Why Are Shin Splints the Most Common Injury for Runners

Compression Stockings Ajax

According to new research, about 27% of runners experience injuries in their first year of participating in the sport, and a majority of those injuries were shin splints. Danish researchers followed 933 new runners for a year to observe them and see how many got injured, what injuries they got, and how long it took them to recover from their injuries. The researchers considered someone a new runner if they had not run for more than 10 kilometres in the year before. They defined running injuries as running-induced pain in the legs or lower back which were severe enough to prevent them from training (in distance, duration, pace or frequency) for at least a week.

Of the 933 runners, 254 met the researchers’ definition of having a running injury in their first year. Of the runners who were injured, 15% reported medial tibial stress syndrome (or shin splints) and 10% had patellofemoral pain (or runner’s knee), 9% had a meniscus injury, 7% had Achilles tendinitis, and 5% had plantar fasciitis or a soleus injury.

Stress fractures were relatively uncommon, usually because the new runners’ mileage was on the lower end in their first year, which did not create significant risk for this type of injury. 75% of the injuries happened during a runner’s first 201 kilometres in the sport.

Healing times had varied greatly among all injured runners. Those who had calf strains were back to their normal running routine on an average of 30 to 40 days. Those that suffered from shin splints required an average of 72 days to recover fully. Plantar fasciitis took the longest time, averaging 159 days for runners to fully recover from.

The researchers found that their findings emphasize the importance of new runners being more mindful of shin splints.

How to Prevent Shin Splints

Gradually increase your mileage

Shin splints are known as an overuse injuries because they typically happen when runners, especially new runners, increase their mileage or intensity too soon and don’t allow their body the proper time to recover. One important thing to remember is not to run through the pain. Always listen to your body and decrease your running when you start to feel any pain. Medical experts recommend that you shouldn’t go back to running until you are pain-free for two weeks. 

Run on Softer Surface

Running on hard surfaces like concrete can put more strain on your muscles, joints and bones. It’s important to have some variation on your running surfaces. Try to run on grass or dirt trails, especially if you are planning to run for a long period of time. You might also want to opt to get on a treadmill run once or twice a week. Running on a treadmill is much easier on your body than running on roads or sidewalks.

Physiotherapy will help you manage your shin splint pain properly. APEX Physiotherapy & Chiropractic can help with your pain, so if you are looking for a physiotherapist or chiropractor near me in the Pickering or Ajax areas, contact us today!

What Conditions can be Treated Using Naturopathic Medicine?

Naturopathic doctor Pickering

Naturopathic medicine can be very effective, and natural remedies are used to help the body heal. Herbs, massage, acupuncture, exercise and nutritional counselling are different kinds of therapies that are part of naturopathic medicine whose goal is to treat the whole person and heal the root causes of their illness. Treatments will focus on the mind, body and spirit and will do more than just stop the symptoms.

Naturopathic doctors will spend a lot of time examining the patient and will ask questions about everything from your health history to your lifestyle habits. Once they have this information, they will then discuss your personal health plan and will focus on education and prevention.

There are a number of conditions that can be treated using naturopathic medicine, and the following are some of the most common health issues that are treated by this practice:

Fatigue

If you feel tired all the time and want to boost your energy levels, naturopathic medicine can help. The causes of fatigue will be different for each patient, but your naturopathic doctor will ask about your health history in detail to identify specific contributors and to provide you with more energy.

Digestion

This contributes to every kind of health condition and is a must for good health, and naturopathic medicine can help you improve this aspect.

Difficulty Sleeping

Dietary changes and stress management will be discussed with patients who are experiencing sleep difficulties, and you will have to provide specific information so that you can be treated accordingly. Some patients can’t fall asleep while others can’t stay asleep, and it’s also possible to be struggling with both and these specifics matter because it will dictate how you will be treated. Naturopathic medicine will treat the root cause of this problem to provide you with long-lasting solutions.

Stress

This can affect every aspect of your life and will impact your health negatively. You may experience high blood pressure and cholesterol along with weight gain and sleep difficulties, so stress must be eliminated from your life, and naturopathic medicine can help in this regard.

Food Allergies

Believe it or not, it is possible to overcome food sensitivities through testing, food elimination and gut healing, so you can turn to naturopathic medicine if you suffer from allergies.

