Exercises for Your Feet....What????

Did you know the muscle groups in both of your feet make up 25 percent of your body's muscles?  That's right!  So if you ignore the muscles of your feet, it would be like eliminating upper body workouts from your repertoire.  Your feet take a beating every day with normal activity so if you are active your feet have to do a lot more work.  When the muscles of the feet are not functioning properly, it will affect your gait in walking and running.  Foot problems lead to other orthopedic problems also such as knee pain and hip/low back pain.  Think of your feet as the foundation to your "house".  If your foundation is faulty, you will weaken your structure which ultimately could lead to injuries and/or chronic problems.

So what can you do to keep your feet healthy?  It is important to treat the muscles of your feet just as you would the muscles of your legs or chest.  They need to be strengthened and stretched on a regular basis.  We think of shoes as a good thing, right?  Actually, shoes can be similar to a cast on an arm.  Muscles of a casted limb begin to atrophy (or get smaller) over time due to the lack of movement/use.  The muscles of your feet are the same way.  They get used to having the support of shoes around the clock.  They don't have to think about moving or supporting the ankle or body so they begin to get "lazy".  Now I'm not saying you should go barefoot all of the time.  You still need to support your foundation and provide stability for the lower limbs during movement.  However, it is a good idea to go barefoot (or wear minimalist footwear) every now and then.  But before your start on that, it is important to stretch and strengthen the muscles of the feet.  Here are some exercises and stretches you can do to help build your foundation.

1. Toe Lifts
• Have you ever tried to lift one toe at a time?  You might be surprised as to how difficult it can be.  Try lifting your big toe first, without any other toes moving.  Then move on to each subsequent toe and then reverse it back to the big toe.  Keep practicing until you can master the single toe lift.  Practice this daily as it will not only strengthen the smaller muscles of the foot but it will also help stretch the feet.
2. Toe Spreads
• Your toes are trapped in shoes all day.  Sometimes, depending on the type of shoe, the toes have very little wiggle room.  Take your shoes and socks off then practice spreading the toes out away from each other without lifting them off of the ground.  Hold for a few seconds then repeat.  If you feel like your toes/feet begin to cramp, that is an indication you need to perform this move more often.
3. Toe Grabs
• Help strengthen and stretch the bottom of your feet with toe grabs.  Place a towel or small objects such as pebbles or marbles on the floor.  Practice grabbing and picking up the small objects with your toes.  If you are using a towel, grab the towel with your toes, then scrunch your toes up to drag that towel towards you.
4. Ankle Circles and Point/Flex
• Practice making 20 circles with your feet both clockwise and counter-clockwise.  Make the circles big so the whole foot moves at the ankle.  Then point your foot away from you (as if you were stepping on a gas pedal in your car) and flex your foot towards your body.  Do this about 20 times each foot.  If that becomes too easy, grab an exercise band/tubing and repeat all of those movements.

Practice these movements every day to help strengthen and stretch your feet and toes.  Try to add barefoot walking into your daily activity but be aware how your foot strikes the ground.  Be sure to place the whole bottom of the foot on the ground and push off through the toes.  Avoid rolling the foot to the inside or outside too much.  You should notice an improvement fairly quickly.  You might even find a reduction in knee pain and calf tightness by doing theses exercises.  Finally, and most importantly, take care of your feet.  Massage your feet with your hands or by rolling your foot over a tennis ball.  Stretch your calf muscles daily.  Wear the appropriate shoes for your activity (check out our blog "Shoes Are Shoes...Right?" for more information.

Take care of your feet and you will have a strong foundation!!

Recovery Days...Do You Include Them in Your Training?

