Preparing to get back out there

The Healthy View

These past 13 months have been quite the ride. We were so looking forward to being able to enjoy the early days of spring but COVID had other plans. However, just because we aren’t able to be out and about right now, that doesn’t mean we can’t be preparing for when things are able to open up again. Whether you’re looking for ways to improve your golf game, need help managing knee pain before your summer hikes, or something in between, our team of practitioners are here to help.

Good Luck Dr. Tim

The Sport Medicine Clinic is proud to announce that another member of our team is representing Canada on the world stage.

This week, Dr. Tim Rindlisbacher is travelling with the men's national futsal (arena soccer) team to Guatemala for the CONCACF Championships. Canada did extremely well last year, beating powerhouse, Costa Rica, but their progress was halted by the pandemic. They look to add to last year's momentum with a strong roster assisted by Dr. Tim's international sport medicine experience. 

Preparing for Golf Season

How many of us played more rounds of golf in 2020 than we can remember playing in the previous 10+ years? Golf courses everywhere were packed last season and getting a tee time was no longer a certainty at any course.

Heading into the 2021 golf season there was even more anticipation to hit the links with a March window for golfing that had not been possible in many previous springs. Unfortunately, we had to pump the breaks on the early golf season in April due to COVID, but this delay will be short lived. Courses will be open again soon and now is the time to make sure your body is ready when they do.

Regardless of how active you were over the past 4-5 months, you can still have a positive impact on your physical capabilities as it relates to your golf swing by starting a program that will improve your balance, flexibility, stability, and core strength. Some people think that they are too old to improve their physical tools and unfortunately continue to see their driver distances decrease year after year.

Last weekend, 47-year-old Stewart Cink won the Heritage Classic, 21 years after his first win on tour. It was his second win of the current PGA season, which has him in the lead for tour wins this season. The most glaring stat that impressed me about Stewart’s play this year is that he increased his driving distance from last season. He went from averaging 295 yards on his drive last season to now averaging 306 yards; currently putting him 26^th in driving distance on tour. How can someone at the age of 47 experience such a dramatic improvement in distance year over year?

One of the main contributions to his improved play and his late-career distance boom is a commitment to improving his fitness. For a more in-depth look at Stewart’s commitment to improved fitness and the other technical changes that have helped him this year, this article by Luke Kerr-Dineen is a great read.

If you have any questions regarding how your golf fitness can be improved during this build up to the golf season, feel free to reach out to me. I would be happy to help you get ready for the 2021 golf season and hopefully add a few yards to your driving distance.

Dr. Lawrence Micheli Clinic Manager & Chiropractor Sport Medicine Clinic 416-865-0903 Email me

I have knee arthritis… What should I do?

Before we look at answering this question, it’s important for us to debunk some myths surrounding knee osteoarthritis, more commonly referred to as knee arthritis by the general public.

Myth #1

Wow! Look at that x-ray, no wonder I’m in so much pain. My knee looks terrible!

• The degree of arthritis on a scan DOES NOT predict pain and disability levels. In fact, scans are poorly related to pain and disability and the “damage” that is seen on an x-ray doesn’t equal pain.

Myth #2

I am in pain, I need to rest to help the pain go away.

• Rest and avoidance of daily activities actually make the pain worse. It is recommended and completely safe to take part in an evidence based, graded exercise routine

Myth #3

The only thing that’s going to fix my pain is surgery.

• Surgery may be indicated if an appropriate active care plan is not successful. But even then, 20% of people do not get any pain relief from knee joint replacement.

Osteoarthritis is only one piece of the puzzle when it comes to knee health. The following factors also play an important role:

• Weakness in surrounding musculature and protective guarding
• Repetitive loads sustained in recreational activities, occupation, or sport
• Genetics
• Injuries
• Lifestyle factors, such as lack of sleep or lack of physical activity
• Obesity
• Disruptions in mental wellness from depression, anxiety, or fatigue

If you have been diagnosed with knee osteoarthritis your care should include the following elements:

• Evidence based education
• Exercise focused on movement control, cardio, and weight bearing strength training
• Lifestyle changes including increased physical activity and weight loss
• Referral when indicated
  • If pain/limitation persists after the appropriate evidence based care outlines above, injections or surgery may be indicated.

Reference:

Caneiro, JP, O'Sullivan, PB, Roos, EM, et al. (2020). Three steps to changing the narrative about knee osteoarthritis care: A call to action. British Journal of Sports Medicine, 54: 256-258.

Dr. Paul Glancey Chiropractor Sport Medicine Clinic 416-865-0903 Email me