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Showing posts with label Sports Injuries. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Sports Injuries. Show all posts

Equipment for Powerlifters and Bodybuilders

As part of my ongoing series of posts on the topic of Powerlifting (a competitive weightlifting sport) I have decided to include a post on the topic of Powerlifting Equipment.

I want to note however that people wanting to use such equipment can also sometimes just make their own equipment. The DIY approach is often just as rewarding as anything you can buy in a store.

I am also approaching this from the perspective of someone who has a casual interest in Powerlifting and as someone who wants to use the various Powerlifting techniques as part of someone's weightlifting routine, and not because they want to compete in the sport.

  • Bench Press Shirt - Designed to store kinetic energy and help the lifter lift more.
  • Deadlift Socks - Thick socks designed to protect the lifter's shins while performing a deadlift.
  • Deadlift Suit - Provides compression, but also stores kinetic energy to help the lifter lift more.
  • Elbow Sleeves - Supports the elbow joint, reduces inflammation and provides compression.
  • Gum Sheilds / Mouth Guards - Protects the teeth while the lifter is clenching their jaw.
  • Gym Chalk - Used to absorb moisture, improve grip and reduce friction.
  • Knee Sleeves - Similar to Knee Wraps, but provide compression and reduce inflammation of the knee joints.
  • Knee Wraps - Strips of elastic wrapped around the knees which protect the knee joints.
  • Knee Wrap Rollers - Used to make Knee Wraps tighter and provide more tension.
  • Lifting Straps - Loops around the wrists and the barbell, allowing the user to lift with their forearms and not have to use their hands so much. Some lifters consider them to be cheating, but you could say that about a lot of the things on this list.
  • Singlet/Leotard - Really only worn during competitions so that a referee can easily see whether someone properly completed a squat or succeeded in performing a lift properly.
  • Smelling Salts - Contains ammonia, but can be used as a stimulant to trigger a short but intense burst of adrenaline, which can boost performance.
  • Squat Suit - A supportive aid designed to help prevent injury while lifting more.
  • Weightlifting Belt - Works similar to a back brace, providing rigid support and stability to the lower back and core muscles.
  • Weightlifting Shoes - Two Types: Deadlift shoes (flat with ankle support) and Squat shoes (rigid with elevated heel). Both are designed to help prevent injuries while lifting.
  • Wrist Wraps - Elastic strips wrapped around the wrist joint to help reduce movement and prevent injury.

As you may have guessed, most of the things on the above list are basically designed for two things:

  1. To prevent injury.
  2. To help the Powerlifter lift more weight.

How many of these things do you consider to be necessary? Well, it depends on how much value you place on preventing sports injuries.

I personally think that preventing sports injuries is very important. Some competitions prefer that the competitors lift without any equipment, what is known as Raw or Classic, while some competitions favour all the competitors being equipped so that lifters aren't injuring themselves. How much equipment someone uses is basically up to the user.

What you decide to use is up to you. My one piece of advice is that if you're not going to get anything to protect your joints that you at least take it easy and don't push yourself too hard.

Also sometimes you may have no choice but to use some types of equipment, but that shouldn't stop you from exercising. Use whatever you consider to be necessary and important to you.

See Also



6 Tips for Beginner Powerlifters

As part of my ongoing series of posts on the topic of Powerlifting, here are 6 Tips for Beginner Powerlifters.

But first, if you're unfamiliar with Powerlifting please read:

Powerlifting Tip #1: Bench Press - Squeeze your Scapula/Shoulder Blades

By squeezing your scapula during bench pressing it will help will keep your shoulders on the bench (where they should be) and help to reduce the range of motion. You don't need to squeeze them super hard, just enough to help keep your shoulders on the bench. Keep your shoulders tight throughout the movement and then lock out the elbows at the top of the exercise. This will ensure better form and improved stability. Squeezing the scapula a bit will also engage more of your triceps and help with your overall lift.

Do not squeeze your scapula as hard as possible. That is completely unnecessary and counterproductive.

Powerlifting Tip #2: Squat - Keep Your Chest Up and Facing Forward

You want to keep your chest up and facing forward at the bottom of the movement and throughout the entire lift. By doing this you will prevent your torso from folding when you reach the concentric part of the squat (at the bottom) and reduce the potential for injury and improve your stability, which is especially vital during a heavy squat.

Powerlifting Tip #3: Deadlift - Do Not Bend Your Arms, Think Hooks

Never bend your arms while performing a deadlift. Instead keep your elbows locked and arms straight throughout the movement and think of your arms like fishhooks that don't bend or move. If you try and pull the bar up with your biceps you’ll likely tear a tendon, which will keep you out of the gym for a long time. Just think of your arms as hooks, you are simply using them to hold on to the weight and nothing more. The main muscles that will be used during a deadlift will be your quads, glutes, hamstrings and spinal erectors.



Powerlifting Tip #4: Split Up Your Training

You should practice split system training, which means you have to focus on a specific body area and training until you get fatigued. This allows for intensive training, when compared to a full body workout, with ample recovery time before training that section again.

Unlike some weightlifters who might alternate upper body and lower body, you want to be more specific than that. Thus a typical week for a powerlifter could end up looking like this:

  • Monday: Back
  • Tuesday: Chest
  • Wednesday: Shoulders / Traps
  • Thursday: Biceps / Triceps
  • Friday: Legs
  • Saturday and Sunday are rest days.

So for example I am currently doing a simple Weightlifting Routine wherein Mondays and Thursdays are Leg Days and Tuesdays and Fridays are Upper Body. Wednesday/Saturday/Sunday are my rest days. If I wanted to start doing Powerlifting then I would need to make significant changes to my exercise routine.

Powerlifting Tip #5: Don't Over Train

3 to 5 days a week is a good rule of thumb for the maximum number of days per week a Powerlifter should be training. You will have to discover the hard way whether you should be exercising 3, 4 or 5 days per week. But you will know you are Over Training if get any of the following side effects:

  • Increased Muscle Soreness due to not enough rest/recovery time.
  • Poor sleep.
  • Recurring Sports Injuries.

Powerlifters generally do not train as much as bodybuilders (who are often exercise addicts) and because they're lifting a lot more they need to pace themselves more and allow for ample rest periods. Part of this is because powerlifting causes strain on their CNS (Central Nervous System) and that needs more time to recover.

Powerlifting Tip #6: Ample Rest Period

This is obviously connected to the previous point above. If you give your body a large enough rest period it will help you to recover more efficiently from an intense session. Allowing for ample muscle recovery time (and CNS recovery) means you will see better results the next time you train. This will result in increased muscle and strength gains.

This also means that you should be wary about certain activities. Eg. If you had an intense session on Friday you should avoid helping a friend to move a piano on Saturday. If you get a sports injury while moving that piano you could set back your training significantly.

Instead on your days of rest you should focus on lighter activities and avoid anything that could put strain on your recovery.

Powerlifting: What is a Good Target Weight? How Many Reps is Good?

See my previous post titled "What is Powerlifting?" if you're not familiar with this competitive weightlifting sport.

Powerlifting: What is a Good Target Weight?

Let's pretend you're just getting into Powerlifting and you want to do it for fun (and maybe compete if you get really good at it). What should your target weight be when you're first starting out?