Recovery days.  We need them after a heavy workout or competition/game/race but do you incorporate these days into your training regimen?  If not, you should.  During exercise the body actually breaks down muscle tissue in order to rebuild and repair.  If you don't provide your body with adequate rest and recovery, you could be sending yourself into an overtraining scenario.  Now before you get upset with me, recovery days are not always complete rest.  Active recovery days are just as important as your training days.  Once your muscles have been broken down during the workout, they will immediately begin rebuilding and repairing.  You may notice that after a heavy workout or competition, your muscles are sore and you might even feel a little "puffy".  The soreness is a build-up of proteins released during the "breaking down" process.  That usually lasts about 24-48 hours after your workout.  Muscles might be "puffy" or swollen as the body sends extra fluids and white blood cells to the area to help "clean up".  This is a natural body process and is actually helpful, even though it's merely uncomfortable for you.

So how do you know when you should have recovery days?  First and foremost if you have a particularly heavy workout or big competition, active recovery the following day is extremely important.  If your training regimen includes "general" exercise and isn't too strenuous on a daily basis, then you should include at least one or two active recovery days in a week.  But what is "active recovery"?  On the days you dedicate to active recovery, you can perform light cardio activity with an emphasis on stretching.  An excellent way to achieve this is to hop in a pool.  The cooler temperatures of the pool combined with the buoyancy of the water will provide your body with the proper conditions to reduce muscle tension and swelling.  You can perform light activities such as walking or easy lap swimming followed by static stretching at the pool wall.  The key component in an active recovery is to keep the intensity low enough so your body doesn't further deplete your energy stores.  During your active recovery, be sure to rest and rehydrate frequently.

Passive recovery is more along the lines of total rest and stretching.  Here again, pools can be beneficial.  If you have the ability to be in a warmer water pool, focus more on static stretching in the warmer climate.  Be wary of jumping in the hot tub though.  The higher water temperature of the hot tub can increase blood flow to sore muscles which may increase swelling and discomfort.  If you only have access to a hot tub, then keep time spent in the water minimal (i.e., 1-2 minutes).  You can even do a contrast bath where you are in warmer/hot water for a minute or two then immediately get in a cooler shower/bath for 10-60 seconds.  This can be repeated three times.  Again, be sure to properly rehydrate during this time.

Remember, muscle soreness is natural and should be expected after a workout.  If, however, it does not dissipate or gets worse after a couple of days, then you may need to seek the advice of a certified trainer or, worse case scenario, seek medical attention.  Whether you choose active or passive recovery is dependent on the type of activity you perform and the intensity levels.  Regardless you should incorporate one type of recovery in your weekly routine.  Your body will recover faster and performance will improve by giving your body the rest it needs (and deserves!).  You don't have to "go-go-go" all the time.  Give yourself a little down time to recover and reflect.

Shin Splints - Prevention & Treatment

If you have ever felt pain in your shin after a workout, you probably experienced a case of shin splints.  If you have participated in running/jogging or sporting events, you probably have dealt with shin splints at one time.  Left untreated, shin splints can be debilitating.  With a little preventative work, you can avoid the pain and undue suffering from shin splints.

First let's define shin splints.  In short, shin splints are inflammation (swelling) of the periostium or covering on the shin bone.  Typical symptoms are shin pain over the inside lower half of the leg, pain at the start of exercise which often eases as the session continues, pain that returns after activity and may be at its worse the next morning, lumps/bumps felt over the inside of the shin bone, and pain when the toes/foot are flexed.  What causes shin splints?  Most of the time, shin splints are caused from biomechanical issues or training issues.  Flat feet or extreme high arches, obesity, and/or improper footwear are common culprits.  Also, increasing training too quickly (i.e., too much too soon) or large increase in running mileage can also cause shin splints.

