FitSugar

Wear High Heels? Do These Stretches

Jenny Sugar — Fri, 11 Nov 2011 21:05:09 PST

Whether you wear heels solely on special occasions or rock them every day, here are some stretches to offer your tootsies a little relief from soreness or pain.

Source: Thinkstock

How to Heal Cracked Heels

FitSugar — Wed, 20 Jul 2011 13:09:56 PDT

Wearing flip-flops and walking barefoot may be one of your favorite things about Summer weather, but unfortunately it can damage the skin on your feet. The constant exposure to air dries out your delicate skin, creating calluses. The pressure of pounding your feet on the ground when you walk or run exasperates the issue and causes heel fissures, or cracks in the skin. If you continue to walk or run, the cracks can split open and become deeper, which can lead to bleeding and infection. Aside from not looking the prettiest, they are also really painful.

Here's what you can do to heal your cracked heels and prevent fissures in the first place.

Tips From the Saddle: Dealing With Discomfort While Biking

FitSugar — Tue, 07 Sep 2010 12:30:08 PDT

If you have spent any time in the saddle, and I am not talking horseback riding here, then you know biking can come with some specific discomforts. From your feet to your neck, here are simple on-the-bike tips to alleviate some of the aches and pains common to long rides. Let's start at the bottom and work our way up.

Feet: If the bottom of your feet go numb, focus on the upstroke. Pulling up on the pedal takes pressure off the soles of your feet. Obviously, this technique only works if you have a pedal/cleat system or cages on your pedals. Also, a little toe wiggling can go a long way.
Bum: Sometimes the padded chamois just isn't enough! For instant relief, stand up on your pedals and take a "booty" break. This takes pressure off of your sitz bones and focuses the work on different leg muscles - bonus. Also, play around with how you sit: roll forward of your sitz bones and flatten out your back, or try rounding your spine to roll behind those bony protuberances on the bottom of your pelvis. Don't just sit in one place.

Keep reading for more midride tips.

You Asked: Are Blisters Unavoidable For Running Newbies?

FitSugar — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 09:00:00 PDT

Dear Fit,
I just started running and was all fired up to get into it this Summer, but painful blisters have quickly extinguished my excitement. A close friend and runner said it comes with the territory since I'm new to running. Are blisters something I have to put up with or is there something I can do to prevent them?
- Blister Sister

First of all, I think it is great that you have been bitten by the running bug. It's the perfect way to work your heart and tone your legs and booty. It stinks that blisters have dampened your enthusiasm, and no, just because you're new to running, that doesn't mean you have to put up with sore tootsies. To learn how to prevent blisters when running,

Many factors can affect your feet and cause painful blisters, such as:

New sneakers: It can take several weeks to break in a new pair of kicks, so start off slow. Wear your sneaks to do errands or around the house when you're not running. This will speed up the time it takes for your shoes to mold to your feet. Do short runs at first and gradually increase the duration of your workouts as your sneakers feel more comfortable.
Poorly fitting sneaks: If your sneakers are too big, they'll shift as you run and rub against your skin, which will lead to blisters. Your sneakers should fit snugly, not too loose and not too tight. There should be about a half inch between your longest toe and the tip of your shoe.
Wrong shoes for the activity: If you know you'll be running on the sidewalk in your neighborhood, don't buy a pair of trail runners.
Your socks: When feet get sweaty, the moisture is sure to cause blisters. So wear a pair of wicking socks when you run to draw moisture away from your skin. I also find thicker socks make my feet more blister-prone, so choose a thin pair instead.
Wet feet: Avoid running in puddles, and if you like to pour water over your head on a hot day, try leaning over so it doesn't drip into your shoes. If your feet are naturally sweaty, try sprinkling talcum or foot powder on your bare feet before putting on your wicking socks, or spray antiperspirant on your bare feet (I have runner friends who swear by this).
Doing too much, too soon: Running long distances when you first start running can be hard on your feet. So stick with runs that are 30 minutes or less. Gradually increase the length of your workouts so your feet can get used to the new demands you're putting on them.
Sensitive feet:If you find that you've tried all this and a certain part of your foot continues to get blisters, protect that area by taping it with sports tape or apply moleskin padding.

