Back in the Game: Treating Pain with Sonocur Shockwave Therapy

When we suffer from pain, no matter the source or location, often our immediate solution is to stop taking part in physical activity. If pain makes your favourite sport unenjoyable, stopping all together is a sad but all too common choice made by many of us. On the other hand, some of us decide to play through the pain, not seeking treatment until things have gone far past bad – which isn’t always the best decision either. Instead of ignoring the pain or foregoing your favourite pastime, perhaps it is time to think about an alternative solution to treating the pain: Sonocur shockwave therapy.

What is shockwave therapy? A non-invasive yet highly effective form of treatment, during Sonocur shockwave therapy treatments, high-intensity sound waves are sent into the tissues of the impacted area of the body. It won’t cause tendon damage and there is no downtime following treatment – you don’t need to take time off work or sit on the bench for an extended period of time. Shockwave therapy is conducted by a medical professional (a physiotherapist or chiropractor most often), trained in applying this form of treatment to achieve maximum results. The number of treatments will depend on your unique situation, following a thorough assessment of your individual injury.

What are the benefits? This type of therapy has a number of different positives, including helping to increase metabolic activity, accelerating new blood vessel growth and scar tissue breakdown, decreasing inflammation, stimulating the reabsorption of calcium deposits in tendons and stimulating the natural healing process of the body. Together, this all works to greatly reduce pain.

Sonocur Shockwave therapy has been shown to assist in the treatment of a number of different ailments, many of which are quite painful and can keep you from your favourite sport for a lengthy period of time, if not indefinitely. Included in this list are:

• Tennis elbow and Golfer’s elbow (epicondylitis)
• Rotator Cuff Tendonitis
• Biceps Tendonitis
• Jumper’s Knee (patellar tendonitis)
• Runner’s Knee (iliotibial band syndrome)
• Quadriceps tendonitis
• Achilles Tendonitis
• Plantar Fasciitis and others

If you are suffering from any one of these ailments, Sonocur shockwave therapy may just be the treatment that affords you real relief. As a non-invasive method with little to no downtime, it can be an effective means to getting back on the field without pain holding you back.

For more about Sonocur shockwave treatment and its many benefits, please contact Athletic Edge Sports Medicine today by calling 416 800 0800 or visit www.aesm.ca. 

Are You Eating the Right Way for Healthy Weight Loss?

We are officially in 2015 now, and that means many of us are still (hopefully) adhering to those New Year’s resolutions we set for ourselves a little over a week or so ago. And for many of us, those resolutions mean getting back in shape and shedding those few extra pounds that may or may not have added up as a result of the holiday season. But with many other things, there are both good and bad ways to go about this. Are you going about healthy weight loss the right way?

One of the first things we think about when it comes to healthy weight loss is food, and for many this involves reducing our fat intake. However, as Sarah Ware, registered dietitian, discusses in this video, avoiding fats all together is not the best approach: http://www.healthchoicesfirst.com/category/nutritionists/fats/nutritionist-fat-in-our-diet.

According to the video, “Fat is essential in our diet and it is one of the three macronutrients that make up the main components of our food…eating fat alone will not cause you to gain weight.” Wait, what? 

Fat itself is not what causes you to gain weight? No, the right fats are actually going to help you stay on track.

If you want to lose weight, the healthy way, cutting out fats isn’t going to help, especially not long term.

One of the most effective ways to change your diet for healthy weight loss is to work with a registered dietitian, one who can work with you to develop a strategy based on your own food preferences that meets all of your dietary needs – and that means including the right types of fat.

For more about healthy weight loss strategies that will actually help you lose the weight and keep it off, please contact Athletic Edge Sports Medicine today by calling 416 800 0800 and speaking with our registered dietitian, Stefanie Senior, or visit us online at www.aesm.ca.

