Midlife brings significant changes for women, and often, increased musculoskeletal pain. The hormonal shifts of perimenopause and menopause don't just affect hot flashes; they impact joint health, muscle recovery, and inflammation levels. Laser therapy (photobiomodulation) offers evidence-informed relief for this often-overlooked population.
The Classic Midlife Presentations
Women in their 40s and 50s commonly present with three specific conditions: gluteal tendinopathy (hip and buttock pain), frozen shoulder, and plantar fasciitis (heel pain). While some women experience all three, many present with one or two of these issues. Declining estrogen affects collagen synthesis, joint lubrication, and inflammatory response, making these tissues particularly vulnerable. New-onset pain without prior injury is a direct result of hormonal transition.
How Laser Therapy Helps
Laser therapy stimulates cellular energy production at the mitochondrial level, accelerating tissue repair and reducing inflammation. For midlife women struggling with gluteal tendinopathy, frozen shoulder, or plantar fasciitis, this means faster recovery from everyday activities, improved joint function, and decreased pain.
Why Laser Therapy is Ideal for This Population
-Targets specific conditions: Particularly effective for the presentations women commonly experience
-Complements chiropractic care: Enhances adjustment effectiveness and extends relief
-Natural approach: Aligns with women seeking non-invasive options
-Quick sessions: Fits busy midlife schedules
-No contraindications: Safe alongside other health management strategies
Real-World Results
Women report improved shoulder mobility, reduced hip and heel pain during exercise, and better sleep quality—often within weeks. Many notice that combined chiropractic adjustments and laser therapy create sustainable relief they haven't experienced elsewhere.
Reclaim Your Vitality
Midlife doesn't mean accepting chronic pain. Laser therapy offers a science-backed path to the mobility and comfort you deserve during this transition. Your best years are ahead—let's keep you moving pain-free.
Chinook Migraines in Calgary: How Barometric Pressure Changes Cause Headaches (and How We Treat Them)
Written By: Active Sports Therapy & Dr. David Westmacott
Living in Calgary means experiencing dramatic weather shifts—sometimes multiple times in a single week. While Chinook winds bring warmer temperatures, they also create rapid barometric pressure changes, which are a well-known trigger for migraines and chronic headaches. If you notice your migraines flare up during Chinooks or sudden weather changes, you’re not imagining it. Calgary’s climate is one of the most migraine-triggering in Canada.
What Are Chinook Headaches and Migraines?
Chinook headaches occur when sudden pressure changes irritate the nervous system. For many people, this presents as a migraine headache, which may include:
-Moderate to severe throbbing head pain -Pain on one side of the head -Sensitivity to light, sound, or smells -Neck pain and stiffness -Nausea or dizziness
How Barometric Pressure Triggers Migraines
Barometric pressure changes affect the body by altering pressure within the skull, blood vessels, and sinuses.
These changes can:
-Cause blood vessels in the brain to dilate -Increase pressure on cranial and cervical nerves -Intensify sinus congestion and facial pressure -Increase muscle tension in the neck and shoulders
If your neck joints or soft tissues are already restricted, these pressure shifts can amplify nerve sensitivity, leading to migraines.
Why Neck Dysfunction Plays a Key Role in Migraines
Many migraines—especially weather-related migraines—have a cervicogenic (neck-related) component. Dysfunction in the cervical spine can refer pain directly into the head.
Contributing factors include:
-Prolonged computer or phone use -Poor posture -Previous concussions or whiplash injuries -Jaw clenching or TMJ dysfunction
During Chinook events, these areas become more reactive, increasing migraine frequency and severity.
Migraine Treatment at Active Sports Therapy in Calgary
At Active Sports Therapy, migraine treatment focuses on correcting the underlying mechanical and neurological contributors rather than masking symptoms. Chiropractic Care for Migraines Chiropractic care helps restore normal motion and alignment to the cervical spine, reducing nerve irritation and improving nervous system function.
Chiropractic care is particularly effective for neck-related and weather-triggered migraines. Active Release Techniques® (ART) Active Release Techniques® is an advanced soft-tissue therapy that targets muscles, fascia, and nerves contributing to migraines.
ART helps by:
-Releasing tight neck, shoulder, and jaw muscles
-Reducing headache trigger points
-Improving blood flow and tissue movement
-Decompressing irritated nerves
ART is highly effective for barometric pressure-related migraines, where muscle and nerve tension worsens with weather changes.
