Blog Page 5

Treat plantar fasciitis pain with a foot massage

January 09, 2019

Whether it's a hard workout at the gym or a long day with the kids, sore feet can be experienced from a wide variety of sources. The heel of the foot can often be the most susceptible part to pain, and one of the most common causes of discomfort within the heel is plantar fasciitis. The American Chiropractic Association reports that more than 2 million people in the U.S. are affected by plantar fasciitis every year, and the condition arises when the plantar fascia, the ligament that connects the heel bone to the toes, becomes inflamed and produces pain.

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Massage therapy may be the key to healthy heart

January 09, 2019

Heart health and exercise go hand-in-hand. Not only does staying active enhance your heart’s pumping power, but also it’s necessary to have a healthy heart to safely engage in intense aerobic training. A study published in the Journal of Applied Physiology revealed that cardio workouts are not the cure-all for heart-related conditions. In fact, focusing solely on extreme physical training may even damage the heart.

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Do athletes suffer from a compromised immune system?

January 09, 2019

Depending on certain facets of athletes' exercise regimens, these individuals may be susceptible to a compromised immune system. Specifically, this applies to athletes who have a heavy competition schedule, don't dedicate enough time to recovery or are training at high intensity for prolonged periods of time. A study published in the journal Immunology and Cell Biology revealed the effects of overtraining syndrome, a condition that occurs as a result of excessive exercise. A neuroendocrine disorder, overtraining syndrome correlates with poor athletic performance, persistent fatigue, disturbed sleep and frequent illness.

The researchers noted that the deficient immune system is a result of the excessive exercise rather than the side effects of overtraining syndrome. Immune deficiency as a consequence of high-intensity training occurs from a decrease in neutrophil function and number of natural killer cells, a type of white blood cell critical to the immune system's function. As a result, athletes with this condition may be prone to more prevalent or severe illnesses.

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Essential items every gym bag needs

January 09, 2019

Whether you’re trying to get more serious about hitting the gym on a regular basis or you consider your athletic club your second home, every athlete needs the right gym bag items to ensure the utmost performance during his or her workout. Sure, every gym bag needs the usual suspects, whether it’s towels, a water bottle or even your pair of lucky shorts you’ve been working out in since college, but there are always a few items that get overlooked when it comes to importance. Here are some of the other essential inclusions that are practically mandatory for every gym bag:

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Surprising benefits of massage

January 09, 2019

Whether you’re already a seasoned veteran of practicing massage or are only recently beginning to consider making it a part of your daily life, you’re probably relatively aware of many of its benefits. For example, personal or guided massage can be used to strengthen muscles, reduce inflammation in swollen areas, speed recovery time from a host of sports injuries and even gradually increase flexibility over time. Nonetheless, the benefits of massage are hardly limited to these more overtly obvious examples. In fact, regularly engaging in some kind of personal massage can improve aspects of your life that you’d never expect. Whether you’re suffering from a chronic illness, trying to reduce your odds of contracting a new condition or are simply interested in learning more about the world of massage, you may benefit from reading these surprising benefits of the practice.

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Can Massage Therapy Help Tendonitis?

January 09, 2019

To those unfortunate enough to suffer from tendonitis, the pain endured can put quite a damper on your overall mobility, aside from keeping you from your routine workout. Even if you’ve luckily avoided this condition, the different limbs of your body are always at risk for tendonitis, especially depending on your exercises or sports of choice. When tendons become inflamed, the pain can be next to unbearable, and treatment sources for moderate injuries typically are limited to prescribed medications along with long icing sessions. However, there has been recent research that indicates how receiving a deep tissue massage may be able to not only alleviate symptoms of tendonitis, but also to keep it from coming back. Here’s a quick overview into how to avoid experiencing tendonitis while exercising, as well as how massage may be a sufficient source for athletic recoveryafter being diagnosed with the condition:

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How to enjoy your massage

January 09, 2019

There are many benefits to receiving a massage that play their part in boosting your overall well being. From its renowned ability to ease stress and help you unwind to alleviating sore muscles after an extensive workout, there’s a reason massage therapy has been a practiced study for thousands of years. While the odds are in your favor that you’ll feel like a whole new person after experiencing a massage, those who are new to the practice may be wary when it comes to fulfilling their enjoyment of the activity during the session. There’s more to getting out of a massage than just showing up and participating. Whether you’re never received a massage before or your initial experiences have been underwhelming, here are a few tips to consider when it comes to maximizing your enjoyment of a massage:

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Stretching and massage for ankle sprains

January 09, 2019

Ankle sprains are among the most common and frequently encountered injuries by both athletes and medical trainers. Nonetheless, many individuals aren’t doing everything that they can when it comes to ensuring that the injury heals as expediently and as fully as possible. Ankle injuries, sprains in particular, can be tough, because returning to full-contact or full-speed activity before the full healing process has completed can lead to reinjury, which can often be worse than the initial damage. In order to ensure you’re doing everything in your power to heal your ankles as quickly as possible, take a look at these suggestions.

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7 effective low-impact exercises for recovering athletes

January 08, 2019

For any athlete recovering from a lower body injury, finding different ways to stay active can be easier said than done. It might take a few weeks or months before your injury is fully healed, which can mean that shifting weight or pressure upon a rehabbing ankle or leg will only prolong the time necessary for recovery. Of course, staying inactive can be next to impossible for ambitious athletes who are nursing an injury. Luckily, there are plenty of quality low-impact exercises that are known to provide a substantial workout without putting too much strain upon a recovering part of the body. If you’ve been given the go-ahead by your doctor to resume mild physical activity, here are seven of the most effective low-impact exercises to engage in during times of athletic recovery:

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An athlete’s guide to shoe insoles

January 08, 2019

For athletes who are always on the lookout for any training accessories that may provide distinct advantages, footwear tends to be high on the list of priorities for maximizing performance. In addition to having shoes that are specifically designed to adhere to the types of workouts you’re partaking in, owning a quality pair of insoles can not only help you get the most out of your exercises, but may also reduce your odds of experiencing an injury as well. However, there are dozens of various insoles that vastly range in price, making purchasing customized orthotics generally a difficult investment to assess. Before you go out and spend money on these potentially beneficial footwear accessories, here’s what athletes need to know when considering the options for shoe insoles:

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Recover Properly Through Cool-down Massages

January 08, 2019

Sometimes all you want to do after a brutal workout is just sit back on the couch and zone out on whatever’s on the TV screen. But when it comes to preserving your body, what you do after exercising can be just as important as the routines you go through prior to physical activity.

A cool-down massage after you’ve just gotten back from a long run is essential for helping your body recover from the hard work you’ve put it through. From helping your heart rate gradually lower to its normal level, to maintaining blood and oxygen circulation to eliminating lactic acid build up, an efficient cool-down massage is how to keep yourself in pristine condition while providing much needed relief for those sore muscles. Here’s a quick guide to targeting the body parts that require a quick cool-down massage after your running workout:

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When to Consult a Massage Therapist

January 08, 2019

Self massage can be an incredible benefit for a range of different individuals. If you’re an athlete who has suffered from chronic injury or pain, then massage therapy can help bolster your chances of speedy rehabilitation. Similarly, for individuals who are simply trying to maintain an elevated level of health, it’s reasonable to assume massage may help prevent injuries from occurring in the first place. While pairing self massage with a healthy diet, regimented exercise routine and regular stretching is beneficial, it’s good to know when you should enlist a professional. Typically, this will occur after you’ve exhausted the sort of home treatments that you can offer yourself. With that in mind, take a look at these tips and points regarding when to consult a massage therapist.

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