Last month we touched on the idea that to successfully self-manage chronic pain, you have to manage your stress.

Let’s look at the second reasons why this is true.

Stress management and chronic pain management

We saw last month, how overcoming stressors related to pain makes life easier and better, even though you continue to have chronic pain. We also saw how overcoming stressors can lead to better coping, which, in turn, makes chronic pain more tolerable. Doing so, however, is important for another reason: managing stress well also reduces pain itself.

We all know that stress makes chronic pain worse¹. No matter what the original cause of your pain, stress exacerbates the pain. You have probably noticed this fact.

Whether it’s from depression, insomnia, relationship or financial problems, stress affects us by its effect on the nervous system. Stress makes us tense and nervous – literally. Our muscles becomes tight, particularly in certain areas of the body – the low back, mid and upper back, shoulders, neck, head, forehead, and jaw are the most common areas (we also feel it in our gut, by the way, with upset stomachs, reflux, diarrhea, among other things). Over time, the chronically tense muscles can ache and spasm. In other words, the persistent stress that results from chronic pain can cause chronic muscle tension, which, is painful.

Chronic pain causes more pain! It does so through the stress that it causes, which subsequently activates the nervous system and the persistently stressed nervous system leads to chronic muscle tension, which becomes painful in and of itself.

When understanding the role of stress from this perspective, most every chronic pain patient readily understands it because they live it. They see how stress affects their pain levels from their own experience.

Stress and its effect on the nervous system can exacerbate pain through more direct routes too. It’s not just the effect that stress has on muscle tension. It’s harder to see from your own personal experience, however, and so you’ll have to rely on a more textbook-like explanation. Stress, particularly the persistent stress of problems that occur as a result of chronic pain, causes changes to the nervous system itself. These changes occur in the spinal cord and brain and they result in changes in how sensory information is processed. An example of sensory information is pain signals that travel from nerves in the body, through the spinal cord, and up to the brain; the brain subsequently processes this information and the experience of pain results. As a result of persistent stress to this system, the brain comes to process such information with greater and greater sensitivity and as a result less and less stimuli (i.e., sensory information) is required to experience pain

It’s generally accepted that by overcoming the persistently stressful problems that occur as a result of living with chronic pain – such as insomnia, depression, anxiety, you can make some headway in reversing these changes. You might not be able to change them entirely, but enough to reduce the pain itself. Indeed, most providers would concur that to adequately manage chronic pain these kinds of stressors must be addressed.

Concluding remarks

In all, good stress management is essential when it comes to successfully self-managing chronic pain. There is only so much that can be done to reduce pain when you have chronic pain. The most effective therapies we have for chronic pain are at best only mildly or modestly helpful at reducing pain. There is, however, no end to how well you can get at managing the stressors that result from chronic pain. It’s possible to overcome depression or anxiety or insomnia or relationship problems or any other stressor, even if you continue to have chronic pain. Now, these problems are not easily overcome. They take work and motivation and perseverance. Nonetheless, it is possible. By doing so, you get better. Pain becomes more tolerable too. In fact, by reducing the amount of stress in your life, you also reduce pain itself.

It’s for all these reasons that your healthcare providers keep wanting to focus on the stress in your life, in addition to the chronic pain in your life.

For more info on how to take control of your health, and tackle chronic pain in a smart way, please reach out to:

Phone: (416) 477-1101

E-mail: reception@priclinic.com

Web:   www.priclinic.com

The term rounded shoulders is used to describe a resting shoulder position that has moved forward from the body’s ideal alignment. Rounded shoulders, sometimes known as “mom posture,” are part of overall bad posture, and they can get worse if left untreated.

There are a few simple exercises that can help keep the shoulders in their correct position and relieve the stress caused by slumping.

Posture is an example of how a person’s habits can affect their physical body. Conditions such as text neck and rounded shoulders are some of the most common ways poor posture begins.

Any activity that causes the body to look down and forward for long periods of time can contribute to slumped shoulders.

