Free Leisure Skating in Toronto - Be Prepared for Leisure Skating as Skating Can Result in Sports Injuries

Staying active during the long winter season can seem daunting.  It's not always as fun being greeted by cold, snow and ice while stepping out the front door for a run, or to take a leisurely stroll in the park.  The long warm days of meeting friends to throw a football around or joining a beach volleyball league are long gone when there's a foot of snow on the ground. Although the winter may seem like a time when the gym is offering the only viable option for regular winter fitness, just remember that free leisure skating in Toronto represents an exciting, easy and fun option for outdoor winter activity. 

As one of Canada’s oldest and most popular winter recreational activities, skating is an important part of Canadian culture and tradition as well as winter fitness and exercise. For good reason too: it's fun! Free leisure skating in Toronto is offered at a number of different rinks located all across the city. These rinks give you the freedom to enjoy the rink at no-charge (except for the supervised adult only skating, which is $3 at indoor supervised arenas). 

It's important to keep in mind while leisure skating in Toronto, that sports injuries can easily occur if you are not prepared or not careful on the ice. There are a number of common sports injuries that can occur. Whether you're leisure skating in Toronto or on a rink in a back yard, these injuries can range from minor overuse injuries such as stress fractures, most commonly to the foot or spine, or stress reactions, such as shin splints and medial-tibial stress syndrome to ankle strains or fractures, or even head injuries or concussions.

These sports injuries are not just a result of overuse when skating, but can also come with overall inexperience. Not knowing how tightly to lace your skates can cause limited range of motion or too much range of motion, leading to strains or sprains. If skate blades are too sharp and the skater is not confident or is inexperienced, the slips and falls that occur can be costly. It is important to know these things before just gliding out onto the ice. 

So when leisure skating in Toronto how can you avoid these sports injuries? It's actually quite easy. Talking to an experienced and professional sports medicine specialist will give you the tips and advice you need to help you avoid those unwanted pains and strains - tips like how to find and fit the right boots and which stretches to adopt before stepping onto the ice. 

What if, while leisure skating in Toronto, you find yourself suffering from a sports injury as a result? Again, you don't have to suffer in silence. Firstly, make sure you do not skate if you are in pain, as this could irritate the sports injury or make the injury worse. Secondly, speak with a sports medicine specialist, trained in treating sports injuries to find out what path to take for treatment and recovery. 

Leisure skating in Toronto represents an important source of wintertime fitness. However, being prepared is just as important. To learn more about the benefits of leisure skating as well as how to avoid sports related injuries, contact Athletic Edge Sports Medicine 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