FitSugar

You Asked: Ouch! I Pulled My Groin

FitSugar — Mon, 16 Mar 2009 03:30:00 -0700

Hey FitSugar,

I'm usually really good about warming up and stretching before a workout, but last week at the gym, I did something stupid. I excitedly hopped on a weight machine I don't usually use, and while trying to work my hamstrings, I pulled my groin. Ouch!

Now it just won't seem to get well. How can I treat it? Do I have to stop exercising all together? I hope not, because I'd hate to stop working out.
- Groaning About My Groin

Ouch is right. A strained muscle in the groin is very painful, and it's a hard one to avoid using - it can smart every time you walk. This is a very common injury, so for some tips on treating it, read more.

A pulled groin is actually a strain in the muscles known as the adductor group, which connects the pelvis to the femur. The injury occurs when you overstretch a muscle and can result in small tears in the tissue. It usually happens if you haven't warmed up properly or if you're attempting to lift more than you're accustomed to - both of which sound like culprits in your case.

To treat it, try the good, old-fashioned combination of rest and ice. Initially, you should ice the muscle for about 20 minutes at a time. Yes, that means sitting with an icepack on your crotch, but don't worry: After 48 hours, you can transition to heating pads or similar warming treatments. Anti-inflammatory medications can also help with any pain or swelling.

You don't have to stop exercising entirely, but do listen to the muscle, and don't do anything that makes it hurt more. It's especially important to avoid strength training the adductors or stretching them until the pain has subsided. When it does, probably after a week or two, don't forget to try these inner thigh stretches after your are warmed up before resuming your next activity. Hope you feel better soon!

Source

You Asked: Pulled Calf Muscle?

FitSugar — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 05:30:00 -0700

Dear Fit,
I overdid it running on the treadmill a couple of nights ago. I ran hard and was in a rush so I didn't stretch or cool down. Then I put my heels back on to go to a cocktail party. When I got home, my right calf was aching. It hurts a bit when I walk and feels really tight. I think I pulled it. What can I do to help it heal quickly? Do I ice it? Do I heat it? I haven't worked out in a couple of days and I miss the exercise.
Thanks,
- Kink in My Calf

Ouch! I hate exercise injuries and feel your pain, though I usually injure my hamstrings. I think it is good that you're staying off your calf. To see how I think you should treat this injury, just read more.

First off, it sounds to me like you strained your calf rather than pulled it. A strained muscle is when the muscle is overstretched while working and develops micro tears. Usually it happens when the muscle is being asked to simultaneously stretch and bear weight, like when running. In a pulled muscle, the size of the tears are larger and are considered partial tears. A pulled muscle is much more painful, and generally with a pulled muscle you feel the pain immediately upon injury, creating an "OMG! What have I just done?" moment. It doesn't sound like that happened your case.

The good news is that strained muscles heal much more quickly pulled muscles. It generally takes about two weeks for a strained muscle to completely repair. Initially you want to ice your strained muscle for no longer than 20 minutes at a time. But after 48 hours, transition to heat in the form of baths or heating pads. The initial icing will help keep down any swelling that has occurred in the muscle, then the subsequent heat promotes healing. To reduce the sensation of pain, you can take over-the-counter pain medication.

For healing purposes, the best thing you can do is rest the muscle by avoiding impact activity, like running, and don't try to stretch the muscle until the pain is gone. While I am not sure that wearing heels is what you want to subject your injured calf to, wearing flats with this kind of injury is not beneficial either. You want to keep the heel lifted a bit, so wearing running shoes would be ideal. If that is not your style, you can put a little heel lift in your shoe, but be sure to put one on the non-injured side to keep your legs even. Lifting the heel takes pressure off the calf muscle, and can help during the recovery process.

Once the pain is gone, be sure to stretch and strengthen your calves with some heel raises; I would also do some basic walking before hitting the treadmill again. If you allow the muscle to fully recover, you decrease the chances of reinjuring your calf. A proper warm-up will help prevent injury, too; do some light cardio, then stretch the muscle before running hard. If in two weeks you are still in pain, make an appointment with your doctor to make sure you haven't torn the muscle or tendon.

Sure do hope this helps.

Source

Pulled Muscle 101

FitSugar — Wed, 07 May 2008 09:00:00 -0700

Suddenly sprinting now that it is Spring, may feel like a good idea, but your hamstrings may have a different idea. If you rush your training, something we have all done at least once in our lives, you're bound to strain something. Straining or pulling (the more intense of the two injuries) a muscle is a fairly common injury and both occur when a muscle is stretched too far. This over stretching actually causes tears in the muscle fiber.

The tears can be divided into three categories and at About.com they describe the different levels of severity like this:

Grade I: Mild discomfort and not much loss of range of motion. Usually does not limit activity.