Anxiety and Depression

Nutritional, botanical or supplemental remedies can help you cope and will address the underlying issues of your anxiety or depression so that you don’t have to suffer any longer.

Weight Management

Naturopathic medicine will investigate and address the underlying causes of weight gain and your inability to lose weight. Improper digestion, food sensitivities and hormonal imbalances are common causes of weight gain, but this practice will help you manage this aspect.

These are just some of the conditions that naturopathic medicine can help with, and the experts at Apex Physiotherapy & Chiropractic can provide you with more information. Whether you are looking for a naturopathic doctor, a chiropractor near me or are interested in shockwave therapy, we can help, so if you are in the Pickering or Ajax areas, contact us today!

Shockwave Therapy: What You Need to know

Shockwave Therapy Pickering

If you’ve heard of shockwave therapy but are not entirely sure of what this means, this guide will tell you everything you need to know about this very common treatment option. The most important thing to understand is that you will not be physically shocked, so don’t be alarmed by the name as it can be misleading. Shock wave simply means sound wave, so there is no need to be concerned because it’s essentially just another term that refers to this non-invasive treatment option that you can consider.

What is Shockwave Therapy?

Shockwave therapy is a non-surgical method that will provide you with results, and you will start to feel better after only a couple of sessions. This treatment option has actually been around for a while, and high-energy audible sound waves are introduced to the painful areas of your body during this treatment. This can include your shoulders, legs and arms, and if you suffer from acute or chronic pain, this type of treatment would be ideal as it is effective in reducing pain, and most patients will feel a difference after their sessions. Shockwave therapy can reduce pain, and while some patients will experience mild discomfort, you will notice an improvement in your quality of life, so this treatment is definitely worth a try.

How does Shockwave Therapy Work?

Shockwaves will speed up a patient’s healing process and will reduce pain because introducing sound waves to the body will cause one’s blood to become stimulated, and this will increase circulation, and your metabolism will become accelerated as a result. Tissue is regenerated after only a few sessions, and this would allow you to heal a lot faster than a patient who did not seek shockwave treatment. This form of therapy can help treat a number of conditions, including tendonitis, heel pain, tennis elbow, acute and chronic pain, muscle tension, neck pain, and so much more.

Is Shockwave Therapy Effective?

For the most part, shockwave therapy is very successful, and most patients will experience pain reduction after only a couple of sessions. Your healthcare professional will discuss your progress and provide you with their professional opinion regarding when to stop treatment.

If you are interested in shockwave therapy, Apex Physiotherapy & Chiropractic can provide you with more information. We will discuss your pain, and our team of experienced professionals will provide you with the relief you need. We will create a treatment plan based on your needs and conditions specifically and will reduce your pain while restoring your function and improving your performance. Whether you are looking for a naturopathic doctor or a chiropractor, we can help, so if you are in the Pickering or Ajax areas, contact us today to schedule an appointment!

Why to Choose a Naturopathic Doctor

Naturopathic Doctor Pickering

The holistic approach to wellness is known as naturopathy, and it has been known for a long time as nature’s gift to healthiness and harmony between our bodies and nature. Many of us want to be the healthiest versions of ourselves. This means that we want to be able to have access to healthy services and products at the click of a button. There is no doubt that traditional prescription medications will always play a role in our health. However, many Canadians are reaching towards a more balanced approach to their health between synthetic and natural. This is where naturopathy comes in. So here are some great reasons why you should consider visiting a naturopath.

Naturopathy focuses on prevention instead of giving a solution when a health issue arises. Naturopathy will focus on the underlying causes of a condition. It applies treatments that will work in alliance with the natural healing systems of our body rather than override them or work against them. Your naturopath will not only treat your health, but will also help you by discussing clear strategies that you can use to empower yourself and improve your life and overall well-being by minimizing your chances of illness from the get-go.

Naturopathy can assist with a variety of prevalent health conditions that are facing many people today. Naturopathy services can help you deal with health conditions like cardiovascular health, hormonal imbalance, fertility, menopause or degenerative illnesses like arthritis and it can also help you implement preventative health strategies.

