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Young woman having knee pain

Women Are More Susceptible To ACL Injuries: 5 Essential Exercises To Minimize The Risk

/7 October 2021/ All MFN blog/

Women have different biomechanics due to a slightly wider pelvis, which means their knees buckle more easily when landing from a jump. Women have looser joints, which is a risk factor for knee problems, and muscular, strength and hormonal issues also play a part.

The ACL provides the knee joint with stability and rotational control during movement. When an ACL tear happens, hearing or feeling a ‘pop’ at the time of injury is common. This is followed by localized swelling at the knee joint.

An ACL injury can occur in several ways:

  • Rapid change of direction
  • Sudden stop
  • Sudden deceleration while running
  • Landing incorrectly after a jump
  • Hyperextension of the knee
  • Direct contact or collision while playing a sport

If you experience any sharp or sudden pain at the knee, especially during sports or from a fall, follow the First Aid RICE protocol immediately — Rest, Ice, Compress, Elevate — and seek medical attention immediately.

There isn’t much you can do once the injury happens, but there are ways to minimize the chance of it happening in the first place. Prevention is better than cure so focus on strengthening the kinetic chain and muscles around the knee. If you do lots of sport with plyometric movements, ensure your technique and form is correct, and include agility drills for neuromuscular control.

Here are 5 essential exercises to help stabilize and strengthen your knees, hips and glutes, which in turn will help prevent an ACL injury.

Single Leg Deadlift

Ensure that your knee doesn’t buckle and aim to keep your hips level. Keep your spine neutral and braced throughout the entire movement while maintaining balance.

Elevated Hip Raise

This exercise targets the hamstrings and calves. Maintain a neutral spine throughout the range of movements.

Walking Leg Lunges with Torso Rotation

Maintain an upright torso with your hips squared. If you feel a sharp pain in your knee at any time during this exercise, stop and seek advice from a qualified trainer.

Lateral Squats

Begin by placing your feet wide apart, then shift your weight from left to right while placing most of your body weight on the heels of your feet. If you feel a sharp pain in your knee at any time during this exercise, stop and seek advice from a qualified trainer.

 

Reprinted with permission from www.purelyb.com

Ke Wynn Lee is an author and an international award-winning corrective exercise specialist who currently owns and operates a private Medical Fitness Center in Penang. Apart from coaching, he also conducts workshops and actively contributes articles related to corrective exercise, fitness & health to online media and local magazines.

healthy-food-and-exercise

Athletes, Injuries & Nutrition

/12 November 2020/ All MFN blog/

Athletes get injured. It’s part of the deal. Be it a torn ACL, Achilles tendonitis, or a pulled muscle, the questions arise: What can I eat to recover faster? Would more vitamins be helpful? What about collagen supplements? At this year’s virtual Food and Nutrition Conference and Expo (FNCE) of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (AND, the nation’s largest group of nutrition professionals), several presentations offered updates on nutrition for injuries.

Man having a painful shoulder

Pulled Shoulder Muscles During Yoga? Here’s How to Find Relief

/18 October 2018/ All MFN blog/

Around 20 million people in the US are pressing heels and down-dogging on their yoga mats, trying to gain as many health benefits as they can. Of course, yoga is a great physical activity to improve endurance, strength, and flexibility. This ancient practice helps reduce stress and anxiety.

Most people practice yoga to maintain heart rate, lower blood pressure, and boost metabolism and even fight obesity. But if not done correctly, yoga can be harmful.

The pulled shoulder is one of the most common problems associated with yoga. Since yoga focuses on improving balance, it includes various poses that involve shoulders. Shrugging, for instance, is all about how the shoulders are moved and compressed, which if not done correctly can cause muscle injury.

Finding Relief for Pulled Shoulder Muscle

A pulled shoulder muscle can be painful. The wrong postures can pull muscle fibers in the wrong direction or to the extent that’s beyond capacity. This causes small tears, which leads to pain.

So how do you find relief if you get a pulled shoulder muscle during yoga?

Besides seeking professional help to master all poses, the following tips can help you get rid of the pain and treat your muscles in time.