Grade II: Moderate discomfort, stiffness, tenderness, swelling, and bruising in the area. You may also notice a bump or indentation at the site of the injury. You won't be able to contract the muscle fully without feeling pain.

Grade III: Severe injury that can cause significant pain. Often patients complain of muscle spasms, swelling, significant bruising, and internal bleeding. You will be unable to contract the muscle and surgery may be required to repair the ruptured muscle.

Usually you can feel the pain of a pulled muscle immediately during exercise, but it can also be the kind of injury that gradually happens from repetitive movements. Either way, if you want to know what you should do if you pulled a muscle then read more.

If you are exercising and you feel a sudden pain, stop what you're doing and rest immediately.
Ice the area with a compressive bandage to help reduce swelling, control bleeding, and to ease the pain. Make sure not to ice the area for longer than 15 to 20 minutes at a time.
If the swelling is really bad, take an over-the-counter anti-inflammatory such as Ibuprofen.
If the pull is minor and the pain subsides start moving again. You will have a decreased range of motion, but you don't want to lose strength. Gentle stretching and low impact exercise will help to treat pulled muscles by getting blood flowing to the area. Proceed with caution because you don't want to make the injury worse.

I have pulled my hamstrings many times and have learned (knock on wood) the limits of my legs. If I feel a strain coming on, I chill out for a day and it really helps the healing process. Also, I wanted to remind you that the best way to avoid a pulled muscle is to warm up properly.

Source

What a Pain in the Neck!

FitSugar — Thu, 19 Jul 2007 15:45:00 -0700

Raise your hand if you've ever woken up with a crick in your neck? You know, that pain on one side, that if you look over one shoulder - ouch! It can last all day or even a few days, can cause other muscles to tense up, and can give you a major headache.

The next time you wake up with this annoying pain, stiffness, or loss of movement, try this:

Take a nice long HOT shower. The temperature and pressure of the water will help relieve some of the tension in your neck. You know that old saying, "Move it or lose it?" Using those stiff muscles will make them feel better, so as the hot water warms up your muscles, try and do some gentle shower stretches to help improve your range of motion.
Gently massage the muscles in your neck, shoulders, and upper back. Or better yet - get someone to do it for you.
After you're all warmed up, lie on your back with your knees up, feet flat on the floor, and your head on the ground. Pull in your stomach and tuck your chin slightly. Slowly and gently turn your head right, then left, five times in each direction. Also work on lifting your head off the ground slightly five times. Slowly using your stiff muscles will help them to relax.

Want to know what else you can do to relieve your pain? Then read more

If the pain is really bad, take an OTC anti-inflammatory like Advil (ibuprofen) or Aleve (naproxen sodium/naprosyn). Throughout your day, you can use a heating pad or hot pack on your neck. This helps to bring blood to the area and also relieves stiffness. Also continue to do gentle stretches. While sitting in a chair, try this neck stretch.
After work, get a massage or go to a gentle yoga class. Then take another hot shower. Hopefully you'll wake up the next day pain-free.

If the pain persists for more than a few days, see your doctor. You could have a serious injury such as a pulled muscle, pinched nerve or misalignment in your spine.

Beyonce's Trainer Reveals 5-Minute Preparty "Body Blast"

FitSugar — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 05:50:29 -0800

When I'm totally wrapped up in Thanksgiving cooking, prepping, organizing, shopping (need I go on?), there's hardly a fighting chance that I'll make it to the gym for a full-on workout. Usually, I'll try to squeeze in a set of push-ups while prepping dinner preparation, or an early morning yoga session, if I can. So, I was excited to see Marco Borges, the trainer credited with whipping Beyonce, husband Jay-Z, and Gwen Stefani into tip-top shape, sharing an easy and no-equipment-needed workout with US Weekly. Here are the five moves he suggests to give yourself an all-over body-blasting workout (even if you only have five minutes to spare before your guests arrive):

Jumping Plies: I call these jumping squats, but it doesn't matter what you call them as long as you do them. Here's how: stand with your feet just a bit wider than shoulder-width apart, abs pulled in tight, and bend your knees, lowering your body till your thighs are parallel to the floor and jump straight into the air. Return to starting position and repeat for one minute.

Reverse Lunges: Standing with feet shoulder-width apart, step back into a lunge and repeat on the opposite side, alternating for one minute. Be sure that abs remain tight throughout, working your core and maintaining your balance and posture.

Push-Ups: According to Marco, "The push-up is quite possibly one of the simplest and best body weight movements targeting the muscles of the chest, arms, shoulders and core." Do as many classic push-ups, or moderated position push-ups from your knees, as you can for a full one minute, making sure to maintain proper form and bring your chest as close to the floor as you can before pushing back to starting plank position.

