Managing Muscle Pain After a Weekend of Physical Labour

When you do a lot of physical labour, especially house or yard work, it can be hard to avoid the discomfort and stiffness that often arises. However, you can help yourself to feel less sore by keeping a few simple things in mind.

Pace yourself – don’t try to do it all in one day!

Many people overdo it when they are tackling their house or yard work, which can make them feel tired and sore later on. Instead, spread the work out over two or three days, and only do one task on a single day. This can reduce the intensity and strain on your muscles as well as make you more productive.

Drink plenty of water – this will keep you hydrated and help improve circulation to your muscles. You might also want to ice your sore areas to decrease any inflammation and relieve pain.

Exercise safely and slowly – this can be the hardest thing to do in terms of managing muscle pain, but it is essential to avoid overdoing it too quickly and risking injury or overuse syndrome. Muscles can be very sensitive and can respond poorly to sudden increases in exercise duration or frequency.

A common type of exercise-induced muscle soreness is delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS), which develops a couple of days after a workout. It’s a sign that your body needs more time to adjust to a particular movement or load, says Juliet Hilsop, Total Body Physio, who a few years ago was voted most influential clinician in the field of back pain.

It can be difficult to tell the difference between soreness and muscle pain — and it can be hard to know whether you’ve injured yourself or just need to rest and recover. But if your soreness lasts longer than a few days or doesn’t go away, it’s important to call your doctor right away.

DOMS can be caused by many different things, including poor circulation in the muscle, which results in micro tears that are painful and weaken the muscles, says orthopedic surgeon Mark S. Schickendantz, MD.

Other causes of soreness include myofascial trigger points, which are small spots throughout soft tissue that get very tight and don’t get the blood flow they need. These trigger points can cause persistent aches that are difficult to treat.

Overuse and stress – these are also common reasons why many people experience sore muscles after a weekend of physical labour such as moving house, gardening and home renovation to name a few. It’s a good idea to take steps to manage these kinds of muscle pain at home before it gets worse or leads to an injury, such as getting more rest, reducing your stress, and improving your posture and ergonomics.

Managing muscle pain with meditation and other techniques for relaxation can be helpful too. These can be done at home or in the office and may improve your sleep as well as help to alleviate muscle pain.

Ultimately, muscle pain that is not relieved by rest, ice, or over-the-counter medications should be seen by a health care professional. If your pain is intense and lasts more than a few days, it could be a sign of an injury that needs medical attention, such as a serious muscle tear, rhabdomyolysis, or a spinal cord injury.

Shoes for Walking and Running with People who have underpronation for Men & Women

Many people who are runners or walkers have some sort of foot pain at some point in their lives.

Did you know that 85% of these people are actually wearing the wrong shoes, which can lead to increased food, heel and joint paint ,especially if you already have higher arches or underpronation.

Undepronation is a condition where the foot rolls outwards when running, and it can be quite painful by itself, let alone with the incorrect shoe support.

Furthermore, did you know that this condition can actually be correct with the proper foot support?

All the more reason to invest in the right pair of shoes to prevent and correct underpronation if you already have it.

Common signs include: Shin splints, Achilles pain, heel pain, outer knee pain, swelling in the ankle or foot, ankle sprains, and blisters.

If it sounds like you may be experiencing symptoms due to underpronation, then you’ve come to the right place!

Style Within Reach recommend some of the below shoes and we’ve added some of our picks here too:

Brooks Ghost 11

Via Amazon

Year after year the Brooks Ghost 11 is the number one pick for runners and walkers who experience pain from underpronation.

It has a bilateral cushion design that provides the right support and makes the shoe shock absorbent.

Basically you will feel like you are running on the cloud rather than a hard surface.

These shoes are especially great if you have medium to high arches because of the extra level of support they provide.

Although on the pricier side, they have excellent reviews and will keep you from having to stop jogging or walking because of pain caused by underpronation.

Brooks has lots of great running shoes, you can browse more here.

New Balance Fresh Foam 1080v7

Via Amazon

If you are a long distance runner and you run every single day, you need a shoe that is not only comfortable but durable and long lasting and this is the one for you.

This shoe has a blown rubber outsole that protects if from wearing down as quickly as other running shoes.

The upper mesh is breathable and most importantly, it has extra midsole cushion and support.

