Pain Free Fitness: How to Exercise Without Getting So Sore

woman foam rolling for muscle soreness

You walk out of the gym with pride after completing a new or challenging workout, but find yourself barely able to walk the next day.  It is not uncommon to feel strong today and then struggle with pain and stiffness a day or two later.  However, it is possible to experience pain free fitness and we are here to teach you how to exercise without getting so sore.

First, let’s define what you are experiencing. These symptoms are called delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS). The cause if frequently debated but our best research shows the discomfort comes from microtears in the muscle resulting in inflammation.  This response by the body can cause decreased range of motion, muscle aches, joint stiffness, puffiness, and even pain (especially trying to go down stairs after leg day).

Knowing why this happens allows us to better prevent and treat the problem.  There are simple steps you can take before, during, and after your workout to achieve pain free fitness.

What to Do Before Your Workout
  • Drink Water. Staying hydrated before, during, and after your workout will decrease cramps and your risk for injury.
  • Eat Protein.  Amino acids from protein are the building blocks of muscle.  By consuming foods high in protein you are giving your body what it needs to rebuild.
  • Warm Up. Before your workout, perform some dynamic stretching to prevent those microtears from turning into greater damage.  Cold tissues are more vulnerable to injury.
What to Do During Your Workout
  • Correct Form. Consult with a personal trainer, work with a physical therapist, or watch trusted trainers online to be sure your form is accurate for each exercise.
  • Pace Yourself. Overexertion leads to the greatest discomfort.  The only way to improve your fitness is to challenge yourself, but be sure to add to your workout gradually.
  • Static Stretching. End your workout with slow static stretches that expand your range of motion while your muscles are warm. It’s ideal to add some deep breathing.
What to Do After Your Workout
  • Keep Moving. You might sit at a desk or be tempted to hit the couch the rest of the day, but this will just make DOMS symptoms worse.  Take short walk breaks and consider use of a Thera gun or foam roller to decrease muscle tension and improve circulation.
  • Replenish Electrolytes. Your body requires electrolytes, not just water, to keep tissues well hydrated and prevent cramping.  Be sure your formula doesn’t include artificial ingredients and sugar that will add to inflammation (here is our favorite Rehydrate).
  • Sleep Well.  Stick to a consistent bedtime routine and aim for 7-9 hours of sleep each night.  This is the time your body does it’s best repair work and sleep deprivation can actually make your muscles weaker.
What the Pros Do
  • Contrast Showers. The pros will alternate between an ice bath and sauna, but similarly you can do contract showers alternating between moderately hot and cold water.
  • Supplement Wisely.  There are resources your body needs to heal and recover optimally and with less discomfort. This may include antioxidant support, omega 3 fish oil to decrease inflammation, or my favorite creatine monohydrate for muscle rebuilding and resilience.
  • Increase Oxygen. Every cell of your body needs oxygen to heal.  By delivering more to the area you can speed up the healing process and decrease pain.  Professional athletes often utilize Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy to reach peak performance (learn more about HBOT).
Try a few of these strategies and let us know how they work for you.

As always, it is important to distinguish between muscle soreness and injury that may require medical attention.  If pain is sudden or severe while exercising, or if your symptoms last more than 3 days give your Doctor of Physical Therapy a call to have the problem evaluated (it’s easy to request a phone consult).

We are here to help you build muscle and stay fit without experiencing muscle pain. Listen to your body, respect it’s limits when necessary, and never hesitate to ask for help in order to lead an long and active life.

If you need a more personalized approach to recovery, or don’t know where to start on your fitness journey, Fitness & Nutrition Genetic Testing with our Integrative Health Coach is the ideal roadmap.

8 Expert Tips for Exercise Post COVID

expert tips for exercising post COVID

There is still so much that we don’t know about the impact of the coronavirus. One thing is certain, from the research and our first hand experience, millions of adults have had to change the way they exercise post COVID.

If you currently have COVID-19, the general recommendation is to wait two weeks before exercising.  This period of rest will allow your body to fight the infection and reduce your risk of complications such as myocarditis (inflammation in the heart).

What do you do after two weeks have passed? I hate to say it, but it depends.  Many people can resume their usual activities with no problem.  Others require more time and additional precautions.  And we see many people still struggling months later.

Lingering symptoms, including coughing, fatigue, an irregular heart rate, shortness of breath, aches, or pains can indicate long COVID (or long haulers) syndrome. If this is you, it’s time to discuss with your healthcare provider what the most safe and effective strategy is for you.  As doctors of physical therapy, we are qualified to make these recommendations and guide you on this journey.

In general, the best place to start is with walking.  It’s low impact and you are completely in control in how hard you push or how often you rest.  It will begin to strengthen your muscles, including your heart. However, just a walk around the block can be a struggle for many so let’s get more specific about the safest way to get back to moving.

