Muscle Activation Technique (MAT) Are Poor Movement Patterns Holding You Back?

By: Sarah Kuindersma MATm, PTS

Do you feel like your daily movement patterns don't feel quite right? Have you caught yourself saying man I feel old, or my body just doesn't do that anymore?

Did you know you can change the way you feel and move? Active Sports Therapy is proud to have a certified Muscle Activation Techniques Master Specialist who specializes in helping patients correct poor movement mechanics.

What is MAT?

Muscle Activation Techniques MAT is an exercise based technique that assess and corrects poor movement patterns and inefficient neural muscle firing within the body that can contribute to poor posture, joint tenderness and muscular pain.

How does it work?

MAT first identifies where there are imbalances in the body, then helps restore proper function through manual palpation and specific exercises. These imbalances are muscle compensations triggered through trauma, exercising with improper form or overall fatigue and stress to the system. Certain body parts compensate for other weaker body parks. Essentially, following an injury or too much stress, muscles can shut down neurologically which forces other muscles to work overtime. This is known as muscle compensation patterns. These patterns can continue after the injury is no longer a problem which can contribute to pain or postural abnormalities post-rehab for the initial injury/stressor.

What’s the goal?

The primary goal of MAT is to reduce pain and tension in overworked muscles, which become damaged and fatigued due to learned compensation patterns. Soft tissue manipulations can help to stretch painful or tight areas and even correct posture, but if the tightness quickly returns it means the body has built this compensatory pattern that needs to be re-taught the proper way to function to have a longer lasting result. Without addressing the underlying cause the pattern will continue.

History

MAT's® corrective movement system was first created by Greg Roskopf in 1999. He created this unique system of precise muscle tests and adjustments to help correct muscle and movement memories that were stored in the brain region that’s responsible for learned motor control.

Book a Free 15 Minute Meet & Greet

If you are interested in finding out more if MAT can help you move better call AST and book a free 15 minute meet and greet with Sarah Kuindersma to learn more. Connect with us via our contact page here.

Active Release Therapy for Sciatica

By: Active Sports Therapy

Sciatica is a pain syndrome that is caused when the sciatic nerve is compressed by muscles located within the pelvis. The sciatic nerve branches from the lower back, through your hips and buttocks, and then it heads down each leg.  A person with symptoms of sciatica might experience the following:

The pain is often one-sided, and extends from one’s lower back down through the leg, and, in some cases a person may feel they symptoms all the way down to their toes. This usually is dependent on where exactly the sciatic nerve is being affected.

Causes of Sciatica

The main causes of sciatica are:

Treatments

At Active Sports Therapy, one treatment we use for sciatica is Active Release Therapy/Active Release Techniques®. To help with sciatica, ART can be helpful in that it can break up adhesions and scar tissue, as well as reduce any muscle spasms that are contributing to the problem. This will help to take the pressure off of the neve, allowing the symptoms to ease and often resolve. The practitioner will treat the soft tissue of the area by using a hands-on treatment that uses pressure and movements to work on the tendons, muscles, and fascia associated with your issue.

In addition to Active Release Therapy, acupuncture and cupping can also help relieve the symptoms of sciatica. For a deeper look into sciatica, please visit Dr. Corey Finan's blog, The Many Faces of Sciatica.

What You Can Do to Help With Your Sciatica Problem

  1. Maintain a healthy body weight.
  2. Take regular stretching breaks if you have an occupation that requires sitting. Stand up, move around, and employ some stretches that specifically target tight muscles that can lead to sciatic pain such as the piriformis.
  3. Exercise and working to build strong core and back muscles will improve your posture and in turn allow your body to move and sit in a more proper way, taking some of the pressure off of the sciatic nerve.
  4. Use ice and heat as needed. Alternating ice and heat can help bring some relief to sciatica sufferers. Remember that ice is anti-inflammatory and heat provides relaxation and increased blood flow. You will need both to combat this pain as opposed to just heat alone.
  5. Try laying on your back on the floor with a pillow under your knees. The floor is better than laying in a soft bed because of the support that it will provide.

Please give us a call if you are looking for help with your sciatica at 403-278-1405. Our team will be happy to setup an appointment for you. The earlier you start treatment, the sooner you’ll see results!

