117 Centrepointe Drive | Nepean | ON | Tel: 613-225-1127 Improving the lives of those we touch.
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How to Avoid Getting Shin Splints
Published September 1, 2010 | 
By Shane Clark, RMT
- Proper footwear - Make sure you get a good pair of running shoes as they are your first line of defence against shin splints. Make sure you also change your shoes every 3 months of training to make sure they maintain their proper support.
- Gradually increase your distance and intensity - Doing this will minimize the strain on your body and reduce the chance of injury. An increase of 10% per week is reasonable for most people to progress with a minimal chance of injury.
- Rest and recovery - Your body needs approx. 24-48 hours to recover properly from training. Your hydration and nutrition will also have a major impact on the quality of your recovery. Making sure you get approx. 2-3 litres of water and eating a balanced diet will help ensure your training goes smoothly
- Running surfaces - In the city we tend to only being able to run on asphalt or cement but it is important to try and get training on softer surfaces like grass or gravel to reduce strain on the shins.
- Stretching and warming up - It is vital to properly stretch the muscles before starting and after finishing your run. Warming up is important as well with a 5 minute run at slow speed to allow the body to prepare for heavier training.
Posted in Holistic Health Care, Massage Therapy | 
massage therapy, pain, shin splints, sports injury | 
Leave a commentSummer Sports
Published June 1, 2009 | 
By Shane Clark, RMT
With the return of summer we are now getting out of our winter hibernation and heading back to the sports we enjoy. Here are some important tips to remember in order to minimize potential injuries.
- Hydrate – Water is an essential component to muscle function and without it strains are more common and athletic performance decreases. It is important to realize that you should be drinking water before you feel thirsty because unlike our hunger mechanism our thirst response takes effect after we are partially dehydrated.
- Use Sun Block – With the return of summer we need to pay extra special attention to preventing damage to our skin from UV rays. Many products on the market are tailored to the athlete with sweat proof sun blocks offering sun protection without the worry of it getting in your eyes. Remember; repeated sun burns can lead to a variety of health problems later on in life
- Proper Warm Up – many people simply jump into an activity without allowing time for their muscles to prepare for the event ahead. A warm up of 10 minutes can help prevent injuries and improve performance.
- Proper Cool Down – As with warming up, many people skip the cool down aspect of an activity which can leave them more prone to muscle spasms. Allowing 10 minutes at the end of an activity to slowly cool down with light activity allows the body to return a relaxed state.
- Rest – Pushing through an injury can turn a minor injury into a more serious one that in the long term can decrease performance and can lead to other health issues.
- Ice – For acute injuries ice is best to reduce inflammation and pain. Despite this, most people reach for heat which in the initial injury phase and it actually worsens the inflammation response therefore increasing pain and lengthening healing time.
- Compression – Various injuries respond well to compression as it minimizes swelling and pain and a variety of wraps are available which can provide the proper support your tissues need.
- Elevation – To increase flow back to the heart, the injured area can be elevated reducing prolonged swelling such as in the case of a sprained ankle.
As always in case of an injury it is advisable to seek out the medical advice of a trained professional as soon as possible in order to minimize longer term injury. Following these simple guidelines can help you enjoy a summer season that is free of injury and pain which both you and your teammates will appreciate.
Motor Vehicle Accident Program
Published May 1, 2009 | 
By Shane Clark, RMT
The motor vehicle accident program is available to anyone who has been in a reported motor vehicle accident. The program is designed to ensure that both physical and mental trauma are dealt with as early as possible after the accident. Both Massage Therapy and Laser Therapy care are available to those who have been in an accident. It is important to get yourself checked out as soon as possible; do not wait until the injuries manifest into chronic problems!
What should you do if you are in a car accident?
- Report it to your insurance - this is essential to having care covered by the motor vehicle accident process.
- Compete all paper work provided by the insurance company as fully as possible - this ensures that the process runs smoothly.
- Bring all documentation to your first appointment as we can help sort out any confusion and we can fill out our portion of the forms as well.
The forms that you commonly will receive will be the OCF-3, OCF-18 and the OCF-23. These forms should be brought with you to your first appointment so your therapist can complete them with you. Information such as your policy and/or claim number, adjuster's name, address and fax/phone numbers and the date of the accident are all extremely important details to have as well.
What to expect at your first appointment?
- A Health History will need to be completed. You can either do this when you arrive or prior to your arrival by downloading if from our website from the Resources section.
- Your therapist will go over your insurance paper work with you to make sure that it is complete.
- An assessment of your physical condition will be completed in order to determine what course of treatment will be the best for you. A series of questions and testing will be completed so it is advisable to bring a loose pair of shorts and a t-shirt in order to allow maximum ease of movement.
- A brief treatment MAY occur in order to assess the affected tissues and help with pain management.
- A treatment plan will be outlined along with what you will need to do at home before your next appointment.
What you should know.
- Any personal insurance amounts for Massage Therapy or Chiropractic will need to be used BEFORE the automobile company will pay for treatment. Any out of pocket amounts can be claimed through your insurance company.
- Adherence to the treatment plan outlined by the therapist will speed your recovery. Missed appointments can lead the insurance company to revoke a treatment plan so it is vital for you to make the commitment to the care required.
- You may feel well after the accident but problems and pain can still begin to occur even weeks after the initial injury. Even if your accident was several months ago, you can still begin this process.
This can be a trying time in your life and our team is prepared to help you through any challenges that may arise. We will utilize any skills and tools that our office has in order to help. If you or anyone you know has been in a car accident, let us know as soon as possible and we will get you on the road to recovery!