What's New at Physio Sport Med

This is often a reaction I get when I tell people what I do.
 
There are many misconceptions when it comes to chiropractors.  If you ask a group of people what chiropractors do for a living, odds are cracking backs are at the top of the list.  In this post, I hope to shed some light on some of the misconceptions that come with what we do for a living.
 
1.    "Chiropractors only work on neck and low back pain" 
We work on essentially anywhere in the body as it pertains to musculoskeletal (MSK) conditions and their associated neurological system.  This includes most things from head to toe.
 
 
2.    "Once you start, you'll have to see a chiropractor forever" 
Not true!  If you are injured, your chiropractor will put together a plan to get you back to where you want to be.  Most importantly, the plan will have an expiry date.  Meaning, if you're not better, the chiropractor will either update the treatment plan, or refer you to another health care professional.  
 
Also, similar to how you see your family doctor for a yearly physical to make sure things are going well, or your dentist twice a year for a cleaning to keep cavities from creeping up, seeing a chiropractor a couple of times a year, even if you're not injured, can help keep you functioning well and out of pain! 

3.    "The only thing that chiropractors know how to do is crack backs"  
A "crack" (the correct term is actually manipulation) is just one of the many tools we possess!  You don't see a carpenter only use a hammer 100% of the time, right?  After a thorough history and physical examination, a diagnosis is made along with a plan of management and the appropriate tools are used.  Here are a few examples of some of the tools we use:

• Spinal and extremity manipulations
• Various soft tissue techniques
• Exercise prescription / supervision for fitness and rehabilitation purposes
• Modalities (ultrasound, stim, etc...)
• Injury prevention screening
• Running / gait analysis
• Acupuncture

 
Thus, because our chiropractor at Physio Sport Med has many tools in the tool box, expect a typical treatment to last approximately 30 minutes.  We take the necessary amount of time to do a great job and not "rush" things.
 
I hope this article helps to shed some light on what chiropractors really do.  If you're interested in having a chiropractor help you, please call the office at 905-257-3456 to book!
 

Role: Registered Physiotherapist

Paul is one of our two amazing physiotherapists here at Physio Sport Med.  His full bio can be found here:  http://physiosportmed.ca/practitioners.html

Education, certification, and courses:
BA (honours)
Masters in Physiotherapy (MPT)
Diploma of Advanced Manual and Manipulative Physiotherapy
Fellow of The Canadian Academy of Manipulative Physiotherapy
Acupuncture Foundation of Canada

1.    What is your favourite part of your job?
I love the clinic environment.  I'm a bit of a fixer, I see myself as a human mechanic.  I enjoy being able to figure out what is wrong and working on a plan with the patient as well as other practitioners as needed to fix the problem and get the person back to doing what they love.

2.    What is your favourite part of the body to treat?
 can't say I have a favorite, although I really enjoy a fixated joint in the spine and ACL rehab.  However, every injury has a story or a process.  I enjoy learning the whole story of how something happened and why it is the way it is.

3.    What is your favourite sport to watch?  
It’s too hard to say.  Any game of the big 4 during the playoffs, usually hockey in the winter, baseball in the summer, football on Sundays, and mixed martial arts when I'm interested in a specific fighter.  I love that baseball provides the comfort of always being there since there are 162 regular season games for any given team.

4.    What is your favourite sport to do/play?
I love to snowboard and ski in the winter.  I started skiing when I was 6, but switched to snowboarding after a torn meniscus in my early 30's.  During the spring/summer/fall I love to golf, cycle, and rollerblade.  I also lift weights and box pretty regularly to stay in shape.  

5.    Have you ever needed sports medicine or therapy?
Yes.  I’ve had a right labrum tear in the shoulder, right hip impingement, and a right lateral meniscus tear in the knee.   All injuries actually happened as I was in physio school, imagine that.  Took some time but I rehabbed them all.  Mental note: do not go trekking with a torn meniscus, really bad idea.

6.    If you could sing one song on American Idol, what would it be?  
I don't sing.  Period.

7.    If you were a crayon in a Crayola box, what colour would you be and why?  
Navy Blue.  It reminds me of the ocean water, soothing.

8.    Would you rather fight 1 horse sized duck, or 100 duck sized horses?  
The odds are not in my favor in either scenario.  A horse sized duck would be awesome to see, but you must understand that this is a mutant.  Although the duck sized horses seem like a better option, I would imagine that they would attack in a pack.  In the end, I would take the giant duck.  I have better odds one on one - but I'm not fighting in water.

9.    What cartoon character best represents you.            
Muttley - a little mischievous, but overall harmless with an infectious laugh. 

Role:  Registered Massage Therapist

Although Kristy is passionate about sport massage, her talents go much deeper than that.  She can get you back to your active lifestyle.    Her full bio can be found here:    http://physiosportmed.ca/practitioners.html

​Education, certification and courses:

• BA Kinesiology and PE
• Sports massage (Certified Sports Massage)
• Pregnancy massage
• Kinesio Taping (Levels 1 and 2)
• Myofascial Techniques
• Pre- and Post-Surgical massage

1.   What is your favourite part of your job?
I became an RMT because I wanted to help people both in everyday activities and in a sport environment.  My passion is sports and working at events on the sideline.  The best part of this is being part of the athletes support system and seeing the athletes achieve a personal best or medal. Pre-event and post-event massage is exciting and fast paced which is different than clinic work

2.    What is your favourite part of the body to treat?
As horrible as it may sound, I like treating the most tender body parts such as the IT band, hip, and plantar fascitis. But hear me out.  These are the body parts that provide the most release and really help relieve my patients’ pain and discomfort, getting them back to their activities of daily living or sports.  

