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Kegel and hypopressive exercises for the pelvic floor

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November 17, 2023

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Kegel and hypopressive exercises for the pelvic floor

Combined with electrostimulation they are effective in alleviating the problems of incontinence and frequent prolapses in women after giving birth.

Different studies confirm that after childbirth up to 35% of women suffer urinary incontinence when lifting, jumping, running, sneezing or coughing, which is due to the increase in abdominal pressure typical of these circumstances, which affects the bladder and a weakened pelvic floor musculature. This distension or dysfunction of the perineal muscles usually occurs more frequently in women who have given birth to large babies, who have had multiple births (twins, triplets …) or who have undergone a major episiotomy.

Kegel exercises and hypopressives can help a lot to reeducate this pelvic floor musculature to avoid problems such as urine leakage and prolapses.

HOW TO STRENGTHEN THE PELVIC FLOOR

“It has been seen that many women have very weak pelvic floor connective tissue, something that predisposes them to suffer from this problem after childbirth. Another case that aggravates it is that of women with a forward pelvic posture or anteversion, “explains Gemma Sola, physiotherapist specialized in pelvic floor re-education

Whatever the cause, the important thing is that it affects more women than they manifest it and that it can be treated naturally with very effective exercises if practiced regularly.

The re-education of the pelvic floor, through a multidisciplinary follow-up with hypopressive gymnastics, Kegel contractions, electrostimulation and biofeedback, tries to restore the function of the perineal muscles that keep the bladder, rectum and uterus in an appropriate position.
It also works the transverse muscle of the abdomen to reduce pressure on these organs.

Gemma Sola explains that in a first visit it is analyzed if the person suffers from urinary or anal incontinence, or prolapses. In the latter case there is a dysfunction of the organs: the bladder or uterus go down in such a way that they can occupy the space of the vagina and even come out, causing discomfort when walking and pain in sexual intercourse, among other problems.

“Through an internal touch or the use of a vaginal probe connected to a ‘biofeedback’ device we measure the active force that the person can exert with the pelvic floor muscles and evaluate the state of this area.

Then you also see how the pelvis is (the anchorage of the muscles of the perineum), the global posture of the person and how is his abdomen, because all the weight of the abdomen falls on the bladder, rectum and uterus when the musculature of the transverse is weak, “continues Gemma.

Pelvic floor re-education treatment usually combines hypopressive gymnastics with Kegel contractions, which strengthen the perineal musculature.

HYPOPRESSIVE EXERCISE: WHAT IT IS

If the problem is centered in the abdomen, this area is worked through specific manual maneuvers to decongest the belly and diaphragm, closely related.

The person is also taught to perform hypopressive exercises, which consist of performing an apnea after a complete expiration, at the same time that the transverse abdomen is contracted.

“In this way this muscle is worked and a very effective pelvic floor contraction reflex is produced, while an elevation of the perineum organs is achieved by the change in pressure,” says the physiotherapist.

KEGEL EXERCISES: WHAT ARE THEY?

These contractions are performed as if you want to hold urine.

Three to five rapid contractions are recommended, rest for eight to twelve seconds and then contract and maintain the contraction for eight seconds.

The optimum is to do it two or three times a day for ten minutes.

In specialized physiotherapy centers, it is helped to perform the exercises and contractions with a vaginal touch, to achieve a greater awareness of the perineum and direct muscle contraction with precision.

A biofeedback device is also usually used, which through visual and auditory signals shows if the exercises are performed correctly and the strength and muscle tone that are gained.

When the person has difficulty performing contractions on their own, passive electrostimulation is used, which helps to contract the muscles and rehabilitate them. The method is painless.

HOW URINARY INCONTINENCE IS TREATED: A REAL CASE

Imma Fauria, a 35-year-old resident of Girona, had been suffering from urinary incontinence since she had her first child in February 2001, a baby who weighed four kilos at birth.

“They induced labor and gave me a big episiotomy. I noticed the muscles of the abdomen and perineum very flaccid, without strength. The midwife recommended that I perform Kegel contractions and use a cone to strengthen the muscles in my vagina while contracting.”

Seeing that he did not achieve much, the midwife suggested that he visit Gemma Sola. “she told me to forget about the cones and I started doing electrostimulation twice a week, in addition to hypopressive gymnastics. I did much more strength and the exercise was much more effective. When I had the second child, I didn’t hesitate to go to Gemma right away.”

For Imma, the biggest advantage of this treatment is that it manages to meet a need that conventional medicine does not cover.

“There is very little information about pelvic floor re-education, something inconceivable if we take into account the affected women who exist and who silence their incontinence and sexual problems due to misinformation or because they consider it a tribute paid for having children.”

Imma recommends attending a specialized center because the exercises are performed under professional supervision and with the necessary equipment. “I did not know that classic abdominal exercises are totally discouragedin my case, as well as jumping, running or cycling.”

Today he says he has more control over his incontinence, although he cannot afford to put aside his hypopressive exercises for long.

Intuitive exercise: how to enjoy physical activity again

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November 17, 2023

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Intuitive exercise: how to enjoy physical activity again

Physical exercise cannot be an annoying routine, much less a sacrifice. Intuitive exercise teaches you to find your way to flow with a physical activity or sport.

Sometimes, when you exercise, you feel so good that you are invaded by a practically infinite energy. Endorphins, feel-good hormones, make you feel in glory. Maybe you’re jogging through a beautiful park and the fresh air and increased heart rate are doing you a lot of good, or maybe you’re in a spinning class with your workout buddies and enjoying every minute of it.

However, at other times, exercise feels like an unpleasant obligation. If you often find yourself in that case, you need to reevaluate your strategy to improve your physical condition, so that you can always enjoy it.

THE KEY: LISTEN TO YOUR BODY’S MESSAGES

The secret is to exercise intuitively; That is, listen to your body to know what it really wants to do.

First of all, this may mean that you should expand your idea of what it means to exercise to encompass all the possibilities of healthy body movement.

