Nanaimo Chiropractor - Keep Skiing Injuries Away

Ski season is truly upon us. That means fresh air, lot of fun and exercise. Unfortunately for some, it also means injury. Many a chiropractor are kept busy during the winter months treating skiing injuries, including us at our Nanaimo chiropractic clinic, Pure Chiropractic. I would like to help you stay injury free this ski season. As such, here are 6 easy tips to keeping ski injuries away.







Six Tips to an Injury Free Ski Season:

1. Professional Instruction. Don't be cheap. Yes, a day at the slopes is expensive, but if you are new to skiing or it's been a while don't scrimp on the lessons. You've got a friend who's a really good skier and promises to "show you the ropes?" Being good at something doesn't mean you're a good teacher. You need to know what you're doing on the hill or you're just asking for trouble.
2. Know your limits. You've had your lessons and you know how to ski. Nothing can stop you! You're friends are encouraging you to try the black diamond run, saying it's "easy." It's best to know your limits.Tackling a run that's above your ability is a god way to get in trouble.
3. Warm up. Sounds basic, doesn't it? Yet most people don't do it. Cold muscle is less flexible. Make a quick turn and you can tear the muscle or it can pull on your joint. Wear appropriate clothing. Do some basic stretches before you head up and do a couple of easy runs before you tackle a more technical run.
4. Core Stability. Skiing and boarding require a lot of torsional (twisting) movements to your body. This is not an action that most people do in the gym. Think about it. On all those cardio machines we keep our bodies straight. When lifting weights we keep our bodies straight. Then we head out to the hill and twist our bodies and wonder why our back hurts when we're "in such great shape." You need to do some core stability work before and during the ski season. Join a yoga class, a pilates class or one of your gym's core stability classes. Find which one you enjoy the most and stick with it.
5. Pay attention to fatigue. It's a familiar story in our chiropractic clinic. You've been out all day having a blast and decide to go for one last run. That's when the injury happens. As your muscles fatigue, they do their job poorly. Balance, agility and stability are affected. To remedy this, take regular breaks and keep hydrated /eat through the day. Be honest with yourself, when you're tired you should be done for the day.
6. Chiropractic. You didn't expect a chiropractor to not write about chiropractic, did you? Chiropractic is not only a big part of injury treatment, it can also be an important part of injury prevention. Lack of joint mobility puts the body at risk of injury. Before you head out to the slopes, head into your chiropractor's office. If you'd like to see us at Pure Chiropractic, Nanaimo call 250-585-8866.

Hope you've found this blog post helpful. Leave a comment below and give your tip on preventing injury on the ski hill.

Kind Regards,
Dr. Jason Hare, Chiropractor
Pure Chiropractic, Nanaimo
1-5144 Metral Drive Nanaimo
250-585-8866


Photo Credit: http://www.freedigitalphotos.net/images/Outdoor_Sports__Land_g220-Ski_p11773.html

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Nanaimo Chiropractor ~ Vitamin D to Beat Muscle Injury

I've come across a new research study that I wanted to share with you. This study looked at Vitamin D levels and the NFL players that have lost time to muscle injury. As part of their pre-season routine examinations, 85 NFL football players had their Vitamin D levels taken. Normal levels are considered to be 32 ng/mL or higher. Then, the amount of time each player lost to muscle injuries was tracked throughout the season. The study found that the athletes that suffered a muscle injury had an average vitamin D level of only 19.9 ng/mL!

Now, let's look at this to figure out what it means. First of all, I'm shocked that a highly paid professional athlete would have dietary deficiencies at all. I mean, their bodies are their lively hood for goodness sake! But that aside, does it mean that low vitamin D levels mean you are more likely to see injuries? Maybe. The study didn't mention if their were any other dietary deficiencies, but it's certainly possible that if the athletes were low in vitamin D they may have been low in other nutrients. Should we make sure we have adequate vitamin D levels? Absolutely!

