Running Injuries – Rate of Discomfort While Running

It’s no secret that running is a popular form of exercise for many people around the world.

Whether it’s to stay in shape, relieve stress, or simply enjoy the great outdoors, running has numerous benefits for both physical and mental health.

However, what many runners may not realize is that discomfort or pain in the feet, ankles, or knees can be a common issue that should not be ignored.

According to the results from our recent Peak Performance Runner Assessment quiz, a staggering 100% of respondents reported experiencing discomfort or pain in their lower extremities while running.

This concerning statistic highlights the importance of addressing any pain or discomfort before it escalates into a more serious injury.

Pain in the feet, ankles, or knees while running can be caused by a variety of factors, including improper footwear, poor running form, overtraining, or underlying biomechanical issues.

Ignoring these warning signs can lead to chronic injuries that may sideline you from your favourite activity for weeks or even months.

To prevent and address pain in the lower extremities, it’s important to listen to your body, invest in proper running shoes, and consult with a healthcare professional or physical therapist if necessary.

Additionally, incorporating strength training exercises and cross-training activities into your routine can help improve muscle imbalances and prevent overuse injuries.

If you’re a runner experiencing discomfort or pain while running, don’t hesitate to take our Peak Performance Runner Assessment quiz to gain valuable insights into your running habits and potential areas for improvement.

By addressing any issues early on, you can continue to enjoy the many benefits of running while minimizing the risk of injury.

Take the quiz now at https://assessments.abbysan.com and start your journey towards pain-free running today.

Your body will thank you for it!

Pain-Free Productivity

workers looking for pain relief in Phuket

How to Achieve Pain Relief in Phuket’s Modern Offices

The modern office has become a breeding ground for stress and discomfort. If you’re one of the many workers in Phuket looking for pain relief, you are not alone. For office workers, these ailments often mean constant lower back aches, stiff necks, and tense shoulders.

Many experience frequent headaches and wrist pain. This discomfort leads to restlessness, decreased focus, and lower energy throughout the workday.

As our lives become increasingly sedentary, with extended hours hunched over desks, the impact on our bodies and minds is undeniable.

How can we maintain our health and well-being in an environment that seems designed to harm us?

In this blog post, we’ll explore practical strategies to combat office-related pain and stress, including stretching routines and holistic approaches to wellness that will revolutionise your work life and boost your overall well-being.

When your desk becomes the enemy.

You’re not alone if you’re struggling with chronic pain at your office job in Phuket.

We know many of us in Thailand’s growing workforce face this challenge daily.

Whether in a high-rise in Phuket Town or a beachside co-working space, you might find yourself wincing at your desk more often than you’d like.

While we don’t have exact numbers, we see it all around us – colleagues massaging sore shoulders, friends complaining of constant backaches, or you finding it hard to focus due to persistent discomfort.

As more of us move into office-based careers, we must address this to keep our workforce healthy and productive.

Your pain matters, and together, we can work towards finding solutions.

Low back pain (LBP) stands out as the leading cause of disability worldwide, affecting people of all ages but peaking between 50-55 years.

Women seem to bear the brunt of this condition more frequently than men, with the impact intensifying as we age.

What makes office-related pain particularly sinister is its tendency to recur.

After an initial episode of back pain, up to two-thirds of individuals may experience a recurrence within a year.

By recognizing the impact of prolonged sitting, poor posture, and the stressful office environment on our bodies,

we can take proactive steps to prevent and manage chronic pain, ensuring that we maintain our health and productivity well into our careers.

How to Maintain Good Posture Throughout the Day

Understanding the root causes of your discomfort is crucial in finding practical solutions for lower back pain relief.

Proper posture is your first line of defence against office-related chronic pain.

Here are some tips to help you maintain good posture throughout your workday:

Sit Smart: Keep your feet flat on the floor, knees at a 90-degree angle, and your back supported against the chair. Your computer screen should be at eye level to prevent neck strain.

Stretch Regularly: Incorporate simple office stretches into your routine. Stand up hourly and do gentle back stretches or neck rolls to relieve tension.

