Anxiety reduction & massage?

It’s that time of year again when lots of you will be hoping for new gadget's for Christmas, maybe a new smartphone?, maybe a new tablet? maybe both? [...]

I know those of you that have had a muscle cramp or spasm may be fearful of it reoccurring. So I know what to explore some of the contributing factors to muscle cramps. The aim of this is by minimising the contributing factors you will reduce the likely hood of getting muscle cramps. Dehydration Muscle cramps commonly coincide with dehydration. So good hydration before, during and after exercise is important, especially if the exercise exceeds one hour. So how much should you drink? Hydration guidelines are personal but the goal is to prevent excessive weight loss i.e. >2% of body weight. You can weigh yourself before and after exercise to see how much fluid you have lost through sweat. One litre of water weight 2.25 pounds. Depending upon on the amount of exercise, temperature, humidity, body weight and other factors you can loose anywhere from 0.4 to 1.8 litres per hour. A good rule of thumb is to always drink enough fluids so that your urine is clear, pale yellow & copious. Electrolytes Sodium & potassium are the major components of sweat. So anyone who exercises hard for more than four hours in heat such as marathon runners, triathletes, tennis players etc should replace the lost electrolytes. While a lack of sodium and potassium may contribute to muscle cramps, it should be noted that a potassium deficiency is unlikely as your body contains more potassium than even a marathon runner might lose during a hot, sweaty race. However you can rule out this as an issue by eating potassium rich foods such as bananas and oranges on a daily basis.   Replacing the sodium lost during sweaty exercise is vital and this can be done by having an endurance sport drink or a salty snack.

The hamstrings play a crucial role in many daily activities, such as, walking, running, jumping, and controlling some movement in the trunk. In walking, they are most important as an antagonist to the quadriceps in the deceleration of knee extension Most low back pain and sciatica problems will benefit from a regular routine of hamstring stretching. Tightness in the hamstrings places increased stress on the low back and often aggravates or even causes some of the conditions that lead to low back pain and/or sciatica pain. The hamstrings are a group of three muscles (Biceps Femoris, Semitendinosus & Semimembranosus) located in the back of the thigh. They run from the pelvis down to the knee, and help bend the knee and extend the hip. Because most daily activities including sitting do not stretch the hamstrings, they are often overly tight and specific stretching exercises are needed to keep them healthy and extended.  In addition strenuous exercises often contributes to tight hamstrings. Stretching your hamstrings before and after working out helps alleviate pain and tightness. Back pain sufferers and those with stiff knees will also benefit from a regular stretching routine. Tight hamstrings are a common finding in most people. However, you can do easy exercises to increase your hamstring length. Learn four easy exercises and be on your way to a more limber lifestyle. Stretch 1 Sit on the floor with both legs out straight. Extend your arms and reach forward by bending at the waist as far as possible while keeping your knees straight. Hold this position for 10 seconds. Relax. Repeat. Stretch 2 Sit on the floor with one leg out straight. Bend the other leg at the knee and position the sole of that foot against your opposite inner thigh. Extend your arms and reach forward over the one straight leg by bending at the bending at the waist as far as possible. Hold this position for 10 seconds. Relax. Repeat with the other leg. Stretch 3 Stand and cross your right foot in front of your left. Slowly lower your forehead to your right knee by bending at the waist. Keep both knees straight. Hold this position for 10 seconds. Relax. Repeat by crossing your left foot in front of your right. Stretch 4 Stand one foot from a wall and place your hands on the wall at shoulder height, shoulder-width apart. Take a step back with one leg while pushing into the wall. Keep your back straight and press your heels into the floor. Hold for 10 seconds. Step forward and repeat with the other leg. Remember massage can help release tight hamstrings.