SOS: 3 Powerful Steps to Stronger Hips and Knees

SOS: 3 Powerful Steps to Stronger Hips and Knees

The Spinal Column The Newsletter About Your Health And Caring For Your Body

ISSUE NUMBER 25 MY EXPERIENCE GIVING UP MEAT

nothing I “couldn’t have” but rather things I “couldn’t have for a few days” made the world of difference for me. As this is my third time completing the WLC, I had a much easier time adapting to the routine, cutting out sugar and had to do way less research to find appropriate snacks. As I am not vegetarian I had new things to learn. What even is wild rice? How do I make tofu taste like food? My experience over the 6 weeks has been as follows: it is amazing how my body adjusted to consecutive days of consistent sleep (waking up feeling refreshed at the sound of

Three times over the past five years I have participated in an online diet, nutrition and life style challenge called “The Whole Life Challenge”. With the recent popularity in vegetarian and vegan diets and after watching the documentary “The Game Changers” on Netflix, I decided to do this diet’s vegetarian version for the first time. While I am aware of the nutritional and environmental benefits of limiting meat consumption, I am most interested in seeing if making the switch from eating chicken at every dinner to vegetarian impacted my athletic performance in CrossFit.

The Whole Life Challenge is an online competition that is done as a team over

my alarm, or before). My athletic performance was likely similar, though I felt my cardio was better. With cutting out meat I was eating more carbs (the good kinds). The biggest difference I noticed was that after 2 weeks, this chocoholic did not even miss it. I had lost my taste for sugar and not eating simple carbs eliminated my afternoon crash (where you just start yawning at 4 pm). I even learned to love my 10 minutes every evening foam rolling. Will I stay vegetarian after this is over? Probably not. But I will eat more vegetarian meals and try to limit, but not eliminate, my consumption of sugar and simple carbs to keep my energy levels feeling good. I think no diet is right for every person and the best way to find what works for me is to keep trying new ones and tracking change. - Christine

the course of 6 weeks. Every day you must log on and submit your score and a short reflection of what went well and what did not go well that day (hello, accountability). There are 7 habits for which you receive a daily score: nutrition, water intake, sleep, mobilization/stretching, exercise, well-being and reflection. The nutrition component can be done in various levels of restriction. I chose the mid-level vegetarian diet. This included cutting out all refined sugars (dessert, sauces, drinks), simple carbs (bread, pasta), meat and CHEESE. The hydration, exercise and sleep goals are set by the individual at the beginning of the challenge. The “well-being” component is a mini challenge that changes every week. One week it included no screen time for an hour before bed and an hour after rising in the morning (surprisingly tough!) and another week it included daily journaling. The first time I completed this challenge it was introduced to me through my gym. What drew me to it is that for multiple days of adhering to the diet, cheat points are earned. Anyone who knows me knows I hate being told what to do, so knowing there was

INSIDE: • Common Causes And Solutions For Persistent Hip And Knee Pain • What Can I Do About My Hip And Knee Pain?

• Laser Day At Belmont • Northfield Now Open & Open House

www.sosphysiotherapy.ca

COMMON CAUSES AND SOLUTIONS FOR PERSISTENT HIP AND KNEE PAIN

For many people, hip and knee pain can be a way of life. It can pose issues when trying to enjoy leisurely walks, climb up stairs, or bend down to retrieve a dropped item. It can greatly hinder your ability to perform and enjoy daily activities. Your hips are the body’s largest “ball and socket” joints, meaning that your “femur” (hip bone) fits perfectly into your “acetabulum” (hip socket.) There is a cushion of cartilage in your hips that helps prevent friction as your hip bone moves within the socket. However, it is possible for the cartilage to wear down or become damaged with age or physical exertion. It is also possible for the muscles and tendons surrounding the hip to experience overuse. If a fall or other injury occurs, the hip bone can also break or become dislocated. The knee joint is also one of the most complicated joints in the body, as it has to bear up to 6 times your body weight when running or jumping. This incredible joint has to move over a million times each year and over 80 million times over a lifetime. This is also the reason why things can go wrong, resulting in injury and pain. If your hip or knee pain is limiting you from living the life you want, don’t hesitate to contact SOS Physiotherapy as soon as possible. We’ll help you get moving freely once again! Why am I experiencing hip and/or knee pain? There are many reasons why you may be experiencing hip or knee pain. Some of the most common causes include: • Arthritis. Osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis are the most common causes of hip and knee pain. Arthritis causes inflammation of the joints and can lead to a quicker breakdown of cartilage in the hips. This can lead to pain or stiffness with movement. • Strains. Muscles or tendons can become strained due to overuse and repeated activity. This causes inflammation, which can result in pain. So, if you feel achy after walking too far, it may be your body’s way of telling you you’ve done too much! • Fractures and breaks. As we age, our bones start to become brittle, increasing the probability of fractures and breaks. This is something to

