Fitness

Signs Your Ankle Sprain Needs a Professional Look

~ Dr. Robert Speirs DC ~ Leave a comment

Ankle sprains are among the most common musculoskeletal injuries, happening everywhere from the soccer pitch to the sidewalk. While many mild sprains recover with standard home care and rest, others involve more significant ligament damage that can lead to chronic instability if left untreated. Knowing when to escalate your care is key to a full recovery.

The Weight-Bearing Test

One of the most reliable initial indicators of severity is your ability to bear weight. If you are unable to take four complete steps immediately after the injury, or if you still cannot bear weight on the foot 24 to 48 hours later, it is time for a clinical assessment. This is a standard medical guideline used to help rule out potential fractures.

Persistent Swelling and Bruising

Immediate swelling is a normal inflammatory response. However, if the swelling does not begin to subside after a few days of elevation and compression, or if you notice severe, dark bruising tracking down into your toes or up your calf, a professional should evaluate the structural integrity of the joint.

Sensations of “Giving Way”

Ligaments act as the stabilizing ropes for your joints. If you attempt to walk and the ankle feels loose, unstable, or as though it is going to “give way” underneath you, the supporting ligaments may be significantly overstretched or torn. A professional assessment can determine the grade of the sprain and establish a bracing and rehabilitation plan to restore stability.

Catching, Locking, or Numbness

Symptoms that go beyond standard pain require attention. If you feel a mechanical catching or locking sensation when moving the ankle, or if you experience numbness and tingling down into your foot, this can indicate nerve irritation or cartilage involvement that goes beyond a simple soft tissue sprain.

Don’t let a sprain become a chronic issue. Our clinicians provide structural assessments and evidence-based rehabilitation for ankle injuries.

  • Booking: Same-day or next-day appointments are available.
  • Location: 1191 Rothesay Street, Winnipeg, MB.
  • Schedule Online: Visit our website portal to book your assessment today https://www.rivereastminorinjury.ca

Get Off-Season Ready: How to Make This Off-Season Your Most Productive Yet for Hockey

~ Dr. Robert Speirs DC ~ Leave a comment

For competitive hockey players in Winnipeg, the end of the winter schedule does not mean the work stops—it simply shifts focus. June marks a critical transition period. For players preparing for the physical demands of competitive leagues, or those gearing up for intense main and rookie camps, the off-season is where the foundation for a healthy year is built.

A productive off-season is not just about logging hours in the gym or running drills on the ice. It requires a strategic approach to physical recovery, injury prevention, and biomechanical conditioning. Here is how to maximize your off-season to ensure you are at peak performance when the puck drops.

1. Address Lingering Minor Injuries First

The rigors of a full hockey season inevitably result in minor bumps, bruises, and strains. Pushing through a nagging groin pull or a minor AC joint shoulder sprain into your summer training will only compound the issue.

Before ramping up your off-ice conditioning or heading to competitive weekend camps, have any lingering physical complaints professionally assessed. Proper diagnosis of a minor injury allows you to integrate targeted active rehabilitation into your summer routine, ensuring that minor strains heal fully rather than developing into chronic instability.

2. Prioritize Off-Ice Conditioning and Joint Health

Hockey places unique biomechanical stress on the body, particularly the hips, groin, and lower back. An effective off-season program should emphasize building resilience in these vulnerable areas.

Work on core stability and hip mobility. Exercises that improve rotational power and pelvic control are essential for translating strength to your skating stride while protecting the lower spine. Strengthening the supporting musculature around your joints during the summer months is one of the most effective strategies for preventing acute soft tissue tears during high-impact collisions along the boards later in the year.

3. Implement Strategic Load Management

It is common for motivated athletes to overtrain during the summer. Participating in intense main camps on consecutive weekends requires significant travel and physical exertion. Without proper rest intervals, the risk of overuse injuries—such as tendonitis in the ankles or knees—increases dramatically.

Programmed recovery is just as crucial as the training itself. Ensure your schedule includes adequate rest days, proper hydration, and active recovery days focused on light mobility work.

4. Build a Multidisciplinary Support Team

Navigating elite-level off-season training is a collaborative effort. A multidisciplinary approach utilizing chiropractic care and physiotherapy can assist in monitoring your biomechanics, prescribing appropriate stretching protocols, and applying soft tissue therapy when minor setbacks occur.

If you encounter a sudden sprain or strain during your summer training or upon returning from a weekend camp, River East Minor Injury Clinic provides prompt assessment and evidence-based care. Addressing injuries immediately keeps your off-season productive and your goals on track.