Strengthen Your Core: Engage in exercises that improve your core strength, such as planks or gentle yoga poses. A strong core naturally supports better posture.

Use Ergonomic Tools: If you have lower back pain, consider using a back stretcher or invest in an ergonomic chair to support proper alignment.

Targeting Common Problem Areas

At Abbysan, we understand that office-related pain can manifest in various body parts.

Our approach combines elements of yoga, Pilates, corrective exercises, and kinesiotherapy to effectively target specific problem areas.

Here’s how we address some of the most common issues:

Neck and Shoulder Pain Relief

To alleviate neck and shoulder pain, we recommend a series of exercises designed to improve flexibility, strength, and posture. Some of these are:

Towel Trapezius Release: Lie on a rolled towel under your upper back to relax tense muscles.
Thoracic Rotation: Twist your upper body while seated to improve spine mobility.
Resisted Shoulder External Rotation: A resistance band strengthens rotator cuff muscles.
Neck Rotation: Gently turn your head side to side to increase neck flexibility.
Squat Spine Twist: Combine a squat with a torso twist to engage multiple muscle groups.

These exercises work by releasing tension in overworked muscles, improving blood flow, and promoting better alignment of the cervical and thoracic spine.

Lower Back Pain Solutions

You know that nagging ache in your lower back that seems to follow you everywhere?

The one that intensifies after hours at your desk or suddenly strikes when you stand up?

We’ve been there and understand how it can drain your energy and dampen your mood throughout the day.

Lower back pain can vary depending on your position. Here are our recommendations:

Lower Back Pain While Sitting: Maintain a slight inward curve in your lower back, keep your feet flat, and avoid rotation-heavy sports. Try Hamstring-Calf Stretch, Hip Hinges, and Superman exercises.
Lower Back Aches While Standing: Stand evenly, engage your core, and avoid swaying. If needed, lean against a wall or contract your abs to reduce your lumbar curve.
Lower Back Pain During Movement: Practice proper techniques for turning in bed, standing up, sitting down, climbing stairs, and walking with engaged core muscles.

Yoga can soothe your office aches.

Incorporating yoga into your workday can help prevent back pain, relieve neck and shoulder pain, and improve overall well-being.

Yoga offers a holistic approach to combating the harmful effects of prolonged sitting and workplace stress.

Abbysan: Your Yoga Destination in Phuket

Here at Abbysan, we recognise that each person’s path to wellness is distinct.

Our approach begins with a detailed one-on-one assessment by Dr. Abhishek, who examines your posture, discusses your goals, and identifies any physical challenges you face.

Reach out to us by clicking the link below.

Book a Free Posture & Movement Analysis with Dr. Abhishek

This allows us to craft a tailored plan that addresses your needs, whether battling chronic pain or seeking overall well-being improvement.

Don’t let office work dictate your health.

Take control of your well-being today.

Visit Abbysan and discover how our holistic approach to pain relief in Phuket can revolutionise your work life and overall health.

What sets Abbysan apart

Alignment-based, breath-oriented yoga classes supporting active aging.
Pilates classes for everyday readiness and posture restoration.
Personal consultations for customized wellness plans.
Targeted pain relief therapy sessions.

References

https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/72/wr/mm7215a1.htm

https://www.iasp-pain.org/resources/fact-sheets/back-pain-in-the-workplace/

https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/low-back-pain

https://www.sleep.com/sleep-health/morning-yoga-stretches

3 Stages Will Ensure Great Experience in Your First Yoga Class

Yoga is done barefoot and on a mat. You will occasionally see people with some kind of sock or shoe, but it’s usually due to an injury or medical condition.
Yoga is practiced with comfortable clothing that are not overly loose. Pants: Any comfortable exercise pants or shorts will do. No Jeans. Tops: A shirt that is a little bit fitted works best. A big baggy t-shirt is not great since it will probably slide down every time you bend over.
Bowel and Bladder must be empty for your yoga practice. It’s best not to eat anything right before a yoga class. When you start moving, everything gets churned up and you may start to feel sick if your stomach is too full.
Consume the food that provides energy. You can have either a cup of fruits, a banana, cup of milk, yogurt, or oatmeals an hour or two before class.
Self Warm up will prepare your for any yoga class in the studio. Most of the classes we offer includes warm ups. If you are early for the class, [try these warm-up poses], they will make you look like you know what you’re doing. You can also just lie on your back or sit cross legged on your mat. This makes you look serene.
Stay hydrated. Drink platy of water one day before attending your first yoga class.

