Stretching for the Hill

So now that the snow has arrived, your dusting off the skis or board and getting ready for the slopes. You got your tune up or your excited to try out that new equipment. Are you forgetting something? Mitts, hat, layers ... Stretch!

Regardless if you have been riding for years or are trying it out for the first time you nee to warm up those muscles. 

Remember all stretches should be pain free am held no less than 15 - 30 seconds and repeated for each side two to three times.

Start with some trunk rotations:

Put our hands on your hips and rotate side to side slowly about ten times.

Side stretches:

In a relaxed stance raise one arm over you head while the other is on your hip.  Bend sideways towards the  floor bringing the raised arm over your head.

Hamstring ( back of your leg ):

Raise your leg up on your car bumper or simply bring one foot infringement of the other and lean towards the raised or front foot. 

Quadriceps ( front of your leg ):

Balance yourself standing upright and bring the heel of your foot to your backside by bending your knee.

Calf muscles ( lower leg ):

Place the ball your toes on a wall or something upright with your heel on the ground. Push your hips forward slowly.

Arms :

Start with cross body stretch where one arm crosses the chest while the other holds the elbow. 

Lower arm :

Pull your fingers gently back while your palms are facing down and then push them down towards the floor.

End with small circles forward with your palms down letting the circles get bigger then turn your palms up and reverse.

After your all stretched you will be ready for the hill.

And if your not hitting the slopes but are on the hill here at blue, visit us at Kalola Boutique and Spa for a relaxing hot stone massage, a Swedish massage or any other signature massages performed by our registered massage therapists.

Nathaniel Porter-Gowan,RMT

Pectoral Stretching

You have constant back pain. You drive a lot. Sit at a desk in front of a computer. Slouch, can't relax, can't sleep, always massaging your neck and upper traps. Sound familiar?

Just like my blog about setting your shoulders, pectoral stretches is another key to relieving that constant back pain. By stretching our pectoral muscles the elongated muscles at the back of our neck, shoulders, and back get a chance to relax. Because of the tight muscles in the front of our body the ones in the back get pulled constantly. They become sore because they are always stretched. Like an elastic band when its pulled it gets tight. Same goes for those muscles in the back. The front muscles pull, the back muscles stretch creating a tightness through our shoulders and neck. So how can we alleviate some of that constant pain without anti-inflammatory or muscle relaxants?

Pectoral Stretches

The best way to do pectoral stretches I found was in a door way. Stretching one arm at a time helps you focus from left and right. One side might be tighter or compensating for the other so doing one side at a time helps pin point specific muscles. In the picture it depicts doing both arms at the same time. This also works and with busy schedules is better than not doing it at all.

Hold each stretch for 15 to 30 seconds. Make sure you stretch both sides regardless where the pain is. In the picture you can see one leg forward. This helps with balance and also prevents over stretching and tearing the pectorals. Every stretch should be pain free. If it starts to hurt or you feel dizzy, lightheaded or out of breath stop immediately. Stretching is to relax the muscles not work them out. Do these stretches three times, twice a day. In no time that back pain you keep on massaging will dissipate leaving you pain free and more mobile.

Good luck

Nathaniel Porter-Gowan, RMT

COLD HYDROTHERAPY

    I get asked quite often by my clients at Kalola Boutique and Spa, " Should I use hot or Cold?" This question often arises after someone falls off their bike coming down the mountain, strains a muscle on the golf coarse or simply waking up with a stiff neck.

The answer is usually time related.

   I recommend cold for acute injuries. Just after they happen. Cold therapy such as ice packs, cold gel packs, cold cloths and/or water constrict the blood vessels (make them smaller.) This slows down blood flow to the area reducing the pain and inflammation. Cold therapy is often used for bumps and bruising as well as immediate strains and sprains.

* Caution: When using cold therapy you must follow four simple steps called C.B.A.N. and never put cold therapy directly on your skin. Use a wet towel as a barrier between the cold and your skin to prevent further damage to the area.

C.B.A.N. is an acronym for Cold, Burning, Aching, Numb. You will feel these four sensations when applying cold therapy. Once your skin reaches the numb stage remove the cold application and do not reapply until the tissue returns to normal temperature.

