As the winter chill sets in, navigating through the Canadian winter can be a challenging feat for your health. During the winters, many of us experience one or the other health and mental issues ranging from joint pain to the heightened risk of catching a cold or Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD); our bodies often face unique challenges during this season. At BeActive Physiotherapy, our team of physiotherapists, chiropractors and registered massage therapists is here to guide you through the winter blues and help you maintain your well-being.

Let’s explore why a visit to a chiropractor during winter is not just beneficial but essential.

Getting chiropractic care during the winters not only would help you to prevent some of the conditions from happening but would also help to keep you functioning at your best when the temperatures begin to drop. If you are thinking of skipping or procrastinating visiting your chiropractor, below are some reasons to rethink and schedule a chiropractic appointment.

 1. Joint Pain Relief Amidst the Cold:

• • Fun Fact: Did you know that changes in atmospheric pressure can impact joint pain?

In the colder months, the viscosity of your joint fluids increases, and your muscles tend to contract, leading to discomfort and limited mobility. The colder air can make your joints stiff and muscles reluctant to stretch. Our chiropractic techniques are designed to address these issues effectively. Through targeted adjustments, your chiropractor can help loosen your joints and muscles, promoting improved circulation and reducing pain. Consistent sessions throughout the winter months contribute to enhanced flexibility, allowing you to carry out your daily activities with ease and comfort. Our chiropractors at BeActive Physiotherapy specialize in adjustments to keep your muscles and joints flexible, reducing pain caused by the winter chill.

2. Cold and Flu Prevention Beyond Immunity:

• • Question: Did you know that spinal adjustments can strengthen your immune system?

This year, your health concerns extend beyond the flu as the pandemic persists. The winter months bring challenges like inadequate sleep, heightened stress, and crowded shopping areas. To fortify your immune system, consider visiting your chiropractor. Beyond relieving aches and pains, spinal adjustments realign your spine, promoting clear communication between your brain and immune system.

A healthy spine enhances your body’s ability to react swiftly and effectively to infections. Strengthening your immunity through chiropractic care not only aids in overall well-being but equips you to confidently navigate the elements when venturing outside, offering an added layer of protection in these uncertain times.

Winter is notorious for compromising immune systems; chiropractic care can play a role in preventing colds and flu. Beyond pain relief, our adjustments set off a chain reaction, boosting nervous system function and fortifying your body’s defense against germs.

1. Handling the Elements Outside:

• • Stats: Winter brings an increased risk of slips and falls; proper preparation is key.

As highlighted earlier, increased stiffness heightens the likelihood of injuries, especially for winter sports enthusiasts. Opting for winter chiropractic care becomes a smart choice to minimize injury risks when engaging in activities like skiing or ice skating. Beyond the usual adjustments, chiropractic care during winter incorporates tailored exercises and stretching routines. Dress in layers to keep warm, and don’t forget to warm up your muscles before heading outside.

Our chiropractors can guide you in selecting the most suitable exercises and stretches, not just for the athletically-inclined but also for those preferring milder outdoor activities or tackling winter chores like snow shoveling. Surprisingly, winter sports injuries and back pain from snow shoveling rank among the most common reasons people seek chiropractic care during the colder months.

Shoveling snow? Our chiropractors advise on proper techniques to avoid muscle strain and injury. Check out this video created by our team of chiropractors and physiotherapists on how to properly shovel the snow. If you still have questions or would like to be better prepared for the winters, contact our team to schedule an appointment.

1. Winter Sports Ready:

• • Friendly Tip: Planning a skiing trip? Ensure your body is in proper alignment and well-prepared.

Engaging in winter sports like skiing and skating adds an element of fun to the season, but it’s crucial to be aware of potential risks. Common winter sports injuries encompass spinal issues, knee problems, ankle sprains, and more. While sledding is a prevalent cause of winter sports injuries, activities like skiing, ice skating, hockey, and snowboarding also pose risks.

The icy and snowy conditions heighten the chances of slips and falls, contributing to more than 2.8 million older individuals seeking emergency treatment for fall injuries annually, as reported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). These injuries can result in severe consequences, including broken bones.

Chiropractic care tailored for winter sports injuries, slips, and falls involves targeted stretching to enhance flexibility, chiropractic adjustments to alleviate joint tightness, and muscle work aimed at breaking up scar tissue. Chiropractic care helps prevent musculoskeletal injuries common in winter sports.

Whether you’re a beginner or seasoned enthusiast, our services can aid in rebuilding strength and coordination. Looking for more sports related injuries and how our experienced team of physiotherapists and chiropractors can help you? Learn more here or contact us today for sports injury rehabilitation.