Source

Got Achy Feet? Try This

FitSugar — Fri, 22 May 2009 03:30:00 PDT

Everyone has suffered from sore or painful feet. Whether you've been standing all day working, or you're feeling it after a long run, here are some ways to get relief.

Soak your feet. Fill a big bucket with hot water, sit in your favorite chair, relax with a good book, and let the heat ease your pain.
Massage. Rub your feet, shins, and calves with moisturizing lotion. This will bring nourishing blood to the achy area, which helps ease pain. Or place a tennis ball under the arch of your foot. Move your foot up and down as you apply gentle downward pressure. As the ball rolls, it'll massage your feet for you.
Use arnica. It's a homeopathic remedy that can greatly reduce pain and inflammation. It comes in a topical cream, so rub it on your feet to relieve soreness and discomfort.
Stretch your feet. Do this foot stretch to stretch the soles of your feet, and do Kneeling Shin Stretch or Sleeping Hero to stretch the tops.
Ice and elevate them. If your feet are swollen or in pain, place a bag of ice or cold pack in a big sock and then slip the sock on. Ice for no more than 20 minutes.

If you have any other remedies for sore or achy feet, please share them below.

Source

What's the Deal With: Plantar Fasciitis

FitSugar — Wed, 26 Sep 2007 11:45:00 PDT

Quite simply put, plantar fasciitis is an enemy of fitness. Once this problem truly starts, you need to stay away from high impact activities and that can be a serious bummer.

It is an over use injury affecting the fascia, a type of connective tissue, on the bottom of your foot. Plantar fascia is a thick, fibrous band that runs from your heel bone to the base of your toes. When the fascia is placed under too much stress, it stretches too far and tears. This causes inflammation of the fascia as well as the tissues that surround it. The tears can become scarred as they heal, creating even less flexible tissue which makes the problem even worse. Runners are susceptible to this condition since running can create tight calves. If your calves get tight, as they can pull on the fascia, increasing the tension on the fascia, decreasing its flexibility and leading to tears. Yep, this is just one more important reason to stretch. Over training can lead to this condition too, and that is why rest days are vital, as well as gradually increasing the lengths and intensities of your runs.

The condition is more common in women, people who are overweight, and folks with wither flat feet or high arches. Over pronation, placing too much weight on the inside of the foot, can lead to plantar fasciitis when combined with worn out, unsupportive sneakers.

The major symptom of this condition is pain at the base of your heel, especially during your first few footsteps in the morning, or at the beginning of a run. Treatments include resting (this means not running for a while, which can be a real pain), ice massage (use a Cryocup), and stretching your calves! It is important to stretch the deep calf muscle called the soleus.

Source

How to Avoid Foot Pain Caused by Running

FitSugar — Tue, 15 May 2007 09:30:00 PDT

According to the website Cool Running your feet pound the ground some 800 times when running just a mile. That's a lot of pounding!!! So you want to be sure to take care of your feet, especially if you are new to running. Rookies tend to experience more shin splints, blisters ankle sprains and other injuries than veteran runners (but those veterans had to start somewhere, right?).

Here are some ways to help you protect your feet and ankles that will hopefully help you stay injury and blister free.

Warm up: A few Sun Salutations will get your blood flowing before a run. Or try walking briskly or running slowly for 5 minutes, followed by gently stretching your leg muscles.
Buy good running shoes: Look for good shock absorption and construction that will provide stability and cushioning to the foot. Buy shoes at the end of the day when the foot is the largest. Here's a list of running sneaks that podiatrists recommend.
Keep your feet friction free: To avoid blisters, make sure your shoes fit well and try Thorlo's "blister-proof" socks. Give these socks a try, and in general keep in mind that nylon socks tend to be more abrasive than cotton. Try lubricating the friction prone spots with vaseline, and if that just sounds too icky try powder.

