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Movember and Physical Inactivity

November is here and so is the fundraising campaign Movember. For those of you who don’t know what Movember is, it is a campaign that involves growing moustaches to raise awareness and funds for men’s health. Why mustache? They are very visual and meant to start conversions about mens health.

One issue Movember raises awareness and funds for is physical inactivity. Here are some facts:
– Inactivity is the 4th leading risk factor for global mortality
– 41% of men in high-income countries do not exercise enough
– Physical inactivity leads to higher risk of cancer and other diseases

The health guideline for exercise is a three times a week of at least 30 mins of activity. If you are not getting that amount of exercise, you should consider increasing your exercise level. If you have any questions about increasing your activity level, the health care professionals at Form and Function can help set up an exercise plan for you.

Furthermore, If you want to help raise funds for Movember, you can donate here http://mobro.co/manniwong

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Get up and move!

In a modern society where most jobs are in front of a computer 8 hours a day, prolonged sitting has become prevalent in a lot of peoples lives. What’s wrong with sitting all day? Well, more and more studies are revealing that prolonged sitting increases risk of disease (diabetes, heart disease and cancer) EVEN if you exercise regularly. So, even if you are diligent and exercise before or after work, it seems that it will not to reverse the risks of prolonged sitting.

So moral of the story? Get up and move! Make sure you are never sitting for more than 30 minutes at a time. This also isn’t to say that sitting is bad. Everyone needs to sit and rest sometimes but prolonged sitting is the issue. Remember, motion is lotion so remember to get up and move!

Also, check out our previous post for some tips on avoiding prolonged sitting!

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Beware of slacking off during Holidays!

With the holidays coming, I want to urge you to continue exercising and not slack off.

Exercise is crucial for everyone’s health and wellbeing. It is commonly stated by many health professionals that if the benefits of exercise could be reduced to pill form, it will be the most prescribed pill due to the vast amount of positive effects exercises has on our health. Some of these positive effects include reducing stress, increasing muscle strength, improving cardiovascular function, lowering risk of chronic diseases, among others.

So come the holidays, continue to exercise to keep those benefits. Note that it only takes two weeks for muscle to start losing strength/endurance and cardiovascular fitness to decrease so don’t let the holidays derail your health. Take some time for yourself and make exercise a priority this holiday! If you have any questions about exercise, you can talk to any health care professional at Form and Function Clinic. We will be happy to answer any of your questions.

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You’re not as old as you think.

markham chiropractor

You don’t stop playing because you grow old, you grow old because you stop playing, so continue to move and have fun. If you are active and pushing through limitations or pain, you will likely run into trouble.  Gone are the days of ‘no pain, no gain’. Take the time to listen to your body, stretch the muscles that are tight, and strengthen those that cry because they are weak. Take a look at our foam rolling video here for a great place to start.

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Stretch for Stress

Combat tension from stress, anxiety or too much sitting.  You can simply stand up, reach for the sky, or extend your arms out as far as you can and hold that position for 15-30s to help yourself loosen up and let go of some stress.  Take some deep breathes through your belly and simply enjoy and feel your stress fade away.  Try to do this once EVERY 30 minutes.  When you are stressed, the body’s fight or flight response is triggered causing the body to tense up in preparation.  This tension can lead to chronic pain and this is where stretching interrupts our body’s defensive response. So stretch away from stress 30s at a time and remember that change happens over time. Book in an assessment today if you’d like a regime catered to you!

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Stretch for Stress

Combat tension from stress, anxiety or too much sitting.  You can simply stand up, reach for the sky, or extend your arms out as far as you can and hold that position for 15-30s to help yourself loosen up and let go of some stress.  Take some deep breathes through your belly and simply enjoy and feel your stress fade away.  Try to do this once EVERY 30 minutes.  When you are stressed, the body’s fight or flight response is triggered causing the body to tense up in preparation.  This tension can lead to chronic pain and this is where stretching interrupts our body’s defensive response. So stretch away from stress 30s at a time and remember that change happens over time. Book in an assessment today if you’d like a regime catered to you!

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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

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Osteoporosis vs. Osteoarthritis

Osteoporosis and osteoarthritis often get confused for one another, as they both begin with ‘osteo’; however, they are completely different conditions – you may have only one of them or you may even have them both.  Both conditions can cause pain and limit your mobility, but the underlying cause of the pain and mobility restrictions are treated differently.  So it is important that you obtain an accurate diagnosis, in order to have a treatment plan that will be successful for you!

