TODAY is the perfect time to make a change, breaking through the obstacles and problems that have been holding you back for so long and finally building the existence you’ve always envisioned.
Whether you want to lose weight and get in better shape, improve relationships and find the love of your life, or just get that promotion at work and improve your finances, there is a specific formula for achieving the life you love!
In part one of this blog, we covered the first 8 ways to finally build a life you love. Here are the next 9:
9. Write down your goals
We ended part one of this blog by telling you how critical it is to set specific goals. The next important part of your goal setting is writing them down. It seems like a minor thing, but numerous studies show that the process of committing your goals to paper goes a long way towards actually reaching them.
In one case, a psychology professor at Dominican University in California, Dr. Gail Matthews, conducted a study on goal. She compared several test groups, breaking them down as:
Group 1 thought only about their goals but didn’t commit them to paper.
Group 2 thought about and wrote down their goals.
It went all the way up to Group 5, that not only wrote down their goals, but wrote down action steps they could take to reach them, shared their goals with a supportive friend, and finally, made weekly progress reports to that friend.
Her work concluded that Group 2 – who simply committed their goals to paper – was 42% more likely to achieve them than Group 1.
Incredible!
10. Have an accountability partner
In that same study, test Group 5 wrote down their goals but also action steps they could take to reach them, and then shared their goals with others, including a weekly progress report. Remarkably, that group achieved their goals at a 78% higher rate than Group 1 – who just set and thought about their goals.
The point is that if you REALLY want to get to the finish line with your goals, it’s paramount that you not only set them and write them down but share them with a trusted accountability partner, including periodic progress reports.
11. What can you control?
They say that about 99% of the things we worry, stress, and get anxious about never actually happen. While I don’t know if that statistic is accurate, the point is valid. If you want to achieve your goals in 2017 and beyond, focus only on what you can control, and then work towards and pursue those things. You’ll be amazed at how much time and energy you have, that you used to waste on things you can’t control.
12. Stop making excuses
We all have goals and dreams we’d love to reach in life, but too often, we find a way to create one excuse after another to discourage ourselves. I always tell my clients that making excuses is just your subconscious trying to negotiate a surrender before you’ve even tried. In fact, we’ve dedicated a whole blog to highlighting twenty of the most common excuses we make – and how to break through them for good!
13. Change your diet = change your life
It’s physiologically impossible to fill your body with garbage and poison (like processed foods, bad fats, empty carbs, sugar, toxins from pesticides, etc.) and NOT feel a long term negative effect. Honor the temple that is your body by eating a healthy, clean, natural diet, and you’ll sleep better, have way more energy, get sick less, think more clearly, be less stressed, and enjoy a whole host of other benefits that allow you to live the life you love!
14. Banish negative thoughts
You’ve probably been barraging yourself with negative self-talk and limiting beliefs your whole life, and embracing every failure while dismissing your victories. But there are ways to train your mind, just like you train your muscles, so with even the smallest step in the right direction or the first smallest victory, belief will grow from a seed into a tall tree.
15. Surround yourself with positive affirmations
Replace all of those negative, self-doubting thoughts with inspirational messages. Plaster photos, quotes, and reminders of your goals, dreams, and aspirations all over your bathroom mirror, your car, your desk, your home gym, on your phone, etc. as a constant reminder. Research shows that the mind can’t differentiate between real and imagined thoughts, so by filling your head with positive affirmations, you’ll be altering your physiology, outlook, and belief systems!
16. Take risks
There is nothing wrong with failure. In fact, we should embrace failure, because we can learn, grow, and get stronger from it. But there is something wrong with not trying new things or not adventuring out – and that choice lies entirely with you. So get in the practice of taking risks that get you out of your comfort zone and bring you closer to the life you want to live, regardless if they pay off or not. It will be so scary at first, but with discipline and practice, pretty soon you will be fearless!
17. Find your “WHY?”
Your WHY? is the overriding meaning you give to your life, your reason for existence that makes it all worth it. It’s what makes you go “Ahhhhh” and be at peace when you see a sunset or just lay your head on the pillow every night. Your WHY? can be to help others, provide for your family, your artwork, your legacy, or just a big goal that drives and motivates you. No matter what it is, keeping that big picture in mind will help you love the life you live, enjoying the journey along the way!
If you’re like most people, you had some ups, some downs, muddled through and did OK. But is OK really good enough for the rest of your life? Do you want more? Do you feel you deserve more?
Well, the good news is that 2017 is the perfect chance to make a change, break through the obstacles and problems that have been holding you back for so long, and finally make the existence you’ve always envisioned a reality. Whether you want to lose weight and get in better shape, improve relationships and find the love of your life, or just get that promotion at work and improve your finances, there is a specific formula for achieving the life you love!
Here are our 17 ways to finally build the life you love in 2017! (We’ll start with the first 8 and cover the next 9 in part 2.)
1. Have fun!
You have to enjoy the journey or else it will all be a monotonous drag, and that includes achieving your goals and changing your life. So make sure you smile, laugh, surround yourself with good people, and sing along to your favorite song and dance a little, and that positivity will inject joy and energy in everything you do.
2. Get motivated by positive, not negative thoughts.
The mind feeds off the words “I can” and other positive affirmations, so much so that it will actually change your physical response. Too often, people who are trying to make a change in their lives or reach goals are motivated by negative thoughts like, “I’m too fat,” “I don’t have a love life,” “I’m never good with money, etc.” Holding those thoughts in your head over and over will only derail you from where you want to go, since it’s like running backward.
3. Focus on one thing that fires you up.
Did someone say you looked fat at the Christmas party? Did you lose that promotion at work to someone less qualified? Are you turning 40 soon and you don’t like where you are in life? Choose one thing that makes you more than a little angry and use that fire as fuel to keep motivated! Sometimes it’s good to be gentle, compassionate, and kind with yourself…but sometimes it’s healthy to get a little pissed off to give yourself a jump-start!
4. Think long-term and big picture.
Success and achievement aren’t always linear, so you’ll have ups and downs along the way. Instead of reacting negatively to every obstacle and setback, “zoom out” and take a big picture view of your life and what you’re trying to accomplish. It’s all a process, and the little daily habits you change will make a huge positive impact over time!
5. Forget perfect.
Guess what? You’ll never be perfect, so set that impossible goal aside and instead focus on just being better every day, every week, or every month – which includes appreciation and enjoyment for what you already have and what you already are! By the way, if you think people want you to be perfect, they don’t (they just want you to be real); and if you think others appear perfect, they’re not!
6. Start by doing one small thing (and then another).
Momentum is everything in life, and once you’re a permanent fixture on the couch, it seems excruciating just to get up and do anything. So instead of saying “I’m going to run 5 miles tomorrow,” and never getting started, focus on doing one small thing, like push-ups and sit-ups during the commercials, learning something new for 10 minutes every morning, or changing one meal to something healthy every day. Stick to it, and very soon it won’t be hard to do more and more…BOOM! You have momentum!
7. Take responsibility.
When you stop blaming other people and circumstances for the outcome of your life, you’ll have removed the first barrier to changing your life. In fact, when you take full accountability and responsibility for your life, you’re automatically empowered to control your own destiny!
8. Set a plan.
This is where the rubber meets the road, as they say – when you’re going to take all of the wishing, dreaming, and hoping and transform it into tangible action that will really change your life. And SMART, FOCUSED, and CONSISTENT action is all it takes to break through and finally achieve the highest and best version of your life. The first part of setting a plan is defining your goals – very specifically, including measurable quantifiers and timelines.
***
We’ll cover a lot more about goal setting, follow-up and how to put your wonderful and life-changing plan into place in part two of this blog!
Whether you’re away from home on a fun-filled vacation or another hard-working business trip, staying in a hotel room can easily take you out of your workout routine.
In fact, this might sound familiar: you check into your hotel after a 4:30 am wake-up call so you could get to the airport in time to catch your 8 am flight. You have a few hours of downtime before a busy afternoon of business meetings and then dinner and cocktails with clients.
