Bedside Exercise
No time for the gym? Try these!
No time for the gym? Try these!
Runners and non runners alike will likely have heard of this condition. Plantar fasciitis (PF) is a common affliction in runners between 35-55 years of age.
It presents as pain or burning in the foot and heel, and can be especially bad for those first few steps in the morning. It can be very limiting to the training program of beginner and experienced runners.
Most people are aware of the fact that the structure of the foot can cause foot pain and many have gait (manner of walking) analysis, foot assessment and orthotics made, but what about other causes that come from above the foot, higher up the chain?
Hong Kong Marathon 2011 at Lockhart Road by Ceeseven – Own work. Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons.
Does your daily routine including taking a glucosamine supplement?
Recent studies suggest you might be wasting your money.
Glucosamine is an amino monosaccharide (sugar) made within the body and found in numerous tissues including the kidneys, liver and cartilage. It is a common diet supplement, widely used for osteoarthritis, joint pain and soft tissue injuries due to the belief it promotes cartilage repair. However, there are no reputable studies that explain how glucosamine works in the body. While advocates of glucosamine report a reduction in pain and swelling, quicker soft-tissue healing and prophylactic protection against damage to cartilage, we do not know exactly how glucosamine works these wonders.
In fact, recent studies are finding the popular supplement may in reality have no effect at all.
For example, a 2005 Canadian study found that when patients, who were taking glucosamine for knee osteoarthritis and reporting at least moderate relief of pain, had no difference in outcome when they were switched to a placebo.
Studies out of Belgium suggest that although glucosamine is easily absorbed by the body, recommended treatment doses (for example, 1,500 mg/day) barely reach the required therapeutic concentration in plasma and tissue.
The authoratative NICE – National Institute for Health and Care Excellence who provides guidelines for the National Health Service (NHS) in the UK has also taken glucosamine off the list of recommendations for the management of Osteoarthritis.
Another supplement which may be more beneficial, better researched and proven is fish oil, which has a natural anti-inflammatory effect.
Your money may be better spent on this instead.
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References:
Henrotin et al (2012). Is there any scientific evidence for the use of glucosamine in the management of human osteoarthritis? Arthritis Research & Therapy 2012, 14:201. http://arthritis-research.com/content/14/1/201
Juni et al (2010). Effects of glucosamine, chondroitin, or placebo in patients with osteoarthritis of hip or knee: network meta-analysis. BMJ 2010;341:c4675
Photo Credit: gerbisson via Flickr creative commons
Running injuries usually occur when the in-built suspension mechanism of the lower limb has been compromised.
Running itself relies on a complex interaction between many different joints of your body. To make it simpler, we will focus on just the lower limb. Just take a moment and guess the number of foot bones that are involved in running?
Let’s take a guess, 10, 20, 30?
There are 26 bones and 33 joints. That is just in the foot alone. These go up to 33 bones and 39 joints if we stop counting at the pelvic area.
These bones and joints work together to allow us to run and walk upright in many different terrains or surfaces. From flat surfaces to rocky surfaces whilst being perched on 2 sticks (legs), essentially a top heavy humpty dumpty.
How do we accomplish this? Your body has developed joints to buffer and accommodate these changes in weight bearing like a car suspension – your ankles, knees and hips are effectively that.
Why do we have that many foot and ankles bones? They are to give stress forces a break so that we can resolve and accommodate the ground tension and our body weight plus gravity.
Runner’s injuries are usually caused by these buffering/ shock absorption zones of the lower limb not functioning.
Exercise is a fantastic way to alleviate stress and maintain a healthy lifestyle. It can also be great for making new friends and sweating out toxins, but how much is too much? When you use your muscles intensively what you are actually doing is causing microtears in the fibres, these tears require adequate time to heal. Over training occurs when there is too much overload and not enough recovery.
Symptoms of Over Training
It is important to rest for 1-2 days a week to allow your body to replenish energy and repair damaged tissue for the next training session. A rest day may include some light activity such as a short walk or gentle swim as well as some well balanced meals which include protein to aid in tissue repair.
Enjoy your rest and look forward to the next session.
[author] [author_image timthumb=’on’]https://www.cityosteopathy.com.hk/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/janecropped1.jpg[/author_image] [author_info]Jane is a registerd Osteopath from Australia and has worked as a trainer with various Australian Football Teams and Life Surfing Clubs. She has extensive experience in sports injuries and postural issues.[/author_info] [/author]
Open Day Workshop Saturday 25 April 2015
Surrounded by so many beautiful trails in Hong Kong, it is unsurprising that running is one of our most popular sport in the city.
Most running injuries can be easily prevented if we learn a little about the anatomy of running. Type of running shoes, posture, how we run and our flexibility can all have a profound effect on our gait.
Ben will be discussing these and some of the common running injuries he sees in the practice and how they can be easily prevented with a simple 8 step stretching routine.
[author] [author_image timthumb=’on’]https://www.cityosteopathy.com.hk/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/20130823-66-5-BEN-cropped.jpg[/author_image] [author_info]Ben is a Registered Osteopath in Australia, practicing in Hong Kong. Being a keen runner himself, Ben has been able to stay (mostly) injury free by applying his knowledge in biomechanics and osteopathy. [/author_info] [/author]
