LOCAL FIX

Almost four years to the date, Colin Baird RMT - now known as the Local Fix Clinic - is taking on a second location under its new name.
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After a successful beginning at our Carlton Street location, I am happy to say we are now working out of a second wellness clinic in the Summerhill area of Toronto called the Optimum Health Centre. It is located at 1246 Yonge street in suite 303, and similar in its routes to the Zentai Wellness Clinic, the OHC is a multidisciplinary space geared toward encouraging health and wellness through many types of therapy. 

With this new expansion the schedule at my downtown location will be a bit tighter but I thank you in advance for your patience and I encourage clients to start booking in advance. My new schedule will be Wednesdays and Fridays as usual, as well as Saturdays until 3pm. We are also in the process of hiring a second RMT for the downtown location so stay tuned for an introduction coming shortly!

Thank you to all my loyal clients for your business over the last four years. We wouldn't be here without your support and friendship.
 

Recently my friend Laura Losos, who is also the Director of Health Education at the Springboard Clinic here in Toronto, had the chance to sit down to discuss an article she was writing for Village Living Magazine‘s online publication.  Her goal was to educate people on ways to be more mindful in their massage therapy experiences. From talking to people about what I do, I already knew that people just aren’t as familiar with the massage therapy experience as you would think, and still associate it with a “spa type” of treatment.  What we wanted to do is to help people realize that like any other manual therapy, massage can cater to many of our healthcare needs. This includes treating symptoms of ADHD, something the Springboard clinic specializes in. By coming up with 10 “tips” to help people get more out of their massage, we hope that everyone can be more mindful in their massage experiences. 

​Mindfulness and Massage – Getting the Most Out of Your Massage

1. Ankle Mobility 
2. Back Pain Relief 
3. Hip Strengthening 
4. Glute Strengthening 
5. Posture Correction 

​Check out their website for more information on the squat and it’s full body benefits!

The general consensus among most professionals is that stretching is good for prevention of injuries, and will help with a person’s performance. For me, I typically prescribe stretching to my clients as a form of self-care to extend the benefits of a massage treatment.

Although the benefits are obvious, most people are not stretching as much as they should be. Studies have shown that muscle that is stretched 30seconds per day over the course of a month, have actually resulted in muscle hypertrophy, or an increase in its size.

What does this mean? It means there is a corresponding increase in the contraction force and contraction speed of that muscle. But are all stretches the same? No. All stretching is not one and the same and it is important to know what you are doing in order to ensure you avoid injury or over-stretching. Here are a few important parameters to keep in mind:

1) Make it a routine – stretching once or twice a week “when you have time” isn’t going to cut it! It needs to be consistent and a part of your regular training program in order to see the benefits. 

2) 30 seconds is key –  studies have shown that at 30 seconds is the optimal length of time to hold a stretch. Any less will result in a smaller increase to your ROM, and on the flip side, any longer will not elicit any greater improvements in ROM.

3) One time is enough – studies suggest that there are no advantages to stretching 3x per day as apposed to 1x per day, if done on a regular (daily) basis. So don’t worry about stretching 10 times on a given day. Do it once, do it right, and do it daily.

4) Don’t stretch prior to your activity – stretching will strain the muscle fibers involved and actually weaken them if done prior to your activity. Plan to stretch after your workout or activity to ensure your best performance.   
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5) Warm your body up with functional movement – well if you can’t stretch how do you prep before a workout? The key to “warming up” is to increase the temperature of your muscles and tissue to a sufficient level without causing fatigue. Try walking, light jogging, swinging your limbs, skipping, or stairs to increase your body temperature. 5minutes should be adequate in most cases.

Massage therapy has been shown to reduce our body’s level of cortisol – the stress hormone – by almost half. Why is that important? In today’s high-stress culture, our body’s level of cortisol tends to be higher than ideal causing impacts on everything from blood pressure, to immune system health, to blood sugar regulation. In addition to helping to reduce cortisol levels, massage also helps to elevate our body’s levels of serotonin and dopamine which are key in regulating mood levels.
So there you have it, massage = happy 
Email me to start booking in for the fall and winter season before your benefits run out!

Wishing everyone a very happy upcoming Easter weekend!!
I will be available 10am-8pm as usual on Easter Monday for anyone looking to round out their long weekend with some well deserved deep tissue maintenance!! Email me at colinbairdrmt@gmail.com to set up an appointment.

​A lot of clients have been asking about swimming, its benefits, and about using it as a means of active recovery from heavy gym days and classes. Here is a great drill to add some technical work to your next workout for people who find swimming lengths tiresome or boring (and many of you do). Break it up and don’t be afraid to try some drills! The more efficient and comfortable you are in the water, the better your workout and the more likely you will be to take advantage of this amazing, low impact exercise!

As many of you know, summer means my outreach begins up north on Georgian Bay. Although this coincides with warmer weather and longer days, it also means I have reduced hours in the city. Please note I will be unavailable Friday afternoons and Saturdays starting in May.
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