These positions disrupt how the muscles in the neck, back, and shoulders normally function. It is these muscles that control the way the body maintains its posture throughout the day.

Daily tasks that may contribute to rounded shoulders include:

using a smartphone or tablet

using a computer or laptop

sitting for long periods

driving a vehicle

bending over repeatedly

carrying heavy objects all day

The risks of rounded shoulders include the negative impact they can have on health and appearance. By inadvertently training the body to be hunched forward over time, the muscles interpret this slumped position as the body’s natural state. This can be very harmful for the body if left untreated.

Increased stress on the shoulder joints can cause pain around the neck and upper back.

It is best to correct rounded shoulders by adjusting the posture as soon as possible.

Diagnosis

Chiropractors and physical therapists may lead a person through a few tests to see if they have rounded shoulders.

The doctor may first look at the person’s resting position while they are standing. A person with slumped shoulders may seem to slouch, even when asked to stand up straight. Their hands are also likely to face behind them, with the thumbs pointed at each other.

A correct standing posture will see the hands facing towards the body with the thumbs facing ahead. This is a simple test, but it will give doctors a good indication of a person’s everyday posture.

Doctors may use a variety of other tests to help them diagnose rounded shoulders and poor posture, in order to recommend the best treatments.

It is always advisable to work directly with a knowledgeable practitioner to treat rounded shoulders.

Stretches and Exercises for Round Shoulders

Handclasp

The handclasp stretch is simple and can be done every day. Standing up straight with the hands by their sides, a person reaches their hands behind them to clasp them together.

Gently, they then pull the shoulders back, while taking care not to allow the neck to push forward.

The shoulders should be pulled back until the chest opens and a deep stretch is felt. The position should be held for 30 seconds.

Door chest stretches

Just as the shoulders were stretched, the chest needs to be stretched to keep a person’s posture strong. One simple way to do this involves the use of a doorframe.

Standing straight in front of a doorframe, a person should place one hand on either side of the frame, just above head height.

Moving one foot forward and gently lunging past the frame will stretch the chest and shoulders. Hold this position for 30 seconds.

Shoulder blade squeeze

This basic exercise reminds the body what good posture feels like, and helps build strength throughout the day.

Sitting up tall, a person should move both shoulder blades together, as if trying to hold a tennis ball between them. As they flex, the shoulders should move down and away from the ears.

This position should be held for 10 seconds, and repeated 10 times.

The T stretch

The T stretch is best done in the morning, just after waking, or in the night, just before sleeping.

The person lies flat on their back with their feet flat on the floor. Their knees will be bent and facing up.

The arms should be extended out to the sides of the body, palms facing up. When done correctly, there will be a slight stretch in the back and shoulders.

This position can be held for up to 10 minutes each day for the best results.

Wall stretch

The wall stretch is one of the most important exercises for rounded shoulders.

A person begins by standing with their tailbone, lower back, upper back, and head against a wall. The feet are positioned slightly away from the wall. The arms are pressed flat against the wall, keeping the elbows at a 90 degree angle.

This position is held for 30 seconds to a minute to provide a gentle stretch and workout for the shoulders and upper back.

us at:

Tel:      (416) 477-1101

E-mail: reception@priclinic.com

Web:   www.priclinic.com

Hemophilia is a congenital genetic disorder. Hemophilia patients lack certain proteins in plasma which are responsible for blood clotting. Hemophilia type A or deficiency of coagulating factor 8 is the most common type of hemophilia and among every 10,000, one newborn is affected. Severity of this disease depends on the level of clotting factor 8. If the amount of clotting factor 8 is between 5-40% of normal level, the person is affected with mild hemophilia and spontaneous hemorrhage rarely is seen in this group. In the moderate type, the amount of factor 8 is less than 5% and in severe type, this number reaches to less that 1% of normal level. One of the side effects of Hemophilia is muscle weakness.