Benefits of Conservative Migraine Care
Many Calgary migraine sufferers rely on medication for temporary relief. While helpful in the short term, medication does not address the root cause of Chinook-related migraines.
Chiropractic care and Active Release Techniques offer:
-Drug-free migraine management -Reduced frequency and severity of migraines -Improved tolerance to Chinook winds -Long-term headache prevention
Book Migraine Treatment in Calgary
If Chinook winds and barometric pressure changes trigger your migraines, help is available. Chiropractic care and Active Release Techniques® can significantly reduce headache frequency and intensity—so you can get back to living comfortably, even during Chinook season.
Book your migraine assessment at Active Sports Therapy in Calgary today and take control of weather-related headaches.
Four Most Common Causes of Lower Back Pain And How Chiropractic Care Can Help
Lower back pain is one of the most common reasons people seek healthcare -- it can affect individuals of all ages
and activity levels. Whether your pain started suddenly after lifting something heavy, or has gradually developed
over time, understanding the root cause is essential for long-term relief.
At Active Sports Therapy in Westman Village Mahogany, Dr. Kurt Whitney provides evidence-based
chiropractic care focused on identifying the true source of your lower back pain and creating a personalized
treatment plan to restore movement, reduce pain, and prevent recurrence.
Below are the four most common causes of lower back pain, how they each present, and how chiropractic care can help.
1. Lumbar Muscle Strain and Ligament Sprain
What It Is:
Muscle strains and ligament sprains occur when the soft tissues of the lower back are overstretched or overloaded. This is one of the most frequent causes of acute lower back pain.
Common Causes
● Lifting or twisting improperly
● Sudden movements
● Overuse or repetitive bending
● Prolonged sitting
Typical Symptoms
● Achy or sharp localized pain
● Muscle tightness or spasms
● Pain worsened with movement
● Stiffness, especially in the morning
How It’s Differentiated:
Dr. Kurt Whitney performs a thorough physical exam, assessing movement patterns, muscle tone, and joint mobility. Muscle strains typically produce pain with contraction or stretching of the affected tissue but do not usually cause nerve symptoms such as numbness or tingling.
Chiropractic Management: Restore movement, reduce muscle tension, and allow tissues to heal properly.
● Gentle spinal and joint mobilization
● Soft tissue manipulation
● Guided stretching and mobility exercises
● Postural education and activity modification
2. Facet Joint Dysfunction
What It Is:
Facet joints are small joints in the spine that guide motion between vertebrae. When these joints become irritated or restricted, they can generate significant lower back pain.
Common Causes
● Repetitive bending or extension
● Poor posture
● Previous injury
● Degenerative changes
Typical Symptoms
● Localized pain on one or both sides of the spine● Pain with arching backward or twisting
● Stiffness and limited range of motion
● Pain that does NOT usually travel down the leg
How It’s Differentiated:
Facet joint pain is often reproduced with specific movements such as spinal extension or rotation. Palpation over the joints may reveal tenderness and restricted motion.
Spinal discs act as cushions between vertebrae. When a disc bulges or herniates, it may irritate nearby nerves.
Common Causes
● Repetitive loading
● Improper lifting
● Prolonged sitting
● Age-related degeneration
Typical Symptoms
● Usually midline lower back pain with or without leg pain
● Pain that may travel into the buttock or thigh
● Numbness, tingling, or weakness
● Pain worsened with sitting or bending
How It’s Differentiated:
Disc-related pain often presents with nerve symptoms and specific directional movement limitations. Orthopedic and neurological testing helps determine nerve involvement.
Chiropractic Management: Reducing pressure on the disc, calming irritated nerves, and improving spinal support.
● Spinal adjustments (as appropriate)
● Mechanical decompression or traction
● Stabilization exercises
● Movement pattern correction
4. Sacroiliac (SI) Joint Dysfunction
What It Is:
The SI joint connects the spine to the pelvis and transfers forces between the upper and lower body. Dysfunction here can mimic disc or low back pain.
Common Causes
● Pregnancy or postpartum changes
● Falls or trauma
● Asymmetrical loading
● Gait or hip issues
Typical Symptoms
● Pain on one side of the lower back
● Pain near the dimples of the pelvis● Pain with standing, walking, or climbing stairs
● May refer into the buttock or upper thigh
How It’s Differentiated:
Specific SI joint provocation tests and motion assessments help distinguish SI joint pain from lumbar spine conditions.