BEFORE YOUR FIRST CLASS

Look and Listen: When you are first learning the poses, it’s ok to glance around the room to see what everyone else is doing, but look to the teacher for your primary instruction. Also, listen for his/her verbal cues as she describes how to do the poses.
Alignment: Keep an eye on the teachers alignment instructions. That’s the precise way that the body lines up in each posture. Good alignment is very important to maximise each pose’s benefits and minimise the chance of injury.
Hold: In the beginning, the postures should not be held longer then a few seconds. Gradually the length may be increased as your teacher see it appropriate.
Be Positive and Optimistic: Don’t feel bad if you teacher corrects your postures. Hands-on instruction is the best way to learn good form. Stay light-hearted and keep your sense of humour. Laugh if you fall out of a pose, smile when things get difficult. Enjoy yourself.
Ask if you don’t understand: Perhaps the most important tip is to always ask questions when you don’t understand something.
Final Relaxation: Every yoga class ends with the total relaxation of the body for 5-15 minutes. Try not to skip this. During the relaxation, peacefully bask in the joy, warmth, and Inturnedness of your being. This is a great way to start or end your day, what so ever the case may be.

AFTER YOUR FIRST CLASS

Rehydrate: Remember to drink minimum four 8-ounce glasses of water over next 12-24 hrs after your yoga practice. This habit will purify your body and drastically minimise the muscle soreness.
Always Ask Questions: If it’s about yoga culture or etiquette, the existing clients and more experienced students are almost always happy to share. Questions about specific physical postures are best directed toward your teacher, either during or after class.

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The best yoga in Phuket Thailand

Where is the best yoga in Phuket, Thailand?

To answer that question, you must first understand why you need yoga and which yoga class and style are best for your body.

So, really, you need to answer: “Where is the best yoga in Phuket Thailand, for me?”

For example, if you have chronic back pain, going to Ashtanga yoga or Vinyasa classes will only increase the symptoms. Instead, it’s recommended that you join alignment-based hatha yoga, which includes breathwork.

Where is The Best Yoga In Phuket, Thailand For Me?

Choosing the right yoga can significantly help alleviate chronic back pain, but selecting the wrong type can worsen your condition.

The key is not yoga but understanding your body’s specific needs.

Proper assessment and personalised yoga class plan are essential to address chronic back pain effectively.

At Abbysan Yoga & Wellness Center, we specialise in assessing, diagnosing, and treating back pain through customised yoga practices.

THE BREATHWORK IS YOUR LIFE SUPPORT

Back pain often results from improper handling of different body segments.

For example, most men consistently train their upper body in the gym to develop more muscular and heavier arms.

This adds extra load on the upper spine, leading to kyphosis.

This condition causes the thoracic cage to move in a way that limits breathing during rest.

Over time, the activity of the primary respiratory muscles reduces, making them weak.

Consequently, the secondary respiratory muscles assist with breathing, further straining the respiratory system.

Strengthening the primary respiratory muscles can help improve breathing efficiency and alleviate some extra load on the upper spine, potentially reducing back pain.

The Best Yoga Classes In Phuket For Chronic Back Pain

Choosing the right yoga class or style depends on your body structure, current health condition and needs, and forthcoming desires and goals.

To find the best yoga practice for you, look for a yoga studio or yoga sala in Phuket that understands how to assist you based on your posture and body type.

The most beneficial yoga classes focus on teaching proper alignment and breathing techniques rather than experimenting with unnecessary new trends.

You need personalised yoga sessions that cater to your specific needs in private or group classes.

The best yoga for you is the one you can commit to regularly or the one you can do consistently, even by yourself.

And that’s precisely what we offer.