Naturopathy uses non-invasive treatments and natural treatments. Your naturopath will use non-invasive and natural treatments to help tap into your own body’s natural healing capabilities. Your physical symptoms will be examined as well as your lifestyle and your overall health. Nutrition that incorporates whole foods and superfoods will be used to strengthen and nourish your body to give it everything it needs to heal itself. There are a range of practitioner-only administered products that are very safe to use and have a lot of research to back them up.

Naturopathy can work together with traditional western medicines. If you can locate a naturopathic practitioner who is able to work along with pharmacists and GPs to safely and effectively integrate evidence-based natural medicine with western approaches to medicine, then you can get the best of both worlds. Getting both types of approaches to health and medicine will be able to give you a treatment plan that is completely tailored to your health needs.

Combining prescription medicine and natural medicine might seem very complex at first, but if you go to trusted experts and get the right advice from them, then you can accomplish a successful health strategy. The key here is to do your research thoroughly so that you know what you are getting yourself into and so that you can be very well-informed. If you can find a pharmacy that works closely with naturopaths, you can achieve an optimum patient outcome and get the best of both worlds.

What Should be Included in My Rehabilitation Plan? APEX Physiotherapy & Chiropractic Provides Some Insight

Physiotherapy in Pickering

Effective physiotherapy is a long-term plan that aids in injury recovery as well as preventing injuries in the future. Physiotherapy requires consistent attention and commitment from both the patient and the doctor. What else needs to be included in your rehabilitation plan?

What Makes an Effective Physiotherapy Plan?

An effective physiotherapy plan has more than one moving part; each individual component needs to be considered and evaluated in order to be effective overall.

Individual

Each person is different and has different capabilities, and no two injuries are the same. There is no one size fits all rehabilitation plan. Some people may find it more helpful to have more frequent clinic visits, whereas others may prefer to do more work at home. Tailoring each plan to the individual is essential.

Reasonable

The activities and frequency need to be reasonable. In order for someone to actually follow through with the plan, the plan needs to be made up of doable activities. A 35-year-old man may have a different list of doable exercises than a 70-year-old woman with the same injury.

Long-term Goals

Each plan should have set long-term goals. If you broke your left arm and are now doing physiotherapy, your goal may be to gain strength that can once again parallel the strength of your right arm.

Scheduled Check-ins

No good rehabilitation is a one-and-done treatment. Check-in visits ensure that the work is being done and the injury is healing as it should. These check-ins are a time to evaluate which components of the plan are working and which are not.

Long-term Treatment and Prevention

While components of the rehab plan can be to address immediate issues, the majority of the plan should be about preventing similar injuries from happening in the future. This is done by building muscle and flexing joints and ligaments.

Variety

There must be a number of components to each person’s rehabilitation plan. Having a rehab plan of only exercises may not work for everyone. Incorporating strength training, massage, and even acupuncture might be even more effective.

Components

There are commonly five physical components of each plan.

Do’s and Don’ts

The do’s and don’ts section of a rehab plan will effectively outline what should be done and what should be avoided. Including specific and easy-to-understand examples in each plan will increase the effectiveness of the rehab plan.

Exercises

Strengthening exercises are a part of every single rehabilitation plan. The exercises will be tailored to fit each individual injury and person. Included exercises are meant to be built upon as time goes on.

Relief Stretches

Along with exercises, there should be a section for stretches that will ease pain and release tension. This section is important because, without it, you could be risking further injury.

Massage

Massages are a great way to move around any built-up fluid in the injured area and can help reduce swelling as well. Additionally, massages can provide pain relief.

Acupuncture

Acupuncture is a way to relieve nerve pain and inflammation in joints. Small needles are placed into the skin and pressure points which stimulates blood flow and can also promote healing.

Talk to the physiotherapists at APEX Physiotherapy and Chiropractic in Durham to get started with your perfect rehabilitation plan!

Everything You Need to Know About Your Sprains and Strains

Chiropractor in Ajax

One of the most common questions people ask whenever they hurt a part of their body is whether it’s a sprain or strain. They may seem similar, but there are distinctions between the two, and differentiating between them is actually easier than you think.