Chiropractic Management: Restoring proper SI joint motion reduces stress on surrounding tissues and improves load transfer.
● SI joint adjustments
● Pelvic stabilization exercises
● Soft tissue manipulation
● Corrective exercises
Why Accurate Diagnosis Matters
Not all lower back pain is the same. Treating the wrong structure can lead to slow or incomplete recovery. Dr. Kurt Whitney takes a comprehensive approach that includes:
● Detailed history
● Movement and posture analysis
● Orthopedic and neurological testing
● Functional assessment
Benefits of Chiropractic Care for Lower Back Pain
● Pain reduction
● Improved mobility
● Faster recovery
● Reduced reliance on medication
● Prevention of recurrence
Chiropractic care focuses on correcting the underlying mechanical issues that contribute to pain.
Get Help for Your Lower Back Pain Today
If you’re struggling with lower back pain, early assessment and treatment can prevent chronic issues and long-term limitations.
Pickleball continues to surge in popularity across Calgary, attracting players of all ages and skill levels. While the sport offers excellent cardiovascular and social benefits, its fast pace, repetitive movements, and quick directional changes can place significant stress on the body, often leading to injury.
At Active Sports Therapy in Calgary, our Unified Team of Chiropractors and Physiotherapists work closely together to assess, treat, and rehabilitate pickleball injuries.
By combining manual therapy, movement analysis, rehabilitation exercises, and progressive loading strategies, we help pickleball players recover efficiently and return to the court with confidence.
Whether you are dealing with a new injury or lingering pain, our clinics in Willow Park and Westman Village Mahogany provide comprehensive, evidence-based care designed to restore movement, reduce pain, and improve performance.
Why Pickleball Injuries Are So Common
Pickleball involves:
Repetitive swinging
Overhead shots
Sudden stops and starts
Lateral shuffling
Lunging and pivoting
These movements place high demand on joints, muscles, tendons, and connective tissue. Without proper mobility, strength, and recovery strategies, overuse injuries and strains can develop over time. Our team-based approach focuses on identifying the underlying causes of injury, not just treating symptoms.
Common Pickleball Injuries Active Sports Therapy Treats
Tennis Elbow (Lateral Epicondylitis)
One of the most frequent pickleball injuries, tennis elbow causes pain on the outside of the elbow and forearm.
Treatment may include:
Soft tissue therapy
Joint mobilization
Progressive strengthening programs
Shockwave therapy (when appropriate) LINK WEBPAGE TO SHOCKWVAE
Education on paddle grip size, equipment, and physical load management
Golfer’s Elbow (Medial Epicondylitis)
Pain along the inside of the elbow often related to repetitive gripping and wrist motion,
Treatment focuses on:
Reducing tendon irritation
Restoring mobility
Strengthening forearm and upper limb muscles
Gradual return-to-play progression
Shoulder Pain and Rotator Cuff Injuries
Overhead shots and repetitive swinging can overload the shoulder complex.
Treatment may involve:
Manual therapy to improve mobility
Rotator cuff and scapular strengthening
Movement retraining
Progressive loading and sport-specific exercises
Achilles Tendinopathy
Common in players who perform frequent starts, stops, and quick direction changes.
Treatment may include:
Progressive tendon loading exercises
Calf strengthening
Ankle mobility work
Shockwave therapy
Activity modification strategies
Plantar Fasciitis
Heel and arch pain often feels worse first thing in the morning or after activity. Calgary’s diverse pickleball court surfaces — indoor, outdoor, concrete, and gym flooring, this can all contribute to increased foot strain.
Treatment may involve:
Soft tissue therapy
Foot and ankle mobilization
Strengthening intrinsic foot muscles
Shockwave therapy
Footwear and orthotic guidance
Knee Pain
Includes patellofemoral pain, tendon irritation, or meniscal symptoms.
Treatment focuses on:
Improving hip, knee, and ankle mechanics
Strengthening quadriceps and glutes
Balance and stability training
Movement pattern correction
Low Back Strain
Twisting, bending, and rotational forces during pickleball can strain spinal structures.
Treatment may include:
Manual therapy
Core stability exercises
Mobility work
Postural and movement education
Calf Strains
Often occur with explosive push-offs and quick acceleration.
Treatment includes:
Soft tissue therapy
Gradual strengthening
Range-of-motion restoration
Pickleball injury assessment at Active Sports Therapy includes:
Detailed movement and biomechanical evaluation
Identification of contributing factors
Individualized treatment plan
Progressive rehabilitation and strengthening
Injury prevention strategies
Our Unified Team of Chiropractors and Physiotherapists communicate closely to ensure your care is coordinated and focused on long-term results.