You have every intention of cramming in a great workout session in that small window of downtime – you even brought your running sneakers. But once you get to the hotel, it starts raining outside, the bed looks so fluffy and inviting, and your eyes so tired from the early morning plane ride. You get as far as putting on your workout clothes before you fall asleep…
This happens more often than not for business travelers and even vacationers, who really do intend to work out as they travel, but succumb to the temptations of the road. After all, it’s hard enough to get motivated when we have a set schedule and our neighborhood gym is right down the road!
But there is a solution: getting a great workout right there in your hotel room. In fact, you can facilitate vigorous exercise in a small space with no equipment no matter what your environment and goals – from toning to building muscle, increasing flexibility and even cardiovascular fitness.
A lot of these exercises are as traditional as our gym class routines when we were trying to earn the Presidential Physical Fitness Award back in elementary school. Some are so new-age that even the most holistic yoga teacher would approve, and others are used in military basic training and even by Navy Seals. Believe it or not, but many of the principles of getting an intense, muscle-building workout in a small space with no equipment come from…you guessed it: prison, or “jail cell workouts” as they’re called.
No matter who you are or what your fitness level, always start slowly to get the form correct first, and be mindful of any injuries. If you have health conditions or are new to exercising regularly, it may be a god idea to consult your physician first. I’ll just cover the basics, but if you need better explanations of what these exercises should look like, feel free to get on YouTube (I assume your hotel room has Wi-Fi!)
Ok, with the caveats aside, we have you standing in the middle of your hotel room with no equipment and half-an-hour to get a great workout. What next?
Pushups:
You can’t go wrong with the old standard pushup (or press-up). But too many people try to do them too fast out the gate, which can diminish the intended effect and even strain your elbows. Try them slowly, really squeezing your chest at the top. Once you’ve mastered the basic pushups, start doing variations – placing your hands wider and closer together, putting your feet up on a chair to create different angles, freezing at the bottom, and even clapping at the top!
Planks:
Planks may not look like much, but it’s a really great whole-body workout that strengthens your core – which can help prevent lower back pain from sitting at your desk so much. Start timing your planks so you can always challenge your personal best, and advanced planks can even go from resting on your forearms up into a pushup and back down, over and over.
Burpees:
To be honest, you could probably just do burpees and get in amazing shape (though the hotel guests in the room below you might not be happy with the thumping!) Burpees incorporate pushups, squats, shoulders, back, and work your core really well. After 10 or 15 burpees you’ll probably also be out of breath like you just ran around the block! This is a “jail cell workout” staple, by the way.
Squats:
By working the larger muscles in your legs and hips, you really jumpstart your fitness and will see results all over your body. Don’t worry about squatting with weight – just do them correctly and all the way down to avoid stress on your knees or back. You can also do one-leg squats, jump squats, or frog squats to mix it up. A good tip is that if you’re not used to squats, and you need some help to get the form correct, hold on to each side of the bathroom door handle to help stabilize you as you go down (just don’t hold on to anything that can come out of the wall or tip over!)
Tricep dips:
Put your hands on a chair or the edge of the bed while facing out (Google a proper demonstration) and dip, which works the triceps, shoulders, and chest.
Biceps and back:
The hardest exercises to work on the road are probably your biceps and back, as they involve pulling motions. Short of having something that can act as a stable pull up bar (don’t try the shower rod!!!), you can try some more basics movements. Fill your laptop bag or the pillowcase with as many heavy books or items as you can find and curl that, or do bent-over rows to work the back. You can also take two heavy books and hold them out, and lift them up and down at an angle, which can work shoulders and back muscles.
Handstands:
There are huge fitness, circulation, and health benefits to handstands, so clear a space against the wall to aid your feet and legs and take the plunge. (Don’t try these solo unless you’ve practiced them before.)
Hotel room cardio:
It may seem like the biggest challenge would be getting a full cardio workout in an enclosed space, but there are plenty of things you can do in your room. Jumping Jacks, running in place, running with knees up, shadowboxing, and the aforementioned burpees all will get you breathing heavily and your heart racing.
Every hotel has a stairwell in case of a fire, so run up and down the flights of stairs as many times as you can, or find a nearby parking garage with plenty of steps.
I also bring a jump rope with my on the road, which takes up almost no room and weighs next to nothing, but can be used in any parking lot, stairwell landing, hotel ballroom, or even inside your room (sorry, downstairs neighbors!)
Yoga:
Take out your laptop, pull up a yoga channel on YouTube or put in a DVD you brought, and do a full yoga session right in your room. The deep breathing element will keep you fresh and relaxed amid all of the stress of business meetings, and the flexibility and circulation benefits will help you feel great through long plane rides. By the way, you can bring your own yoga mat or just use a hotel towel!
Water-filled weights:
If you want to lift some serious weight without paying extra baggage charges and lugging it through the airport, buy a couple of collapsible dumbbells that you fill with water. They make them special for business travelers, and you can fill them up with more or less water in the bathroom sink to adjust the weight.
Is this still not enough for you? Try to book a hotel with a workout room, ask the concierge where a good (and safe) loop is for a couple-mile run, or Google gyms in the area that accept guests with one-day passes.
Have a productive business trip – and a great workout!
Back pain is one of the most common reasons for people to visit a MD, hospital or start taking prescription painkillers, and that’s especially true for athletes who suffer sports-related injuries and discomfort. In fact, 75% of all elite athletes experience back pain at some point during their playing days, and even 10-15% of child and teen athletes experience low back pain.
But chiropractic care – not hospitalizations and dangerous drugs – are the best first defense against sports injuries for young and old athletes alike. Chiropractic care is the optimal way to treat these injuries and allow the body to naturally heal the root cause of pain and discomfort.
But you don’t have to be an elite athlete to suffer back pain or sports injuries. In fact, there are about 30 million children in the U.S. people who play organized sports – and that doesn’t count all of the kids that play pickup or recreational sports. Each year, high school athletes alone suffer 2 million injuries resulting in 30,000 hospitalizations.
So which sports are the hardest on the body and cause the most lower back pain? Some of the findings are fairly predictable, but some may surprise you.
Instance of lower back pain by sport:
85% Gymnastics
80% Weightlifting
69% Wrestling
58% Soccer
50% Tennis
30% Golf
Intercollegiate athletes see their share of lower back injuries, considering that an alarming 7-13% of all injuries in college sports are lower back injuries. Of those back injuries, 60% are simple muscle strains while 7% are disc injuries.
Other common sports injuries include neck pain, whiplash, concussions, sport hernias, MCL sprains, quadriceps sprains, hamstring sprains, ankle sprains, shin splints, and Achilles tendonitis.
It’s no wonder why 39% of college athletes receive chiropractic treatment and most major college athletic departments now have a chiropractor on staff.
In part thanks to those chiropractic treatments, research also shows that athletes don’t tend to have lingering lower back issues at the rate of the general population, most likely because their fitness level, activity, and other health factors make them quick healers with lower back pain actually less common for former athletes than non-athletes.
75% of non-athletes experience some lower back pain, compared to only 31% for athletes. However, disc degeneration is far more common for elite athletes than non-athletes because of the massive strain and stress they place on their body.
But injuries and lower back pain are just one of the ways chiropractic care can aid the modern athlete. In fact, 90% of all world-class athletes also now use regular chiropractic care to amplify their performance, avoid injuries, and recover faster.
Research shows that athletes see a 6.12% increase in their athletic performance after receiving spinal adjustments from a chiropractor. In fact, after only12 weeks of chiropractic treatments, athletes measure 30% higher in their hand-eye coordination.
Chiropractic care certainly doesn’t stop when young and teen athletes progress. In fact, elite athletes in every sport use chiropractic care.
72% of PGA golfers on tour receive chiropractic care.