Muscle weakness occurs because of the repetitious bleeding within the joints. Hemophilia patients who are affected with hemarthrosis will lose their muscles strength and their range of motion through time and this leads to inability to do the patient’s daily function. Swelling and joints pain leads to restriction of the joints movement. After this inactivity, the patient uses less the joints and muscles which are around the painful joint. However, the pain itself also helps the development of this inactivity. Thus, after a while, the person will be affected with muscle atrophy and his muscle strength and joints’ range of motion will decrease. When we compare a hemophilia patient with a healthy inactive person, the difference in the amount of muscle strength is obvious. Compared to sedentary healthy people, hemophilia patients’ muscle strength, especially in the lower limbs, is reduced.

One study, done by Dr. Kargarfard et al evaluated the effect of a period of aquatic exercise therapy on muscle strength and joints range of motion in hemophilia patients.

Aquatic exercise therapy which was performed on hemophilia patients caused significant improvements in the muscles’ power and the joints’ range of motion. Because the muscles weakness and poor range of motion was are among the main problem of hemophilia patients, it is recommended that these patients do the exercise therapy in the water along with the other treatments procedures to improve their joints condition, strength and range of motion.

Similarly, Aquatherapy can help with other conditions that induce muscle weakness, such as chronic fatigue syndrome, muscular dystrophies, hypotonia, a lack of muscle tone that’s usually present at birth, myasthenia gravis.

If you have been affected by chronic debilitating condition that causes muscle weakness, please see an aquatic therapy specialist at the PRI clinic. This multi-disciplinary team is specifically trained to properly introduce your body to aquatic therapy, which will allow your body to achieve a remarkable improvement in your lifestyle. To book a consultation, please call or follow these links.

Tel:      (416) 477-1101

E-mail: reception@priclinic.com

Web:   www.priclinic.com

We look forward to helping you out!

What is dry needling and who is it good for?
What is Dry Needling?
Dry needling is a specialized technique used by certified medical doctors, physiotherapists, and chiropractors. The technique, depending on clinician training, can be termed: Dry Needling, Intramuscular Stimulation (IMS), Biomedical Dry Needling or Functional Dry Needling (FDN) but all tends to follow the same treatment approach.
Dry needling is used to treat musculoskeletal systems based on pain patterns, muscular dysfunction and other orthopedic signs and symptoms after an initial patient assessment.

How does Dry Needling work?
Dry needling works on several levels within the body to assist in releasing tight and sore muscles that can be found in common conditions. The technique itself involves the insertion of fine acupuncture needles into taught bands of muscle that contain a knot or “trigger point”. During treatment, patients will generally feel the muscle grab or twitch briefly as the needle hits the target tissue. This feeling is not painful, though is somewhat uncomfortable – but is over within 2-3 seconds! After the target tissue has been released, your therapist can provide appropriate exercise to maintain proper function and mobility of the area.

What conditions can Dry Needling help?
Many common orthopedic conditions can be helped by Dry Needling, including:
• Neck pain and stiffness • Whiplash • Sporting injuries
• Upper Back pain • Tension headaches • Muscular strains
• Lower back pain • Migraine headaches • Repetitive strain injuries (tennis elbow/patellar tendonitis/achilles tendonitis)

Is Dry Needling only for pain?
No! While Dry Needling is often able to offer instant pain relief, the main goal of needling is to allow proper movement and function. When pain is reduced after needling, joint range of motion is improved and proper corrective exercise can be prescribed to patients. Also, there are often times when your therapist will perform Dry Needling away from the site of pain, to release adjacent or compensating muscles, which can enable proper body function as a whole and relieve patient pain even faster.

Is Dry Needling safe?
Yes! As in all advanced therapy practices there are risks involved, but the most common side effect is local soreness around the needle insertion point that lasts 12-24 hours. Your treating clinician will review all relevant contraindications to Dry Needling prior to treatment.
Therapists at Polyclinic Rehabilitation Institute have over 20 years of combined experience performing Dry Needle treatments and have a high success rate in resolving many clinical issues in less than 8-treatments. Treatments can be scheduled by contacting our office.