Why Choose Active Sports Therapy in Calgary?
Integrated Chiropractic and Physiotherapy care
Evidence-based rehabilitation
Sports-focused clinicians
Shockwave Therapy available
Two convenient Calgary locations
We help you move better, feel stronger, and get back to doing what you love.
If pain is limiting your pickleball performance, let our team help!
Many times, I am asked by women feeling the impending menopause experience, “What can I do now to help myself” for those years? It’s a great question and there is much you can do.
First, let’s talk terms. Menopause is the time when you have been 12 months without a menstrual period. The 10-ish years before that are what is now referred to as perimenopause. As the typical age for menopause is 52, it is likely you have entered perimenopause by the time you are in your early 40s. For some women, it’s at 35. Let the math be fluid on this, as every woman is different.
How do you know you are in perimenopause? The early signs are the change in quality and length of sleep and a change in moods. You may not be easily able to elevate your mood to match the environment. Anxiety can show up or worsen. Same with depression. Perimenopause is a neuroendocrine transition which means the brain is signalling the hormones to create a new normal. This transition can be long, so its helpful to know you can expect change.
For many women in their late thirties and early forties, you may be in your child-birthing years and brush these early symptoms off as a lack of sleep, or the baby-blues or stress. These things may in fact be caused by the hormonal shifts of perimenopause. Your levels of testosterone and progesterone do a slow decline towards menopause. Estrogen levels can be quite high or low and can swing wildly. You can feel moody, sleepy, less strong, less sharp mentally and your cycle can get shorter, meaning you can bleed every 25 or 26 days instead of 28-30 days.
In the forties, women can experience the more classic signs of menopause like hot flashes, dryness, lack of libido, deepening insomnia, feelings of low self worth, low confidence, anxiety and/depression. This is a delicate time for a woman as she can easily be misdiagnosed with a mental health disorder instead of being treated for perimenopause. You may not have even had a hot flash or a skipped period at this point.
On a list of the top ten most common symptoms of perimenopause, hot flashes are number 10. Many women never have a hot flash, so please don’t wait to assume you are in perimenopause only when your periods change or you experience a hot flash!
Reducing stress, recognizing your symptoms are a result of changing hormone levels, getting enough rest, nutritious food, outside light and daily enjoyable movement are important for preparing yourself for a gentle perimenopause. Eating enough daily protein and strength training for maintaining muscle health is important too.
In short, if you are a woman between 35-55 years of age and something recently has changed with your health, it’s likely related to perimenopause! It begins long before you miss a period. Look for great practitioners who can coach you through this transition. Perimenopause can be a chaotic time where the help is thin on the ground.
Have you considered speaking with a Menopause Doula? We can help guide the way forward to better sleep, a peaceful mind and a calm and cool physical self.
This time of year has many people feeling the effects of various colds and wondering what more they could be doing. Here are some key things I discuss with my patients:
1. Do you know what things decrease your immune system?
Caffeine might feel needed for the overtired parent who is fighting a cold while staying up half the night with sick kiddos, but studies are not consistent in their consensus with respect to caffeine and immunity[i]. Look for less caffeinated options, or talk to your healthcare provider about vitamins and herbal remedies that can build your stamina or energy levels. Be cautious in overusing natural remedies, as as they are not without side effects or interactions, and may not be right for you. Refined sugars[ii] are believed to significantly reduce your white blood cell counts for many hours after consumption. Keep your dietary sugars low, and reach for the rainbow when eating – a variety of colours on your plate (think vegetables) often covers many different vitamins and minerals to support overall health.
2. Do you understand what your immune system needs to work best?
Vitamin C and Echinacea have been popular natural supports for the immune system for a long time. My lesser-known favourite, zinc, has finally come to the spotlight more since the pandemic, however this can be overused and compete for other metals in our bodies, so breaks are recommended.
One key area I still find myself educating patients on is the need for adequate protein in our diets. Protein is needed in order to build our immune cells, so ensure your diet contains enough. I find many North American breakfast, and even lunch, options can be low in protein. It can be great inspiration to look at traditional breakfasts in other countries, or to find creative ways to sneak nuts and seeds into meals and snacks. A personal favourite is pumpkin seeds, which happen to contain a good amount of zinc, in addition to the protein, and fiber for your gut.