A near-perfect batting average .930 of Major League Baseball teams have a chiropractor on staff, and the same goes for the majority of pro basketball and hockey teams. Every single NFL franchise employs a team chiropractor now, up from 31% in 2002. In fact, during a typical NFL football season, chiropractors give 16,320-27,200 individual treatments to these pro players!
The reality is that every athlete in every sport or physical endeavor will see tangible benefits from regular chiropractic care. For instance, chiropractic treatments can help basketball players improve their speed, flexibility, balance, and strength. Baseball players jump higher, increase coordinate and strength when they get regularly visit a chiropractor. U.S. judo athletes experienced a 16% stronger grip after just three chiropractic sessions.
Chiropractic also allows the body to heal naturally, boosting the immune system and speeding recovery from injuries. 80% of hockey-related injuries, which often include painful shoulder problems, can be managed with four treatments or less. Chiropractic care can ease discomfort in 50% of tennis players that suffer from tennis elbow. Soccer players with groin strains or pulls see relief in only 8 weeks or less with chiropractic care. 100% of runners with join problems said that chiropractic care reduced their pain and symptoms, allowing them to maintain or increase their mileage and keep training.
Even Olympians love chiropractic care, as the U.S. team in Rio De Janeiro this summer brought plenty of chiropractors along, boosting their performance and helping them manage injuries on the way to a record Gold Medal winning performance. In fact, chiropractors have been a mainstay at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, where U.S. exercise physiologist Sean Atkins estimates that at least 90% of top athletes utilize chiropractic on a regular basis.
If you have a child playing organized sports, a high schooler excelling at competitive sports, or even if you’re the proud parent of a college athlete, the best advantage you could give them is access to regular chiropractic treatments and care. Feel free to contact us for a simple evaluation!
Are you a runner? No matter if you huff and puff your way through a mile on the treadmill at your local gym or regularly put in big miles to ready yourself for races or marathons, running is one of the most rewarding and beneficial exercises we can do – but can also lead to common injuries.
Why do running injuries occur?
Our bodies are naturally equipped to handle the shock and strain from running, but when our mechanics are out of whack or something is out of alignment, subtle imbalances can lead to overcompensation and eventually, big injuries. Likewise, most running-related injuries are also related to over-stressing our supportive tissues, like muscles, tendons, fasia, and ligaments. Some of us have genetic conditions – like flat feet – that exacerbate injuries, and our sedentary lifestyles sitting at a desk at work make us even more prone to hurt something once we hit the pavement.
The good news is that with a little know-how, smart planning, and practice, we can eliminate the conditions that cause injuries and strength and prepare our bodies to be more resilient.
Tips for preventing running injuries:
Take heed of what your body is telling you. If you are feeling persistent pain, tightness, or a disruption of your gait while running, you may be facing an injury that needs to be addressed, or will be soon as the body overcompensates.
The majority of runners stick to one terrain and surface like roads, trails, treadmill or beach, etc. But it’s important to both rest and strengthen your body by changing up the surface you run on at least a couple times a week.
If you’re running along the beach or on an uneven trail, try to run on the most even part of the terrain as possible – like the sand closest to the beach, and change direction to balance out the uneven strain on one side of your body.
Get tested at a specialty running shoe or athletic store to see what kind of sneaker is best for you based on your type of foot and gait. To avoid wear and tear on shoes that can impact your body and cause injuries, buy two pairs of your favorite shoes and switch them up a couple times a week when you run, just like you’d alternate the tires of your car.
Loosen your hands, fingers, wrists, neck and shoulders as you run. Too often we squeeze them or exert tension unnecessarily, and even a little strain will be magnified throughout the body. Think of holding a potato chip in your hands that you don’t want to break in order to keep them loose.
Maintain good upright posture and concentrate on an even, fluid proper running form as you stride.
It’s probably not just running that contributes to injuries, but how you’re sitting the rest of the day. If you have an office job, sit at a desk or drive long hours, the muscles in one side of your body may lengthen while the other side may shorten, and that causes tightness, which your body then will compensate for once you start taking strides. Focus on correct and even posture at work, get up and walk around, vary the way you sit, make sure you’re not leaning into your computer or bowing your back, and do some simple stretches or loosening exercises throughout the day. You could even try sitting on a stability ball, which will help you strengthen your abdominal muscles and core.
Over-training or trying to increase mileage or speed too quickly is a huge reason why runners get injuries. As a rule of thumb, only add a 5-10% increase in distance every week, or less if you’re just starting out or not running daily. Time yourself and try to beat your time by small increments only so you don’t feel the urge to start sprinting or running too fast, which will cause an unnatural stride that your body isn’t yet equipped to handle.
If you do encounter nagging pain, minor injuries or discomfort from running, remember the RICE principal – Rest, Ice, Compress and Elevate.
Warming up and stretching:
One of the worst things a runner – or any athlete – can do is to go through their regular workout without warming up properly first or stretching throughout or afterwards. Failing to do so puts a tremendous strain on the muscles, ligaments, joints, and tendons, and may be the leading cause of injury.
Here are some tips on proper warm-ups for runners:
-Make sure to warm up the hips and spine, moving them in big circular and rotary patterns. You should also do dynamic movements to warm up the glute medius – or outer muscles of your buttocks – which will help keep your pelvis stable as you run.
Warm up for about two minutes, doing 10 reps of each of these exercises from a standing position, making sure to reverse direction and use both legs and arms.
Diagonal leg swings
Hip gyros
Side lunges
Pelvic rocks or swings
Thoratic twists
Of course runners focus on warming up the feet, legs, buttocks, back, and pelvis area, but don’t forget to take time to loosen the shoulders, arms, back and especially your neck.
You might be tempted to start stretching before you go for a run, but you never want to do that. Stretching “cold” actually de-activates the very muscles you’ll be using to propel you forward during you run, increasing the risk of injury.
But you should ALWAYS stretch after a run. The good news is that it doesn’t need to be the moment you stop running, but feel free to stretch any time within an hour or so after your run, or throughout the rest of your day.
You’ll want to stretch:
Hamstrings
Calves
Quadriceps
Hip flexors
Quadratus lumborum
Piriformis and low back
Stretch for about 30 seconds on each side for each movement, without bouncing. You should feel some discomfort but stop if you feel pain.
If you send me an email I’ll be happy to explain these stretches and recommend a warm-up and stretching routine that’s great for runners.
Common running injuries:
The most common running-related injuries include:
Foot and lower leg injuries
Plantar fasciitis and other foot problems
Achilles tendonitis
IT Band Syndrome
Patella (knee) tracking problems
Runner’s knee (Patella Femoral Pain Syndrome)
Hip bursitis.
Shin splints
Hip injuries
Spine injuries
Stress fractures
Strengthen your core and other training:
Too often, runners put in scores of miles every week but neglect to work and strengthen their whole bodies. While the legs, feet, and back may take most of the pounding when you’re out there running, it’s crucial that you strengthen the muscles that stabilize the body, especially your core and pelvic musculature to prevent injury.
Make sure you balance out your training schedule with core stability and strength training exercises on a regular basis. By cross training and using yoga, pilates, swimming, biking, weight training, mobility work and other core-centric exercises, you’ll help your body absorb the rigors of running, stay injury free and increase performance.
How chiropractic helps runners prevent injury and improve performance:
Chiropractic care will help the body move efficiently, easing the stress and strain of impact from running and relieving any blockages, imbalances, or misalignments that occur. With those out of the way, the body can return to its normal optimal function allowing it to heal, strengthen, and grow as intended.
Chiropractic will also help you fend off pesky injuries by identifying and alleviating muscle imbalances, joint restrictions and other issues associated with the wear and tear of running, so you’ll be able to stay out of the MD’s office and out there running instead, where you belong!
Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson, Jack Nicklaus and Arnold Palmer – that’s not a Golf Hall of Fame roster, but a list of professional golfers who swear by regular chiropractic care to improve their game and keep their bodies healthy. You can even add Vijay Singh, Fred Funk, David Duvall, and Mike Weir to that list. In fact, 72% of pro golfers utilize chiropractic care on tour, and chiropractors have been part of the official PGA Sports Medicine Team for decades.