Working out isn’t just about running, swimming, cycling, or following the instructions of the personal trainer at the gym. You also exercise by walking, dancing, or ice skating.

On the other hand, exercising intuitively means you don’t need rules like “I must go to the gym twice a week” or “I must run at least five kilometers to make it count.” If you exercise intuitively, in each moment you decide what you want to do.

INTUITIVE EXERCISE IS NOT AN EXCUSE FOR NOT MOVING

So, does intuitive exercise give you an excuse not to exercise? No, because it tries to make you discover that your body has the physiological need to move and, therefore, you will exercise.

It’s similar to intuitive eating, in which you quickly realize that if you actually eliminate the so-called “dietary rules,” you won’t eat cake for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. You will eat what your body needs.

It is possible that at the beginning of your discovery of intuitive exercise you spend a transition time and do less exercise than when you followed a routine that you did not like, but in the medium and long term you will discover what type of physical activity you need and motivates you.

The goal is that you get in shape the way you want, not because you have to do it anyway, according to fashions or ideas alien to you. Following this basic idea is much more likely to experience endorphin highs.

Here are some guidelines for incorporating exercise into your daily routines and adapting it to your mood.

AN EXERCISE FOR EVERY MOOD

WHEN YOU’RE BORED: DANCING

If you have lost interest in your exercise routine or simply find yourself unmotivated to play sports, dancing may be the solution you are looking for. Dancing not only gets you in shape, it’s a challenge for coordination. It is, therefore, a beneficial activity for the body and mind and cannot be said to be boring.

WHEN YOU’RE TIRED: YIN YOGA

Do you feel exhausted after a long day at work? First, ask if you need to exercise. You may have already moved enough. However, if you really feel that your body needs some kind of exercise, choose a gentle option like yin yoga. In this modality of yoga, the postures are maintained for longer, its objective is to gently stretch the muscles and increase the range of motion of the joints.

WHEN YOU’RE STRESSED: SWIMMING

If you’ve had a rough day, the last thing you should do is consider a stressful activity. However, stress can be reduced with physical activity. A type of exercise recommended in this situation is swimming because it involves some social and ensorial isolation. When you swim you are alone with you. You can practice it as if it were a form of meditation and relaxation.

WHEN YOU’RE FEELING SLUGGISH: HIGH-INTENSITY INVERTS

Do you sometimes feel like you’re in slow motion? Are your reflexes out of shape? Then maybe you need a type of training that combines gentle activity with brief moments of high intensity. This is also a type of training that is very beneficial for the metabolism and for the cardiovascular system.

Hypopressive abs at home

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November 17, 2023

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Hypopressive gymnastics strengthens the abdominal and pelvic floor muscles, correcting bad postures and back pain.

Woman performing abdominal hypopressive exercises

Although it is still not as popular as the Pilates method, hypopressive abdominal gymnastics has more and more followers and has already revolutionized the world of physiotherapy for its enormous effectiveness in toning the deep abdominal muscles and the pelvic floor muscles.

It is the result of the research of the Belgian physiotherapist Marcel Caufriez at the end of the 80s, when this expert was looking for a method that would reduce intra-abdominal pressure and allow recovery from the damage caused by pregnancies and childbirth, avoiding the numerous cases of urinary incontinence derived from them.

HYPOPRESSIVE ABDOMINALS: WHY THEY WORK

Hypopressive gymnastics combats abdominal flaccidity and the increase in volume or “tummy” that results from it.

It happens because all the exercises that compose it directly affect the abdominal manometric strap, which goes from the waist and surrounds the entire abdomen below the navel.

Like the pelvic floor muscles, the abdominal manometric girdle, in both men and women, weakens over time. Its hypotonia manifests itself with a feeling of pressure in the lower abdomen and the appearance of an increase in volume in this area.

Specifically, after pregnancy the muscles of the abdominal manometric girdle are always open and separated. Hence, after childbirth many women complain that, even without having gained weight, they have been left without waist and with more “belly” in the lower abdomen, volume that they try to reduce through traditional abdominals.

However, only hypopressive gymnastics allows to narrow the abdominal manometric girdle again and tone it without the danger of damaging the cervical and lumbar and without increasing the pressure on the pelvic floor, as with the realization of traditional abdominals.

After six months of 15 minutes of daily practice it is feasible to reduce up to two holes in the belt.

HYPOPRESSIVE ABDOMINALS: THE EASIEST AND MOST EFFECTIVE EXERCISE

To reduce the belly, you can practice this highly effective hypopressive abdominal:

Standing, with parallel feet and bent knees, separate the shoulder blades and empty all air through the mouth.
While you hold your breath (apnea) and sink your abdomen, gradually raise your arms while maintaining maximum separation of the shoulder blades.

Here we explain how to do apnea well and contract the muscles while doing this exercise.

HYPOPRESSIVE ABDOMINALS: HOW TO DO APNEA WELL

The key to the effectiveness of hypopressive gymnastics is that it is performed in apnea, that is, without air in the lungs or abdomen.

Hypopressive gymnastics is performed with empty lungs. This, which involves a remarkable physical effort, not only allows to reduce the intra-abdominal pressure and the pelvic floor, but also to open the ribs well and mobilize the entire diaphragm.

Another of its benefits is the increase in the flexibility of the breathing muscle and lung capacity, something very useful in those who usually breathe superficially.

To encourage this expansion, before starting it is good to unhook the ribs laterally by opening them with your hands (put your fingers under them at the bottom) and perform the first exercises by placing one hand on each side of the rib cage. This way we make sure that it opens well in the exercises.

In all exercises, all the air is first emptied through the mouth, the glottis is blocked and the abdomen is sunk as much as possible, while the ribs are opened to the maximum separating the scapulae.

HYPOPRESSIVE ABDOMINALS: HOW TO CONTRACT THE MUSCLES

The pelvic floor is a system of muscles and alignments that close the floor of the abdomen keeping in correct position and in suspension the bladder, uterus or prostate and rectum against the force of gravity.

