The Health Effects of a Sedentary Lifestyle The physical, economic, and social environments in which modern humans operate have dramatically changed since the middle of the last century. These changes have been associated with significantly reduced demands for physical activity. How Have Things Changed? Consider the move that we have made from our hunter-gather roots to our modern routines. First we started out as dynamic active individuals who relied on movement and fitness

What is Active Release Technique (ART®)? Active Release Techniques ® is a patented soft tissue treatment system. It was designed to provide clinicians with an advanced system of diagnosis and manual treatment for soft tissue disorders. These include cumulative trauma disorders (tendonitis, plantar fasciitis), Repetitive Strain Injuries (carpal tunnel syndrome, trigger finger), postural strain, sports injuries and general wear and tear on the muscles, ligaments and joints of t

Avoid Back Pain With These Helpful Tips Whitby and Brooklin got a nice taste of snow this week, and more is certainly on the way. Before heading out to clear off the driveway, here are some tips to minimize strain on your back and joints. 1. Don’t let the snow pile up Consider that each shovel-full of snow can weigh 5-7 pounds. If we let the snow pile up, we can be lifting hundreds of pounds of snow over the course of one bout of shovelling. Moving small amounts of snow more

What is Contemporary Medical Acupuncture? Contemporary Acupuncture re-defines an ancient therapy, its mechanisms and effects using present-day scientific understanding of human physiology. On the surface this form of acupuncture looks very similar to that which is performed in Traditional Chinese Medicine. The treatment involves the insertion of small, thin needles in to specifically determined points in the body to achieve a therapeutic benefit. These locations can include t

Summer is here, and with that warm weather comes more walkers and joggers on the streets of Toronto. Dusting off your running shoes and hitting the pavement for the first can cause aches and pains in our knees. When considering common causes of knee pain during running, we need to consider muscle weakness and imbalances above and below the knee. This blog will explore how weakness in the hip contributes to patellofemoral pain (PFPS). Patellofemoral pain syndrome results from

Preventing Back Injury Starts at Your Core: When it comes to protecting your low back and discs against injury, increasing stability is essential. Leading spine biomechanics researcher Stuart McGill has developed the “big three” exercises aimed at increasing spinal stability. This is accomplished through activating and enhancing the endurance of the muscles that support the spine. A common perception of strength training is that it involves working on one muscle at a time, bu