Phone: (416) 477-1101
E-mail: reception@priclinic.com
Web: www.priclinic.com

Vitamin B12 deficiency more common than thought
Vitamin B12 deficiency is more common than people realize and can mimic or cause other disorders. A B12 deficiency is linked with memory loss, anemia, cardiovascular disease, and autism, to name a few. B12 is necessary for the brain and nervous system to function and for other aspects of health. It’s believed B12 deficiency is due in most cases not to lack of dietary sources but to poor absorption of the vitamin in the digestive tract.
Could your declining brain function be a B12 deficiency?
Because B12 is so vital for brain function, a B12 deficiency can manifest as numbness and tingling in the hands and feet, shakiness, depression, and loss of memory and cognition that can mimic the beginnings of dementia. It’s especially important to pay attention to a possible B12 deficiency in older people as the ability to absorb the vitamin declines with age. Studies show older people with higher B12 levels show less brain shrinkage and cognitive decline than their B12 deficient counterparts.
Is your anemia a B12 deficiency?
Other common manifestations of B12 deficiency are symptoms of anemia, which include fatigue, lethargy and weakness. Many people with B12 anemia discover they have an autoimmune disease called pernicious anemia, which inhibits the absorption of B12. In this case managing the autoimmune disease is important as well as supplementing with B12 sublingually or through injection.
A deficiency in B12 is also linked to an increased risk of cardiovascular disease, autism, autoimmune disease, infertility, and more.
Serum B12 blood tests do not accurately assess for a B12 deficiency. You should always insist on a methylmelonic acid test, which is the gold standard to determining a B12 deficiency.
B12 deficiency often due to poor absorption
So what causes B12 deficiency? For many people it’s due not to diet but rather to poor absorption of nutrients.
Many people today have damaged guts due to diets high in inflammatory foods, chronic stress, and food intolerances, such as to gluten. It’s difficult for nutrients such as B12 to pass through an inflamed and damaged gut lining into the bloodstream.
Other factors that can lead to a B12 deficiency include a decline in stomach acid (common in elderly), the use of antacids and acid-blocking drugs, the use of metformin and other prescription drugs, alcoholism, and weight-loss surgery.
Repairing and restoring gut health should always be addressed in the event of a B12 deficiency.

Vegans and vegetarians at risk for B12 deficiency
One group at risk for dietary deficiency of B12 are vegans and vegetarians—B12 is only found in animal foods. Natural plant sources of B12 such as spirulina, algae, seaweed, or grasses are poorly absorbed and may give a false reading of normal B12 on a lab result. This population especially should supplement with B12.
Also, although gut bacteria can synthesize B12, this requires healthy gut function and flora, and most of it is synthesized downstream of the small intestine where B12 is absorbed.
Taking B12
Recommended doses of B12 vary depending on whether you have a deficiency, and you should work with a qualified health care practitioner to determine the best dose. However, there is a low risk of B12 toxicity.
The more bioavailable form of B12 supplementation is methyl B12, or methylcobalamin, as opposed to the more common, synthetic cyanocobalamin. Not only is methyl B12 more neurologically active, it also enhances a liver detoxification process called methylation, which can reduce inflammation. It is much more beneficial if taken in a micronized form. PRI can help you determine if you have a B12 deficiency and which B12 supplement is most appropriate for you.
If you experience fatigue, lethargy and weakness, ask our office about nutritional and dietary support. We look forward to helping you out.
Tel: (416) 477-1101
E-mail: reception@priclinic.com
Web: www.priclinic.com

