Spring Training

Spring is always that time of year of hope and excitement, and all the joys of summer sport come flooding back. As we look forward to the days of trail or road running, golf, tennis, biking, and team sports like soccer, football, baseball and lacrosse, we need to be careful and remember that getting back into these activities will start working those muscles that may have become dormant with our winter training routines. Preparing our muscles for these movements will help us slide right back into our summer sports safely while increasing enjoyment. Here are two concepts to think about when creating your spring training schedule: Strength training and Yoga for sport.

Strength Training:

• While being accepted as a part of a well-planned workout schedule, it is important that we plan for training that is transferable to our sports. Traditional weightlifting develops stronger muscle, however plan to exercise your stabilizing muscles that help in joint movement, balance, and provide the body with needed leverage.
• You want to train movement, not just your muscles. Sport creates a need for the body to use force coming from several different muscles and joints. You want to plan exercises that use multi-joint movements that feed to your sport demands.
• Multi-directional movement will help the body to build the stability for sport that creates force in varied angles and motions. When we think about trail running, as in any sport, we realize that not all motion is equal. Developing strength in a range of motion will help to compensate for the unknowns that are thrown at us in sport.

Yoga for Sport:

• What we first think of when it comes to yoga is developing flexibility. However, after a few studies, flexibility is not the only benefit. Other benefits include increased stride length, decrease in muscle discomfort, improved unconscious perception of movement and spatial orientation, stronger core, and mental benefits. Adding yoga to spring training will help decrease your chance of injury as we move winter sport into summer sport.

Reference from the SIRC collection:
Twist, Peter. (2008). Training Transition for Spring Sports and Recreation. Fitness Informer, Spring/Summer 2008, 18-19.

Yoga Poses and Meditation for back pain

Yoga- the ancient physical, mental and spiritual discipline - has been found to be a great intervention for chronic back pain. And many high level athletes use yoga as a part of their training and recovery programs. The physical stretches are the most helpful part of the recovery but let us not forgot that the mental aspect of the discipline is quite beneficial to recovery as well.

By holding a pose in yoga, our muscles strengthen. If you can hold it for about a minute and start to feel a burn you are strengthening your muscle. Yoga is a workout that reduces stress, increases flexibility and coordination.

Studies have found that sixty to ninety percent of adults will suffer from back pains. Outside the athletics world, we put our back through so much lifting, heaving, twisting and shoving in every-day life. Some of the numerous causes of back pains include: poor posture, excess body weight, herniated disc and degenerative disks to name a few. With all that work our backs are doing it’s not surprising that with 20 small intricate joints building our vertebrae, our backs are taking a beating. Add to that any athletic endeavor and it is obvious that we need to be mindful of our back health.

Although yoga is ideal for back pain recovery, simple stretching activities also work to help relieve the pain. The focus on mindfulness is what makes yoga differ from simple stretching. It calms the body and gives peace of mind. A large emphasis in yoga is good posture, which help counter the initial causes of the back pain. Before stretching your way into recovery, try asking a healthcare professional what works best for you.

Contact SIRC for more information on yoga!

Reference from the SIRC Collection: 
(2012) Suffering from Low Back Pain? Maybe You Should Try Yoga. Tufts University health & Nutrition Letter, 29(12), 3.

Online Resource:
Shepley Caron (2012). Yoga for Sports Performance: Why Yoga is an Athlete’s “Secret Weapon”. Presented at the 2012 Coaches of Ontario Conference. Retrieved from the Internet March 29, 2012.

Holingshead, Sue. Yoga for Sports Performance. Retrieved from IDEA Health & Fitness Association website March 29, 2012.

Exercise and bone health

It is well known that regular exercise is excellent for your heart, health and well-being. There is also plenty of evidence that proves that regular exercise is essential in warding off various health-related issues; what's not as well known is that people who perform non-weight bearing exercises such as cycling or swimming as their sole method of exercise could be putting themselves at risk for osteoporosis.

 
Bone is living tissue that responds to loads placed on it. If you perform  non-weight bearing exercises your bones won't retain their density like they would with a weight bearing exercise. If cycling or swimming is currently your only form of exercise, you can be proactive in preventing the disease by adding a little variation in your training.

• Weight bearing exercises such as walking, running, skiing, dancing or jumping all help to retain bone density
• Cross training
• Resistance or weight training
• Improving core strength
• A diet that meets your calcium and vitamin D requirements

A common misconception is that osteoporosis is a disease that is limited to aging women since low estrogen causes bone deterioration, in fact it can affect men as well. Care should be taken for young people in particular, since bones keep growing and do not reach peak density until the age of 30.

For those of you that have already been diagnosed with osteoporosis, it doesn't mean you have to stop moving. Instead, perform exercises that strengthen the back, core and hip, and ensure that you supplement your routine with alternate workouts. Before you run out and buy calcium supplements or change your training schedule, it is always a good idea to talk to your doctor for their recommendations first.

References from the SIRC Collection: 

1. Campion F, NeviII A, MedeIIi J, et al. Bone Status in Professional Cyclists. International Journal Of Sports Medicine. July 2010;31(7):511-515.
2. Cedaro R. Osteroprorosis And Cycling. Triathlon & Multi Sport Magazine. July 2, 2012;15(7):76-78.
3. CYCLISTS AT RISK FOR OSTEOPOROSIS. IDEA Fitness Journal. July 2009;6(7):12.
4. Giles M. Bone strength matters. Bicycling Australia. May 2006;(139):52-54.
5. Hamilton A. Cycling health: a bone of contention. Cycling Weekly. September 30, 2010;:50-51.
6. Hawkins K. Cycling: Bad for the Bones?. Bicycle Paper. August 2012;41(6):1-5.
7. Nichols J, Rauh M. LONGITUDINAL CHANGES IN BONE MINERAL DENSITY IN MALE MASTER CYCLISTS AND NONATHLETES. Journal Of Strength & Conditioning Research (Lippincott Williams & Wilkins). March 2011;25(3):727-734.