New Balance shoes come in X-wide, Wide, Narrow or Standard versions so they comfortable fit each unique foot.

If you like to go the distance, this is the shoe for you.

See more New Balance Running Shoes here!

Hoka One Clifton 5

Via Amazon

Hoka One produces perhaps one of the most lightweight shoes on the market but without compromising support to the foot.

With an overload of midsole foam, their adaptive foot design is make to absorb any shock while providing support to the arches of your foot.

This helps prevent pain caused by underpronation or high arches.

It is praised by customers who suffer from pain caused by underpronation who swear by this shoe for walking and running.

If you are a heavier runnier, then this extra cushion and lightweight design is ideal for you.

If you thinking about giving up walking/running or have already given it up due to pain from underpronation, we stongly urge you to try out a pair of these shoes.

So many people have been able to reverse and correct the symptoms of underpronation with he proper footwear.

Don’t give up on something you love, simply just change your shoes, it’s that simple!

Anderson Silva BuSTED for Using Steroids (Sarms Alternative) by USADA!

Anderson Silva is positive for 2 distinct things in his the newest USADA drug test, Sporting News confirmed Feb 2nd.

The UFC legend had both methyltestosterone & a diuretic turn up in the program of his inside a sample collected Oct. 26th many sources confirmed.

Methyltestosterone is viewed as an anabolic representative in the UFC anti doping policy, which has a maximum suspension of 2 seasons. Silva, forty two, has denied knowingly wasting any banned substances and is now starting the adjudication procedure with USADA.

Per MedicineNet, methyltestosterone is a drugs utilized by males whose bodies can’t produce enough testosterone and it is akin to the organic testosterone a body creates. It is able to also consider breast cancer in postmenopausal females.

Methyltestosterone is an artificial anabolic steroid. Many UFC professionals are resorting to these types of anabolics and others, including Peptides and types of alternative SARMS for rapid Weight loss (Cardarine) and boosting Testosterone Levels (RAD140), many of which can be purchased from Sarmsx.com.

Silva, the former UFC middleweight champion, tested positive for anabolic steroids in several drug tests in relation to his UFC 183 battle with Nick Diaz in 2015. He was suspended one season by the Nevada Athletic Commission (NAC) because of the infraction. USADA can consider that failed drug test when it adjudicates Silva’s present situation, per policy.

USADA won’t comment on particular situations unless an athlete or maybe his or maybe her staff comments on it initially. Per the Combate article, Silva’s staff is attempting to obtain the prior positive drug test thrown out there since it wasn’t under the UFC anti doping policy, that went into effect later on in 2015.

If USADA considers the drug test failure from 3 years ago, Silva might be facing a four year suspension.

Silva, among the best UFC champions of all time, was yanked from the UFC Shanghai main event against Kelvin Gastelum in November if the good drug test result came back.

Silva (34 8, one NC) still has the record for many consecutive victories in the UFC (sixteen) and also earlier had the mark for many consecutive title defenses (ten) before Demetrious Johnson broke it final year. “The Spider” continues to be deemed among the most brilliant mma fighters in the sport’s record by many, but his late career doping problems have cast a shadow over the amazing achievements of his.

Massaging Sore Muscles: Secrets of the Car Buffer?

After reading an article on AugustaFreePress going over five untold buffing, secrets, we thought we would reveal one more secret for the AFL Sports readers. Believe it or not, your car buffer can be used as a massager!

Massage therapy has it’s place and has long proven to treat sore muscles and the wear and tear. With that said, you can be hard pressed to find services that offer localized vibration therapy. The vibration increases circulation and can spot reduce pain. This allows more blood to get into the muscle making it more pliable.

Cost of a Buffer Compared to Competitors

You can find a car buffer in your local Home Depot for around $30-$50. You won’t need special features because you won’t be using this on your vehicle. The only wheels it will be touching are your quads and hamstrings.

Compare this to specialized tools like the TheraGun at a whopping $599. Or maybe even consider the HyperSphere, a massage ball costing $150. You can start to see why fitness enthusiasts and the professionals alike opt to use a car buffer.

Some of the Disadvantages

As will everything, there are some disadvantages. A decent orbital buffer with 3,000 rpm is going to require electricity. This means they aren’t that portable, unless you have access to an inverter. In this case, a foam roller might be the better massage tool.

