winter months spread out ahead of us, what a perfect time to talk about winter activity and how athletic therapy can help prep you for the season! Inactivity during the cold winter months is never a smart option, but neither is heading out and pretending it is June.  Being ready to beat the winter blues is crucial if you want to stay emotionally and physically pain free over the winter.

One of the most common complaints individuals have through winter months revolves around the weather's effect on osteoarthritis. If you have osteoarthritis of the knee you know what the cold can do to heighten this condition, so why not deal with the pain? An effective method for treatment of osteoarthritis is to attend a sports medicine clinic that offers treatment specific to this condition. This may include physiotherapy, viscosupplementation or custom knee bracing, either in combination or separately. These can help to reduce pain and increase movement in the knee, making winter activity a breeze.

What about running? You can’t run in the winter the same as you would in July, so make sure you adjust to the change in environment with proper equipment, training and routine. If you have sustained a running injury and are thinking about taking the winter off to recoup, you might want to reconsider, as a period of prolonged inactivity may lead to further injury come spring. Treat your running injury and get back out on that snow-frosted track by attending a running injury clinic at a sports medicine clinic. This will help to identify the root cause of your pain and devise a plan for treatment.

Athletic therapy is not just for prepping your body either. Winter sports can also lead to injury: think hockey, figure skating, lacrosse, etc. Any sports related injury needs to be treated properly – so seeking out individualized treatment catered to your specific injury is the best way to ensure that your recovery is effective and safe.

Don’t let winter chain you to the couch. Head to a sports medicine clinic today to seek treatment for winter aches and pains or to find out the best way to exercise over the winter months. Keep active and pain free with athletic therapy!

For more information about the benefits of athletic therapy, contact Athletic Edge Sports Medicine by calling 416-800-0800 or visit us online at www.aesm.ca. 

The Gourmet Food and Wine Expo – A Fantastic Opportunity to Achieve Weight Management Goals

If you are a foodie that loves to try out new dishes, recipes and ingredients, then the Gourmet Food and Wine Expo, taking place from November 15^th to the 18^th at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre, might be just the thing to pique your appetite. This extravaganza of edible delights gives you the chance to try out the latest and greatest wines, cheeses and other gourmet foods.

A conundrum many face during an exciting event like this how to balance enjoying the event without impacting healthy eating plans.  Here's where the help of a registered dietician can ensure that your foray into the world of wine and cheese doesn't overthrow your diet.

What can a registered dietician do for you? A lot! This person offers a wealth of nutritional counselling, either in a group or on your own, weight management programs, workshops to deal with cravings, grocery shopping tours and customized nutrition education seminars that rev up your journey on the path to healthy and effective weight loss.

No cookie cutter approaches here. But you have to be sure to seek a registered dietician who offers individualized service to meet your needs. By identifying your goals, desires and needs, a registered dietician can establish a unique meal plan for weight loss that takes into account your tastes, food preferences and budget. This makes following the plan easy for you, and this is essential to your success.

A registered dietician will set out a meal plan for weight loss that accomplishes a number of different things. The strategy may include attaining and maintaining your target weight, without sacrificing those necessary nutritional components that keep you healthy. Their assistance may also involve managing health conditions (allergies, food intolerances, etc) and controlling appetite and cravings.  You can also learn how to eat healthy at home and on-the-go by reading labels properly (a must at the Expo).

Are you tired of continually trying to get the weight off – or keep it off – on your own but never sticking to the plan? Or reaching a plateau that never ends? Get motivated - and stay that way - with the help of someone who knows what you need. A registered dietician can help you enjoy those foods you love, including all of the tasty treats at the Gourmet Food and Wine Expo, and help you establish and maintain a weight management plan that works for you.

For more information about weight management, or to speak with our registered dietician Stefanie Senior, contact Athletic Edge Sports Medicine at 416- 800-0800.