Category Archives: Children’s Health

2014 Bagel chase

From West 4th Physio associate Jen Macpherson The Second Annual Bagel Chase is on the week of February 1 – 7, 2014. West 4th Physiotherapy is participating in the event again this year. The Bagel Chase proceeds go towards Backpack Buddies, which is the primary initiative of Community First Foundation. (communityfirstfoundation.ca) This is a Vancouver based charity working to ensure food security for underprivileged children in the local community. Backpack Buddies delivers back packs of food to down town east side schools. The deliveries are on Fridays to work on getting … Read the rest of this post »

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Children and Backpacks

Back to school time parents so here is the back pack reminder care of an interview I did with HealthChoices.ca Before you buy a new backpack for your child, take a few minutes to consider more than just the style and colour. “A few minutes spent on the selection and proper fit of your child’s backpack for school can go a long way to ensuring a healthy posture,” says Matthew Powell, the clinical director of West Fourth Physio in Vancouver. “Look for a backpack that has a padded back to … Read the rest of this post »

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Move to stay healthy

I came across an interesting article recently which reviewed the findings of exercise researcher Dr Steven Blair. Dr Blair hails from the University of South Carolina and has spent years looking at the links between levels of physical activity and the effects those levels have on life long health. His research has been widely reviewed and helps shape both public policy and perceptions as to the importance of physical activity in the individual health equation. What struck me in particular was the need to talk more about getting people off … Read the rest of this post »

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Computer posture – part 3

Ok, so you have done your stretches through the day and maybe a bit at the end of the day. No doubt you feel that they help for a while but that nagging ache around the shoulders and neck keeps coming back. You want more! These exercises will help build your shoulder blade and upper back strength so that you can keep decent posture throughout the day without feeling tired from the effort. They are three of my favourite tension busters and work very well when combined with the stretch … Read the rest of this post »

Posted in Avoiding Injury, Children's Health, Head and Neck, Low back, Men's Health, Posture, Senior's Health, Women's Health | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

Computer posture: part 2

During the last post I looked at some of the problems that develop in association with poor desk ergonomics and unsuitable posture at the computer. http://www.west4thphysio.com/archives/1751 I promised a few exercises that can help alleviate the symptoms of upper back and neck tightness after a long session stuck at the desk. Overall strengthening of the upper back also helps reduce symptoms by allowing you to keep a more upright and open chest position. First up is the Cobra as pictured above. This helps restore spinal length and alignment. If off … Read the rest of this post »

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Computer posture

A common reason to see people in our clinic is aches and pains associated with working at the computer. Computer use invites you to sit in the same position for long periods. The problem is compounded too in that now it’s common to go home from a day of work and find recreation…on the computer! A combination of both poor positioning and too much time spent in that position can cause posture to change in ways that eventually become painful. What happens? muscles around the upper back and shoulder blades … Read the rest of this post »

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Children and exercise – Part 2

Following on from the last post I’ve had some questions regarding whether children who weight train hurt themselves. It’s a good news story, with no greater incidence of injury. In fact, active kids involved in sports such as soccer, hockey, skiing or skateboarding sustain many more injuries than for any children who have been involved in weight training. On the other side are children who get no exercise at all. The decline in physical activity in kids is a real concern to all health professionals. Since 1981, there’s been a tripling … Read the rest of this post »

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Children and exercise – Part 1

Only two or three weeks to school summer vacation and how will our children spend the summer? I’m often asked by parents what is a suitable type of exercise for their frequently sedentary child and how much exercise should they be doing? This opens up a few themes for discussion and comment. In January of this year the Canadian Society for Exercise Physiology released new guidelines for children ages 5 to 17. The recommendations include getting an hour a day of moderate ( think walking, playing outside) to vigorous (think … Read the rest of this post »

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C.O.A.C.H Obesity Network

Something different for the blog this month. West 4th Physio associate Marj Belot brought this to our collective attention. This is an excellent initiative that we hope readers will support. We have included the Health Canada recommended activity guidelines in our online library. Please feel free to download them (or tactfully pass them on to those you think could benefit!). They are available here:  http://www.west4thphysio.com/resources/library Help Canadians find credible weight management resources: Support COACH today! The Canadian Obesity Network (CON) is currently working with its partners, members and the public … Read the rest of this post »

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Exercise : men vs women

An interesting article appeared in the Globe a few months ago which asked the question: Is it harder for women to lose weight as compared to men because of the different composition of their muscle mass? The answer is a general yes. It is more of a challenge for women because they, on average, have a lower percentage of their overall body weight composed of lean skeletal muscle. You can think of your skeletal muscle as the body’s engine. The bigger the engine, the more fuel it can burn and … Read the rest of this post »

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Choosing a school backpack

Hating to be the bearer of bad news, I feel almost guilty in pointing out to my children that the school year is about to start anew. So it’s new shoes and school supplies and for at least one of them, a new backpack. Backpacks are a popular and practical way for children and teenagers to carry schoolbooks and supplies. When used correctly, backpacks can be a good way to carry the necessities of the school day. They are designed to distribute the weight of the load among some of … Read the rest of this post »

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