Its weakening produces stress urinary incontinence, prolapses (fall and displacement of the intra-abdominal organs) and sexual dysfunctions. Incontinence after childbirth affects about 30% of women and hemorrhoids affects 50% of pregnant women.

Imagine that the abdomen is a balloon and the pelvic floor the lower and weaker part of that balloon. Consequently, any increase in air pressure affects this part of the balloon. It’s the same thing that happens to the pelvic floor.

Any activity we do during the day, from getting out of bed, walking, coughing, any physical exercise (cycling, running, swimming …) It produces an increase in abdominal pressure and pressure on the pelvic floor muscles by pushing it down.

Sports that involve jumping, the hormonal changes of menopause, genetic weakness in the pelvic floor muscles that register two out of ten women, obesity, constipation, chronic cough and stress are other causes of weakening of this musculature.

Marcel Caufriez designed the hypopressive abdominal gymnastics exercises with the aim not only of counteracting this continuous pressure on the pelvic floor, but of raising it as much as possible.

His method, by emptying the lungs and freeing the abdomen from the pressure exerted by the descent of the diaphragm and part of the thoracic area, manages to raise all the muscles of the pelvic floor and the viscera that it supports.

The results can be spectacular: the organs can rise up to two centimeters, avoiding operations for prolapse of one, two and three degrees.

15-MINUTE DAILY ROUTINE OF HYPOPRESSIVE EXERCISES

Nowadays these gymnastics, which requires practically no movement, is also being applied successfully in back pain caused by postural problems, since it allows to work the back in a global way even when there is pain. Many daily activities, such as carrying weights, have a negative impact on the lumbar body, especially if there is hypotonia in the abdominal area.

Hypopressive gymnastics exercises tone the superficial and deep muscles surrounding the spine and improve posture. In addition, when carried out blocking the movement of the lumbar spine can be recommended even when there is pain.

Hypopressive gymnastics can be recommended at any age. It is only contraindicated in case of hypertension, severe respiratory disorders, traumatic pathologies (knee or hip prosthesis) and dysfunctions of the diaphragm.

Each exercise proposes a global work, coordinating the muscles that are functionally grouped into muscle chains.

The following test can be carried out to check the close relationship between certain muscles.

Standing, with your feet together, lower the entire trunk to touch the tips of your feet with your hands, always keeping your knees straight. See how far you go.

Now return to the starting position and open your mouth as wide as you can, keeping it wide open for at least 15 seconds, thus tightening the sternocleidomastoid to the maximum and moving the lower jaw forward.

Again, lower the trunk and place your hands on the floor as far as possible keeping your knees straight. Surely this time you have been able to get a little lower.

And it is that the chewing muscles stretch the hamstring muscles or posterior musculature of the thighs.

In the same way, the separation of the shoulder blades increases the toning of the abdominals. That is why it is so important to maintain the separation of the scapulae: in this way the muscles of the manometric webbing can be brought together much more.

There are between 10 and 12 basic exercises and more than a hundred variants. It is recommended to learn them in a specialized center to master the technique well with six classes of about 45 minutes.

Once the learning is done, the exercises are very easy to practice at home or anywhere else. You can choose the most comfortable, since they all allow to obtain similar benefits.

There are exercises to perform sitting, standing or crawling on the floor, but some can be done even stretched out in bed. Just 15 minutes a day of practice is enough to get all the benefits of this new global gymnastics.

Here are some of the hypopressive gymnastics exercises you can practice at home. You can choose the one that is most comfortable, because all allow you to obtain similar benefits at the level of postural improvement and abdominal and pelvic floor toning.

But each of them affects a little more on a certain area of the body. In addition to doing the hypopressive abdominal exercise that we have advanced, complete your hypopressive routine with these exercises:

TO STRENGTHEN THE PELVIC FLOOR

Seated, supporting in the chair simply the ischia (the bones of the pelvis), the legs are kept with a flexion of 90 degrees and the feet in “flex”, that is, with the ankles stretched and the tips of the feet facing the ceiling.

Then the shoulder blades are separated by placing the hands in front of the chest, all the air from the lungs is emptied, the abdomen sinks and the position is maintained until you have the need to take air.

TO IMPROVE LEG TONE

Standing, the knees are bent about 60 degrees, as if we wanted to sit in an imaginary chair.

The entire weight of the body is pulled forward and the hands are placed almost on the thighs but without supporting them.

By bringing the weight of the body towards the tips of the feet, the lumbar and the entire spine are placed in line with the head.

Then, the shoulder blades are separated and apnea is performed. You hold your breath by keeping your abdomen inward as much as possible. You breathe and repeat the exercise.

TO WORK THE ARMS

Stretched on the floor face up on a soft surface, slightly flex the left leg resting the ankle on the floor and the fingers pointing to the ceiling.

The right leg is raised to maintain a hip flexion of 90 degrees and a knee flexion also of 90 degrees, with the foot well stretched.

The right arm now approaches the bent knee and the left arm is raised 180 degrees by flexing the palm upwards.

In this position, the scapulae are well separated, all the air from the lungs is emptied, the glottis is blocked and breathing is held by sinking the abdomen to the maximum and opening the ribs well. It is repeated on the other side.

TO TAKE CARE OF THE BACK POSTURE

Standing, with feet parallel and knees slightly bent, hands are placed on hips.

The weight of the body is brought on the tips of the feet, the shoulder blades are separated and all the air is emptied.

The ribs open laterally and the abdomen sinks.

Hypermobility: what it is, symptoms and exercises as a solution

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November 17, 2023

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Hypermobility: what it is, symptoms and exercises as a solution

At first glance hypermobility seems like an advantage because, for example, it allows you to perform the most complicated contortions of yoga, but it can be a problem. Find out if you are lax and what you can do.

Hypermobility is an elasticity in body tissues that is above normal. This condition can make some yoga postures look more spectacular, and this sometimes does not take into account the problems it can cause us.

The first thing is to keep in mind that in cases where you can perform an asana making use of excess joint mobility that hypermobility entails, the asana instead of providing a benefit will accentuate the weakness of our joints. But let’s go in steps.