If you have sensitive skin, this might be a bad idea. This can tend to heat up and dry out your skin. If you have this issue, be sure that you massage in a delicate manner as you might give yourself rug burn. Make sure you get a soft sheepskin to minimize this problem.

Tips for Massaging with a Buffer

If it’s your first time using a car buffer for massaging, you might experience a friction burn. Avoid wearing baggy clothing as it will make this problem even worse. With that said, clothing that stays tight to your skin like compression pants and shirts are fine.

Just like a massage, start with several passes over the area to warm up muscles. Start with light pressure and then increase pressure on the buffer as you go. You may even turn the buffer on it’s side to get that “elbow” grease you need.

Conclusion

Buffer puns aside, you can start to see how this tool has made it into gyms everywhere.

Lastly, we would recommend buying different pads based on your measurements. A 6″ pad would work great for your “detail work” (last one, we swear) like arms, calves, and forearms. A 10″ pad would work great for larger areas like the back and legs.

Get the Most Out of Winter Training by Following These Essential Tips

Winter training is different than your usual training during summer or any other sunny season. It’s colder obviously and tougher, which can be a challenge especially when we want to maintain our shape even during winter. So how do we motivate ourselves to get up from our beds and train during the cold season? Here are ten tips down below.

  1. Know Your Purpose
  • First things first, we need to define why we started such a thing in the first place. Once we found out the answer of such, we are now more motivated to push forward despite of the challenges that lies ahead. Ask yourself why working out is important for you. Is it for your family? For your friends? Or just for yourself? Answer these questions and you’ll find yourself preparing that gear bag ready to go beyond.
  1. Set Your Goals
  • Now that you’ve found your purpose, a vision is also established for yourself. Once you’ve established a vision, you’ll need to create goals that can be easily achieved. Don’t try to create goals that’s hard to achieve. This will only result to achieving nothing at all. Try breaking it down into smaller ones that are doable daily or even weekly as long as it’s achievable.
  1. Plan Ahead of Time
  • Winter is indeed more challenging compared to sunny seasons. And planning ahead of time can help you overcome the challenges this season has to offer. Planning wiser and smarter is the key if you want your winter training to be successful. Jot down all the workout sessions that you need to do during winter. Also keep a lookout for the weather forecast so you can plan what kind of gear you need to bring for your outdoor winter training sessions.
  1. Be Organized
  • Some people tend to be more successful during tough and messy situations. But for some, being organized gives you a higher chance to succeed on your goals. This is the case when you go for a jog in the park during the cold winter morning. Prepare your things the night before and put them somewhere near your bed for easy access when the morning comes.
  1. Wear the Right Gear
  • Cotton-made clothes tends to stay wet when you sweat so it’s better to avoid wearing such. Instead, layer yourself with fleece to keep you warm. Opt for a good pair of gloves as well because hands are more sensitive to cold. Keep your feet warm by wearing the right footwear that’s made for the colder season.
  1. Drop it Back
  • It’s important to maintain your momentum even during winter. Strip down your workout routine into smaller parts to get things done more easily. Once you have the energy to get back after, there’ll be plenty of time for you to do the supplementary stuff.
  1. Combine Your Workout Activities
  • Incorporate workouts that you enjoy doing in your daily routine. This enables you to stay motivated and achieve more on the long run. Think of your training sessions as a time for self-reflection. It will shift your mind from doing hard work into something that you do for yourself.
  1. Get a Pair
  • Having a friend to work out and train with you enables you to do more rather than doing anything by yourself. Join a club or invite a friend over to help you out in your sessions. This will make your training sessions more fun, enjoyable and less lonelier.
  1. Make it a Part of Your Routine
  • Make your workout sessions a part of your daily routine to keep its consistency intact. The more you do it every day, the more you realize that training has now become a part of your life. This enables you to achieve more and do more.
  1. Reward Yourself
  • There’s nothing better than rewarding yourself with a hot bath after an intense workout session out in the cold. It’s not just limited to hot baths obviously, get yourself a cup of hot chocolate, or book yourself a massage in the spa, or eat out with your friend. Think of these as rewards for all the hard work you’ve done. This keeps your motivation strong and makes you want to do more in the long run.