Some vitamin D facts:

• It's important  for bone density (preventing osteoporosis)
• Normals levels prevent heart attack and make it more likely to survive one if you do have one.
• Colon, breast and ovarian cancer have been linked to deficiency
• Good levels of vitamin D have been linked to a stronger immune system.
• Alzheimer's patients have lower vitamin D levels (unknown if this is a cause or result of the disease)
• Good vitamin D levels result in less falls in the elderly.
• Has been suggested to be linked to mood, depression and cognitive function.

Wow! With all those benefits, we certainly should make sure you get enough. So where do you get vitamin D? In the summer, your skin will make vitamin D when exposed to the sun. However, in Canada you do not get enough sun exposure in the winter to meet our body's requirements.

Milk, and most soy and rice milks, are fortified with vitamin D so you may be getting your requirements there. Dietary sources include oily fish (cod, salmon, tuna), eggs and liver. Unfortunately, you would have to consume large quantities of these foods to meet your requirements. Normally, I'm in favour of getting good nutrition through really food, not tablets, but if you vitamin D is one time that we must supplement if you don't drink milk or milk substitutes.

I would be remiss if I didn't point out that you must follow recommendations when taking vitamin D supplements. The recommended daily dose for an adult is 600-800 IU/day. 4000 IU/day is considered the upper tolerable limit for this vitamin and you will see the effects of toxicity above these levels.

Hope this was informative. Remember, good nutrition is one of the keys to injury prevention! If you do end up with an injury, why not give us a call at Pure Chiropractic 250-585-8866.

Yours in Health,
Dr. Jason Hare
Nanaimo Chiropractor


Photo Credit:
http://www.freedigitalphotos.net/images/Outdoor_Sports__Land_g220-Football_Close_Up_p32184.html

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Nanaimo Chiropractor ~ 4 Reasons Why Forefoot Running is Rubbish

If you pick up any running magazine these days, you're bound to come across one of the latest trends: forefoot running. Several methods have been created around this concept, Chi Running, Pose Running and the Evolution Method to name the more popular incarnations. Although slightly different in their methodology, the basic concept is the same, namely that when running you strike with the forefoot instead of the more conventional heel strike.

Many supporters claim that is method is the best method for running, saying that it has less injuries and is more efficient. I think we should look at these claims.

1. Ok, so forefoot strike running is supposed to be the best. Logic would then tell us that the majority of elite runners would use this method, correct? Research done at Sapporro International Half Marathon  found that of 283 runners, 75% did a heel strike, roughly 25% had a mid-foot strike and roughly 1 % (4 out of 283 runners) did a forefoot strike. None of the forefoot strikers were in the top 4 positions. Do all those elite runners have it wrong? Hmmm... makes you wonder, doesn't it?

2. Many proponents of forefoot running claim that there are less injuries with their method. Let's be clear on this, THERE IS ABSOLUTELY NO RESEARCH THAT SHOWS FOREFOOT RUNNING TO HAVE LESS INJURIES. End of discussion. If anything, I see an increase in difficult-to-treat forefoot joint problems in forefoot runners in my chiropractic clinic in Nanaimo.

3. Let's look at how you naturally run. If I asked you to sprint across the parking lot, you'd run on your forefoot. If I asked you to run to the neighbouring town, you'd run with a heel strike. What makes us think we can improve on what our bodies naturally want to do? Yes, there is some research that says that barefoot runners tend to run more on their mid or forefoot, but barefoot running is a whole other discussion (perhaps a future blog post).

4. Finally, let's look at anatomy. There are a series of bones in the ankle. The bones at would absorb impact with a heel strike (the talus and calcaneous) are big and dense. Those that absorb impact with forefoot running (the cuboid and cuneiforms) are much smaller, roughly the size of an ice cube. Doesn't it make sense that the larger stronger bones are the ones designed for impact?

Don't follow the trend, follow your brain.

If forefoot running works for you, great, keep doing it. If you're thinking about changing your running style, think long and hard. Those promises of faster times and less injuries may be unfulfilled. Let's not try to re-invent running. I know this is a controversial topic. Leave a post below and let's have a discussion. If you have a running injury, why not contact us at Pure Chiropractic, Nanaimo, 250-585-8866.