Contact River East Minor Injury Clinic

  • Location: 1187 Rothesay Street, Winnipeg, MB
  • Hours: Monday to Friday, 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
  • Booking: Secure a same-day or next-day appointment online at http://www.rivereastminorinjury.ca

What Exactly is a “Minor” Injury?

~ Dr. Robert Speirs DC ~ Leave a comment

Minor Injury Care In Winnipeg

Whether you are stepping awkwardly off a curb, tweaking your lower back on the golf course, or rolling an ankle during a weekend hockey game, sudden physical setbacks happen. When they do, you are often left wondering: Is this an emergency, or is it something I can just walk off?

At River East Minor Injury Clinic, we aim to bridge the gap between standard home care and the hospital emergency room. To help you make the best decision for your health, let us break down exactly what constitutes a “minor” injury and explore the key differences between two of the most common issues we treat: sprains and strains.

Defining a “Minor” Injury

In the medical field, a minor injury refers to a non-life-threatening physical trauma that involves the musculoskeletal system—meaning your bones, joints, muscles, ligaments, and tendons. These are the acute injuries that cause immediate pain and limit your mobility, but do not require complex emergency interventions like surgery or advanced trauma care.

Examples of minor injuries include:

  • Sprains and strains
  • Minor fractures (possibly broken bones that have not pierced the skin)
  • Sports-related joint injuries
  • Workplace or Motor Vehicle Accidents

What is NOT a minor injury? It is equally important to understand what a minor injury clinic does not handle. We are exclusively dedicated to physical injuries. We do not treat illnesses. If you are experiencing symptoms like a fever, cough, cold, flu, or an infection, you should seek care from your primary care provider, an urgent care centre, or a minor illness clinic.

Sprains vs. Strains: What is the Difference?

People often use the words “sprain” and “strain” interchangeably, but they actually refer to damage to two entirely different types of soft tissue in the body.

The Sprain (Ligament Damage)

A sprain occurs when you stretch or tear a ligament. Ligaments are the tough, fibrous bands of tissue that connect bone to bone, acting as the stabilizing anchors for your joints.

  • How it happens: Sprains typically occur from sudden twisting motions, pivoting, or landing awkwardly. The classic example is a rolled ankle, but wrist and knee sprains are also incredibly common.
  • Symptoms: You will generally experience immediate pain, localized swelling, bruising, and a noticeable restricted range of motion. You might even hear a “pop” at the moment of injury.

The Strain (Muscle or Tendon Damage)

A strain, on the other hand, involves the stretching or tearing of a muscle or a tendon. Tendons are the thick cords of tissue that connect your muscles to your bones.

  • How it happens: Strains are often the result of sudden, heavy lifting, overstretching, or explosive movements. Pulling a hamstring while sprinting or throwing out your lower back while doing yard work are classic strains.
  • Symptoms: Strains are characterized by muscle spasms, cramping, weakness in the affected area, swelling, and sharp pain when attempting to move the muscle.

Why You Shouldn’t “Just Walk It Off”

When a sprain or strain happens, the standard advice is often to apply ice and rest. While the R.I.C.E. method (Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation) is a great first step, trying to tough out a musculoskeletal injury without professional assessment can lead to long-term issues.

Without a proper diagnosis, you might be walking on a minor fracture disguised as a sprain, or you might develop compensatory movement habits that lead to chronic joint instability. Getting a prompt, professional assessment allows you to understand the exact nature of the damage and begin a targeted recovery plan immediately.

Same Day or Next Day Care

River East Minor Injury Clinic was designed to provide you with rapid, professional care on your schedule.

Our Nurse Practitioner is here to assess, diagnose, and treat your sprains and strains efficiently. We offer scheduled same-day and next-day appointments, meaning you get the focused care you need exactly when you need it, with zero walk-in waiting.

Ready to start your recovery? 📍 Find us at: 1191 Rothesay Street, Winnipeg

⏰ Hours: Monday to Friday, 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM

💻 Book online: Secure your appointment today at http://www.rivereastminorinjury.ca

CTS Exercises?