 

  Osteoporosis Osteoarthritis
Definition It is a condition that involves the state of your bones.  There is a decreased quantity and quality of your bone structure.  This can increase your risk of getting a fracture.
It affects your overall bone structure.		 It is a condition that involves the state of your joints.  There is a thinning and destruction of the cartilage that is normally at the ends of bones.  There can also be changes to the bone that lies underneath the cartilage.It affects specific joints.
Symptoms It produces no symptoms, even as the condition progresses.  Only when the bone has become weakened to a point that a simple movement (i.e. bending over to pick up something heavy) can cause a fracture, can pain occur. It produces significant pain that can result in restricted mobility and stiffness.  The joints may also appear larger over time, due to an accumulation of fluid in the joint.
Risk Factors Major Risk Factors:

–       Low bone mineral density
–       Increasing age
–       Low body weight
–       Family history
–       History of low-trauma fracture(s)

 

 Internal Risk Factors:

–       Age
–       Gender
–       Genetics
–       Previous joint damage
–       Bone malalignment

External Risk Factors:

–       Obesity
–       Repetitive jobs/sports that stress the joint(s)
Exercise Therapy The exercise program would be individualized to the person to include weight-bearing and strength training exercises that can help stop bone loss, maintain/increase bone density, or increase balance and prevent falls. The exercise program would be individualized to the person to include range of motion and strength training exercises of the muscles surrounding the joint, in order to provide support to the weak and painful joint.If the damage to the joint is severe, a joint replacement surgery may be needed.  An exercise program can also be developed in order to prepare yourself for surgery and for recovery after surgery.

Come into Form & Function to be assessed by one of our healthcare professionals, in order to have a treatment plan developed that will work best for you!

Sonia
Physiotherapy Resident

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Measuring Your Physical Activity Intensity

So, you’re jogging on the treadmill, but don’t know if you’re exercising at an appropriate intensity or pace?  A way of determining whether you should modify your intensity level is to use the Rating of Perceived Exertion Scale.

Using the Rating of Perceived Exertion Scale helps you to determine the efficacy, as well as the safety, of your exercise program.  You want to reach a level of intensity that will induce a training effect, while ensuring that you don’t get to a point when you start to experience adverse effects.  Heart rate is commonly used, but it can be influenced by many factors, such as certain medications, environmental conditions, and psychological/mood states.  The Rating of Perceived Exertion Scale is a reliable alternative to help you self-monitor your exercise intensity on a minute-by-minute basis, allowing you to immediately modify your intensity by speeding up or down your movements.

So, how do you use the scale? The scale ranges from 0 (you are at rest) to 10 (complete exhaustion).  When you’re trying to determine what your current level of intensity is, it is important to consider your overall exertion, not just the soreness of a specific body part.  Also, since this is a subjective scale, your own appraisal of your exertion is what’s important – don’t compare yourself to other people!  As a guide, moderate intensity is considered to be 4-6 on the 0-10 scale and high intensity is considered as 7-9.  Discuss your physical activity goals with a healthcare professional at Form and Function to determine at which intensity level you should be training.

The “talk test” is a simpler version of the Rating of Perceived Exertion Scale.  If you can sing during your activity, you’re exercising at a low intensity; however, if you can barely get a word out, without having to take a gulp of air, you’re exercising at a vigorous intensity.  Therefore, a moderate intensity is when you are exercising, but can still carry on a conversation.

Using this as a starting point, if over time, your rating decreases or you are able to sing while performing the same activity, then you know that your exercise tolerance has improved – great job!

Sonia
Physiotherapy Resident

By Administrator 0 Comments Health Tips

Measuring Your Physical Activity Intensity

So, you’re jogging on the treadmill, but don’t know if you’re exercising at an appropriate intensity or pace?  A way of determining whether you should modify your intensity level is to use the Rating of Perceived Exertion Scale.

Using the Rating of Perceived Exertion Scale helps you to determine the efficacy, as well as the safety, of your exercise program.  You want to reach a level of intensity that will induce a training effect, while ensuring that you don’t get to a point when you start to experience adverse effects.  Heart rate is commonly used, but it can be influenced by many factors, such as certain medications, environmental conditions, and psychological/mood states.  The Rating of Perceived Exertion Scale is a reliable alternative to help you self-monitor your exercise intensity on a minute-by-minute basis, allowing you to immediately modify your intensity by speeding up or down your movements.

So, how do you use the scale? The scale ranges from 0 (you are at rest) to 10 (complete exhaustion).  When you’re trying to determine what your current level of intensity is, it is important to consider your overall exertion, not just the soreness of a specific body part.  Also, since this is a subjective scale, your own appraisal of your exertion is what’s important – don’t compare yourself to other people!  As a guide, moderate intensity is considered to be 4-6 on the 0-10 scale and high intensity is considered as 7-9.  Discuss your physical activity goals with a healthcare professional at Form and Function to determine at which intensity level you should be training.

The “talk test” is a simpler version of the Rating of Perceived Exertion Scale.  If you can sing during your activity, you’re exercising at a low intensity; however, if you can barely get a word out, without having to take a gulp of air, you’re exercising at a vigorous intensity.  Therefore, a moderate intensity is when you are exercising, but can still carry on a conversation.

Using this as a starting point, if over time, your rating decreases or you are able to sing while performing the same activity, then you know that your exercise tolerance has improved – great job!

Sonia
Physiotherapy Resident