Ellen Smith BHSc, DC

06/27/2022

It is with mixed emotions that I will be leaving WhitbyChiro for an opportunity to move full time to Newcastle Chiropractic and Health Centre.

For those patients that I haven’t seen in the last few months I apologize for the late notice.

Dr. Peacock will continue to provide you with the care you deserve! If you were an acupuncture patient of mine in Whitby please reach out for information to continue your treatments!

As always you can reach me here with any questions! 💛

11/17/2021

Echo is loving joining me on my progressive return to run. Dogs, just like humans, need slow introductions to distance running for their tissues to adapt without injury 🐶

About a month ago I had to stop running for some medial tibial stress pain to heal but now I’m making my way back.

Today’s run- 5min walk warm up, 6x3min run/2min walk, 5min walk cool down 🏃🏼‍♀️

Have you ever had an injury that caused you to stop doing what you love? What did you find the most frustrating about it? Comment below ⬇️

For me it’s the free time. I typically have my days scheduled to the minute so I am able to fit running in. Without it this past month I’ve felt a little lost. On the plus side— I’ve had more time to work on training Echo, doing some hikes with friends (.taylor_ostrander & .richellemartins 🥰), and cooking some new recipes (if you haven’t tried you should 😋)!

11/04/2021

STRONG RUNNERS IS BACK

The majority of running injuries happen from doing "too much, too soon". My goal with Strong Runners is to help you become more resilient, stronger, and less injury prone runners through strength training.

If you are new to running, want to run but haven't started yet or are looking for a fun group workout then Strong Runners is also for you!

I have always been frustrated with online/home exercise programs that require obscure equipment so Strong Runners will require no specific equipment to keep this class accessible. Modifications will be given to include equipment if wanted.

** Please note the price is inclusive of all 6-weeks and all classes will be recorded for you to complete when you can

Strong Runners is a 6-week online strength training program designed specifically for runners or all levels!

08/01/2021

Happy Long Weekend! 🥂🥳✨

07/30/2021

Did you know that trying something new, choosing “the hard thing”, and sticking it out until the end is one way to develop grit?

I challenge you to choose one thing you want to accomplish and commit to it until it’s completed. My hard thing was running a marathon. I’m currently searching for my next hard thing— maybe run a sub 4hour marathon? Maybe I’ll try a new language?

This “hard thing rule” was coined by Angela Duckworth and I cannot recommends her book “Grit” enough!

07/26/2021

Low back pain is not cause by having a “bad” back. You don’t have weak discs or muscles. Your body is inherently strong!

Low back pain is multi-factorial. Often, a combination of lifestyle factors, ergonomics, biomechanics, nutrition, sleep, and recovery play roles in low back pain.

07/21/2021

Ok, so you have pain.
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You know it will not ago away on its own so you seek care.
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Two weeks later you feel so much better. But then you have a flareup. What gives?
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Pain and healing are not linear. Having a good days then bad day is a normal pattern of pain. This does not mean you can never do the thing that injured you in the first place, it just means taking it slow, focusing on rehab exercises, and modifying movements in the short term.
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07/16/2021

My brain malfunctioning knowing I have to pick up the ball.
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Working out in the summer can be hard.
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Here are my favourite summer training tips ⬇️
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1. Wear sunscreen
2. Choose cooler times of the day like bright and early or the evening
3. Drink lots of water! Think about how much water you typically need in a day and drink more. My general rule is to drink when I’m thirsty and keep my urine in the light yellow range (that might be TMI 😳)
4. Enlist a friend to help with accountability
5. Switch it up— the pool and lake can be awesome forms of exercise while keeping you cool
6. Know the signs of dehydration and heat stroke. Better yet take a first aide course!

07/15/2021

✨COMING IN AUGUST✨

In the next few weeks I will be starting to offer personalize running gait analysis.

The majority of running injury I see that are not from training errors come from muscle imbalance, joint mobility restrictions, or poor muscle firing potential.

Knowing your gait, compensation patterns, and imbalances can be the key to preventing injury and improving performance.

DM me your email if you are interested to be first on my list!

07/12/2021

Drinking enough water each day is crucial for many reasons: to regulate body temperature, keep joints lubricated, prevent infections, deliver nutrients to cells, and keep organs functioning properly. Being well-hydrated also improves sleep quality, cognition, and mood.

07/07/2021

FIVE THINGS CHIROPRACTORS WANT YOU TO KNOW ABOUT YOUR BACK PAIN ✨ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
Back pain can be scary, but its rarely dangerous or a sign of serious tissue damage— back pain is stressful but it rarely life threatening and you are very unlikely to end up in a wheel chair. Backs are strong. If you have an injury, the tissues will heal within three months so any pain beyond that time is likely caused by other contributing factors like stress, tension, fatigue, or inactivity.
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Scans rarely show the cause of low back pain— many scary sounding things can show up on images like disc bulges, protrusion, degeneration, and arthritis. The simple fact is that a large majorly of people without low back pain also have these findings on imaging. So in short, scans don’t predict how much pain you are in or how disabled you are.
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Pain with exercise and movement does not mean you are doing harm— pain during movement reflects how sensitive your spine and surrounding muscles are not how damaged they are. It’s is normal and safe to feel some pain when you start to move and exercise but this will settle over time. Exercise is the best thing you can do for low back pain.
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Back pain is not caused by poor posture or a weak core— a variety of postures throughout the day is protective for low back pain. Often sitting on one position, regardless of posture, can be painful. A weak core does not cause back pain and often when you have back pain you may, un-necessarily, tense the core muscle and relaxation may be beneficial.
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Injections, surgery and strong drugs usually arent a cure— these techniques aren’t very effective in the long term. Finding lower risk options to control your pain is key.

07/05/2021

We had a great weekend drinking coffee and cocktails. Swimming and hiking. Snoozin and zoomin ☀️
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