Please click below and download our FREE one month rehabilitation calendar. This is to help you keep yourself on track to perform the customized rehabilitation exercises that will get you better. Best of luck!
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As we get older it is easy to tell ourselves to “slow down” and “act our age.” In some ways there is wisdom in these statements. However, many forty-plus year-olds take this mantra too far. They stop playing their favourite sports because they do not want to take undue risks. Social circles can also take a hit as we become very career and family focused. Our worlds get smaller and smaller. In a sense people in their forties begin to prepare themselves for death decades ahead of time. You may think this is a dramatic way of describing the natural process of aging but hear me out.
I understand that we have to be aware of the changes our bodies go through as we age. And hitting your forties does mean some things have changed. At 36 years of age I tore my inner calf muscle doing 42 inch box jumps. Now, I had warmed up and stretched and had slowly worked my way up to these over a period of years. But still, my muscle ripped. This would not have happened at 26. So I decided to omit highly ballistic exercises to forego anything worse happening. I adjusted to my age. Yet I still lifted very heavy weights. I also began to practice jiu jitsu. Having wrestled in school and university, grappling came natural to me and jiu jitsu is slower paced than freestyle wrestling. So even though I “slowed down” I didn’t downgrade my efforts or time spent pursuing fitness, I simply shifted my activity to something more intelligent. In May of 2017 I even competed in the highest profile jiu jitsu tournament in British Columbia. At age 42 I entered the 30 year-old division and won first place. The weight cutting and training camp was difficult and competing against athletes 10 years younger was daunting. But I took the challenge and succeeded. You don’t have to have that lofty of a goal, but it does highlight what is possible.
MMA fighter Randy Couture won the light heavyweight title at age 40 and defended his belt against a 28 year old challenger. He also won the heavyweight UFC title at 44 years of age against a much larger 32 year old opponent. Finally Randy retired at age 47 from professional MMA. Remember that long time NHL hockey player Chris Chelios played until he was 48 and even in his mid forties the Red Wings fitness coach said he was as fit as the 30 year-olds on the team! Jaromir Jagr is still playing NHL hockey at 46 and two years ago was one of the team leaders in points at 44 years old. At least two Olympian medalists during the 2016 Games in Brazil were in their forties. All this to say that you don’t have to hang up your hobbies just because you are in your forties. If you treat your body correctly, you can stretch your athletic prime farther than you think.
Now, let’s say athletics are not your thing, you can push your intellect instead. After finishing university in my twenties, I continued to read copiously. Instead of being “done with all that learning stuff” I put my skills to use in a more varied manner.
Credit: The Marmot (click image to visit).
Some rights reserved for image: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/
I read history, philosophy, science and religious texts. No longer being bound by tests and heavy class schedules, I was free to expand my mind. Even though our learning speed decreases after your twenties, the ability to make accurate decisions continues to rise until your late 60’s and usually is maintained for years afterwards if you use your brain. So instead of being done with learning, I was only beginning. And I continue to devour knowledge. One of the most common traps once our careers are established is to simply entertain ourselves during our down time. Instead, I choose to educate myself. “Use it or lose it” is a catch phrase for a reason. Continued mental challenges keeps your brain young.
I continue to challenge myself in the business field as well. I am planning on shifting my work to focus on both sports medicine (working with a professional team) and eventually to hold an academic position part time then full time. The continual shape shifting of my goals in all areas of life keeps me feeling, acting and thinking young.
As a father of four kids, I am also challenged in terms of energy and time. But I have taken this challenge head on and have reaped the rewards. Many people in their forties are really winding down and foregoing many activities and goals they could still do. But the body follows the mind. If you have decided to stop challenging yourself you will slowly convince your brain and body to get old quicker than it needs to.
Why would anyone ever do that?
Many office workers feel they are doomed to low back pain because they sit for a living.
NOT TRUE!
There is an easy solution that will protect your low back from injury.
PLEASE download our FREE PDF manual that shows you how to sit properly! Our easy to follow steps will help prevent your lumbar discs from succumbing to injury.