The first step is to understand the differences between a tendon and a ligament. Tendons are fibrous tissues that connect bone to muscle, and ligaments are similar in that they, too, are connective tissues to tendons but instead of connecting bone to muscle, they connect bone to bone. When the tendons attaching your muscle to bone are stretched too far or torn, a strain will occur. When the ligaments connecting your joints are damaged, a sprain will occur. Your ankles, knees, elbows and wrists can be affected by this, and in most cases, the joint is so badly twisted that the tissues will become stretched or torn. The pain caused by a sprain can be mild or severe, and depending on the situation, some patients will require physiotherapy and possibly even surgery.

Whether you are suffering from a sprain or strain, physiotherapy can help you recover. Physiotherapists are experts when it comes to movement, so they will provide you with relief and will also help you prevent further injury in the future. A lot of patients who turn to physiotherapy will not require medications or invasive surgery because it is an effective treatment that is proven to work. When it comes to sprains or strains, physiotherapy treatments will first focus on pain relief as this is the primary goal. Manual therapy, electrical nerve stimulation, stretching and ice therapies are a few examples of the pain-relieving services you may receive. Your physiotherapist will provide you with one or several of these based on the severity of your situation and pain.

Once you finalize pain management, the physiotherapist will then heal your injury. They will help you regain your range of motion in the joint that was affected or will help strengthen the muscles that were affected by your injury. The last step will focus on preventing future injury because once you sprain a joint or strain a muscle, it’s highly likely that you may do this again, but a physiotherapist can help in this regard. They will recommend strengthening exercises and will help you build muscle around the injured area, which will lower your risk of injury in the future.

The experts at Apex Physiotherapy & Chiropractic will provide you with the treatment you need, so if you have a sprain or strain, do not hesitate to contact us because we can provide you with relief right away. Our physiotherapists are knowledgeable, skilled and friendly and will eliminate your pain, so schedule an appointment with us today!

Posture Perfect: How to Correct Your Back Pain

Physiotherapist near me

Back pain is very common, and this type of pain can make it very difficult for you to perform your daily tasks. It is an uncomfortable condition that is both frustrating and challenging because it can be very limiting. The good news is that you can eliminate back pain, and chiropractic can help you move comfortably again.

One of the most common causes of back pain is poor posture, so if you slouch while you’re seated or lean forward at your desk, you may suffer from this type of pain. The same is true if you hunch over when you type, so you need to be aware of these actions as most people do them subconsciously without realizing the damage they are doing to their body. Proper posture is very important because it can affect the way your body moves. Regardless of whether you’re sitting, standing, walking, or running, proper posture is a must because it can allow you to move with ease, and you should be able to go about your day comfortably.

It’s common to forget about the way our bodies are positioned, and this is something that happens to all of us, especially when we are so focused on the tasks we are trying to complete. This can result in back pain, so you need to make an effort to maintain proper posture by positioning your body normally. When we feel drained, and our bodies feel tired, we can slouch and droop over because we cannot hold our bodies up. Contrary to what most people think, poor posture is not a result of laziness and is instead related to a physical weakness within our bodies. Our bodies can get tired of holding us up, and when this happens, our posture may suffer.

If you want to regain normal posture, we can help. Chiropractors specialize in movement so they can help you improve your balance, stability, mobility, and flexibility, all of which can result in better posture. They can help you eliminate your back pain, and their techniques and recommendations can have a positive effect on your posture. Orthopedic and functional testing will be a part of your initial evaluation, and this information will help your chiropractor identify the areas of your body that are causing your back pain. Once these details are clear, they will then create a customized treatment plan, which will be tailored to your specific needs, and this will focus on your posture and all the ways it can be improved. This plan can also help increase your strength so that you can achieve all of your physical performance goals. Most importantly, this plan can relieve you of your pain.

The experts at Apex Physiotherapy & Chiropractic can provide you with pain relief and can help you regain proper posture as well. If you’re ready to say goodbye to back pain and want to achieve a perfect posture, give us a call today!

Eating Right: A Simple Technique for Reducing Pain and Inflammation

Physiotherapist near me

Pain in the body can be absolutely debilitating. Some of the most annoying pain is attributed to inflammation. Inflammatory diseases such as arthritis have no cure, and pain must be managed. Did you know that watching what you eat can actually decrease the amount of inflammation in the body? Like any physical journey your body goes on, what you fuel it with is more important than physical action.