HOW DO I KNOW IF I HAVE HYPERMOBILITY?

Some people may have it generalized, but it is common for it to be present in some joints and others not.

If when standing your knees are bulging from behind, if when extending your arms the elbow opens beyond the straight line of the arm, or if you manage to bend your wrist until the thumb touches the forearm, it is because you have hypermobility.

In yoga or bodywork sessions do you correct the position of your elbows in postures on four supports (knees and hands)? Are you often instructed to bend your knees a little when standing? Do you sometimes have the feeling that your arm or leg might slip out of place?

If you answer yes, it is very likely that you have hypermobility.

PROBLEMS THAT EXCESS ELASTICITY CAN CAUSE

If you’ve ever had a foot or ankle injury, you’ll know how exhausting it is to move when some area of the body can’t participate.

When the tissue is hyperlax, it has less capacity to contract, to make force. This means that, in the movement, other areas of the body will have to perform that force for him. And, naturally, the areas that work the most will end up being overloaded.

If we do nothing about it, the distribution of force to perform a movement will be less and less uniform. The weak areas will become more and more so and the strong areas will accumulate tension and exhaust due to excess use.

When this happens, our movements become less effective and the wear and tear of the organism in general is greater. Just like if we continue with our normal lives when we injure our leg. After a few days the other suffers.

APPLYING POSTURAL CORRECTIONS IS AN EMERGENCY SOLUTION

A solution to not continue to extend hyperlax tissues even more is to create some habits to contain joint hypermobility.

For example, bending our knees a little when we are standing will neutralize hyperextension in the back of the legs. Or, if we are on the floor in positions of four supports, turning our arms a little so that the inside of the elbows face towards the center will make our arms aligned.

What happens is that the person who has hypermobility does not usually detect that he is straining his joints and only applies these corrections when he remembers it or when someone warns him.

ADDRESSING THE ROOT OF HYPERMOBILITY REQUIRES BODY AWARENESS WORK

If in any position we feel that our back is loaded, we spontaneously look for another position in which the back can rest. Detecting the sensations of lack of body alignment that hypermobility produces is what will allow us to reorganize our position and stop forcing our tissues.

To really address hypermobility, we need to activate the ability to correctly notice and interpret the sensations derived from our body position. As we do with our loaded back, when we are able to detect the discomfort related to hypermobility, we will spontaneously look for a position in which we can feel greater comfort.

Let’s look at a practical example. Let’s focus on the knees to understand what kind of positions and sensations we are referring to.

With hypermobility in the knees, when standing, the support of the femur on the tibia will be displaced. It is as if the posterior tissue does not stop the extension of the knee.

Visible aspects: On the outside you will see the back of the knee bulging, as if the knee wants to bend in the opposite direction. But even so, the person usually thinks that their legs are straight.
Internal sensations: As for sensations, we will notice as if someone is pushing our knees back. Discovering this sensation is what will make the person realize that their legs do not have optimal alignment. And once this happens, it will allow the body to find a less forced position.

TUNING BODY SENSORS

In order to notice when the knee is bent, when it is in a neutral position and when it is hyperextended, we have to delve into the sensations that each of the positions gives us.

We can work in front of a mirror to visually validate the position of the knee and then collect the internal sensations that each of the positions gives us:

What sensations of pressure, tightness or effort do we notice in front of and behind the knee?
In what area of the inside of the knee do we feel pressure?
In which area of the foot does the weight of the body fall?

I recommend taking notes of the different sensations in each of the positions until the sensory map becomes clear and sufficiently defined. And during the day, play to detect what is the position of the knees and then validate it visually.

After a few weeks, you will surprise yourself uncomfortable every time your knees are hyperextended and you will solve it spontaneously with a slight flexion.

TO MAKE CHANGE LASTING

Now comes the part where you have to stand firm. It is possible that as you regulate your hypermobility, perhaps some of the yoga postures you usually practice look different. My recommendation? Take care of your joints.

How to tone the body on the beach

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November 17, 2023

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The good weather invites you to exercise in the sand freely and spontaneously. The negative ions of the sea predispose the organism to regenerate: take advantage of it!

Going to the beach at dawn or in the twilight can be one of the gifts of summer. At those times when the heat does not tighten and you enjoy more space in the sand, it is very pleasant to rest, sunbathe or take a first or last bath. But it’s also an opportune time to exercise.

Even people who do not feel especially motivated to exercise in summer, due to the embarrassment, can make their sports steps by choosing the first hours of the day, or better yet, the last hours of the afternoon.

Any idea of sacrifice must be removed, because, whatever the activity chosen, satisfaction, relationship with peers or contact with air, sun and water is as important as physical exercise itself.

THE POWER OF NEGATIVE IONS TO REGENERATE THE BODY

The occasion also invites you to relax and get in touch with yourself through some gentle physical practice, such as yoga, or walking, running, swimming or exploring the underwater world.

To the physical benefits of movement are added in this case those of breathing negative ions on the shore, hearing the murmur of the sea, feeling the freshness of the water on your feet and noticing the breeze on your skin.

It is, therefore, an ideal framework to relax the nervous system and pace breathing while toning the muscles and activating blood circulation.

HOW TO EXERCISE ON THE BEACH

The slogan should always be to move according to the possibilities and desires of each one, in a free and pleasant way. The sand invites you to perform all kinds of tasty stretches.

The usual practitioners of yoga, tai chi or chikung can improvise a simple session with the movements and postures that they want, taking great care, yes, never to force the body to avoid injuries.

Another option is to dare to run along the beach, preferably on the softer sand, as it forces you to exert more force to move forward.

It is an excellent way to work the buttocks and thighs, plus you burn more calories than running flat at the same pace.

About ten minutes of running is enough, although a good walk is also worth if you prefer.

HOW TO EXERCISE ON THE BEACH

Swimming is one of the healthiest exercises, and practicing it in the sea multiplies its benefits. Among them, it increases the capacity of the rib cage and the mobility of the diaphragm, which improves respiratory capacity.

