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Prego and on the Run: Round Ligament Pain

FitSugar — Fri, 23 Apr 2010 03:00:41 PDT

If you used to run regularly before there was a little bundle of joy growing inside you, doctors think it's safe to continue with your running routine while pregnant. You should def get the OK from your OB though, and once you do, you may find it helps with some common pregnancy symptoms such as constipation, leg cramps, lower back pain, and fatigue. Yeah, being with child is fun!

Running with a bun in the oven is much harder than running solo. You get winded more easily, your muscles tire more quickly, and since your body is changing so much, you may experience some aches and pains. In the beginning of my pregnancy, I would get subtle cramps way up in my uterus when running; every time I felt them, I'd just stop and walk. Now in my fifth month with a "popped" belly, I've discovered a new sensation in my lower ab muscles. It's a longer-lasting, dull ache, that feels like the muscles are overstretching.

At my last checkup, I learned this pain is round ligament pain and it's really common for pregos in their second trimester. To find out if it's harmful to your baby or if it means you should give up running,

read more. My doc assured me that round ligament pain is not serious and won't cause harm to my growing babe. This pain can be felt as a long-lasting dull ache like I've experienced when I'm running, but it can also cause sharp, intense pangs if you suddenly change position, like when you sit up quickly, roll over in bed, or cough. The round ligaments surround your uterus inside your pelvis, and as your belly grows, those ligaments stretch out to support the weight, like rubber bands. The pain you feel is a result of the tugging on nerve fibers. It usually begins in the groin, and moves upward and outward toward your hips, but normally only lasts a few seconds. Many women may feel the pain more on their right side because the uterus tends to turn toward the right. If you feel the pain lasting longer, and it's accompanied by contractions lasting over an hour, call your OB pronto. Also call your doc if the pain is severe and coupled with low back pain, pressure in the pelvis, fever, chills, bleeding, or changes in vaginal discharge. If the pain really bothers you on your runs, it's probably best to take it easy. Decrease the intensity of your workouts by running slower, sticking to flat surfaces, wogging, or walking instead. If your round ligament pain is just slightly uncomfortable, here's a suggestion my doctor made that has really helped me. I told her that when I hold my hands under my belly as I run, the pain goes away, so she recommended I try wearing a compression support band on my lower belly. If you have a Bella Band, that might work for you, but it didn't hold my belly tight enough. The Amom Maternity Support Band offers more support and is specifically designed for use during exercise. Wearing that and slowing down my pace has solved my problem. Tell me, have any of you experienced round ligament pain?

Valerian Root: Nature's Valium

FitSugar — Tue, 10 Apr 2007 08:45:00 PDT

Valerian Root may smell like disgustingly stinky feet, but it's great for relaxing the body and the muscles. It has been used for centuries in Europe and Asia as a sedative, and is believed to help you fall asleep faster, and improve the quality of your sleep. The Greeks also used valerian root to treat digestive problems.

It's a hardy perennial flowering plant with heads of sweetly scented pink or white flowers. It is dried and used in herbal supplements such as tablets, capsules, tinctures, teas, and liquid extracts. Many Herbalists, Naturopaths, and Chiropractors recommend taking valerian root to relieve tension headaches, insomnia, anxiety, or for muscular pain because of its ability to act as a muscle relaxer.

What else is great about this amazing herb? Although valerian root has been referred to as "nature's Valium," it is not at all addictive. It's not recommended to take more than 15g a day. Though side effects are rare, some people who use valerian root for long periods of time may develop headaches, insomnia, or feel irritable, which are similar side-effects experienced with prescription sleep-aids.

Fit's Tips: If you are taking valerian root for muscle pain, it won't knock you out and make you feel totally spacey like most prescription muscle relaxers, but it is recommended that you take it at bedtime because it'll calm you down and help you fall asleep, that is why I love Extra Sleepytime Tea - it is fortified with valerian root.

Coffee Helps Ease Muscle Pain

FitSugar — Mon, 15 Jan 2007 04:20:00 PST

MSNBC is reporting that a recent small study from the University of Georgia found that moderate doses of caffeine, the equivalent of about two cups of coffee, can cut post-gym muscle pain.