~ Dr. Robert Speirs DC ~ Leave a comment

​CTS Stretch

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (CTS) is the leading cause of numbness to the middle three fingers and thumb and affects millions of Americans each year. There are MANY potential causes of CTS, and these causes can be unclear or multi-factorial. We have discussed the importance of night splints and what chiropractic can do for CTS in the recent past. This month, let’s look at what YOU can do for CTS.
“Self-help” concepts are VERY important as they empower YOU to gain control of your condition’s signs and symptoms, thus placing less reliance on those of us who manage (in this case) CTS. There is a time for “PRICE” or, Protect, Rest, Ice, Compress, Elevate, such as when most activities make symptoms worse. This is the time for splinting, reducing activities of daily living (which sometimes includes work restrictions), and the use of ice cupping or massage. Patients should initiate movement or exercise-based approaches as soon as such activities can be tolerated. Here are four different exercises you can do:
1. Fist / “Bear Claw” / Open Wide Hand: This is a three-step exercise, and you can start or stop on any of the three “steps.” A. FIST:  Make a fist and squeeze as tightly as tolerated; B. BEAR CLAW: Starting from the fist position (A), open only the palm of the hand (keep your thumb and fingers bent but straighten the big knuckle joints at the base of the fingers); C. OPEN WIDE: Straighten and spread ALL your finger joints by opening up your hand as much as possible and feel for a good stretch in the palm. HOLD each position for one to five seconds (vary the “speed” of moving between the three positions – fast, medium, and slow; emphasize what feels best if you have a preference). Repeat five to ten times or until your hands feel looser.
2. “Church Steeple”: Place your hands together in front of you (“prayer position”) touching the pads of the thumbs and all four fingertips together and spread your fingers as wide as possible. Next, separate your palms as far as you can while applying pressure against your finger/thumb tips and repeat. Alter the speed and number of repetitions until your hands feel stretched out.
3. “Shake and Flick”: Simply shake your hands as if you just washed them and you’re shaking the water off to “air dry” them. Again, alter the speed and reps until they feel loosened up.
4. Forearm Stretches: Place one arm out in front, elbow straight, and fingers pointed straight, palm up (first set). Reach with the opposite hand and pull the fingers, hand, and wrist down and back towards you until you feel a strong “pull” in your forearm muscles. Hold until the forearm muscles feels stretched (5-10 seconds). Repeat this with the palm facing down for the second set to stretch the opposite (extensor) forearm muscles.
Do these on each side two to three times each (even the “good” side) EVERY HOUR (or as often as possible). Think about what you do on a daily basis and if you work in a repetitive manner (on the job or a hobby at home), try to do these exercises DURING THE REPETITIVE ACTIVITY to help keep your symptoms from getting out of control. If you can alter the position or speed of a work or avocational activity, do so for long-term prevention purposes!
If you cannot gain control of your CTS condition, you may need additional treatment options of which chiropractic offers a safe, non-surgical approach.
We realize you have a choice in whom you consider for your health care provision and we sincerely appreciate your trust in choosing our service for those needs.  If you, a friend, or family member requires care for Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, we would be honored to render our services.

What Exercises Should I Do For Fibro?

~ Dr. Robert Speirs DC ~ Leave a comment

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​Fibromyalgia (FM) is a very common, chronic condition where the patient describes “widespread pain” not limited to one area of the body. Hence, when addressing exercises for FM, one must consider the whole body. Perhaps one of the most important to consider is the squat.

If you think about it, we must squat every time we sit down, stand up, get in/out of our car, and in/out of bed. Even climbing and descending steps results in a squat-lunge type of movement.

The problem with squatting is that we frequently lose (or misuse) the proper way to do this when we’re in pain as the pain forces us to compensate, which can cause us to develop faulty movement patterns that can irritate our ankles, knees, hips, and spine (particularly the low back). In fact, performing a squatting exercise properly will strengthen the hips, which will help protect the spine, and also strengthens the glutel muscles, which can help you perform all the daily activities mentioned above.

The “BEST” type of squat is the free-standing squat. This is done by bending the ankles, knees, and hips while keeping a curve in the low back. The latter is accomplished by “…sticking the butt out” during the squat.

Do NOT allow the knees to drift beyond your toes! If you notice sounds coming from your knees they can be ignored IF they are not accompanied by pain. If you do have pain, try moving the foot of the painful knee about six inches (~15 cm) ahead of the other and don’t squat as far down. Move within “reasonable boundaries of pain” by staying away from positions that reproduce sharp, lancinating pain that lingers upon completion.

There are MANY exercises that help FM, but this one is particularly important!

Hamstring Problems?

~ Dr. Robert Speirs DC ~ Leave a comment

Glute Ham Raise.gif

A great injury prevention movement is the glute-ham raise. Done after a warm up and prior to competition it will significantly reduce the odds of hamstring strains in running athletes in sports like Soccer, Football and Sprinting.

To perform the movement:

Begin in a tall kneeling position on a cushion or pillow.

Partner grabs and holds ankles to ground or hook your feet under a stable surface.

Keeping your torso neutral and your thighs in line with your body, bend forward at the knees, using your hamstrings to control the speed of your forward bend.

Go as far as you can without cramping, pain or falling to the ground.