keep in mind as you participate in physically demanding activities and hobbies. Have fun, but remember to be careful! • Tears. There are four ligaments in the knees that have a possible risk of tearing. The most commonly torn ligament is the “anterior cruciate ligament,” or ACL. It is also possible for cartilage to tear, causing pain. Tears are typically a result of some sort of trauma experienced to the painful area. • Bursitis. “Bursae” are liquid sacs that can be found between tissues. They help ease friction from tissues running together; however, they can also become inflamed due to overuse and repeated activity, resulting in pain. Even activities such as standing too long may result in achiness from irritated bursae later. • Tendinitis. Your tendons are thick bands of tissue that connect your muscles to your bones. Tendinitis occurs when your tendons become inflamed, which, again, is a result of overuse and repeated activity.

www.sosphysiotherapy.ca

Belmont Clinic Belmont Professional Centre 564 Belmont Avenue West, Suite 301 Kitchener, Ontario N2M 5N6 TEL: (519) 743-4355

Elmira Clinic Behind Wellness Centre (Clock Tower) 3 Wyatt Street East, Suite 2 Elmira, Ontario N3B 2H4 TEL: (519) 669-1212 Celebrating Over 25 Years of Healthcare Services!

Northfield Clinic (**Now Open**) Waterloo Corporate Campus (Sobeys Plaza)

595 Parkside Drive, Suite 5A Waterloo, Ontario N2L 0C7 TEL: (226) 476-1600

WHAT CAN I DO ABOUT MY HIP AND KNEE PAIN?

Hip and knee pain can be a scary thought, especially with all the hustle and bustle of living a busy life. Luckily, there are some actions you can take at home to try and soothe or prevent pain: • Wearing properly fitted shoes. One way to avoid hip and knee pain is by wearing well-fitted shoes with suitable arch support. Comfortable, fitted, closed-toed shoes are a great way to relieve stress on your joints and allow relaxation in your hips and knees. • Using cold and hot remedies. Ice packs and heating pads can help in soothing your aches and pains. Rotating between ice packs and heating pads on the affected areas can provide relief. • Stretching. When your joints tighten up, pain can get much worse. Help alleviate and prevent this pain by doing a daily stretching routine in your legs, hips, and back, to help release any pressure on those areas. • Listening to your body. At the end of the day, always listen to your body. If you’ve been on your feet for two hours and you feel your knees tightening up, it may be time to take a small break. Contact SOS Physiotherapy for additional assistance! Having a regular physiotherapy checkup ensures that your joints are working at their peak performance. In addition, any problems will be

discovered early, preventing the onset of arthritis and joint injury. If you do have arthritis or have had surgery, then a regular physiotherapy check-up is especially important. At SOS Physiotherapy, we can provide you with a joint analysis to determine any problem areas in the hip or knee joints, and treat them accordingly. Schedule a consultation with one of our expert physiotherapists today to discover how you can live life with freely moving joints!

5 Spring Break Travel Tips for Families

2. Stick to your budget. Don’t blow your annual vacation budget in March or April if you plan to escape in the summer! Also allot a separate amount of money for the inevitable splurge purchases. 3. Take advantage of travel deals. Research the hotels and resorts in the area to which you’ll be traveling, and compare prices. Oftentimes, simply booking your accommodations in advance can save you big money.

4. Pack the essentials. Be sure to ask what toiletries and other products are provided before packing your bags.

1. Choose the right destination for your family. Discuss ideas for travel destinations and what to do during your free time; be sure each person has something to look forward to on the trip. All-inclusive resorts are a great option, with activities for kids, spas for parents, and beaches and pools for the whole family to enjoy together.

5. Protect yourself and your home. Do not state that your home is vacant during your trip. Instead, tell trustworthy friends and family that you’ll be traveling, and ask them to visit your house once or twice to ensure there is no suspicious activity.

CALL ONE OF OUR 3 LOCATIONS TODAY!

Northfield Now Open & Open House

Laser Day At Belmont

Our Northfield clinic is now up and running! Jess has been treating at Northfield for a couple of weeks now and in true SOS style things are already getting crazy! The new space is beautiful and we are thrilled to be able to provide excellent care to even more of KW. We are excited to announce that our official Open House at the Northfield clinic will be held on Saturday March 7th at 1:00 pm. You’re invited to come check out our new space and share some food and fun! The mayor, Dave Jaworsky will be attending and will perform the ribbon cutting ceremony at 1:30 pm. Hope to see as many people there as possible! First Patient At Northfield!

