Ice or heat is sometimes the million dollar question when a patient is faced with a new injury, re-aggravating an old injury or facing a chronic injury. The phase of the injury can determine when it is appropriate to apply ice or heat to the affected area, in addition to other factors (such as, where the injury occurred, underlying health conditions, etc.). As a Woodbridge Chiropractor, I often will see injuries from people in the workforce or athletic community. My experience has lead me to this conclusion. Not only is cryotherapy (or applying ice) great for acute injuries, but it is an excellent choice in the early weeks following surgery, or after re-aggravating a sub-acute injury that may suddenly swell up. Unfortunately, ice has gotten a bad rap due to some of the current research on muscle regeneration. Below is some valuable information to help you decide if you should use ice or heat.

My rule of thumb for ice or heat therapy are as follows:

Ice: 10-15 minutes continuously every 2-4 hours

Heat: 15-20 minutes continuously every 4-6 hours

In my daily practice, I have become a believer that in order to heal the body from aches, pains and inflammation, we need to look at the term “healing” from two lenses. The first lens is manual therapy. A combination of manual therapy through chiropractic, acupuncture and rehabilitative exercise can greatly help to improve one’s musculoskeletal health. I have termed this: Healing from the outside in. But, another integral component in healing the body is healing from the inside out. Today’s topic of focus is bone health and ensuring our bone density remains strong. A strong skeleton will better support our body and yield better health overall.

While most people are familiar with Vitamins A through E, Vitamin K isn’t spoken of much. Vitamin K is needed by the liver to create an enzyme that helps with blood clotting. Vitamin D3 works in so many incredible ways: it helps nerves transmit messages from the brain to the rest of the body, and to help the immune system fight off viruses and bacteria. Together, Vitamin D3 and K2 help to keep our bones strong and healthy.

Vitamin D3 and K2 work as co-factors: they help the body transport minerals through the body so the body properly deposits these minerals into our bones (where they belong!)

Vitamin D3 helps to make sure the intestinal tract properly absorbs calcium from our digestive system into our blood so it can make its way to our bones. However, too much calcium in the blood can get stuck, leading to heart attack and stroke. Here comes Vitamin K2’s role.

Vitamin K2 helps to activate a specific protein to prevent calcium from getting stuck in our blood vessels. Another important step in the role of K2 is to activate a protein called osteocalcin. This helps our body deposit calcium where it’s supposed to go: into our bones!

For optimal immune support, I trust and personally use CanPrev. CanPrev Vitamin D3 and K2 and Omega Pro.  For further information, schedule a consultation today by clicking here.

Arthritis (or osteoarthritis) of the knee is the result of wear and tear of the cartilage in the joint. Often, wear-and-tear, trauma, sports injuries or carrying excessive weight causes the cartilage surfaces of our knee joint to become worn down. As this progresses, the joint becomes inflamed, leading to pain, swelling, stiffness, limping and impaired movement. Unfortunately, there is no cure for arthritis, but different treatment options are available to manage your symptoms, improve function and delay (or prevent) a joint replacement.

Many people ask me, “what can you do to help with my arthritic knees?” When a patient comes into my office with diagnosed knee arthritis, pain and the symptoms mentioned above, the first course of action is to stop the pain and inflammatory cycle. Often, a 3-4 week course of medical acupuncture, soft tissue therapy and chiropractic care will break the pain-inflammation-pain cycle and initiate a healing response in the knee. As patients begin to feel the effects of treatment, exercise is quickly added into the treatment plan. Exercise focuses on improving walking patterns, reducing limping, and strengthening the muscles supporting and surrounding the knee.

The long term benefits of any kind of treatment are locked in with a well-developed exercise program. By strengthening the muscles around the knee, you reduce unnecessary forces on the knee, resulting in less wear-and-tear.

Often, I will encourage my patients to begin taking an Omega-3 supplement to promote joint health and reduce inflammation. In addition, turmeric, glucosamine and chondroitin are research-proven options to help preserve the remaining cartilage and keep inflammation levels low.

Good Question! In my experience – and in keeping in line with the evidence by arthritis specialists – applying ice 6-8 times per day for 15 minutes for the first four days after an episode of pain can help reduce swelling and inflammation. Day 5 and onward, I recommend applying moist heat 6-8 times per day until symptoms are resolved. Moist heat can help to improve circulation and stimulate a healing response in the knee.

Often times, patients with arthritis will experience flare-ups as their condition progresses, or as a result of routine daily activities. I will often recommend patients patients be fitted into a compressive knee sleeve / brace when going for longer walks, playing sports or performing more extraneous activities. In addition, routine check-ins at the office will ensure that the supporting muscles are functioning optimally, walking has improved, and any foot, ankle, hip or low back issues are addressed as well.