In addition, the sea is one of the most suitable means for older people who want to exercise and improve muscle mobility, as well as for overweight and pregnant people, allowing them to practice it without great efforts, because a body in the water weighs about eight times less.

Precisely the one that floats more makes swimming in the sea the feeling is much more relaxing. The mere fact of letting go and doing “the dead” is gratifying.

But in addition to swimming, you can perform other very beneficial exercises, such as entering until the water reaches the waist and walking the beach, walking, from end to end. It is an exceptional activity for the muscles, belly and buttocks, which can be equivalent to two hours in the gym exercising in the abductor apparatus.

Or jumping the waves that, in addition to being a very fun activity, gives us a hydrotherapy session in which almost all the muscles are exercised.

WARM-UPS BEFORE EXERCISING ON THE BEACH

Before starting the exercises, start warming up the muscles.

You can walk with the water at knee height without lifting your legs, so that to move forward you have to overcome the resistance of the water.

The faster you want to move, the more force you have to make. This exercises the entire lower body.

Walk for a minute, rest for 45 seconds, and stay that way for 10 minutes.

OTHER EXERCISES YOU CAN DO ON THE BEACH

Beach excursions, swimming, activities such as paddle surfing or group games are some other possibilities to prepare

On the other hand, in the exercise sessions it is advisable to include a time to walk barefoot on the sand, because the massage on the feet produces a stimulus on the nerve endings that favors the proper functioning of all the organs and systems of the body.

In addition, it is experimented with the perception of sensations that at other times of the year are not possible.

We can even exchange reflex therapy massages, now that the feet have freed themselves from shoes and socks, and are more willing to be touched. The help of an expert friend or a good book containing maps of reflex zones is essential.

Exercise and outdoor activities are also a great excuse to spend more time than usual and in other ways with children, family or friends.

How to remove laces in 5 minutes: natural and quick remedies

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November 17, 2023

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How to remove laces in 5 minutes: natural and quick remedies

Exercise and sport often have painful side effects, especially if you’re not trained. But there are natural products that help you prevent and treat soreness.

It is common to feel muscle pain after exercising, which is popularly known as “stiffness”. When this occurs, the limbs are literally stiff and their range of motion is reduced. The affected muscles are hard, tender to pressure and weak. With soreness, the maximum strength of a muscle can be reduced by up to 30 percent.

Everyone knows that pain that can paralyze you for several days. These symptoms are a sign that your muscles are exerting themselves and have not yet recovered. However, that pain can paralyze you for several days and, therefore, we all wonder how to remove the laces in 5 minutes to be able to continue with our lives. Although it may require a little more time, you will be happy to know that there are natural remedies that help you remove soreness quickly and effectively.

WHAT ARE LACES?

For a long time, it was assumed that pain after exercise was related to a hyper acidification of the muscles. But this theory is now outdated. It is now known that the cause is small breaks in the muscle fibers.

However, some experts believe that soreness responds to the sum of several factors, one of them being the accumulation of metabolic products in muscle tissue in combination with fiber breaks.

On the other hand, the popular belief that the laces will be removed by exercising more is not correct. This is a mistake. There is no solution to achieve instant relief and remove soreness in 5 minutes, although we do have natural options to eliminate those metabolic products quickly from muscle tissue.

HOW TO REMOVE LACES WITH NATURAL REMEDIES

There are many natural remedies to relieve the pain of soreness:

HOW TO REMOVE LACES WITH HEAT

There is only one thing that really helps against stiffness and that is the heat of a hot bath or shower or a visit to the sauna. This not only relieves pain, but also speeds up the healing process.

So, after the tennis match, hiking or cycling, take a long, hot shower. Proponents of natural medicine, on the other hand, know a whole range of remedies that can be used in addition to heat.

HOW TO REMOVE SORENESS WITH KNEIPP THERAPY: QUICK REMEDY

Many naturopaths recommend Kneipp therapy after exercise (alternating showers with warm water for 3 minutes and cold water for 20 seconds) or saunas.

Light massages may also be helpful, but caution is advised. Too strong massages represent additional mechanical irritation of already damaged muscles and thus delay the healing process.

HOW TO REMOVE LACES WITH RELAXING BATHS

Relaxing baths with rosemary or fir needles as home remedies are also a good idea. Heat and medicinal plants stimulate blood circulation. This also applies to light movement, which promotes the healing process. However, in case of doubt, it should be clarified if there is a major muscle injury, because then they should rest for longer.

HOW TO REMOVE LACES WITH HOME REMEDIES

Other remedies to combat annoying soreness include:

Apply an herbal ointment or cream, such as arnica, comfrey, or motherwort to the affected area
Wraps with arnica. Pour 1 teaspoon of flowers into 250 ml of liter of boiling water and let stand ten minutes; or dilute 1 teaspoon of tincture in 250/<> ml of water. Be careful with external injuries, never apply arnica on open wounds.
Hay flower wrap or a hay flower bath.
Place cold compresses on the affected area
Take a magnesium supplement, which relieves tension and has a relaxing effect.

HOW TO PREVENT SORENESS

There are some natural products and home remedies, but of course it is better if the laces do not even appear.

In order to prevent them, it is good to know something about their development. Symptoms usually appear after physical activities to which we are not accustomed or that are particularly stressful.

That is why in principle the following rule applies: do not overdo the exercise, you have to increase time and intensity little by little.

Before starting exercise, you can also rub your muscles with oils that promote blood circulation, particularly oils that include St. John’s wort, arnica, juniper and rosemary.
After training, you should slowly reduce activity and tension in the muscles with the help of stretching exercises. This is evident for running, but similar measures can also be applied in other sports.

HOW TO PREVENT SORENESS WITH LEMONGRASS

Lemongrass (Aloysia citriodora), a medicinal plant commonly taken in infusion, may help prevent them. This has been confirmed by a small recent study carried out in Germany to verify its effects on pain and muscle function after exercise.

If you exercise, whether intense or moderate, you are likely to suffer from soreness. After exercise our muscles suffer small damage, increased oxidative stress and inflammation, which makes our muscles feel tired and sore in the following days.

