With September rolling around and the kids going back to school, now is a good time to review some simple tips for Back-Pack Safety

1)  Encourage children to utilize both straps when carrying a backpack

2)  Make sure to adjust the straps properly to ensure proper distribution of weight

3)  Pack the heavier items at the bottom of the bag for better distribution

4)  Maximum load should be less than 10% of the child’s weight

If you follow these guidelines, you can ensure that your child is safe when returning to school!

For more details on the Ontario Chiropractic Association’s “Pack it Light, Wear it Right” campaign, visit them at:  www.chiropractic.on.ca

Our second BLOG about stretching looks at the assertion that stretching before competition will increase performance.

A common claim was that stretching immediately before competition would increase your performance.  A 2004 literature review found 21 studies which looked at performance and stretching prior to competition.  20 of the 21 studies actually found a DECREASE in performance if stretching is done prior to the activity with 1 study finding mixed results.  These studies involved jumping, lifting or throwing types of activities.  The reason for these findings is that stretching puts your muscles into a temporarily lengthened state that is not well equipped for maximum contraction.

So if stretching before activity does not prevent injuries and can actually decrease performance – What is a better alternative?  A study conducted in 2004 involving rugby players demonstrated that dynamic stretching (quick stretching through a range of motion) produced significantly faster 20 meter sprint times than static stretching or no stretching at all.    A follow-up study looked at combining dynamic and static stretching (slow, methodical stretch and hold) and revealed that static stretching could actually undo the effects of dynamic stretching, making the athletes slower, and less powerful.

The success of dynamic stretching is due to preparing the athlete for competition by mimicking the movements they will have to perform on the field of play.  Especially at the higher levels, the emphasis now is on general body warm-up and dynamic stretching to prepare the athletes for competition.  Warm-ups which mimic game-like situations will help prepare the athletes mentally for competition, and dynamic stretching will best prepare the body for the situations one will encounter during the course of play. 

The take home message is that statically stretching immediately before competition may actually hinder performance.  Getting away from slow stretching and towards quicker stretching techniques will help your athletes to avoid injury and perform at their very best. 

In good health,

Dr. Scott Dunham

References

1. Does Stretching Increase Performance? Clinical Journal of Sports Medicine, Sept 2004, Shrier, Ian
2. The effect of different warm-up stretch protocols on 20 meter sprint performance in trained rugby union players. Journal Of Strength And Conditioning Research / National Strength & Conditioning Association 2004 Nov; Vol. 18 (4), pp. 885-8.
3. The acute effects of combined static and dynamic stretch protocols on fifty-meter sprint performance in track-and-field athletes. Journal Of Strength And Conditioning Research / National Strength & Conditioning Association 2007 Aug; Vol. 21 (3), pp. 784-7.