3.   What is your favourite sport to do/play?
In 2003, I moved to BC and hit the ski slopes.  Nothing can compare to the scenery on BC Mountains, but life has changed and now I get to experience this sport all over again from the beginning through my husband and my 2-year-old son, Max. It’s a great way to spend quality family time as they learn to ski. 
 
Running in recent years has become a way to deal with stress and bond with the girls.   I would have never thought a High school field hockey goalie would eventually run a half Marathon while pregnant.
 
4.   If you could sing one song on American Idol, what would it be?
As my sister would say, get your ear plugs. I cannot sing.
 
5.    If you were a crayon in a Crayola box, what colour would you be and why?
Orange because it is a bright and fun colour that most people smile at when they see it.

6.   Would you rather fight 1 horse sized duck, or 100 duck sized horses?
Neither by myself.  I would call in a team of people to help me.  You have to know when you need to ask for help!!!
 
7.   What cartoon character best represents you?
​Mulan.   Why you ask?  Because she is an independent, bold and courageous woman who will do anything for her family and will risk her own life for them. Her determination and courage in the end is what helps her achieve her goal.  I have always been able to set a goal, see it through and determine a plan to make the steps towards achieving that dream or goal.    

​Role:  Sports Specialist Chiropractor

Dr. St-Onge has a special interest working with active individuals. Beyond manipulations (cracking), he uses an integrated approach including massage techniques, exercise and movement analysis to maximize rehabilitation.  His full bio can be found here.

Education, certification and courses:
 
DC - Doctor of Chiropractic           
ICCSP - Internationally Certified Chiropractic Sports Practitioner
FRCCSS(C) - Fellow of the Royal College of Chiropractic Sports Sciences (Canada)
Contemporary Medical Acupuncture Provider
CSCS - Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist® SFMA - Selective Functional Movement Assessments
FRCms – Functional Range Conditioning
FR – Functional Range Release (Lower Limb)
​

       1.   What is your favourite part of your job? 
       Being able to empower my patients to take charge of their health and play an active role in their                                             rehabilitation  /treatment.

       2.  What is your favourite part of the body to treat?
         As the wise Chubbs used to say, “It’s all in the hips”

      3.  What is your favourite sport to do/play?             
       Though I have many years of competing in Kettlebell Sport under my belt, I’ve taken a big liking to climbing                     (mainly bouldering) in recent years and I am completely hooked!  

​       4.   Have you ever needed sports medicine or therapy?
       You don't play sports to a high level without ever needing therapy!  I sustained a minor back injury from                             Kettlebell Sport while in undergrad and visited my chiropractor that I hadn't seen in a few years - she fixed me               up, and that's how I decided to enroll in chiropractic school.
 
       5.   If you could sing one song on American Idol, what would it be?
      ”Turn the Page” from Bob Seger, BUT it must be the Metallica version.  Obviously. 
 
       6.   If you were a crayon in a Crayola box, what colour would you be and why?
       Green, more specifically color code 8cc145.  Yes, I’m a precise person.
 
       7.   What cartoon character best represents you?
       Popeye the sailor man, because of his excellent grip strength, made spinach cool for kids, loves his wife, and has           questionable vocabulary skills.  

​During the off-season, the average golfer can gain anywhere from 5-10 pounds. This will not only increase your pant size, it may also raise your golf score too! One often overlooked way to cut strokes from your game and feel better all round is eating and drinking right.
 
Here are a few simple tips to keep in mind when trying to manage your weight in the off-season:
 
1. Be mindful of portions
There's no denying that portion sizes are creeping up. Just compare the size of a standard coffee shop muffin today to those from 20 years ago. They are almost double the calories! If not mindful of this, it could lead to a creeping waist line.
An easy way to know portion sizes is to use the "plate method":

• Fill half your plate with non-starchy vegetables such as salad, green beans, carrots, broccoli and cauliflower.
• Fill one quarter of your plate with a grain or starchy food like bread, noodles, corn, rice or potatoes.
• Fill the last quarter of your plate with protein like fish, chicken, lean beef, tofu or beans/lentils.

2. Eat on a smaller plate
Ever heard of the Delbeouf Illusion? Well it might just help you eat less. The Delboeuf Illusion is an optical illusion of size perception. If you put a small piece of food on a large plate, your brain will tell you that you are eating a small portion. Put this same small piece of food on a smaller plate and your brain will tell you that you're eating a larger portion. From a psychological standpoint, it feels less like you are depriving yourself. So don't make that large plate mistake!

3. Don't drink your calories
Calories that sneak in through beverages are often forgotten. This is particularly true when talking about alcoholic and sugary drinks like soda and fruit juices. These forgotten calories can really add up throughout the day, sabotaging even the best weight management efforts.
Water is a great low calorie way to quench your thirst. Not a fan? Try sprucing up your water by infusing it with some fruit or spices. Now that's refreshing!
 
4. Eat your veggies
Who hasn't heard this one growing up. While your parents may not have meant this to help with weight management, they may have been on to something. Vegetables (and fruits) can add bulk to a meal but do not provide many calories. They are what we call nutrient dense foods. Plus, their vitamin, mineral and antioxidant content can help protect us from disease and help keep us looking and feeling our best. Thanks mom and dad!
 
5. Eat more slowly
Many of us live life in the fast lane, so it's understandable that we might try to save time by rushing our meals. However, eating quickly really does us no favour.  It takes about 20 minutes for our brains to register that we're full. When we eat too quickly, we can continue eating past the point where we're full, leading not only to weight gain, but also poor digestion and a lower satisfaction from eating. Eating slowly on the other hand, gives us time to realize that we're full and stop on time. Imagine that! So maybe the tortoise does beat the hare at meal times.
 
Meeting with a Registered Dietitian is a great way to help you integrate these tips into your diet to help you optimize your health and performance.