An oft-forgotten benefit of exercise is its effects on bone health. As adults get older, bones become more brittle and develop pores. While women are more likely to develop osteoporosis, this condition is also common in men, as is osteoarthritis.
Interestingly, the worst thing you can do when you develop osteoarthritis or osteoporosis is to become less active. An abundance of research has demonstrated that resistance training is effective for…
Ever wonder why you seem to prefer those early morning runs, or tend to work out harder late at night? A recent review, published in the Journal of Sports Science & Medicine, highlights yet another factor that can possibly be contributing to your ability to perform your best in the gym. A group of researchers from New Zealand believe that by understanding your body’s natural rhythms and response to light,…
Shin splints, IT band issues, plantar fasciitis. These are all common injuries of which most runners will at least get a taste at some point in their training. Each is treatable in its own way. One of the most common, if not most annoying, “injury” symptoms that many runners experience is blistering.
Here are some tips to combat these debilitating nuisances:
Get professionally fitted for shoes–This is the single most…
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There have been two milestone moments in my running career–moments when I shook my head and said to myself, “I guess I’m really a runner now.” The first one was when I walked out of a store with a pair of running tights. I never thought I would get to that point. The second was when I sat down in my first freezing cold ice bath after a long training…
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What is the Sacroiliac Joint?
The SI or Sacroiliac Joint is one of two joints in the pelvis that connects the sacrum, or lowest part of the spine, to the large pelvic bone, the ilium. The two sacroiliac joints, on either side of the pelvis, connect the spine to the pelvis. The coccyx, or tailbone, is connected to the sacrum, but has no connection to the pelvis, and can be…
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Prophylactic knee braces are largely used in the prevention of ligament injuries, but their effectiveness on performance are still controversial. It is estimated that knee injuries account for up to 60% of all sport injuries, with the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) accounting for almost half of these knee injuries. Other knee injuries include: MCL, PCL, meniscus, patello-femoral subluxation/dislocation, arthritis, bursitis, and chondromalcia patella. Even in non-sports related injuries, knee pain…
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Since I’m kind of an exercise nut, I’ve gone through my fair share of injuries and pain. In my experience, one of the most cumbersome injuries to deal with are sore feet. Why? Because you literally can’t do anything without feeling the pain. I didn’t do any research or anything, but my gut feeling says that 95% of cardio exercises out there involves using your feet (only because I had…
Muscle cramps can be associated with metabolic, endocrine, and neurological disorders. However, many healthy, athletic individuals also suffer from recurrent muscle cramping brought on by exercise. Muscle cramps that occur during or following exercise, in the absence of disease, are termed Exercise-Associated Muscle Cramps (EAMC). Most recreational and competitive athletes have experienced EAMC, with corresponding negative effects on performance. Currently there is not a certain cause. There are only theories.…
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I’ve been practicing Self-Myofascial Release (SMR) for more than 2 years now. If you don’t know what SMR is, it’s a fancy word for “self massaging” for healing scar tissues. Two essential tools needed for performing SMR is the foam roller and the lacrosse ball.
My old foam roller recently gave out (got too soft), so I went shopping. After a lot of research, I narrowed down my choices to…
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If you’ve been building muscle for a while, you have probably had your share of injuries by now. We all know how much injuries suck. They hurt like heck and prevent you from doing all the things you love to do. The great news is that a lot of exercise related injuries stem from mobility issues. Digging deeper into this, mobility issues are often caused by scar tissue and muscle…
Believe it or not, core exercises are not really all that useful for helping you lose belly fat. Core exercises are done to make your body stronger, more athletic, and more durable as a whole. Part of this includes helping with your spinal posture.
What are core muscles and how does it relate to posture?
When I’m talking about core muscles, I’m talking about the entire strip of muscles (front…
There are many conflicting opinions out there regarding stretching. Is it good? Is it bad? When should you stretch? How should you stretch? Does stretching prevent injuries? Will stretching improve your performance? This article will answer these questions and more.
Stretching can be good or bad, depending on when you stretch.
Stretching before physical activity has been shown to decrease muscular performance by as much as 28%, with this effect…
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I’m sure you have been seeing outbreaks of MRSA in the news recently. News reports tend to drop medical acronyms and assume the rest of us are right there with them, but in case you need the break down, MRSA is a virulent strain of methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus (staph a.). It is a staph bacterium usually associated with hospitals and nursing homes that infects bed sores and keep wounds from…
THE PROBLEM
Up to 50% of the population will experience neck pain. This number is even higher when complaints of tightness, stiffness, and vague neck and shoulder pain are included. Some neck pain causes include: sedentary lifestyle, bad habits, and/or poor posture. To learn about posture, read this!
In this article I will describe 4 neck pain exercises that can be performed anywhere, by anyone, with no equipment necessary, as…
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Do You Have Back Pain or Core Weakness?
Many people complain of back pain that they can’t seem to get rid of. Standing or walking for long periods of time causes pain. You have tried those lumbar pillows for posture, or tried to work out more to strengthen your back due to “bad posture,” or you have even tried core stabilization exercises. These things might have worked temporarily, but have…
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ARE YOUR RUNNING SHOES HELPING OR HURTING YOU?
There are so many different running shoes available on the market today, and there are hundreds (if not thousands) of websites offering advice on which shoes are right for YOU. The goal of this article is to inform readers of shoe anatomy, things to consider when purchasing running shoes, and to offer practical information regarding shoe care and replacement. Experienced runners know…
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In Low Back Pain Part 1: Origins, we discussed possible anatomic sources for low back pain (LBP) and other conditions that can cause LBP. It is important to see a physician for a diagnosis and a good physical therapist or chiropractor to address your particular movement impairments and functional limitations. Depending on the specific anatomical diagnosis, rehabilitation of LBP will vary. However, in this article, we will focus on five things…
THE PROBLEM
Low Back Pain (LBP) is an epidemic in our modern society. LBP is reported as the #1 reason for missed work and #2 reason for seeing a doctor. According to National Institute of Neurologic Disorders and Stroke (NINDS), Americans spend over $50 billion each year on the evaluation, diagnosis, and treatment of LBP. It is the second most common “neurological ailment”; second only to headaches. Many clinicians and…
The Anatomy
There is somewhere around 640 skeletal muscles in the human body. Skeletal muscle is a complex network of muscle fibers, connective tissue, nervous tissue, and blood vessels. The connective tissue forms a framework of support by surrounding individual muscle fibers, bundles of muscle fibers (called fascicles), and finally the individual muscles that are made up of these fascicles. Another type of connective tissue, called fascia, plays an integral…
For those of you who have had the unfortunate run in with a sprained ankle, this article is for you. For those of you who have never sustained an injury, this article is also for you. The next time you walk into the bathroom to brush your teeth, think multitask and save your ankles from a devastating sprain with these easy strengthening exercises.
The ankle is held together by many…