#1 New Year’s Resolution: Getting in Shape

With the winter in full swing, it can be easy to opt for a cozy day spent on the couch with hot chocolate versus spending time outside exercising. However, the advantages of regular exercise are just too great to ignore in exchange for small creature comforts. We are not saying that you need to spend the entire winter out of doors, but regular exercise is known to have a great many benefits: reduced risk for heart disease, lower blood pressure, and many other benefits.

Knowing how tough this can be, we’ve compiled some tips to help get you on your way to getting in shape over the long winter months.

Change your perspective – one of the hardest parts about exercising during the winter is getting over that “but it’s so cold outside” hump. Sure, it may not be 25 degrees outside, but that doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy the weather. If you just think about it differently, winter can offer a wide array of activities that might just surprise you. For example, instead of thinking about a walk in the cold, think about how gorgeous the winter scenery is, or how refreshing it is not to be sweating through your shirt the first moment you step out the door.

Set a goal. When you’ve set a goal, this can greatly increase your chances of following through with your getting in shape plans. Developing a strategy for regular activity, and then setting small goals throughout the week/month, can really help to motivate and get you excited about your progress.

Try something new. For many of us, the thought of heading out into the snow invokes not so fond memories of frostbite and frozen toes. But maybe this is just a result of the activities you were taking part in. Try something new, such as cross country skiing, snowshoeing or curling. These can offer a fun and exciting change from the norm – and help you stay pumped.

Dress for the occasion. The other major player in the fight to forego winter activities is the fact that many of us prefer not to have to brave the cold – being brave innately requires some sort of sacrifice, and in this case that sacrifice is usually the toasty warm fire and some slippers. When prepping for cold day exercise, dress accordingly and you might be surprised just how warm you remain. The usual players (hat, mitts, winter boots) all play a role, but also consider the activity and how much exertion is required – too many layers and you’ll sweat, too few and you’ll freeze. Also, make sure to wear clothing made of synthetic materials that will not retain the moisture and or leave you feeling uncomfortable.

Getting in shape and staying active in the winter can require a bit more thought and effort when compared to the summer months – but the pay-off is worth it. Just use these tips to help start you off and get back in shape for the New Year.

For more tips about getting in shape this winter please contact Athletic Edge Sports Medicine today by calling 416 800 0800 or visit us online at www.aesm.ca.

Pain On and Off the Ice: Ice Hockey Shoulder Injuries

With the hockey season in full swing, many of you are out there on a regular basis, hitting the ice as part of an organized league or just for some fun competition among friends. Ice hockey is a fantastic way to stay fit during the winter, and it offers many fitness benefits. However, it also comes with its own host of risks, not least of which are hockey shoulder injuries – often the result of contact injuries – and therefore unavoidable.

Check out this video from Health Choices First, Hockey & Shoulder Injuries. In it, physiotherapist Behnad Honarbakhsh discusses common hockey shoulder injuries. These typically include:

• shoulder dislocation
• fractured humerus
• damaged collarbone or AC joint (often the result of being checked into the boards)

Depending on the severity of the injury, there are a number of different methods for treatment. These may include bracing for stability and to retain range of motion and avoid stiffness, kinesiotaping for stability and control, or physiotherapy to rehabilitate the injury to achieve normal functionality.

For more about treating hockey shoulder injuries, and how physiotherapy can help you deal with an injury that is causing pain both on and off the ice, please contact Athletic Edge Sports Medicine today by calling 416 800 0800 or visit us online at www.aesm.ca.

Happy Holidays From Athletic Edge Sports Medicine

It is that time of year again! The decorations are out, the plans for holiday parties and get-togethers are made. The gifts are wrapped and the radio is playing nothing but holiday tunes.

Athletic Edge Sports Medicine wants to wish you a very happy holiday season and wonderful 2015! We are very excited for the year ahead!

Treating Osteoarthritis of the Knee with Hyaluronic Acid Injections

In Canada, 10 percent of adults are living with osteoarthritis, and osteoarthritis of the knee is one of the most common types of osteoarthritis, making life for those who struggle with this degenerative disease that much more difficult.