Regards,
Dr. Jason Hare
Nanaimo Chiropractor




Photo credit:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Gray291.png
http://www.freedigitalphotos.net/images/Vacations_g208-Footprint_In_The_Sand_p33660.html

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3 Common Workout Mistakes - Nanaimo Chiropractor

As a person who is passionate about health, I love hearing about people taking up an exercise routine. But there are pitfalls that we can make. I'd like to cover three of the most common mistakes:

1. Doing the same routine: There's a number of reasons for not doing the same routine day after day, week after week. First of all, it's boring! Unless you have an amazing will power, you will lose interest in your routine and you will find yourself not keeping up with your exercise.
   
   Secondly, you'll burn less calories. As your body becomes more efficient at a skill, you will burn less calories to do that skill. For example, a poor swimmer will expend more energy to swim a length than a world class olympian.
   
   Also, you will plateau in your training if you use an unchanging routine. Want to improve your running speed? Mix it up. Vary between trail runs, some hill sessions, and some track/interval work. By challenging your muscles in different ways it becomes more versatile.
   
   
2. You only do cardio. I'm the first to espouse the benefits of cardiovascular exercise but there are hugh benefits to including a weight routine in your exercise program. Your muscles are your calorie burning engine. Even at rest, muscle burns calories. More muscle means more calories burned, even at rest. This is why low calorie diets fail. If you lower your calorie intake too much, your body will start breaking down your muscle tissue for energy, thus decreasing the size of your calorie burning engine. Those starvation dieters then try to go back to a normal food intake and gain all their weight back.
   
   Also, weight bearing exercise is THE best way to reduce the risk of osteoporosis. Most people have a good calcium intake. And the osteoporosis drugs don't do a great job, plus they have side effects (including esophageal cancer and, unbelieveably, fractures). The body follows the old saying "Use it or lose it." By using your bones in weight bearing activity you give your body the best possible chance or reducing your risk of osteoporosis, or brittle bone disease.
   
   
3. Staying in the fat buring zone: Many people only exercise at low intensity, the so-called fat burning zone. You see, at lower heart rate exercise your body burns a larger percentage of fat for energy. As you exercise harder, you burn proportionally less fat and more carbohydrate. Because of these facts, many people stay in the lower heart rate zone thinking they will burn more fat. The fact that is overlooked is that although higher intensity exercise burns proportionally less fat, more calories are burned overall, meaning more fat is burned overall.

There's lots of other workout mistakes. Why not leave one in the comment section below?

Thanks for reading! Dr. Jason Hare, Chiropractor at Pure Chiropractic, Nanaimo


Photo Credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/itsholly/5405661492/sizes/s/in/photostream/

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A Runner's Nightmare: Iliotibial Band Syndome - Nanaimo Chiropractor

Hi there. For this post, I thought I would cover one of the most common running injuries: iliotibial band syndrome or  ITB syndrome. Many a runner has been sidelined for long stretches of time by this condition, so let's give you the information you need to sort it out.

The iliotibial band, is a connective tissue sheet that runs along the outside (lateral) thigh. It connects to the crest of your pelvis (where you would put you hands if I said put your hands on your hips) to your shin bone (tibia) just below your knee. The IT band's anatomy is comlex but it's main job is to stabilise the knee. Most people are blissfully unaware of the IT band's existance until it starts givng you pain: iliotibial band syndrome.

The syndrome typically gives pain on the lateral aspect of the knee, especially if running downhill or walking downstairs. Other than a sprain, little else will give you pain on the outside of your knee, so it makes diagnosis pretty easy. At the upper outer thigh, the ITB passes over the greater trochanter, which is a bony prominence of the femur close to the hip joint. If the ITB is tight it may rub against the greater trochanter and give upper "hip" pain. The ITB can alsocause a "hip snapping" which is an audible snapping that the ITB makes as it moves over the greater trochanter when walking.