Yoga douleur au bas du dos

La douleur au bas du dos* est une des raisons les plus fréquentes pour les absences au travail et la deuxième plainte la plus fréquente dans les visites chez le médecin. Elle est généralement causée par une des raisons suivantes: une mauvaise technique répétée pour lever, des changements dégénératifs ou structurels dans les vertèbres, être assis ou debout de manière excessive, se pencher, tourner ou des chutes. Ceci est une bonne nouvelle pour ceux qui souffrent de douleurs au bas du dos, puisqu’il y a de plus en plus de recherches qui montrent que le yoga peut être un traitement efficace pour les gens qui ont des problèmes chroniques au dos.

Qu’est-ce que le yoga fait pour le corps?

• Renforce et étire les muscles 
• Apporte un soulagement au stress*
• Augmente la flexibilité*
• Améliore la coordination*
• Bon globalement pour la santé et le conditionnement 

Tandis que le yoga peut être bon pour la fonction globale du dos, selon la personne et la gravité du problème, il est important de remarquer que le yoga peut ne pas toujours soulager la douleur. Les cours de yoga* se sont révélés plus bénéfiques que les exercices par soi-même ou des vidéos à la maison. Exécuter des poses de yoga à la maison sans la supervision d’un instructeur peut se révéler risqué si les poses ne sont pas effectuées correctement.

De récentes études ont montré que le yoga, combiné à de l’étirement*, peut être une bonne option sécuritaire pour les personnes qui veulent essayer de faire de l’activité physique pour soulager des douleurs modérées au bas du dos. Les cours doivent être conçus en pensant aux débutants et enseignés par des instructeurs qui peuvent modifier les poses* pour répondre aux besoins ou aux limites individuelles. Avant de commencer un nouveau régime ou cours de conditionnement, veuillez vous rappeler de communiquer d’abord avec votre médecin ou votre physiothérapeute pour minimiser les risques de blessure.

* Seulement disponible en anglais

Références de la collection de SIRC:

1. Archer S. YOGA HELPS MANAGE LOW-BACK PAIN. IDEA Fitness Journal. March 2012;9(3):69.
2. DeAvilla N. In the Classroom: Adapting Class for Students with Low Back Pain. Yoga Therapy In Practice. September 2005;1(1):7-9.
3. DAWSON-COOK S. STEERING CLEAR FROM A REAL PAIN IN THE BACK. American Fitness. May 2013;31(3):48-50.
4. Girdwain J, Mcgee K. Fix It with Fitness. Health (Time Inc.). May 2013;27(4):47.
5. HOWE D. Oh, My Aching Back. American Fitness. January 2011;29(1):54-55.
6. LARGEST U.S. STUDY SHOWS YOGA EASES BACK PAIN. American Fitness. March 2012;30(2):10.
7. Selfridge N. Yay Yoga! More Evidence for Helping Low Back Pain. Alternative Medicine Alert. March 2012;15(3):33-34.
8. Suffering from Low Back Pain? Maybe You Should Try Yoga. Tufts University Health & Nutrition Letter. February 2012;29(12):3.

Yoga and low back pain

Low back pain is one of the most common reasons for work absenteeism and the second most common complaint at doctor visits. It is generally caused by one of the following: repetitive incorrect lifting technique, degenerative or structural changes in the vertabrae, excessive sitting or standing, bending, twisting or falls. There is good news for low back pain sufferers, as there is a growing body of research that shows that yoga can be an effective treatment for people with chronic back problems.

What does yoga do for the body?

• Strengthen and stretches the muscles
• Provides stress relief
• Increases flexibility
• Improved coordination
• Good for overall health and fitness

While yoga may be good for overall back function, depending on the individual and the severity of the problem, it's important to note that yoga may not always alleviate the pain. Yoga classes were shown to be more beneficial than self care exercises or home videos. Performing yoga poses at home without the supervision of an instructor may prove to be a risky business if the poses are not done correctly.

Recent studies have shown that yoga combined with stretching can be a good, safe option for people who are willing to try physical activity to relieve moderate low back pain. Classes should be designed with a beginner in mind and taught by instructors that are able to modify postures for individual needs and or limitations. Before starting a new fitness regimen or class, please remember to contact your doctor or physiotherapist first to minimize risk of injury.

References from the SIRC Collection:

1. Archer S. YOGA HELPS MANAGE LOW-BACK PAIN. IDEA Fitness Journal. March 2012;9(3):69.
2. DeAvilla N. In the Classroom: Adapting Class for Students with Low Back Pain. Yoga Therapy In Practice. September 2005;1(1):7-9.
3. DAWSON-COOK S. STEERING CLEAR FROM A REAL PAIN IN THE BACK. American Fitness. May 2013;31(3):48-50.
4. Girdwain J, Mcgee K. Fix It with Fitness. Health (Time Inc.). May 2013;27(4):47.
5. HOWE D. Oh, My Aching Back. American Fitness. January 2011;29(1):54-55.
6. LARGEST U.S. STUDY SHOWS YOGA EASES BACK PAIN. American Fitness. March 2012;30(2):10.
7. Selfridge N. Yay Yoga! More Evidence for Helping Low Back Pain. Alternative Medicine Alert. March 2012;15(3):33-34.
8. Suffering from Low Back Pain? Maybe You Should Try Yoga. Tufts University Health & Nutrition Letter. February 2012;29(12):3.