How much you are going to be lifting depends on your goals. If you're just start off trying it to see what it is like then you should be conservative and take your time, so you can more easily avoid injuries. If you are planning to be lifting in a competition then you’re going to want to push the boundaries and aim for as much as you can physically (and mentally) achieve.

The Rule of Thumb

You want to work up to a goal. Getting there will vary on the individual depending upon your weight and gender (and to some extent height), so don't immediate assume that you can start at that number. You want to work up to it gradually.

For people not lifting in a competitive capacity you should start by aiming to eventually lift about 1 to 1.5 times your bodyweight, assuming that you are a normal size and not overly skinny or overweight. That doesn't mean you are starting off by lifting those weights. No, that means you should work up to trying to lift those weights.

During a competition a beginner female competitor could be expected to lift 101% of their bodyweight, and a male beginner could be expected to lift 133% of their bodyweight*. This is considered to be a realistic goal for beginners because they're expecting to lift that weight in 3 different exercises: The Squat, the Bench Press and the Deadlift.

* According to one of the authors of "Practical Programming for Strength Training".

How realistic theses goals are can also vary on the exercise being conducted.

For Beginner Men:

  • 1.5 times your bodyweight is considered to be a realistic goal for both squatting and deadlifting.
  • 1.25 times your bodyweight is considered realistic for bench pressing.

For Beginner Women:

  • 1.15 times your bodyweight for squatting and deadlifting.
  • 0.9 times your bodyweight for bench pressing.

Obviously more experienced powerlifters will be lifting a lot more than that, but for beginners this is a good target weight to work up to.

Powerlifting: How Many Reps is Good?

You also need to consider how many repetitions of each lift you are doing while training. Higher reps means you will have to reduce the total weight you are lifting, so for powerlifting you generally want to be doing only 1 to 12 reps, but lifting a larger amount.

When preparing for a competition, or trying to build more strength, 1 to 5 repetitions is considered normal.

If the athlete is focusing on technique or is worried about hypertrophy (increasing the size of muscle fibers) then they will do 6 to 12 reps and use a more moderate weight.

Thus if you're a beginner and you need to focus on technique more then you should focus on doing 6 to 12 reps in the beginning so that you can build good form and technique, thereby avoiding sports injuries.

If you enter a competition that is when you can change your reps to a lower number and add a lot more weight.

What is Powerlifting?

Powerlifting is a Competitive Weightlifting Sport that focuses on three main lifts. Historically these lifts evolved from a variety of strongman lifts known as "Odd Lifts", but later became standardized as the sport of Powerlifting evolved and became standardized to three main lifts:

  1. The Squat
  2. The Bench Press
  3. The Deadlift

Athletes competing in Powerlifting have the goal to lift as much weight as possible during each lift, which themselves are each compound movement requiring multiple muscle groups and are therefore challenging to do. The maximum amount of weight lifted for each of the three lifts is added together giving the athlete their total in points. Whomever scores the overall highest total is the winner of the competition.

Thus an athlete could potentially score 2nd or 3rd in all three categories, but so long as they score more points than the other competitors then they are the winner.

Competitors are divided into groups based upon their gender, weight and height, thus keeping the competition at a level playing field.

The precise rules can also vary on the organization, with the primary difference often being whether competitors must compete while "equipped or raw". Equipped means they are competing while wearing reinforced clothing such as knee wraps, back braces, bench press shirts, and powerlifting singlets, which are made of very thick reinforced polyester or Lycra. They aren't comfortable, but they give the lifters a tiny advantage over people not wearing them. Raw lifters aren't allowed to wear any such clothing or aids.

Ignoring such aids, the athletes need to focus on the quality of their form. Failure to execute the lifts using proper form and technique can result in serious injuries. So pay attention, it is very important that you learn how to do these lifts properly so you can avoid injury.

It is also highly recommended that you do these exercises with a spotter in case you get into trouble.

The Squat

Rack a barbell at the correct height for your stature and load up with the required weight that will provide a challenge, but if you're just starting out try to make the challenge relatively low.

When performing the squat, ensure that the barbell is located high up on the back of your shoulders, but below your neck.  Make sure it’s not resting on your neck because that much weight on your neck/spine could result in a serious injury.

When you un-rack the barbell you want to squat down while keeping your chest up, back straight and face forward until your hamstrings are parallel to the floor.  Do this in a slow and controlled way to avoid injury. You also want to be certain that you reach parallel, which is important in a competition because otherwise you just wasted all of that effort and it won't count unless it is parallel.

When returning to a standing position you want to power up quickly and lock your hips to finish.

The Bench Press

Using a competition bench press, you first rack your bar and load with the required weight.  Place your back on the bench and your eyes directly beneath the bar.

Keep your feet flat on the floor, unrack the bar and keeping it close to you, slowly lower the bar until it reaches your chest.  Then push back up to the top position and rerack your bar.

It sounds easy, but is harder than it looks because it uses multiple muscle groups to complete the motions.

You definitely want a spotter when practicing the Bench Press.

The Deadlift

Start by loading up a barbell which is located on the floor.

Keep the bar close to your feet, bend at the waist and grab the bar with both hands, keeping them shoulder width apart.

With your back straight, chest up and face forward, slowly stand up keeping the bar close to your shins.

Lock your hips (push them forward) as you reach the top of the movement – this is important in a competition because otherwise you won't be considered to have finished the lift.

Note

You don't have to compete to get into Powerlifting. Some people do Powerlifting just as a way to stay fit or gain muscle. Some people also just like the challenge and want to set goals to see how much they can lift.

Jogging 30 Day Challenge: What Happened?

You may recall that earlier this year I embarked upon a "Jogging 30 Day Challenge" and then it suddenly stopped?

Well, I was about 20 days into it and injured my foot. I am not even certain HOW I injured my foot. I woke up one morning and my right foot was suddenly in a lot of pain, similar to a "Charley Horse" in terms of the amount of pain I was in.

But unlike a Charley Horse / foot cramps, it didn't go away after a few minutes.

It took months for my foot to start feeling like normal again, and even now I sometimes experience pain in my right foot.

So that's why my "Jogging 30 Day Challenge" ended unexpectedly.

I am hopeful to resume jogging sometime, but in the meantime I want to be fully healed before I do so.

I don't recommend anyone jogging when you have a sports injury in your feet or legs. Same with any other sports injury. If you have an injury it is your body telling you it is time to take a break.




3 Bizarre Cases of Archery Injuries

Archery is a very safe sport. Injuries in the sport are more likely the result of repetitive strain from pulling a bow incorrectly, leading to tennis elbow (previously known as archer's elbow before tennis became popular).

Another common archery sports injury is when archers over tense their bow shoulder and don't learn how to relax it; Your back muscles should be doing most of the work, not your shoulders!

Lastly there is also "Bowstring Burn"... This is what happens when you keep hitting your elbow or arm with the bowstring. If you bruise easily you should really be wearing an arm guard or bracer to protect your arm. Furthermore if you're a beginner, you really should get archery lessons so you learn how to position your elbow correctly.

However just because the vast majority of injuries in archery are sports injuries like tennis elbow (cough cough, archer's elbow) that doesn't mean that more bizarre and serious injuries don't happen.

Plus accidents do happen.

 

#1. THE BACKYARD RICOCHET MISHAP

Take for example 2012 case of a young Australian man who was practicing in his backyard when he missed a shot, the arrow ricocheted off a door, and then hit a pedestrian walking on the sidewalk 30 meters away.