 

“Other” Causes of Low Back Pain

~ Dr. Robert Speirs DC ~ Leave a comment

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Between 80% and 90% of the general population will experience an episode of lower back pain (LBP) at least once during their lives. When it affects the young to middle-aged, we often use the term “non-specific LBP” to describe the condition. The geriatric population suffers from the “aging effects” of the spine—things like degenerative joint disease, degenerative disk disease, and spinal stenosis. Fractures caused by osteoporosis can also result in back pain.

The “good news” is that there are rare times when your doctor must consider a serious cause of LBP. That’s why he or she will ask about or check the following during your initial consultation: 1) Have you had bowel or bladder control problems? (This is to make sure a patient doesn’t have “cauda equina syndrome”—a very severely pinched nerve.) 2) Take a patient’s temperature and ask about any recent urinary or respiratory tract infections to rule out spinal infections. 3) To rule out cancer, a doctor may ask about a family or personal history of cancer, recent unexplained weight loss, LBP that won’t go away with time, or sleep interruptions that are out of the ordinary. 4) To rule out fractures, a doctor may also take x-rays if a patient is over age 70 regardless of trauma due to osteoporosis, over age 50 with minor trauma, and at any age with major trauma.
Once a doctor of chiropractic can rule out the “dangerous” causes of LBP, the “KEY” form of treatment is giving reassurance that LBP is manageable and advise LBP sufferers of ALL ages (especially the elderly) to KEEP MOVING! Of course, the speed at which we move depends on many things—first is safety, but perhaps more importantly is to NOT BECOME AFRAID to do things! As we age, we gradually fall out of shape and end up blaming our age for the inability to do simple normal activities. Regardless of age, we must GRADUALLY increase our activities to avoid the trap of sedentary habits resulting in deconditioning followed “fear avoidant behavior!”
Here are a few “surprising” reasons your back may be “killing you”: 1) You’re feeling down – That’s right, having “the blues” and more serious mood disorders, like depression, can make it more difficult to cope with pain. Also, depression often reduces the drive to exercise, may disturb sleep, and can affect dietary decisions—all of which are LBP contributors. 2) Your phone – Poor posture caused by holding a phone between your bent head and shoulder (get a headset!) or prolonged mobile phone use can increase your risk for spinal pain. 3) Your feet hurt, which makes you walk with an altered gait pattern, forcing compensatory movements up the “kinetic chain” leading to LBP. 4) Core muscle weakness, especially if you add to that a “pendulous abdomen” from being overweight—this is a recipe for disaster for LBP. 5) Tight short muscles such as hamstrings, hip rotator muscles, and/or tight hip joint capsules are common problems that contribute to LBP. Stretching exercises can REALLY help!

My Hip Hurts….

~ Dr. Robert Speirs DC ~ Leave a comment

hip FAI

​Is it a labral tear? 

One of the structures that is frequently blamed for hip pain is called the labrum—the rubbery tissue that surrounds the socket helping to stabilize the hip joint. This tissue often wears and tears with age, but it can also be torn as a result of a trauma or sports-related injury.

The clinical significance of a labral tear of the hip is controversial, as these can be found in people who don’t have any pain at all. We know from studies of the intervertebral disks located in the lower back that disk herniation is often found in pain-free subjects—between 20-50% of the normal population.  In other words, the presence of abnormalities on an MRI is often poorly associated with patient symptoms, and the presence of a labral tear of the hip appears to be quite similar.

For instance, in a study of 45 volunteers (average age 38, range: 15–66 years old; 60% males) with no history of hip pain, symptoms, injury, or prior surgery, MRIs reviewed by three board-certified radiologists revealed a total of 73% of the hips had abnormalities, of which more than two-thirds were labral tears.

Another interesting study found an equal number of labral tears in a group of professional ballet dancers (both with and without hip pain) and in non-dancer control subjects of similar age and gender.

Another study showed that diagnostic blocks—a pain killer injected into the hip for diagnostic purposes to determine if it’s a pain generator—failed to offer relief for those with labral tears.

Doctors of chiropractic are trained to identify the origins of pain arising from the low back, pelvis, hip, and knee, all of which can mimic or produce hip symptoms.  Utilizing information derived from a careful history, examination, imaging (when appropriate), and functional tests, chiropractors can offer a nonsurgical, noninvasive, safe method of managing hip pain.

Condition Of The Month: Thoracic Joint Restriction

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T Spine Joint

Your spine is made up of 24 bones stacked on top of each other with a soft “disc” between each segment to allow for flexibility. Normally, each joint in your spine should move freely and independently. When one or more of your spinal vertebra is slightly misaligned and restricted, we call this condition a “spinal segmental joint restriction”. A “thoracic joint restriction” means that this misalignment or restriction is located in your upper or mid-back region.

