1 min read

Myodetox

Posted on

Education

4 Moves Every Cyclist Needs



Whether it be on the road, dirt, snow or track, we demand a lot from our bikes, but how do we demand more from our bodies? These cyclist exercises will help you ride faster, longer, and more comfortable on any bike for those epic days in the saddle.




1. Aero Tuck ||
10 reps
Step 1: Start with feet hip width apart.

Step 2: Squat down. Bend your trunk forwards, bring your arms away from your sides. Reach back behind you while straightening your elbows and rotating your thumbs down and back.

Step 3: Stand up and bring your elbows in front of your face while reaching upwards with palms facing you. Look up.





2. Neck Opener
15 reps
Step 1: With the shoulders over wrists, hips over knees, gently push the chest away from the floor. Focus your sights on a target on the floor between your hands. Dip your chin down towards the floor, moving only your neck. Hold for 3 seconds.

Step 2: Reverse the movement by tucking in your chin fully. Hold for 3 seconds.

cyclist moves



3. Shoulder + Backline Opener
10 reps
Step 1: Start in a push up position with shoulders over wrists and legs fully extended. Drop your chest down towards the ground, squeeze your shoulder blades together. Elbows stay straight. Hold for 5 seconds.

Step 2: Push your chest away from the ground, round your shoulders forwards. Elbows stay straight. Hold for 5 seconds.

Step 3: Keeping knees relatively straight, hinge through the hips and form an inverted V shape, finishing with your eyes looking past your feet. Drop back to start position.

moves for cyclists



5. Diver
10 reps
Step 1: Stand with toes pointed forwards. Drive left knee up while keeping knee bent. Drive right arm forwards left arm back with elbows at 90 degrees.

Step 2: Keep your left foot off the ground as you extend your left leg backwards. Lean your trunk forwards. Drive your left arm forwards with palm facing up and right arm back with thumb rotating down and back.

cyclist rehab



Want to take your cycling to the next level?
Join us for a Bike Fit! Now available at Main + Fraser, our experts have designed a special session to align your bike + your body. A Bike Fit optimizes your ride to ensure you cycle faster, more efficiently and pain-free.

Learn more here

Book your bike fit!



2 min read

Myodetox

Posted on

Education

5 Exercises For Moms


Written by Dr Natalie Lopez and Jasmine Choi


‘Strong like a mother’ really is true when you take into account all the changes a mother goes through during pregnancy and all they do while healing in that early postpartum period.


These 5 exercises for moms are to help you or a mother in your life reconnect with their body after having a child. They will help to retrain core and back muscles after childbirth; whether that was recently or years ago.

It is never too late to help retrain these muscles and get them to help you rather than hinder you from doing what you love!




1. Inner Core Breath
3 sets of 10 breaths
Start by laying on the ground with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor. As you inhale, relax your pelvic floor (imaging dropping a marble from your pelvic floor, or passing gas sensation), while allowing your belly to fill with air. Follow with an exhale as you engage your pelvic floor (lifting a marble with your pelvic floor, or stopping the flow of urine). Make sure to fully relax your pelvic floor in between reps.

mom breathework



2. Core Heel Taps
3 sets of 10 taps/side
Lie on the ground with your back flattened against the ground, no arch between your low back and mat. Start with both of your knees bent, with your feet hovering in a tabletop position. Slowly alternate tapping your feet to the ground, lowering each foot with control. Exhale and engage your core as you lower your foot, and inhale to bring it back up to tabletop.

mom exercises



3. Banded Rows
3 sets of 10 reps
Secure a resistance band to a sturdy object in front of you. Pull the band back with both hands, elbows driving back behind you. Lead the motion by squeezing your shoulder blades down and back. Hold at end range for 5 seconds. Keep your shoulders away from your ears.

exercises for mom



4. Modified Childs Pose with Upper Back Rotation
2 sets of 10 reps per side
Begin in a tabletop position with your hands below your shoulders and your knees under your hips. Spread your knees out to the side of your mat while keeping your feet close together. Move your hips back until your belly is touching your thighs and your forearms are resting on the ground. From here, put one hand behind your head (while the other remains on the ground) and rotate your mid-back, and neck upwards. Return to centre and repeat on the other side.