For the rest of Marco's workout, keep reading

What Size Dumbbells to Use When

FitSugar — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 08:00:15 -0800

Dumbbells are an active girl's best friend because they're fairly inexpensive, compact, easy to use, and allow you to tone every part of your body. Using them can be a little confusing since they come in so many sizes, and many people may not realize that one size doesn't fit all exercises. For example, since biceps tend to be stronger than their neighbor muscles, the triceps, you'd want to use a heavier weight when doing bicep curls.

If strength training with dumbbells leaves you in the dark about what size weights to use for which exercise, here's a little cheat sheet. Since lifting too much can lead to a pulled muscle, here are the dumbbell weights you should start off with. Once your body becomes stronger, you can choose to gradually increase the amount.

To see the chart read on

Tips For Cleaning the Yard Without Breaking Your Back

FitSugar — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 14:30:53 -0800

The cool temps of Fall mean yard work for me. How about you? There are piles of fallen leaves to rake, and I also like to plant colorful flowers to brighten up the upcoming rainy Winter.

I'm sure many of you are knee-deep in yard work as well, and while it's a great way to burn some calories, you want to do it safely so you don't end up injuring your bod. Here are some tips.

Purchase a lightweight rake made out of plastic instead of metal. The plastic glides more easily on the grass compared to the metal, making less effort needed on your part.
When raking, keep your core stable and upright, and use your arms to pull the leaves toward you instead of hunching over. It'll tone your upper body and prevent pain in your back and neck.
If you have woods on your property, rake leaves into small piles that you carry away on a tarp. Don't try to pull too much at once, as that's a good way to strain a muscle. If you have to bag your leaves, bend your knees out to the sides and squat down to pick up piles instead of bending at your waist. This will work your booty and also prevent lower back pain.
If you have heavy things like tree stumps and rocks to clear off your lawn, use a wheelbarrow instead of carrying them yourself.
Bring a bottle of water outside and drink often. Even though you may not be at your gym, it's still a good workout.
Take breaks often. No need to do all three hours of lawn work at once. Do 20 minutes and then stretch for five. Also know when to call it a day. You can always do more yard work tomorrow.

Strike a Yoga Pose: Intense Side Stretch

FitSugar — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 08:00:26 -0800

For all you runners and bikers with tight hamstrings, this is the pose for you. It's one of my favorite stretches to target the backs of the legs, but it'll also give you a nice stretch on the sides of your body, as well as your chest and shoulders.

Sanskrit Name: Parsvottanasana
English Translation: Intense Side Stretch Pose
Also Called: Scissor

To learn how to do this pose read more.

Stand with both feet together in Tadasana. Step your left foot directly behind you about two feet.
Bring your arms behind you, bend your elbows and bring your palms together in reverse Namaste position (reverse prayer). Raise your hands up between your shoulder blades as far as you can. Pull your elbows behind you to press your palms together firmly.

Inhale to lengthen your spine, and as you exhale, fold at your waist. Keep both legs straight and lower your torso as far as you can, eventually resting it on your right leg. If it's easy, touch your chin or forehead to your shin.
Hold here for five deep breaths, then engage your leg muscles and inhale to lift your torso up. Repeat this pose with the left leg forward.

Have any burning questions about yoga? Then post them to the Yoga Stretch and Tell group.

Stretch It: Towel Foot Stretch

FitSugar — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 15:00:09 -0700

If you think about it, your feet take a lot of beating, from pounding the ground when running, to walking all over the city, to wearing high heels. They carry the weight of our entire bodies, so take time to give them some TLC. This stretch will target the muscle in the soles of your feet, but will also stretch your calves.

To learn how to do this stretch keep reading

Hardcore Runners Remove Their Toenails, Permanently

FitSugar — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 10:00:01 -0700

For marathoners, crossing the finish line comes with battle scars - sore muscles, sunburn, sore nipples, and the impressive yet painful bruised toenails. Even though their feet are protected by socks and cushioned sneaks, the repetitive banging against the front of a runner's shoe causes bleeding under the nails, and can sometimes cause nails to just fall off. When these damaged nails do grow back, they don't adhere as well to the skin, becoming an ongoing problem for serial marathoners. To see a photo of what I am talking about visit the RuningSugar group.

To solve this tender problem, about five percent of hardcore long-distance runners have their toenails surgically removed by a podiatrist. If the procedure sounds agonizing to you, it's actually much worse than you imagine. Either acid is poured over the nail bed to melt the nail, or the nail is pulled off the toe. Yikes! For those interested, Dr. Lisa Bliss, winner of the 2007 Badwater Ultramarathon, a 135-mile race in Death Valley, documented her surgery so runners would know what to expect. Warning - it's not for those who faint easily at the sight of blood or needles.

To see what podiatrists have to say about this procedure, just keep reading.