 


Which is all the more reason why people should practice archery in a proper archery range like the Toronto Archery Range. Or at very least in a wide open field, on a farm, in a secluded forest, etc. Accidentally hitting someone with an arrow isn't really an accident if the person was shooting in their backyard and not taking adequate precautions to prevent any kind of ricochets that could lead to someone being injured.

Nor is this an isolated incident. Many cities around the world have laws in place regarding the firing of guns and/or archery equipment in backyards, largely because of the associated dangers of such reckless behaviour.

 

#2. THE GALKA VS STANKIEWICZ INCIDENT

In October 2000 two men in Toronto were at the Toronto Archery Range and lost an expensive arrow. In a bizarre turn of events however one of the men proposed the idea of shooting over one of the targets while his friend stood in the vicinity of the lost arrow and reported where it landed. But instead of this unusual plan leading to the lost arrow Patryk Stankiewicz accidentally shot his friend Wieslaw Galka in the eyeball (and brain), resulting in the loss of his eye, permanent brain damage, mobility problems, and psychiatric needs.

You can read details about the case in the court document PDFs found at:

The two men ignored the safety bylaws and presumably were each fined about $4000 CDN for reckless endangerment with a firearm.


#3. THE TEEN SHOT IN THE HEAD & SURVIVES

This particular incident happened in October 2013 in Piatt County California. According to the Sheriff's Report the incident was caused by multiple factors:

  • Archer fatigue
  • Bow not tuned properly
  • Lack of safety precautions

Not necessarily in that order.

The victim was a teenager (16-year-old Maci Webb) who was down range from where the archer was shooting (in the line of fire). She was sitting on the tailgate of a pickup truck at the time.

The archer, Andrew J. Dick (age 21) loaded his compound bow while other people were down range from him, which is a big safety no-no.

The bow was relatively brand new and had not yet been tuned properly yet, which means the arrow could go further to the left or right than the archer is expecting.

It is also noted that AJD was a new archer and had only been shooting two days, and he had shot roughly 80 arrows (approx. 16 rounds of 5 arrows per round), and thus was exhausted.

AJD then either drew back his loaded bow, while either intending to fire or perhaps just to pull it and let it back down slowly, when he misfired, his arrow flying down range and striking the unsuspecting teenager.

And this is why you never load a bow (especially not a compound bow) while other people are down range from you.

And you certainly don't pull back the bow in such a situation, because all it takes is a misfire for someone to get injured.

Such an incident also wouldn't have happened if the shooter had had archery lessons. Any competent archery instructor would have given him a safety lecture first, his compound bow would have been tuned second, and he would have known to follow safety etiquette when shooting, which includes things like:

"Don't load your bow when other people are in front of you."


So yes, another reason why you should get archery lessons.

For archery lessons in Toronto please contact me to discuss availability.


Loud Pro Sports Games can cause Hearing Loss

Spectators at pro sports games (eg. pro football, baseball, basketball, etc) need to protect their ears while enjoying the action, say Canadian experts.

According to Statistics Canada, over one million adults across the country report having a hearing-related disability. In the USA, it is estimated one in five teens have suffered permanent hearing damage / hearing loss.

"Each time your ears have been ringing, that is evidence of hearing loss. There's no recovery mechanism in place for the death of those inner ear cells," said Dr. Tim Rindlisbacher in 2014, director of sports health at Cleveland Clinic in Toronto, where he also works with the CFL’s Toronto Argonauts and Mississauga SteeIheads of the Ontario Hockey League.

What he means is that once damaged, the damage is permanent. Your inner ear doesn't heal itself. The damaged parts are effectively dead and useless.

Rindlisbacher believes that season tickets holders over a long period of time could be at considerable risk of noise-induced hearing loss from the various noisemakers, blaring music and loud cheering. Made worse if a person listens to loud music regularly or are exposed to noise at work. "Hearing protection would be a really smart idea," Rindlisbacher said.

Sound intensity is measured in decibels (dB), where a 10 decibel increase in sound is equivalent to a 10-fold increase in energy experienced by the ear. So 90 dB is actually 10,000 times more energy than 50 dB.

Simple foam ear buds are fairly effective, Rindlisbacher said. Costlier noise-cancelling ear buds can completely eliminate some noise.

The Seattle Seahawks, who defeated the Denver Broncos in Sunday's Super Bowl, hold the record for noisiest stadium in the NFL. An official from Guinness World Records recorded the crowd noise at a Seahawks game in the fall at 137.6 decibels.

Decibel levels
  • Conversational speech: 60-70 dB.
  • Hair dryer, vacuums, lawnmowers: 80-90 dB.
  • Girls screaming at a rock concert: Can be over 100 dB.

Anything above 100 dB is very loud and sustained noise over 85 dB should be avoided.

Rindlisbacher is not alone in warning people that loud sports cause hearing damage.

Prof. Bill Hodgetts of the department of speech pathology and audiology at the University of Alberta in Edmonton published a study in 2006 in the Canadian Medical Association Journal, titled "Can Hockey Playoffs Harm Your Hearing?" in an effort to raise awareness about noise when people are enjoying themselves at a game.

The noise of an entire NHL playoff game is the equivalent to sitting next to a chainsaw for three hours, says Hodgetts. When the home team scored, the noise was temporarily like a plane taking off.

Hodgetts recommends ear plugs for fans.

Wearing ear plugs to loud events could prevent hearing loss and the need to wear hearing aids later in life.

Anyone in the Vaughan or Woodbridge area of Ontario is recommended to get a free hearing test at Omni Hearing in Vaughan.

7 Ways a Physical Therapist can Ease Your Pain

7 Ways a Physical Therapist Can Ease Your Pain

If you’ve been dealing with a sports injury for some time, you may want to take a trip to a physical therapist. Additionally, if you have a short-term injury that you’d like to speed up your recovery for, seeing a PT about your treatment options is a smart idea. The reason is that physical therapy has an excellent track record in a variety of wellness domains. One of them is pain reduction for short and long-term injuries. Below, we explain exactly how a physical therapist can ease your pain and hopefully convince you to give one a try.

Targeted Exercise

When you have a significant sports injury, exercising without in-depth knowledge of your conditions is a risky decision. What will likely happen is you injuring yourself even more, and making your eventual recovery more difficult. The best way to avoid this trap is by talking to a physical therapist first. They will construct a workout plan for you that takes your injury into account and makes it better, not worse. 

Manual Therapy

One option your therapist will explore with you is manual therapy, which refers to treatments that are done using just the hands. What this will entail is feeling, massage, and stretching the injured area and those that surround it. There are many purposes for this type of therapy, but the most common are making an initial diagnosis, warm up, cool down, and soft tissue treatment. 

Other Treatments

Beyond manual therapy, there are a variety of methods that your PT might use to treat your sports injury:

Ice - The primary purpose of ice is to constrict blood vessels and reduce inflammation. Though an inflammatory response can help an injury, it can also become excessive and painful. Your PT may use ice to manage that inflammation.

Heat - In other situations, heat is the answer. The reason is that it can reduce pain and increase mobility. Additionally, when you are more mobile, you are more receptive to manual therapy.

Ultrasound - Your PT might use ultrasound waves to loosen your tissue before using other forms of therapy. 