Stop Right Away

As soon as you realize a muscle injury, stop what you are doing right away. Discontinue the pose and see a doctor before you resume yoga. Continuing exercise with an injured muscle can double the damage and make recovery more challenging and time-consuming.

The first step is to protect it by realizing the problem and finding a solution for it. Avoid doing anything stressful with that shoulder until you see a doctor.

The Icing Method

In case you cannot get an appointment right away, use the icing method to stop blood flow to the injured muscle. This helps with swelling and mitigating the pain. If you are outdoors, get home and grab an ice pack and apply to the affected area. You can even use a bag full of ice cubes to have the same effect.

Also, remember to always use a medium to apply ice to avoid direct contact with skin. Start with applying ice for twenty minutes every hour in a day. If the pain persists and the swelling doesn’t reduce, rush to the hospital immediately.

Compress the Shoulder

The next top is to wrap the affected area to control swelling and pain. A pulled muscle naturally weakens the joint and causes pain if pressure is applied. Using a wrap to compress your shoulder will provide support to the joint and make pain bearable.

Wrapping, in this case, will differ greatly from how you would’ve wrapped your ankle. In fact, to provide the right support, wrap it around the bicep to create the anchor effect. Use the bandage to cover the chest and the opposite arm.

Bring the bandage up again and cover the injured shoulder and around the same bicep once again. Do not make it too tight but make sure it compresses the affected shoulder to avoid swelling.

Take Maximum Rest

In case the injury is not severe, your shoulder should heal after you are done with icing and compressing. But if you allow your shoulder to come under any impact of pressure again, it could disrupt the healing process.

Continue with icing and keep the shoulder wrapped for at least three days. Avoid lifting weights or stretching your arm to grab something out of your reach. It is best if you keep your arm and shoulder elevated and close to your chest. Avoid sleeping on the side of the injured muscle.

Keeping the severity of your injury in mind, it could take up to eight weeks for your shoulder muscle to heal completely. Even when you don’t feel the pain anymore, avoid overstretching or pressurizing your muscles. Start with your regular, slow-paced activities and only indulge in gentle stretches if you continue with yoga.

During your yoga session, avoid pulling too hard on your shoulders and do not overstretch. When in the posture, keep your shoulders straight and held back from the ears. If you find a certain pose difficult to practice, do not hesitate in asking for help from a professional.

Even after you have completely healed, avoid doing intense shoulder stretches for a while. This could be the culprit for shoulder pain and injury. In fact, placing the neck incorrectly and applying pressure can also damage the cervical vertebrae, which leads to severe joint issues and can even cause loss of neck flexion.

If you need, use props to help elevate your shoulder and neck away from the floor to avoid extreme pressure.

Bottom Line

It is best to see a doctor if you suspect severe injury. However, mild ones can be treated at home with a little help. Before you are back to your routine, it is best to check with a physician to get a green signal. Sometimes, you may need to briefly work with a shoulder surgeon or physical therapist to get you back to your normal shoulder movements.

James Crook is a passionate health and fitness blogger. Currently, he is a working as a blogger for Dr. Joe Wilson, Shoulder Specialist NC. Follow @jamescrook911 for more updates.

Are You BUILT TO LAST?

/20 April 2018/ All MFN blog/

Lately I can’t go to the gym without someone coming up to me looking for advice because in their efforts to remain fit and active they have hit a roadblock. Something hurts- a sore knee, achy shoulder or bad back that goes out more than they do. Ditto for my practice where I have seen a significant increase in exercise related ailments. I should give out orthopedic frequent flyer miles.

I’m an orthopedic surgeon specializing in sports medicine who has also had a life long interest and commitment to exercise. What I have learned over the years is that the far majority of exercise related ailments are preventable with some simple measures. That is why I wrote FrameWork- Your 7 Step Program for Healthy Muscles, Bones and Joints, as well as the FrameWork “Active for Life” series (Rodale Press).

