Estrogen Effects
Estrogen is one of the primary hormones crucial for sexual and reproductive development in women. Within the medical community, this hormone is well known to improve bone mass and density. However, scientific literature has recently explored the effects of estrogen on muscle, tendons and ligaments. This research is complex to…
When the shoe fits…
The time to be outdoors walking, hiking and running is now. With social distancing and limited (or no) access to organized sports, outdoor activity proves to be a great way to maintain health and improve cardiovascular fitness during these challenging times. One advantage of these activities is there is minimal…
Why Normative (Baseline) Testing?
While normative (baseline) testing is recognized as an optional element for concussion management, The SportLab recommends normative testing for ALL athletes. The value of pre-injury normative testing (in neurocognitive, postural control, symptomology and clinical assessment) allows a clinician to delineate whether there is individual variability from a pre-injury state to…
RED-S – Why training and fuelling need to align for performance
It seems far too appropriate that as I enjoy my second breakfast of the day I am writing about caloric deficiency. As a new mom, medical practitioner and endurance runner, I am constantly working on appeasing the nutritional demands my body requires. Why does breakfast number two matter in my…
Fad Diet Myths – Trends that may keep you from achieving your goals
Fad diets are everywhere. Have you been falling into the quick fix ‘trap’? With social media influencers touting the next greatest trend or television hosts discussing their miracle diets, it is easy to fall into the vortex of ‘paleo’, ‘intermittent fasting’, ‘macro’, ‘beach body’, ‘gluten free’ or ‘keto’. As trained…
Pre-Event Massage – Help or Hindrance?
After many hours of training, the entry fees paid and the commitment to participate in an event (whether your first or fortieth), the ever looming question of, ‘I wonder if there is something else I can do to prepare for my race?’, jumps into our heads. This often leads to…
Beyond “RICE”; Progressive therapy for effective injury management.
I had been training for 16 weeks for my race, and the main event was a mere 3 days away. I was feeling great, a little nervous, but generally well prepared and excited to challenge my previous half-marathon time. It was a beautiful Thursday morning, I was walking my dog…
Find Your Better in 2019
Resolve not to make resolutions! Rather, make the effort to set health related goals AND achieve them. In practicing sports medicine, it has become apparent that those with effective goal setting skills, generally speaking, have improved long term athletic success and in doing so have inadvertently learned the art of…
Stuff the Bird, Not Yourself
Quick!! Run to your cupboard of running fuel and grab all the gels packets you have. Gather all the gel you have been given at all the races that you have done as well as you regular fuel. Count them all up. You need 35 of them for this exercise.…
Space Blankets – Heat, Help or Hype?
With a sea of slow moving, heavy breathing and salt stained hobbling bodies, one may think they have entered a zombie apocalypse. However, this real life scene of ‘The Walking Dead’ is something that all medical directors have experienced. As these half lifeless bodies slowly move through our finishing shoots…
Weed for the Win?
It’s race morning. I wake to hear the howling of the wind outside my hotel window and peak through the curtains to see a few scattered snowflakes swirling, typical for Hamilton, Ontario. Instantly my heart rate seems to have jumped through the roof with the thought of the 30km torture…