Laser - Lasers have a variety of functions, but the most prevalent are stimulating healing, reducing inflammation, and lessening pain. 

Electrical - Sending electrical impulses through your body can stimulate muscle contraction and speed up the healing process. 

Education

One of the best things your therapist can do for you is to educate you on the nature of your sports injury. Not only will this let you understand it better, but it will also inform you on how to live with it. With this knowledge, you can go about your life without making your injury worse. 

Avoid Surgery

Though many people with injuries opt for surgery, its track record is not as good as you might think. In fact, a significant portion of operations do not yield the results that they intend, or even make symptoms worse. Physical therapy helps you avoid this cost and pain by using non-surgical methods. 

Speed Up Recovery

While you might recover without any attention from a PT, their expertise will surely speed up your recovery. This will allow you to feel less pain and get back to living your life without restriction. 

Keeping You Involved

A great thing about physical therapy, as opposed to traditional medicine or surgery, is that you are involved. Your therapist will explain your injury to you and inform you on how to treat it. Because of this, you take an active role in your recovery, which makes you feel less pain and more satisfaction. 

If your sports injury is severe enough, you will probably see a family doctor about it. Depending on the nature of that injury, your next step might be seeing a PT. This is the right choice, as physical therapy has been shown to be incredibly useful in pain reduction. If you’re interested in seeing what physical therapy can do for you, find yourself a local physical therapy clinic and schedule a consultation.

Spand-Ice Vest for Back Pain - For Weightlifters and More

If you are into weightlifting and various other exercises / sports, you may sometimes experience back pain. While Back Pain is not strictly a sports injury, it might as well be - and if you are experiencing extreme back pain - that could be a sports injury, and you should consult a doctor.

My normal recommendation for people experiencing back pain is to use Tylenol 650 mg tablets - which are marketed in pharmacies both as a muscle relaxer and for people suffering from arthritis. Hot Tip - It is the exact same product in both bottles, but the arthritis pills are typically cheaper. I guess they are counting on weightlifters on being unable to do math.

Yoga is also good for people suffering from back pain, as it helps to improve your posture - and posture problems is a common cause of back pain.

However today is different.

Yesterday I received a package from a courier.

In it was the "Spand-Ice Safe Alternative to Opioids: The Revive Tank - Wearable Ice + Heat Therapy for Back Pain Relief, Recovery, and Support".

Or as I like to call it, an "Ice Vest for Back Pain" or just "Ice Vest". So much simpler.

Spand-Ice (American company) contacted me in late August, seeking to promote their product.

And at the time my response was "Hmm... I sometimes get back pain." More often these days since the birth of my son, and I will sometimes strain my back a bit while carrying him. (Proof that this product isn't just for weightlifters, although my son recently clocked in at 14.9 lbs when we visited the pediatrician - so he is growing fast!)

So I agreed to test out their product and post a product review.

So yes, yesterday the package arrived containing a Men's Size Large version of their product and I briefly reviewed some of the written documents they sent with the product. (And my wife says I never read instruction manuals...)

And then I tossed the new ice packs in the freezer, next to the ice cubes and ice cream.

Now I should note this is not my first time using ice packs for pain therapy - I also have a collection of ice packs for treating wrist and elbow pain.

I should also note that ice packs only serve to provide pain relief. It is not a permanent cure to any kind of chronic pain. For that I recommend consulting a doctor.

My Thoughts So Far on the Spand-Ice Vest
  1. Wear the vest over clothing, don't try to put it directly on. The extra clothing gives you a buffer zone between you and the ice packs.
  2. Why did they call it a Tank? It is clearly a Vest. A tank top wouldn't have a zipper or buttons going down the front. But a vest would have a zipper or buttons going down the front. Someone in their product naming department needs some Fashion Police to tell them what is what.
  3. It feels really good on a hot day. I could see wearing this just to cool down on a hot day.
  4. Bonus, the packs can also be heated in the microwave - which means you could wear them on a cold day to warm up. For Canadians, this would go well with shoveling snow out of the driveway or sidewalks of your home. Heat up the packs in the microwave first, put on the vest, add a few extra layers for added warmth, go outside and shovel the snow while wearing them - stay warm while doing it!
  5. It does feel nice numbing any back pain. So it works. Huzzah.
  6. Because the vest is pretty snug and fits me well, I could see wearing this outside under a sweater or hoodie, with a shirt underneath the vest.
  7. I don't think it is very fashionable however. Not something to wear in public.
  8. The vest seems to be well constructed and made of durable materials. Only time will tell however, but at present it looks pretty good in terms of durability.
  9. I tried it on briefly yesterday and then ended up feeding and burping my son. He spat up a little bit on the shoulder during the burping process, but it wiped off easily. Woot?!
  10.  I am wearing the vest right now while typing this. It feels pretty good. So it works and does what it is supposed to do. I like it when a product does that.
  11. I like how the pouches for ice packs have two levels, one for the lower back and one for the middle of the back. I just use both, to get the "full effect", but I can see some people preferring to only use one ice pack at a time.
  12. The ice packs might be compatible with other ice packs I use for elbow and wrist pain. Maybe. Not sure. I haven't actually tested this yet, but they LOOK to be roughly the same size.
  13. The vest includes a belt that goes around your mid-section and then Velcros in place. I am guessing this is to prevent the vest from sliding around too much. Once it is on it is pretty snug and doesn't really move.
  14. I do feel a bit fat wearing it - but I guess that is normal for vests as they add bulk to the chest and gut area. But whatever, you are not wearing the vest for its fashionableness.
  15. If I was to wear a vest out in public, I have other vests that are fancier. Maybe wear one of those over top of the Spand-Ice Vest? Example below.
The author wearing a more fashionable vest and a Stetson while directing traffic at his sister's wedding.
Additional Commentary

I get that Spand-Ice is marketing their vest ("tank") for people who are into sports, and thus it looks like sportswear. But honestly, if they just added some buttons and pinstripes, it would look so much better. And then could offer it in colours other than black. True, black worked well for the Model T Ford, but when it comes to fashion more options is certainly better.

Also there is a long list of back pain sufferers I think who would like this product.
  • Pregnant mothers.
  • Elderly people.
  • People with back arthritis.
  • Parents who have to bend over constantly and pick up their children (cough cough, like me).
  • Construction workers.
  • Anybody with bad posture induced back pain.
  • People suffering from a back injury due to an accident.
  • People recovering from back surgery.
  • People who need to wear too much clothing at work and just want to cool down underneath all those layers. Ha!
  • Hunters - because carrying a deer or similar large prey out of the woods so you can eat it is back breaking work. Bonus, just make it camouflage instead of black. Hunters will buy anything that has camo on it.
The price is a bit much in my opinion: $125 USD. I was not expecting it to be that much.

It is made in the USA. So that might be a factor as to the cost.

But that is probably normal for a new product that recently went through its Kickstarter phase and only recently became available to the general public. I imagine the price will gradually go down as its popularity grows.

Product Links

For Men
http://spand-ice.com/product/the-revive-tank-men/

For Women
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5 Tips on How to Use Shoulder Bags

Shoulder Bags are a rather simple but effective way to exercise and build a variety of muscles. They are a bit gimmicky, but essentially very easy to use and a great way to build core muscles faster.

Each bag, regardless of size, goes around your neck and sits comfortably on top of your shoulders. Walking around with one burns extra calories, as does jogging, and doing a host of other activities.