KeeogoTM for Parkinson’s
Parkinson’s disease is a progressive disorder that affects a person’s ability to move. It is often referred to as a motor system disorder. When a person has Parkinson’s, some cells within the brain, known as neurons, begin to malfunction and eventually start to die off. Healthy neurons produce dopamine, which helps control the body’s movements. As neurons fail, that affects how the body moves.
Parkinson’s disease primarily develops in adults 50 or older. The exact cause of the disease is not known. Though there is no cure for Parkinson’s, there are treatments that can help manage symptoms and improve quality of life.
Symptoms
The signs of Parkinson’s disease are four unique symptoms: impaired balance and coordination, slow movements, stiffness in the torso, arms or legs and trembling in the hands, legs, arms or face. There is no specific test for Parkinson’s disease, so doctors will look for these symptoms when attempting to make a diagnosis. Most often, symptoms begin subtly and gradually worsen over time. Some people with Parkinson’s may only experience one or two of these symptoms and others may have all of them.
Parkinson’s disease can vary greatly from person to person. Some may have only mild symptoms, such as a bit of trembling that stays consistent for many years. In others, the disease can progress quickly to the point where the person is severely disabled and heavily dependent on others for care. Over time, the initial symptoms of Parkinson’s can lead to complications with chewing, swallowing, speaking or breathing. Difficulty using the bathroom and sleeping are also common.
Treatment
Medications, surgery and certain therapies are all used to treat Parkinson’s disease. The most common treatment for Parkinson’s, and the one that is usually tried first, is a combination of two drugs, levodopa and carbidopa. This replenishes the brain’s supply of dopamine and alleviates some symptoms, but its effectiveness wears off with time. Other drugs can be used to increase levodopa’s effectiveness and also to treat other symptoms. A therapy called deep brain stimulation, using electrodes, also has been approved for Parkinson’s.
Lifestyle Management
While the medical community still tries to figure out which therapy works best to cure PD, a recent technological breakthrough called KeegoTM , allowed patients with PD to achieve a remarkable improvement in their lifestyle. Without the KeegoTM device, patients walked slowly, had to stop when taking stairs from exhaustion, had a difficult time picking up objects from the floor, exerted strenuous effort, when getting up from a chair to walk down the hall. Patients with PD wearing a KeegoTM device were able to achieve healthy movement patterns during several clinical trials. The same patients were able to walk about quickly, had no trouble walking up or down the stairs, picked up objects from the floor with little effort, and were able to easily sit down, and get up from the seat without propping themselves up with their hands.
If you suffer from Parkinsons Disease, please see a specialist at the PRI clinic. They are specifically trained to properly introduce your body to the KeegoTM device, which will allow your body to achieve a remarkable improvement in your lifestyle. We’ll be more than glad to help you when you call or follow these links.
Tel: (416) 477-1101
E-mail: reception@priclinic.com
Web: www.priclinic.com

Longevity and Performance
With the new NFL season half-way through, we can’t help but remember one of the biggest stories during Super Bowl 52, which outlined super longevity and performance of Tom Brady. He redefined what is possible for athletes over forty. His nutrition and fitness routines along with his utilization of chiropractic care are well documented and vital to his success.

