FitSugar

Keep Running: Prevent Plantar Fasciitis With These Tips

Susi May — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 03:06:42 PST

From pounding the pavement running to spending a day in fashionable shoes that lack proper support, feet take a beating. If you're training for a race this Spring and upping your mileage, it pays to show your peds some love. You can do some preventive prehab to avoid coming down with a case of plantar fasciitis. This painful condition, which can be common in new runners and affects women more than men, occurs when the the fibrous band that runs from the heel bone to the base of the toes stretches too far and tears. These micro tears cause inflammation of the fascia and the tissues surrounding it, making every footstep painful and abruptly stalling your training schedule. If you're experiencing some unexplainable heel pain, try these methods to keep plantar fasciitis at bay.

Essential Stretches For Tight Hips

FitSugar — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 12:05:31 PST

Tight hips seem to be a common problem for almost everybody - from runners to cyclists, from deskbound bloggers to triathletes. Give this area a little extra love with this sequence of nine hip-opening stretches to increase your flexibility, reduce discomfort, and prevent injury. Try the series in the order listed here, or pick your faves to incorporate into your workout routine.

Winter Running Woe: Numb Toes

Jenny Sugar — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 14:02:06 PST

If you'd rather skip a run than hit the treadmill, then there's no doubt you're continuing with your outdoor runs even through this brisk and snowy Winter weather. That doesn't mean you're not dealing with some discomfort along the way. I've given you some tips on how to beat burning lungs, but if it's your feet that are bothering you, here are some ways to avoid numb toes.

First, consider your socks. You can't get away with wearing the same thin, ankle-length wicking socks you sported in the warmer months. Splurge on some thicker knee-highs; socks made of wool will keep your feet warm and dry. Be sure your socks aren't too tight as that can cut off circulation (go up a size to be sure). You can also try compression socks to improve circulation in your feet and legs.

If you're already wearing thicker socks, you'll probably want to go up half a size in your sneaks to accommodate the extra fabric. If you don't, the snug fit of your shoe might be the sole cause of your tingling feeling. Choose sneakers designed for colder, wetter weather (think waterproof Gore-tex) to protect your toes from the snow. Tie your shoes slightly looser because as you warm up, your feet will swell, and too-tight laces can cause that annoying numb sensation.

Continue reading for more tips on avoiding numb feet.

5 Common Injury-Making Mistakes

Leta Shy — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 03:07:31 PST

Working out is beneficial for so many reasons, but an active body is one that can be more prone to injuries. Every exercise has its own risks if you don't perform it correctly, but these five common mistakes can happen in a wide variety of moves. Read on to find out what they are, and learn about the fixes that will help prevent injuries.

From the Community: the Best Exercise You Aren't Doing

Fit Community — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 01:10:46 PST

FitSugar community member (and fitness instructor) livinginthin has shared a how-to on an overlooked exercise that everyone should be doing.

Running, cycling, squatting, jumping, curling, crunches, and lunging - you do it all, right? Well, the one move you aren’t doing is probably the one that can keep you doing all those things (and more), pain and injury-free for a lifetime.

What is it? Dorsiflexion. In layperson’s terms, dorsiflexion is the action of the foot that occurs when you pull your toes back toward your shin, engaging the foot and ankle muscles (the tibialis anterior, extensor hallucis longus, and extensor digitorum longus).

Weak muscles in this part of the leg can cause everything from muscular imbalances to an impaired gait and even tripping and falling (as we age, we lose even more strength in this area, which makes it harder to step properly), says Dr. Yoav Suprun, PT, Dip. MDT, a certified personal trainer, physical therapist, and owner of SOBE Spine in Miami Beach, FL.

Learn what exercises you should be doing to combat these muscle strains, after the break!

RX For Shin Splints: Ice Massage

Susi May — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 11:39:21 PST

Shin splints are the bane of many new runners. The tight calves that accompany mileage increases can spell pain for the lower leg. If running causes any discomfort, take time off to allow your shin splints to heal. But you need not sit idle on the sidelines while you recuperate: ice massages help, too. A serious runner, my Equinox trainer reminded me of the healing combo of ice and massage to decrease the inflammation around the tibia (anatomy speak for shin), caused by this overuse injury. The technique is simple, but first you need to make the ultimate tool: the icing cup!

Make Your Own Icing Cup
Used in gyms and physical therapy clinics, an icing cup protects your fingers from freezing and provides a perfectly sized contact point for massaging troubled spots. Take six Dixie cups, fill them with water, and freeze. When it comes time to ice, peel back the paper and begin the massage.