MANUAL for HOW TO SIT PROPERLY
For several months I suffered from “acidic gut.” The bottom of my abdomen was constantly painful and I had mild nausea and bloating most of each day. My condition was most likely brought on by a combination of strong anti-biotics, high sugar diet and stress. Either way, the end result was, I had too little good bacteria in my small intestines and therefore had a fungal overgrowth. With a high sugar diet, fungus is well fed and its colonies grow unabated. As a by-product of fungus feeding off sugar, the fungal bodies are producing acid, which hurts.
At this point, I worked with Liliana Tosic, a registered holistic nutritionist (RHN). Her evaluation gave me the diagnosis I needed and then the solution: food coupling. I must admit I was skeptical at first. It seemed too simple to cure several months of pain.
Food coupling is the notion that different foods are processed at different speeds. So by avoiding bad combinations, you alleviate stress to the digestive system. Further, some foods give off more or less acidic by-products. Which also needs to be taken into account.
Within 3 days of my food coupling diet I felt at least 40% better. I have been on a slow but steady improvement slope ever since. I was quite surprised at how simple and effective “food coupling” was.
In hindsight, this should not surprise me as I have many equivalent scenarios in my pain relief and rehabilitation practice. Many of my patients are incredulous when I say that adjusting how you sit and how you lift can alleviate the majority of disc pain within 2 to 3 weeks. Yet this is the reality. Which can be hard to believe if you have had months of debilitating pain.
If you have not worked with a good nutritionist and you have stomach or digestive problems, I would highly recommend giving Liliana a call.
To your health!
Women are more likely than men to develop hip pain. This is due to the width of their pelvis. Because they have wide pelvises (for child bearing) but their feet come down exactly in the same spot as men on the ground, their thigh bones are at a steeper angle.
The angle of the thigh bone (femur) in relation to the hip socket is known as the “Q Angle.” The larger this angle, the more strain on the muscles that cover this region. So you can see why more strain is applied to the hips of women than those of their male counterparts.
As women age, if they gain weight and lose muscle tone, the effects on the hip soft tissue increases in the negative direction. Loss of muscular strength, endurance and size places more strain on the passive tissues such as ligaments and joint capsule and even tendons. Placing more continuous strain on these. Add excess weight and you compound the problem. Muscles of the hip are therefore under more strain because they are weaker than they used to be, so they can accumulate micro damage and the inevitable formation of scar tissue.
So… What Is The Solution?
There is a 2 part approach to solving hip problems in women when they are the result of the above scenario.
1. Soft Tissue Treatments. Sports massage techniques are effective at breaking down the scar tissue that has formed throughout the hip region. This is an unpleasant but effective procedure. It also helps flush out inflammation naturally.
2. Exercise prescription. By performing safe and specific hip and core exercises, the muscle tone of the hip region increases, taking the strain off the other soft tissues and making the muscle itself more resilient to stress and strain. Increased muscle strength also increases pain thresholds and decreases inflammation.
3. Flexibility training. The greater your range of motion, the more effectively the body spreads out the strain of movement and weight bearing, making the hip less likely to become injured.
If there are weight loss issues to tackle, this should be done in conjunction with the above 3 point plan.
If you or someone you know suffers from chronic hip pain, link this article to them. Thank you!
If you have gone to your doctor, chiropractor or physiotherapist and have been diagnosed with a shoulder strain (i.e.: rotator cuff strain, impingement syndrome, etc) but you have been confirmed that there is no tearing of your tissues, you can perform the program below three times per week for 3 to 4 weeks to see how much progress you can make.
Most shoulder strains are the result of weak shoulder girdle muscles. That is, the muscles that attach your shoulder blade to your thorax, when weak, cause the shoulder blade to move too much whenever you move your arm. This increases the wear and tear in the shoulder joint. Further, the rotator cuffs are also usually too weak in patients who have mild to moderate shoulder strains. The job of the rotator cuffs is to anchor your arm bone to your shoulder socket (which is on the shoulder blade).
So, by firming up both the shoulder blade’s stability and the firmness of the arm’s connection to the shoulder blade (via rotator cuffs), you are improving the way the kinetic chain of the whole arm functions. Think of it as “core exercises” for the shoulder and arm. Your strength will increase and your pain will decrease.
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EXERCISES
External Rotations
– grab theraband with hand of the affected shoulder, place magazine between elbow and side.
– Head back, chest out, pinch shoulder blades together tightly.
– Elbow bent 90 degrees.
– Start position is with forearm sticking straight forward (perpendicular to theraband).