But you don’t have to wear The Green Jacket or be a pro to benefit from chiropractic care. With more than 25 million golfers in the United States alone and about 24.73 million rounds of golf played at clubs worldwide every year, the number of swings, drives, chips, and putts were’ talking is at an all-time high.
But that’s also part of the problem – for pros and weekend warriors alike. In fact, a PGA tour chiropractor estimates that between 76-80% of all injuries that occur on the tour are to the lower back. And another 20-25% of injuries affect the neck, shoulders, elbows, and/or hips. What do these all have in common? They are all injuries that originate in the spine or pelvis, which is exactly what chiropractic focuses on.
In this two-part series, we’re going to focus on two things: chiropractic care to prevent injuries, and how chiropractic can actually help your game and lower your score.
Although we know you want to jump ahead to the information that can help your scorecard, we’re going to start with the part about injuries – because if you’re hurt, you’re not even going to be able to play golf.
The problem with golf
Golf is extremely hard on the spine, making injuries far too common. Swinging a club is a repetitive motion, but unilaterally torques the spine – which means the swinging movement is only on one side. Think of a weightlifter going to the gym and only lifting one side of the body and you get the idea how golf can throw the body out of alignment and disproportionally build some muscles, but strain tendons and ligaments as well.
But amateur golfers don’t use chiropractic enough
But research shows that less than 2% of amateur golfers visit a chiropractor for regular adjustments and treatment – until they hurt their backs or injure themselves and they are seeking relief from pain.
Even then, far too many golfers (as well as athletes and everyone else) try to treat their pain with aspirin, over-the-counter anti-inflammatories, and visit MDs to get prescription painkillers. That only masks the problem – not truly heals it, nor does it prevent the movements that caused the injury or strain in the first place.
The effect of a golf swing on the spine
While professionals have near-perfect swing mechanics, keeping the spine neutral and balanced, amateurs too often swing in such a way that the torque of takes a huge toll on their spine.
Additionally, the muscles that support their spine (especially their core/paraspinal musculature) are usually weak and underdeveloped, though pros work hard to build strength, flexibility, and durability in their core. The ensuing imbalance to the spine invites frequent injury.
When your spine’s vertebra are not in the correct position when you swing a golf club (which can go as fast as 90 miles per hour), it causes profound strain on your muscles, ligaments, and discs. Keep doing this –a hundred times or well more during your average eighteen holes of golf, warm ups, and practice swings, and you basically keep stretching the muscles, ligaments, or discs to their limits, where they will start to deform and tear. At that point, the only possible result is muscle strain, ligament strains, disc herniations and joint trauma.
The dangerous myth about a golf swing
So why does the swing of an amateur golfer cause so much more frequent injury than a professional’s? Basically, because amateurs have incorrect mechanics, and even when they think they are practicing the right swing, they probably aren’t.
A lot of blame can be given to the myth of how to swing a golf club and where power generates that drives the ball further.
People are often taught that the speed of the club head once it strikes the ball is dependent on the spinal rotation during backswing. Basically, if you wind up like a pretzel and really torque your lower back, that will generate power and club head speed as you “uncork” during a swing. They often call it “x-factor,” describing the difference between hip position and shoulder position at the top of the backswing. By keeping the pelvis stationary while rotating the spine as much as possible, they think power is generated as the “big” muscles in the back are engaged during the downswing. Even golf instructors teach this. It’s incorrect.
The people who first advocated for this power-generation theory long ago never could account for how maximum spinal rotation actually engaged the spinal muscles or large back muscles like the latissumus dorsi. But we do know that spinal muscles provide only about five percent of the total torque generated during spinal rotation, and abdominal obliques do nearly all of the rest of the work, so the connection is a faulty one. But golf teachers keep teaching this method and golfers keep doing it, anyway.
How do we really generate power with a golf swing?
But the real way to generate power in your golf swing has to do with creating elastic energy (it’s not coincidence that elastic energy is thought to generate power in almost all sports movements) – not spine twisting torque.
Elastic energy is generated when your muscles perform a short, quick stretch during an athletic movement. In fact, the muscles that create elastic energy during a correct and powerful golf swing are the aforementioned latissimus dorsi, the rotator cuff, and even pectoralis major muscles, as well as smaller muscles in the arms and forearms.
Guess what? To pre-stretch these muscles into position to create elastic energy as you go through your golf swing, NO SPINAL ROATION IS NEEDED! In fact, the only real reason to rotate your pelvis or spine during your backswing is to put your body in position to effectively deliver the club head when it impacts the ball.
So now we know that all of the spine twisting in the world isn’t going to add power to your drive – though it will cause a slew of injuries over time.
***
Keep an eye out for part two of this blog when we explain how chiropractic can actually help your game, prevent injuries, and lower your score!
Mixed martial arts and competitive fighting has never been more popular in the U.S., with world-class athletes pushing their bodies past the point of mere mortals. But all of that tireless training, merciless pounding, and violent blows enact a steep toll on their bodies. Enter chiropractic care, which has long been an undercover ally to the best mixed martial arts fighters – and now has gone mainstream in the fight game.
Mixed martial arts is best known by the UFC, or Ultimate Fighting Championship, the professional organization that hosts the biggest contests. This full-contact combative sport (of course there are rules, like no head-butting, groin strikes, etc.) pits two opponents against each other in a caged octagon matt for grueling 5-minute rounds.
In the early years of mixed martial arts, fighters usually specialized in one discipline – like boxing, wrestling, judo, karate, Muay Thai, or jiu-jitsu. But over the last two decades, the fight game has evolved so much that professionals train in almost all of these. After months and years of vigorous training, you still never know what’s going to happen once they step into octagon, with some fights lasting only seconds until someone is knocked unconscious while others go the distance to a close decision.
As you can imagine, these super-athletes look for every possible competitive edge in their training, athletic performance, recuperation, diet, and overall health. For an increasing number of professional MMA fighters, chiropractic care is provides that edge.
How do regular visits to the chiropractic help professional fighters? It’s not hard to imagine the physical toll the training takes on a fighter’s body, and healing and managing preexisting injuries and treating new ones is essential. Pain management is also a huge aspect of chiropractic care, as well as increasing strength, flexibility, range of motion, balance, and coordination.
Chiropractic also helps align the spine, refreshing neurological signaling that allows the body to heal and recuperate itself optimally.
These fighters literally put their lives on the line every time they step inside the octagon, as the potential for serious injury always looms. With explosive kicks, flurries of punches without anything more than small gloves, elbows, knees, and plenty of grappling and choke holds, mixed martial arts wreaks havoc on the musculoskeletal system, and puts the neck and spine in particularly vulnerable positions.
In fact, a 4-month study of mixed martial arts tournaments found that of the 427 fighters who participated, 103 suffered cases of cervical neck injury; 5 required hospitalization. The physicians and chiropractors that oversaw the research described the typical fighter’s injury as whiplash suffered in auto accidents.
The list of professional fighters and mixed martial artists started with just a few who were looking for relief from injuries and an athletic advantage.
BJ Penn, Quinton “Rampage” Jackson, Fabricio Werdum, Benson Henderson, Gilbert Melendez, Michael Bisping, Lorenz Larkin, Mauricio Rua, Cheick Kongo, Michael Bisping, Giva Santana, Shane Del Rosario, Ian McCall, Spencer Fisher, Ricco Rodriguez and Tito Ortiz have all visited chiropractors regularly and been outspoken proponents.
And these days, chiropractors are an essential part of the health, athletic, and medical team for almost all fighters. Here’s what Ronda Rousey, former UFC champion and one of the most celebrated fighters of all time has to say about chiropractic care:
“A lot of the injuries that I get during training, I can count on Dr. Sarkis Cholakyan [her chiropractor] because he always helps me get better.”
Strikeforce lightweight Champion Gilbert Melendez quickly found great value in visiting his chiropractor on a regular basis.