Essential Fitness Training Tips for Building Your Bodies Fitness Components

When we train our body, it’s essential to know which fitness components are important so that we’ll know which of these parts we should focus on. This enables us to make a fitness training program that’s dedicated for that particular fitness component.


Overall Fitness Demands of a Sport

– One way to create a fitness training program is to rate the fitness components by the sport you’re going to use it. This enables you to create ratings such as low, moderate, high, or combinations of low-moderate or moderate-high.
– High and moderate-high ratings are the ones you should prioritize and it’s important to choose the right training activities that will benefit these components the most. Here are a few things to keep in mind while determining the physical demands of sports.
• Don’t pressure yourself with classifications
• Create the right balance of targeted training activities especially during off-season training phases and maintain them during competitive seasons.

Aerobic/Anaerobic

– Before doing such, consider asking yourself questions like: Does this sport require continuous, sustained activity, short bursts of intense activity, or a combination of both? Examples of high and low to moderate aerobic is by doing distance running. While Javelin on the other hand is low to high aerobic. Soccer is high for both while Archery is low for both.
– This gives you a chance to see that every sport has different intensities, how long each of them lasts, and finally, how much time you need to recover between each activity.

Strength

– After aerobics, let’s talk about strength. Strength benefits Olympic lifters the most, while marathon runners don’t. On the other hand, Basketball players has a fair share of moderate to high strength levels. See what type of strength are you targeting on depending on the sport you’ve chosen and which muscle groups does it emphasizes. Decide how will you combine these components when determining the physical demands of sports.

Speed

– After strength, speed comes into play. Activities such as sprints and tennis requires intensive use of speed, while activities such as bowling requires only low to moderate speed. Combining balance of speed, strength, and endurance can enhance speed development in the long run.

Power

– Power is just speed and strength combined together. Sports such as softball pitching requires high power development. Whereas a goalie in ice hockey only needs low to moderate power. Plan your fitness program by determining how frequently will you require using power and how long these power-related activities will last.

Agility

– Agility is the ability to move quickly while changing directions in an activity. Gymnastics requires high agility while golf only requires low agility.

Endurance

– Endurance is the repeating of submaximal muscle contractions for long periods of time during an activity. Rowing events and cross country skiing requires high amounts of endurance, while ski jumping on the other hand, only requires low endurance.

Flexibility

– Flexibility is the ability to move through long ranges of motions that uses your joints and muscles at the same time. Flexibility is of high importance for diving activities, but of low to moderate importance during long distance speed skating. Improve your range of motion by focusing on a specific joint that requires the greatest flexibility by doing a particular sport.

Fitness and sport skill testing plays a vital role in creating a fitness program for different types of athletes and individuals. Now that you know which fitness component benefits on each type of activity, you can now create your own fitness program depending on what type of component you want to improve. Have fun and enjoy a much healthier and fitter you.

Top Five Most Physically Demanding Sports

All kinds of sports are physically demanding in each of their own ways. But among all of them, there are five that really stands out among the rest to become one of the most physically demanding sports. So what are these five sports we’re talking about?

  1. Boxing
  • There’s no doubt Boxing is included in the list. It’s considered one of the most physically demanding sport because those who do must know how to control their anger. During the game, boxers must defeat their opponent by blowing punches using their fist, while avoiding getting punched at the same time from their opponent. Mentally inclined boxing is a different kind of thing where it involves other parts of the body such as the heart and lungs.
  1. Moto Crossing
  • Although not actually physically demanding, Moto Crossing is a sport that’s mentally challenging. In the sport, Cyclist must ride their bikes through rough terrains while maintaining their balance at the same time. The terrains also vary by difficulty depending on the kind of terrain you’re going through. These terrains include steep hills, rocky roads, wet and muddy areas that can really challenge players up to their limits. Riders in this sport must be mindful about their diet and training to become smart and more athletic because this kind of racing has no breaks.
  1. Triathlon
  • Triathlon on the other hand, is a sport that requires high amounts of endurance. This is because the athletes must undergo different types of sports continuously while covering a variety of distances. Various sports included in this activity are swimming, cycling, and running, and this is why having a strong endurance is important if you want to enter this sport. Athletes in this sport definitely prioritized their diet program to keep their body in shape to withstand every part of this activity. Triathlon may be difficult, but it isn’t impossible to try one as long as your mental and physical health is on peak.
  1. Basketball
  • While Triathlon uses both mental and physical health, Basketball on the other hand, requires the most fitness. Basketball is a sport that involves all of your body parts to perform various actions such as dribbling, attacking, defending, and shooting. The aim of the sport is to toss the ball into the opponent’s basket and score as high as possible. This makes basketball a physically demanding sport that requires a high level of fitness.
  1. Swimming
  • When we talk about swimming, one question comes into mind: Is swimming the hardest sport of them all? When we look upon it deeply, swimming uses both arms and legs to propel the body under water. During swimming, the water provides about 12 times the resistance a person would normally have while in land, thus making swimming one of the hardest and most physically demanding sport of all time.

