June 2008
Get Your Rest!
Rest is vital to a healthy lifestyle! It is a frequently ignored aspect of both everyday life as well as an effective workout regimen.
It is important to get your sleep. Studies show that you need anywhere from 6-9 hours of uninterrupted sleep every night. It is generally genetically predetermined how much you need. However, the correct amount of sleep will make you more energetic, more alert, and better able to utilize your memory and creative thought processes.
When it comes to exercise, rest in a variety of ways is vital. It is important that you always plan for at least one full day of rest per week. Muscles need time to heal, and to grow. Without at least one day of rest to rebound, they will eventually begin to break down and exercise will become more of a chore, and it will even become counter-productive. Second, within any healthy program designed to reach goals, plan for at least one unplanned rest period. This should cover sickness, unplanned work or family obligations, or anything that makes exercise impossible. With this planned into your program, these unplanned breaks will not ruin your program!
Finally, rest between sets during a workout is as important as any other aspect of the session. Your body uses a completely different system to complete an anaerobic (basically weight lifting) workout than the system that is used for everyday tasks, aerobics, jogging, etc… This system is designed for maximum energy output in short bursts, generally no longer than 30-40 seconds. This system then needs to recharge to be properly used. Depending on the type of workout, a break of anywhere from 30 seconds to 2 minutes is necessary. Without this rest period, not only will your workouts and your results suffer, but you put you body at risk for injury.
May 2008
Courtesy of Strive Physical Therapy
Chances are at one time or another, you've sprained your ankle. If you've made it through your life so far without one, then consider yourself lucky. However, whether you've experienced one or not, it's an injury everyone should have an understanding of. You never know when your next step may be a wrong one.
What is a sprain anyway? When you sprain your ankle, you actually are injuring the ligaments that hold the ankle joint together, stretching them further than they normally would, or in some cases, tearing the ligaments.
How exactly can you injure the ligaments? Spraining your ankle can occur when the foot rolls inward or outward, resulting in damage to the ligaments on the respective sides. This is commonly known as "twisting" your ankle. It's easy to do this while stepping off a curb or walking on an uneven surface, especially if you are wearing high-heeled shoes.
Severity of a Sprain Ankle sprains are categorized into 3 grades, depending on the severity.
- Grade I: Some stretching and possibility of slight tearing. Little or no instability of the joint. Mild pain, swelling, and stiffness.
- Grade II: Some tearing of the ligaments and moderate instability of the ankle joint. Moderate to severe pain, swelling and joint stiffness.
- Grade III: Total rupture of ligament(s) and severe instability of the joint. Severe pain and swelling, causing extreme joint stiffness.
- Grade III sprain will probably require immobilization for 1-3 weeks and surgical repair or reconstruction may be necessary.
Immediate Ankle Sprain Management The best immediate treatment is RICE. You need to limit internal bleeding and swelling and if the sprain is severe, splint the ankle. You may need crutches to relieve stress and pain during ambulation.
- Rest your ankle immediately. This can minimize swelling and help you walk sooner.
- Ice your ankle until swelling subsides. Ice constricts blood vessels and helps reduce swelling. Fill a plastic bag with ice or use a bag of frozen vegetables. Ice for 15-20 minutes, 3-5 times per day.
- Compress the ankle between icings with an elastic bandage (you can find them at your local pharmacy). This helps reduce the swelling and bruising.
- Elevate the ankle so it is above the level of your heart. Use pillows while sleeping or watching television.
What should you do if you sprain your ankle?
- See your doctor. It can be difficult to differentiate between a sprain and a fracture. For example, if the ankle is very swollen, it may be just a bad sprain. However, very little inflammation can actually indicate a fracture. An x-ray should be taken to determine this.
- Physical Therapy. The doctor will most likely give you a prescription for physical therapy to rehabilitate your ankle to get you back on your feet as soon as possible.
- Maintain good range of motion, strength, and balance. The exercises listed at the end of the article will help maintain all 3 of these.
- Wear an ankle brace. If you play sports or participate in other recreational activities, it will help stabilize and support the joint.
Unfortunately, once you have a sprained your ankle, you are more susceptible to sprain the ankle again and again, especially if it is left untreated.
April 2008
Pre-workout Nutrition
Pre-workout nutrition is very important. Ideally, try to eat about 60 minutes before exercise, which will give your body time to begin digestion and allow you to use these nutrients immediately. If you eat too close to your workout, your body will be too busy concentrating on digestion to allow for maximum blood flow to the muscles needed for a quality workout.
I suggest eating some whole grain carbs (sustained level and readily available energy) with a small amount of fat (another form of energy, especially before cardio) and a small amount of animal protein (needed to begin immediate repair of used muscles.) A great way to get this quickly is to eat a half a whole grain bagel with a small amount of peanut butter. Avoid dairy, as this usually takes the longest to digest, and will therefore sit in your stomach longer. This will sap your energy, and can even give you a slightly upset stomach during your workout. So avoid the cream cheese and butter if you can!
March 2008
Perfect Post-Workout Recovery Drink
Within 60-90 minutes of your workout, you should replenish your body of certain nutrients to maximize the workout.
Studies show that a 4-1 breakdown of simple sugar to animal protein is ideal. The protein is necessary to immediately begin repairing and building muscle fibers. The sugar is meant to carry the protein there quickly. Normally, complex sugars are the goal. In this instance, the quicker the sugar gets into the bloodstream, the better; therefore we use a simple sugar. There are plenty of powders on the market that provide this.
A simple at-home concoction:
Chocolate milk made by mixing skim milk (whole milk contains fat, which will slow absorption) with Hershey’s syrup!