While healthy eating and fitness seem like common sense, so is the importance of a healthy spine and nervous system. This is the reason why so many players in every single NFL team receive chiropractic care all season and of course leading up to the big game in February.
Chiropractic care helps athletes in every sport heal quickly and optimize performance.
Many of the greatest of all time have set this precedent. Current Hall of Famers Emmitt Smith and Jerry Rice are huge chiropractic advocates. Emmitt Smith is the leading rusher in NFL history, a perennial Pro Bowler and three-time Super Bowl Champion. When he retired with over 18,000 yards, Smith said, “I thank God, my family and my chiropractor.” Chiropractic care helped speed his recovery time and function at the top of his game. His career lasted nearly six times longer than the average NFL running back.
Jerry Rice is considered the greatest receiver in the history of the NFL. His durability and work ethic are legendary. He initially sought chiropractic care following an injury on the field. After learning about the benefits of chiropractic care from his teammates he made chiropractic care a regular part of his training routine and lifestyle. He is a three-time Super Bowl Champion and today he is an official spokesperson for the Foundation for Chiropractic Progress. His high-level career also lasted six times longer than the average receiver.
Another chiropractic advocate, 2012 Hall of Fame Semi-finalist Roger Craig, was a pioneer in the NFL. He is the only player to ever make the Pro Bowl as a fullback and a halfback, the first player to rush and receive for over 1,000 yards in a single season -a feat that took 14 years to be duplicated, and he is the only running back in NFL history to ever lead the league in receptions. He is a three-time Super Bowl Champion and is the only NFL player to make the playoffs for eleven straight years.
Like many children, Roger began receiving chiropractic care at an early age and today, like the others, still receives chiropractic lifestyle care. In fact, Roger endorsed the #1 bestselling fitness book, The 100 Year Lifestyle Workout, which he recommends for athletes, young and old, because it stresses the importance of a healthy structure, spine and nervous system with chiropractic care as a core part of the training. This helps you maximize your performance, prevent injuries and support your longevity.
We’ve all seen videos of old time professional athletes who pounded their bodies into submission and became cripples when their career was over. This is not true for these three athletic superstars and it is no longer the norm as many professional, Olympic and youth sports programs have chosen to make chiropractic care a core part of their programs and many of the leaders of the Olympic sports medicine team today are chiropractors.
All three of these athletes took a tremendous beating over their careers which began in Little League and continued into the pros. Chiropractic care as a part of their lifestyle, training and overcoming injuries has helped show us all that you can play high-level sports and retain your health after you retire.
Don’t wait for an injury. If you’re an athlete or participate in an exercise program, be like these Hall of Fame and Super Bowl Champions. Make Chiropractic Lifestyle Care your top priority and see a specialist at PRI clinic.
Call our office for more information on how to move in congruence with your bodies and jump on that health wagon!
Tel: (416) 477-1101
E-mail: reception@priclinic.com
Web: www.priclinic.com

Eat Breakfast to Lose Weight
If you’re like most Americans or Canadians, you eat a high-carb breakfast packed with grains, dairy, and sugar, or you don’t eat breakfast at all either because you’re too busy or you want to lose weight. Either way, you’re not doing yourself any favors.
Breakfast is exactly what it sounds like — the breaking of a fast. After 8-plus hours of no food, your body needs fuel to bring its systems up to speed and maintain even energy for the day. As it turns out, eating a solid breakfast is one of the best things you can do to lose weight. It also helps assure a clear mind, steady emotions, and plentiful energy throughout the day.
Skipping breakfast can actually make you gain weight!
We’ve all been taught the “calories in vs. calories out” theory for weight loss. In an effort to cut calories, we skip breakfast because it’s the easiest meal to do without, especially if we tend to wake up with no appetite or we’re always in a rush to get to work. But while calories can matter, skipping breakfast can actually lead to weight gain:
When you wake in the morning, your blood sugar is already low. Skipping breakfast (or any meal) allows it to go lower and impairs insulin sensitivity, which leads to weight gain.
Chronic low blood sugar creates a cascade effect in your hormonal system that directly affects your body’s ability to deal with stress. This can result in increased inflammation throughout your body, which can lead to weight gain. Low blood sugar also causes brain fog, mood issues, insomnia, decreased brain function, and other health issues. None of these symptoms will help you stick to a healthier eating plan.
Skipping breakfast has interesting behavioral effects; research shows that people who skip breakfast tend to reach for higher calorie foods once they do eat, leading to higher total daily calorie consumption than those who ate a solid breakfast. This is partly because missing meals causes the brain to become primed toward higher-calorie foods like it would during starvation or famine.
Skipping breakfast makes you more likely to binge on sugary foods that result in an energy crash later in the day—making you less likely to go out and get that much-needed exercise. (PS: A big sweet, milky coffee drink with whipped cream is not a breakfast.)
Eat a protein-strong breakfast for weight loss and steady energy
You know you need to eat breakfast. But eating traditional carb-heavy breakfast foods such as cereals, bagels, muffins, and fruit smoothies isn’t a great idea; they sabotage your weight loss goals by destabilizing blood glucose and insulin after the night’s fast, as well as kicking cravings for quick-energy sugary stuff and junk foods into high gear.