– Keeping proper form, externally rotate shoulder as far as you can.
2 set of 12-15 repetitions.
______________________________
2. Jack Hammers (speed drill):
– stand facing door where theraband is anchored
– grab each end of theraband with both hands
– standard posture
– keep elbows slightly bent, start with hands next to hips
– with straight arms, pull hands as far back as you can, return them no further than hips (unlike pic)
do as fast as you can for 30 seconds. Rest. Do it once more.
______________________________ 2 sets of 15-20 repetitions
Behind the question “what exercise should I do?” is the hope that there is a quick fix program that will allow someone to quickly get into shape. I hate to break it to all of you but, there is no such system. Anyone claiming to have discovered a short cut and wants to sell it to you has only discovered a short cut into your wallet. Be wary.
“What about P90X and other “fast acting” exercise regimens?”
I am well aware that certain programs are incredibly intense and will therefore trigger metabolic changes faster than others. Heck, if we all had to hike 60 km per day for the next 3 weeks, we’d all be a bit less chubby. The problem with the “new” type of programs like P90X or Insanity is that they are, for most people, unsustainable. You may get through the first 90 days, but can you live the program as a 365 day per year lifestyle? Most cannot. Injury or burn out will get most of you.
This does not mean you won’t ever be able to become super fit. It just means the most successful way to get there will be the gradual one. See my “easy does it” article on ideas to slowly increase your fitness levels. It is certainly not the only way to do it, but it does provide you with a blueprint. But the principle is to ease the body into fitness instead of trying to make up for lost time by going nuclear and tearing your body apart.
In regards to what type of exercise to perform, this is a more difficult question to answer. Everyone is very unique. What works for one individual may not work for another. And if you factor in our personalities (not just our bodies) you have to realize that just because your body likes an exercise, your mind might not. And if you hate something, you will probably psychologically burn out and stop doing it. Interestingly, it seems that what fits your body almost always fits your mind, so this should not be a problem for most of you.
Another question that needs to be answered is “what are your goals?” If you are training to improve your performance in a specific sport, you will need to ask the advice of those who regularly train athletes of your variety. If you are like most people, you simply want to look and feel better. In that case you could benefit from what I would label a “basic fitness and aesthetics” type of workout. Essentially this incorporates a variety of different types of exercises ranging from endurance cardio to heavy weight lifting. Always consult a professional trainer if you have no exercise background just to make sure you are not lifting improperly and hurting yourself.
Here is a brief example of this “basic” program:
– once per week, do a 40 to 60 minute cardio type of workout. Whether this is cycling, swimming, running or a boot camp or exercise class, the intensity should be something you can maintain for at least 40 minutes. Also, the system it most challenges should be your cardiovascular, so it should be a constant motion class, not 40 minutes in the gym pulling weights around.
– once per week do a 20 minute high intensity training program. Crossfit is one such method but you can do your own high intensity circuit using body weight exercises or weight lifting circuit. The point is, you are again in a (mostly) constant motion scenario (i.e.: no rest between exercises) for 15 – 20 minutes. So the intensity should be quite high and prevent you from going more than 20 minutes.
– once per week do a heavy lifting workout. This should last approximately 30 minutes and only cover 2 muscle groups. You’ll want to chose weights that you can safely lift (do not overdo it!) and have a professional show you good technique. You should always have a spotter with you on heavy days. Chose a weight that allows you to perform 6 to 8 reps. Do about 3 to 4 sets for each exercise before moving on. Only do 3 types of exercise for each of the two body parts you choose to train that day. Take about 60 to 90 seconds rest between each set. Your goal is not to sweat as much as possible, but to lift as heavy as you safely can for two body parts. This triggers your strength development, which is a unique affect on the body. Always rotate which body parts you place in this “heavy lifting” category so you can rest your body and develop it thoroughly.
– twice per week do a “bodybuilder’s” workout. Whichever muscles you did not work on your “heavy lifting” day, spread it out over the two “bodybuilding” days. So, let’s say you did chest and back on the heavy day, you can break up the two bodybuilding days as follows: day 1: legs and shoulders, day 2: biceps and triceps (I would do some core exercises on each of the 5 exercise days). “Bodybuilding” type workouts use weights that allow you to hit the 10 to 20 rep ranges. And you will do 3 to 4 different exercises for each of the two body parts. This means about 12 to 16 sets per muscle group.