Research[iii] is building in the area of probiotics, or gut bacteria/microflora, and their role in immunity. Some estimates suggest that up to 70% of our immune system is connected to our gut bacteria. I find I work a lot with this area in my very little patients, as well as my senior patients. Often, those concerned of weak immunity also have digestive symptoms like constipation or heartburn, and once we improve these areas, they find they don’t succumb to every illness as they once did.
3. Do you give your body the best chance of fighting
Our bodies are designed to protect us, and I believe we can better their odds by a few key lifestyle adjustments, especially when we find ourselves run-down and frequently ill. Ensure adequate sleep, movement, and stress management. This may look different for different people, such as walking, acupuncture, hydrotherapy, or meditation. There is a growing body of evidence that traditional Chinese medicine and acupuncture can help anxiety and depression, and many of my patients experience that.
Essential oils can be a pleasant addition to your wellness plan, but worth noting that I never recommend consuming them by mouth, and diffusion into the air can be very irritating to lung. This is especially more likely in small children[iv], so care should be taken for occasional use. Instead of a strong oil, I generally reach for the herb, such as thyme for my cooking, for its ability to loosen mucous.
I always recommend regular check-ups and bloodwork with your family doctor or naturopathic doctor to ensure we have the full picture. Every individual body ultimately seems to have things that help or hinder its immune system. In that way, it’s no surprise to see what works well for you, may not work well for your loved one, a child, a pregnant woman, or a chemotherapy patient, so let's work together to figure out what your body needs!
*For this blog is for educational purposes only, please consult your healthcare provider for information and assessment that is best for you.
[i] Acikalin B, Sanlier N. Coffee and its effects on the immune system. Trends in Food Science & Technology 114, 625-632, 2021. [ii] Fang H, Anhe FF, Schertzer JD. Dietary sugar lowers immunity and microbiota that protect against metabolic disease. Cell Metab. 2022. [iii] Galdeano CM, Cazorla SI, Dumit JML, Velez E, Perdigon G. Beneficial effects of probiotic consumption on the immune system. Annals of Nutrition and Metabolism 74 (2), 115-124, 2019. [iv] Aromatherapy for Children: What’s Safe and What’s Not. Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, www.chop.edu, March 7,2022
Frozen shoulder, also known as adhesive capsulitis, is characterized by pain and a progressive loss of motion in your shoulder joint. You may have experienced this as beginning with shoulder pain from an unknown cause that made your sleep difficult and became increasingly painful over the coming weeks. Frozen shoulder is caused by inflammation of the shoulder joint resulting in adhesions and stiffening of the surrounding structures. As a result, the shoulder begins to become painful and lose its mobility. This is more commonly seen in people over the age of 40 and is slightly more common among women with both diabetes and thyroid disease being known risk factors.
Frozen shoulder is known to have a particularly long recovery time without treatment of 18-24 months. Due to the long duration of the condition is often divided into three phases.
Phase 1 – Freezing: Pain in the shoulder as it begins to tighten over several months. It may be particularly noticeable at night and progress to being painful at rest.
Phase 2 – Frozen: The structures around the shoulder are now adhered to each other and mobility is limited in most or all directions, however, pain may begin to diminish in this phase. This phase can last for up to a year.
Phase 3 – Thawing: The structures around the shoulder begin to loosen and allow for a gradual return of shoulder mobility over 6+ months.
Your doctor will be able to determine which phase you are in with a physical examination, there is no need for x-rays or other forms of imaging. Management of frozen shoulder depends on the phase you are currently in but will often include a wide range of physical therapy approaches aiming to improve your range of motion and providing relief. These can include the following:
Muscle release techniques: These techniques aim to help ease pain in the surrounding shoulder muscles and reduce muscle tension to allow for improved movement.
Exercises and Stretches: A variety of programs can be performed at home that aim to improve muscle strength, improve flexibility, and provide improved joint stability.
Mobilization: Working with the shoulder joint directly your therapist will help mobilize the joint to improve range of motion.
Activity Modification: Depending on your specific needs your doctor may also make modifications to your daily routines and activities to ease the load and stress on your shoulder joint.
In severe cases that do not respond to conservative care your therapist will be able to evaluate and direct you for a shoulder injection or discuss other options for your particular situation.