Why choose Abbysan Yoga and Wellness Center?

At Abyssan Yoga and Wellness Center, our yoga classes are structured to improve your current posture, body movements, and overall well-being.

We will help you achieve that through:

Personalised Assessment

Class Recommendation or offer comprehensive yoga plans based on our evaluation.

Ongoing support and monitoring, adjusting plans, and teaching you self-management techniques.

We identify which body parts are overly mobile and stiff, ensuring a tailored approach to your condition.

This comprehensive diagnosis is crucial for selecting the best yoga practice for you.

We believe in empowering you to manage your back pain independently.

With our step-by-step plan, you can gradually move out of pain without needing intense workouts or advanced yoga positions.

And you will also gain more energy to do the things you’ve always put off.

The Best Yoga Class To Do In Phuket

When searching for the best yoga studio in Phuket, we often see that people follow the recommendations or at least try it to find out if it is safe, convenient, and reasonably priced.

Suppose you are suffering from a Yoga injury or are recommended by your physician to do yoga for injury or chronic pain.

In that case, you must search for the best yoga studio in Phuket that also offers private yoga, full body analysis, and movement assessments and operates with a team of experienced instructors with medical backgrounds, like here at Abbysan.

But what if you don’t have back pain?

If you’re not experiencing any back pain, that’s great!

However, it’s important to remember that yoga involves moving your body in a certain way.

Your body is quite adaptable and will always find a way to complete a task, but if you’re not aware of your default posture before starting yoga class, you might rely on your most flexible or weakest areas to perform certain moves. This could lead to unintended damage to soft tissues.

The pain sensation results from chemical reactions to an injury and nerve signals sent to the brain in response to stress.

Starting with a full body and movement analysis is wise, regardless of whether you have pain.

Consider including our 12-lesson series to help your body prepare for the best yoga experience in Phuket.

best yoga in phuket

Real Cause Of Sports Injuries

The answer to a fit and balanced body is definitely not found in sports. Sure, sports are fun, have some health benefits, and get us outdoors. Some are good for us. But to consider starting a sport to have a fit and well-balanced body is not the best option. Sports do not get us in shape; they actually get us out of shape.

The problem with most sports is that they develop tight muscles and create imbalances, either because of uneven use of muscle groups or because of uneven use of one side of the body.

Imbalances in Running and Tennis

Let’s take running for example. Sure, it is great for the cardiovascular system. But it dramatically tightens the muscles at the back of the legs. And besides this, it has no effect on most other muscles of the body. This intense shortening or disproportionate strengthening results in major muscular and structural imbalances.

Tennis is a game of repetition, and it creates a lot of strength and flexibility imbalances throughout the entire body, imbalances that could lead to injuries if not corrected. First of all, the player gets stronger in his dominant side and by always hitting the ball with the same hand. All parts of the body are linked together in a kinetic chain, and when one single part of this entire system does not work properly, it can create imbalances throughout the entire body and injuries on muscles that need to take abnormal loads.

Long Term Side Effects

The harder you train, the tighter your muscles will become, and this applies to most sports. Sure, there are some benefits to this as well. You will initially lose a few pounds, burn some fat, add some muscle mass and feel great about yourself. The problems appear over the long term when imbalances are created (unless you do something about this).

Muscle tightness or imbalances are bad, but they are not that bad. Some people can live with them for their whole life, not even realizing what the problem is. The real problem is when these imbalances lead to major injuries. Then you will have to quit working out completely or to switch to a different activity and start it all over from scratch, losing all of the progress you made to this point.

But switching to a different sport or activity will not solve the problem, and will eventually lead to the same injury again. We already discussed more about this in a previous article, and the solution lies in Yoga and Pilates.

Imbalances Lead to Injuries

Invariably, a lack of awareness about existing imbalances and the need for total fitness training is what leads to injuries. All injuries in sports are caused by structural and muscular imbalances, and we are not talking here about the obvious cases where you fall of the bike, you trip over a rock or the hockey puck hits you in the head.