Tips on Using Shoulder Bags

#1. Avoid Dangerous Activities

Never use a shoulder bag while doing anything potentially dangerous, such as swimming or cycling. The added weight on a bicycle would make you top-heavy and more likely to crash. While swimming, that extra weight would dramatically reduce your bouyancy and put you in danger of drowning. So definitely avoid using shoulder bags during any activity that could lead you to crash, drown, or potentially sustain some kind of injury.

#2. Do NOT Wear A Shoulder Bag Constantly

Unless you love having back pain and developing sports injuries, then you really should only be using a shoulder bag while exercising - like when taking a walk, a jog, doing other weightlifting activities, and so forth. Wearing one constantly means your muscles don't get a chance to relax, recuperate and repair themselves. During a state of constant wear and tear your muscles would actually break down, become chronically painful, and would actually shrink instead of bulking up. Having extended breaks between exercises promotes healing and muscle growth and wearing a shoulder bag constantly would prevent such healing.

#3. Sleeping Position and Diet

You should find a sleeping position that allows your back muscles to relax more fully. This will allow them to heal and bulk up faster. The same goes with your diet, your diet needs to match your exercise routine so you are getting enough calories, protein and nutrients - so think lots of veggies and meat. This way your body gets plenty of sleep and has the right amount of protein to be used a building blocks and the right amount of nutrient rich veggies to speed up the process.

A lack of quality sleep and a lack of healthy food wrecks havoc with your potential muscle gain.

#4. Size Matters, as does Time

When choosing shoulder bags to use you should start off small and then gradually work your way up to heavier weights. Thus you should always start off with a 5 KG bag, regardless of your current physical condition.

Use the 5 KG bag during your exercise routine for 6 to 8 weeks and then switch to a 10 KG bag. Then use that for 8 to 10 weeks before switching to a 15 KG bag, and so forth.
  • 5 KG - Use for 6 to 8 weeks.
  • 10 KG - Use for 8 to 10 weeks.
  • 15 KG - Use for 10 to 12 weeks.
  • 20 KG - Use for 12 to 14 weeks.
  • 25 KG - Use for 14 to 16 weeks.
  • 30 KG - Good luck even finding bags in this size or bigger. They do exist, but are trickier to find.
This way your body adjusts gradually to the weights and you are over-straining yourself. If you switch to a larger bag and feel like it is too much for you, go back to the previous bag size and use it for an additional 4 to 6 weeks before trying the bigger bag again. This way you give your body extra time to build the necessary muscles.

Patience and Restraint are Virtues, not just in Weightlifting but also in Life.

#5. Specific Exercises

You should research specific exercises that work well with Shoulder Bags. Shoulder Bag are great for increasing core stability, thus you can add these bags to a multitude of exercises such as:
  • Lunges
  • Barbell Squats
  • Dumbbell Squats
  • Solitary Squats
  • Jumps
  • Jumping Jacks
  • Skip Rope
  • Boxing
 And many more! Enjoy!

Isolated Muscle Twitching

Q

"Hey Charles!

I know you are knowledgeable about sports injuries so I thought I should ask you. I have been getting these weird muscle twitches lately in my left arm, just below the elbow on the upper part of my arm. It is only in the left arm which is part of the reason why I think it must be a sports injury. They last for several seconds and you can visibly see the muscles spasm. It is rather weird. I haven't been exercising much lately because it is winter and I am not sure what I could have done to give myself a sports injury, assuming that is what it is.

They started yesterday and now it is happening even more today. It is getting worse and I am starting to freak out a bit. Any ideas?

- Rodney B."

A

Hey Rodney, long time no see.

Okay, well you are in luck. I don't think it is a sports injury. I think you are having isolated muscle spasms because you probably haven't been sleeping much lately (I am guessing because of New Years etc, it messes up the sleep patterns for many people). I get them sometimes too, always when I have had a lack of sleep. One time I got the spasms in my left eyelid and it was really annoying.

I have found that if I simply take extra time to sleep, maybe even have naps when possible, the spasms go away and everything rights itself.

According to my research they can also be caused by high stress (which effects sleep patterns). So that can also be a factor.

If they don't go away after lots of sleep, then you should definitely consult a doctor.

Sincerely,
Charles Moffat
CardioTrek.ca

Reply

"Oh damn. I think you are right. I have been staying up for the last two nights really late and playing Skyrim. Like staying up til 4 AM, that sort of thing. That game is really addictive. Okay, I just need to go to sleep sooner and stop playing Skyrim so late at night. It all makes sense now.

Thanks Charles! You're awesome!

- Rodney B."

Reply

Glad to hear my educated guess was accurate. I was wrong about the New Years Eve, but correct about the lack of sleep. Go sleep more!!!

 

What is the difference between Amateur Athletes and Professionals?

What is the difference between Amateur Athletes and Professional Athletes?

Well, for starters lets talk about Food and Nutrition.

One of the things that has annoyed me in the past is when someone contacts me asking for training in a specific competitive sport because they want to become a professional athlete and I start asking them questions about their diet and nutrition - which are extremely important questions when it comes professional sports because of how competitive it is.

And the response, quite often, is that they don't think their nutrition is an important factor in their sports career. Not their exact words, but basically they downplay how important nutrition is. Which I take to be a clue that their level of nutrition isn't very good and they don't want to admit it.

To use a racing car analogy, poor nutrition would be like putting sub-standard fuel into a race car that runs on high performance octane (usually 94 or higher). You don't really expect the car using sub-standard gasoline to win if you know everyone else in the race is using high performance octane, do you?

So to me, the question of the differences between amateur athletes and professional athletes is a case of food. Food equals fuel. And if you want your body to be a high performance machine then it needs to be using high performance fuel.

Amateur athletes often totally ignore the quality of their nutrition.

Professional athletes take their nutrition very seriously.

I have a book on my shelf, one of my favourites, called "High Performance Sports Conditioning", edited by Bill Foran. It was published in 2001, but not much has changed in the world of sports conditioning during the last 15 years. I highly recommend finding a copy of if your goal is to be participating in professional sports. During chapter one it discussed 'Establishing a Solid Fitness Base' and talks about athletes building a Team of Support Staff including:
  • Athletic Trainer or Coach (that is my job)
  • Sport Nutritionist (to advise on nutritional issues)
  • Sport Physical Therapist (for treatment of injuries)
  • Physician (in case of serious injuries)

Acquiring one of each of these is basically a necessity for any professional athlete. The names of the individuals may change over time as an athlete's competitive career changes. They might start with their family doctor as their physician and later gain a Team Physician if they end up on a team of athletes that train together.

Having these people found in advance is an advantage because what if a situation arises and you, for example, break your leg, and you don't even have a family doctor. Instead you are going to walk-in clinics where you get random doctors who are barely out of medical school and have no experience with sports injuries.

Find these people in advance, and then begin training.

Amateur athletes won't think that will need a team of support staff, and thus won't bother to get them. That means no coaching, no nutritional advice, they might have a family doctor but not necessarily a doctor familiar with sports injuries, and they definitely won't have a physical therapist who specializes in sports injuries.

Coaching obviously is going to be a big factor as well. Coaching doesn't necessarily happen every day however. It might be once per week or even once every two weeks. Coaches are usually also available via phone or email to answer questions the athlete might have.