Tips to resume exercise post COVID:
  1. Access Your Risk. The effects of COVID-19 vary widely, but are likely at low risk of exercise complications if you’re under 50 with no chronic conditions and had a mild case. Otherwise, check in with your healthcare provider to access if further testing is necessary.
  2. Start out small. Once you’re able to resume your daily activities, start with a walk on a flat surface. Give yourself a break and allow your body to rest if you feel fatigued or short of breath.  If you have difficulty making progress from this point, a post COVID rehab program is the next best step.
  3. Check your posture. Working on postural strength and efficient movement allows you to maximize energy and protect yourself from injuries. During walking or exercise, keep your head up and firm through your core muscles. Keep yourself in a position that allows you to breathe easily.
  4. Practice Breathing. Use your lungs and reduce stress with pursed lip and diaphragmatic breathing exercises. This increases oxygen transport to your muscles for increased endurance and decreased soreness. Consider hyperbaric oxygen therapy if fatigue or endurance is problematic for you.
  5. Spend time outdoors. Time outside allows you to get moving, increase vitamin D, and enhances mental health. Do not underestimate the power of mental health in the process of recovery and performance. Pick a scenic route where you can enjoy fresh air, and green spaces.
  6. Pace Yourself. Allow yourself to ease back into physical activity. Divide your workout into brief sessions of just 10 minutes. Try riding a bike or a rowing machine if weight bearing activities cause too much fatigue.  Yoga and Pilates can be ideal movement practices if endurance is low.
  7. Set goals. Increase your speed or distance a little each week working toward a larger goal. When you’re ready, climb up hills, or pump your arms more. If you hit a plateau in your progress and are unable to return to your prior level of fitness it’s time to get some expert guidance.
  8. Seek out support. Listen to your body, so you can avoid pushing yourself too hard. Most people will be able to slowly progress back into their fitness routine, but some will find long COVID symptoms continue to limit them for months or even years.

When it comes to exercise post COVID, and goals to regain your fitness, it is not a matter of working harder but working smarter.  Nutritional strategies, breathing techniques, postural training, supplementation, compression therapy, and oxygen treatments can set you up for success.  That may sound like a lot of effort, but the results will be worth it.

We have a team of experts here to support you when you feel stuck.  Even when the doctor doesn’t have a clear answer to why you still don’t feel well so long after recovery from your initial COVID illness, you can maximize your changes of a full recovery. A well researched and personalized rehab plan will protect your long term health and the lifestyle you love.

Visit the Long COVID Rehab page on our website or schedule a phone consult for more information.

If you have had a setback from an illness or injury, consider Integrative Health Coaching as your next best step.  Learn more HERE.

Expert Tips to Recover From Over Exercising

woman lifting weights

I know you may be zealous to start this year with a new or upgraded fitness routine.  First, let me give you a virtual high five. I’ll also share some expert tips to recover from over exercising, because it’s likely to happen if you continue toward your goals.

Over two decades ago when I started my career in health and fitness I would have told you exercise is always good for you. Then I saw the other side.  I saw the injury, the overuse, the burn out when clients took a good thing too far. Pushing yourself beyond your limits can cause fatigue and injuries and even suppress your immune system.

The good news is, you can continue to exercise, stay fit, and reach new goals for your body at any age or stage of life.  However, it requires being intentional about two things – techniques  to prevent overtraining and strategies to help you recover.  If you are feeling sore during or after your workouts, the steps I outline below are critical to staying in the fitness game long term and reaching goals you may have never thought possible.

First, we must prevent overtraining.
  1. Maintain Consistency. Gradual conditioning is the best way to prevent injury.  Consistency allows your body to be prepared for the activity you are performing and helps you avoid weekend warrior syndrome.  

  2. Vary Your Routine. Varying the activities you perform also allows your body to adapt to new stressors and let other parts of your body have a little rest. It’s the best way to maintain consistency with exercised while not over training. 

  3. Stretch Daily. Take time for dynamic stretches before a workout to warm up your body.  Static stretches are best at the end of a workout to regain muscle length, increase range of motion, and support recovery. 

  4. Clarify Your Priorities. Make exercise a priority in you agenda each week, but don’t let it take over.  Maintain balance with spiritual, relational, and mental health supporting activities for overall wellbeing.  Do not sacrifice health in any one area for another. 
Then we must optimize our bodies ability to recover.
  1. Allow your body to rest. There are lots of tricks that provide temporary relief for sore muscles, but rest is the best medicine of all. Your body uses the time in between workouts to heal and become stronger. Deep sleep is the time your body makes the most progress toward recovery.
  2. Learn about delayed onset muscle soreness. Feeling sore for a day or two is normal as your muscles adapt. Our genetics play a role in how long it takes for our body to make these adaptations. By knowing how much time and what resources your body needs to fight soreness, you can make the most of your exercise efforts. Learn more about Fitness DNA testing HERE.