5. Kneeling Squat With Band Pull-a-parts
3 sets of 10 reps
Start by holding a theraband with your arms out in front of you, in a kneeling position. Exhale (lifting and engaging your pelvic floor) as you rise up into a high kneeling position while pulling the band apart into a ‘T’ position. Inhale (relaxing your pelvic floor) as you return to the starting position.

mom exercise routine

Thanks for doing these exercises for moms!


Interested in Pelvic Floor Physiotherapy?
These exercises for moms came from our expert pelvic floor physiotherapy team. Book your session with them today! They will assess your movements and body to set you up on a plan to increase your mobility, reduce pain, and prevent injury.

Jasmine Choi
is a level 3 pelvic health certified and she specializes in helping women in both the pre and post partum periods, along with many other pelvic health issues.

View her available sessions

Dr. Natalie Lopez
is a GrowCo and acupuncture certified and she specializes in pre and post partum care, along with pediatric care.

View her available sessions

4 min read

Myodetox

Posted on

Education

Low Back Pain 101


Tiger Woods is one of the greatest golfers of all time. But one thing prevented him from further greatness, a history of low back pain. L.B.P. affects so many of us and its symptoms can be severe.

Learn what L.B.P. is and how to manage it.




What Is Low Back Pain?
It is pain at the lumbar spine, which is the area of the back sandwiched between the thoracic spine, pelvis, and sacrum. Think about those dimple bones near the buttock. The low back is where our body weight is most supported, and protects the portion of our spinal cord responsible for important organs and function of the legs, as well as the generalized movement of our trunk (like bending forward and back).

Pain here is incredibly debilitating, making the most mundane body movements near impossible. In severe situations, it can affect the spinal nerves, bringing pain down the hip and leg.

Of all the conditions and physical pains we face in life, L.B.P. has a high likelihood of impacting our lives at some point. In fact, nearly 80% of people will experience low back pain at least once in their lifetime. Here are some insane statistics concerning low back pain:

  • 80% of people experience L.B.P. at least once in their lifetime
  • 25% of people have experienced L.B.P. in the last 3 months
  • It is the most common cause of job disability
  • It is the #1 health issue amongst Americans – over 100 billion dollars annually through insurance and lost productivity

    Low back pain can be acute or chronic. Acute L.B.P. is when your pain comes on suddenly – maybe through a lift or movement that stresses the tissue of the lower back. Acute low back pain usually lasts for a few days to a few weeks. Chronic low back pain is pain that lasts for 3 months or more. People with chronic L.B.P., unfortunately, manage it for a longer period of time. Both acute and chronic L.B.P. is best addressed with a healthcare professional.

    Though this pain afflicts nearly all of us, it typically resolves on its own. But identifying the cause, getting the right treatment, and having a plan can drastically reduce its effects on you.

    low back pain


    What Causes It?
    The most common cause of L.B.P. is mechanical. This involves stress to the low back’s ligaments and muscles. Overloading these tissues can lead to strains of the muscles and sprains of the ligaments, resulting in pain and movement impairment. You’re definitely at risk of this if you’ve: lifted too heavy at the low back; weak musculature at the low back and hips; twisting with load, especially at work or playing a sport; poor posture; overweight.

    Other causes of L.B.P. include muscle weakness over time, degenerative disc disease, disc herniations, joint dysfunctions (facet joint dysfunction or sacroiliac dysfunction), osteoarthritis, trauma (e.g. compression fracture), scoliosis, spondylolisthesis, and spinal stenosis.

    There are numerous causes to low back pain, and all are best verified through a healthcare professional. You especially need to see a healthcare professional if you experience bowel or bladder problems, numbness or tingling down the feet, and weakness through your legs and feet corresponding with your low back pain.

    treatment for pain in the low back


    Who Gets It?
    This type of pain is seen as early as our 20s, and progressively increases in prevalence as we age – the longer we live, the more likely we are to experience it. It’s safe to say that L.B.P. affects every age group. Unfortunately, women are more likely to experience low back pain, particularly during menstruation, after pregnancy, and menopause – all influenced by hormonal levels in the body.

    You’re more likely to experience back pain with sedentary lifestyles. This includes sitting too long, not getting enough movement and exercise, and gaining weight over time. On the other side of the spectrum, if you have a job that requires bending, twisting, and lifting, you’re also at risk for low back pain.

    Finally, though exercise is encouraged, certain types of physical activity will put you at risk if your form is not reviewed. Everything from a golf swing to running, to a deadlift requires the appropriate form to minimize the risk of low back injury.