Maybe don't request that your gym serves coffee just yet because too much caffeine can cause jitteriness, heart palpitations and sleep disturbances. Also, the results might not apply to regular coffee drinkers, who are most likely desensitized to caffeine’s effects. Furthermore, the researchers studied only women, so men could respond differently.

Still, the study shows that caffeine appears to give more relief than found with conventional pain and soreness relievers. So, if you're feeling sore post workout, why not have a cup of joe?

Two Feel-Good Ways to Quicken Postworkout Muscle Repair

Leta Shy — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 02:22:10 PST

You know the feeling: sore muscles after your workout. If you want to feel better fast, help speed the process along by doing these two things soon after your workout.

Feed them right: Eating or drinking protein soon after your workout will help repair spent muscles. The best postworkout foods are a mix of protein and carbs for energy and repair (a ratio of 4:1 carbs to protein, since carbs help replenish energy stores), so grab a yogurt or drink a chocolate milk. Want to quicken the process even more? Try a turmeric tea: the spice has anti-inflammatory properties that help accelerate muscle repair.

Get a massage: Who needs an excuse to get a massage? Sports massages feel oh-so-relieving, and there's good reason why. A new study found that getting a sports massage right after a workout decreases inflammation and boosts your muscles' oxygen intake, which helps your muscles rebuild and repair. Since it's not exactly possible to book a sports massage after every workout, make sure you keep up with your postworkout stretching and foam-rolling routine.

Whether you're easing pain right after a workout or later, find more tips for dealing with postworkout muscle soreness here.

Got Two Left Feet? Let Zumba Help You Find the Beat

Self — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 04:12:19 PST

We are pumped to share one of our favorite stories from Self here on FitSugar!

If you're anything like me, Zumba has always held a certain allure, but the very idea of dancing in front of a roomful of people sounds about as appealing as doing my taxes or making a spur-of-the-moment appointment at the DMV. I'm not just painfully shy about busting a move but hopelessly uncoordinated in the booty-shaking department.

So after years of avoiding Zumba for fear of embarrassing myself, I decided it was time to stop being a wallflower and start working up a sweat. "I used to be a very shy person but I have learned that everything in life is about attitude," says Gisella Ferreira, a Zumba instructor at the Brasil Brasil Cultural Center in Los Angeles. "Having a positive attitude makes all the difference, so go with an open mind and let yourself enjoy the party!"

As for doing the actual dance steps, Ferreira is quick to point out that literally anybody can follow along with a little practice. "I see new Zumba students every day that have never danced in their lives and are able to dance through the whole class," she says. "Zumba is a world dance fitness party. It's easy to do, effective, and totally exhilarating." If that's not enough motivation, Ferreira says Zumba burns between 500 and 800 calories per class and targets "glutes, thighs, calves, abdominals, core, pectorals, biceps, and triceps."

Ready to get this party started? Add this five-move sequence to your regular workout routine four days a week and, before you know it, you'll be dancing in the streets. Read on for the workout.

More Kettlebell, Please! 4 Calorie-Torching Exercises

Leta Shy — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 09:53:58 PST

Kettlebell fans love the heavy round-shaped weights for a reason - kettlebell exercises combine cardio and strength training together for a time-saving calorie burn. The amount of calories you can burn using kettlebells can be amazingly high: a study by the American Council on Exercise found that the average person burns 272 calories in 20 minutes when doing kettlebell exercises. More research has found that regularly exercising with kettlebells significantly reduces back, neck, and shoulder pain by strengthening core and upper body muscles.

Does all that convince you to add more kettlebell to your life? Read on for tips on choosing the right kettlebell and four calorie-torching exercises to try.

Source: Thinkstock

4 Lazy Moves That Boost Your Health

Prevention — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 04:05:16 PST

We are excited to share one of our fave stories from Prevention here on FitSugar!