“If I have a regular head cold,” says Melendez, “I call him up and say ‘Hey, man, I need to get adjusted.’ It’s not just for my injuries, it’s for me having good energy and feeling right, feeling balanced.”
Former UFC light heavyweight champion Frank Shamrock has his own unique story with chiropractic care.
“When I was 16 in high school I started playing basketball and my right leg went numb and started to drag slightly behind me, says Shamrock. “I went to the regular MD who did x-rays and told me that I had broken my back at an early stage of my life, that I would need immediate surgery, and I’d have pain and limited mobility for the rest of my life. So, being the highly holistic and active person I am, I went and saw a chiropractor. I’ve been seeing chiropractic for 16 years now. It has been the change in my life that has allowed me to participate in professional athletics and to achieve six world championships … I believe in chiropractic.”
Those are certainly some glowing endorsements for chiropractic from the best athletes in the most violent, physically taxing sport on earth – so imagine what it could do for you!
Do you exercise and watch what you eat, but still have a troublesome spare tire or rolls of fat around your stomach? Everyone wants to lose belly fat and lean up to sexy six-pack abs, but no matter what your lifestyle it seems like the last area on the body to respond, particularly as we get older. So here are some basic principles and strategies to help you lose belly fat.
Understanding the difference between visceral and subcutaneous fat:
There are two types of fat, visceral and subcutaneous. Subcutaneous fat accumulates under the skin, “beneath” (sub) “the skin” (cutaneous). A small amount of subcutaneous fat is normal and even essential for life, and found all over the body. But excess subcutaneous fat accumulates around the abdominal area, causing the unsightly bellies that we want to get rid of.
Visceral fat, however, isn’t visible (viscera refers to the internal organs in the abdomen), sitting deep in the torso and wrapping itself around the heart, liver, and other internal organs. Visceral fat is definitely the most dangerous, triggering inflammation in the body that leads to increases in chronic diseases like high blood pressure, stroke, heart disease, high cholesterol, diabetes, and breast cancer.
The good news is that both subcutaneous and visceral fat will respond well to diet and exercise, though the process and health benefits may differ.
How to measure your belly fat:
The most accurate way to gauge how much visceral fat you on your frame is to get a MRI or CT scan. But if you just want to measure quickly at home, wrap a measuring tape around your waist at your belly button. Ideally, your waist should be less than 35 inches for a woman and less than 40 inches for a man.
Most people weigh themselves and then endeavor to lose weight, but that’s not always the best indicator of total health since muscle weighs more than fat. A better gauge of your fat content is to have a body fat test, which will reveal your percentage of visceral fat. For me, 10% is a lean ideal and 20% or under is a good goal for women.
The three factors that cause belly fat:
There are three factors that go into how much fat rests around your belly – and how to get rid of it. Those factors are genetics, diet, and lifestyle. Some people have great, athletic genetics, and can eat anything they want and stay lean with six-pack abs, or others come from a lineage of obesity. But for most of us, it comes down to the remaining two factors: what food we take in, and lifestyle choices. Those include exercise, sleep, stress levels, and other factors that impact our fitness levels and belly fat.
Dispelling the myth: abdominal work won’t trim your belly:
Called “Spot Reduction,” the idea that you can do certain exercises to lose fat just on one spot is a myth. So you can do crunches and ab exercises all day long but it won’t help you shrink your waist any more than if you did some other exercise instead.
Exercise and stay active to lose your belly:
Along with diet, exercise is the most important factor to lose weight – and therefore, belly fat. It’s recommended you at least perform moderate activity that raises your heart rate for 30 minutes at least three times per weeks. Exercise has numerous health benefits such as lowering cholesterol and slowing down how much visceral fat you gain. While moderate exercise is great, to shrink your midsection you probably want to increase the intensity and frequency of your workouts.
Aerobic exercise:
Research shows that aerobic exercises like running, jogging, fast walking, swimming, etc. significantly helps reduce belly fat. Aerobic exercise is pivotal in weight loss, which also reduces inflammation in the body, lowers blood sugar levels, and reduces the effects of obesity – including helping you keep belly fat off. But there are ways to go above and beyond aerobic exercise when to loose your belly.
HIIT fitness:
Studies have proven that high-intensity interval training, or HIIT, is far better than just moderate aerobic exercise for losing belly fat, as well as dropping weight. HIIT entails short bursts of fast-paced exercise with periods of short rest.
“High-intensity exercise seems to be more effective at reducing insulin, triglycerides, and cortisol, and it burns more calories in less time, too,” says Shawn Talbot, PhD, a fellow of the American College of Sports Medicine.
Will weight training help you get a slim waist?
Too often, people who want to get in shape and loose their gut embark on epic aerobic exercise programs. They do lose a lot of weight at first, but then plateau, or realize they still are flabby or haven’t gained any muscle. In fact, weight training in addition to aerobic exercise is the best way to cut your pooch. Muscle cells also burn more calories than fat cells in general, which means weight training will help you will burn more calories per day – and tighten up.
The Journal of Sports Sciences found that a program of aerobic training combined with resistance training was much more effective at reducing visceral fat, compared to people who only did aerobic training.
But a lot of women, particularly, don’t lift weights or shy away from resistance training because they think it will build too much muscle, leaving them looking bulky or unfeminine. The good news is that it won’t, unless they lift weights to the level of professional body builders, but it will help them reduce belly fat and reach their goals.
Yoga and body weight.
You don’t necessarily need to get in the weight room to effectively lose your belly above and beyond aerobic activity. Research shows that body weight exercises like holding your body in plank positions or yoga impacts fat loss around the midsection.
Track your food intake.
Like we mentioned, your diet is so important to lose belly fat, probably 60-70% of the battle, if you added it all up. A key point to make sure you’re eating the right foods and the right portions of foods is to track your intake. Studies show that keeping a food journal helps people become conscious of the foods they’re eating and the choices they’re making every day, and therefore becoming healthier and losing pounds and inches from their bellies.
Sugar is the mortal enemy of six-pack abs.
Added sugar has extremely harmful effects on metabolic health and weight loss. In fact, when you eat a lot of refined sugar, your liver is bombarded with fructose, and which is all turned into fat. Research shows that excess sugar intake increases accumulation of fat around the belly region.
Skip the sugary drinks.
Liquid sugar is even more dangerous to a big fat gut, causing you to ingest a greater amount of refined sugars and calories in a short time. In fact, research shows that each daily serving of sugary beverages increase the risk of obesity in children by 60%. Too often when we first start getting in shape, we skip the soda and drink fruit juices instead, thinking they are healthy and natural. Wrong! Fruit juices have a ton of refined sugar, just like sports drinks and coffees and teas with sugar added.
Sorry, diet soda isn’t the answer.
Research has shown that diet soda drinkers are more likely to have a high percentage of belly fat, possibly because they overestimate the calories they think they’re cutting out, and therefore eat or drink more.
Plenty of lean protein is the key.
Research shows that protein is the most pivotal macronutrient for weight loss. Eating a diet high in healthy proteins reduces cravings by 60% and boosts metabolism by 800-100 per day. Fatty fishes like salmon and trout are great once a week, and switching out red meat for lean protein sources like unprocessed eggs, nuts, avocados, olive oil, seafood, chicken, turkey, and legumes is a great way to get protein. Studies show that a diet with 25-30% of your calories coming from lean protein is most effective in losing weight – and seeing a leaner belly.
Drink alcohol in moderation.
It’s not called a “beer belly” for no reason, so keep your alcohol intake to seven or fewer beverages per week. Alcoholic drinks have a lot of hidden calories and sometimes sugars, and studies show that light to moderate drinkers are least likely to pack on extra pounds.
‘Carbs’ is a bad word.
Restricting your intake of carbohydrates is a great way to lose fat and trim up. Numerous studies have shown that when people cut carbs, they lose weight and their cravings also go away. Dropping your carb intake down to 50 grams per day will put your body into ketosis, a state that reduces your appetite and signals to your body to start burning fat.
