In this short video clip, we discuss a simple formula for results.
Paying attention and addressing any (or all) of the components has the potential to take your results to the next level.
Perfect Form in Exercise – Does it even exist?
January 23, 2015 by
There is no such thing as “perfect form” in exercise.
There is, however, ideal form, which is more of a range of forms rather than one fixed position.
Ideal form changes from person to person based on myriad variables which can include at a minimum:
- body shape (e.g. height, limb length, anatomical structure/build)
- training experience (beginner, intermediate, advanced, elite)
- injury and/or fitness status (rehab, post-rehab, post op, fit, sedentary)
- goals (recovery from injury, lose body fat, gain muscle mass, improve mobility, increase endurance).
Take for example an individual who comes in with knee pain when squatting (either with body weight or with external load). Once cleared for any underlying issues such as nerve involvement or ligament/cartilage injury, there are few ways to aim to get back to squatting pain free.
In many cases, the above described individual will find relief and be able to continue squatting with just three simple positional alterations:
- Change in stance position: Many people do better and experience less knee discomfort with a wider stance. There are some people who do better with a narrower stance. Play around with this to find your sweet spot. You may also find that comfortable stance position changes for different types of exercises (e.g. wider back squat vs narrower front squat).
- Change in foot position: This involves changing the position of the foot itself. For some people, this may mean turning the foot out (toes pointing away from midline of the body). For others, this may require bringing the foot back to a more forward facing position (neutral foot). Again, your ideal foot position may be slightly different for different exercises. Play with your foot position to find the one that allows you the best range of motion with no pain.
- Change in hip travel path: This involves changing the direction of travel of your buttocks as you squat. For some people, a more backward travel path may help, while other may find a more vertical path less painful. As with the previous two, your ideal movement with this may be different with different exercise.
If you’ve been having knee trouble with your squats, give these three a go. Some people may only need to alter one item on the list, while other may have to work with a combination.
And if you’re still having trouble after trying the above, get in touch with us.
We’ll help you get back to squatting pain free.
Why am I in pain?
August 29, 2011 by
Do you get out of bed feeling tired, sore and achy, even after having slept for 8 hours?
Do you come home from work, at the end of along day, your neck and shoulders screaming at you, tight and tense?
Does your knee wobble, give out, and curse every time you try to jog around the block or even tackle a set of stairs?
The bad news: you’re probably hurting yourself every single day without even knowing it.
Sounds strange doesn’t it? But for most of you out there, it’s true.
From back pain to neck pain to shoulder pain or even knee pain, there is likely something you do everyday that keeps you in pain.
The good news…
It can be fixed!
There’s a good chance that with the appropriate steps, a splash of education and a dash of dedication, you can be pain free and doing the things you love. And usually, these fixes don’t have to consume your free time or even cause huge changes in your life!
So what’s the fix?
Postural Awareness!
Postural awareness is your awareness of your posture throughout the day. Since a large number of injuries, aches and pains (such as those described above) can be attributed to repetitive strain and overuse, being aware of your posture can help you decrease the chances of this happening.
How is posture implicated in repetitive strain and overuse injuries?
For example, if you work in an office setting all day, you likely spend a large amount of time sitting at a desk. This would likely involve using a computer, talking on the phone, writing etc. But overall, it’d be fair to say that you’d spend most of your time seated. If you’re like most people, you also likely slouch when seated. And again, like most people, you probably slouch the same way you always do, in the same position.
By holding these sustained slouched postures for a good chunk of the day (5 or 6 or more hours), the various components of your body such as your joints, muscles, tendons and ligaments are forced to do more work or different work than they’re designed to do. Over time, these repetitive stresses build up and cause small injuries called micro-traumas to these structures. As time goes on, these micro-traumas accumulate causing changes in how you move or use your body (compensations).
At first these compensations are quite small and you probably won’t even notice them. It may be something as simple as a slight weight shift onto one hip more than the other when you’re sitting or a sneaky elevation of the shoulder when you reach for something.
As these compensations continue to take place, the micro-traumas become bigger problems, which we call macro-traumas. Think of this as the straw that breaks the camel’s back. These are the ones you’ll notice. This is where the pain stops you from doing the things you love doing and really starts impacting your life.
What can you do?
- Change your postures often: You can do this by getting up and moving around more. Or change your position every time the phone rings. Our bodies are designed for movement. The more they move, the better they function and the healthier we are!
- Improve your fitness: If your fitness level is higher, you, and your body, can tolerate more stress before hitting a breaking point. Plus, as an added bonus, exercise can be a great stress buster! Who couldn’t do with less stress in their life?
- Improve your nutrition: In fact, this component may be one of the most most important steps you can take to change your life for the better. As your mama always told you, you are what you eat! Unfortunately for many North Americans, life is busy. And that means that we try to find fast and convenient ways to feed ourselves. Sadly, our choices tend to be sub-optimal which will then impact our body’s ability to prevent injury or recover from injury.
How we can help
Our highly trained team of physiotherapists, chiropractors, massage therapists, personal trainers can help you get back to the business of life by consulting with you to design a personalized treatment plan to assist with a variety of injuries, aches and pains. Contact us to start on your journey to your Optimal Health and Ultimate Performance.
(inside Peak Performance Golf)