The study, published in the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, found that herbal reduces soreness and accelerates muscle recovery compared to a placebo. The effect could be due to its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory action.

To prove this, the study used a patented extract of organic herb, also known as cedron or Indian verbena, and forty people, men and women, between 22 and 50 years old were chosen. All of them were moderately active and consumed a similar number of fruits and vegetables per day.

MORE EFFECTIVE THAN PLACEBO

Half of the participants were given two 200 mg capsules of herbal extract, and the other half, maltodextrin as placebo, every morning for 15 days.

On the tenth day they were subjected to a scheduled session of intense exercise based on jumps, very demanding with the lower extremities. Just before the exercise and during the following four days, several parameters related to pain and muscle function were measured.

On the one hand, both groups were asked to assess the pain they felt when moving, specifically when sitting and getting up from a chair. On the other hand, they had to quantify the pain they had felt throughout each day in their normal activities, on a scale of 0 (“no pain”) to 6 (“severe pain that limits my movements”).

In addition, muscle strength and several biochemical markers related to muscle damage and antioxidant activity were measured, such as creatine kinase, glutathione peroxidase and interleukin-6.

While the perception of pain felt throughout the day was similar in both groups, overall, the pain perceived with movement at the time was lower in people who took herb.

In addition, the group of people supplemented with lemongrass not only had less muscle damage than the placebo group, but also took less time to fully recover.

BETTER RECOVERY AND MORE ENERGY

Those who took lemongrass also lost less muscle strength as a result of exertion: 11% versus 21%. Within 48 hours, participants returned to the same muscle strength as before exercise, but not in the placebo group.

Muscle strength is considered an indicator of the condition of the muscles, which reinforces the idea that the herb would contribute to cushion the muscle damage caused by exercise.

According to the researchers, by reducing muscle damage, the herb could not only “accelerate recovery but directly reduce tiredness after exercise.”

Among the biochemical markers analyzed, only significant results were obtained in glutathione peroxidase levels, higher in people who took lemongrass than in those who took placebo.

This elevation, which occurred only after you had performed the exercise and not before, indicates that the herb would help increase the antioxidant activity that the body would set in motion to counteract oxidative stress.

POLYPHENOLS COULD BE THE KEY AGAINST STIFFNESS

According to the researchers, these results coincide with those of other studies on the effect of other substances on the appearance of soreness, such as ashwagandha, curcumin, pomegranate or blueberry.

What these ingredients have in common is their richness in polyphenols, as with lemon verbena. These substances are antioxidants: they reduce oxidative stress and inflammation processes.

“It has been suggested that polyphenols might be useful in preventing muscle damage and speeding recovery,” the study authors note. This could be due to its antioxidant activity, although more studies would be needed to confirm it.

WHEN TO WORRY ABOUT STIFFNESS

Muscle soreness usually occurs after exercise and usually goes away after a few days. In the case of unusual, extreme or prolonged pain, a visit to the doctor is essential. This is the only way to know if there has been a larger muscle fiber tear or if some other injury has occurred.

How to remove hip pain: exercises to gain flexibility

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November 17, 2023

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How to remove hip pain: exercises to gain flexibility

In people who spend almost all day sitting, mobilizing the pelvis and releasing tension from their joints is essential to protect the hip.

The ease with which we move the hip and pelvis, the base of our spine, will depend on our position and our movement in life. If your muscles are stiff and shrunken, so will your posture. That is why it is common to suffer from hip pain and, related to this, back pain. And how to remove hip pain? Some exercises to relax the hip may help.

WHY EXERCISE HELPS REDUCE HIP PAIN

When we observe the hip movements we perceive the strength, grace, balance, harmony of the person’s movement or their weakness and clumsiness. In judo, hip movement (O_goshi) was one of the favorites of its founder, Jikoro Kano, and one of those still taught in early classes. It is an essential movement in a sport based on flexibility. At the same time, it is one of the strongest in its execution.

When we observe belly dancing or, simply, harmonious walking, we see how the smooth, agile and graceful movement of the hip transmits strength, security and physical power at the same time.

Those of us who work sitting usually suffer from lack of mobility in the hip. Therefore, it is good that from time to time we become aware of its movements and feel its position in relation to the spine.

Let’s learn from this part of our body represented by the biggest and strongest bones we have.

Let’s see how the largest and strongest muscles of our body are inserted into it: the abductors of the leg, the buttocks, the anterior quadratus, the sartorius, the hamstrings, the iliac psoas, the muscles of the abdomen (anterior recti, oblique and transverse), the special ones of the pubis, such as the superficial transverses, the sphincters of the anus and bladder, the puborectal bundles…

Among the functions of the hip is to support our whole body and mobilize it, to walk and run, and also to dribble and avoid dangers.

At the same time, it is a place for flexibility and a place of passage (through it pass feces, urine, pleasure and babies who are about to be born).

These functions of the pelvis make its movements represent strength, support and flexibility, and make it a center of sensory and motor coordination.

To become aware of the pelvis:

For a few minutes a day, try to make slow movements with her sitting in a chair. looking for all its possibilities and the points of maximum flexibility.
Observe when walking if we feel the hip loose or contracted. In case of stiffness, relax it and check that the gait is thus more agile.

EXERCISES TO STRENGTHEN THE HIP

Bipedalism is a rare form of locomotion even in primates. The feat of balance and coordination involved in walking on two feet is possible largely thanks to the flattened structure of the pelvis.

Similar to a saddle, the pelvis distributes the weight of the trunk to the legs and allows the insertion of large muscles: the upper and posterior leg, those of the abdomen and those of the buttock, which contract at each step to prevent us from falling to one side by having all the weight supported on one foot.

The human body has been designed to perform circular movements, without following a perfectly linear trajectory. Gymnastics that integrates simple joint rotations stimulates and relaxes muscles more naturally and spontaneously.

Drawing imaginary circles with the hips, wrists or ankles produces small twists and muscle stretches that activate circulation. One way to put these ideas into practice and that they are not mere theory is to exercise with a large ball.

