10 Years

This past September I had the joy of celebrating 10 years of active practice at my clinic, Healthy Touch Massage Therapy. My clinic has grown and matured a lot over the years, as the multitude of different, and reoccurring patients, has added a certain degree of maturity and personality to my practice. Just as all new businesses start off a little slow and rocky, mine was no different. That first year was full of questions of sustainability, getting new patients, and keeping the ones I had. With a lot of dedication, hard work, and persistence through the good times, and more importantly the bad, things eventually worked out perfectly, and I couldn’t be happier with the current state of things. I’ve had the pleasure of working with such a diverse group of patients, each with a story to tell, and an ache to complain about. Over the 10 years, over 1000 patients have received treatment from me with an overwhelming amount returning for multiple sessions. I have even had the pleasure of developing relationships with patients such that I still treat some of the very first patients that walked through my doors 10 years ago.

My 10 years were not achieved alone and I have a lot of people to thank. First of all, I would like to thank Dr. Michele Zigrovic, for welcoming me into her clinic, where I established my own and remain to this day. She has been a source of constant support and advice, which has been highly influential on me and my clinic. My thanks go out also to all the highly trained and supportive family physicians at the Credit Valley Medical Arts Centre for recognizing my ability and referring their patients to receive treatment from me. Most importantly, I would like to extend my deepest and most sincere thanks to all of my patients, old and new alike, who have made my clinic what it is today. To those who have been coming for 10 years, and to those who have been coming for 10 months, my sincerest gratitude is extended to all of you. My wife and children are also deserving of appreciation, for all of their support in me and my clinic.

Thank you everyone.

Office Ergonomics

I’m often surprised by the large number of clients who come in complaining about odd pains or soreness who work in office settings, who think that their pains are not work related. While the work itself may not be too physically exhaustive, the repeated motions and limited nature of the motions can often lead to discomfort, fatigue, eyestrain and repetitive strain injury. I’ll be releasing a series of articles based on proper office ergonomics focusing on various subjects. To start, here are a few tips related to adjusting and using an ergonomic chair.

Having an ergonomic chair is not enough, it must also be adjusted ergonomically specifically to your body:

• The height of the chair should be such that your knees are slightly lower than your hips and your feet are flat on the floor
• If you ever feel your feet going numb you may be decreasing blood circulation by keeping your calves at an angle less than 90 degrees to your thighs, most likely because you’re resting your feet on the chair base.
• The back height of the chair should be adjusted to support the lumbar region of the spine (the part that curves inward). Similar to when you’re standing, the natural curves in your back should be maintained when sitting.
• Do not twist in your chair. Instead, remain upright and swivel the seat to the desired location. This prevents awkward twisting motions in the neck and upper back.
• At the workstation, the chair should be adjusted to accommodate the work surface. For example, if an individual "hunches" or raises the shoulders in order to work at a desk or keyboard, the chair height should be raised, even it means that a footrest is required.

A Few Tips for Safe Snow Shoveling

Warm Up. Before tackling any strenuous activity take the time to warm up with some overall conditioning, such as a 10-15 minute walk, followed by some simple stretching. Warming up can be performed from the comfort of your own home or garage. When stretching, emphasis should be placed on the quadriceps, hamstrings, and especially the lower back.

Pick the Right Shovel. Lightweight pusher-style shovels should be used, as these shovels have angled handles allowing for safer back positions when pushing. Aluminum shovels may bend or deform after heavy use while plastic ones may crack over time. A plastic shovel lined with metal at its edge is often the best choice as it is light and can chip away at ice. If your shovel is metal, or has a metal tip, spraying it with Teflon helps prevent snow from sticking to it.

Shovel a Little, A Lot, Rather Than A Lot, A Little. Being aware of the weather conditions can also lead to safer shoveling. If there is a prediction for a large amount of snowfall, over several days even, frequent shoveling will allow you to move smaller amounts of snow at once quickly. This is a safer alternative to shoveling a large amount of snow at once, over a longer period of time, as your back will be exposed to less stress.

Be Aware of Your Shoveling Technique. Always push the snow to the side rather than throwing it. That way you avoid lifting heavy shovelfuls of snow, and sudden twisting or turning movements which may put stress on your back, potentially injuring it. If you do have to lift a shovelful of snow, bend your knees and use your legs and arms muscles to do the pushing and lifting, while keeping your back straight. If your back begins to feel like its rounding, empty the shovel and lift a smaller amount.

Take a Break. If you feel tired or short of breath, stop and take a rest. Shake out your arms and legs. If you feel any chest pain or back pain stop shoveling immediately. If you obtain back pain that is severe or that persists longer than a day after shoveling, see a massage therapist or your doctor. If you develop severe chest pain, seek the attention of a medical professional immediately.

Other Tips for Maintaining a Healthy Back:
- Exercise regularly
- Follow a healthy diet
- Maintain good posture
- Stretch your spine before and after sports
- Don’t overload your backpack or shoulder bad
- Stretch your legs and back after each hour of sitting
- Never cradle the phone between your neck and shoulder
- Sleep on your back or side, not on your stomach
- Invest in a good chair, pillow and mattress
- Have regular treatments from a registered massage therapist