Hip flexor pain is a common issue experienced by runners and athletes engaged in activities with repetitive and rapid hip flexion such as kicking. This can lead to irritation, stiffness, and pain in the hip flexors. Lower cross syndrome is also associated with hip flexor tightness and can manifest into other issues. Muscle imbalances in the groups around the pelvis … Read More
Scraping for Mid Back Pain
Pain in the mid back or thoracic spine can have many causes but most often occurs due to muscular irritation or tension. Overhead movements require adequate thoracic extension, thus repeated overhead movements produce the risk of overuse injuries to the mid back. Thoracic kyphosis also has the potential to cause discomfort in the neck and thoracic spine. Although recent research … Read More
4 Things to Know About Activation Exercises
What are activation exercises? Activation exercises are small, isolated exercises that target specific muscles or small groups of muscles. These often focus on one particular movement at a joint such as hip flexion, or internal, or external rotation. This type of exercise brings in blood flow to “wake up” and warm up small muscles that may not be highlighted during … Read More
Acute vs. Chronic Injuries: What’s the Difference?
Musculoskeletal injuries affect bones, muscles, tendons, ligaments, or nerves and can cause differing levels of dysfunction and pain. These types of injuries are usually classified into two categories: acute and chronic. What is the difference between the two? What tools can be used to treat each type of injury? This post will explain what differentiates acute from chronic, and how … Read More
Contrast Baths for Recovery
If you’re a weightlifter, runner, or any type of athlete, you’ve probably looked for ways to prevent muscle soreness. You may have heard of cold water immersion, hot water immersion or even contrast baths themselves. Athletes and therapists have used ice baths and hot baths for recovery post-workout and have found them effective for relieving soreness. If you haven’t heard … Read More
Scraping for Low Back Pain
Low back pain is one of the most common reasons for visits to a health professional. A systematic review has shown that up to 60-80% of people experience low back pain in their lifetime1. Conservative therapy such as stretching and strengthening is effective for treating low back pain, but muscle scraping may be the missing piece that elevates and accelerates … Read More
When should I use cold therapy?
For some, it’s almost instinctual to use ice when they get injured or whenever they are in pain. In the past, icing or cold therapy has been used to reduce pain and inflammation in muscles and joints. However, new research has suggested that we reconsider the traditional uses of cold therapy. So when should we actually use cold therapy? The … Read More
Can Plantar Fasciitis Cause Calf Pain?
Both calf pain and plantar fasciitis are common injuries for runners and those participating in constant weight-bearing and/or high-impact activities. The two are highly related, but is one a cause of the other? Causes of Plantar Fasciitis The plantar fascia is a thick connective tissue running along the sole of your foot, providing arch support and shock absorption. Plantar fasciitis … Read More
Does walking barefoot help plantar fasciitis?
The plantar fascia is a thick connective tissue structure that supports the foot arches and helps absorb shock upon impact. Repetitive impact and overuse of this structure lead to degeneration and pain known as plantar fasciitis. There has been speculation that walking barefoot can help with symptoms of plantar fasciitis, but is this true? We have read through the research … Read More
How to Relieve Tennis Elbow
Lateral epicondylitis, nicknamed “Tennis Elbow”, is a common injury in the forearm and elbow. Pain often occurs during and after activity and can even progress to weaken your grip strength. As this injury can become debilitating, usually to your dominant hand, an effective recovery plan is definitely needed. You have likely tried stretching out your wrist and elbow, but have … Read More