The Massage
Starting by your foot, place your icing cup on the outside of your shin, on the tibialis anterior muscle. Making long strokes toward your knee, massage the muscle with an amount of pressure that feels good. Mix up your massage strokes and try small circular patterns, once again starting at the ankle and working up toward the knee. After five minutes of massaging, finish your 20-minute icing cycle with 15 minutes of static icing by placing an ice pack (or frozen peas or corn) on your shin. Aim to massage and ice twice a day.

If you're not up for an ice massage, you can always show your shins some foam roller love. Do keep stretching your calf muscles, and once the pain diminishes try these easy exercises to strengthen the tibialis anterior.

The Consequences of Overtraining, and How to Prevent Them

Leta Shy — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 13:20:20 PST

We may want to push ourselves to meet new goals, but there can be a fine line between pushing ourselves to the limit and overtraining. And research has shown that more and more of us are actually pushing ourselves past what is healthy for our bodies when we train.

Serious athletes are trained to exert their bodies to their max point, and many recreational exercisers, from the grunting guy straining to lift too much at your gym to your friend who always complains she feels dizzy after a workout, may think they should do the same, all the time. The problem is that recreational athletes may lack the knowledge to know when their bodies are telling them to rest, which makes them perform worse - and, as a consequence, just want to train even more to start seeing results. That can lead to a vicious, painful, and exhausting never-ending cycle of overuse injuries, constant fatigue, and worsening athletic performance.

When it comes to your own workout, don't be that person. Read on for some important tips for preventing those unpleasant consequences of overtraining

What Cardio Crimes Do You Commit?

Jenny Sugar — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 11:53:12 PST

Exercise mistakes are more common than you think, and although some will prevent you from getting a good workout, others can put you at risk for pain or injury. Learn about these common cardio mistakes and share whether you're guilty of committing them.

Source: Thinkstock

Yoga Series For Runners

FitSugar — Sat, 14 Jan 2012 21:26:47 PST

If running more was on your resolution list, right on! We love running, and to ensure that your body can handle all the miles, we suggest adding these five yoga poses to your weekly fitness routine. Yoga and running are very complementary: yoga is perfect for stretching out all those muscles worked, and often overworked, while running. Here's a short yoga series created especially for runners by Kimberly Fowler, founder of Yoga For Athletes. This yoga series is great for lengthening shortened hamstrings and opening tight hips - both side effects of running. A little attention to your overworked muscles is a great form of injury prevention. And if you only have time for one stretch, Kim will tell you what to do. And be sure to enter our Get Fit For 2012 giveaway to win a year's supply of Asics running shoes.

Ways to Keep Knee Pain at Bay

Susi May — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 02:25:56 PST

When a good workout leaves my muscles sore, I know I'm getting stronger every day and revel in the pain. But when a long run leaves me with achy knees, I'm reminded that I'm getting a little bit older and a little more creaky. Unfortunately, my knees have been talking back a lot lately - just another reminder that as your age increases so does the amount of time you need to spend doing body maintenance. A long run requires a long yoga session and hours on the bike translate into time spent stretching and strengthening. With all that in mind, here's my happy knee to-do list:

Roll it: I roll my iliotibial bands religiously (here's more details on rolling the ITB). The ITB is a band of fascia that runs from the outside of the pelvis to just below the knee. Unlike muscle, fascia is not very flexible - I call it the body's shrink wrap. Using a foam roller and slowly rolling out this band can do wonders for knee pain by adding a little length to the tightened band. Turn the 60-minute guilty pleasure of your fave reality TV show into body time and roll out your legs in front of the boob tube.
Stretch 'em: Tight hamstrings and calves, both of which cross over the back of the knee joint, can yank on the joint, pulling it out of alignment. Keep your hamstrings loose with these stretches and stretch your calves regularly, especially if you run, is imperative to keeping you on the road. As you age, it's important to hold your stretches for a little bit longer to reap the benefits. Increase the time in the stretch to 45 seconds to a minute.
Strengthen: Strong hips make for a happy runner, and at least two times a week I work my glute meds, the stabilizing muscles on the outside of the pelvis. Strong glute meds decrease the sway of the pelvis, cutting down on both low back and knee pain. I do two to three sets of 20 side-stepping squats with a theraband.

With a little TLC and common sense, you can prevent many problems of the weekend warrior. If your pain doesn't go away with time off and rest, make an appointment with a physical therapist. Having a trained professional diagnose an injury early on can prevent it from becoming a chronic condition.