1. Combating Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD):

• • Did You Know: Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) affects many during the colder months.

Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) is a prevalent condition during the fall and winter, often regarded as a form of depression. Stressors like colder temperatures, reduced sunlight exposure, and overcast days commonly trigger SAD, leading to a decline in interest, energy, and motivation.

While specialists consider SAD incurable, chiropractic care emerges as a supportive avenue. Through chiropractic adjustments, the communication pathways of your central nervous system are realigned, aiding in the regulation of melatonin and serotonin levels. These adjustments play a role in managing emotions during the fall and winter seasons. Beyond adjustments, our chiropractor can recommend specific lifestyle changes to assist you in better managing the symptoms of SAD.

Chiropractic care can play a role in regulating hormone production and managing SAD symptoms. Beyond adjustments, our chiropractors provide practical lifestyle changes to cope with SAD effectively.

1. Stress Management for a Serene Winter:

• • Friendly Reminder: The holiday season can bring stress; chiropractic care can be a valuable resource.

Navigating stress, especially during the holiday season, can be challenging without the right support. Our team of chiropractors is adept at employing various treatments to alleviate stress, fostering not only a healthy body but also a sound mind.

As harsh Canadian winter approaches with its inevitable challenges, acknowledging the cold weather ahead is essential. Just as you wouldn’t step out of your house without a coat, ensuring your body is prepared for the colder months is equally crucial. Begin your winter on a positive note by visiting us today.

We are here to assist you throughout the season, reducing pain, maintaining your health and well-being, and preventing injuries. Schedule your appointment with BeActive Physiotherapy today and let us guide you towards a winter filled with wellness. Our chiropractors specialize in stress management, promoting a healthy body and mind.

Chiropractic Care at BeActive Physiotherapy

As you brace yourself for the challenges of the Canadian winter, remember that just like you wouldn’t leave your house without a coat, your body needs preparation too. Schedule an appointment with BeActive Physiotherapy today, and let us guide you through winter with reduced pain, maintained health, and a lower risk of injury. Start your winter off right with a visit BeActive Physiotherapy in Oakville!

Have you been suffering from chronic pain, or pain lasting longer than three months? If so, you are not alone. According to the American Academy of Pain Medicine, at least 100 million Americans are living with chronic pain. Because of this, there has been a larger and larger demand for prescription pain medications within recent years. To put this in perspective, in the year 2013 alone, physicians prescribed nearly a quarter of a billion opioid prescriptions. That equates to about one bottle per person living in America! This rising demand for pain medications has led to the opioid crisis we face today, due to the excessive abuse and overdose of the drug. Opioids contain dangerous and addictive chemicals that many people have unfortunately fallen victim to.

In response to this public health epidemic, many people have been searching for safer pain relief strategies. Luckily, physiotherapy has been a successful solution. Whether your pain is acute or chronic, a physiotherapist can help you get back to your normal life through natural and non-invasive treatments, without the need for potentially dangerous drugs.

How does physiotherapy relieve pain?

Physiotherapists are highly experienced in the fields of movement and dysfunction. With their knowledge, they are able to provide a combination of passive and active therapy treatments that are aimed at relieving pain due to injury or another condition. They are able to do this in several ways, including:

1. Providing techniques and services that have been studied and supported by scientific research.

Rigorous study and strong research are just two of the many ways that the successes of physiotherapy have been proven. These studies have provided credible evidence toward physiotherapy treatments, illustrating how they can significantly reduce a vast number of pain-related conditions. The implementation of care backed by scientific research allows physiotherapists to greatly improve their patient outcomes.

2. Using a series of techniques that have little-to-no side effects.

Some common treatments that physiotherapists provide include massage, ultrasound, joint mobilization, electrical nerve stimulation, and diathermy. These are all natural treatments that have a very low risk of side effects, especially when compared to other methods of pain relief, such as surgery and medication.

3. Addressing pain at its root.

Part of the reason why physiotherapy is so successful is because it gets to the base of the problem in order to alleviate pain completely, rather than just masking the issue. Pills may be easier to pop in your mouth for pain relief, but their success is short-lived. The effects of many medications only last for 12-24 hours, meaning you’ll have to continually pop pills if you want to maintain your relief. Essentially, it masks the pain but doesn’t fix the problem.

Fortunately, physiotherapy does. Your physiotherapist will perform a thorough evaluation at your initial appointment, in order to determine where the pain is stemming from and what the best treatments for it will be. Physiotherapy gets to the root of the problem in order to provide long-term relief, whereas medication only works in the short-term.

