The Diabetic Athlete

More than 382 million people worldwide, and 10 million Canadians, are living with Diabetes Mellitus, more commonly known as diabetes. There are three different types of the chronic disease, but most athletes seem to have either Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes. Type 1 is when the pancreas fails to produce enough insulin for the…

You Are What You Eat- The Importance of Post-Training Nutrition

Many athletes focus on the technical and conditioning aspects of their sporting experience, yet nutrition is an equally important part of athletic success. Post-training nutrition is especially critical, as it helps the body recover and recharge. Timing is also important; studies show that food consumed within 30 minutes of exercising will have a significant effect…

COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT IN DEVELOPING ATHLETES

SIRC is pleased to be working together with Sport Canada to share current research on topics informing policy and promoting quality sport programming. This week we are sharing highlights of a recent article examining COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT IN DEVELOPING ATHLETES. The influence of community on athletic development: an integrated case study. Balish, S., & Côté, J….

RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN COACHES AND THE LONG-TERM ATHLETE DEVELOPMENT MODEL

SIRC is pleased to be working together with Sport Canada to share current research on topics informing policy and promoting quality sport programming. This week we are sharing highlights from a recent article examining the RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN COACHES AND THE LONG-TERM ATHLETE DEVELOPMENT MODEL. Coaches’ adoption and implementation of Sport Canada’s long-term athlete development model….

Adjusting to Life After Sport – Easing the path for athletes in transition

High performance athletes typically make a lot of sacrifices for their sport in all areas including family, education, finances, and sometimes even their bodies. Their lives are usually jam-packed with strict routines, intense training and busy competition schedules with the ongoing aim of achieving their dreams. With their social lives, support systems and even off-times…

Kinesiology Taping – Is it worth the hype?

If you watch sports regularly, you’ve likely seen the brightly coloured tape that commonly adorns athletic bodies. Of course these colourful patterns aren’t just for show, many athletes are using kinesiology tape (KT) primarily to treat and prevent musculoskeletal injuries or increase performance. First of all, what is it and what does it do? Kinesiology…

Often overlooked – The psychological impact of an ACL injury

An anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury is one of the most common and yet one of the most devastating injuries an athlete can sustain. There is plenty of research on ACL injuries and the methods for treatment are well documented; usually when an athlete sustains this type of injury, their physical recovery is addressed well…

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…

Should Athletes try the Paleo Diet?

The Paleolithic Diet is hugely popular right now with its proponents touting its benefits through books, websites, personal blogs and health and fitness magazines. Athletes are always striving to gain an edge so it’s not surprising that many are turning to this diet in the hopes that they will improve their race performance. What’s the…

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…