*This blog is not intended to officially establish a physician-patient relationship, to replace the services of a trained physician, naturopathic doctor, physical therapist or chiropractor or otherwise to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.  

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome and Treatments

By: Dr. Corey Finan BSc., DC, CCSP, RMT, ART

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (CTS) is a condition in which the patient feels pain, numbness, tingling and other symptoms that can be uncomfortable or painful in the hand and arm. It is caused by the compression of the nerve in the carpal tunnel, hence it’s name. The carpal tunnel is a narrow passageway on the palm side of the wrist. The issue is related to the median nerve which goes from your forearm and through the carpal tunnel passageway to your hand. It is responsible for sensation in your hands as well as muscle function. When this nerve is irritated, or the passageway is narrowed, then we feel the symptoms of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.

Causes can range from arthritis and inflammation, workplace factors such as computer work and working with tools where repetitive motion is required. Obesity is a risk factor, and females tend to suffer from this condition more often than men.

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome will usually start off progressing in a gradual way. The most common symptoms include the following:

Tingling and Numbness – this could be in your hand or in your fingers and is often felt in the thumb, index, middle or ring fingers. The sensation may travel from the wrist and even into the arm. You may feel these sensations when the hands are outstretched doing something such as holding a newspaper or book, or a smart phone.

Weakness – You may feel like your hands are weaker than usual. This could be due to the numbness and the issues that are happening in the median nerve.

Preventative Measures:

Other Things to Consider: 

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome can occur in anyone, but there are some things that you may want to look at first before thinking you have CTS.  First, there is a much more common cause for numbness and pain in the hand / fingers, and that is Cubital Tunnel Syndrome, which is a nerve entrapment in the elbow where the nerves enter the forearm.  Often repetitive strain at the hand and wrist can cause the muscles in the forearm and elbow to become tight, and thus compress the nerves to your hand.  Another important caveat would be to consider whether conservative care would be a better alternative for you, or if surgery may be the way to go. A trial of conservative care, specifically Active Release Therapy (ART), may prevent the need for surgery.  You can easily determine that by doing a Diagnostic Ultrasound of the Median Nerve at the Carpal Tunnel.  If the nerve is enlarged, you can be certain that it is inflamed at the tunnel.  This would indicate that the decompression surgery typical of CTS surgery would be of benefit to you.  However, if the nerve is of normal size, then you should not do the surgery, and seek conservative care and look elsewhere in the body for the problem.  These are simple guidelines that can help you determine which direction to go.  All of the Doctors at AST can order the Diagnostic Ultrasound imaging and can interpret the results and give guidance as needed.

Treatment From Our Clinic

If you think you may be suffering from Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, our clinic has several treatments that might benefit you. Active Release Techniques for one can be very helpful to treat this syndrome. The practitioner will evaluate your mobility and tightness of the area which will usually be due to the presence of scar tissue. By using manual pressure, the practitioner can break up the scar tissue to lessen the pressure on the median nerve, resulting in a reduction in symptoms. Many people can find relief in just a few treatments!  There are several forearm muscle stretches and exercises that we can teach you to help remove some of the symptoms, and more importantly keep them at bay once you improve.  We also provide IMS which can help with pain relief in the forearm muscles, and Graston Technique which is an instrument assisted soft tissue treatment designed to help break down scar tissue and release tight muscles.  Shockwave Therapy and Laser Therapy can also be additional therapies that can speed recovery.  We have seen hundreds of cases of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome over the years with most resolving successfully in a relatively short period of time.

If you believe that you might be suffering from Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, please give us call to book your appointment.

*This blog is not intended to officially establish a physician-patient relationship, to replace the services of a trained physician, naturopathic doctor, physical therapist or chiropractor or otherwise to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.

Plantar Fasciitis: Could You Have It?

By: Dr. David Westmacott, DC

If you know the term Plantar Fasciitis, you have probably had it, or know someone who has.

A Person Suffering From This Condition Will:

What is Plantar Fascia?

The plantar fascia functions as a  “bowstring” that connects the heel bone to the ball of the foot and toes in order to maintain the arch of the foot. It experiences tension that is approximately 2 times a person’s body weight when the heel lifts off the ground with walking. Increased tension on the planter fascia due to tight calf muscles, flat feet or high arches, prolonged standing or walking on hard surfaces, being over weight, improper warm up, or sudden injury, causes irritation at the attachment of the plantar fascia to the heel bone.

