September 2009

Wrist braces

by Dominique on September 22, 2009

I have been suffering from a Repetitive Strain Injury (RSI), should I wear a splint or wrist support?

We often see clients coming in wearing a wrist brace that has been prescribed to “help” their RSI condition.  Is it really warranted? Is it the right thing to do?

Considering the fact that repetitive strain injuries are typically a result of shortened muscles and connective tissues that require to be stretched and elongated on a regular basis, wearing a brace is counterproductive.  Why?  Ask yourself the following simple questions: [click to continue…]

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Heart Rate

by Dominique on September 15, 2009

How to Determine Your Resting Heart Rate
and it’s Role in Exercise

Resting Heart Rate

Your resting heart rate is a very simple indicator of your basic fitness level and gives you an insight into your cardiovascular health. It is best calculated when you first wake up, before you even get out of bed, take a shower and have a healthy breakfast.

Take you resting heart rate for a full minute for 3 consecutive mornings and average the numbers. If you can’t do it in the morning, make sure you slow down, rest and relax for at least 15 minutes before measuring your resting heart rate. A normal adult range will fall between 60 to 80 beats per minute. An athlete’s range will typically fall in a range between 35 to 60 beats per minute. The bpm will usually be inversely related to how good a shape you are in.

If you embark into an exercise program, your heart will become more efficient at pumping blood and your resting heart rate should decrease. However, your RHR is a great indicator of overtraining. [click to continue…]

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Myofascial release treatment includes several manual techniques that are used to treat soft tissue disorders. Authors such as Travell, Barnes, Walther, Nimmo, Rolf, Leahy and Mock have developed their own treatments. Although different in their ways, they all try to reach a same goal: locate impediments to normal function in and around the myofascial structures and then remove them.

Diagnosis of myofascial lesions is based on a thorough history, an extensive exam that includes palpation, postural analysis, various ranges of motion, manual muscle testing and a battery of orthopedic tests. The involved muscles are palpated carefully to determine their integrity, feel for Trigger Points (taut painful palpable bands within a muscle), areas of induration (hardening), adhesions and fibrosis (scar tissue). Manual muscle testing helps the clinician better isolate the area of injury.
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