The so-called Swiss ball also allows you to play with balance, tone muscles that are little used with a sedentary lifestyle and gain flexibility.

In addition, the rotations with hip swinging on Swiss ball, performed with little resistance (hands and feet supported), provide a massage that can relieve the pressure of the lumbar.

They also help strengthen the core and back muscles, benefit connective tissue and significantly reduce postural fatigue.

When sitting on the ball:

Place your feet flat on the floor, your thighs parallel and your hips and knees at a 90-degree angle.
The hands should be resting on the thighs or sides of the ball and the back should remain upright and relaxed, right in the center of the ball to avoid imbalances.

EXERCISE TO GAIN HIP FLEXIBILITY

To improve hip flexibility, do this exercise:

Sit on the ball with your hands on your legs and ensure your balance.
Then move your arms back and support them on the ball.
Start gently rotating your hips to the right by drawing an imaginary circle in slow motion.
Shift your weight onto your right ischium, the bone under your buttock.
Then move the pelvis back and complete the circle by shifting the weight onto the other ischium.
Complete the rotation by moving your pelvis forward.
Repeat the exercise five times.

To relax the hip and lumbar area it is also important to relax the adductors. This other back stretch is a great complement to this exercise.

HIP YOGA EXERCISE: “CRADLING THE BABY”

To stretch your hips and upper thigh muscles, sit cross-legged, lift one leg to your chest, and support the outside of your ankle with one arm, while the other circles your bent knee.

Then, with your back straight, push your leg towards your chest gently until you feel how the back of your thigh stretches.

Swing gently as if cradling a baby, for 10 to 15 seconds, and change legs.

EXERCISE TO RELAX AND STRETCH THE PSOAS

Also, in the pelvic region extends, from the last dorsal vertebra and the five lumbar to the thigh, a small deep muscle, the psoas, which constitutes the main connection between the upper and lower body, and controls stability in movements.

An exercise indicated to relax and stretch it consists of lying on the back, with the legs stretched in line with the hip and femur joint.

The right leg is lifted and the thigh is brought to the chest to gently embrace the knee, bringing it closer to the trunk. The pelvis has to align with the trunk. Then the left leg is opened by slowly sliding it out.

You have to feel how the left psoas is stretched: first concentrating on the upper area of the hip joint and, little by little, moving mentally through the muscle. It is repeated with the other leg.

How to Relieve Neck Pain by Moving Your Pelvis

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November 17, 2023

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How to Relieve Neck Pain by Moving Your Pelvis

In the body everything is connected. Therefore, pain in the neck can be linked to blockages in remote areas, such as the pelvis. Actually, the pelvis and neck are the ends of the spine.

The body is a whole. An injury to a hand, for example, alters the overall movement of the entire body. Because for a while one zone will be disabled and the rest has to be reorganized to continue working and because the system changes its hierarchy of priorities: now it is essential to restore the functionality of the damaged zone.

In fact, I haven’t told you anything new. However, we tend to forget it and move as if some parts were independent of others. Thinking of our body as a big cloth can help us understand the effects of our stresses. You can take a fabric and try to tie it in a corner and then in the center. When you extend it, you will see the limitation generated by each of those knots in the movement of the entire fabric.

Immobility in one hand will directly affect the elbow, shoulder, neck and chest, what would happen if the immobility, due to injury or tension, was in the pelvis?

Being in the center of the body, an alteration of the mobility of the pelvis produces direct effects on legs and feet, and also on the upper part of the body. I want to tell you how it can help you to have these links present in the relief of cervical tension.

PAIN DOESN’T ALWAYS SHOW UP WHERE THE PROBLEM IS

Think that between your pelvic bones is the lower part of your spine. So, if you suffer sustained tension in the pelvis, it is as if someone is holding your last vertebrae all the time.

Every time we move our head in any direction, it is necessary that our spine accompanies the gesture. Otherwise, the movement will be slowed down. Imagine a snake moving forward with its tail motionless… It’s not possible.

If the movement of the head is slowed by the tension of the pelvis and, instead of releasing the pelvis, we make more force with the head, to turn it or tilt it, the tissues of the nape and neck, which are being over demanded, will twitch and generate pain and tension to protect themselves.

REGAIN THE FEELING OF LINK BETWEEN THE HEAD AND PELVIS

Mobilizing the pelvis without making present that the body is a whole will not relieve cervical tensions. What is causing this tension is precisely the lack of awareness of this reality. Check how your movement changes depending on the idea you have of it:

Think that your neck starts at the base of the head and ends where the trunk begins. And with that idea in mind lower your head as if you were going to read a book, then raise it to look straight ahead and then towards the ceiling.
Now think that your neck starts at the crown and ends at the coccyx, your last vertebra, as if you were a snake. And repeat the previous movements. Surely you have felt notable differences in terms of the overall movement of the body: greater mobility of the dorsal, lumbar and pelvic area.

Now, with this idea of the body that allows all tissues to be involved in each gesture, I propose a very simple exercise to loosen your cervical tension:

Lie on your back, with your legs bent and your feet flat on the floor.
Your head rests on the floor or a folded blanket.
Start swinging your legs side and side as if you were moving a bowl full of water: your pelvis. It is a small and light movement; the idea is that the water does not come out of the bowl.
As you repeat the gesture go loosening the body, let it rest more and more on the ground, and observe how the movement of the pelvis is transmitted through the spine upwards. Perhaps on the first attempt, or repeating it a few more days, you will feel that with the movement of your legs you get to swing your head.

Remember that the body is not as we think and that the idea, we have of it conditions us.

How to reduce the risk of dementia if you spend hours sitting?

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November 17, 2023

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How to reduce the risk of dementia if you spend hours sitting?

Moving around is best, but if for some reason you spend many hours sitting, you should do activities that keep your brain in good shape to reduce the risk of dementia.

People over the age of 60 are less physically active. When the daily commute is eliminated, many people will move less and less and spend more and more time sitting if they do not find activities that stimulate them. Health problems can also lead to a sedentary lifestyle.