If you start a training program with an existing imbalance that may have developed over the years from poor posture, an old injury or genetic bad luck, it will make its presence known at one point during training. The same thing is true when developing muscular and structural imbalance as a result of training.

Unfortunately, old-fashioned stretching is not something that most people like to do or have time for. And then, they slowly have to witness their bodies getting tighter and tighter. They eventually recall their pre-training days when they were free of muscle tightness and they were still able to touch their toes.

In the morning they barely crawl from bed to a hot shower, to their training clothes, and maybe also take an aspirin or two on the way. Then they wander through the city in search of chiropractors, physical therapists and orthopedists.

The Solution

Once injured, you will have to go through a lot of re-patterning, body tissue adaptations and changes in muscle length and strength ratios. If you got injured 1 year ago and didn’t do any rehabilitation, then the recovery will also take 1 year or more. It’s the same with weight loss. If you gained a lot of weight over the course of 2 years, it will also take around 2 years of eating healthy and working out in order to get back in great shape.

No matter the type of muscle imbalance or tightness you have, we can help you get back to normal through our Yoga and Pilates programs. We have many years of experience, helping both professional athletes and regular people. We offer a wide variety of methods and classes that can help relieve stress, treat certain medical conditions, rehabilitate after injuries, have more mobility and a better posture. Check our website for more info and contact us today! The staff at the Abbysan Center will gladly assist you!

Why Cross Training Is Not The Ultimate Solutions For Sporty’s

Most people these days are working in offices, sitting all day long on a chair and putting their backs in strange positions and under a lot of pressure. Some of them then go to a gym, and because of a lack of knowledge and a personal trainer to supervise them, they perform various exercises with a bad form. This way they put even more pressure on their back and create even worse imbalances.

Then, they might get injured, and looking for solutions they decide to try a different sport, thinking that this will make the pain or the imbalance go away. They try a different activity that involves different muscles, leaving the injured muscles involved in the primary sport to rest and heal. They think like this: “Since I can’t do bodybuilding anymore, then I’ll do Cross Fit. Since I can’t run anymore, then maybe I can bike or skate or swim”.

Sure, it’s great to try new activities and always be active. But changing the sport is not the solution and will not heal the imbalances or the pain. Even though it may help to counter the effects of sport specificity (training at only one sport), it is not the complete answer to injury prevention, injury rehabilitation, and balanced training. And there are two main reasons for that:

First of all, stopping a certain sport or activity does not fix the imbalance that was created or been aggravated by that activity. Sure, you will feel a bit better. But when you will start that activity again, the same imbalance will cause the same injury over and over again. The tightness will still be there.

The muscles don’t get longer by themselves (unless you do specific stretches and protocols). If you ran track in your high school years and now you are forty and haven’t run a day ever since your muscles are as tight as they were on the day you stopped running.

Of course that you lost your fitness and strength, but unless you have done something about it, the muscles are exactly the same length as they were in high school. Some people go through their entire life with muscle imbalances and tightness, not even realizing they have a problem or not knowing what the problem is. And in case you had an injury because of that tightness, if you decide to start running again, the same injury will return like a ghost to haunt you.

To better understand this concept, let’s take this example: you go over a big pothole with your car, which knocks the front end out of alignment. You keep on going not realizing there is a problem, and then one of the tires gets thinner until it completely breaks.

You then get a flat tire and stop in order to replace it. But as you start to drive again with the car still not aligned, the new tire will begin to wear in the exact same place, eventually breaking up again.

Lots of people got injured, took a break, then resumed the activity and developed the same injury again. So what should you do in this case? You need to fix the muscle imbalances and structural irregularities first, before starting the activity again.

There are plenty of ways to do that, and we are here to help! And we not only work with athletes or sports enthusiasts, but we also work with moms and regular people with various conditions. For example, a mom might have carried their baby on one hip for two years, and now she started running and she has knee problems. She now needs to have another baby and carry him on the other hip, or she can get our treatment services that will heal the imbalance.

The second reason is that no sport perfectly balances and complements any other in strict biomechanical terms. Some sports do go well with one another, for example, cross-country skiing and distance running, while others don’t go so well (for example basketball and running).