    Risk Factors
  • Age: progressively vulnerable after your 30s
  • Occupation: movements with repetitive high levels of bending, twisting, and lifting
  • Lack of movement: sedentary lifestyles and sitting all-day
  • Lack of exercise: weakness at the hips, legs, and core
  • Smoking

    What Can You Do
    Most L.B.P. will resolve on its own, but it’s important to know your options for treatment to get you back to yourself as quickly and safely as possible.

    Education
    Knowledge is power when it comes to managing your symptoms. Knowing what to do, and what not to do, is key to getting better. Your therapist will guide you through movements that are safe for you, regardless of the cause of your low back pain. Movement strategies do’s and don’ts, and pain management can provide immediate clarity and peace of mind.

    Excercise
    The thought of movement while dealing with L.B.P. can be scary, but exercise is truly the best medicine. Guided movements and exercise help both acute and chronic patients. Your therapist can guide you through movements that strengthen your core, pelvic floor, glute muscles, and general compound movements. Check out some of the preventative exercises below!

    Hands-On Therapy
    Last but not least, the use of hands-on therapy can work well for reducing muscular and joint pain, as well as aiding with movement and exercise. Used in conjunction with movement, joint mobilizations, myofascial release, massage, dry needling, cupping, and thrust manipulations can all help re-establish movement and manage pain.

    Exercises To Prevent Low Back Pain
    Make sure you try these exercises to help with your low back pain.

    1. Core activation + 4-Point Plank

    See video here

    2. Core activation + glute bridge

    See video here

    3. Core activation + Good morning

    See video here

    4. CARs for hips

    See video here

    5. Lateral hip openers

    See video here

    6. 3D Hip Flexor

    See video here

    Want to start managing your low back pain?
    Book a session with one of our expert therapists! They will assess your movements and set you up on a FutureProof plan to increase your mobility, reduce pain and prevent injury.

    Find your nearest location

    • 2 min read

    Dr. Angad Ahluwalia

    Posted on

    Education

    5-minute Exercise Routine for Office Workers


    Are you sat down for most of the day?
    Do you get tension in your neck?
    How about stiffness in your mid-back?
    Hips tired of sitting?

    Ready for some relief?

    Try this exercise routine for office workers!

    All you need is a chair, a doorframe, and your favourite walking shoes.



    1. Trapezius stretch
    (3-5 reps on each side, every 2-3 hours)
    Sitting upright with your arms relaxed, tuck your chin in slightly, and slowly bend your neck towards one shoulder. Hold for 10-15 seconds, and repeat on the other side.

    Where to feel the stretch: Along the lengthened part of your neck and upper shoulder.

    Want an added stretch? Gently using your opposite hand, get the desired stretch by bringing your head just a little closer to your shoulder.

    5-minute stretches



    2. Pectoralis stretch
    (3-5 reps on each side, every 1-2 hours)
    Standing at a door frame, bend your shoulder and elbow up to 90 degrees and rest your forearm and hand along the doorframe.

    Position the leg closest to the door frame slightly forward, with your opposite leg slightly behind you, as if you are getting into a lunge position.

    Slowly lean forward into a lunge position as you hold for 10-15 seconds – you only need to go far enough to feel the stretch.

    Where to feel the stretch: Along the front of the chest and shoulder.

    office worker exercise routine



    3. Scapular retractions
    (10 reps, twice daily)
    Sitting upright, tuck your chin in slightly, and bend your shoulders and elbows to about 90 degrees.

    Now, slowly bring your shoulder blades back towards each other as if you were trying to squeeze the muscles between them – try not to shrug your shoulders!

    Hold for 5-10 seconds.

    Where to feel the contraction: between your shoulder blades.

    desk life



    4. Figure-4 stretch
    Sitting upright, bend one leg so that your ankle is now resting just above the opposite knee. Your legs should look like the number ‘4’ in this position.

    For an added stretch, gently lean your body forward as desired.

    Where to feel the stretch: Along the backside of the hip, and inside of the thigh, on the leg that is bent.

    office worker exercise routine



    5. Walk, walk, walk!
    Your body is designed to move, which is why walking is a great way to keep your blood pumping, joints moving, and your muscles active! We know it’s hard to plan for a walk during a busy work day, so here are some helpful tips to get started:

  • Taking the elevator? Try getting off one floor earlier, and taking the stairs the rest of the way
  • Long drive? Try parking a little further away from the office door, to get some extra steps in!
  • Catching up with your work bestie? Why not walk at the same time!
  • Working from home? Enjoy the new warm weather with a walk outside!