The Injury Cycle Is As Follows:

Micro tears in the fascia’s attachment to the heel bone, due to increased tensile stress, causes inflammation to occur, and dense, fibrotic scar tissue is formed as part of the normal healing process. Scar tissue is a “glue like” substance that is resistant to stretch. The normal elasticity of the fascia is decreased, causing pain and compromising the overall function of the fascia. The fascia can no longer do its job of maintaining the arch of the foot.

Treatment

The key to eliminating Plantar Fasciitis, is to break down the fibrotic scar to restore the normal elasticity and pliability of the fascia. This allows proper arch support and thus normal foot mechanics. Tight calf muscles must also be stretched out to reduce strain on the plantar fascia.

Active Release Therapy, (ART) is a soft tissue treatment system that releases scar tissue from injured muscles, tendons and fascia, and is performed by the practitioner to release the scar tissue at the heel. Tight calf muscles are stretched by the practitioner using a combination of ART combined with deep tissue massage. In order for plantar fasciitis to heal, the scar tissue must be broken down.

Another treatment that is often successful is Shockwave Therapy which has proven to be helpful for many chronic conditions. This therapy uses acoustic waves with high energy peaks that interact with tissue, causing effects such as accelerated tissue repair and cell growth, pain relief, and mobility restoration.

What Else Can I Do?

Switch to low impact activities such as cycling, swimming or deepwater running to reduce stress and irritation of the plantar fascia. Walking through the pain can worsen and prolong the condition.  Proper footwear with good arch support and cushioning must be used.

Athletic taping can help speed healing by protecting the fascia from re-injury. Finally, by massaging and stretching the bottom of the foot and calf muscles before getting out of bed each morning, the typical heel pain with the first few steps can be reduced causing less irritation at the heel.   The calf muscles should also be stretched 3 to 5 times during the day.

Plantar Fasciitis can be prevented by maintaining the flexibility of the plantar fascia and calf muscles with a regular stretching program. Good quality footwear with arch support and cushioning are essential. Consider talking to your doctor or chiropractor about the benefits of orthotics. At Active Sports Therapy you can speak with your chiropractor about having your feet scanned on our Footmaxx Orthotics machine to help determine if orthotics could be part of your treatment plan.

Help From Active Sports Therapy

The doctors and practitioners of Active Sports Therapy have had great success in the treatment of Plantar Fasciitis. It is essential to be treated for this condition, if you have it or think you may have it, as soon as possible to prevent an easily treated case from becoming a long term, debilitating problem.

*This blog is not intended to officially establish a physician-patient relationship, to replace the services of a trained physician, naturopathic doctor, physical therapist or chiropractor or otherwise to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.

Change Your Core and Change Your Life

By: Dr. Corey Finan DC and Ellen Rossiter, PT

What is the “Core”

The “Core” in human terms is used to describe a series of musculoskeletal tissues that function together to provide a rigid structure by which the torso is able to transmit power from the upper body to the lower body and vice versa. Together they comprise most of the muscles, ligaments, and tendons of the body in some manner.

This area of the body is integral to human movement because in order for an individual to product correct motions and actions (walking, running, throwing, etc) there must be a fixation point on the axial skeleton that can provide stabilizing action for the extremity muscles to move from.

The core muscles are made up of the muscles from the whole back, including deep rotator muscles that stabilize the spine and long muscles that stabilize one’s torso. Of course, everyone has heard of the abdominal muscles too, and their contribution to the core. These include Transverse Abdominus, Rectus Abdominus, and the Abdominal Obliques.

Most people forget this aspect, but there are also muscles from the hip that contribute to the core, including the Psoas and the Adductors in the front, and the Gluteal Muscles and Hamstrings in the back.

Another important group of muscles that play a role are those of the Pelvic Floor which form the bottom of the pelvis and contribute to overall intra-abdominal pressure creation.

Perhaps the most important muscle involved in core control is the Diaphragm.

Functional Stabilization

As you can see, there are many muscles that make up and contribute to the ‘Core’ that we all hear so much about and if one muscle (even part of one, such as with a trigger point) is dysfunctional then the entire stabilizing function is disrupted and the quality of movement is compromised.

