Tag: shoes

Don’t Forget Your Back

Most of us spend a large portion of the day hunched forward.  Think about when you are working on the computer, cooking, driving or even relaxing.  Your typical posture during these activities is head and neck forward, shoulders rounded forward, back curved and hips flexed.    When you remain in this position for an extended period of time, the muscles in the front of the body tend to shorten or contract, while the muscles in the back of the body tend to weaken.    This can be a set up for back, neck and shoulder problems and in addition, tends to make you look shorter, heavier and less confident.

Stretching before and after exercise as well as during the day is often overlooked in the rush to “get your workout in”.   Stretching however, has numerous benefits.   According to a study published in the Annals of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Medicine in September 2016, by I Fekhfekh, et al, dynamic muscle stretching of the knee musculature actually resulted in an increase strength gain in those muscles.  Interestingly, this study also found a decrease in the postural stability of the knee after stretching.    In English, it appears that stretching helps your to build strength, but may decrease the stability of the muscles you stretch at least temporarily.

In general, stretching helps to improve flexibility, joint range of motion, and usually is helpful for injury prevention.    Stretching helps by increasing blood flow to the muscles stretched.  This increased blood flow carries important nutrients to your muscles to allow for muscle growth and repair.  In addition, the increased blood flow helps to wash away muscle “waste” which leads to decreased soreness and inflammation of the muscle.

If allowed to remain in a contracted position for a prolonged period of time, our muscles will shorten.  For example if you spend a large portion of your day sitting in a chair or driving, the muscles in the front of the hips, your hip flexors will shorten.  These muscles have a direct effect on both your posture and your back health.

 

So what should you do?

It is important to stretch the muscles in the front of the body at least daily.

Exercises that focus on the hip flexors:

-Kneeling hip flexor stretch  – in the position of a lunge, allow your back knee to touch the floor and drive the hip of your front leg forward.  This will stretch the hip flexor of the knee on the floor

–Pigeon stretch – extend your right leg straight back and bring the heel of your left leg underneath your right hip.  Then drive your hips forward towards the ground.  Stretch and repeat on the other side.

– Yoga poses such as: low lunge, crescent lunge, upward facing dog, and revolving side angle pose

 

Stretches that focus on the chest muscles and prevent rounded shoulders:

– Door Frame stretch- stand in a doorway or at the corner of a room with your arms up like you were going to stop traffic.  Line your arms up from the elbow to the hand with the doorframe or in the corners of the wall.   Step towards the door and you should feel a stretch in your chest (pectoralis “pec” muscles) and hold for 20-30 seconds.

– Wall slides – stand with your back to the wall and keep your shoulders against the wall.  Walk forward 1-2 steps and slide your arms up and down the wall and squeeze your shoulder blades together.  You should feel a stretch in your upper chest muscles.

–Shoulder squeeze stretch –  clasp your hands together behind your back and slowly try to lift your hands.  Squeeze your shoulder blades together to stretch out the chest wall.

– Yoga poses include : bridge pose, camel pose, cobra pose and cow face pose

 

Stretches for your neck:

– Chin Tucks (Neck Retraction) – keep your shoulders back and your head in a neutral position (eyes facing forwards, chin level) slowly move your head backwards until you feel a slight stretch in the back of your neck.  Hold for 10-20 seconds and repeat.  If needed you can apply a gentle pressure on your chin with your fingertips to press your chin backwards and deepen the stretch.

Incorporating these exercises into your daily routine will help to prevent shortening of the muscles in the front of the body which leads to poor posture and often pain of the neck and back.  As always, if you are having pain which persists you should be evaluated by a certified health care professional to ensure that these exercises are safe for you.

This week we primarily discussed stretching exercises to prevent muscle contraction, and next week we will discuss the importance of strengthening the back muscles to further combat the issues of a hunched posture.

The Common Pitfalls That Challenge the New Exerciser

 

As you begin your new exercise regimen it is quite common to have mixed emotions, which can range the gamut from determination to fear.

We all fall off the wagon sometimes and that is absolutely okay. Once you have committed yourself to the dietary and lifestyle changes, you will begin to see results and more importantly you will feel better. You just have to make the association in your mind between the positive lifestyle and dietary changes you have incorporated into your life and it will become much easier to continue and succeed in your mission of a healthier you.

