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Tag: exercise

  • Video: Exercise for Low Back Pain, Sciatica & Herniated Disc

    Here is a video for people suffering from lower back pain, sciatica or herniated disc pain. This is a great exercise because it is so gentle and safe. The exercise gently mobilizes the lower back vertebrae and lubricates the joints. It also eases the Lumbar Muscles.

    1. Check with a health care professional before you attempt these exercises to ensure that it is safe for you.
    2. Do the exercises slowly and gently.  Failing to follow the instructions or consult with a health care professional could cause your symptoms to worsen.
    3. Try to breathe  slowly and keep your body relaxed.  Do not tense up or hold your breath as this will invite muscle spasm.
    4. You should not feel any pain during the exercises.  If you do feel pain, decrease the range of movement by stopping before you get to the point of pain. Continue the exercise within the pain free range.
    5. If you cannot find a comfortable, pain free way to do these exercises, discontinue immediately and seek the advice of a health care professional.
    6. Do the exercises in a set of 1 minute for a minimum of 3 times a day for best results.

  • Video: Exercise for Sciatica & Disc Herniation

    Here are some exercises for Disc Herniation or Discogenic Sciatica.  The exercises are part of the McKenzie Method.  The exercises are an attempt to take pressure off the sciatic nerve by helping to mobilize the disc back into the place.

    1. Check with a health care professional before you attempt these exercises to ensure that it is safe for you.
    2. Do the exercises slowly and gently.  Failing to follow the instructions or consult with a health care professional could cause your symptoms to worsen.
    3. Try to breathe  slowly and keep your body relaxed.  Do not tense up or hold your breath as this will invite muscle spasm.
    4. You should not feel any pain during the exercises.  If you do feel pain, decrease the range of movement by stopping before you get to the point of pain. Continue the exercise within the pain free range.
    5. Stage one where the instructor is on his elbows is the safest position.  Do not attempt the other positions until you can do the previous position safely with absolutely no discomfort for 2 days.
    6. Be very careful about going into the position where you are supported by your hands.  Only do this position and the subsequent “side bending” pose when you are no longer in the acute or subacute phases
    8. If you cannot find a comfortable, pain free way to do these exercises, discontinue immediately and seek the advice of a health care professional.
    9. Do the exercises in a set of 3 for a minimum of 3 times a day for best results.
    10. Hold the stretch for 15 seconds each time.

  • Exercise Can be a Blast

    I’m still working on my new direction (not a new year’s resolution) of taking better care of myself so that I can take care of my clients.  This has introduced me to the elliptical machine again, got me a membership a the community pool for some regular swimming and got my behind back into the gym.  All the standard stuff that people do when they try to get into shape.  It can be a bit of a grind or a chore at times, but the benefits are priceless.

    Today I had planned on hitting the gym or swimming or both but when I looked out the window I found an absolute winter wonderland.  This is Toronto’s first real snowfall of the season and the city is transformed.  Maybe I’m wired a bit differently, but when I see a scene like this, the only thing I can think of is “tobogganing”.  I bought a Crazy Carpet a couple of years ago with the intent of attacking the hill on Riverdale Park.  It is situated on Broadview just south of the Danforth and it is a real beauty.  The hill starts at Broadview and gives a wonderful panoramic view of the city, the CN Tower and the rivers of cars on the Don Valley Parkway.  I have wanted to toboggan it since I first moved into the area years ago.

    Today, after my morning client, I finally decided to go for it.  K Way pants, Kodiak Boots and Crazy Carpet…. I was ready for battle.  I figure that with  a 4  km round trip walk to the park, plus all the sprinting up the hill, this little adventure will count as my exercise for the day.  Lots of cardio, a light workout on the lower limbs, some core strengthening from keeping my legs up in the air (the only way to pick up speed on the Crazy Carpet), and most importantly… FUN!!!

    It was a great time.  There were a couple of other adults on the hill who all had amnesia when it came to remembering their ages.  The snow was virgin white and for a good hour I was engaged in one of the most natural activities around.  And yes, I had a good workout.

    Exercise can take any form you want it to.  The most important thing to remember is to choose a form of exercise that you like.  You will have a much better chance of sticking with it if you do.  Look deep inside and figure out what you love to do.  Martial arts, dog walking, swimming, dancing, tobogganing, sprinting, dodgeball, etc.  The choice is all yours

  • How To Relieve the Discomfort of Airplane Travel

    Just got back from Spain via Amsterdam and I thought I’d share a few tips on how I coped with all the hours of sitting in a cramped little seat with the tiny fork and knife set, the tiny meal, served in the tiny dishes, with the tiny drink in the tiny cup…..  I’m still a bit jetlagged and my ipod alarm clock woke me up at 6 am for some wacky reason (ghost in the machine), so now could be the perfect time to hammer out this article that I’ve had in my mind for a year.