Foods that you should avoid:

  • Sugar
  • High Fructose corn syrup (found in pop and other soft drinks)
  • Artificial trans fat
  • Seed oils
  • Processed meats (like smoked or canned meat, beef jerky)
  • Large amounts of alcohol
  • Gluten (Found in white bread and pastries)
  • Spicy foods

If you must eat these foods, try not to eat them right in the morning. The very first thing you put in your body in the morning is what starts off that day for yourself. If you put something that slows you down at first, you will have a hard time getting through your day without experiencing inflammation. Try and avoid these foods where possible, but don’t start off your day with them.

Instead of adding refined sugars to coffee or recipes, try adding natural sugars like honey or agave. To curb your pop craving, try sparkling fruit juices or carbonated waters. Avoid both trans fats and oils by baking rather than frying your food. Substitute canned meats for fresh ones like chicken or fish. A glass of wine here and there won’t kill you but avoid heavy daily drinking. Substitute white bread for whole grain, less refined options. Finally, Season your food with different spices, avoiding ones like cayenne, chili powder, or large amounts of black pepper.

Foods you should include:

  • Berries
  • Broccoli
  • Avocado
  • Peppers
  • Mushrooms
  • Turmeric
  • Dark Chocolate
  • Cherries
  • Fish
  • Beans

Most of the foods on the list are whole foods, the reason these foods are anti-inflammatory is not that they have any sort of magical powers. It is because they are not processed. The body’s immune system activates when foreign bodies are found in the gut and bloodstream, this is what causes inflammation. Feeding your body whole foods does not activate the immune system as much, which will decrease inflammation. For further clarification or other questions about your health and diet specifically, book a consultation with our naturopathic doctor!

In addition to making good food choices, take care of your body by getting enough rest, drinking enough water, and moving around. When getting over a soft tissue injury of any kind, seeking physiotherapy or chiropractic treatment is always a good idea. Let the practitioners at Apex Physiotherapy and Chiropractic help you get back moving on your feet!

What Is Pre-hab? And Why You Should Do It

Naturopathic Doctor Pickering

Bodily injuries can set you back majorly, especially seeing as recovering from soft tissue can be quite the process, not to mention extremely painful. While no one expects to be injured, you can never be too prepared for a situation or body damage that may come out of nowhere. That is why the idea of attending pre-hab is growing in popularity. Pre-hab is going to physical rehab or physiotherapy before you get injured. Pre-hab might include muscle stretching, acupuncture, mobility and flexibility training, as well as muscle strengthening. Here are some of the reasons you might want to consider pre-hab.

Prevention

Ever heard of the saying the best offense is a good defense? The same rings true when it comes to injuries. Attending physiotherapy when you don’t have a current ailment can strengthen muscles, expand mobility, and increase flexibility. All great ways to prevent soft tissue injuries. Strong muscles hold together joints and prevent overstretched ligaments. Strong muscles are also key to proper posture and limit the development of poor posture-driven ailments. While expanded mobility and flexibility helps avoid strains from stiff joints and ligaments.

Accelerated healing

If you do happen to incur an injury, your pre-hab experience will come in handy. Whether you are under large amounts of physical stress at work, or maybe you’re accident-prone, you might be anticipating an injury. With pre-hab, you will speed up the healing process time after said injury seeing as your body has already been stretching and strengthening regularly, in preparation for whatever injury is next. If there is an area you injure regularly, physiotherapists can target that specific soft tissue during pre-hab, so if you are injured there again, you will already be in the healing process.

Before surgery

It might sound silly, but preparing for surgery should include physiotherapy, that is if you want to spend a shorter time recovering. Joint replacement surgeries, in particular, like hip and knee replacements, benefit most from pre-hab. Once again patients are able to loosen up and strengthen their muscles before undergoing trauma. One of the most important things about post-joint replacement surgery care is to get the joint moving. It sounds crazy and a little painful, but, in fact, patients who have gone through pre-hab find this task much easier than those without.

So, whether you are preparing for surgery, working a strenuous job, or maybe you’re just clumsy, don’t wait for an injury to start seeing a physiotherapist. Call Apex Physiotherapy clinic today to book a consultation, and discuss the best pre-hab plan made just for you.