The terms core training and core strengthening have been used interchangeably in both the physiotherapy and fitness industries, yet there is a significant difference between the two. Your core is the area between your breathing diaphragm and your pelvic floor. Core training exercises focus on restoring the timing and sequencing of your deep muscles to reinforce an optimal pattern of muscle activation (motor learning). Core training helps to make the right connections between your brain and your core. Once core training has restored deep muscle function, core strengthening exercises can be added to further improve function and performance. There is a difference, come and see for yourself.

Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury is commonly seen in sports such as soccer, rugby, and skiing. Although many individuals initially recover well, the ongoing instability often prevents return to sports and leads to further knee injury, and the risk of developing future osteoarthritis becomes increased. Bracing is rarely sufficient. Surgical reconstruction performed early, within 3-6 weeks, helps to minimize the risk of further injury. ACL surgery should be treated as an urgent matter: assessment, diagnosis, and surgery can usually be completed within a few weeks. The athlete, elite, or weekend-warrior can then start early rehabilitation to maximize the benefits of the knee reconstruction.

The opioid crisis is rapidly escalating, and not showing any signs of slowing down soon. We must protect our “kids” — which, by the way, our kids are always our kids, no matter their age or ours. Please listen and don’t react or preach. Make a safe space for drug use conversations. If they are going to use anyway, for example, encourage them not to use alone. Love them, support them, try and get them to help. A good listening ear from a non-judgmental counsellor may be just what they need.

Encouraging students to exercise their brain in the summer months can help keep them sharp and better prepare them for back to school time in the fall. Practicing brain exercises that target a student’s ability to reason and process information quickly can help with difficulties in making connections when it comes to reading comprehension, math problems, and social situations, all of which are important for academic performance. For students with learning difficulties, keeping their brain on track ensures they will be able to perform at a similar level as their peers, setting them up for success when the school year starts up again.

Insight scans allow a practitioner to see how your nervous system is adapting to daily stresses. State-of-the-art technology is available that will allow a non-invasive approach. Insight Subluxation Station is technology that was once used by NASA and now chiropractors have adopted it to measure the deeper tensions in the nervous system that one cannot feel. Since it is non-invasive, this is used frequently to measure how the adjustments are changing the stress patterns in your body. The Torque Release Technique is a very sophisticated, gentle, and specific adjustment that involves using an instrument on the area of concern. It’s great for children and the elderly, with no cracking sound involved. This technique is powerful in releasing deeper tensions and resetting your nervous system. Finally, the Webster Technique is a super gentle technique for pregnant women and allows room for baby to grow by keeping mom’s hips stable as she gets bigger.

Are you travelling with your pet to the US this summer? Remember that legally you are obliged to have a current rabies vaccination status for your pet. If official status has lapsed, the booster is meant to be given 30 days prior to travel to the US. This helps protect your pet against the rabies virus, should it come into contact with any infected animals, and also ensures your pet isn’t going to transfer rabies to other animals or humans. Depending on where you travel, you should also think about the risk of disease from ticks, fleas, and mosquitoes, as they are more common in many US locations than they are here.

Q: My hands and feet often feel cold. Can acupuncture help with this? A: This issue is quite prevalent in both males and females. Acupuncture can treat this by improving blood circulation. The traditional Chinese medical theory explains this by balancing the yin and the yang within one’s body. You can see the difference with one treatment, and multiple treatments will work to solve the root of the problem and maintain the improved circulation.

When determining how to treat back and pelvic pain, many health professions focus on what hurts, rather than on why it hurts. Physiotherapists often look at back and pelvic pain in terms of how those regions function to gain a better understanding of the causes behind pain in those areas. The team at Diane Lee & Associates uses a novel approach that combines manual therapy and dry needling to release tight muscles and stiff joints followed by motor learning, using real-time ultrasound for biofeedback, and movement training. This combined whole body approach teaches the patient how to use their body in a more efficient way to avoid problematic habits in the future.

Investment advisor, financial planner, financial advisor, wealth planner, financial consultant – what’s the difference? Investment Advisor is a term generally adopted for those dealing in the investment industry. While some of the titles above work with portions of a financial plan, investment advisors tend to be full service, and are able to offer a broad range of products and services, meaning they can work with stocks, mutual funds and bonds. A good investment advisor should help you understand what makes sense for you, help you find your investment style to take advantage of the markets and the best investments for those markets, and as much as possible, take the emotion out of investing.