2 is better than 1

The Healthy View

We’re excited to announce that we’re expanding the kinds of articles you’ll see in the Healthy View each month. Since the Sport Medicine Clinic is currently operating out of the Adelaide Health Clinic, we’ve decided to combine our expertise and bring you articles written by practitioners at both Clinics.

What changes for you? Absolutely nothing, other than an increase in great content delivered directly to your inbox every 2 weeks.

Is working from home going to be the new cause of having to stay home from work?

Initially, our transfer to a work-from-home lifestyle was remarkably appealing - what could possibly go wrong from being able to wear pyjamas all day while video-conferencing from the comfort of your own home? Rhetorically, more than we thought. As the initial “two-week” lockdown turned into months and months quickly flowed into a year, the novelty and excitement slowly wore off, leaving our community with an exponential increase in idle behaviours.

For all the good that technology brings to households in the way of communication with loved ones or carrying out business in the form of zoom calls, it has led to something that has become increasingly concerning as time wears on. This ‘something’ is unfortunately not entirely under our control as our livelihoods predominantly depend on sitting at our makeshift desks and unorthodox workspaces for hours on end staring at a screen. Though this was, in part, the case pre-pandemic, the sedentary behaviours of office life were interrupted with transit to and from, coffee breaks with colleagues, and lunchtime adventures to our favourite restaurants. This is no longer the case as workplaces adapt to online platforms, and we have had to unapologetically (and necessarily) substitute movement for safety.

This is the story of many clients that come see me for physiotherapy. The sedentary behaviours we have been forced to adapt, coupled with non-ergonomic environments has yielded a significant increase in overuse injuries of the neck, back, and shoulders. Part of my treatment includes educating patients on these 3 easy steps to get your body active and help to prevent overuse injuries from developing.

1. Breaks. Frequent breaks, even as little as 5-minutes, can increase productivity both mentally and physically. Take this time to couple it with movement (see #2) to help break the monotony and get your steps in for the day!
2. Movement. Without our daily commute, or walking to and from meeting rooms, or walking down to the PATH to get a coffee, we have significantly reduced our daily active movement. One strategy to increase our movement throughout the day is to get up and utilize the space in your house. Walk around your house/kitchen while your coffee is brewing, take the long way to the bathroom or repeat the stairs a few times before you sit down. Movement helps activate and strengthen your muscles. Simply put, move it or lose it!
3. Exercises. Take the time to do a few exercises every hour. Even something as little as 10 reps of squats, crunches, jumping jacks, etc., can go a long way to get the body active. Fundamental exercises can help to increase blood flow, circulation, and overall muscular stability and endurance.

Think your work-from-home life is getting the better of you? Book an appointment with Jocelyn at the Sport Medicine Clinic for comprehensive assessment!

Jocelyn Nullmeyer Physiotherapist Sport Medicine Clinic 416-865-0903 Email her

How to prepare your body for running

Spring is here, which means many of us are eager to start enjoying the warmer weather and, perhaps, pick up running again. Running outdoors is an awesome activity that many of us enjoy, but it also comes with an increasing incidence of injury as we age. So, how do we minimize the risk of injury with running? Some will suggest not running at all, which is the case when a person’s body no longer allows the process due to an injury. Another option is to run within your current limits and to run smarter.

Running is a complex biomechanical process that requires a significant amount of weight bearing load and shock absorption. As we age, our bodies ‘wear out’ in different spots and become more susceptible to injury due to the way our body is used. We can prevent and manage aches, pains, and injuries by becoming more aware of how our body is being used and areas where we can improve our strength, stability, and mobility.

Here are some tips on how to better prepare yourself for your next run. You may be accustomed to just lacing up and going, however, should you have any potential injury sites or any concerns, you will benefit greatly from preparing yourself for the run, by doing some prehabilitation work that is specific to your needs. How do you know what is needed? Working with a trainer, coach, or clinic professional can help you better assess your situation and how you can improve. Here are some tips so you can get started on running smarter right away:

• Be sure you have optimal range of motion in your toes, especially the big toe joint. Having your toes move easily improves the mechanics of your feet as shock absorbers.
• Work on the mobility of your ankles, especially in terms of dorsiflexion, so this typically means stretching your calves. There are very few people who are particularly mobile this way and mobility in the ankle joint does not naturally improve with age.

• Assess and improve the mobility of your hips, especially in relation with being able to extend your hip backwards. Many of us are lacking in this range from our time sitting, so even a few standing hip extensions just before your run can help activate the muscles needed for improved hip extension.
• Strengten your core, which includes the hips. Core exercise is hugely beneficial to improving your posture and stability through your pelvis, which contributes to force being efficiently coordinated and distributed through your muscles and joints.
• Improve your squat. You want to be able to squat with your feet flat, keeping a long spine, and getting your butt close to the ground. This is the basic test of mobility in the ankles, knees, and hips, something that we can always work at improving.

I’ve mentioned 5 areas for you to consider above, so choose 1-3 areas where you know you could improve and pick a quick exercise to do before a run. It could be a bit of stretching, mobility work, or a strength exercise. For example, I use a mini acuball and roll through my feet, do calf raises, and stretch my calves before I go for a run, as my ankles are a limiting factor for me. But remember, every runner will have unique needs. If you could use some guidance, we are always here to support you at the Adelaide Health Clinic. Book your appointment today, and let us help you get ready for some spring running.

Vivian Law Registered Traditional Chinese Medicine Acupuncture Adelaide Health Clinic 416-367-5200 Email her

Introducing Vivian Law

The Adelaide Health Clinic is very excited to welcome their newest team member, Vivian Law, who will be providing Traditional Chinese Medicine Acupuncture. Members of our Clubs may have met Vivian at cycling, yoga, or strength training classes in the past, as she loves to teach a variety of classes! She is passionate about education on optimal health with exercise being of high importance. 

Traditional Chinese Medicine Acupuncture is an excellent form of preventative and complementary healthcare. Fine needles are inserted to specific points in the body to stimulate a healing response. Vivian practices a very gentle style of acupuncture that helps balance the body through the musculoskeletal and nervous system. Book a complementary 15-minute consultation with Vivian today to learn how Traditional Chinese Medicine Acupuncture can benefit you.

Complimentary Parking at the First Canadian Place

The First Canadian Place is offering a promotion for a limited time where visitors can enjoy 3 hours of complimentary parking when you spend $50 (tax included) at participating stores located inside the FCP.

Our patients are eligible for this complimentary service as long as you have a receipt totaling $50. So, you can:

• Come in and get treatment
• Purchase any of our products that help with your recovery

How it works:

1. Enter FCP parking garage from York or Adelaide street.
2. Shop.
3. Bring your receipt(s) from FCP retailers to the security desk (located inside the FCP building, street level) to get the 3-hour parking voucher.
4. When you’re ready to leave, insert the parking ticket at the garage gate first, followed by the voucher.

If you parking at First Canadian Place for the first time, we encourage patients to park in lots #2 or #3 as those are closest to the Clinic.

Click here to book an appointment with the Adelaide Health Clinic.

Click here to book an appointment with the Sport Medicine Clinic.

We look forward to seeing you soon!