Some sports have a good direct muscular crossover effect (for example rollerblading and cycling or climbing and kayaking), while others have little muscular crossover effect, like cycling and running. Besides this, most people hate to shift exercising priorities to the point of letting go of the level of achievement they worked so hard to reach.

Our center provides Yoga and Pilates Classes, as well as custom therapy designed to cure imbalances, realign, build power and flexibility. Contact Us today and tell us more about what is bothering you.

Why High-Intensity Workouts Are Not Great For Weight Loss

Many people are claiming most forms of cardio and working out are a waste of time and that the best way to lose fat is to do super intense HIIT workouts, group training or cross fit. As you are about to find out, this is not necessarily true. The weight loss effects of HIIT have been over-exaggerated, and there are other better ways to lose weight and get in shape.

It’s true that HIIT workouts have health benefits and can improve various markers of cardio-metabolic health, but they are not as effective for weight loss as some people like to think.

Exercise Is Not That Effective for Weight Loss In General

A study looked at 493 other studies made in the last 25 years on diet and exercise, and found out that exercise provides a very slight edge compared to dieting alone. Over the course of 15 weeks, aerobic exercises alone provided a weight loss of around 7 lbs., dieting alone provided around 18 lbs., while dieting and exercise combined resulted in an average of 20 lbs. of weight loss.

That’s just 3 lbs. extra compared to dieting alone. And for those 3 extra pounds, you would have to work out really hard, to sweat and give all your effort, to invest time and money, to stress your body and put pressure on your joints.

Also, a part of the Heritage Family Study tracked more than 500 men and woman during a 20-week exercise program. What they found out after 60 intense workouts were that the subjects lost just around 2 lbs., showing that aerobic exercise is not a major factor in weight loss.

HIIT

But let’s get back to HIIT. People are claiming that it is so effective because of its “afterburn effect”, which claims that your body is still burning calories even after the workout is over. This is true but to a very small extent. The rumors about that magical afterburn effect have been way exaggerated.

This study showed that HIIT gives an extra caloric expenditure of around 226 calories, which were burned during and immediately after exercising, but having no impact on resting metabolism 23 hours after the workout. Comparing this to 45 minutes of steady cardio which burns around 700 calories (519 during the workout and 190 after it had finished), doesn’t make HIIT that great for weight loss.

A meta-analysis of the Australian scientists examined multiple studies and concluded that there is no evidence to support that HIIT is more effective for burning body fat, nor is steady-state cardio.

More Reasons To Avoid High-Intensity Workouts

Here are a few other reasons why high-intensity workouts, group classes, cross fit or boot camp style workouts are not that effective for weight loss:

The workouts are making people hungrier, and since most of them are already obese, it means they do not have a proper diet. So high-intensity workouts only make them eat more of the junk food that made them fat in the first place

Most classes do not properly train all participants on how to correctly perform all of the exercises. Usually, there is only one trainer that teaches in front of 30 people, so they don’t get the chance to personally adjust the execution of each participant. This leads to bad movement patterns on top of the dysfunctional patterns people already have from sitting all day long

Such intense workouts make participants feel exhausted instead of being fresh and energetic

If people do not get enough sleep, not only they will not lose weight, but they will feel tired the next day. And in search of more energy, they will turn to sugar and other junk food that will make them gain weight instead of losing it

These workouts are great for getting you pumped and hyped up, but they do not relax you mentally in order to reduce cortisol. This hormone plays a huge role in weight loss

What To Do Instead?

As multiple studies have shown it, the single best way to lose weight is through dieting. There are lots of diets out there, but they are all based on the same principle: a caloric deficit.

We suggest to start with detox and then to follow a healthy diet that includes plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables and is not an extreme one focused on heavily restricting certain foods or macronutrients.

We also recommend taking classes that will help you relax and get rid of daily stress. When you are on a diet you are even more stressed than usual, so classes like Yoga and Pilates can help you a lot.

Our 30-day jump start program includes unlimited Yoga, Pilates & Exercise classes, posture screening, and body metrics, a 30-minute goal setting and strategy session, as well as a personalized class calendar to achieve your personal goals. Our experts are here to change your life! Click here to find out more.

