What is the role of physical therapy in sport?

Most active Canadians will at some point in their life experience an injury related to their physical activity or sport. Knowing what to do and how to address these injuries so they don’t get worse is where sport physiotherapy comes into play. While many small injuries can be treated by a family doctor, quite often…

Preventing infection and maintaining immune function using nutritional strategies

It is well documented that moderate exercise prevents many infections and greatly improves immune system function. In contrast, among elite athletes who train at a faster pace and at a higher intensity, the risk of illness increases significantly and the effectiveness of the immune system to fight infections is reduced. Other factors, including exposure to…

Agility Training: Insights from the Research

High performance athletes depend on coordination and agility to fine tune their skills and abilities on the field of play. Outside of the skills needed specifically for sport, agility is often looked at as a leading factor in determining success in a sport. Athletes need to be able to react to situations quickly, with strength…

Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome: A Pain in the … Knee!

One of the most common injuries people suffer from is pain around the knees. For those who participate in sport or physical activity this is even more of a standard occurrence. If you feel pain in the front of your knee, or around the kneecap you main be experiencing Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome (PFPS). PFPS is…

Tips for Back to School Nutrition and Physical Activity

While this has been an exciting summer in sport, September brings us back to the classroom. This time of year reminds us that it is time to return to learning and it’s time to consider the best way to fuel the body and mind to optimize school lessons and the learning environment. How can we…

Problem-solving Past a Tough Run

Spring has finally arrived and avid runners are signing up for races, lacing up their shoes, hitting the great outdoors and setting their goals. With the eagerness that comes with sunshine and warmer temperatures, having a workout where nothing seems to go right can sometimes take a bite out of your confidence. There are many…

What I Wish I Knew Then – 5 Lessons Learned from a High Performance Athlete

Sport teaches us innumerable lessons. When I reflect on my own sporting journey, I cringe at some of the mis-steps I took as a younger athlete. This is not to say that today I’m past the point of making mistakes. Some of us are slow learners after all, and even those of us with years…

Sleep and Athletes: Is there a Magic Number?

Although conventional wisdom suggests that athletes need at least eight hours of sleep each night, quantity is not the only parameter that promotes athletic success. Most of us believe that we need a set number of hours of sleep and that seven or eight hours a night is a prerequisite for health and well-being. And…

How do you get out of a Performance Slump?

Unexplained performance slumps can be extremely frustrating for athletes and can be caused by any number of reasons, physical or mental.  Sport psychologists agree that these declines are just par for the course in competitive sport but that doesn’t make them any less difficult to overcome. What are the causes? If you’ve effectively ruled out…

Are compression garments effective for exercise recovery?

The use of compression garments has become increasingly popular in recent years, mostly in a post-exercise role where compression tights, arm sleeves, socks and boots are used as a means to speed up recovery.  Types of compression garments vary where they can be worn via the upper, lower or full-body and are generally made from…