You don’t have to go on a deprivation diet or spend hours exercising to ward off disease and be your healthiest self! Instead, try these supersimple tips
By the editors of Prevention

Staying healthy can feel like so much, well, work (think: logging hours at the gym and whipping up nutritious meals from scratch). However, there are plenty of small moves that you can make in your everyday life that will have big health benefits. We’ve rounded up 15 practically zero-effort ways to fight disease, whittle your waist, lower stress, and more. Bonus: many of these good-for-you moves feel good, too. So say sayonara to the old adage “no pain, no gain” and try these tips today.

Lazy Move No. 1: Protect Your Ticker by Snoozing
Need a good excuse to grab your comfiest set of pajamas and hit the sack? Skimping on shut-eye may do more than make you cranky or unproductive - it also boosts your risk of a heart attack. According to one Norwegian study, people who reported that they did not wake up feeling refreshed in the morning had a 27 percent higher risk of a heart attack, those who had trouble staying asleep almost every night in the last month had a 30 percent higher risk, and those who had trouble falling asleep almost every night in the last month had odds that jumped to 45 percent.

Twenty Ways to Sleep Better Every Night

Some researchers speculate that insomnia might trigger your body to release more of the stress hormone cortisol. High levels of cortisol have been linked with high blood pressure and diabetes, which are both risk factors for cardiovascular disease. Plus when you’re exhausted, you may be more likely to make unhealthy choices that up your heart disease risk, such as skipping your workout or reaching for fatty or sugary snacks for a quick energy fix.

Keep reading for three more lazy ways to improve your health.

Why Does Coffee Make You Have to "Go"?

FitSugar — Sat, 28 Jan 2012 21:49:32 PST

Sipping on a hot cup of coffee in the morning is one of my simple pleasures. Not only does it offer some "me time," but I love the rich flavor, and the fact that it gives me an extra pep in my step. Millions of people drink coffee for the exact same reasons, but what they may not know is that drinking joe helps relieve muscle pain as well as improves memory and that it may help prevent skin cancer while also decreasing the risk of liver cancer.

These are all great reasons to enjoy a daily cup of java, but many people also love coffee because it makes them "go," and by that I mean more than an energy rush. Keep reading to see why a java jolt helps the final stages of the digestion process.

What Not to Do in Wheel Pose

Jenny Sugar — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 13:33:14 PST

Doing Full Backbend, also known as Wheel pose, isn't exactly on the list of beginner moves. It's demanding both from a flexibility as well as a strength standpoint, so it's best to stick to Half Wheel, Camel, and other easier variations before trying your hand at Full Backbend. When you are ready, here are some things to keep in mind to ensure you're doing this heart-opening pose safely and comfortably.

Clenching your tush: It takes lower body strength to hold yourself up in Wheel, but that doesn't mean you need to clench your glutes. Focus on engaging your quads and calves to release tension in your bum, allowing your lower spine to relax and fully extend.

Keep reading to find out other mistakes you might be making in Full Backbend.

Mistakes You're Making on the Pilates Mat

Susi May — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 02:51:53 PST

Mat classes are the most affordable way to reap the benefits of Pilates. Taught across the country at gyms and private studios, group classes mean you don't have an instructor cuing and correcting your every move. Make the most of your time on the mat and be mindful of these common mistakes I've seen in classes over the years.

Not Going Deep
There are many benefits to Pilates, but getting in touch with the deep abs, aka the transverse abdominals, is, to me, the most important. If the deep abs are working, then all four layers of ab muscles will be working right along with it, making for a very stable torso. In class, use every exhale as opportunity to reengage your abs and pull them into your spine with a little lift up. If the abs are pooching outward, you're only working the top layer of the abs and training them to pull away from the spine - the opposite effect of what you want.

Momentum Is Not Your Friend
Deliberate pauses are built into the choreography of many Pilates exercises to prevent momentum from taking over the motion. The Pilates method was originally named Contrology (the study of control) to emphasize this very concept. Going slowly is key. Jayme Boyle, the group fitness coordinator and Pillates mat instructor at the SF Equinox, explains the importance of forgoing momentum like this: "Slower pace means you’re turning on stabilizing muscles and you’re creating more isometric contractions." And I have to agree. Pilates is not a race.

Keep reading for more common Pilates mat class mistakes.