– once per week do a “body awareness” workout. The goal of this workout is not to sweat or change your physique, but to learn to feel and use your body. Yoga is a great way to achieve this and will help you become more flexible as well. Professional trainer Ido Portal has some great body awareness routines for you to use. You want to challenge your balance and coordination with these types of workouts so you can increase your ability to master your movements and increase your range of motion.
Again, nothing is set in stone. If you are not happy with the above workout, find something that works for you. Even if it is simply playing a sport in a recreation league. The basic goal is to get and stay moving and to start at your level of fitness. With the above program, either slowly layer in the days until you have worked up to 6 days per week or lower the intensity dramatically to prevent over training.
Best of luck!
The Olympics are over and the new school year is around the corner. I don’t know about you, but watching world class athletes run, jump and swim at peak performance inspires me.
I love goal setting. Yet in the past, I set too many goals with too many deadlines. I started on a lot of journeys that did not end where they were supposed to. So I refined my goal setting methods.
One thing I tossed out was the big deadline. This is that “etched into stone” date at which you want something completed. I see this as the biggest motivation killer. What happens if you get sick? Or injured? Or have a family or personal crisis? Have a goal in mind for your journey, but do not add a set date.
Instead, make a weekly routine up that is broken down into daily tasks. Make them reasonable. For example, if your goal is to increase hip flexibility and the amount of weight you can squat, start small.
MONDAY: squat with same weight you have been using but add 3 reps. Stretch for 12 minutes instead of 10.
Then, every time you squat, add either 1 rep, or 2.5 lbs per side (5 overall). Usually do both, back and forth. If you hit the wall, don’t add anything for two or more weeks, just keep squatting without going backwards on your reps or weight. Slowly add 30 seconds here and there to your stretching.
Off you go on a slow but risk-free and fully realistic journey towards constant improvement.
People often over shoot their goal setting and force unrealistic changes onto their lives. Life does not work this way. Change has to be gradual but constant. So slowing down the demands actually increases the speed of results. If you are driving a car and you want to make a 90 degree turn, you cannot go immediately to a 90 degree without turning the wheels 1, 2, 3… 10… 25… 75 degrees and so on. Life is about increments, not instantaneous results.
If you can introduce a slow, flexible, daily routine towards improved performance, you will successfully change your long term life style towards your goals. Whether they be financial, relational or health oriented.
Dream big, act small. Get there!
Most of my patients come to see me when they are in pain. This is understandable. Why spend money on treatment if you don’t need treatment? If you are feeling good and you are exercising, then you don’t need therapeutic care.
But what about “Maintenance Care?”
If you are active, healthy and not in significant pain your body is still accumulating micro-trauma. Left unchecked, this will eventually lead to pain and inflammation and then you’ll be in my office receiving therapeutic care. Which is more expensive and time consuming — and less pleasant. But what if you were to receive sporadic maintenance care visits to prevent ever needing therapeutic care?
Maintenance care is a visit to the clinic on a regular schedule (I usually recommend once per month or every 6-8 weeks depending on the patient) when you are actually feeling good. The goal is to rid you of the effects of micro-trauma and to keep the body running in its prime zone. Every day living creates the slow accumulation of scar tissue and inflammation which begin to hamper the fluid movement of the body. This occurs below the pain threshold so you won’t notice it. Eventually this creates a negative cycle that slowly but surely promotes malfunctioning joints, muscles and tendons. At the very least, this will prevent optimized functionin
g (and if you are an athlete, this will cost you in competition) and at the worst, lead to injury and the need for more extensive care.
We get our oil checked in our vehicles before anything bad happens to our precious engines. We run spyware on our computers to keep them clean and functioning at maximum capacity. We brush our teeth twice per day to prevent cavities and gingivitis. As you see, we practice maintenance care on all the things we value.
Why not treat the body as something worth protecting?
When patients get maintenance care, I can also check up on their exercise routines and ergonomics and update these if necessary. Keeping the body in the “high performance zone” has positive mental as well as physical effects that will optimize all areas of your life.
If you value your body and mind as the most precious machines you own, think about a small investment in keeping them functioning at the top of their game!
See you soon,
Dr Parenteau