    Regardless of how you choose to exercise, the most important part is that you’re moving freely, safely, and happily. Talk to your healthcare professional to see whether these exercises are right for you, especially if any other symptoms or conditions are present.

    office worker exercise routine



    Why these 5 exercises?
    When you’re sitting at a desk for hours, the muscles that try to keep you upright often get fatigued, and the ones that compensate end up tight.

    This exercise routine for office workers lengthens tight muscles and strengthens the ones that keep your posture upright. All these exercises should only be performed within a comfortable range of motion, without causing any pain or aggravation.

    Want a more individualized plan and assessment?
    Book a session with me! I will assess your movements and body to set you up on a plan to increase your mobility, reduce pain, and prevent injury.

    Book your session today

    • 3 min read

    Alex Hart

    Posted on

    Education

    How To Bar Hop Without Lower Back Pain

    After a long day of work, spending a few hours unwinding at the bar with friends is common for a lot of us. But hours of drinking ultimately leads to prolonged sitting and standing, which could result in nagging lower back pain.

    Nobody thinks about physical health while enjoying themselves at the bar. But you may want to reconsider and start using the chair or foot rail to help reduce that nagging lower back pain.

    Difficulties meeting the prolonged postural demands hints towards a bigger issue than simply, “back pain.” This term has previously been called lower cross syndrome and is a way to conceptualize a combination of muscle imbalances that results in constant lower back pain.

    ralph

    These imbalances typically consist of the following:

    • Tight lumbar extensors
    • Weak / Inhibited Abdominals
    • Tight Hip flexors
    • Weak / Inhibited gluteus muscles

    The result is a hyperlordosis in our back, more commonly known as anterior pelvic tilt. But good news! If you find yourself stuck in this situation, you can work to counteract some of the tight muscles that may be causing these issues.

    Here are three quick exercises you can do at the bar without catching too much attention.

    ralph

    90/90 Breathing

    This move is a great workout that uses specific muscle activation patterns to help alleviate a tight lower back and hip flexors.

    • In a sitting position, place your heels in front of the two front legs of the chair.
    • Make a fist with both hands and place them between your knees.
    • Press your heels into the legs of the chair, activating your hamstrings on the backside of your thigh.
    • Lightly squeeze together your knees against your fists, activating your adductors (groin muscles).
    • While breathing slowly, imagine tucking your tailbone underneath yourself, this is called a posterior pelvic tilt.
    • Repeat this for 2-3 minutes.

    ralph

    Couch Stretch

    This move stretches out your hip flexors, which often tightens after prolonged standing ?

    • While standing and using a high chair, bring your foot up to the seat
    • Tuck your tailbone underneath yourself by lightly contracting your abdominals.
    • Take slow and deep breaths in through your nose and exhale through your mouth.
    • Repeat this for 20 secs, 2-3 times.

    ralph

    Figure Four Stretch

    This stretch will target a muscle deep to the glutes called the piriformis. Doing this move will help alleviate some of the tightness  on the tailbone you feel from a long period of sitting. 

    • Using a high chair in front of you, bring your leg up onto it so that the outside of your shin is flat on the seat.
    • Take a deep breath in and out, and lightly lean forward at the hips do go deeper into this stretch
    • If your leg doesn’t lay flat, feel free to use a fist between your knee and the seat surface.
    • Repeat this for 20 secs, 2-3 times.

    So next time you decide to spend an evening at the bar, make sure to try these exercises and avoid a “lower back hangover.”

    3 min read

    Dr. Kevin Marryshow

    Posted on

    Education

    How To Netflix And Chill Without The Back Pain

     

    We’ve all been there before. One hour on Netflix quickly turns into twelve hours slouched on your couch and before you know it, you’re experiencing lower back pain.

    Before you decide to invest the next twelve consecutive hours of your day cuddled up with your partner, make sure to take the proper steps to avoid any potential back pain.

    To help avoid any injuries, we’ve outlined the top five things you need to know so you can Netflix and chill, sans the back pain.