Setting your Shoulders

    One of the most common problem I see today at Kalola Boutique and Spa is upper back and neck pain. My clients are constantly asking how they can alleviate the stress that builds up causing them pain and discomfort. A simple solution: SETTING YOUR SHOULDERS"

     The most common cause of pain behind the neck and into the shoulders is work related. Sitting in front of the computer for long periods of time makes our body begins to "sag" forward, our head tilts downwards and the shoulders start to rotate inward shortening the pectorals or chest muscles. When this happens the muscles in the back stretch out to compensate for the pulling in the front. Just like a rubber band when a muscle gets stretched it tightens up causing tension. Since the majority of us don't have the luxury of simply switching jobs paying attention to our posture will help immensely.

Setting your shoulders:

In a relaxed position raise your shoulders towards your ears
Next bring them straight back moving only your shoulders
Again moving only your shoulders bring them straight down to the final position

Now your set. Literally.

A quick little hint: Put a sticky note on your computer, rear view mirror or both simply stating "SET YOUR SHOULDERS". This will be your constant reminder for relieving that ongoing back pain.

Nathaniel Porter-Gowan,RMT

Bath Salts

With the changing seasons our body adapts to its surroundings. The biggest organ of our body is our skin and its no exception. A great way to hydrate, cleanse toxins from the body and boost immunity is to use bath salts when soaking in the tub. Bath salts can help release muscle tension and improve minor skin irritations. From insect bites and calluses to more serious conditions such as psoriasis, athletes foot, and eczema can also benefit from weekly soaking.

When picking the right bath salt make sure it is crystalline and not lumpy. For the best results it should contains all natural ingredients and nutrients. You can also infuse the bath salts with essential oils like lavender and vanilla for a more relaxing soak.

How it works: Water naturally follows salt binding it together. When the bath salts are absorbed into our skin water comes with it, hydrating our body. Bath salts are made up of magnesium sulfates. Magnesium and sulfate both play a huge part in how our body functions. Taking a bath salt bath twice a week can help you regain homeostasis by reducing stress, relaxing tired muscles, softening skin and maybe even reduce the look of wrinkles.

Enjoy

Shin Splints

     Living on Blue Mountain I do a lot of hiking up and running down hills. One of the biggest problems from doing this is shin splints. The change in surfaces (grass, dirt, rock, asphalt) play a big part in how your foot impacts the ground. Your foot will collapse and arch differently causing irritation in the muscles that support  your feet and lower leg.

     The first step in relieving the pain is rest. You need to let your muscles heal. Inflamed muscles are usually the cause of the pain, massaging your lower leg with ice will help decrease the pressure and alleviate discomfort. Follow four steps called *C.B.A.N. whenever using ice therapy to avoid further injury.

Prevention:

The best way to avoid shin splints is stretching. Your quadriceps, hamstrings, calve muscles and anterior compartment all play a part in how you run or walk. Hold each stretch for at least 15-30 seconds and make sure to repeat for both legs.

A good pair of shoes will help you feel comfortable and support the arch of your feet, orthopedic insoles can be transferred from shoe to shoe and can help immensely.

A new and effective prevention method is Kinesio Taping. Kinesio taping stabilizes the joints and supports muscles without affecting circulation or mobility.

This is a diagram of a leg being Kinesio Taped supporting the lateral and medial lower leg.



Shin splints may also be cause by hair line fractures. If pain persists longer than a week after using the above treatment see you doctor or family physician.

Nathaniel Porter-Gowan,RMT


*C.B.A.N. The four steps you should feel when applying ice therapy are Cold, Burning, Aching, Numb.
                 Once the muscles feel numb remove the ice and do not reapply until all tissue returns to
                  normal temperature.

Tension Headache Relief

Tension Headaches are the most common type of headache, described as pain and discomfort in the neck, scalp and across the head area. Many people get headaches for many different reasons. Stress, temperature change, life style change, work conditions, anxiety, and fatigue are just some of the reasons they occur. A great way to reduce the pressure is hydrotherapy. Take a hand towel and roll it length wise. Get it wet and ring it out so its no longer dripping. Fold it in half and place it in your freezer. When one of those unexpected headaches occur you will be ready. Simply take the towel out of the freezer and place it around your neck. Place your feet in some warm water. A basin works best but your tub works well also. The warm water will draw the pressure out of your head and the cold cloth will prevent it from returning. That unwanted headache will disappear in no time. Re-wet the towel or get a new one and replace it in the freezer for the next time. Good luck

Nathaniel Porter-Gowan,Rmt

Visit us at  http://www.kalola.ca/ to book your next spa service today.