So Why Does My Back Hurt and How is it Related to My Core?

Here are a few reasons why one might experience back pain from an issue with the core:

And here are some more specific examples:

Sitting

 Previous injury

Workouts

Pregnancy

What Can You Do to Ensure a Strong Core?

A great place to start is with your breathing! That diaphragm muscle that we mentioned above is both a muscle of respiration and a postural muscle. Correction of a faulty respiratory pattern is actually integral to the success of any rehabilitation program that aims to address the movement system.

Here is how you might practice and strengthen this muscle and pattern:

It sounds simple but it really can take some practice to ensure you’re doing this right. Once you’ve mastered this first step to building your core, you can move on to more challenging groups of exercises. Did you know that you can book in with your chiropractor or physiotherapist if you think your core is related to your back pain or movement issues? They can assess where you are at and help to build a safe and effective set of exercises to help you change your core, and change your life!

*This blog is not intended to officially establish a physician-patient relationship, to replace the services of a trained physician, naturopathic doctor, physical therapist or chiropractor or otherwise to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.

Supplements and Stress

By Kira Greasley, BA, CHNC

Did you know that a moderate amount of stress is beneficial! It can stimulate motivation and even protect the body from infection. However, chronic stress should not be ignored as it can contribute to cardiac, digestive, immune and mental health disorders. It is also important to keep in mind that how and what a person perceives as stressful is subjective to the individual. Getting to the root cause to assess and understand where your ‘Stressors’ are coming from and trying to eliminate or at least minimize your exposure to them will benefit you emotionally and physically.

One area that everyone has control over is the food you consume. Poor quality food is a very common source of the stress reaction in the body. This includes regularly ingesting foods you are sensitive to as well as consuming non organic foods (why? pesticides, herbicides, fungicides,  and fertilizers to name a few makes for a messy chemistry experiment in your body), processed foods, GMO foods, and high glycemic foods such as sugar, refined carbohydrates and flour.

So what can YOU do? One thing is, when it comes to food, I have this simple rule; stay to the outside of the grocery store and if it hasn’t had a life, it is not going to give you life. Secondly, since stress burns through many key nutrients such as B Vitamins, Zinc and Vitamin C, it could be important for you to supplement with the following:

When choosing a supplement, they should be 3rd party tested, contain no fillers or additives and be free of gluten dairy and soy. Expensive does not always mean better and cheap is just that. It is always best to speak to a knowledgeable professional at a vitamin & supplement store in your area.

**It is important to always consult your ND or MD/healthcare provider before starting anything new to ensure that the supplements are the right choice for you and will not interact with any medications you may be on.

**Supplementation is not intended to replace any current medications you may be on for anxiety or mood disorders. Again. It will be important to discuss these additions with your physician so that you may be monitored and medication doses adjusted as needed.

Best Sleeping Positions for Pain Relief

By: Riley Weiler, MRU Practicum Student at AST

Sleep, like pain or injury, is unique to each individual. Most people have that ‘go-to’ sleeping position, whether that be on your back, side, stomach, or some type of combination. No matter what your preference is, if you’re finding that you frequently wake up feeling stiff and sore, keep reading for 3 tips and tricks to a better night’s sleep!

Keep it Neutral

Spinal alignment is definitely something to consider if you are experiencing discomfort from your sleeping position. The best way to reduce discomfort is to keep the spine as neutral as possible. This means trying your best to keep your natural alignment all the way from your head/neck, down to you hips/buttocks. Keeping neutral alignment also requires you to be mindful of major areas like your shoulders, hips, and knees. Having your spine straight does not mean you have to sleep on your back, stiff as a board. It just means doing what you can to reduce those awkward arches that go hand-in-hand with each sleeping position.

Fill in the Gaps

Pillows can be a saving grace when it comes to correcting your alignment during sleep. Often times there are ‘gaps’ in our sleeping positions that can cause awkward bends in the spine, resulting in excess pressure on the spine and supporting musculature. This excess pressure can be quickly reduced by filling the gap with a pillow.

Stomach Sleepers: Try sleeping with a small pillow under your stomach and hip area. This will relieve some of the pressure on your lower back by reducing the excess amount of curve that occurs when lying on your stomach.

Back Sleepers: Place a small pillow under your knees. This helps maintain the natural curve of the lower back and pelvis.