A sedentary lifestyle is associated with an increased risk of many chronic diseases and premature mortality. You also age faster if you sit for a long time.

However, in a study from the University of California and the University of Arizona, researchers found that exactly how you spend your time sitting is very important, as you can be more active or more passive.

MENTAL EXERCISE IN THE CHAIR DOES COUNT

People who are very physically active reduce their risk of neurological degeneration, but even among them there are differences between those who are mentally active and those who are less so.

The effect of the mental activity we perform when we are sitting is independent of the amount of exercise we do. What matters is what activity you’re doing when you’re sitting, explains study author David Raichlen, a professor of anthropology and life sciences at the University of California.

GOOD AND BAD ACTIVITIES WHILE SITTING

Passive activities mainly include watching television. Active activities to do while sitting include:

Read a book or do other crafts.
Computer activities (surfing the Internet/searching)
Playing computer games
Write forum posts
Write comments
Make arrangements and purchases online
Being active in groups of friends
Take an online course
Drawing and painting, etc.

The study has shown that people who spend more leisure time in front of the television have a higher risk of dementia. On the other hand, those who are mainly engaged in the activities mentioned above can significantly reduce their risk of falling into dementia.

THE COMPUTER SURPASSES THE TELEVISION IN MUSCLE ACTIVITY

“Previous studies have shown that when you watch TV, there is less muscle activity than when you read or use a computer,” Raichlen, says.

Sitting uninterrupted for a long period of time leads to reduced blood flow to the brain, but it’s timing it by reading a book or engaging in computer activities seems to offset some of the negative effects of sedentary living.

The study evaluated data from 145,000 participants over the age of 60. After 12 years, it was observed how many cases of dementia there were and how those affected had spent their free time sedentary. Other risk factors for dementia were taken into account in the assessment, such as age, sleep habits, tobacco or alcohol use, extent of social contacts, etc.

COMPENSATE FOR SEDENTARY LIFESTYLE

Of course, you have to move as much as possible, because physical exercise is important to avoid or alleviate many other chronic ailments, such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, obesity, cancer and many more.

If you’re older, try to include at least a 10-minute walk in your daily routine. Even walking at a slow pace can prolong your life, as reported at the 2022 European Society of Cardiology Congress.

The risk of death in active older adults is reduced by 40% compared to inactive ones. Of course, the walk can always be longer: 150 minutes a week is ideal for people over 85, that is, a good 20 minutes a day.

If you can no longer walk well, there are exercises you can do while sitting.

How to prepare the yoga session to get all its benefits

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November 17, 2023

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How to prepare the yoga session to get all its benefits

Sometimes we can see that an asana that should bring us a particular benefit does not work for us. To understand why it happens and achieve results we must understand that each body is unique.

When you practice an asana to relieve a certain tension it may not work for you or it may even worsen the problem. In many cases the problem is that we do not spend enough time before performing the movement to observe our body.

Discover the course Initiation to Yoga + 56 postures of Yoga of School Body.

WHY DOES YOGA SOMETIMES NOT WORK?

If you like cooking it will have happened to you that with the same recipe one day you had a fluffy and moist cake and another day it barely rose an inch. And when you get it to always be delicious, it is because you have learned to adjust temperatures, amounts of liquid and rest times depending on the season of the year, the size of the eggs or the mold you use. There are thousands of details that the recipe does not cover, that you cannot control and that will never be the same.

With the recipes regarding body work happens exactly the same. To pretend that an asana, or a set of them, rearranges bodily tensions in the same way for everyone and at all times implies accepting two things that are false: that all bodies are equal and that the body itself is always in the same conditions.

However excellent the asana is as a proposal to relieve this or that tension, if we perform it accepting these two false assumptions, there is a good chance that the practice will not give the expected result. Or it can even cause the opposite effect, adding one tension on another.

If I have to make an effort to sit, the beneficial head twists will be a torture that will increase the lumbar tension that I am already doing without even having moved a finger.
If I have to endure a pain in my knee to sit as I am expected to, excellent spinal push-ups will be another torture that will increase my tension in the groin and under the belly. And so, we could go on.

The posture or movement that is not part of our daily repertoire allows us to make evident the discomfort or tensions that we have managed to silence in our day to day.

Therefore, if we want to use body technique as a means of self-knowledge it is important to be careful not to fall into the automatism that usually appears when technical improvement is reached.

HOW TO MAKE THE POSTURE MORE BENEFICIAL

Just as to get a good cake we have to understand the recipe and know the conditions of all the ingredients to introduce the necessary adjustments.

The understanding of the recipe will be acquired as you make it and observing its effects: during the execution of the asana and at the end of it. But to know the conditions of all the ingredients it is essential that you take advantage of the time before starting.

The time you spend finding your posture of stability to initiate any movement will be the key to obtaining the benefits that the asana can offer you. And the posture of stability will depend on how the body is at that moment and the environment in which you practice.

Your fabrics will not be the same on a cold day as in the middle of summer. The posture that your feet will need to adopt to keep you balanced will not be the same if you practice in a room than on the beach. You will not sit the same the day you have rested as the day you cannot with your soul.

WHAT TO DO BEFORE STARTING THE YOGA SESSION

In a yoga session, the execution time of an asana is as important as the time between them. But the sacred time is that of the beginning.

What differentiates any physical exercise from a yoga practice is that yoga seeks to exercise at the same time the body and the awareness we have of it and its links with the environment.

When the yoga session you attend is focused on the latter, you will notice that the comments of the facilitator seek to draw your attention to different aspects of your movement, posture and breathing. And you will listen to them not only during the execution of the asana and when changing from one position to another, they will also invite you to observe yourself before the start of it.

And we commented the other day in class, that this habit transferred to our daily lives makes a difference. How many pinches we could avoid if before lifting a weight we made sure to have our feet firmly on the ground and our abdomen available for movement!

Do not be in a hurry to start the execution of the asana.
Make the adjustments you need to feel well supported on the floor and supported effortlessly in the starting position.
Wait for your breathing to be calm and wide before starting the movement.