What can you do to prevent shin splints?  First and foremost, be sure to wear the appropriate shoes for the type of activity you are performing.  Refer back to our blog entitled "Shoes are Shoes...Right?" for more information on choosing athletic footwear.  Also, make sure you have the proper support for the type of arch you have and replace your shoes often to ensure you are getting adequate support.  Next, maintain a healthy weight.  As your body weight increases, your feet have to support not only your body weight but also the effects of gravity.  That's a lot of work to ask of your feet.  When you are overweight/obese, the arches in your feet tend to flatten out, causing the ankle to roll in and putting undue stress on the lower part of the legs.  Finally, be sure to start slow and increase your intensity/mileage gradually.  Going "all out" on your first day will have some repercussions.  Try to increase your running mileage no more than 10% at a time.  In other words, don't go from running 3-5 miles per week to 10-15 miles per week.

Prevention can also include proper stretching and exercises.  Remember to always warm up prior to stretching.  For the shins, walking or cycling are both good warm-up activities.  To stretch the shins, kneel on the floor with the tops of your feet on the floor behind you.  Gently sit back on your heels, pressing the feet to the floor.  Hold this stretch for about 15-30 seconds and repeat a couple times.  If you are already experiencing shin splints, this may be very uncomfortable.  Place as much of your body weight down on your legs as you can tolerate.  To strengthen your lower legs, perform ankle flexion exercises with exercise tubing/bands.  Wrap the tubing around a stable object and sit on the floor with your legs extended.  Wrap the other end of the tubing around your toes.  With your legs straight, gently pull your toes towards you then slowly return to the starting position.  These pictures from the American Council on Exercise (ACE) show how to perform this exercise.  

Treatment of shin splints is fairly easy.  Ice will significantly help with reducing the swelling and pain.  Also, adequate rest is helpful.  Allow your body to recover from this injury before jumping back into your routine.  Continuing to push through the pain will only delay healing and will cause further damage.

Remember, as painful as shin splints are, they are very easy to prevent.  With a little planning and preparation, you can spare yourself the pain and aggravation of shin splints.  Still need some help?  Stop in a PROMATx Health Club and talk with a trainer.   We can show you the proper way to prevent shin splints.  If you are already suffering, we can show you stretches and pain management techniques to help you recover.

Exercising with Chronic Back Pain

Do you suffer from a chronic ailment or pain?  Well, take comfort in knowing you’re not the only one out there!  One of our long-time members, Sally Blake, wanted to share her story in hopes that it will inspire others also dealing with chronic pain.  Here's a Q&A session between Sally and her trainer, Amanda Tovar.

• Describe the issue you are currently having with your back.
• I have chronic back pain.  My back is very tight and I constantly feel a dull ache in my lower back.  I must take Advil every morning to deal with the pain.
• How long have you dealt with chronic back pain?
• About a year.
• How has this affected your workouts?
• I definitely have more limitations than I used to.  It can be very frustrating at times.  I feel like my body is older than my age. 
• What has helped you stay motivated through this?
• Maintaining a healthy body weight is very important to me.  That is a major motivation in itself.  Also, I know that not exercising will worsen my condition.
• In what ways has your trainer helped you out?
• You (Amanda) always gear my workouts towards gaining strength in my back.  You also do exercises with me to help loosen my back muscles.  We work a lot on my balance to prevent injuries.  You keep me motivated to keep coming to the gym!!
• What would you say to someone with chronic pain who wants to start (or restart) exercising?
• To really put forth an effort even though it will not be easy and most likely be uncomfortable.  It is definitely worth the effort.  It will help you in the long run!! 

 
If any of this rings true in your life, don’t let it get you down!  Take control by learning exercises that are right for you and be consistent in doing them!  Take a lesson from Sally Blake, “it’s worth the effort"!

 

 

Need more help getting started?  Come in a talk with a trainer here at PROMATx Health Club to find out how we can get you on the path to controlling your pain through exercise and stretching.

How Can I Strengthen My Knees?

The knee is a complicated joint and is a commonly injured area of the body.  The knees bear about 80% of our body weight when standing...that's a lot of pressure!  Because of the wear and tear on our knees from every day activities to sporting events and exercise, there are over 500,000 total knee replacement (TKR) surgeries performed every year (according to the American Association of Orthopedic Surgeons).  It's also projected that by the year 2030, that number will increase to over 3.48 million due to increased obesity rates and aging baby boomers.  Approximately 12% of people over the age of 60 experience symptoms of knee osteoarthritis and 94% of patients undergoing TKR do so because of osteoarthritis.

