ALIGN BLOG

It can be pretty hard sometimes to differentiate between a headache and a migraine.   But here’s a quick and simple guide: Does your pain limit you from doing any activities?  Do you have a sensitivity to light/noise? Do you suffer from nausea/lack of appetite from the pain?  If you answered yes for two or…

What is a night time routine and why is it so important? Untitled.png A night time routine is certain steps you take a little while before you want to sleep so that your body begins to learn and understand what is going to happen next (AKA bedtime!). This allows you to sleep faster, easier and…

Did you know that the hamstring is actually made up of three muscles? These muscles are known as: BICEPS FEMORIS (sitting closer to the outside of the leg) SEMI-MEMBRANOSUS (sitting closer to the inside of the leg) SEMI-TENDINOSUS (in between the biceps femoris and semimembranosus) Each of these muscles that make up the hamstring group…

PROXIMAL CROSS SYNDROME – AKA Upper Cross Syndrome As you can see from the picture to the right, this syndrome causes tightening of the upper trapezius/levator scapulae muscles and tight pectoral muscles, diagonally across each other. With this, weakening is seen in the deep neck flexors, the serratus anterior and lower trapezius – a pattern…

We have all heard of magnesium. We know it’s good for… well something to do with muscles, right? I’m here to share a few important reasons as to why we need an adequate amount of magnesium in our daily diet. Magnesium is a well-known and important mineral found in nature, and it is crucial to…

Well, this is a term I’m sure many people have heard of. But what exactly is whiplash? Whiplash is when the muscles, ligaments and tendons around the neck have been overstretched from a sudden and forceful jerk of the head. Mostly, this is seen with motor vehicle accidents – but it can occur in contact…

We’ve all heard of it, and we all hope that it won’t happen to us! But what really is carpal tunnel?   Carpal tunnel syndrome is the compression of the median nerve as it passes through the little tunnel created from the bones of the wrist (ouch!) Unfortunately, it is a very common syndrome and…

Alright guys – it’s time to talk about the neck, AKA the CERVICAL SPINE! Let’s start with some quick anatomy: The cervical spine consists of the first 7 vertebrae, starting from the base of the skull and finishing where the upper back (thoracic spine) begins. The cervical spine curve is one of the three curves…

Inflammation – what is it? According to google dictionary, inflammation is “a localized physical condition in which part of the body becomes reddened, swollen, hot, and often painful, especially as a reaction to injury or infection.” While this is a very specific response from the body, inflammation can also manifest as just pain – not…

Heard of the PSOAS MUSCLE? Most people have. It’s one of the most popular stretches people perform before or after exercise or even just for a release of the tightness through the hip. This muscle is a super interesting muscle. It is closely related to your posture, as it is the only muscle that connects…