Pelvic Floor – The Base Of Your Core

Your body is a majestic work of art. Different concepts and ideas have been morphed together to create symmetry and functional physics so you can do all sorts of things. You have a number of nerves, vessels, muscles and bones carefully put together to perform certain functions.

Most parts of the human body show symmetry and this is mirrored in different parts like eyes, ears, arms etc. The hip bone also shows symmetry. What most people do not know is that we have two hip bones that are fused together. Now, imagine this, your conjoined hip bone is like a bowl or a vase with its bottom cut. So naturally, a vase needs some sort of base to hold all of the beautiful flowers it contains. That’s where the pelvic floor comes in.

What is the pelvic floor?

The pelvic floor is literally a floor for the pelvis (the lower part of the torso between the abdomen and the legs). It is made up of a group of muscles, arranged in layers, that stretches out like a hammock attached to the symphysis pubis (the place where two hip bones join in the front) and the coccyx (the tail bone that is considered the very end of the spine, and is present at the back).

Where is the pelvic floor?

The pelvic floor is present at the bottom of the pelvis (the area between the abdomen and the legs). To get a general idea, your pelvic floor has holes for your anus and urethra to pass through. So now, you can imagine where your pelvic floor is.

What is the importance of pelvic floor?

This hammock of muscles acts to support all the pelvic organs like the bladder, womb (uterus) and bowel (colon). These organs have openings to the outside of the body through tubes, namely, urethra, vagina and anus. The urethra (present in the front most from where you pee), the vagina (present in the middle of urethra and anus) and the anus (present at the back from where you poop) all pass through the pelvic floor muscles. So every time these pelvic floor muscles contract, it would tighten the tubes and every time the pelvic floor muscles relax, it would loosen the tubes. In this way, the pelvic floor muscles can be held responsible for regulating micturation (the process of passing urine), sexual activity, and defecation (the process of eliminating feces/ poop from the body). Therefore, the dual role of the pelvic floor is to provide support for the pelvic viscera (bladder, bowel and uterus) and maintain the functional integrity of these organs. Hence, it is necessary to keep your pelvic floor muscles strong.

The pelvic floor can be activated along with the surrounding muscles in association with the body and lumbopelvic posture as well as sitting posture. In patients with incontinence, urine usually leaks out in the standing position as a result of gravity and pressure from the pelvic organs on the musculofascial supportive structures. Learning to activate the pelvic floor can be helpful in patients of incontinence.

In addition, it was detected that the pelvic floor muscles showed a feed-forward response during arm and leg lifts in women, according to research in Sweden. This was especially evident in women who had previously given birth and were without lumbopelvic pain. These normal speed movements set off an electromyographic response for pelvic floor muscles.

Due to the constant burden on pelvic floor muscles, with the added effect of pregnancy and labor in women, the pelvic floor can become weakened or lax with age. Since the pelvic floor supports various organs, continuous pressure or an increase thereof can lead to prolapse.

What are some methods or techniques to activate the pelvic floor?

The muscles of the pelvic floor are so out of tune with our body that we may not know how to control them. To relearn how we can control the different types of muscles in that area is called activation of the pelvic floor.

The first thing on the checklist is knowing which muscle is which. This can be done by squatting and trying to tighten all those different tubes. This would help in recognizing the muscles. Try to stop midstream when urinating. Remember, do not tighten your buttocks. Squeeze and draw in the muscles around your anus and your vagina at the same time while lifting them up inside as if you are trying to suck in water inside them. Make sure you are breathing correctly. You should have a sense of lift each time you squeeze your pelvic floor muscles, trying to hold them strong and tight all the while counting to 8. Now, let the muscles go and relax, just like your thighs. You should have a distinct feeling of letting go of ad relaxation.

It is best to rest for about 8 seconds in between each lift up of the muscles. Of course, it is possible that you cannot hold for 8. In this case, just hold for as long as you can.

Repeat this “squeeze and lift” as many times as you can, up to a limit of 8 to 12 squeezes.