Is there anything we can do to protect our knees and prevent the need for TKR?  Let's first look at the structure of the knee joint.  This picture shows the basic structure of the knee joint including the quadriceps (thigh) muscle and the bones of the shin or lower leg.  All of these muscles, ligaments and tendons help to keep the knee stable and strong so it can withstand the pressure of standing, walking, and climbing.  Unfortunately, there are many areas that can be injured, whether acutely (i.e., trip and fall) or chronically (i.e., osteoarthritis).  While it is not possible to strengthen the knee joint itself, it is possible to strengthen and stretch the surrounding muscles.

Let's look at five areas you can strengthen to keep your knees stable and strong.  First, the knee joint is surrounded by:

1. Quadriceps muscles - large muscle group on the front of the thigh running from the front of the hip to the top of the knee.
2. Hamstring muscles - large muscle group on the back of the thigh running from the back of the hip to the back of the knee.
3. Calf muscles - two muscles that encompass the back of the lower leg, running from the back of the knee down to the Achilles or heel.
4. Iliotibial (IT) Band - large band of connective tissue running from the outside of the hip down to the outside of the knee.

It is important to strengthen and stretch those areas in addition to the hip, since some of the above structures cross the hip joint also.  Here are five exercises you can do to improve the strength of these muscles and connective tissue.  Click on each link to be taken to American College on Exercise (ACE) website for video instructions.

• To strengthen the quadriceps, perform a BODYWEIGHT SQUAT. 
• To strengthen the hamstrings, perform a STABILITY BALL HAMSTRING CURL.
• To strengthen the calves, perform a BARBELL CALF RAISE.
• To strengthen the hips, perform a GLUTE BRIDGE.
• To stretch the IT Band, perform an IT BAND STRETCH.

Although performing these exercises will not prevent you from EVER experiencing knee pain or problems, it will help you to prevent future injuries to the knee joint.  Take care of your knees and you will be able to maintain an active lifestyle.  Eat right and maintain a healthy body weight to keep additional pressure off of your knees.  Wear proper shoes (click HERE to read a previous blog on shoes) for your activity and replace them often to maintain appropriate support.

Still need help with knee pain?  Be sure to talk with your healthcare practitioner to find out the underlying cause of the pain, then talk to a trainer at PROMATx Health Club and see how you can strengthen your knees and prevent future injuries.

"I'm fine, and my hips are fine.  My false knee is fine.  My false hips are fine.  Everything's cooking."  

- Liza Minnelli

Posture and Forward Head

Have you ever seen someone walking through a store and their head was in front of their body instead of over their shoulders?  It looks different and is a little more noticeable in some people.  This posture is called "forward head"...a very technical term!  Forward head posture is usually caused by tight muscles on the front of the body and is very correctable.

Proper posture of the head and neck allows the head to sit directly on top of the spine, without any significant over-curvature of the cervical (neck) spine.  When standing tall, if you were drop an imaginary line from your earlobes, it should fall through the shoulders, down through the hips and knees, and end in the ankles.  Depending upon the degree of forward head, that imaginary line could drop from the earlobes straight down to the toes.

Tight muscles on the front of the body can actually pull the head forward.  Staying in this position for long durations causes overstretching of the neck and upper back muscles.  Forward head posture increases the likelihood of developing headaches/migraines, pinched nerves in neck and shoulders, and decreased blood supply to the brain.  Decreased blood flow to the brain can inhibit mental cognition including memory loss and inability to focus.  Also, forward head posture increases a person's risk of injury such as muscle tears, torn rotator cuff, and whiplash.