4. Implementing individualized exercise programs for your needs.

In addition to your passive treatments, your physiotherapist will create an active exercise plan for you that is specifically tailored to your recovery process. Physical activity can help in reducing your pain significantly, in addition to reducing swelling, improving range of motion, promoting healing, and increasing overall strength and endurance.

5. Increasing your activity.

Participating in physiotherapy is an engaging process that can inspire you to take a more active role in your pain management. Physiotherapy sessions last anywhere from 30-60 minutes, allowing you to work closely with your therapist to achieve your goals. At the end of the day, physiotherapy is the only natural, risk-free, and active method of pain relief, providing long-lasting effects.

If you or a loved one are currently dealing with pain, contact BeActive Oakville today. We would be happy to schedule a consultation with one of our physiotherapists to discuss how they can help you get back to a normal, active, and pain-free life!

Sources:

https://www.moveforwardpt.com/Resources/Detail/7-myths-about-physical-therapy

https://www.moveforwardpt.com/benefits/default.aspx

Do you deal with chronic pain or inflammation in your daily life? It isn’t uncommon, but it is avoidable. While exercise is a crucial part of your physiotherapy regimen, proper nutrition can also play an important role. The foods you eat work to fuel your body, and eating the right ones can help you recover much quicker from painful or uncomfortable conditions. Exercising regularly, reducing your stress intake, and keeping a strict nutritional diet all work together to help limit and alleviate your pain and inflammation. For more information on how nutrition can help you, contact BeActive Physiotherapy to schedule a consultation with one of our physiotherapists.

Why we experience inflammation:

Your immune system can naturally respond to injury, ailment, or other harm through inflammation. If you have an infection, wound, tissue damage, or buildup of toxins in your body, the immune response is triggered to deal with it. Without inflammation, injuries wouldn’t be able to heal; however, if this process goes on for too long, chronic inflammation can occur. This can lead to serious health conditions, such as arthritis, diabetes, heart disease, or even some cancers. If you experience persistent pain, it is wise to contact a physiotherapist as soon as possible, as it may mean that the inflammation has become chronic.

Traditionally, chronic inflammation has been treated through strict rest and medication. However, a lack of exercise can actually make inflammation worse, as it constricts joints and causes muscles to stiffen. Additionally, medications come with a whole slew of side effects, some of which can be dangerous and/or habit-forming. Luckily, pain and inflammation can be treated in much easier and healthier ways – such as diet.

Beat inflammation with a nutritional diet!

Nutritionists have had patients report great success in turning around their symptoms by adopting an anti-inflammatory diet. Inflammation is your body’s way of trying to heal, which can be accelerated through a nutritional diet that complements the removal of toxins.

The three basic components of an anti-inflammatory diet are:

• Lots of veggies!

Raw broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, and cabbage are the best options when sustaining an anti-inflammatory diet. They can be cooked if you prefer, but raw vegetables are generally better for speeding up the inflammation process. You’ll want to eat up to nine servings per day, and you can substitute fruits for a couple of those servings to break it up, if it becomes too much. Otherwise, the timeless saying “eat your veggies,” is key.

• Take it easy on grains and dairy.

In order to strengthen your body’s immune response, you’ll want to avoid simple carbs and sugars. Unfortunately, that means no donuts, no pastries, and no white breads. Dairy products should also be extremely limited, so very little cheese or milk with anything. Whole grains, such as barley, oats, brown rice, and wheat are best.

• Avoid red meat altogether.

It is best to avoid red meat while participating in an anti-inflammatory diet. If this proves difficult, red meat is okay in small doses; however, it should be an extremely rare treat in your diet. The proteins in red meat require extra work from your kidneys to process, so it will slow down the healing process if you eat a lot of it. One small piece of steak, one time per week, should be your maximum limit. Luckily, chicken and fish are just fine for an anti-inflammatory diet. Enjoy them with all of those servings of vegetables!

More helpful tips:

If you stick to the diet listed above, you should see your pain and inflammation symptoms start to reduce very quickly. In addition to a nutritional diet, you can also help fight inflammation through:

• Weight loss: If you have some unwanted weight, getting down to your ideal body weight will help with your pain and inflammation.
• Stress management:  If you’re feeling mentally stressed, your body can become physically stressed – causing more inflammation and a longer recovery rate. Taking time to relax can actually allow you to heal quicker!
• Daily exercise: Exercise will keep the muscles warm, which can alleviate pain or stiffness, and stop the inflammation from becoming worse.

Contact us today if you’d like to speak with a physiotherapist about pain management or additional advice on how to reduce inflammation!

Sources:

• https://www.health.harvard.edu/pain/can-diet-heal-chronic-pain
• https://www.webmd.com/pain-management/ss/slideshow-foods-fight-pain