Some of the possible contributing factors for ITB problems are:

• Over pronation, which is when people have a low arch to their foot.
• Building running distance too quickly.
• Too much hill work.
• Tight glutes. The Gluteus maximus attaches into the ITB. If it's tight it can be a complicating factor.
• Pelvic misalignment: If the pelvis has misaligned the ITB may be pulled tighter on one side. This MUST be especially considered if the ITB syndrome is on one side only. Overuse generally produces ITB syndrome on BOTH sides.

Note the asymmetry in the pelvis in the x-ray above. This will pull the ITB tight on one side, leading to unilateral ITB syndrome.

Effective management of this condition includes:

• Proper footwear, but you already know the importance of having the right shoe, don't you?
• Rest or ease back from running with a slow build into hill/stair workouts.
• Ice the ITB to reduce inflammation. 20minutes / hour is a good guideline. Be sure to place a T-shirt or tea towel between the ice pack and the skin. Avoid anti-inflammatories as they can actually lead to injury.
• Stretch the ITB. A good sports chiropractor should be able to give you a couple of good stretches for this. *NOTE* this is an extremely thick piece of connective tissue and is not a muscle. It requires dedicated work and gives slow progress. I'm a big fan of take-home stretches as soft tissue work done occassionally in the office simply isn't enough.
• Stretch the glutes. No, tight glutes aren't always the cause, but it doesn't hurt to stretch them out.
• Address the faulty pelvic mechanics. This is where your chiropractor comes into play. If possible, try to find one who has a good working knowledge of sports injuries. Again, consideration of a pelvic misalignment is essential if you have ITB syndrome on one side only.

I've treated this condition a LOT. If you have any questions, why not give the office a call, Pure Chiropractic, Nanaimo, 250-585-8866.

Photo Credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/lululemonathletica/4312521610/sizes/s/in/set-72157623178901421/

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Psst! Want an Advantage on Your Next Golf Game?

The nice weather is back again and we dust off our clubs and head out to the greens. But why settle for the same performance that you had last year? If you could make some simple changes to knock some strokes off your game, wouldn't you want to know what those changes are?
You do? Well read on!

I've put togther 10 of my best tips for improving your game:

1. Make sure your clubs fit. Would you drive in a car set up for a 5 foot person if you were 6 and a half foot tall? Of course not, so why play golf with clubs not right for your height? Playing with short clubs will not only decrease your driving distance, it will make you more prone to low back pain. Additionally, if you suffer with back pain you may want to consider using playing with with a longer shaft putter to minimise heavy bending during those all important shots.

2. Use ice, not heat. Very often we use a hot water bottle or hot tub when in pain. Of course you can use heat on sore achey muscles, but never on painful joints. With flare ups of joint pain, there will be swelling. Heat may feel good but it will increase the swelling and prolong the problem. A general rule for ice is to apply for 20 minutes, placing a layer of material between your skin and the ice pack. Carry a ziplock freezer bag in your golf bag and you can fill it with ice in the club house at the end of your round.

3. Consider using hip rotation in your swing. The modern golf swing has you keeping your hips stationary during your back swing to maximise the club head speed. However, if you have back issues you may need to use the older style of swing and rotate your hips throughout the swing. This will lower the torsion in the lower back and allow you to get through your game more comfortably.

4. Use graphite to reduce shock. Graphite is better for shock absorption. Less impact is easier on the body. Might make the difference on the back nine!

5. Use larger grips if you have arthritic hands. Larger grips are easier to handle of you have arthritis in your hands. It will allow you to keep playing long after your friends have retired from golf.

6. Pull your clubs. Don't carry them. This applies to everyone. Even a small number of clubs, carried for 18 holes will puts a lot of stress on the spine. It's pretty much impossible to have the weight evenly across your back. You won't have pain the first game, first month or perhaps even the first season, but you will eventually. People that say their back pain came out of the blue. Do you really think that's the case?

7. Warm up and cool down is important. You know this, but do you do it? You'll play a better game and are far less likely to get  injured if you do a warm up and cool down.