As athletic trainers go coaches fulfill three important roles:

#1. Knowledge Base - to provide the athlete with a plethora of knowledge in their chosen sport with respect to learning how to best achieve results during competition, how to train towards specific goals, what exercises to be doing, any cross-training to be doing, how to create a training schedule, etc.

#2. Motivational Guidance - the coach is there to keep the athlete motivated, to keep trying harder in order to succeed.

#3. Mental Game - some athletes develop problems mentally and lose focus on what they are supposed to be doing. In archery for example professional archers will sometimes develop problems like "Target Panic" which is an anxiety that causes them to become anxious and then shoot too soon when they are not ready yet, or also "Gold Shy" is when an archer starts deliberately missing unconsciously or subconsciously. It is the coaches job to be part psychologist and cure the athlete of any mental problems they might be facing.

Note - My solutions to both of the above two problems is to either take a break from normal shooting and practice doing something different for fun (like shooting at moving targets), or to deliberately make the challenge harder so that the archer is forced to concentrate more.

Lastly, professional athletes Practice and Train 3 to 5 days per week, depending on their sport, and use their off days to rest and recuperate. This process of Training, Resting, Training, Resting, Training, Resting, Training, etc is continuous and allows for peak muscle growth and helps prevent sports injuries like repetitive strain.

People often think that professional athletes Train, Train, Train or Practice, Practice, Practice - however that is a bit of a misunderstanding. It is more of a Train, Rest, Practice, Rest process.

An amateur who doesn't know what they are doing might simply practice every day until they exhausted or hurt themselves. That might make logical sense to them at the time, but once they learn the horrors of the first serious sports injury they will either quit the sport or rethink how they are training.

This means the professional athlete makes a Training Schedule.

Lets say for example you are a competitive compound archer. Using the above order of training, what should your 4 week training schedule be?

Week 1
Sunday Training at Gym, Monday Rest, Tuesday Practice at Archery Range, Wednesday Rest, Thursday Training at Gym, Friday Rest, Saturday Practice at Archery Range.

Week 2
Sunday Rest, Monday Training at Gym, Tuesday Rest, Wednesday Practice at Archery Range, Thursday Rest, Friday Training at Gym, Saturday Rest.

Week 3
Sunday Practice at Archery Range, Monday Rest, Tuesday Training at Gym, Wednesday Rest, Thursday Practice at Archery Range, Friday Rest, Saturday Training at Gym.

Week 4
Sunday Rest, Monday Practice at Archery Range, Tuesday Rest, Wednesday Training at Gym, Thursday Rest, Friday Practice at Archery Range, Saturday Rest.

Week 5 = Start over at 1.

Now the above training schedule is just an example of one way a person could create a training schedule. There are literally thousands of different training schedules for hundreds of different sports online available for free.

Often a training schedule will also have dates set aside for specific events, such as competitions. In the example marathon training schedule below there are dates set aside for specific marathons and events like the "National 1/2 Marathon", or the "Cherry Blossom 10 Mile", or the "Flying Pig Marathon".


Professional Equipment

Depending on the sport it is a good idea to be training with the best equipment you can find. This often means equipment that is more expensive, more durable, less likely to have problems, more adaptable, easier to use, etc.

Having the most expensive / "best" equipment isn't always a necessity however. In the world of competitive weightlifting for example it doesn't matter whether your weights are homemade or made of solid gold, 50 lbs is still 50 lbs regardless of what it is made of.

Thus for people on a budget they should be thinking in terms of the necessities. eg. A marathon runner will want a good pair of shoes and a source of water at intervals during practice runs. (Tip, if you plan your jogging route along Starbucks they give out free water. All you have to do is ask for it.) Nobody cares what the marathon runner is wearing, so any old pair of pants or shorts and a t-shirt will do. Wearing skin tight breathable fashion is not a necessity and if anything you will look silly wearing that when you are not in an actual marathon.

Conclusions

This is just a brief overview of the differences between professional athletes and amateur athletes. The following are just a few of the fundamental differences between those athletes who take seriously what they are doing and those who simply don't care, and thus are really just amateurs. That perhaps is the most fundamental difference of all. Professional athletes take everything seriously. Amateurs do not.
  • Food and Nutrition
  • Team of Support Staff, including Coaching
  • Train, Rest and Practice + Training Schedule
  • Professional Equipment

There is one last thing unfortunately... Money. You may have noticed that buying nutritional food is more expensive than buying sugary and fatty foods. Coaching is likewise expensive, as is having support staff even if you only talk to them once per month. Having all that training time might mean you don't have time for a normal 9 to 5 job either, so having money saved up so you can have time off to train is a necessity too. And of course money for equipment. Some sports are very expensive. Others less so. You might need to buy gym memberships, club memberships, etc to get access to equipment that is too expensive to buy normally, or you might decide you absolutely need that equipment so you can use it all the time - in which case it might be very expensive.

Also please note that most professional athletes (with the exclusion of team sports like baseball, hockey, football, soccer, tennis, golf, cycling, etc) don't actually make a lot of money in their chosen field. Some do because they are well paid members of a team, but most sports don't have a lot of big sponsors and thus the prize money is a lot smaller.

Thus if you manage to win some prize money that money will probably go right back into your budget for food, coaching, equipment, etc. Don't expect to be making a living off the sport.

Note - This is probably why gambling is such a problem in many professional sports. An athlete who deliberately loses can sometimes make more money losing than they can by winning. eg. Boxers taking a dive. Even big name events like the Olympics are rife with gambling, although it isn't often talked about.

Thus if you are getting into a competitive sport you really should be doing it for the right reasons. To try and attain that goal. Trying to do it for lesser reasons like greed isn't going to help you. Greed is only going to hold you back from what should be your real goal: Attaining Perfection.

Sportsmanship and Giving Back to the Community

It is my personal opinion that a true athlete should also at least attempt to be a good sportsman, to be generous and kind to their fellow athletes, and to give back to the sports community by donating their time and effort towards causes that helps the sport.

They should also admonish activities that give the sport a bad reputation, like fighting on the ice in hockey, or dentist bowhunters who poach lions for kicks, or cyclists who resort to using steroids in order to win the Tour de France. Such behaviour needs to be admonished and discouraged so that younger generations of athletes know and understand that the sport should not be defined by a few bad eggs who are violent, immoral and cheat.

Sometimes one of the best things a famed athlete can do is to simply show up, sign autographs and shake the hands of a younger generation.



If you want to read more articles like this please subscribe to CardioTrek.ca or bookmark this page and come back for more. The above post is Part One of a new series of posts about Training for Professional Athletes.

Sprains, Strains and how to Prevent Them in the First Place

We all want to stay active and a regular exercise routine is an essential way to ensure that you maintain a healthy lifestyle. The one drawback to regular exercise is the possibility of injury. This is something that we cannot always avoid and when it happens it can really affect our exercise routine and our everyday lives. We have all heard the horror stories of people doing some exercise and ending up with broken limbs, sprained ankles, pulled muscles and ligament injuries. This can put you out of commission for several days to several months. So what injuries are possible and what can we do to avoid them? Below we will see what can happen and how we can prevent them from happening.