A healthy and balanced diet is crucial for the effective function of every part of the human body, including our immune system. Certain dietary factors have been found to have immune-regulatory properties, such as Vitamin D and Omega-3 Fatty Acids. Often times, eating a well balanced diet (I prefer the Mediterranean Diet) still lacks some essential vitamins, mineral and essential components. Taking a nutritional supplement does not mean that you can eat a poorly balanced diet. Nutritional supplements are designed to “fill the gaps” in a well balanced diet to ensure that our body’s system is functioning at its best.

Omega-3 fatty acids are a part of the “Polyunsaturated Fatty Acid” family, with specific focus on ALA (found in nuts and seeds), EPA and DHA (the main components in fish oil). Byproducts of Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids have important immune system functions, which fall under a specific category called “Pro-Resolving Mediators” (SPMs). These SPM’s are effective in reducing the inflammatory response caused by pathogens (including bacteria and viruses) and stress, and to help strengthen our immune system.

Omega-3 Fatty acids also help to strengthen our immune system by their ability to reduce inflammation and inflammation-related disorders. Probably one of the most renowned property of Omega-3 fatty acids is it’s ability to keep inflammation levels down in the body.

Vitamin D is another important player in our body’s immune system and defense against disease. Vitamin D can help our body’s immune system recognize pathogens more effectively, thus producing a more accurate and heightened immune response when a pathogen is detected in the body. In addition, Vitamin D plays an important role in the uptake of calcium and bone health.

For optimal immune support, I trust Metagenics Supplements. Metagenics EPA-DHA 1000 and Vitamin D. These products are available at my office for purchase. For further information, schedule a consultation today by clicking here.

As the world continues to cope with the COVID-19 pandemic, many Ontarians have taken it among themselves to begin exercising. Regular physical activity has enormous health benefits, including: healthy weight management, improved sleep, less aches and pains, stronger hearts and less chance of chronic illness. Unfortunately, gyms and recreation centers are closed, resulting in people exercising at home or outdoors. Less traffic and warmer weather (eventually) on the way have resulted in many people people beginning to jog and run. As a great way to begin a journey to physical activity, there are a few things to keep in mind before you think about running the Boston Marathon. This article will help you understand a bit of running lingo, how to run more efficiently and enjoy pain-free running.

Learning to run means you have to learn a bit of running jargon:

Pace: How fast you’re running, usually expressed in kilometers per minute. Your pace will change every run depending if you are training for speed or distance, your effort, environmental conditions, and other factors. Don’t let pace be the defining factor in your run; as your fitness improves, you will have more consistent pace times.

Cadence: Also termed “Stride Rate”, cadence refers to how many steps you take in a minute of running. A higher stride rate (greater than 170) may reduce injuries and help you run faster.

Tempo Run: A sustained faster-than-usual run of shorter distance. These runs take more effort and more mental concentration, however they will improve your fitness without doing hard workouts.

Ten Percent Rule: A general rule of thumb for beginner runners. Don’t increase your mileage or intensity by greater than 10% each week. This is a good guideline to stay injury-free.

Warm-Up and Cooldown: A gradual way to run or walk at lesser intensity to prepare the body for your actual run workout. This will help to improve circulation, respiration and get blood to your muscles.

It is common for a runner to experience injuries when they just begin running for fitness or in preparation for a marathon. Several injuries tend to impact the feet, ankles, knees and hips. Although these injuries may set you back a bit in your running progress, it is crucial to treat these injuries before they become a chronic condition:

Runners Knee: A common condition that is defined by generalized pain around the front of the knee joint. Usually defined as a dull ache around the front and behind the knee cap, runners knee is a common injury that can result from muscular imbalances in the thigh, inefficient running patterns or wear-and-tear behind the knee cap.

Iliotibial Band Syndrome: Also known as “IT Band Syndrome”, this thick tissue along the outside of the leg can become inflamed and painful resulting in pain along the outside of the hip, thigh and knee.

Achilles Tendinitis: Repetitive overuse of the Achilles Tendon (the thick rope-like tendon behind the ankle) can result in inflammation and pain at the back of the leg and calf. Most runners may begin to experience this if they suddenly increase their distance or intensity in their runs.

Shin Splints: One of the most common running injuries, shin splints feel like razors along the front of the tibia (shin). Shin splints can result from lack of stretching, poor footwear, flat feet or rigid arches.

To determine if running is the right form of exercise for you, it is very beneficial to consult with your healthcare professional to have a baseline of your physical fitness. Baseline measures can include heart rate, blood pressure, body composition and health factors that may pose a risk for you as an aspiring runner.

A chiropractor can help you with running by using your baseline health measures, health history and personal / lifestyle factors to help design a running program. Further, a chiropractor can help you with stretching, foam rolling, nutritional advice and determining if orthotics are right for your running shoes.

If you are experiencing any of the above symptoms or conditions and would like more information about chiropractic care for your running injuries, contact my office today. Online Booking is now available by clicking here