When injury strikes

When an athlete sustains an injury, it can impact the entire team. When this happens, coaches can maintain a positive group environment by clearly communicating role adjustments, prioritizing the injured athletes’ well-being, and keeping the injured athlete connected to the team throughout the recovery process.

Athlete recovery in Para sport

Recovery from training can help athletes reduce injuries and enjoy longer careers, but very little is known about athlete recovery in Para sport. According to new research, collaborating with athletes, trusting athletes’ expertise about their bodies, and individualizing recovery strategies are important considerations for practitioners working with Para sport athletes.

Bouncing back from jet lag

Canadian athletes travelling to Beijing will have to deal with a significant time change. Jet lag can negatively impact sleep schedules and performance. However, research shows that good sleep hygiene (for example, a comfortable pillow and earplugs) and controlled light exposure can improve athletes’ speed and power for up to 96 hours after travel.

Sleep hygiene

Are you getting enough sleep? The Canadian 24-Hour Movement Guidelines recommend that adults get at least 7 hours of sleep per night. Practicing good sleep hygiene, such as participating in regular exercise, and maintaining a regular bedtime and waketime, can help you get a good night’s sleep.

Healthy sleep for youth

Research indicates 70% of school-aged children and youth in Canada met recommendations for healthy sleep. This is important because a good night’s sleep can improve cognitive functions and moods, help maintain healthy body weight, and increase energy to help kids stay active throughout the day. In this infographic, discover tips to support healthy sleep behaviours…

Sleep and concussion recovery

Getting a good night’s sleep is important for athletes recovering from a concussion, but many athletes struggle to get quality sleep following their injury. Improving sleep hygiene, including creating a regular pre-bed routine, avoiding technology before bed, and optimizing your sleep environment, can improve sleep patterns to help the brain recover and allow athletes to…

Social media and sleep

For youth, healthy sleep habits can improve cognitive functioning and mood, help maintain a healthy body weight, and give youth the energy needed to be active during the day. However, frequent social media use and the consumption of certain types of online content can have a negative impact on their sleep behaviours. To improve quality…

Uninterrupted sleep

According to the Canadian 24-Hour Movement Guidelines, children (ages 5-13) require 9 to 11 hours of uninterrupted sleep per night and youth (ages 14-17) require 8 to 10 hours per night. Check out this infographic for tips to encourage a good night’s sleep in your family such as encouraging regular wake-up times on the weekend…

Sleep and Positive Attitudes

Not feeling like you usual positive self? Perhaps you didn’t sleep well last night. Research shows sleep loss reduces our positive feelings in the face of both stressors and positive events.

Common Knee Injuries

When it comes to common sport-related knee injuries, University of Alberta physiotherapist and researcher Christina Le advises most injuries don’t require surgery to heal and wearing braces for a long time can actually be counterproductive. From observations of patients who were neglectful in their use of a knee brace following surgery, Le offers new perspective…