Side Sleepers: Body pillows are a great option to help your alignment when sleeping on your side! You can place the body pillow between your knees to reduce the amount of strain on your hips and back from the upper leg. You can also use the upper portion of the pillow to ‘hug’ which should reduce misalignment in the shoulders and prevent twisting in the upper back/neck.

Avoid Sleeping in 'Extreme' Positions

Avoid positions where muscles are either under extreme tension or contraction. For example if you are using a pillow that is too soft, your head will sink in, causing one side of the neck to be under constant contraction, and the other to be under constant tension. This position irritates the muscles in the neck and the cervical spine. When we wake up and quickly straighten our necks without warming up those muscles or considering the position we were sleeping in, we rapidly stretch the muscles that have been in a contracted position all night, and shorten those that have been under tension resulting in feeling stiff and sore or possibly injuring yourself. Try to be extra aware of your sleeping positions if they could be an ‘extreme’ position, and be a little cautious when jumping out of bed in the morning!

Remember, sleep is different for every single person! Try not to get too hung up on feeling like you have to sleep a certain way if you are struggling with lower back pain. Most people’s sleeping positions change throughout the night while they are tossing and turning, but these simple corrective tips could help here and there. If you are interested in further sleeping tips, refer to our earlier blog post about choosing the right pillow here.

*This blog is not intended to officially establish a physician-patient relationship, to replace the services of a trained physician, naturopathic doctor, physical therapist or chiropractor or otherwise to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.  

Masks and Your Temporomandibular Joint (TMJ)

By: Michelle Nay, Physiotherapist

Over the past year, most of have found ourselves in a situation where we are required to wear a mask for long periods of time throughout the day. One issue that physiotherapists are seeing trend upward is that patients are coming in with complaints of jaw pain and headaches. It turns out that for some people, the wearing of masks can make their jaw, or temporo-mandibular joints (TMJ), tense up which can also lead a person to experience headaches.

Tips for Mask Wearing

Here are a few tips that I give my patients to help reduce their TMJ/Headache pain or to help minimize the potential of emerging pain and issues in the future:

Relax that Jaw

Your jaw should be relaxed at rest, this means:

When wearing a mask try not to tense your jaw or push your jaw forward to hold your mask on - those elastics are designed to keep it on, so let them do their job!

Check Your Ear Loops

Ear-loops that pull and tug on your ears are another reason why wearing a mask can cause TMJ/Headache symptoms. They can cause pain that can be felt from your ears, across your jaw and into your face - all within a short period of time. Compression through this area from too- tight ear straps or goggles that do not fit well can cause facial pain and headaches. When choosing a mask for yourself, ensure that the straps fit snug and comfortable, but not tightly. There are a wide variety of masks available today, so find a brand that fits well, and invest in a handful.

Be a Nose Breather

Finally, masks might prompt us to breathe through our mouths instead of our nose. When we breathe through our mouth the jaw is held slightly open and this can cause tension to develop in the muscles around the jaw. At rest, we should mainly be breathing through our nose so our air is filtered and warmed.

Furthermore, the sinus passages connected to the nose make nitric oxide, a gas that helps your body get more oxygen. Nitric oxide also has powerful antiparasitic, antifungal, antiviral, and antibacterial properties, which can be a line of defence against microorganisms.

I hope this provides some helpful insight into managing TMJ/Headache pain related to mask-wearing. Try to keep a smile on your face when your mask is on too!

Please book an appointment at Active Sports Therapy if you think you need help with diagnosing and treating TMJ. There are several different treatments we offer that can help greatly with your TMJ symptoms.

*This blog is not intended to officially establish a physician-patient relationship, to replace the services of a trained physician, naturopathic doctor, physical therapist or chiropractor or otherwise to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.  

Focus on Your Weaknesses and Build Your Foundation

By: Sarah Kuindersma, MAT Specialist

As many of us find ourselves forced to step back from the sports and recreational hobbies we love, right now is a great time to take some time to focus on our body movement fundamentals so when organized sports re-open, you can go in ready to play. With that said, here are Sarah’s suggestions for preparation, rebuilding, and doing your body some good as we head into this next year.