How can this posture be corrected?  It's not just getting a person to stand up straight.  The muscles that are tight and pulling the head forward will need to be properly stretched.  Specifically the pectoral (chest) muscles and sternocleidomastoid muscle.  This muscle runs from the jaw ("mastoid") to the breastbone ("sternum").  The muscles that are overstretched in the back of the neck, shoulders, and upper back need to be strengthened and returned to the "normal" length.  

Once all the involved muscle groups are strengthened, stretched, and back to their normal length, it's important to focus on maintaining proper posture during all activities.  Your mom may have always told you to "stand up straight"...now it's time to listen!  Whether you are sitting, standing, lying down, or working on a computer, your head should sit right over top of your shoulders, low back should be supported with the back of a chair or pillow (when sitting or lying), abdominal muscles should be tight to form a "girdle" for your low back, and shoulders should be relaxed and not rolled forward.

Take a moment to look at your posture.  Drop that imaginary line and see where it falls.  Better yet, have someone take a picture of you from the side.  This will give you a good indication of your posture and whether you suffer from forward head.

If you find you have forward head posture, the trainers here at PROMATx Health Club can educate you on which muscles to stretch and how, and which muscles to strengthen.  Stop in a see us today.  In the meantime, stand up (or sit up) straight.  Let your spine do the work to hold you up, give your muscles a break!!

Improving Hamstring Flexibility

In our last post, we discussed back pain.  One cause of back pain is tight hamstring muscles.  This is the group of muscles that runs on the back of the thigh from the buttocks to the back of the knee.  When this muscle group is tight it pulls the pelvis backwards and down, causing the hips to tuck slightly.  When this occurs the muscles running down the back that attach to the top of the pelvis are overstretched.  Thus resulting in back soreness or pain. 

When your hamstrings are tight it's important to stretch all the muscles, not just the hamstrings, that attach to the hip and knee.  There are five major muscle groups you can stretch on a daily basis to improve not only hamstring flexibility but also hip movements.  First let's talk about some basic "rules" of stretching:

1. Stretching should never be painful.  You should feel resistance in the muscle but NEVER pain.  If you feel pain, back off the stretch just a little; if you still feel pain, stop stretching immediately.
2. Always warm-up prior to stretching.  Stretching a "cold" muscle is not beneficial and can cause pain.  Perform light exercise (i.e., walking, biking) for 6-8 minutes prior to stretching or, better yet, stretch at the end of your workout.
3. Breathe normally.  It's common when stretching a tight muscle to hold your breath.  Try to breathe normally to allow oxygen to get into your system and out to the muscle you are stretching.
4. Perform each stretch in a slow, controlled manner.  NEVER bounce when stretching.  This can damage the muscle and cause intense pain.
5. Hold each stretch for at least 10 seconds.  You can repeat the stretch up to 10 times for maximum benefit.

Now that you know some basics, let's look at 5 muscle groups to stretch to improve hamstring flexibility and hip motion.