To sum it all up, all sport activities requires a certain amount of training. But those sports who require high physical demands must push themselves further by doing harder training to lose more calories while performing such particular sports. The most important thing if you’re an athlete is that you must ready yourself both physically and mentally to conquer whatever sport activity you’re involved in.

Essential Tips for Joint Care

Joints is a point where two or more bones of your body are connected. With the help of joints, it enables you to do certain actions such as bending, rotating, and twisting. Without joints, we’ll be like static human beings that stays only in one position.

Joints are cushioned between the cartilage and synovium to make sure that your bones do not rub together. The whole area is also lubricated with synovial fluid to make sure both bones and joints can move freely and easily. But unfortunately, as we grow older, combined with improper movement, posture, and carrying weight that’s too much makes the cartilage in our joints to wear and tear. When this happens and not taken care of early on, it will lead to arthritis.

So how do we keep our joints healthy and stable? Here are some tips below:

  1. Watch Your Weight
  • First things first, you must keep your weight at a reasonable number to help your joints. Joints are the ones holding your bones and at the same time your body weight. Joints such as your knees, hips, back, ankles, are the ones who bears the maximum percentage of your body weight. This is the reason why you feel pain in these areas when you become overweight.
  1. Get Regular Exercises
  • This connects to our point in number one. To keep your weight healthy, proper exercise should be done regularly. Not only it can help you stay fit and right, it can also help your heart rate stable too. Your joints will absolutely thank you later if you do some exercises. If you don’t know when and where to start, consult your personal gym trainer for exercises that can help keep your weight in check without damaging your joints. You can start by doing the best full body exercise in existence: swimming.
  • If you’re a couch potato who tends to sit all day long in front of the TV, or an office person that spends the whole day sitting in front of the computer, then you should consider changing your sitting position from time to time to prevent improper posture that may lead to joint-related issues.
  1. Build Those Muscles Up
  • Strong muscles give support to your joints, so it’s important to build your muscles to keep them strong and healthy. Your joints will do more work than it should be if you don’t have strong muscles to begin with. This is why muscles are important because it acts like a life support for your joints.
  1. Strengthen Your Core
  • There’s more to abdominal muscles than making you look hot and sexy. The main purpose of abdominal muscles is to keep your body straight, which enables your spine to be straight too. If you have a weak core, your spine will probably pull your body behind which leads to improper posture.
  1. Take the Right Supplements
  • Taking the right supplements will also help your joints to be as healthy as possible. Nutrients such as Omega-3 fatty acids also known as fish oil, Curcuma, Longano extract, and Capsaicin are essential supplements for a healthier and stronger joints.

Essential Tips for Better Eye Health and Maintaining Good Eye Sight

Taking the right nutrients is important for a good eye health. Nutrients such as omega-3 fatty acids, lutein, zinc, and vitamins C & E are essential vitamins to prevent eye-related difficulties like macular erosion and forces. To get your daily dose of these nutrients, make sure to add Avocado leafy vegetables such as spinach, kale, and collards on your every meal.

