A very happy New Year from all of us at Active Motion Physiotherapy! We hope that you are kicking off the new decade with plenty of activity, and following through on all of those resolutions. We are certainly looking forward to working with you over the course of the next year to help you achieve the results you desire in work, sport and life.

In this sixth installment of the Active Motion E-Newsletter:  

- We're pleased to introduce a new member of our team

- We check in on some impressive results from one of our sports partners in Canmore

- We take a closer look at Osteoporosis and Posture

 CLINIC NEWS - Welcome Erin Sturch

We are excited to introduce Physiotherapist Erin Sturch to our team. Erin brings a great passion for health and wellness to her position as a Physiotherapist.  She arrived to the Bow Valley by way of Southern Ontario, having completed her Undergraduate degree at Wilfrid Laurier University, followed by a Masters Degree in Physiotherapy from McMaster University.  As a former provincial level swimmer and varsity water polo player, Erin brings a wealth of athletic knowledge to her job and understands the unique needs of competitive and recreational athletes alike. Having also spent time working as a Kinesiologist and with rehabilitation patients in hospitals, Erin has extensive experience dealing with a wide range of injuries and conditions. The Bow Valley is a natural fit for her active lifestyle. When not at the clinic, Erin can be found out running, biking and hiking in the summer and shredding the local mountains on her snowboard in the winter.  Contact Active Motion to book an appointment with Erin. 

 Follow Active Motion on Twitter  

Active Motion is sharing general health tips, keeping you up to date on the latest Canmore and Banff news, and providing the latest clinic news to our followers. Be sure to follow us @bowvalleyphysio

COMMUNITY PARTNERS - AWCA

Active Motion has had the privilege of working with some of Canmore's top cross country skiers over the fall and winter through a partnership with the Alberta World Cup Academy.  Active Motion's Hugh Simson and Scott Edmunds have worked closely with the athletes to develop customized stretch routines, high performance physiology reports and injury prevention training.  Several team members have posted impressive results so far this winter, qualifying for some of the sport's biggest events, including the 2010 Winter Olympic Games. A list of their qualifications:

2010 Winter Olympic Games: Gord Jewett & Madeleine Williams

U23 World Champioships: Kevin Sandau, Jess Cockney, Kate Brennen, Emily Nishikawa

World Junior Championships: Marlis Kromm, Heidi Widmer, Joey Burton

OPA Tour: Sara Hewitt, Alysson Marshall

OSTEOPOROSIS

 Osteoporosis is a bone metabolism disorder characterized by a decrease in bone density and changes in bone structure. The onset of Osteoporosis results from the failure of osteoblast (bone producing cells) activity to match osteoclast (bone destroying/turnover cells) activity.  This leads to bone fragility, increased risk of fractures and a breakdown in the postural alignment of the body.

One of the more pronounced effects of Osteoporosis can be seen in the upper spine. A reduction in bone density of spinal vertebrae leads to a stooped posture called 'thoracic kyphosis' (#2 in the image to the right) resulting in increased pain, poor balance, reduced flexibility and strength. This does not mean that those affected by Osteoporosis cannot continue to lead an active lifestyle. Rather it simply means that they have to exercise certain precautions both in daily life and while exercising.  Keys to safe exercise include incorporating sound body alignment (working to reverse the stooped posture), building up the amount of weight and number of repetitions gradually, and remaining consistent with exercise programs. Avoiding bending or heavy twisting in the mid-section, as well exercises that curl the mid-section forward (such as sit-ups and toe-touches) are also sound precautionary measures.  For further reading about Osteoporosis please visit the 'Explore' section on our website by clicking here

POSTURAL ANALYSIS

Your posture is a direct reflection on how your body has adapted to your daily routines and lifestyle.  

Sound posture is the foundation of solid balance and results in the biomechanical alignment of your body, wherein all the muscles and joints are ideally aligned to work their best and place the least amount of stress on the body.

Poorly balanced posture requires significantly more energy to stay upright and results in an unbalanced distribution of stress and tension in certain muscles and joints. Compensations and pain arise as the stressed muscles and joints adapt to the repetitive motions of daily habits.

At Active Motion, we pride ourselves on looking at the whole person.  Postural Analysis (manually and digitally) is one of several tools that allows our Therapists to examine a localized area of concern within the context of the 'big picture'. This information is incredibly valuable to Therapists when they set out to determine the underlying cause of an injury or area of concern. With such information, they are able to provide treatment options that address your specific needs. Massage, hysiotherapy, ART, cupuncture, stretching, exercising and strengthening are all effective measures in the fight to reverse the postures of daily life. 

A 'prehabilitative' approach to these issues results in decreased stress, pain, and ultimately improved performance in work, sport and life!

We always enjoy hearing from our clients. If there is anything we can do for you to improve the client experience, we're all ears.  If you have a moment to fill out our Client Satisfaction Survey , please download it here and bring it in with you at the time of your next visit.  We appreciate your feedback!

Yours in health,

THE AMPT TEAM