    Plank before the meet-up

    ralph

    Before you head over to your date’s place, do a plank. Getting into a plank position is an excellent way to get your core muscles engaged to take on the stresses of a TV marathon. I mean, you could do a plank at her house, but there is no guarantee she won’t consider you a weirdo. For the sake of argument, get to know her first before you make her living room your personal space.

    Slouching isn’t attractive

    ralph

    Slouching creates a posterior pelvic tilt and it adds additional stress on your back. To avoid any back pain, slide your butt right back into the wedge where the backrest meets the cushion.

    It’s good to kick it, but not with your feet up

    ralph

    Putting your feet up seems relaxing, but the temporary bliss is just adding more stress on your lower back. If you want to test your back out, try sitting with your feet up for three hours while slouching. You may make it through the next episode, but eventually your back will give in.

    Don’t overlook the figure-four stretch

    ralph

    Every hour, take a break and try a duo “figure four stretch.” There is no better way to show your date that you take good care of your body.

    1. Slide forward to the edge of your seat
    2. Cross one leg over the other into a figure 4
    3. Sit up tall until you feel a stretch in your glutes
    4. Hold for 30 seconds
    5. Repeat three times on both sides

    Every step you take counts

    ralph

     

    Whether it’s bathroom breaks, refilling your drinks, or restocking snacks, getting up from your seat will have a positive impact on your back. Going for a walk mid-way into your TV binge will alleviate the stress on your back and provide you with the perfect solutions to avoid any post-Netflix and chill back pain.

    2 min read

    How To Properly Sit At Your Desk

    Posted on

    Education

    How To Properly Sit At Your Desk

     

    The majority of people sit either with a flat lumbar spine or overarched lumbar spine. 

    Sitting incorrectly creates improper compensations, inefficient use of the musculature and compression of the spinal disk. These dysfunctional sitting postures can be carried over into standing and movement patterns which can have a drastic effect on your health.

    Also, sitting while under stress (i.e. at work) taps into your sympathetic nervous system (fight or flight). Since you can’t punch your boss, out (fight) or run away from work (flight), your sympathetic nervous system is on overload constantly even when you get home. You cannot tap back into your parasympathetic nervous system to rest and digest, that is why so many people cannot sleep well and have poor digestion. By repeating the cycle day in and day out, it’s no wonder why people die prematurely.

    So how do you resolve this? Well, for starters try to not to sit so much. Go for walks, find a movement practice to destress, and meditate.

    If you have to sit, sit with a posture that is supportive for your structure.

    elias

    Many of us spend way too much time sitting at work with a posture that is not supportive for our bone structure and tissues.

    Sitting up straight and pulling your shoulders back are important to keep in mind, but they are difficult to do unless you keep your pelvis neutral. How do I do that?

    • Find your “SITS” bones. Get in a chair and when you feel two hard/firm bumps, you want to sit right on top of them. If you tilt your butt back, you will feel them move backwards.
    • Try to slouch upper body without allowing your pelvis to posterior tilt.
    • Come back up then allow your pelvis to posterior tilt (Tuck tail under). You will notice your upper body drop into a slouch
    • Keeping your pelvis in posterior tilt, try to straighten your spine, so you are upright.

    It’s hard to keep everything lined up if your pelvis is not level but it’s so much easier when it is!

    1 min read

    Staff

    Posted on

    Education

    This Is Why You Don’t Have Good Posture

    If you’re not standing or sitting straight, it’s not your fault you don’t have good posture.

    How often do you hear the importance of good posture? They’re either nagging you to, “sit straight, keep your chest out, and stomach in!
” or “stop slouching and keep those shoulders back!”

    You’re constantly bombarded with advice and suggestions on how to be “posturally sound.” But unless you make a conscious effort to “sit straight”, you are quick to revert to your old habits! Here’s what you guys have been waiting your entire life to hear – it’s not your fault! 

The problem is that people confuse “posture” with “structure.” Posture is the ability to hold the structure of your body. Structure (when it comes to your body) is how your body stacks with gravity.

    Wait, what? Okay, let us break it down. When the structure is properly balanced, your body is stacked well, which means it’s much natural to have good posture. While there are many other reasons that cause poor posture, in this case, we should clearly look at how the structure of our body directly effects our posture. A person slouches not because he has bad habits, but because their body structure doesn’t make it easy for the person not to slouch.

    Do you want to get someone to sit straight? Focus on the structure of your body so when sit down or stand, you’ll notice a drastic improvement with your posture.