  1. Eat the Right Food
  • To keep your eye health stable, eating the right foods is a must so that you’ll get the proper nutrients that’s good for your eyes. Below is a list of foods you should include in your meal every day:
  • Green leafy veggies: Spinach, Kale, Collards
  • Fatty fishes: Salmon, Tuna
  • Non-meat protein sources: Eggs, Nuts, Beans
  • Citrus fruit juices: Orange
  • Oysters and Pork
  • Having a well-balanced diet is also crucial if you want to maintain a healthy weight. The healthier you are, the less likely you’ll get Diabetes, which is the cause of losing eyesight when we grow older.
  1. Stop Smoking
  • The more you smoke, the more likely you’ll get eye-related diseases such as cataracts, optic nerve damage, and macular degeneration. This is why it’s important to stop smoking if you want to maintain good eye health.
  1. Wear Sunglasses
  • Picking the right sunglass to wear is important to keep your eyes protected from the sun’s UV rays. Over exposing your eyes to too much UV will result to cataracts and macular degeneration. Choose sunglasses that has the ability to block 99 – 100% of both UVA and UBA rays. There are two types of lenses: Wraparound and Polarized. Wraparound lenses help protect your eyes from the sides. While polarized lenses on the other hand, decreases glare when driving.
  • If you opt for contact lenses, pick one that offers UV protection.
  1. Wear Safety Gear
  • It’s important to wear safety gear such as protective goggles to protect your eyes especially if you’re working with hazardous tools while on the job. If you’re into sports such as ice hockey, racquetball, and lacrosse, wear eye protection such as helmets with protective face masks to protect your eyes.
  1. Don’t Spend Too Much Time on the Computer Screen
  • Looking at a computer screen for longer periods of time can lead to eye health issues such as:
  • Eyestrain
  • Blurry Eyesight
  • Trouble focusing at a distance
  • Dry Eye
  • Headaches
  • Neck, back, and shoulder pain
  • In order to protect your eyes while spending too much time on a computer screen, you can follow these tips listed below:
  • Check if you’re wearing glasses or contacts that’s up-to-date and if it’s suitable for computer use.
  • Some people may require wearing glasses in order to help them with contrast, glare, and eye strain when using a computer.
  • Place your computer monitor that’s in line with your eye level for optimal usage.
  • Sit on a comfortable chair and make sure that your feet are positioned flat on the floor.
  • If your vision is getting blurry, blink more.
  • Rest your eyes every 20 minutes by looking away from the screen. Do a 15-minute break interval too if you’re planning on spending much more time in front of a computer.
  1. Visit Your Eye Specialist Regularly
  • If you think that your eye health is getting worse as time goes by, it’s time for a trip to your eye specialist for consultation. This is important so that your eye specialist can perform eye exams to check your eyes for any kind of infections such as glaucoma. The earlier the disease is found, the easier it is to treat.
  • Depending on your eye health needs, you can opt on seeing an optometrist or an ophthalmologist for eye exams. Ophthalmologist are medical doctors that can provide eye health maintenance, and can even perform eye surgery. Optometrist on the other hand, can only treat eye diseases but can’t do eye surgery.

Improve Your Digestion Naturally with These Few Easy Tips

Keeping your digestive system healthy can lower the chance of experience with digestion problems such as bloating, indigestion, stomach pains, and more. Once these symptoms aren’t taken care of early on, it will lead to serious long term health conditions. So in what way can we make our digestive system healthy? Here are a few tips for you!

  • Avoid Processed Foods
  • Processed foods are unhealthy and are high in sugar and processed oils which is bad for your health. These ingredients are also difficult to digest too so it’s better to stay away from them.
  • Chew Your Food Properly
  • Take time to chew your food on the table unless you’re in a hurry. The digestive process starts from the mouth and it’s important to chew your food properly so that it will be easier to digest once inside.
  • Keep Yourself Hydrated
  • Drink water every day to keep yourself hydrated. Most people experience digestive problems because they don’t keep themselves hydrated. 8 glasses of water a day is enough to keep you hydrated throughout the day.
  • Manage Your Stress Levels
  • Don’t stress yourself too much on things that don’t even need to be stressed about. Being stressed may cause you not to eat properly. Plan your day ahead to keep you away from stress.
  • Consume Lean Meats
  • Lean meat contains high amounts of protein which is essential for your body. Stay away from fatty and unhealthy meats and stick to lean meats such as pork and tender loins. Fatty foods can slow down your digestive system process.
  • Exercise regularly
  • This may seem a bit out of place, but exercising regularly can help maintain your weight at a reasonable number. A simple walk in the park is enough to start your day.
  • Stop your vices
  • Skipping alcohol and smoking prevents you from getting heartburn and stomach ulcers. Your digestive system will thank you later.

So there you have it! Just by taking care of yourself and following these tips listed above, you’ll have a happier and healthy digestive system in no time.