Osteoarthritis of the knee, or osteoarthritis in general, occurs when the natural cushioning (cartilage) between joints wears away, causing the joints to rub together without the necessary protective layer, leading to pain, swelling, stiffness and the decreased ability to move fluidly. This can flare up on occasion or constantly present problems, making even the most mundane daily activities difficult.

What causes osteoarthritis of the knee? It is difficult to determine the cause, but osteoarthritis is typically attributed to wear and tear on the knee joint. However, there are actually many different contributing factors which can lead to this condition, which whether hereditary, or resulting from trauma suffered to the knee, can include:

• Trauma to knee joint, including tearing of the meniscus
• Recurrent patellar dislocation or patella fracture
• Ligamentous instability, such as an ACL injury
• Fractures of the knee or knee dislocation
• Various genetic factors, including the presence of arthritis in family medical history

One of the most effective methods for relief of this painful condition is hyaluronic acid injections. Hyaluronic acid is a naturally occurring fluid in your body, one that helps to lubricate the joints, allowing them to move smoothly, as well as acting as a shock absorber. When you suffer from osteoarthritis, this fluid is thinned, meaning that protective layer is compromised.

For those unfamiliar with the process, hyaluronic acid treatment involves the injection of this substance directly into the cavity around the knee joint, helping to add to your body’s natural supply. Following an injection, your doctor might suggest taking it easy for a few days, but after that things should start to improve. Also called viscosupplementation, this can significantly increase your body’s ability to combat the symptoms of this condition.

Depending on your unique situation, your doctor might use a combination of treatments to deal with your knee osteoarthritis along with the hyaluronic acid injections. This may include custom knee bracing to help provide stability, or physiotherapy to assist in increasing movement and reducing pain.

For more about the benefits of hyaluronic acid injections to soothe your osteoarthritis of the knee please contact Athletic Edge Sports Medicine today by calling 416 800 0800 or visit us online at www.aesm.ca.

Winter Running Tips Just in Time for The Santa Shuffle

This weekend, Toronto is host to the third annual Santa Shuffle Fun Run and Elf Walk in support of the Salvation Army. This exciting event offers something for everyone – a 5km run for the more ambitious, and a 1km run for those that just want to take their time. The only real requirement? A Santa suit! Get ready to have some fun at this great, family-friendly occasion!

In the spirit of the season, we thought we’d provide you with some winter running tips to both prepare you for this event and winter running in general – check them out!

1. Wear layers – allows the warm air from your body to act as an insulator – but look for articles made of synthetic materials that will wick moisture away from the skin, rather than retaining the moisture and causing discomfort. Also, consider dressing as though it were warmer than it is – you should be chilled when you leave the house, otherwise you are just going to overheat as you get going.
2. Consider stretching indoors – avid runners know the importance of warming up before a run – but in the winter, think about doing these exercises inside – you are more likely to do a thorough warm up in a warm, comfortable environment.
3. Protect your eyes and skin. The cold can be a killer on the skin, and the glare from the snow can be harsh on the eyes. Wear sunglasses, and a thin layer of Vaseline on the face and lips can go a long way as far as preventing your skin from cracking from the cold.
4. Preplan your run according to the conditions. Ice, snow drifts, closed trails- these can all impact your running route, so be prepared. And, if it is beyond freezing, know when it is best to run indoors instead.
5. Hit up a running injury clinic to get more tips and ensure that you are protecting yourself from a running injury while enjoying the winter weather.

Use these winter running tips to get yourself ready for the winter weather. Whether you are an avid runner or just a beginner, the snow and cold does not mean that you need to take a running hiatus. Just be prepared for everything that winter has to throw at you.

For more winter running tips or to find out more about a running injury clinic please call Athletic Edge Sports Medicine today at 416 800 0800 or visit us online at www.aesm.ca.