Focus on Your Weaknesses

Now is a great time to assess, work on and fix the weak areas in your training which could include any muscle imbalances and weaknesses that are identified. We've all heard the expression, “You're only as good as your weakest link,” and it's true that it’s often the little things that make a big difference overall. For example, if your glutes aren't firing efficiently, any activity you do will place more stress into your low back, creating stiffness and a decrease in performance. This could mean, for example, less power in your running stride. Therefore finding a way to build your glutes can help to solve or prevent future issues.

Build Your Foundation

Look at this year as an opportunity to build or rebuild a solid foundation. Some of us might have experienced some losses due to lack of activity, and now might need to ‘Get back to the basics.’ Your body stores information in the central nervous system and every time you learn a new movement, a motor pattern is actually integrated and stored. These movements become automatic and are fine-tuned by unconscious feedback that your body is storing as you are learning something new. The saving of motor patterns effectively makes the neuromuscular system much more efficient when the body is exposed to similar demands. For this reason, we do not have to think about a movement like walking, riding a bike, or throwing a ball, we just know! Without basic joint mobility and strength, it will cause to many inefficiencies, so it would be the equivalent to trying to build a house without ever knowing how to use the tools.

Check out Sarah's YouTube channel for some movement ideas, from basic exercises to sport-specific movements, here. If you'd like specific mobility drills to improve your game make sure to book an appointment to have it tailored to your needs and goals. 

How can an MAT Specialist help you identify and focus on your weaknesses and build your foundation?

A problem related to muscular imbalances occurs over time when we are exposed to stress, trauma, or overuse. The resulting inflammation on the body will bring about a less efficient muscular system and diminished neuromuscular function. In other words, your ‘saved’ faulty motor pattern when drawn upon can lead to injury or a loss in the proper power of the motion itself. This transformed communication between the nervous system and the muscular system can lead to altered mechanics which, in turn, can trigger symptoms relating to muscle tightness, pain, and many other physical complaints. 

Active Sports Therapy offers M.A.T.®(Muscle Activation Techniques), which is a way to assess and correct an individual’s muscle imbalances. M.A.T. ® is designed to re-establish the communication pathways between the nervous system and the muscular system in order to restore muscle contractile capabilities.  Having an M.A.T. specialist assess your mechanics can help you learn more efficient ways of moving and lower the chances of a future injury. You can also learn how to train more efficiently for your limitation.  If you would like to learn more about whether M.A.T.® might be right for you please contact us to  schedule a free meet and  greet with specialist Sarah Kuindersma.

A Naturopathic Doctor's Favourite Apps for Health

By: Dr. Gayle Maguire, B.SC, ND

There are many apps out there today that are designed to assist you with your health and wellness in different ways from sleep, to anxiety, to homones. Dr. Gayle frequently encourages patients to embrace technology to help them achieve their health goals and has compiled a list of her favourites.

Kindara -  a great fertility and hormone tracking app. It tracks all the important markers a naturopathic doctor or informed patient would like to know, and is easy to use and share!

Migraine Buddy - this highly-rated app can help patients track and identify triggers, with the goal of eventually learning to prevent their migraines.

mySymptoms Food Diary & Symptom Tracker is also a great option for digestive symptoms.

MyFitnessPal - a great start for those first looking to understand their caloric intake, macronutrients, and exercise.

Insight Timer - thousands of free guided meditations from highly educated professionals to help manage stress, mood and sleep. Awarded Time Magazine's App of the Year.  It includes areas for children, relationships, leadership, interviews, and so much more!

Sleep Cycle - an inexpensive and insightful app to track sleep. Please note that those with sleep issues may not be advised to sleep with their device, or with any lights at or during sleep time, though a short sacrifice to track sleep may be beneficial for some.

Sanvello for Anxiety, Depression & Stress - this app uses cognitive-behavioural therapy techniques and mindfulness to track and cue users to take care of their mental health. You can even set reminders to drink more water, which is great for our physical health too, but can help users increase their self-care.

Talk to your medical or naturopathic doctor for personalized medical advice. These apps are not endorsed by Dr. Gayle, nor does she receive compensation in any way for reviewing these apps. Some benefits may reimburse for subscriptions so check with your insurance provider.

*This blog is not intended to officially establish a physician-patient relationship, to replace the services of a trained physician, naturopathic doctor, physical therapist or chiropractor or otherwise to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.