Everyday Habits For Musculoskeletal Health  

Helping our clients maintain, regain, or improve their musculoskeletal health is the primary goal of our Ottawa physiotherapists, chiropractors, and other sports medicine specialists. But, you don’t want to let an injury or health problem dictate whether or not you focus on your muscles, bones, and the connective tissues that are crucial to the way you function in everyday life.

Many conditions arise from over-use or misuse of muscles and connective tissues, and even the onset of osteoporosis can be slowed down with the right regimen. Here are some suggestions on how you keep that complex and interconnected system healthy – and you mobile.

Eat right

A healthy and balanced diet is crucial to overall good health, and everyone knows that protein is the building block for muscles. Vitamins and minerals play key roles in keeping your bones and muscles healthy and strong.

• Vitamin C is key to bone cell formation, as well remineralization bones in healing. Leafy greens and yellow veggies are a good bet, along with citrus and other fruits.
• Vitamin D is important for bone health, and can only be gotten by exposure to sunlight, consuming fortified cereals, or supplementation.
• Iron is important for muscles, and calcium for bones.

Get moving

Your body builds strength when you perform weight-bearing activities and exercises. These load weight onto your bones and muscles, which strengthen as a result. Weight-bearing exercises include:

• walking,
• jogging,
• climbing stairs,
• dancing.

Our Ottawa physiotherapists and sports medicine specialists are available with advice on exercise. If you are just starting a new regimen, it’s important to get professional advice based on your situation and lifestyle.

Get strong

Resistance training pushes your body to hold or maintain a position. It strengthens both bones and muscles, and can help you postpone arthritic changes, or lessen its impact. Resistance training includes:

• weightlifting,
• Pilates,
• yoga,
• using resistance bands,
• push-ups.

Stand up straight

Slouching isn’t about how it looks – it’s about the added stress it places on your shoulders and lower back.

• Strong core muscles promote good – i.e. balanced – posture.
• Better balance helps you avoid injury.
• An ergonomic work station is essential no matter what type of work you do.

Our Ottawa physiotherapists and other sports medicine specialists can provide guidance and treatment if you are experiencing issues related to an unbalanced gait.

Stay flexible

Stretching has many benefits for your muscles and bones, and will help you maintain range of motion as you age, among others.

• It helps you avoid injury.
• It increases blood flow to muscles, and helps them work efficiently.
• It improves your ability to do everything from daily activities to your favourite sport.

Ditch those bad habits

Both smoking and drinking are known to deplete minerals in the bones, among other effects.

• A woman who drinks more than one cocktail per day, and a man who drinks more than two, both put themselves at a higher risk of osteoporosis.
• Bone density decreases faster in smokers than it does in non-smokers.

Our Ottawa physiotherapists, chiropractors, and other sports medicine specialists are available for any questions or concerns you might have over your musculoskeletal health. Don’t hesitate to contact one of our Ottawa physiotherapy clinics today.