By Dr. J 0 Comments Events, Uncategorised

Top Clinic In Markham! Please Vote

The Form & Function team is so pleased to be nominated for the @TopChoiceAward for being one of the top wellness clinics in Markham.  For all those who have benefited from our care, we would appreciate your vote.

Please take a quick moment toVOTE HERE http://vote.topchoiceawards.com/#/nomination/13c5f214a17446c68f3ad7a33d0b87b0

 

Thank you for all your support

By Administrator 0 Comments Health Tips

Ergonomic Tips

In our current society, more and more people are working at deskjobs. Although these jobs are mostly sedentary, there are inherent stressors that can lead injuries. Here is a brief overview of some physical stressors and ergonomics adjustments that can reduce your chances of developing injuries.

  • Wrist injuries: If you do a lot of computer typing or mousing, you are at risk of developing repetitive stress to your wrist muscles and tendons. To decrease the stress, try to keep your wrist neutral while typing or mousing. If you type or mouse with an angle to your wrist, you place extra stress on your wrist tendons. Some support at the wrist may help with keeping your wrist neutral if you have a high keyboard but be sure to not have constant pressure on your wrist all day.
  • Back injuries: Sitting can actually be more stressful for your back than standing. If you sit a lot during the day, be sure you have an adjustable ergonomic chair with good lumbar support. Your low back has a natural curve (concave) that is often reserved when sitting (convex or “slouching”) without good support. This can lead to increased stress on your back muscles and joints. If you have a good chair with lumbar support, make sure you sit back and support that natural curve to reduce stress.  If you do not have good lumbar support, try to find support with a different chair or back rolls. Also, be sure to take microbreaks every 30 mins. Stand up, stretch and then back to work!
  • Neck injuries: This is particularly important if you work on a laptop or multiple computer screens. Your neck is designed to sit on the vertebrate (neck bones) without leaning forward or turned for extended period of time. Often that is the case when working on computers. Our heads lean forward or turn to the side and place a lot of stress on the muscles and joints in our neck.  To reduce this, try to keep your main computer screen at eye level. If you use more screens, completely turn your whole body if you are working more than 5 mins on that screen. If you are using laptop for more than 30 mins, try to get an extra keyboard so you can place the laptop screen at eye level.

I hope these tips help with reducing your physical stress at work. If you have more ergonomic questions or if you are already feeling symptoms of pain at work, be sure to visit an healthcare professional at Form and Function. We can help relief your pain and address any other ergonomics questions or issues that you may have.

Manni Wong
Registered Physiotherapist

By Administrator 0 Comments Events, Weight Loss Program

Kettlebell Class this Sat

 

 

Congrats Dr. Paul Oh for the amazing turn out last week at the Demo Kettle Bell class.  For all of those who are looking to get stronger, want to get more  functional in your daily life while preventing injuries, then this Class is for you.

This Saturday is the last day to get in on the $70 for 4 classes deal, and we only have a few spots left in the class.  Don’t get left behind!

Sign up TODAY at Form & Function or call (905) 604 9355

KB Class markhamIMG_1351

By Administrator 0 Comments Health Tips, Uncategorised

Setting Healthy Resolutions

It is that time of year when New Year resolutions are starting to creep into your head. If one of your resolutions is to become healthier, stronger and more fit, then being educated in properly setting exercise goals is key to success. Here are some advice in setting SMART exercise/fitness goals:

  • Specific: Your fitness goal should be specific. You should not just think I want to lose/gain weight. For example, a specific goal would be “I will lose 20 lbs in 6 weeks via increasing my exercise to 30 mins a day, 4 days a week of 2 sessions of cardio and 2 sessions of resistance training”. In this example, it is very specific in what you want to achieve, in what time frame and how you will achieve it. Usually, it is how you can achieve the fitness goal that is the trickiest. It is recommended to consult a personal trainer or rehabilitation professional (physiotherapist or chiropractor) to answer that question. If you want to try it alone, following the above example is a good way to start.
  • Measurable: Most people use weight loss as a measurement for their success in fitness resolutions. Although valid, I recommend using body measurements. Measure the circumference of your arms, chest, waist, hips and thighs with a tape measure before, in between and after your fitness program. In some cases, your weight does not change much but there is a drastic change in body measurements as you start to burn up fat and replace it with stronger muscles. If you still want to use weight as a measure of your success, take weekly measurements instead of daily.
  • Attainable and Realistic: This area is the KEY reason why a lot of people fail with their resolutions. Their fitness goals are unattainable. Losing 50 lbs in 2 weeks is unreasonable for anyone with a job or kids. If weight loss is your primary goal, be safe and aim for losing 2-4 lbs a week. Vice versa is safe for weight gain. Also be realistic with yourself and ask if working out 7 days is actually feasible with your schedule. Try not to set yourself up for failure by making your goal way too hard to achieve. A good start would be 3-4 days of 30-60 mins of exercise. Furthermore, be realistic with your body. It’s not healthy to be 5’6 and 100lbs. Use this link to determine your healthy body weight (http://www.healthcentral.com/diet-exercise/ideal-body-weight-3146-143.html)
  • Timely: Make sure there is an check points and end date for your goal. Know that any good fitness program usually takes 6 weeks, give or take 1-2 weeks. Have check points spread out in between. I recommend every 1-2 weeks. At these check points, reassess where you are in your goal. Are you moving towards it? Away from it? Keep going if you are moving towards it. Consult someone if you are moving away from it. You may need extra guidance and that’s common. Exercise is part of the equation but diet is also another part. You may need to speak with a nutritionist or naturopathic doctor.

I hope this post helps you start make SMART resolutions/goal. Follow your SMART goals and you will be on your way to becoming a healthier you! Happy Holidays, Happy New Year and happy goal setting!

Manni Wong

Registered Physiotherapist

By Dr. J 0 Comments Health Tips, Uncategorised

Relieve Neck Pain by Proper Breathing

Breathing with our diaphragm has been shown to reduce activation in some of the bad posture muscles such as the scalenes and upper trapeziusbreathing. Those muscles are typically the overactive muscles seen in people with chronic neck pain and bad posture. A great way to relax those muscles is by simply working on utilizing your diaphragm when breathing. You will want to make sure that you are expanding your stomach, as well as your ribs laterally when taking in a deep breath, instead of lifting your chest. Try putting one hand on your belly, and the other hand on your chest, and take 10 deep breaths without lifting your chest. This is a great way to relax those bad posture muscles, activating your diaphragm, while reducing stress.

By Administrator 0 Comments Events

Dr. Jim Feng is a Finalist for the..

Dr.Jim Feng was nominated for one of the top young entrepreneurial awards in Markham.  The #ASPIRE award and the Markham Board of Trade @YPC picked Dr. Feng as one of the finalists for their ASPIRE business award for his work with Form & Function @ffclinic.  Congrats!

By Administrator 0 Comments Uncategorised

Spring into Action!

Spring is arriving soon! As the weather gets warmer, a lot of people want to start a new exercise routine or get back to an activity they have done before. Be careful! Injuries are extremely common during this time of year. Here are some tips to start/return to spring activities and minimize injury.

Starting a new activity
If you are trying something new, make sure you do it within reason! For example, if you are starting running, doing it 5 days a week is definitely too much. Try giving at least a day or two in between to rest your body and allow healing. That translates to roughly 3 times a week at most. Do this for at least 2-3 weeks before increasing your activity level. By easing yourself into the activity, you have a lower chance of sustaining an injury.

Returning to an activity
“I was only doing ____insert activity here_____ the same amount of times per week as last spring. Why am I injured?” If you have not been doing an activity all winter, do not judge your activity level based on your performance last year. It only takes muscles 2 weeks to start shrinking and to get weaker so you must ease yourself back into activity. Conversely, it takes roughly 2 weeks to start building muscle again so start gently and let your body build up the necessary muscles to do your activity. Start off with 2-3 times a week at most for 2-3 weeks. You can then increase your activity level.

Injury prevention
Unfortunately, even if you ease yourself into activity, not all injuries can be prevented.  However, you can take further steps to minimize injury. No matter what physical activity you are interested in (ie running, gardening, tennis, etc.) there are physical demands needed on your body. You can talk to a Physiotherapist or Chiropractor to develop a personalized resistance training program that will strengthen the muscles needed for your activity. Doing these exercises as prescribed can help minimized potential acute traumatic or repetitive stress injuries.

Furthermore, listen to your body! I cannot stress this enough. It is normal to be sore after exercising but you should not be in pain. Let the soreness subside before doing the activity again. If you are in pain, see a Physiotherapist or Chiropractor.

I will use running for one last example but you can substitute any activity into this phrase. Remember:

“If you are planning to run to get fit, you should be fit to run first!”

Manni Wong, Registered Physiotherapist