Eating a nutrient-dense, lower carb breakfast with plenty of protein and healthy fats provides the brain and body with proper fuel, balances your blood sugar and insulin, and gives your metabolism a boost for the day.
Studies show a protein-strong breakfast can also reduce hunger hormones, increase the chemical that tells your brain to stop eating, improve your sense of satiety, and reduce evening snacking.
For further info, please see a nutritionist at PRI who will guide you into proper nourishment patterns. We’ll be more than glad to help you when you call or follow these links:
Tel: (416) 477-1101
E-mail: reception@priclinic.com
Web: www.priclinic.com

Get your ESS in shape!
Regular exercise is an important part of self-care and nobody can do it for you. Exercise keeps our minds and bodies healthy. You can do this at any level and any age to make the fitness part of self-care fun and exciting. If you are not currently exercising, are you waiting to be forced into it by a crisis? If you are already exercising, take it to the next level and Get Your ESS in Shape. Your ESS is made up of your: Endurance, Strength, Structure.
Endurance = Longevity
Life is a marathon one sprint at a time. Based on your current habits and health, would you trust your body to take you on a long-distance trek in an emergency? If you had to count on your body to save a loved one, would you be able to? If you had to run away to escape danger, could you? Your endurance is important for all these activities, and it is important for longevity.
If you have good endurance, you will enjoy a great sense of stamina and activity now and while you age. Your energy will be high and you will feel like doing things. You will not be left home alone while your partner goes off to experience the world. You can increase your stamina through cardiovascular, aerobic, exercise that strengthens your heart, burns calories, and increases your energy. Running, cycling, swimming, and power walking are just a few examples of types of exercise that will increase your endurance.
Endurance training is very important to keep your heart and lungs healthy, eliminate stress, and strengthen your immune system. Always exercise with a heart monitor to maximize your results and achieve your goals, while also ensuring that you exercise safely within the normal ranges for your age.
Strength = Independence
Strength training is also important for healthy aging because you are going to want and need strong muscles to keep you confident and maintain your independence as you age. We’ve all seen how an older person can struggle to get out of a chair. If you have good strength, you are more likely to remain self-sufficient and independent. Strength training can be done through weights, yoga, and Pilates. When you set goals for strength training and continually strive to achieve them, you will be excited to see that your strength can increase as you age. Your muscles can stay strong and defined. The sagging skin and muscles often come from not keeping your body toned through strength-training exercise.
If you are already an experienced strength trainer and have a routine, shake it up a little bit. Try increasing your weight by 10 percent to 20 percent. Get somebody to spot you if necessary and try to squeeze out a few more reps. Vary your exercises on each body part. Personal Trainers and many of the neighborhood fitness centers and chains, have become extremely popular because they set up your routines and vary them for you. Work out with a partner and challenge each other. You will begin to see a better result. Always maintain good posture when you strength train to ensure that your form is good and your spine stays healthy during your training.
Structure = Activity
In countries where longevity is much higher than in North America, good posture and a healthy spine are a very high priority. Your structure includes your body shape and physical frame. Keeping your structure aligned and balanced will keep you looking good and help to prevent injuries while you exercise. This will also help insure that your nervous system stays healthy which will keep you healthier on every level.
How is your structure now? Have you measured yourself lately and set goals for your structure so that it is in the shape you desire over your lifetime? You can measure your structure with your eyes at first and decide how you want to change your shape, or get a tape measure and record your specific measurements. This will give you a starting point for goals that you want to set.
Another important way to evaluate your structure is through a posture test. Stand in front of a full length mirror with your eyes closed. March in place for five seconds, stop, hold still and open your eyes. Is your head tilted to one side? Are your shoulders and hips level? Are your feet straight, turned in or pointed out? Are you hunchback or swayback?
If you are unbalanced, you will be putting unnecessary strain on your structure, spine and nervous system when you exercise and run the risk of injury to your structure and nervous system. Don’t wait for a crisis to force you to take action. Now is the time for a chiropractic checkup.
Talk to your chiropractor further on how to improve your endurance, strength and structure. If you don’t have a regular chiropractor, please call our office and we’ll be more than glad to help you out.
At PRI, we host a dedicated training facility and a team of trained physiotherapists and chiropractors, who will help improve your ESS. We look forward to helping you out!
Tel: (416) 477-1101
E-mail: reception@priclinic.com
Web: www.priclinic.com