While we’re all somewhat brainwashed to think of fat as the enemy, a low-carb diet is two to three times more effective for weight loss than a low-fat diet. So by cutting carbs and replacing fat with lean protein is the greatest recipe for tight, svelte abs. Refined carbs, like white breads, muffins, pastas, etc., should definitely be avoided.
Don’t be fooled by low fat options.
Take a walk down the grocery store aisle and you’ll see plenty of low and no-fat items. The sad fact is that largely, that’s a marketing gimmick, meant to dupe people into thinking they’re buying healthier options. Take a look at the labels and you’ll see that they’re filled with nasty stuff that you can’t pronounce – far from healthy.
Stay away from packaged and processed foods.
Packaged foods are often highly processed, high in sugar and sodium, and heavy on partially hydrogenated oils and enriched flours. Most importantly, they’re often high in dangerous transfats, which you should stay away from if you want to lose your belly fat. Transfats found in margarine, creamers, packaged cookies, and crackers increases fat in your stomach area, and can actually redistribute fat from other parts of the body to your midriff!
For health, eat the rainbow.
A good rule of thumb for losing weight and belly fat is to “eat the rainbow.” Colorful foods include colorful fruits and dark green, red, and yellow vegetables. They’re loaded with vitamin C, which reduces cortisol, as well as rich in antioxidants and magnesium, which is important for regulating body function. If you eat a diet of lean proteins and plenty of vegetables and fruit, you’re on your way to lose that stubborn belly.
Make sure to get enough fiber.
Eating the right kind of soluble fiber can help you reduce visceral fat over time. If you want to lose the belly fat, skip the carbs and make sure you have enough of fiber from apples, green peas, pinto beans, and other foods.
Sleep is important.
Getting a good night sleep is important to losing belly fat, as not enough or irregular sleep increases the circadian release of cortisol, an enemy of a lean midsection. In fact, in one study, people who got 6 to 7 hours of sleep per night gained less visceral fat over 5 years compared to those who slept 5 or fewer hours per night OR 8 or more hours per night.
Stress can actually make you pack on pounds.
We all have stress in our lives, but how do you handle it? Sitting on the couch and drowning your sorrows in a bag of potato chips – or boozing your stress away – will result in more fat around your midsection (and probably do nothing to make you healthier, happier, and feel less stressed). Stress also increases the amount of cortisol your adrenal glands secrete, which causes more belly fat. But research shows that burning off stress with exercise, mediation, artistic activities and hobbies, or being around positive people will effectively reduce your levels of stress, make you healthier, and actually reduce your belly fat.
The final word on wine and chocolate…
Let’s end with some great news: catechins, a class of antioxidants, have been proven to help burn fat cells. You can find catechins in foods such as green teas, berries and apples… and red wine and dark chocolate!
If you’re like most of us, you’ve spent the summer enjoying barbecues, hot dogs at ball games, and a few beers on the beach instead of hitting the gym. And even though summer’s nearly over, it’s never too early to start cutting calories so we’ll be ready to fit into that great swim suit next season.
For most of us, our fitness goals include shedding pounds, and when it comes to cutting calories, small changes in our daily habits can add up to big results.
In fact, just by cutting out 100 calories from your daily intake you’ll lose more than 10 pounds in one year. And you can lose up to 26 pounds in one year if you just cut out 250 calories per day.
But maybe you want more immediate results, like trying to look good for that vacation or high school reunion this winter. By cutting 500 calories a day, you’ll be able to eliminate 3,500 calories from your diet each week. Cutting 500 calories a day equals 3,500 a week, and since one pound of fat contains exactly 3,500 calories, you’ll lose one pound per week. Of course you can go to the gym and sweat it out and lose more, but just by using these tips and tricks in your daily routine you’ll be on your way to health – and looking great next summer.
Eating at home:
Eating out has its pros and cons: it’s convenient and there is no cleanup, but on the other hand, it costs much more than eating at home and you can’t control which ingredients go in your food or how it’s prepared. A study at the University of Texas found that female dieters took in an extra 226 calories and 10 grams of fat on the days they dined out. There are a number of reasons why, including portion sizes, ingredients used, and paying attention to everything landing on your plate.
Here are a few tricks to use at home to help cut out calories at home:
1. Plan ahead! According to one study, a planning your meals ahead of time really does help you lose weight. Perhaps it’s because having a plan forces you to keep healthier foods on hand, but planning ahead also helps you keep your eating on schedule: if you already know what you’re having for lunch, you’re less likely to let 6 or 7 hours pass without having something to eat—a situation that usually results in eating too much when you finally do sit down to a meal.
2. Swap your 12-inch plate for a 10-inch one. You’ll eat 20 to 25% less. If you normally eat 2,000 calories or more each day, you’ll cut 500 calories.
3. Measure your meals—overestimating by just a little can add over 100 calories.
4. Spray calories away! Avoid a heavy hand with cooking oil: Use an olive or canola-oil spray. A two-second spritz is roughly one-half teaspoon of oil — 100 calories fewer than the three teaspoons that could end up in your frying pan.
5. Bulk your meals up with leafy greens, like kale, spinach, collards, Swiss chards and a few others. They have several properties that make them perfect for a weight loss diet. They are low in both calories and carbohydrates, but loaded with fiber. Eating leafy greens is a great way to increase the volume of your meals, without increasing the calories. Numerous studies show that meals and diets with a low energy density make people eat fewer calories overall. Leafy greens are also incredibly nutritious and very high in all sorts of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. (And this includes calcium, which has been shown to aid fat burning in some studies!)
Calorie saving tips when dining out:
6. Speak up…! When you eat out, ask your server for foods made with low-calories cooking methods, such as poached instead of fried, or grilled or baked instead of breaded. That alone could save you several hundred calories.
7. Limit salad toppings. A big salad might seem healthy, but all those goodies on top can make it more calorie-laden than a pasta dish! Think about it: cheese crumbles, caramelized nuts, bacon, avocado, dried fruit, croutons, and vinaigrettes can add lots of calories. Save 500 or more calories by having just one topping, adding flavorful but lower-cal veggies (roasted bell peppers, grilled onions, or mushrooms), and using half the dressing—or cutting out the dressing altogether and squeezing a lime or lemon on top.
8. Break your bread basket habit. The fresh baguette offered by many restaurants may make your mouth water, but one portion dipped in a tablespoon of olive oil equals 300 calories. Ask your waiter to bring a small bowl of olives instead and nibble on five while you wait for your entrée, saving 280 calories.
9. Share! Cut your calories in half (and your bill!) by ordering and splitting your meal with a friend. You probably will still feel full, as most restaurants have portion sizes that are double (and sometimes quadruple) the size of what we should be eating.
10. Ask for a takeaway box. While it isn’t the sexiest thing to do on your date, ask your server for a box to come with your food. Once your food arrives immediately put half into the box; you won’t miss it if you can’t see it!
Don’t drink your calories!
11. Whatever you do, do NOT drink your calories. This is perhaps the easiest way to cut calories. For someone trying to watch their weight or consume a proper diet the calories that sneak in via beverages are usually forgotten. This is especially true when we are talking about sugary drinks, including fruit juices and alcoholic drinks. The absolute worst culprit is soda and fancy coffee drinks.
12. Drink LOTS of water. Hydrating is not only good for your health, it will keep you feeling more full and help you avoid sugary and high-calorie drinks.
13. Stick to drinking your coffee black. (Skip the milk and sugar!)
14. Drink tea or even hot water with lemon on a cold day instead of hot chocolate or sweetened coffee drinks.
15. Fruit juices sound like they should be healthy, but many of them are loaded with artificial sugars and high in calories.
16. Don’t drink soda. Ever! Soda consumption is probably the #1 contributor to childhood obesity, and will bloat you with nothing but harmful and empty calories.
