Search Results for: blog the dos and donts of stretching

Treating Sprains and Strains

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Your muscles connect to joints and bone by tissues called tendons. When a muscle contracts, the tendon is pulled, allowing the joint to move. If the tendon becomes stretched or torn, you’ve got a strain. Another kind of tissue — ligaments — helps stabilize your joints. If the ligament is stretched or torn, you’ve got a sprain. So what causes a sprain or a strain? Stress. If your muscles and joints are moving in a way they aren’t ready for or just aren’t supposed to be moving, you can end up with a sprain or strain. If you do have … Continue reading →

Minimizing the Stress of Commuting While Pregnant

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Commuting to work is a pain to begin with, but pregnancy can makes things even more complicated. Pregnancy and stress don’t mix well; unfortunately, commuting and stress do. Add the possibility of being far from home when your water breaks or complications arise, and the stress compounds. Here are some tips for keeping commuting stress to a minimum. Stay comfortable. If you have a long drive to work, just sitting in the car for an extended amount of time can make you sore, especially in the third trimester when pelvic, hip and joint pain are common due to the hormone … Continue reading →

Relieving the Pain of Bursitis

Bursae are little sacs of fluid throughout the body. There are eight bursae around each shoulder and eleven around each knee. Each side of the body has dozens of bursae that help your joints work without friction and pain. When the bursae are working right, you’d never know they were there! But when something’s not right with even one little sac of fluid, you’ll know it. Pain is the number one symptom of bursitis — and it’s a pain that comes and goes. The best thing you can do when bursitis flares up is rest. Stop whatever you’re doing that … Continue reading →

Nocturnal Leg Cramps

Have you ever had a leg cramp wake you out of a sound sleep? Not the best way to wake up! Why does this happen sometimes? Even when we sleep, our bodies are still in motion. We roll over, we fight for the blankets, we stretch. (Just watch a dog’s feet twitch in his sleep if you don’t believe me!) During all this motion, our muscles contract. If a muscle doesn’t relax again — and stays contracted — you can end up with one of those sudden cramps. At least you don’t HAVE to suffer with nighttime leg cramps. Here … Continue reading →

Ergonomics: Your Computer

Your computer is an important part of your ergonomic set-up! Keeping your keyboard, mouse, and monitor in the right position can save you from a lot of strain and pain. Tips to keep keyboard and mouse use more comfortable: Place the keyboard slightly below the elbow — this will help your wrists to stay in a neutral position. Avoid using a wrist rest while typing. Wrist rests are meant for the times when you AREN’T typing! Keep your wrists elevated while typing. Avoid tilting the keyboard so that the back is higher than the front. This will force your wrists … Continue reading →

Treating RSI

If you believe you have a repetitive stress injury (RSI), here are some things you should do. Talk to your health care professional. Don’t just assume you have a repetitive stress injury! Some can be tricky to diagnose — like when I thought I had carpal tunnel syndrome but didn’t. Don’t be afraid to get a second opinion. Talk to a chiropractor, personal trainer, ergonomic specialist, or massage therapist. Let someone who has a different perspective chime in. Figure out what is causing the pain and stop doing it. Many repetitive stress injuries can be fixed by removing the source … Continue reading →

Avoid Post-Activity Body Aches

No pain, no gain — right? Wrong. You don’t have to suffer after trying a new activity, upping the intensity of your workout, or starting a new fitness program. Here are some tips to help you avoid the post-activity body ache. Always warm up before any activity. Stretch the muscles that you’ll be using. Always cool down after an activity. Move gently until your heart rate and breathing are back to normal. Try rolling your muscles out with a foam roller before and after exercising. Alternate your workouts with gentle stretching or yoga. Gentle exercise will help your body recover … Continue reading →

Driving the Healthy Highway

Sitting in the car all day can cut your usual daily calorie burn by as much as four hundred calories! If you’ve got a family road trip planned, use these tips to keep the highway a little healthier. Adjust your calorie intake accordingly. You’ll burn four hundred calories less sitting in the car all day, so you should be eating four hundred calories less, too! Stock up on drinks. That recirculated air (or open windows) can dry you out and make you thirsty. If you’ve got bottled water and other healthy drinks handy, you won’t be tempted to stop at … Continue reading →

Revisiting the Fitness Magazine: You Can Do It Challenge

I signed up for the Fitness Magazine You Can Do It challenge. I’ve been following their advised workout and let me tell you, four days in – I’m sore. I am pretty good at following my own regular fitness regimen, but this one targets specific areas with specific exercises to be performed in specific time frames. Including Regular Stretching The challenge recommends that you warm up and cool down, I’m also going to include a regular session of deep stretching every evening before bed. While I enjoy the workout as described in the challenge – I think that I am … Continue reading →