There's more, so

Strengthen your ankles: Weak ankles make you unstable on uneven surfaces, like trail running, and more prone to sprains. Try writing the ankle alphabet daily 3 to 5 times. This movement will strengthen your ankle joint through a wide range of motion.
Stretch your calves: Tight calves can really disrupt the foot's ability to function properly. Make sure to stretch your calves out after you run. I love holding the downward facing dog pose for 10 slow breaths to get this done.
Listen to your body: If you are experiencing pain in your feet, ankles or knees, slow it down a bit or take a couple of days off. Remember, ice can be your friend in these occasions and can help decrease inflammation and promote healing.

Hope these tips help keep your feet happy, because if your feet aren't happy you're going to be miserable.

3 Easy Steps For Treating Dry, Cracked Heels

Jaime Richards — Sun, 13 May 2012 03:30:00 PDT

Cracked heels can be a problem, especially coming out of the colder months when the air lends itself to dry skin. On top of that, these fissures can worsen as a result of the pressure put on your heels throughout the day - particularly if you're a fan of foot-imbalancing stilettos. Along with being less-than-aethestically-pleasing, untreated cracked heels can split even further, causing pain (and in some cases, infection). Prevention is key: moisturize daily, get pedicures as needed, and drink plenty of water to save your feet. But what do you do when your cracks are already out of whack? Find out how to do your own at-home treatment when you read more.

5 Tricks to Get the Most Out of Your Outdoor Run

Shape — Thu, 03 May 2012 04:11:45 PDT

We are pumped to share one of our fave stories from Shape here on FitSugar. This week Shape turns to celebrity trainer Jay Cardiello for some help!

The weather is getting nice and you may have been bitten by the "run bug." To make the transition from indoor runs to the great outdoors seamless and safe, I compiled a list of my top five tricks to get the most out of your outdoor run. Whether you have had some success running on the treadmill, or you are completely new to outdoor running, there are two crucial factors that you must understand.

25 Most Deceiving Exercises (They Tone More Than You Think).

First, let's talk about a little guy named Newton. See, Newton has this law that states that for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. Are you with me so far? Good. Well, with runners, the concern is what we run on. The harder the surface the greater the ground reaction force, which is basically the force exerted by the ground back onto the body (in this case, our little legs) that are in contact with it, is. To simplify this, surfaces like concrete and pavement will cause a greater reaction back into our joints and legs than an energy absorbing treadmill. This not only makes us work harder, but will tire us out faster and cause greater stress on our joints.

Are Your Workouts Causing Pain? How to Find Out.

Second, the treadmill is a flat belt that provides consistency with each step. There are no stones, traffic, or inclement weather activity that would cause you to be off balance or have to change your gait. Running outdoors forces the body to make constant small adjustments. That said, here is what’s going to make your outdoor run a successful one.

5 Unique Ways to Make the Most of Your Treadmill.

Learn how to make the most out of your outdoor runs after the break!

5 Things to Never Do During Indoor Cycling Class

Michele Foley — Wed, 02 May 2012 15:59:55 PDT

Indoor cycling classes are an amazing cardio workout, but if you don't know what you're doing, you'll walk away frustrated, or, even worse - injured. Compared to other group fitness classes, indoor cardio cycling is also a little harder to pick up on when trying it for the first time. After getting the lowdown on what to expect from your first class, follow these rules on things you should never do in an indoor cycling class.

Arrive to class late: As a rule, be on time for any fitness class, but more so if you plan on riding. Since there is a cap on the amount of bikes in a class, most gyms require students to register ahead of time (either online or using a sign-up sheet). A few minutes before or after class starts, instructors often release unclaimed bikes to those on the waiting list. Show up late, and chances are the bike you registered for will be taken, or, if you didn't sign up at all, the class will be full.
Hop on the bike as-is: This is definitely not a one-size-fits-all scenario - the person who was on the bike previously may have a good 10 inches on you. To avoid injury and ensure a comfortable ride, adjust the bike to suit your body. You'll also want to make sure the handlebars and seat are firmly secure to avoid any wobbling during class. Watch this video to learn the proper way to set up an indoor cycling bike.

Find out what else you should never do during an indoor cycling class - including pedaling too fast - after the break!