Exercise is essential for maintaining optimal health, and being sedentary is just not an option, yet many individuals run into difficulties in their quest to be fit. Just about anyone can get into trouble, from young, fit and seemingly indestructible, to older and somewhat “beat-up”. We all bring “weak links” to the gym or out on the field. I‘ve learned this from working not only with my sports medicine patients but also athletes at the highest levels, including professional and Olympic. I have also learned the harder way, personally. A high school football injury that came back to haunt me, and a more recent low back issue.

The key is to find those “weak links” before they find you!

The human body does, and will, breakdown, especially when often pushed to the break point. Some of us are more vulnerable than others. And many of our “weak links” are of our own making. Workouts, activities or sports that leave imbalances in your frame, overuse, inadequate recovery, and so much more, mostly preventable factors. Musculoskeletal ailments have surpassed the common cold as the #1 reason people seek medical care in this country. It is no wonder for many, that workouts can be a challenge. Also, as Arnold Schwarzenegger so wisely said in the FrameWork forward, “I have really come to appreciate how the body is a dynamic, ever-changing structure that is different at different times. At 30 you need a different approach to fitness than when you were a teenager”. His workouts have evolved with him and even the Terminator himself has had to visit the repair shop. So, how can you be more durable, with less risk of breakdown? FrameWork offers 7 easy steps that can benefit everyone, young and old.

In FrameWork, I outline a 7-Step comprehensive plan for optimal health and durability. In Step 1, a unique self- test (take the interactive on-line version of the self-test) asks the question “are you built to last?” and finds your individual “weak-links” (we all have them). These “weak-links” or points of vulnerability may be old injuries or ailments, suboptimal nutrition, genetics, lifestyle, workout design, mindset and more. They are like hidden land minds, just waiting to be found, waiting to rear their ugly heads and put you on the sidelines, rather than in the game.

Step 2 thru 7 allow you to customize a program for your unique frame (based on the self-test and your own history) focusing on balanced workouts, frame-friendly nutrition and the important role of recovery and mindset. The program combines healing and restorative methods from the worlds of rehabilitation, martial arts, and yoga in a way never presented before. A “troubleshooting” section teaches you how to prevent, treat and safely work (out) around the “Top 20” sports medicine ailments from tendinitis and knee problems to back pain and pinched nerves. I also offer an insiders view of safely navigating the healthcare system, including a look into the very promising future for those with stubborn musculoskeletal issues. Most importantly, I use stories, drawn from my experience treating many wonderful athletes, entertainers and my many patients to help you better understand, and listen to your body- so that you can extend the warranty on your frame and it will be there for you when you go the distance. Remember, longevity and durability, two sides of the same optimal health and aging coin, are very different. We are certainly living longer and better, but without durability, problems are certain as we age. Fortunately many are preventable!

Find your “weak-links” and get a body that’s “Built to Last”.

Originally published on the Huffington Post. Reprinted with permission from Dr. DiNubile.

Nicholas DiNubile, MD is an Orthopedic Surgeon, Sports Medicine Doc, Team Physician & Best Selling Author. He is dedicated to keeping you healthy in body, mind & spirit. Follow him MD on Twitter: twitter.com/drnickUSA

Pool-Ladder

Recover from Injuries Using Active Rest in the Pool

/9 November 2017/ All MFN blog/

Have you ever felt like Tom? You try and try but seem to end up adrift? Your intelligent, well read a motivated, hard working athlete, you know a lot of things, you certainly know how to exercise and you do it well.  You have probably asked for some advice over the years on how to train. Especially since that nagging injury occurred.

Maybe it’s shin splints that developed from training for a ½ marathon, maybe it’s the knee injury from playing basketball, tennis, pickleball or sliding into 3rd base. Maybe you rolled an ankle because you missed that bottom step while walking out the door and that ankle hasn’t been right since.

So what do we do? We medicate it, rest it, tape it and brace it. While we are resting we look at the latest exercise programs and plot our course to get back on track once we feel it’s better we hit the gym – wrap that injury and go…. HIIT training, Cross Fit, Boot Camp, running we are on a roll. After just a couple weeks that injury is back. Now we are back on the couch with our favorite bottle of motrin again, now your despondent. That nagging thought creeps into your head, I’m too old, gotta give up the game.

Not so fast my friend! We can do things a different way! The problem here is we took a few weeks or months off!

