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Northumberland Physiotherapy and Foot Care Centre gives Santa the "OK" to fly
 
Santa made an appearance at NPFCC today to say hello to all of our patients. While he was here our physiotherapists and chiropodists assessed Santa for any aches or pains. Santa has been successfully treated for back pain in the past due to all his heavy lifting. We are pleased to report that after a little foot care and practicing his safe lifting techniques Santa is in tip top shape this year. Our physiotherapist Rachel made sure that Santa's rotator cuff is ready to swing his bag over his shoulder while our Chiropodist Mark ensured he will be ready for the mad dash should the kids wake up before he's out of the house. 

 

We would also like to thank everyone for participating in our Christmas sweater and Christmas PJ's Days.

 

 

Merry Christmas everyone!!

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Repetitions: how much is too much?

My patients often ask me “how do I know when I should increase the weight I’m lifting or the number of repetitions I do?” This is an important question because lifting too much weight or doing too many repetitions can cause delayed muscle soreness or in the case of injury can cause more harm than good.

Generally, start a new exercise doing 10 repetitions, take a break and do 10 more (2 sets of 10 repetitions). Repeat this twice a day (for example in the morning and before bed).

A good rule of thumb when progressing exercises:

·         By the end of your set (10-15 repetitions) you should feel that you need a short break but are able to perform at least 2 sets.

·         If you can’t perform 10 repetitions you are lifting too much weight.

·         If after a break you still can’t perform your second set, you’re lifting too much weight. 

·         If at the end of your set of 10-15 repetitions you feel like you could do many more repetitions without needing a break, you may want to lift more weight.

·         If you have muscle soreness that lasts longer then a day, you’re lifting too much or performing too many repetitions.

 

Exceptions to the rule

The above rules work for most of us healing from injury but will change if you are training for something specific.  Running a marathon requires endurance.  Performing many repetitions at a low weight targets muscle fibers made for endurance. Alternatively if you need to lift something very heavy, strength is more important than endurance. Lifting heavy weights only a few times will target these muscle fibers. Talk to your Physiotherapist, Athletic therapist or trainer if you are looking for a training program to get back to performing your specific sport.

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Winter Footwear

Below are some Holiday gift ideas for your loved one's feet, recommended by Foot Works Waterloo, Ontario.
- Smartwool socks (https://www.smartwool.com/default.cfm)
The resurgence of wool as a high performance outdoor material has really taken off the past several years, and at the leading edge of that trend is Smartwool. The great thing about wool is that it insulates even when wet. These socks are great for skiers, runners, cyclists, or anyone who likes to keep their feet warm and cozy regardless of the conditions outside.
- YakTrax (http://www.yaktrax.com/)
YakTrax is a rubber device with a metal coil that slips over any regular shoe. The metal on the device digs into ice or snow and is great at providing much needed traction on slippery surfaces and thus preventing slipping and falls. They have a walker model and a pro model for running. These are great for anyone who likes to venture outside when the weather is cold and the sidewalks are icy here in Waterloo.
- Winter cycling shoes or shoe covers
One of the biggest challenges for the hardcore cyclists who ride outdoors year round here in Ontario is keeping their feet warm. The Pearl Izumi Barrier GTX (www.pearlizumi.com) is one of the most advanced winter riding shoes on the market. They are lined with Gore-Tex so they are 100% waterproof as well as having Thinsulate insulation to keep you warm. Pearl Izumi, Gore Bike Wear, Castelli, and others also make shoe covers to put over regular cycling shoes to keep out wind and winter road debris.
- Winter boots
For men, you can't go wrong with the classic Sorel Caribou boot (www.sorel.com). A more modern take on this traditional winter boot is the North Face Baltoro 400 II (www.thenorthface.com). Both of these boots are good down to -40 Fahrenheit! For women, Ugg's (http://www.uggaustralia.com/) are extremely comfortable for their warmth, comfort, and style. Patagonia (www.patagonia.com) has also entered the shoe and boot market and has some trendy new styles, including the Attlee Tie boot.
- Winter running shoes
Salomon (www.salomon.com) has had a stronghold on the trail running/Gore-Tex lined shoe for quite some time and continues that trend in 2011 with the Salomon Wings 2 GTX available in men's and women's versions. Many other companies make shoes that would be good for winter running. The trail running shoes tend to have less ventilation and soles with more traction which are both important for winter. If you can afford it, go with a Gore-Tex lined shoe to keep your feet dry on those cold and wet Ontario winter days.
Thanks for reading and have a great week!
---The Foot Works Team

via footworkschiropodyclinic.ca

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