Bad back? You might be brushing your teeth wrong
Ergonomic Advice Part 2
Polyclinic Rehabilitation Institute is launching a consumer campaign to highlight the simple daily activities that are contributing to musculoskeletal conditions. Last week we described 5 simple activities such as brushing teeth, using mobile devices or watching TV that are regularly done in a position that puts muscles, joints and limbs under pressure. Here are the other 5, of our top 10 list.
6. Carrying Items Up/Downstairs and Stocking High Cupboards
What you’re doing wrong and how it can affect you – Simple lifting and carrying advice is everywhere, but most people still ignore it! Twisting and over-reaching whilst carrying items damages your lower back, upper back and shoulders, while repeatedly lifting and carrying heavy loads can cause repetitive strain injuries to the knees.
PRI advice – Hold items close to your body and keep your back straight. Twist from your feet, not your back or shoulders. NEVER try to carry something you struggle to even lift, get someone to help you instead.
7. Making the Bed
What you’re doing wrong and how it can affect you – There might be fewer ‘hospital corners’ in bedrooms these days but twisting and over-reaching to cover all four corners of the bed with sheets and duvets can still damage your upper and lower back and shoulders.
PRI advice – Don’t bend over to reach across the bed, bend your knees and keep your back straight. Get someone to help, especially when changing duvet covers.
8. Washing Windows
What you’re doing wrong and how it can affect you – The Karate Kid mantra of ‘Wax on, wax off’ is worth remembering when washing windows! Twisting and over-using one arm can damage your upper and lower back and shoulders, while gripping for extended periods and using repetitive motions can also cause elbow injuries.
PRI advice – Avoid using one side of the body more than the other by alternating hands or using a different hand to clean each window. Keep your body straight at all times and wash windows from a face on position. Use a ladder for high windows and take a break if necessary.
9. Watching TV
What you’re doing wrong and how it can affect you – Chilling on the sofa after a long day. What can possibly go wrong? Well, sitting with your legs crossed can damage your hips and knees, and sitting for too long, or just leaning forward in excitement, can damage your lower back.
PRI advice – Stand up, or at least uncross your legs, every 20 minutes. Sit with your back straight and make sure you’re face-on to the screen, not at an angle.
10. Folding Washing
What you’re doing wrong and how it can affect you – Surely folding your clothes can’t be risky? Guess again! Stooping over to fold clothes on a low surface, or doing it while sitting on the sofa and twisting from one side to the other, is a nightmare for your lower back. Doing this task while kneeling down won’t do your knees any favours either!

PRI advice – If you’re standing up to do your folding, put the clothes on a surface which is at waist height to stop you bending over. Alternatively, do it whilst sitting upright in a comfortable position at a table. And think ahead when putting your folded clothes away – try storing commonly used items, such as socks, in drawers at waist height, and those you use the least, like jumpers in the winter, in lower drawers.
If you’re suffering from a musculoskeletal injury, physiotherapists, massage therapists and chiropractors at PRI can help you.
For further helpful advice, please reach out to:
Tel: (416) 477-1101
E-mail: reception@priclinic.com
Web: www.priclinic.com