17. Don’t drink alcohol, but…If you’re going to drink, try to stick to one glass of red wine.
18. If you’re more of a liquor drinker, why not skinny up your cocktails? Just try to skip the syrups, sour mix, sugary fruit juices, and creamy additions that turn drinks into desserts: an indulgent Mudslide can have more than 800 calories!
19. Instead, order drinks mixed with club soda, tonic water, cranberry juice, or a squeeze of citrus; or try distilled liquors on the rocks. You’ll save 100’s of unnecessary calories.
Burn big calories with small changes to your routine:
20. Be sure to get a good night’s sleep. Most of us assume our bodies burn more calories when we are awake longer, but that’s not true.
In fact, your metabolic rate is down-regulated with less sleep. Translation: When you sleep less, your body starts to burn calories at a slower rate to preserve energy. In a recent study, people burned on average 400 more calories by sleeping for 3 more hours, which adds up to an additional 2,800 calories burned in just one week! With less sleep, the body seeks to meet the increased metabolic needs of longer waking hours by shifting into a lower gear, so to speak, that it burns fewer calories and less fat.
And remember…the more calories you burn, the fewer calories you’ll need to cut. So make sure to get in some daily exercise.
21. Take the stairs. Do some stair climbing instead of hopping on the elevator at work, and you’ll be surprised how many calories you end up burning.
22. Park far away when you are at a mall, shopping center, or work, for a little built-in exercise.
23. Take a walk after dinner. When the food coma from dinner starts kicking in and you feel like melting into the couch and watching television all night, take a brisk walk instead. It will help with digestions, give you some energy to get through your evening without being a sloth, and you’ll burn a few calories.
24. Start a home exercise regimen. I love working out at home because there are no excuses. You don’t need fancy weights or machines – even simple pushups, air squats, abdominal work, stretching, jumping rope in the garage, yoga, etc. can be done for 20 minutes in the morning before work, once you get home, or even during the commercials while you watch TV! Do these as a family to make them fun.
25. Eat at your desk and go to the gym or take a walk. Instead of going out to lunch every day and then back to work, eat at your desk while you work and use your lunch hour for physical activity, like walking around or even a quick session at a nearby gym. You’ll be amazed how invigorated (instead of sleepy) you feel during the afternoon, and you’ll cut calories!
The term ‘hamstrings’ actually encompasses three muscles and their adjoining tendons that are located on the back of each thigh, the biceps femoris, semitendinousus, and semimembranosus. Two of these muscles are located down the inner side of the back of the leg, and one is on the outside. The function of the hamstrings are to help bend the knee and move the thigh backwards, or decelerate the thigh as it moves forward.
Unfortunately, the hamstrings are not as elastic or “stretchy” compared to other large muscle groups, and are under a lot of stress when we play sports or undergo rigorous physical activity.
Types of hamstring injuries:
Injuries to hamstrings are one of the most common sports related injuries, and are graded depending on severity. A Grade 1 injury might just be a slight twinge or strain. A Grade 2 injury is more of a ‘pop’ or pull, and a Grade 3 hamstring injury could be a full tear or severe pull.
We usually strain our hamstring suddenly and in one of two ways: either from sprinting or high intensity athletics or movements, or stretch related injuries where the hamstring is pulled too far, such as with Cross Fit, gymnastics, or martial arts.
Why do these injuries happen? When we are sprinting, hamstrings are usually compromised lower down the back of the thigh, on the tendon where the long head of the biceps femoris muscle meets. During the running motion, the hamstring muscles work overtime to decelerate the lower leg just before your foot hits the ground, and that’s why it may be injured.
Conversely, over-stretch type injuries may build up over time, the hamstring being strained in the same area over and over until it eventually gives, or the overstretching happens all at once, but not from the same causes and in the same place.
When you injure your hamstrings happens, you are usually tearing or partially tearing the muscle or tendon, which comes with a sudden shooting pain and even a popping noise.
When a hamstring is injured there is usually swelling and bruising, though the bruise can appear a little later. If the tear is severe enough, a hardened lump may appear on the hamstring and it will be tender to the touch.
Causes of hamstring injuries:
Why are do athletes and weekend warriors injure their hamstrings so often, while the same people may go though their whole lives without one single thigh injury?
One reason can be genetics, as some people are born with shorter hamstrings, or they grow too slow compared to the rest of their body when they are young.
But the hamstrings just tend to be less elastic than other muscles and weaker at the tendon connection. Overuse is another reason we injure our hamstrings, fatigue from exercising, or often we perform intensive athletic movements without properly warming up the muscles behind the leg. As we get older, we naturally lose some of our elasticity and range of motion, too.
Healing:
The healing process for hamstring injuries depends on the severity and type of the injury. A minor pull or strain may heal fully within a couple weeks, but more severe tears can take three months or more to heal.
The problem is that we shouldn’t use our hamstrings during the recovery period, but people often come back and start working out again too quickly, which can cause reinjury or chronic problems.
When you first feel a hamstring injury, you should remember the acronym “RICE”.
Rest:
You should avoid putting any weight on the leg and rest it as much as possible, even using crutches if necessary.
Ice:
As soon as possible, add ice to the injured area, wrapping it in a towel. Apply ice every two or three hours for the first couple days to help reduce pain and swelling.
Compression:
Wrapping the leg with a bandage will help minimize bleeding in the muscle and reduce swelling. A compression bandage or sleeve (though not too tight) will also protect you from strain as you walk around, avoiding reinjury.
Elevation:
Elevate the leg higher than the chest, which will help blood flow and also fluid to drain from the injury
As soon as it feels comfortable and pain free, you should start doing light stretching, warming up and working the hamstring. Keep stretching it during the recovery process but give a hamstring injury plenty of time to fully heal before exercising again, or else it is far more likely to happen again.
Prevention and protection:
So what can you do to prevent your hamstrings from being injured, and protect them after recovery?
Many hamstring injuries are brought on because we don’t properly warm up before exerting ourselves. Warming up brings blood and oxygen to the hamstrings, easing into their maximum flexibility. You should also work into sprints and other strenuous exercise slowly, paying attention to how your hamstrings and other muscles feel. If you feel any strain or tightness, slow down and stretch or warm up some more.
Swimming is a great exercise that stretches and strengths your hamstrings without the danger of injury, and running up stairs and doing lunges (when healthy) will strengthen them as well.
There are more specific stretches and exercises you can do to improve the flexibility and strength of your hamstrings and help prevent injuries. Email us and we’d be happy to share those.
How chiropractic treatment will help:
Just like anything in the fine-tuned system that is your body, hamstrings don’t exist and work in isolation. In fact, problems with the lower back or pelvis will increase the prevalence of hamstring injuries. If you have ongoing problems with your hamstrings or recurring strains, it’s time to check in with your chiropractor. We will examine your entire “kinetic chain” from your feet, knees, hamstrings, hips, pelvis, and lower back. We can also look at the biomechanics of how you run, exercise, or your posture at work or studying, which can all affect your propensity to injury your hamstrings.
Chiropractic adjustment and spinal manipulation can correct issues, increasing nerve stimulation in the hamstrings or injured areas, increasing strength, flexibility, and protecting them from getting injured in the future.
If you’d like more information about your hamstrings, sports injuries, or how chiropractic care can help, please get in touch!