How about trying ACTIVE Rest?!

Active rest defined: “Involves performing light exercises that stimulate the recovery process without imposing undue stress on the injured body part.”

Taking an active rest day will hasten your recovery, making you feel stronger and faster when you’re back in workout-mode.

What are the benefits of active rest in a pool?

Biggest benefit – Reduce swelling. When you reduce swelling you reduce pain. A two-fer bonus! Also unload the joint – due to the gravity free environment, again – takes the pain away. With the reduction in swelling and pain we can keep the joint moving, stabilize and strengthen it, working up to full body workouts to spin you back out into your sport.

The pool is what I call a pass through. It’s not a destination for most of us. We use it for it’s amazing properties so we can continue our favorite activities and sports. Active rest in a pool will not only rehabilitate your injury getting you back to your sport and activities faster it will help you mentally and emotionally, because you can DO something! It keeps CAN’T out of our vocabulary! High Schools, Colleges, Professional Teams and even our Military are using pools for training. Athlete or not, we hate being sidelined. We do much better when we are active. So next time you are adrift…try something different.

Debbie Booth is an aquatic fitness educator and trainer; she grew up in MI, (a Lake Girl for life) where her love of water began. She teaches medically based aquatics and has yet to grow gills. If lost she will usually turn up at the end of a dock with her feet in the water.  You can visit her website at wateristhenewgym.com

women-lifting

7 Common Workout Injuries and How to Avoid Them

/28 July 2017/ All MFN blog/

As my ruthless and merciless coach always says, “No pain, no gain and you have to risk it to get the biscuit.” True as this may be when it comes to making physical progress in your workouts, there are exceptions you need to keep an eye out for.

I mean, you are human after all and there is only so much punishment that your body can take… even machines wear out. So, here are 7 common workout injuries that you should know about and great tips on how to prevent them from happening in the first place.

  1. The Famous Ankle Sprain

This commonly affects runners and joggers. Not only does this hurt like hell, it could also bench you for an entire month. If you’re a fitness fanatic like me, then that is a nightmare of profound proportions. You can easily get this running outside in uneven terrains like a rocky pathway.

Jumping on and off a pavement can also mess you up pretty badly. Even the treadmill doesn’t keep you safe from this: classic causes include jumping off too quickly or mistakenly stepping half on the belt and half off of it while it’s still running – ouch!

Preventive Measures:

The first and most important tip is to get yourself a quality pair of running shoes. The next thing you want to do is pick out a good old ankle brace just to be on the safe side. Once those are in check, you may need to rethink the terrain you run in.

Though running through the forest is a fantastic idea, make sure the path you pick is even with no rocky features or too many roots popping up all over the place.

And if you have to run indoors on your treadmill, then it is highly recommended that you get one with a clip that attaches to your clothes so that it turns off when the clip detaches from the treadmill.

  1. The Excruciation Shin Splints

You will know you have this when you get a sharp pain on the inner side of your shin bone every time you put weight on your leg. This is another common one among runners.

Although other activities that involve a lot jumping, like rope skipping, can also give you these. It is caused by a muscular inflammation and is the result of suddenly bumping up the volume of your current workout regimen.

Working out on hard, paved surfaces or using old, worn out shoes can also give you problems. You may need a doctor’s opinion once you start getting the symptoms. Some painkillers and a few weeks off should get you back up and running.

Preventive Measures:

As with ankle sprains, you will also need a good pair of running shoes for the splints. Next up, make sure that you stretch and warm up properly prior to your workout.

A few light bodyweight exercises and dynamic stretches are always a good idea. Make sure you use static stretches after your workouts to cool you off as well. As for your workouts, take it easy with the intensity increments. Don’t go higher than 10% percent with your frequencies or volumes every time you decide to take things to the next level.

  1. The Agonizing Lower Back Strains

A sudden pain in your lower back accompanied by some tenderness could be a sign that you’ve hit the threshold. This happens when you tear the muscles or ligaments in your lower back, especially the lumbar muscle.