While listening to the radio I heard the story of a young woman who decided to participate in crossfit training. This is a high impact type of exercise that includes exercises such as high-intensity interval training, Olympic weightlifting, plyometrics, powerlifting, gymnastics, girevoy sport,calisthenics, strongman and other exercises. These types of exercises requires a high level of athleticism and great strength. The young lady loved doing crossfit as she had a been involved in sports her whole life including competing in the Olympics for martial arts. Crossfit provided her with an opportunity to compete with others and remain athletic at the same time even if she was not able to it at an Olympic level. One day she was doing box jumps (literally jumping up on boxes from a standing position) and she felt her leg crumble underneath her weight. It turned out she had shattered her lower leg from ankle to knee breaking it in multiple places. It took several surgeries, a lot of physiotherapy and many months of recuperation to get her walking again much less working out.

Traumatic injuries such as the one described above are the worst types of injuries we can suffer while working out. Common injuries like sprains and pulled muscles are a bigger concern for everyday people. But it is important to remember that exercise is not inert. They can provide you with great benefits but can also cause great injuries. It is best to do any exercise with great care and preparation. Also, consult your doctor before you do anything strenuous or if you feel that you are experiencing pain or discomfort while doing the exercise.

How do you get a sprain?

Sprains can happen all over your body. When do exercise you may encounter a sprained ankle or wrist. Sprains are injuries to ligaments when they are suddenly pushed past their limits. They can tear or become deformed as a result. Usually, you just need to give your sprain some time to heal and some cold compress. If they are particularly bad, you may need to seek some medical attention as soon as possible.

How to prevent sprains?

Some ways to prevent the injury are to not over do it if you have not done an activity for a while. Say you had to take an extended break from playing basketball and finally got the opportunity to start playing again. Do not over do it by playing exhaustively for an hour. Your ligaments and muscles just cannot take it. You need to give them some time to stretch and get used to being used in that way. Stretch first, take it easy for the first few times on the court (do not exert yourself too much), play for a short period of time, and stop if you feel any discomfort.

Another type of muscle sprain is a groin pull. It can occur when you push off your feet in a side to side motion, like when you run. You see this injury in athletes all the time especially in sports such as hockey, soccer or football. In these sports, people are required to run or skate at the drop of a hat and it is this kind of situation can cause a groin pull.

You can prevent a groin pull by stretching and warming up beforehand. Make sure that you do so in a through manner to ensure the best results. Also, just like the basketball player above, make sure that you have conditioned your muscles for the task at hand. Build up conditioning through repeated exercise over time can prepare your muscles for any activity you might do.

Crossfit and Why it is Dangerous to Over Do It

Lets do a little myth busting.

First, yes, it is true that Crossfit exercise routines will help you lose weight.

But it is also true that Crossfit is dangerous, pushes people to extremes and even causing exercise addiction - and the resulting Crossfit devotees (or should we say addicts) get really into all the activities done at crossfit gyms - but the repetitive strain and the injuries pile up, which can lead to extreme injuries.

In fact to outline just how dangerous Crossfit is why not Google the words 'crossfit injuries' and read some of the 1.17 million webpages on the topic.

What is also funny is how many Crossfit enthusiasts (addicts) tell fellow enthusiasts to "suck it up", "no pain no gain", "don't be a wussy", etc whenever the topic of injuries come up.

 And we're not talking mild injuries. We're talking about people who injure themselves so much they can't even walk any more.

That puts it on the same level as people who are so anorexic they cannot walk any more, or people so obese they cannot walk any more... in this case it is people who exercised so much they injured themselves and now they cannot walk any more.

Cannot walk, are in severe debilitating pain, and in some cases will be like this the rest of their lives.

There are Iraq War Veterans out there missing limbs who are in better physical condition than some of the Crossfit devotees who injured themselves because they didn't know when was a good time to rest and recuperate.

So let me break this down for you.

When you exercise, weightlifting for example, you need about 24 to 48 hours (sometimes more depending on your age and how much weightlifting you do) in order to repair all the muscle tissue you ripped during your weightlifting session. With weightlifting you are often only challenging a few parts of your body at a time, which means your body only needs to repair muscle tissue in those areas after the exercise is over.

The purpose of Crossfit however is to rip muscles in almost every muscle in your body by pushing your limits in many different ways. Afterwards your body heals up and you end up being stronger all over (not just in specific muscle groups)... but because Crossfit is addictive you end up with people who are doing it 5 to 7+ times per week, leaving your body almost no time to repair itself.

Lack of repair time leads to repetitive strain injuries - and repetitive strain rip tendons.

Do you know how to fit a tendon?

Surgery.

Lots of surgery. It is painful and truth be told whatever body part you ripped the tendon in may never be the same again. It is a bit like someone who has a heart attack. Once you have your first heart attack it is pretty much all down hill from there.

Below is a photo of a ripped tendon in someone's arm being repaired via surgery. If he is lucky he still has full use of his arm, but the chances are more likely his arm will be in pain and have restricted motion for the rest of his life.


And this is just one of the many injuries people can develop from Crossfit.

As a personal trainer I actively discourage all of my clients from activities that could result in any kind of sports injuries. Yes, I know you want to lose weight and gain muscle - but sports injuries are not worth the risks associated with 'extreme fitness' activities like Crossfit.

In other news, Happy Halloween! I hope the above photo scared you away from Crossfit.

Oh and mountain climbing. That is pretty dangerous too. Trust me, I nearly died twice in South Korea while climbing mountains there. The view up there was nice, but in retrospect I should have taken the safer route to the top.

Causes and Cures for Chronic Back Pain

While many people experience back pain, chronic back pain is actually more like a sports injury like tennis elbow.

Why? Because often chronic back pain can be solved through proper form while lifting objects, more exercise, diet, sleeping positions and more.

Below is a list of causes for chronic back pain - and their solutions.

Years of poor posture

The Solution - Practice good posture when sitting, standing and even sleeping. For added benefits take up yoga to build stronger core muscles.

Improper lifting and carrying of heavy objects

The Solution - Practice proper form while lifting things (lift with your legs and your back straight), even when lifting small objects. When in doubt, let someone younger and fitter carry it for you. Wearing a back brace is also a smart idea to help prevent injury.

Even lifting small objects improperly can put a lot of strain on your back - unnecessary strain. So if you drop your toothbrush, bend over without thinking and pick it up improperly you can still hurt your back - not because of the weight of the toothbrush, but because of the weight of your upper body.

Being overweight, which puts excess strain on the back and knees

The Solution - Go for daily walks, cut back on the sweets, keep doing this until you attain your ideal weight. Also try swimming, cycling and other cardio exercises to help you lose weight.

Wearing high heels

The Solution - Stop wearing high heels. Wear flats with cushioning instead. Take up yoga to help correct muscle imbalances in your back.
Congenital condition such as curvature of the spine

The Solution - Seek medical treatment from a back / spinal specialist.

Traumatic injury (eg. car accident damaged your spine)

The Solution - Seek medical treatment from a back / spinal specialist.

Note: Sadly the above two can only be solved with the help of doctors and trained specialists.

Sleeping on a poor mattress

The Solution - Buy a better mattress that supports your back better. Research proper sleeping positions that won't damage your spine.


No obvious physical cause

The Solution - Experiment with different solutions above until you find something that works. I recommend starting with practicing good posture, taking up yoga and sleeping in better positions that are good for your back. Many people have poor posture / sleeping positions and don't realize it.

