Now Offering VO2 Max and Metabolic Testing at Peak to Shore
We’re excited to introduce two new advanced fitness assessments now available at Peak to Shore Physiotherapy and Sports Medicine: VO2 Max Testing and Resting Metabolic Rate Testing- using the state-of-the-art VO2 Master Analyzer.
These tests are ideal for anyone looking to better understand their fitness, enhance athletic performance, or improve overall health and wellness through tailored training and education.
What is VO2 Max Testing?
VO2 Max is considered the gold standard for evaluating cardiovascular fitness. This test measures the maximum amount of oxygen your body can use during intense exercise- an important indicator of endurance and overall health.
- Conducted on a treadmill, bike, or in a sport specific environment (e.g. pool)
- Supervised by a trained regulated health professional
- Includes ventilatory thresholds, training zones, and VO2 max
- Personalized results with a full report and training insights
- Duration: approximately 1 hour
- Cost: $250 (partially covered by most insurance plans)
The test is especially valuable for amateur and elite athletes who want to fine-tune their performance and training plans, but it’s also a powerful tool for anyone interested in monitoring their health and fitness progression.
What is Resting Metabolic Rate Testing?
Resting Metabolic Rate (RMR) testing helps you understand how many calories your body burns at rest. This can support effective and personalized training plans.
- Simple, non-invasive procedure conducted by a trained regulated health care professional
- Duration: approximately 30-45 minutes
- Cost: $125 (partially covered by most insurance plans)
Whether your goal is performance optimization or a clearer understanding of your metabolic health, these tests provide valuable data to support your journey.
Interested in booking a session? Contact us at peaktoshorephysiotherapy.com or call 705.446.2551!
Pedal Smarter: How Our Physiotherapists Can Support Your Cycling Goals
Cycling is one of the most popular pastimes here in the area. Whether you’re a weekend warrior or a seasoned competitor, we see you out there, pushing yourself to achieve more.
Unfortunately, increased mileage, higher speeds, and more challenging terrain can bring with them bodily stress and an increased risk of injury. So if you want to boost your performance, you need to do so thoughtfully. That’s where the team at Peak to Shore comes in.
Physiotherapy offers more than just treatment after an injury. It can actually play an important role in helping to prevent injury while enhancing overall performance. Here are three ways we can help.
Bike Racks Now Available at Our Main Entrance!
Skip the parking hassle- if you’re able, consider biking to your appointment at our main Collingwood site. It’s a great way to save time and get some fresh air. Don’t forget to bring a bike lock!
Three Unique Services (And How They Can Benefit Cyclists)
- Functional Movement Screens: If you want your body to perform well on a bike, then you need to make sure it can move well off the bike first! Our functional movement screens can help. We’ll evaluate how your body moves during everyday activities and specific sports, working to identify imbalances, instability, and poor movement control, all of which are common causes of overuse injuries in cyclists.
- What’s Included in the Screening?
- Balance and stability tests
- Core and hip strength checks
- Mobility assessments (such as your hip flexors, hamstrings, or spine)
- Multi-joint movement patterns such as squats, lunges, and step-downs
- Why Should You Consider It? Cyclists often have strong quads but weak glutes or stiff hips. These kinds of imbalances can lead to knee pain or low back discomfort. A movement screen allows us to identify concerns before they become a lingering problem. Once we’ve identified them, we can work with you to develop a focused training program to help you move better and ride longer.
- What’s Included in the Screening?
- Bike Fittings: Have you ever dealt with knee pain after a ride? How about numbness in your hands? Saddle sores? Neck discomfort? It might surprise you, but these issues often develop when your bike isn’t properly adjusted. Even subtle misalignments between your body and your bike can lead to chronic discomfort or injury. Fortunately, we offer comprehensive bike-fitting services at our clinic, where we assess your body mechanics and how they interact with your equipment.