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Feels more like a used car dealership than a medical practitioner. Does the same exact adjustments every visit. Doesn't remember what you need to... have... read moreread more
Dr. Casazza and his team have proved to be a highly professional and charismatic group. They have taken great care of me and supported me through my... ongoing... read moreread more
Feels more like a used car dealership than a medical practitioner. Does the same exact adjustments every visit. Doesn't remember what you need to... have... read moreread more
I have waited a bit to write a review so I can give my honest opinion. My daughter and I have been coming twice a week for 2 months now. All I can... say is... read moreread more
I have to start by saying I stumbled across Dr.Lance on a groupon and didn't know this groupon would save me from so much pain. Before coming to... Casazza... read moreread more
Dr. Casazza is thee Best! I was in a minor car accident recently and he has helped my back tremendously. He is also very knowledgeable and a joy to... be... read moreread more
After 10 years of hard labor work and driving long hours on the road my back and knees were in pain. From the initial consultation Dr. Lance took X... Rays and... read moreread more
Dr. Lance is exceptional! I've been a client of his for over 5 years and I recommend him to all my family and friends. He is also flexible and... willing to... read moreread more
I have been on a mission to improve my deadlift and squat for a few years now. That mission stalls out once or twice a year due to lower back pain... that... read moreread more
I been suffering from lower back pain for as long as I can remember all the doctors would just give me pills to "fix" the pain and nothing. Decided... to go a... read moreread more
Years ago I was in a lot of pain and was having trouble getting through my competitive CrossFit training. There were days In my late 20s I could... hardly tie... read moreread more
I was up in Sacramento for work for a couple of days and needed to be seen prior to having to drive a long way home 1 office staff was very... accommodating... read moreread more
Dr Lance A. Casazza is truly an amazing chiropractor. I was made to feel welcomed the moment I walked through the door. His office and employee... (Jackie)... read moreread more
I came in with a Groupon with very little knowledge about chiropractic medicine and severe back pain. I'm about half way through my treatment plan... and feel... read moreread more
When I came in for my initial consultation I was having excruciating lower back pain. I did not know how I would be able to continue my physically... demanding... read moreread more
I was Leary and nervous about getting adjusted and Dr. Casazza explained everything. I am able to get appointments around my schedule and his office... is... read moreread more
I want to start by saying I absolutely love this office and love the whole staff. Everyone is so friendly, kind, and welcoming. The girls up front... are... read moreread more
I have had issues with my lower back and hips for years and, for me, regular chiropractic care has provided the best relief. Being new to the area,... I... read moreread more
This is the best place to get the help you need. I am so grateful to Casazza Chiropractic. ... href="https://www.yelp.com/biz/casazza-chiropractic-sacramento?adjust_creative=2Ly18BxcvE3O0G8esXQfSw&hrid=1TyOB6FPNrbfhn9eH3i9Iw&utm_campaign=yelp_api_v3&utm_medium=api_v3_business_reviews&utm_source=2Ly18BxcvE3O0G8esXQfSw" target="_blank" rel="noopener">read moreread more
I stopped through here as a traveler looking for relief after five days of a headache and shoulder pain. The doctor told me I could tell him where my... pain... read moreread more
Best place ever, the front desk staff are extremely helpful, was there for back pain after an accident, and they got me the best care possible. Dr.... Casazza... read moreread more
Dr. Lance is awesome, can't say enough great things about him and his staff. I had prolonging pain in my left trap/neck for about 4 years... consistently and... read moreread more
I went into Dr. Casazza office after my car accident and boy did I make the right choice! Everyone was amazingly friendly and professional. I got my... first... read moreread more
I highly recommend choosing Dr. Casazza for your chiropractic care. I was familiar with the benefits of chiropractic care after an undergraduate... internship... read moreread more
This review is long overdue. I have been a patient of Dr. Casazza's for nearly 10 years. His office and whole staff are incredible. Friendly, funny... and... read moreread more
If you haven't been in to the office in awhile, we have a surprise for you: we've added a gym! Come check it out and meet our personal trainer, Dustin Stumpf.
Available for one-on-one training or group classes.
Casazza Chiropractic was voted Best Chiropractor in Sacramento by the Sacramento News & Review 3 years in a row!
US Cryotherapy
How we do it. Cold Shock Therapy™ stimulates skin sensors, activating the Central Nervous System. This causes a release of endorphins & accelerates recovery, while also elevating mood and energy.
Jan 26 2017
17 ways to finally build the life you love! (Part 2)
Whether you want to lose weight and get in better shape, improve relationships and find the love of your life, or just get that promotion at work and improve your finances, there is a specific formula for achieving the life you love!
In part one of this blog, we covered the first 8 ways to finally build a life you love. Here are the next 9:
9. Write down your goals
We ended part one of this blog by telling you how critical it is to set specific goals. The next important part of your goal setting is writing them down. It seems like a minor thing, but numerous studies show that the process of committing your goals to paper goes a long way towards actually reaching them.
In one case, a psychology professor at Dominican University in California, Dr. Gail Matthews, conducted a study on goal. She compared several test groups, breaking them down as:
Group 1 thought only about their goals but didn’t commit them to paper.
Group 2 thought about and wrote down their goals.
It went all the way up to Group 5, that not only wrote down their goals, but wrote down action steps they could take to reach them, shared their goals with a supportive friend, and finally, made weekly progress reports to that friend.
Her work concluded that Group 2 – who simply committed their goals to paper – was 42% more likely to achieve them than Group 1.
Incredible!
10. Have an accountability partner
In that same study, test Group 5 wrote down their goals but also action steps they could take to reach them, and then shared their goals with others, including a weekly progress report. Remarkably, that group achieved their goals at a 78% higher rate than Group 1 – who just set and thought about their goals.
The point is that if you REALLY want to get to the finish line with your goals, it’s paramount that you not only set them and write them down but share them with a trusted accountability partner, including periodic progress reports.
11. What can you control?
They say that about 99% of the things we worry, stress, and get anxious about never actually happen. While I don’t know if that statistic is accurate, the point is valid. If you want to achieve your goals in 2017 and beyond, focus only on what you can control, and then work towards and pursue those things. You’ll be amazed at how much time and energy you have, that you used to waste on things you can’t control.
12. Stop making excuses
We all have goals and dreams we’d love to reach in life, but too often, we find a way to create one excuse after another to discourage ourselves. I always tell my clients that making excuses is just your subconscious trying to negotiate a surrender before you’ve even tried. In fact, we’ve dedicated a whole blog to highlighting twenty of the most common excuses we make – and how to break through them for good!
13. Change your diet = change your life
It’s physiologically impossible to fill your body with garbage and poison (like processed foods, bad fats, empty carbs, sugar, toxins from pesticides, etc.) and NOT feel a long term negative effect. Honor the temple that is your body by eating a healthy, clean, natural diet, and you’ll sleep better, have way more energy, get sick less, think more clearly, be less stressed, and enjoy a whole host of other benefits that allow you to live the life you love!
14. Banish negative thoughts
You’ve probably been barraging yourself with negative self-talk and limiting beliefs your whole life, and embracing every failure while dismissing your victories. But there are ways to train your mind, just like you train your muscles, so with even the smallest step in the right direction or the first smallest victory, belief will grow from a seed into a tall tree.
15. Surround yourself with positive affirmations
Replace all of those negative, self-doubting thoughts with inspirational messages. Plaster photos, quotes, and reminders of your goals, dreams, and aspirations all over your bathroom mirror, your car, your desk, your home gym, on your phone, etc. as a constant reminder. Research shows that the mind can’t differentiate between real and imagined thoughts, so by filling your head with positive affirmations, you’ll be altering your physiology, outlook, and belief systems!
16. Take risks
There is nothing wrong with failure. In fact, we should embrace failure, because we can learn, grow, and get stronger from it. But there is something wrong with not trying new things or not adventuring out – and that choice lies entirely with you. So get in the practice of taking risks that get you out of your comfort zone and bring you closer to the life you want to live, regardless if they pay off or not. It will be so scary at first, but with discipline and practice, pretty soon you will be fearless!
17. Find your “WHY?”
Your WHY? is the overriding meaning you give to your life, your reason for existence that makes it all worth it. It’s what makes you go “Ahhhhh” and be at peace when you see a sunset or just lay your head on the pillow every night. Your WHY? can be to help others, provide for your family, your artwork, your legacy, or just a big goal that drives and motivates you. No matter what it is, keeping that big picture in mind will help you love the life you live, enjoying the journey along the way!
By Norm Schriever • Diet, Exercise, General Health News, Health and Wellness, Motivation • Tags: break through, inspiration, live the life you want, motivation, new years resolutions, personal coaching