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:
Lower back pain/lumbar back pain
Burning or tingling sensations in the leg
Weakness or numbness in the leg and foot
Constant pain on one side of the rear
Shooting pain down the leg
Hip pain
A literal pain in the butt that feels worse when sitting
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:
Age – people experience changes in their spine as they age. Changes such as bone spurs or a herniated disc can cause sciatica.
Sitting for Long Periods – We live in a culture where many people sit for most of the day, especially those with computer, driving, and desk jobs. Prolonged sitting is often a reason for sciatica and sciatica flare ups.
Obesity – A person’s weight affects the amount of stress on one’s spine, therefore obesity is a contributing factor.
Diabetes – People with diabetes are at increased risk for the condition because the condition overall leads to an increased risk of nerve damage in an individual.
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
Maintain a healthy body weight.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Your Right to Choose Your Physiotherapy and Chiropractic Provider
(After a Motor Vehicle Collision and WCB Work Related Injury) You do NOT have to use your insurance company’s recommended clinic. As a patient, you have the right to choose who you see for your care.
Why Choose Your Physiotherapist or Chiropractor?
You already know and trust them (through friends or a trusted referral) Convenient location and hours available (near work or home) Great recommendations from friends or family You feel comfortable and understood
Why Trust Matters
Research shows that working with a therapist you trust can lead to:
Less pain Better recovery and reduced disability Higher satisfaction with your treatment
Changing Providers is Okay
If you’re not building trust with your current therapist, you can switch—at any time during your claim.
What AST Physiotherapists and Chiropractors Can Do for You
All AST Physiotherapists and Chiropractors are highly skilled and can:
Treat injuries from motor vehicle collisions and WCB claims Complete and submit all required insurance paperwork Explain the funding and billing process for your recovery
Work in collaboration with our Registered Massage Therapists for an individualized and comprehensive plan to ensure the best possible outcomes. We got you!
Bottom Line:
Your insurer can make suggestions, but the choice is yours — work with someone you trust!
We are fortunate enough to live just a few short hours from the beautiful rocky mountains! Whether you are an avid hiker and have years of experience under your belt, or have just started to explore the trails, injury prevention should be a top priority. Hiking injuries tend to be injuries to the lower limb. These injuries can range from acute injuries such as a ligament sprain to overuse injuries such as tendonitis. The goal of this blog is to give you an idea of what injuries to look out for and most importantly some prevention tips.
The most common lower limb sprain injury tends to be an ankle sprain when you overstretch the ligaments in your ankle from rolling it on uneven terrain. A key aspect to preventing this injury is to first have proper footwear.
● Getting fitted to a hiking boot or trail runner that fits you well and provides you support around the ankle joint for your activity is key.
● Secondly, it can be beneficial to strengthen and stretch your calf muscles. Completing a basic calf stretch before and after hiking in the parking lot helps keep your ankle mobile. Strengthening your calf muscles with exercises such as a calf raise will provide stability around your ankle joint to tackle uneven rocks, tree roots and the steep incline and decline of a trail.
● Adding in some challenging balance exercises such as balancing near a counter with your eyes closed or working on maintaining your balance while standing on a pillow can prepare your ankle for the mountains.Overuse injuries are the next most common injuries you can encounter. Pain at the front of the knee, particularly with the descent of a hike can result in injuries such as patellofemoral pain syndrome and/or patellar tendonitis (inflammation of the tendon). Stretching and strengthening the muscles surrounding the knee and hip joint can help prevent and treat this knee pain.
● Stretching the front of the thigh of the quadriceps muscle before & after a hike is also beneficial to prevent this injury. A simple stretch you can add is shown here.
● Strengthening this same muscle with exercises such as a single leg step up and down a stair, and lunges can also be very beneficial.
● Strengthening your hip muscles such as your glutes will provide support to your knee joint. Simple exercises such as a squat and a glute bridge with a resistance band are a great addition to any workout program. Lastly, an important part of injury prevention is preparing your body for the activity by slowly building up your endurance. Starting with lower elevation and shorter hikes at the beginning of the season to gradually building up to more challenging trails builds up your muscles to tackle a full hiking season injury free! Don’t forget about taking adequate rest breaks during the hike and in between hiking days while mixing in other kinds of exercise such as cardiovascular and strength training.
Sadly, despite our best efforts, injuries may still happen. If you experience injury hiking or maybe you would like to focus on injury prevention tailored specifically to you, our team at Active Sports Therapy can design a treatment program for your goals today! Call the office at 403-278-1405 today to book in with our team of experts.
*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.