8. Dehyration will throw your game. Carry a water bottle on the course. Usually, the back nine performance is worse than the front . This is because of fatigue. Dehydration is a big cause of fatuigue. Even slight dehydration will have a hugh effect on your performance. Fatigue also means you're more likely to have an injury.

9. Take the drop. When your ball is up against a root or rock, take the drop. Swinging up solid on an obstacle can give you a nasty elbow or shoulder problem. You'll also damage your shiny new club!

10. See your chiropractor. Chiropractic is not just for back pain, but also for peak performance. It's no wonder so many professional sports people have chiropractors as part of their support team. Chiropractic improves flexibilty, co-ordination and ensures maximum communication between the brain and body. Tiger swears by his chiropractor, so maybe you should consider one as well!

Getting You Back to Life,
Dr. Jason Hare
Nanaimo Chiropractor




Photo Credit: http://www.freedigitalphotos.net/images/Golf_g218-Golf_p11444.html

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There Are Only 4 Causes of Sport Injuries

One of the most common questions I get from my patients is "Why did my injury happen?" Some sports, such as running, as many as 65% of people will have an injury in any given year. Aside from obvious trauma, there are only 4 causes of sports injury. Eliminate these and you eliminate sports injury.

1. Improper footwear. Ever see someone going out for a run in their tennis shoes? Bad idea! Whatever your sport, you need to get the proper footwear. And this involves more than buying running shoes for running or soccer shoes for soccer.

There are 3 basic foot types: pronators (those who have a fallen arch and walk more on the inside of their feet), supinators (those who favour the outside aspect of their foot) and neutral. You also need to consider your running style; heavy foot striker, forefoot runner, trail runner, pavement runner, short or long distance, etc. Your best bet it to go to an independant sports shop, one who knows the sport. Avoid the big box stores where the employees may not have any knowledge of the products they are selling, plus it's good to support local. Trust me on this, get your footwear right or you are asking for trouble.

Read here to get my opinion on othotics.

2. Improper training. All too often when someone stars a new sport they build too quickly in terms of training time or effort. They get excited by the quick improvements and want to go and go and go... Here's the problem, your cardiovascular fitness builds very quickly. Your heart and lungs capacity comes along in leaps and bounds and you will quickly lay down extra blood vessels in the muscles you are using. But it takes a lot longer for the support structures, such as ligaments and muscles, to respond to the increased demands of the sport. Eventually the cardiovascular fitness outstrips what the support structures are able to keep up with and injury results.

Build slowly. If training for a particular event, make sure you have enough time to adaquately prepare. A very good rule of thumb with running is the 10% rule: never increase your running any more than 10% weekly. Yes, at first the time you run will grow tediously slowly, but you will lay down a good foundation to build upon and won't be sidelined with injury.

3. Improper Recovery. With sport, recovery is just as important as training. With higher impact sports that involve running this is particularly the case. When you exercise, you will create microdamage in your muscles and connective tissue. It takes time to repair this damage. If you don't allow for recovery this microdamage will accumulate and you will end up injured.

And recovery isn't just about time either. Good nutrition will allow for a faster recovery time. Read here about proper nutrition for cardiovascular activity.

4. Improper mechanics. There are two aspects to this. First of all, you can exercise using poor form, such as a golfer using a bad swing. If new to a sport, consider taking lessons or joining a clinic. Secondly, joint fixations, ligamant laxity or overly tight muscles can lead to inury. A good sports chiropractor should be able to help you with this. In my clinic, we do a full functional assesment with any sports injury. It takes some time, about 45 minutes to an hour, but it's important to correctly identify the source of the problem. I recommend that everybody have a biomechanical assessment before undertaking a new sport and keep a regular checkup they way they do with their dentist. Why wait for injury to arise before addressing any poor mechanics?

If you'd like to have a beiochanical assessment at pure Chiropractic, Nanaimo, give us a call on 250-585-8866. Leave us a comment or question below. We'd love to hear from you!

Regards,
Dr. Jason Hare, Chiropractor

Photo Credit: http://www.freedigitalphotos.net/images/Soccer__Football__Wo_g214-Shoes_Soccer_p16196.html

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