Ordinary aging of the spine (degenerative changes)

The Solution - Regular exercise and a healthy diet will keep you younger longer and give your spine more longevity. Walking, yoga, light weight lifting with proper form can all help you keep you feeling younger and build bone density.

Dealing with Archer's Elbow / Tennis Elbow

I recently learned I had what is historically known as Archer's Elbow - which by modern standards is known as Tennis Elbow.

Tennis elbow or archer's elbow is a sports injury wherein the outer part of the elbow becomes sore and tender because the area has become inflamed - I have this in both my elbows. It is often associated with playing tennis, badminton, golf and similar sports which involve using the elbows a lot.

Archer's / Tennis elbow can also be caused by repetitive strain and often effects mouse / keyboard users, mountain climbers, and even people who work with their hands a lot (like carpenters).

Why does Archery cause it?

When you draw a bow, both elbows go under extreme pressure and strain.

Your bow arm elbow has to be fully extended out in front of you and held dead still.  It is your extensor muscles and tendons that are responsible for your stable positioning.  To draw the string back, it is your flexor muscles and tendons that do most of the work.  Archer’s elbow injuries are most common in your bow arm simply because your outer forearm/elbow muscles and tendons are not as strong and powerful as your inner flexor muscles. But you can also get Archer's Elbow in your drawing elbow because of the strain it requires to hold the bow steady.

Lastly when you release the bowstring there is a lot of shock and vibrations that travel through your arms and your elbows are more vulnerable.

Prevention

#1. Switch to a lighter poundage of bow or even better, switch to a compound bow that has a let off.

#2. Get dampeners and stabilizers for your bow, they will reduce shock damage.

#3. Do elbow strengthening exercises. Just make sure they are specific for tennis elbow injuries and they will work well for both prevention and treatment.

Archer's / Tennis Elbow Treatment

Physical therapy.

Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, like ibuprofen or aspirin.

Using heat or cold wraps.

Using a brace or strap to reduce the strain on the elbow.

Elbow Strengthening Exercises

Browse Google images to see a variety of different elbow strengthening exercises.

https://www.google.ca/search?q=tennis+elbow+exercises&tbm=isch

Remember while doing these exercises to not squeeze anything too hard and if you are experiencing pain, then you are doing it wrong. Remember light grip and no pain.

Yoga Injuries - Be careful, trying to perfect a pose can hurt

TORONTO - Sports injuries sounds normal for many more vigorous sports, including ballet dancing, but what about yoga?

It may seem ironic at first, but the exercise regime often recommended by doctors and therapists (aka yoga) as a rehabilitation tool to overcome a range of sports injuries can itself become a cause of sports injuries if people get "too into it".

Yoga, considered a relatively gentle means of building flexibility, muscle strength and endurance through physical poses and controlled breathing, can lead to a number of repetitive strain injuries and even osteoarthritis, Ontario doctors say.

"Most of the injuries I see are from repetitive strain," says Dr. Raza Awan, a Toronto sports medicine physician who's been practising yoga for about a decade.

The most common yoga-related injuries he sees in patients are rotator cuff tendonitis and tears; spinal disc injuries in the low back and neck; cartilage tears in the knee; hamstring strain and tears; and wrist injuries.

There are a number of reasons why yoga — in which practitioners generally perform a series of poses, called asanas — can cause injury, he says.

One of the causes is "definitely pushing too hard" to attain a specific pose, which can involve stretching the upper body into a forward or backward bend, twisting the torso, or performing an inversion, such as a handstand or headstand, balanced on the hands or forearms.

In other words trying to show off by doing handstands and headstands can get you injured. Gotcha!

"So, for instance, people who are too flexible or people who are too tight, they're at more risk, I find," says Awan. "If you're too tight and you try to force yourself into a pose and your muscles aren't flexible, then you might strain another area to compensate."

"Or let's say that you're very flexible and you get to the end range of a pose and you don't have the muscular support to maintain the pose ... you're holding the pose without muscular endurance, you're basically holding it on your ligaments or your tendons and you strain those structures that way."

Ego also can lead to injury, he says, explaining that in yoga classes, some people push their bodies beyond their limits trying to match or outdo the person on the next mat. Being a showoff is basically an excellent way to get yourself injured doing any exercise.

Even competing with oneself — for instance, trying to get the heels flat to the floor during the "downward dog" pose, despite having tight calf muscles from sitting at the computer for hours — can lead to strains or tears, he says.

"You strain yourself because you push yourself."

Sometimes, overdoing it in yoga may exacerbate an underlying problem called femoroacetabular impingement, or FAI, in which the bones of the hip are abnormally shaped and don't move together smoothly. The hip bones grind against each other during movement, causing joint damage over time and osteoarthritis.

Dr. Chris Woollam, a Toronto sports medicine physician, says he started seeing "an inordinate number of hip problems" about two years ago, including among women aged 30 to 50 who were practising yoga.

When range of motion in their hips was tested, not only was movement limited, but "they would jump off the table because of the pain," Woollam says.

MRI scans showed the women had joint damage resulting from FAI, which can be severe enough in some cases to require hip-replacement surgery.

And since yoga is becoming increasingly popular it is now ever more important to warn people about the dangers of trying to over do it.

"So maybe these extreme ranges of motion were causing the joint to get jammed and some to wear," Woollam says of certain yoga poses. "If you start wearing a joint down, then it becomes arthritic. So you're seeing these little patches of arthritis in an otherwise normal hip that seems to be related to these extremes of motion or impingement or both."

However yoga isn't entirely to blame. You just have to listen to your body. When it's saying there's a pain, then you have to recognize that and then take a break from whatever you are doing. Pain is a good signifier that you are overdoing it.

Vancouver chiropractor Robin Armstrong, who's been practising yoga since 1999, says the most common injury she sees among fellow enthusiasts are hamstring strains. Typically, they are overuse injuries and tend to occur more among experienced practitioners rather than beginners.

"I think it's also just repeating core movement patterns, and if you have a teacher who corrects the way you're moving, I think that can help prevent these types of injuries," says Armstrong, who also teaches anatomy and injury prevention to yoga instructors.

"I talk about where you have to use caution in certain poses and when appropriate use certain poses for certain people and when to avoid them altogether."

Some yoga teachers will encourage students to try a more challenging pose, while others may physically "adjust" a student to correct their posture and alignment. And that can take a person to a place their muscles and joints aren't ready to go. So sometimes it is the yoga instructor who is pushing the student too much.

But Armstrong says how far and how fast an individual advances in yoga is a shared responsibility between the student and the instructor.

"The teacher doesn't know what you're feeling in your body and you have to be comfortable enough knowing, 'OK, is this right for me? This might be right for the person beside me, but is this right for me at this moment?'"

"Don't get so attached to making the pretty picture with your body, you're still doing yoga even if you're not doing the full expression of the pose," she says. "And that goes back to not comparing yourself to others, because everyone comes with a different body and a different experience."

Yoga has many upsides, including sharpening mental focus, easing stress, and improving range of motion that can help avoid injuries while performing day-to-day activities or participating in sports.

"There's a lot of benefits to doing yoga for certain types of problems, but obviously any physical activity has its risks, too," says Dr. Awan, who is among those who uses yoga as a therapy for some patients and believes most yoga-related injuries are preventable.

"It's a great movement-based activity to do, but you have to try to keep safe, just like in other sports activities. Don't push your body beyond."
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