Below are some recommendations to help you be successful:

With regard to exercise –Take it one day at time
Rather than worry about the remaining consistent with your exercise efforts for the entire challenge, remind yourself to take it one day at a time. Focus on setting your alarm and waking up this morning to head to class. If you exercise after work, bring your clothes with you and if possible change at work or at the gym so you are not tempted to go home after a long day. Focus on how you will feel after you have completed your first day of exercise. It does not matter what you are able to do during your class, it just matters that you show up and give it your best effort. Each day will become slightly easier than the last, however like everything, there will be bumps in the road. Progress is gradual, with peaks and valleys, but the overall trend will be up.

With regard to diet the opposite is true — Prepare in Advance
One of the easiest ways to fall off the diet is to find yourself hungry with no compliant food options. Preparation is key. Making sure that you carry compliant snacks and meals with you, or knowing where you can find access to purchasing food/snacks is crucial to your success. This is because the diet is structured so as to maintain your blood sugar at a fairly constant level. Once your blood sugar drops below a certain point, your body thinks that it is starving and will release hormones to prompt you to eat. This is when you get that ravenous sensation and will reach for a quick fix such as carbs or simple sugars. What you choose to eat during these periods of “hunger” will have a direct effect on the rest of the day. If you choose simple sugars or processed carbohydrates the cycle of insulin spikes and drops will be perpetuated and can foil your best efforts at staying compliant.

Purchase the Proper Footwear
Knowing your foot type and body habitus is very important when you begin exercising so you can purchase the proper shoes for the appropriate activity.  Improper shoe wear can cause many problems with your feet, ankles, knees, hips and even your back. Different shoes provide you with different types of support.

For example, tennis shoes provide medial lateral stability because you are constantly making quick side-side motions. However, they do not usually provide much support or cushion when you are jumping. I would not recommend using tennis shoes at MAX.

Basketball shoes are designed to provide shock-absorption and traction because of the sudden bursts of energy and rapid changes in speed and direction necessary during basketball. These shoes lace up around the ankle, and therefore much bulker, heavier, and can cause fatigue if used during sports other than basketball. Therefore, I don’t recommend these either during workouts.

Running sneakers come in many different styles and are best selected based on an analysis of your foot, ankle, knee and hip motion during running. These shoes are designed for endurance, and cushioning and are generally more flexible and lighter, but do not provide much in the way of traction or side-side support. Some running shoes may be appropriate for aerobic classes but those with very flimsy flexible soles (bottoms) may not prevent injuries.

A cross-training sneaker is usually recommended when exercising because these shoes are designed for multiple purposes and provide medial/lateral stability which prevents ankle injuries, as well as increased traction to prevent falls. That being said, it is important not to use cross trainers for running more than occasional short distances because they are not designed for this type of exercise.

Stay hydrated
It is common to confuse the sensation of thirst for hunger. Make sure you drink before, during, and after exercising to prevent dehydration. Water is best at quenching thirst. The majority of the “electrolyte sports drinks” are unnecessary and provide added sugars, calories or artificial sweeteners. Drink water and add a little bit of fresh lemon, mint, or other fruits for flavor if needed.

Don’t over do it
Injury occurs when body mechanics fail. Within a few weeks of exercising your heart and cardiovascular system become accustomed to the increased level of work and your exercise tolerance will improve fairly rapidly. People then often try to push themselves further or do double classes to increase their results, but improvements in your musculoskeletal system lag behind your cardiovascular system. In English, what this means is that your heart will be ready for an increased exercise intensity much faster than your body will be. By increasing your high impact exercises (i.e jumping, running, and cherry pickers, etc) too quickly, you will set yourself up for injuries such as shin splints, knee injuries, hip injuries and iliotibial band injuries. Give your body time to strengthen. You will get there.

That being said, do not skip class (unless you are really sick). There will be days you feel exceptionally stiff and sore and cannot imagine how you will be able to exercise. Those are the days it is most important to go to class. This is because soreness is usually the result of lactic acid build up in the muscles. By exercising, you increase blood flow to these areas and “wash out” this lactic acid and bring important oxygen and nutrients to your muscles to allow for growth and repair.

Listen to your body
Above all, listen to your body. You know yourself best, if you have cardiovascular or other health issues make sure you speak with your physician first to be cleared for exercise. Almost everyone can exercise to some degree, but it is important to know your limitations. It is more important to realize that your limitations today will not be your limitations tomorrow. Your strength and endurance will improve as long as you provide your body the proper nutrition and increase your exercise demands at an individualized pace to prevent injuries