Squatting and dead lifting with improper form or with excessively heavy weight could definitely put you at high risk. Skipping warm ups and stretches and doing side bends can also get you to this unpleasant point. Another reason could be a hunched back that causes you to overcompensate by bending backward by the lower back for upward presses. Worst-case scenarios include developing nerve compressions and herniated disks.

Preventive Measures:

First thing’s first, never skip your pre-workout warmup sets and stretches. These will get the blood flowing down lower back so that it can absorb all the stress from your workout. If you have a hunched back, then you need to start doing wall squats.

It is highly advisable to superset all the exercises in your workouts with this so as to fix your problem. Variety is key here so be sure you keep switching between workouts to improve the endurance of your lower back muscles. Lastly, your form for squatting and deadlifting should be flawless, done with the weight that you are comfortable with.

  1. The Busted Rotator Cuff

This one is common among weight lifters in the gym (or anywhere else for that matter). If you’re having pain in your shoulder every time you raise your arm over your head or reach behind your back, then this is probably the culprit.

It is made up of 3 muscles that attach the edge of the scapula to the top point of the upper arm. The work of these muscles is to rotate your shoulders externally.

The pain we are talking about here occurs because of a strength imbalance between these muscles and the deltoids. This results in an impingement or a tear in one of the muscles of the rotator cuff.

Preventive Measures:

This is a highly neglected muscle for most weightlifters. It is very rare to see anyone do any kind of external rotation exercise in the gym. This is where all the problems start. So, you need to integrate external rotation exercises to balance out strength between the rotator cuff and the deltoids. Exercises such as side-lying external rotation with dumbbells should become a staple among your shoulder workouts.

  1. The Classic Pec Tear

This happens when you tear either your chest muscle or the tendon that attaches it to the upper arm – quite the agonizing ordeal. This also happens among weight lifters within the famous benching community.

Every time you make up your mind to bite more than you can chew by adding too much weight on the bench press or chest flyes, you run the risk of getting this dreadful injury. You will feel the tear immediately when it happens before your upper arm turns color to blue-black.

Preventive Measures:

This has been said so many times, it feels cliché saying it all over again. But I’m going to say it anyway – leave your ego outside the doors of the gym. Just because overload causes muscle growth doesn’t mean you should go all Hercules with the weights.

Choose the weight that’s right for you, especially for the dumbbell bench press and pec flyes. It is also a good idea to have a spotter around so you don’t end up dropping the dumbbells behind you, causing you to overstretch your pec, resulting in the tear.

  1. The Old Rupture of the Bicep Tendon

If you are a curl junky, then you need to pay close attention here. This happens when the tendon attaching your bicep to your forearm tears and curls upwards.

It is extremely painful and it is caused by curling too heavy and uncontrolled movement that causes the arm to drop suddenly with the dumbbell or barbell in hand. If it happens to you, your bicep will become larger than usual with a blue-black coloration.

Preventive Measures:

As we said with the Pec tear, keep your ego in check and lift what you can handle. You will also want to control the weights on the way down – very important. In fact, it is this portion of the exercise, the eccentric, which comes with the most gains. So don’t neglect it. It will give you great gains and keep your bicep tendons rupture free.

  1. The Dreadful Hernia

Whether this is grosser than it is scary, I’m not very sure. It involves swelling, mostly around the belly, caused by protruding organs that tore through their encasings (ie, fascia). This is common among lifters and calisthenics enthusiasts. It happens when you hold your breath as you lift heavy objects.

This results in increased pressure that causes organs, like intestines, to pop through their encasings resulting in the bulge. Rotating your torso during one-arm dumbbell rows can also get you here. You most definitely want to dial 911 if this happens.

Preventive Measures:

Again, keep your ego in check and only lift what you can handle. The next thing you want to do is learn to breathe out through the concentric part of any exercise and breathe in during the eccentric. Also, keep your body from rotating every time you do those one-armed dumbbell rows.

For the long term, it is a good idea to strengthen your abdominal muscles so that your core is strong enough to even out imbalances that could lead you to get a hernia.

Tony John is a blogger and main Co-founder/ Editor at the BoostBodyFit.com. He loves fitness and bodybuilding. Follow BoostBodyFit on Twitter @boostbodyfit.