PILATES EXERCISES for BEGINNERS
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Runners’ Knee Problems – Pilates Stabilizes And Prevents
Author: Tuula Niskanen
The knee joint is the largest and most complicated joint in the body and is subjected to an enormous workload during any sport activity, especially running. The running motion itself puts a lot of stress to the knee joints, and if there are also anatomical abnormalities and muscle imbalances the stress become higher and often leads to overuse injuries.
Prevention is the most important way to keep away from knee injuries. Focusing on muscular imbalances with Pilates helps knee joints working more efficiently and ergonomically. Pilates also works well as a part of knee rehabilitation by restoring joint function and re-educating correct (all) joints movement patterns.
The most common runner's knee overuse injuries are patellofemoral pain syndrome (runner's knee, chondromalachia) and iliotibial band syndrome (ITB).
Patellofemoral pain syndrome gives pain in front of the kneecap and may also include a crunching and cracking sound when bending the knees. Pain is most severe after hill running. The underlying cause is likely to be either anatomical abnormality (flat feet, foot overpronation, knock-knee, Q-ankle) or deficit of strength and/ or flexibility in the surrounding muscles. Runners who develop patellofemoral pain syndrome have often tight and strong outer quatriceps muscles (vastus lateralis) and weak inner side of quadriceps (vastus medialis). Both of those muscles stabilize the kneecap and there has to be balance to provide maximal support and proper function.
Runners frequently under use glutealis (maximus and medius) muscles. Hip muscle weakness also leads to dysfunction and increases forces on knees and feet while running. It is possible for weak hip abductors to contribute to knee pain since it will cause the femur to rotate inwards by causing patella misalignment (and patellofemoral pain). So, hip mucles play a very important role for runner's proper biomechanics as well as knee joint stability and function.
Iliotibial band syndrome (ITB) gives pain and inflammation on the outside of the knee, where the iliotibial band (a muscle on the outside of the thigh) becomes tendinous. Tightness is also felt on the outside of the knee, and pain turns to burning or stinging during running especially down-hills and disappears when running stops. Repetitive running motion causes ITB and anatomical abnormalities like foot overpronation and bow-knee increase the tightness of the iliotibial band. The muscle imbalance between weak quadriceps and tight hamstring and iliotibial band (ITB) can also cause the iliotibial band syndrome. Iliotibial band as well as quadriceps and hamstrings muscles function are the first place to provide knee stability.
Pilates is good for knee injury prevention and rehabilitation
Pilates is a good conditioning and cross-training program for runners. Adding Pilates can help runners restore muscular imbalances in the legs by increasing the flexibility of tight hip flexors and hamstrings, strengthen hip adductors, abductors and quadriceps muscles to help keep knee and hip joints more stable. Pilates foundation is about alignment head to toe and re-educates the muscles and joints to work together by emphasizing body awareness. If you have underlying knee problems like iliotibial band syndrome, the best cure for it is a special ITB-stretching program, but Pilates is still a great addition to balancing your muscle weakness or tightness. It is recommend in Pilates training that the instructor focuses on the knee joints neural position and full, smooth range of motion. In Pilates leg and hip work a pillow or ball between the legs helps the people with patellofemoralis pain syndrome to engage a weak vastus medialis. A specific Pilates program which is designed for your special needs helps you keep your body strong and balanced without injuries and enables you to enjoy more of the sports that you love.
Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/advertising-articles/runners-knee-problems-pilates-stabilizes-and-prevents-1920183.html
About the Author: Tuula Niskanen has college degrees of Physical Therapy and Physical Education. She holds advanced certifications in Spinal Stabilization Training, Golf Conditioning and Comprehensive Pilates Teaching. She offers private and semi-private Pilates classes with reformer and other equipment at California Pilates Center studio in Carlsbad , CA. More about Tuula's Pilates services at PilatesWise website
www.pilateswise.com
Water
Author: Michele Tandy
Water, the most important thing for your health. You could make the case that its oxygen or blood and you wouldn’t be wrong. But I want to encourage anyone who reads this blog to find something that me and my husband have recently found in our lives.
We were not drinking enough water.
Water is the largest substance on earth covering approximately 71% of the earth’s surface. It is the largest component of the body comprising anywhere from 55-78% of your body depending on your size. Every person who ever lived has been completely dependent upon water for life.
The standard idea popular today is that each individual should drink 8 glasses of water a day to remain hydrated. This actually might fluctuate depending on your size and activity level. Everyday the body will lose water through bodily movements, perspiration, and even water vapor in our breathing.
Making sure that your body remains hydrated is quite possibly the most important and proactive action you could make towards your good health. Recently Teddy and I visited the doctor and both of us had very minor symptoms of not having enough hydration. Nothing serious and quite easy to fix. Drink more water. Dr. Frieder told Teddy for a guy his sizeand activity level he should drink near a gallon of water a day to remain hydrated. This threw the 8 glasses a day idea out the window. A medium to large glass of water would be approximately 8 oz. (or the popular 8oz. water bottle). If you drink eight 8oz. glasses a day this would be a total of 64 fluid ounces a day. To drink a gallon a day would literally double that amount, 128 ounces a day. That’s a lot of water, but both of us have adjusted our water intake and feel better for it.
Of course it’s not just water that hydrates the body, approximately 20 % of the body’s hydration comes from food, and the other sources would include teas, juices, etc. Most experts agree there is nothing better than water for your body. While Teddy might not drink a gallon a day, and I probably don’t consume the 64 ounces every day we do drink a lot more than we were. We both laugh at how many trips we now make to the restroom, as some of you know who have had me excuse myself during class. To be blunt we follow the “clear” rule. If our urine is clear it’s enough water, if it’s yellow it’s not. Just a note if you are on a vitamin program that can influence the color of your urine, but other than that it should be clear.
We have wonderful water from a local source inside the studio and in our home. The Carlsbad water company we use comes from a 1700 foot deep aquaifer welled in Carlsbad and fed by the water in Cleveland National Forest. This artesian water goes through a nine step filtration purification process and I find it tastes as good as any I’ve tried. Every time you come into our Pilates studio please drink at least a glass of water to hydrate yourself after your workout. We have provided it for you. Bring in your sports bottle, which is more environmentally friendly and fill it up. So all of this as a word of encouragement. Think about the amount of water you consume. Is it enough? Do you pass (pun intended) the “clear” test? The most positive step you can make for your health is to make sure your body is properly hydrated. It’s easy, it’s relativity inexpensive, it’s the most important thing. Then comes Pilates.
Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/pilates-articles/the-most-important-thing-1715294.html
About the Author
Michele Tandy having owned and operated Pilates Studios in the Los Angeles area she moved to Carlsbad, California and opened California Pilates Center in 2003. California Pilates Center is a fully equipped Pilates studio that offers a full array of classes and courses to individuals and groups of any experience level. Michele also blogs at pilatescentercarlsbad.com and on Facebook at California Pilates Center.
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