- What We Do During a Bike Fitting
- Evaluate your biomechanics, joint range of motion, and muscular function
- Assess postural control and spinal alignment while seated on your bike
- Adjust saddle height, handlebar position, cleat placement, and reach according to our findings
- Bike Fitting Benefits
- Improved joint alignment while pedaling
- Reduced muscle fatigue over long distances
- Lower risk of repetitive strain injuries
- Increased pedaling efficiency
- What We Do During a Bike Fitting
- Strength and Condition Program: When you go for a bike ride, you move in a linear pattern for hours, often at high intensity. Over time, this repetition can create muscle dominance and weakness, especially in areas like the core, upper back, and hips. Strength training helps avoid these problems by improving aerobic efficiency, muscular endurance, and power output. Our personalized strength and conditioning programs can target these imbalances with a program tailored to meet cyclists’ unique needs.
- How We Build Your Program
- Assess your strength and endurance levels
- Test movement control and single-leg stability
- Apply progressive loading using body weight, resistance bands, and free weights
- Teach proper form to ensure exercises translate to real-world riding
- Areas We Might Target In Your Program
- Ankle and foot control to stabilize power transfer
- Hip stability to improve pedal stroke and reduce torque at the knee
- Core strength to support posture and reduce back stress
- Upper back activation to relieve neck and shoulder tension
- How We Build Your Program
Our Patients Are Seeing Results
Welcome Dr. Lisa Fischer!
Peak to Shore Physiotherapy and Sports Medicine is excited to announce that Dr. Lisa Fisher has joined our team as a Primary Care Sport Medicine Physician.
Dr. Fischer has been a sport medicine physician, educator, leader, researcher, and advocate in sport medicine for over 30 years. She has retired from her position at the Fowler-Kennedy Sport Medicine Centre at Western University and is now a full-time resident in our community. She brings a wealth of experience and a true passion for patient care. She is committed to using her medical expertise to “keep people active”.
Dr. Fischer is now accepting referrals for musculoskeletal injuries, sports medicine conditions, and management of osteoarthritis.
Schedule An Appointment To Learn How We Can Help You
Aches and pains are not inevitable in cycling, even at high intensity. In fact, they’re signs that your body needs help adapting to the physical demands of the sport–help that Peak to Shore can provide.
If you’re dealing with discomfort, performance plateaus, or simply want to ride more efficiently, start with an assessment. We’ll help you identify what’s holding you back and support you in building a plan that works.
Our team is here to help you keep pedaling, so schedule an appointment with us today to get started!
Recipe of the Month: Rosemary Citrus One Pan Baked Salmon
Ingredients:
- ⅓ cup olive oil
- 1 small orange (2 Tablespoons juice of orange plus thinly sliced orange slices)
- 1 Tablespoon lemon juice
- ½ teaspoon garlic, minced
- ¼ teaspoon orange zest (grated orange peel from orange)
- 2 Tablespoons fresh rosemary, plus extra to garnish (1 tsp dried rosemary may be substituted)
- 2 –3 teaspoons honey
- 10–12 ounces sockeye salmon (whole fillet or three 4 ounces fillets)
- Pinch of sea salt
- Optional – thinly sliced orange or lemon
- Optional- 2 cups chopped/sliced veggies of choice (i.e broccoli, asparagus, green beans, etc.)
- Additional seasoning of choice or salt and pepper to taste
Instructions:
- Whisk together the olive oil, orange juice, lemon juice, garlic, orange zest, 2 tablespoons rosemary, and optional honey. Set the mixture aside.
- Grease or oil a large baking dish. Place the salmon in the baking dish, skin side down. Season the salmon with a pinch of salt.
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Brush the orange rosemary on top of the salmon, and place the salmon in the fridge to marinate for 5-10 minutes while the oven preheats.
- After 5-10 minutes, add thin orange slices on top of the salmon (optional), and toss veggies of choice with the reserved marinade or 2 teaspoons of olive oil, lemon juice, or seasoning of choice.
- Place the tossed veggies (if using) around the salmon in the pan.
- Place the baking dish in the oven for 12-15 minutes or until the salmon is no longer opaque in the middle and the vegetables are cooked through.
- Let the salmon rest for 3 minutes before serving.
- Add additional salt and pepper to taste.