March 4th we will be hosting Laser Day at Belmont. Come try our new Class IV laser free of charge and determine if it can make immediate changes in your symptoms. Spots will fill up quick so call to reserve yours now! Laser packages will be 20% off for all of those who attend Laser Day. Laser Therapy can provide outstanding results when used in conjunction with physiotherapy, including reductions in pain, increased range of motion, increased strength. Book your free trial now!

GRAND OPENING!

Grand Opening of our SOS Northfield location on Saturday, March 7th from 1-3 pm. We are looking forward to a ribbon- cutting by Mayor Dave Jaworsky, gift baskets from Fiddleheads and SOS, food and refreshments for ALL and more. Please bring your friends and family to help us celebrate! SATURDAY, MARCH 7TH 1:00 PM - 3:00 PM

CONGRATULATIONS BETTY KOCHER!

You were our first patient at our Northfield clinic on February 10th treated by Jon Clay.

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8 INSTRUCTIONS Pour the carrot, lime, ginger juice in a blender and add the avocado. Blend until smooth. Pour in a bowl and top the soup with fresh raw corn, shaved off the cob. n° 315994 - LevelHard

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New Northfield Clinic Location // Saturday, March 7th @ 10:00am

Workshops are free but seats are limited. Don’t delay, register today by calling now!

New Northfield Clinic Location: (226) 476-1600

Belmont Clinic Belmont Centre for Physical Medicine 564 Belmont Avenue West, Suite 301 Kitchener, Ontario N2M 5N6 TEL: (519) 743-4355 Elmira Clinic Behind Wellness Centre (Clock Tower) 3 Wyatt Street East, Suite 2 Elmira, Ontario N3B 2H4 TEL: (519) 669-1212

LASER DAY WEDNESDAY, MARCH 4TH

Register Today And Mention This Coupon

SEE HOW LASER THERAPY CAN HELP YOUR PAIN!

Northfield Clinic (**Now Open**) WaterlooCorporateCampus(SobeysPlaza)

Call Today!

595 Parkside Drive, Suite 5A Waterloo, Ontario N2L 0C7 TEL: (226) 476-1600

For use at Belmont location only.

EXERCISE ESSENTIALS

The squat is a very underrated and complex lower body movement. Correct mechanics in the squat are commonly trained in individuals with lower back, hip or knee injuries. Even having flat feet can make it difficult to squat correctly. This functional movement pattern is used with daily tasks such as picking something up from the floor and sitting down in a chair. Having good squat mechanics can prevent injury, develop good movement patterns and develop strength in the lower body.

Do’s and Don’ts – Picking something up from the floor.

Most people will at some point in their life, tweak their low back or hip or knee picking up something awkward from the floor. Using the squat mechanics we just learned, let’s apply these to the functional movement of picking something up from the ground.

Tips to remember:

Common mistakes with that squat include:

1. Keep the load as close to the body as possible with the elbows tucked to the side

2. Allowing the knees to draw in

1. Rounding the back

3. Overex- tending the neck

4. Rolling to the outside of the foot, allowing the big toe to come off the ground

2. Initiate the movement by hinging at the hips, not bending through the low back

3. If the grip is awkward and there is nothing to grab on to, tip or lean the item to one side to get your hand underneath 5. Twisting the torso without moving the feet is a risky position and can be a possible time for a back or knee injury to occur

5. Having the knees come forwards, over the toes

4. Avoid keeping the torso

CORRECT SQUAT FORM

completely upright and going into maximum knee bend

There are variations depending on the mobility of the individual, however most commonly feet should be hip width apart and slightly turned out, a neutral spine should be maintained throughout the movement and the knees should track over the 2nd toe. Weight should be in the heels with the entire foot remaining in contact with the ground throughout the entire movement.

CORRECT SQUAT FORM

6. Rather than twisting your torso, move your lead foot first. This helps the shoulders and pelvis move as a unit rather than putting torsion on the spine.

Belmont Clinic Belmont Professional Centre 564 Belmont Avenue West, Suite 301 Kitchener, Ontario N2M 5N6 TEL: (519) 743-4355

Elmira Clinic Behind Wellness Centre (Clock Tower) 3 Wyatt Street East, Suite 2 Elmira, Ontario N3B 2H4 TEL: (519) 669-1212

Northfield Clinic (**Now Open**) Waterloo Corporate Campus (Sobeys Plaza)

595 Parkside Drive, Suite 5A Waterloo, Ontario N2L 0C7 TEL: (226) 476-1600