To help visualize this, imagine a normal spine functioning like a big spring moving freely in every direction. A spine with a joint restriction is like having a section of that spring welded together. The spring may still move as a whole, but a portion of it is no longer functioning.

Joint restrictions can develop in many ways. Sometimes they are brought on by an accident or an injury. Other times, they develop from repetitive strains or poor posture. Being overweight, smoking, strenuous work, and emotional stress can make you more susceptible to problems.

Restricted joints give rise to a self-perpetuating cycle of discomfort. Joint restriction causes swelling and inflammation, which triggers muscular guarding leading to more restriction. Since your spine functions as a unit, rather than as isolated pieces, a joint restriction in one area of your spine often causes “compensatory” problems in another. Think of this as a rowboat with multiple oarsmen on each side. When one rower quits, the others are placed under additional stress and can become overworked.

Joint restrictions most commonly cause local tenderness and discomfort. You may notice that your range of motion is limited. Movement may increase your discomfort. Pain from a restricted joint often trickles around your rib cage or up & down your spine. Be sure to tell your chiropractor if your symptoms include any chest pain, shortness of breath, unusual cough, indigestion or flu- like complaints.

Long-standing restrictions are thought to result in arthritis – much like the way a slightly misaligned wheel on your car causes premature wearing of your tire.

You should recognize that your problem is common and generally treatable. Chiropractic care has been shown to be the safest and most effective treatment for joint restrictions. Our office offers several tools to help ease your pain. To speed your recovery, you should avoid activities that increase your pain. Be sure to take frequent breaks from sedentary activity. Yoga has been shown to help back pain sufferers so consider joining a class or picking up a DVD.

Why Does My Back Hurt?

~ Dr. Robert Speirs DC ~ Leave a comment
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It’s been said that if you haven’t had back pain, just wait, because (statistically) some day you will! The following list is a list of “causes” that can be easily “fixed” to reduce your risk for a back pain episode.
1. MATTRESS: Which type of mattress is best? The “short answer”: there is no single mattress (style or type) for all people, primarily due to body type, size, gender, and what “feels good.” TRY laying on a variety of mattresses (for several minutes on your back and sides) and check out the difference between coiled, inner springs, foam (of different densities), air, waterbeds, etc. The thickness of a mattress can vary from 7 to 18 inches (~17-45 cm) deep. Avoid mattresses that feel like you’re sleeping in a hammock! A “good” mattress should maintain your natural spinal curves when lying on your sides or back (avoid stomach sleeping in most cases). Try placing a pillow between the knees and “hug” a pillow when side sleeping, as it can act like a “kick stand” and prevent you from rolling onto your stomach. If your budget is tight, you can “cheat” by placing a piece of plywood between the mattress and box spring as a short-term fix.
2. SHOES: Look at the bottom of your favorite pair of shoes and check out the “wear pattern.” If you have worn out soles or heels, you are way overdue for a new pair or a “re-sole” by your local shoe cobbler! If you work on your feet, then it’s even more important for both managing and preventing LBP!
3. DIET: A poor diet leads to obesity, which is a MAJOR cause of LBP. Consider the Paleo or Mediterranean Diet and STAY AWAY from fast food! Identify the two or three “food abuses” you have embraced and eliminate them – things with empty calories like soda, ice cream, chips… you get the picture! Keeping your BMI (Body Mass Index) between 20 and 25 is the goal! Positive “side-effects” include increased longevity, better overall health, and an improved quality of life!
4. EXERCISE: The most effective self-help approach to LBP management is exercise. Studies show those who exercise regularly hurt less, see doctors less, have a higher quality of life, and just feel better! This dovetails with diet in keeping your weight in check as well. Think of hamstring stretches and core strengthening as important LBP managers – USE PROPER TECHNIQUE AND FORM; YOUR DOCTOR OF CHIROPRACTIC CAN GUIDE YOU IN THIS PROCESS!
5. POSTURE: Another important “self-help” trick of the trade is to avoid sitting slumped over with an extreme forward head carriage positions. Remember that every inch your head pokes forwards places an additional ten pounds (~4.5 kg) of load on your upper back muscles to keep your head upright, and sitting slumped increases the load on your entire back!
We have only scratched the surface of some COMMON causes and/or contributors of back pain. Stay tuned next month as we continue this important conversation!
We realize you have a choice in whom you consider for your health care provision and we sincerely appreciate your trust in choosing our service for those needs.  If you, a friend, or family member requires care for back pain, we would be honored to render our services.