    When travelling, the biggest enemies are inactivity and improper posture.  The combination of them both leads to soreness or stiffness in the lower back, legs, shoulders or neck.  Here are a few tips that will help:

    Use Your Pillows &  Blankets

    1. This step should help to reduce the postural strain that improper sitting places on your body.
    2. Sit with your hips back against the back of the seat to get the maximum support from the seat.
    3. Place the blanket or pillow (personally, I like to fold the blanket in half) between the small of your back (the curve just above your hips) and the seat back.  This will help to support your lower back in its natural curve and reduce low back pain.  It is especially helpful if you are suffering from any disc related issues
    4. Place the pillow behind your neck and keep the back of your head rested firmly against the headrest so that you can feel your neck being supported.  This helps to keep your neck in its neutral curved position and reduce neck stiffness.
    5. If you follow these steps you should feel like your upper body is fully supported in a more natural position.  You should feel less strain or discomfort in this position

    Get some exercise

    1. Too much rest is not a good thing.  All that sitting without any real movement can make you achy and stiff.  The perfect solution is a bit of exercise.  Any simple exercise or movement helps increase blood flow and lubricate your joints.  Improved blood flow nourishes and oxygenates your body’s tissues and helps in waste removal, leaving you feeling healthier and more refreshed.
    2. Get up and walk around.  Use any excuse to go for a walk:  Get a glass of water; Go to the bathroom; take a tour of the cabin; see what movies everyone else is watching; or as they say in the Dead Poet’s Society, view life from a different perspective!
    3. You will probably feel pretty stiff the first time you get up.  This is a sign that you should be doing it more often!

    Choose your seat carefully

    1. Make sure you get an aisle seat.  All that getting up and walking around is never going to happen if you are stuck in the middle of a long row between 6 very close strangers.   Make it easy for yourself to get up at will without annoying your neighbours.
    2. The aisle seat also means that you have to get up every time one of your neighbours wants out, but if you’re not big on sleeping on flights, being forced to get up is a bit of a bonus and the perfect chance to stretch out a bit.
    3. Don’t take all the aisle seats!  Leave at least one for me  unless you want to see me get cranky 😉

    Use your time between flights

    1. If you are stuck waiting for a few hours between flights, take the chance to walk around.  A good solid hour of walking can do wonders to reverse all the damage that sitting for 6 hours does to your body.
    2. Shop.  Not up for a brisk walk?  How about a leisurely stroll through the mall?

    Beware Deep Vein Thrombosis

    1. Deep vein thrombosis is a blood clot that can form in your calf.  It may feel like a bit of pain or swelling in your calf.  This is only mildly annoying, but if left untreated can result in the clot breaking free and blocking the blood supply to your heart or brain.  If you feel soreness and swelling in a calf muscle after a flight, consult your doctor.  The typical treatment is a round of blood thinners to gently break down the clot.
    2. The lower air pressure combined with inactivity and sitting increases your chances of getting deep vein thrombosis. Seniors or women using the birth control pill are especially at risk.
    3. One solution for preventing the deep vein thrombosis from forming is exercise.  It is much more difficult for a clot to form if you are moving about.  Get up and walk around every now and then to keep the blood flowing in your legs.
    4. Try calf raises.  While you are seated you can practise going up on your tippy toes and back down again.  The constant flexion and relaxation of your calf muscles act like a pump and move the blood faster through  the calf.
    5. An Aspirin a day.  Aspirin is a blood thinner in addition to being good for a variety of other ailments.  If you doctor agrees with it and believes you are healthy enough for it, take aspirin daily for 3 to 4 days before your flight.  Remember to be sure to consult with your doctor before you try this.

    Some other tips

    1. The air is pretty dry in the cabin, so keep drinking water to keep yourself hydrated.
    2. Try the in flight exercises.  Most planes have neck and shoulder exercise routines available in their in flight magazines.  Try them out.  It might look a little silly, but they definitely help.

  • Twilight and Muscle Confusion

    Here is an interesting article about getting that “beach body”.  The catalyst for the article is Chaske Spencer, the star of Twilight: New Moon, who put on 20 pounds of muscle in 3 weeks in order to get ready for the role.  He attributes the success of the work out to “muscle confusion” which changes the work out routine on a regular basis thus confusing the muscle to work harder.

    You might have heard about muscle confusion if you watch TV late at night.  P90X is an exercise program that is based on the same principle.

    http://www.theglobeandmail.com/life/health/muscle-confusion-hey-biceps-youll-never-guess-whats-next/article1377622/

  • Video: Exercises for Neck Pain

    Here is a video that shows some really simple stretches for the neck. For those of you suffering from neck pain, these stretches are a good starting point as they are gentle and non-aggressive. The stretches can be performed in the seated or standing position and are a great way to break up the tension that is building up during your work day.

    Guidelines for performing the stretches:

    1. Check with a health care professional before you attempt these exercises to ensure that it is safe for you.
    2. Do the exercises slowly
    3. Try to breathe  slowly and keep your body relaxed.  Do not tense up or hold your breath as this will invite muscle spasm.
    4. You should feel a gentle stretching sensation, but you should not feel any pain during the exercises.  If you do feel pain, decrease the range of movement by stopping before you get to the point of pain. Continue the exercise within the pain free range.
    5. The vertebrae and muscles in the neck are very fragile and can be aggravated very easily.  Don’t try to overdo it.  You will get better results by stretching gently, but more frequently.  On the other hand, overdoing it can leave you with a really nasty neck cramp.
    6. If you cannot find a comfortable, pain free way to do these exercises, discontinue immediately and seek the advice of a health care professional.
    7. Do the exercises a minimum of 3 times a day for best results.