1. Quadriceps Stretch on Bench
• Position yourself on the edge of a bench or your bed so your left leg is on the floor and right thigh is flat against the bench/bed.
• Lift your right foot and grab it with your right hand (or wrap a towel around the foot).  Keep the thigh on the bench/bed.
• Gently pull foot towards buttocks until a stretch is felt in the front of the thigh.
• Hold for 10 seconds and repeat up to 10 times.
• Repeat with left leg.
2. Lying Hamstring Stretch
• Lie on your back, keeping back flat and eyes focused upward.
• Grasp the back of one thigh with both hands (or wrap a towel around thigh).
• With a bent knee, gently pull that leg to a 90-degree position versus the floor.
• Flex your toes towards your head and slowly straighten the knee.
• Hold for 10 seconds and repeat up to 10 times.
• Repeat with opposite leg.
3. Piriformis Stretch
• Lying on your back, cross your legs just as you might while sitting in a chair with the ankle on top of the opposite knee.
• Grasp the "under" leg with both hands and gently pull the knee toward the chest until a stretch is felt in your buttock and thigh.
• Try to keep the head on the floor.  If this cannot be done, wrap a towel around the thigh and pull with the towel.
• Hold for 10 seconds and repeat up to 10 times.
• Repeat with opposite leg.
4. Gastrocnemius (Calf) Stretch
• Lean against a wall or other stationary object, palms flat against the object.
• The leg you want to stretch is back, several feet from the wall, your heel firmly positioned on the floor.  The other leg is bent about halfway between your back leg and the wall. 
• Start with your back straight and gradually lunge forward until you feel the stretch in your calf.
• Hold for 10 seconds and repeat up to 10 times.
• Repeat with opposite leg.
5. Soleus (Calf) Stretch
• Position yourself similar to the previous stretch with back straight and palms against the object/wall.
• The difference is that you start in a "seated" position with both legs bent, buttocks dropped.
• Gently lean into the wall until the stretch is felt in lower calf near the Achilles tendon.
• Hold for 10 seconds and repeat up to 10 times.
• Repeat with opposite leg.

Now that you know how to stretch and which muscle groups to stretch, try it today.  Spend about 5-10 minutes every day performing these five stretches.  You should begin to notice a difference within a few days.  Perform these stretches regardless of whether you feel tightness in your hamstring.

You'll feel better and movement will become easier when you don't have to fight against tight muscles!!

What's Causing Your Back Pain?

More than 80% of Americans suffer from back pain.  Are you one of them?  Back pain can stem from any number of sources and people are experiencing chronic back pain more than ever.  Is your pain acute (less than 6 weeks in duration), sub-acute (6-12 weeks duration) or chronic (more than 12 weeks duration)?  What do you do to alleviate pain?

Let's first look at some causes of back pain:

1. Belly fat - excess weight on the stomach causes the low back to curve excessively thus placing a lot of stress on the lower spine.
2. Posture - sway back (increased lower spine curve) or flat back places the spine in awkward positions and requires more effort from the spine to do normal, everyday activities.
3. Improper lifting - bending from the low back to pick up objects from the floor can cause back pain.  Lift from your legs and bend at the hips instead.
4. Constipation/Irregular bowel movements - yes I went there!  Blockage in the lower intestines puts pressure on the low back.
5. Bad mood/stress - poor outlook on life or stress exacerbates pain levels.
6. Vitamin D - studies have shown that people with chronic back pain have lower levels of vitamin D.  (check out our previous blog on the importance of vitamin D.)
7. Sitting for long periods of time - sitting actually puts more pressure on the spine than standing because you are sitting directly on your tailbone.
8. Weak abdominal muscles - strong core muscles, including abdominal muscles, can act as a "brace" to protect the low back during movements.

These are just a few causes of back pain.  Take a look at your back pain and try to determine the cause(s).  Is it one listed above?  These are all "controllable" causes of back pain.  If you are one who battles with chronic pain due to arthritis, previous back injury, herniated disks, etc., then you probably know the cause of your pain.

What can you do to alleviate back pain?  Ice is always a good tool.  Get yourself a nice big ice pack and ice your back 15 minutes on, 15 minutes off.  Stretching is another easy tool.  Stretch your hamstrings, piriformis (butt muscle), quadriceps (thigh), and hip flexors on a daily basis.  Tight muscles will pull on the pelvis which can put excess strain on back muscles.  Surprisingly enough, movement is a good cure for back pain.  Talk to anyone who has had a major back surgery recently and they'll tell you their physician advised them to "keep moving".  Movement allows blood flow to the muscles delivering much needed oxygen.  Finally, chiropractic care can be helpful for both acute and chronic back pain.

Want more info?  Talk to a trainer at PROMATx Health Club to find out how you can prevent back pain, or if you are one of the 80% with back pain, how you can alleviate pain.

Stand up straight, take a deep breath, and use proper form when performing any task.  Your back will appreciate it!!