Try to do three repetitions of 8 to 12 squeezes each, with a rest in between.

Do this whole training plan (three sets of 8 to 12 squeezes) each day while lying down, sitting or standing.

What is the cause of pelvic floor weakness?

Muscles of the pelvic floor are most often not used voluntarily but they play quite a role involuntarily when we shift all of our stress to this area. You see, every time we are faced with a stressful situation, the muscles of the pelvic floor clench themselves. This constant state of clenching hinders the power of the muscles to perform well as they might not contract and be stuck in their contracted state.

This lack of control of pelvic floor muscles leads to a lack of control of other important bodily functions like micturation, defecation, sexual activity, et cetera.

What is the relationship of the pelvic floor with latent energy and Kundalini?

All the negative energy from stress situations is gathered in the pelvic floor. This collection of energy must be released in order to maintain a balance. Different postural variations in exercise and yoga play an important role in stress release. Kundalini energy is a term used to refer to this energy that is locked in the Mula banda (pelvic region). This area is best stimulated while strategically contracting and relaxing the pelvic floor in coordination with your breathing and contraction and relaxation of other muscles of the body. Repeatedly exercising for a good five minutes will result in shifting of this energy upward and outside the body.

What is the relationship of the pelvic floor and breathing?

The pelvic floor is depressed downwards when we breathe in. This is because the air that enters the lungs puts pressure on the diaphragm. The diaphragm pushes on the organs below and the pressure is transmitted via the pelvic organs to the pelvic floor. It is said that while breathing in, the pelvic floor must not be contracted, so as not to squash the pelvic organs. To the pelvic floor should be relaxed. Whereas when breathing out, there is no positive pressure on either the pelvic floor or the organs, so, the floor can be contracted now.

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How to Prevent Injury During Distance Running Training

How to prevent Injury during Distance Running Training

The risk of injury in distance running increases as severe and sudden changes made in the training schedule, it could be a sudden increase in the number of days in a week you are to train. Almost all runners battle with one or more injuries each year. Every runner has a different mental and physical condition. A good coach that will help evaluates factors in detail that influences a training program should be hired, contribute to set up a training program depending on the runner’s mix.

Aiming to get an effective and safe system? Then Jack Daniels principles of training listed below can serve.

Knowledge of your training necessities

Since what works perfectly for one might not work for another, you always have to keep in mind the purpose of the training session and specific needs to achieve the goal.

Setting your own pace

Copying the current, and previous champion’s approach to training doesn’t always work, but can be used to support your training program. Challenge yourself with training on the foundation of scientific principles. “When you hear about a new approach to training, don’t just try to copy it rather try to analyze it,” says Jack Daniels. Know the benefits to your body’s system.

Do not follow all publicly released athlete’s training, because to gain recognition, some runners lie about their training schedule and even in the training log to give people the impression that their training is demanding.

Another risk of following previous champions, training is the difference in body type. According to Jack Daniels, know your type of body, your strengths, and weaknesses, be true to yourself regarding your abilities, try to learn what works for you, why it works for you, and why you are considering trying something new in your approach. Before you follow a suggested workout, know your present fitness level, experience level, and goals.

The following sets of questions are adapted from “Jack Daniels,” and will help in evaluating an athlete’s training needs. In the process of your distance running training, you must ask yourself this list of questions:

What is your present fitness level? Are you ready to train and compete?

How much time in a week(s) are you available for a season’s best performance?

How many hours in a day, days in a week will you be available for training?

What are your pros and cons, as regards speed, endurance, aerobic capacity, economy, and reaction to different amounts of running?

What training type do you prefer? To what training-type do you respond well too psychologically? What specific event are you preparing for?

How should periodic races fit into the training program?

What are the environmental conditions of the distance running competition?

Injury is less about damaged tissues and more about your sensitivity and irritation. Addition of weight lifting and jump to your training could help reduce injuries. Try not to go overboard during workouts as this may increase the risk of injury. After the marathon, allow your body to rest for a week or two before setting another goal.

evaluates factor injury Running Training strengths weaknesses