  3. Stay hydrated. Water and electrolytes speed up the recovery process. The fluids flush waste products out of your muscles and make it easier for your blood to circulate. Sodium, potassium, and magnesium supply your body with the resources it needs make repairs.

  4. Get a massage. Massaging sore muscles provides quick relief and may even make them stronger. Some studies show that massage reduces inflammation and helps cells take up more oxygen. This may be in the form of massage therapy, foam rolling, or use of a Thera gun device.

An active lifestyle keeps you looking and feeling better. Most experts agree that just 30 minutes of moderate exercise at least 3 days a week is the best place to start. If you have any questions about how much exercise is safe for you, request a call from a Doctor of Physical Therapy to discuss developing a safe regimen that will keep you fit and free from injury.

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8 Steps to Prevent Overuse Injuries this Summer

prevent overuse injuries

Summertime is prime time to get your fitness routine in gear – either formally at the gym, around the local track, or recreationally at the golf course. We love to see it each year because exercise is one of the best things you can do for your body and mind. However, with that can come complications. We want to help you prevent summer overuse injuries.

There are two main types of fitness injuries we see as physical therapists. Their are traumatic injuries like a dislocated shoulder or broken bone.  The other is an injury that comes from damage that builds up over time.  A stiff back or sore elbow could be an overuse injury that comes from working too frequently or too intensely a particular area.  You may not see any visible signs, but your muscles and surrounding tissues still need to recover.

Try these tips that will help you stay active and prevent an overuse injury from creeping up this summer.

1. Schedule Rest Time

Your body grows stronger when you give it adequate time to heal between workouts or strenuous activities. Summer is peak season for many sports, so people often overtrain.  An overuse injury is often a forced break when you aren’t choosing to schedule adequate recovery time. If your training schedule leaves little time for rest, discuss additional strategies with a sports performance expert.

2. Vary Your Activities

Repetitive movements put more stress on your body because you keep using the same parts in the same way.  Try alternating exercises or work the body in a different way. For example, work your legs with box jumps for explosive power alternating with squats for muscle growth other days. Or alternate long runs with short sprints or strength training days.

3. Use Nutrition to Support Recovery

If you are fueling your body with the nutrients it needs to repair muscle, build new bone, and decrease inflammation you aren’t as likely to experience an injury.  Most of us need more protein and omega 3’s, but I can’t give you a specific prescription because you are unique. That is why we use Fitness & Nutrition DNA Testing to dial in exactly what your body needs to optimize your health and recover like a pro!

4. Refresh Your Equipment

Is your gear still the right size for you? Do your running shoes have holes? Are your flat feet asking for orthotics in your golf shoes? Has the grip on your racket seen better days? Be sure your equipment is in good working order, not worn down too much, offers proper support, and is the right size for your body.

5. Drink More Water

The heat of the summer can easily lead to dehydration.  What does this have to do with injury? Hydrated tissues (like muscles, tendons, and ligaments) are less likely to be injured.  So drink enough water and electrolytes to keep your tissues supple.

6. Build Up Gradually

Avoid pushing for too much too soon, especially in group settings. Respect where your body is starting out (were you a couch potato all winter and just now getting back to the gym?) and know you have time to get where you want to be.  Adding about 10% a week to your weight, distance, or speed works best for the average adult.

7. Avoid Popping Pain Medication

Pain medication can keep you from being able to listen to your body.  It masks symptoms that are trying to tell you that damage is occurring.  Of course, take medication when appropriate but don’t use it in order to keep exercising and cause further damage.

8. Listen to Your Body

Fun summer sports like pickleball or a game of pick up basketball can distract us from listening to our body.  If muscle tightness and soreness, or joint aches and stiffness, creep up during or after play consider that a signal that your body needs help.  Get your movement assessed by a professional before an injury occurs.  You won’t miss a beat on the court!

Sports and fitness activities should not leave you in pain and unable to walk for days.  The good news is that most overuse injuries can be prevented if you know the signs and take action promptly.

Do you feel like you already have an injury creeping up? Let’s not wait until your sidelined in a boot or sling.  Take action now to stay strong and fit with proper recovery. Talk to one of our orthopedic experts today to get a personalized prevention or recovery plan for your overuse injuries.  REQUEST A CALL by clicking HERE!

Increasing Protein to Meet Spring Health Goals

Preparing protein

As winter comes to an end, we want to move more and feel renewed in our body.  That makes spring an ideal time to focus on optimizing your fitness, performance, and health. No matter your age, stage, or season of life, we are going to challenge you in increasing protein to meet your spring health goals.

If you are like most of our clients, you want to get stronger, move better, lose body fat. Your goal may be to say good-bye to a nagging health condition (perhaps an autoimmune disease, osteoporosis, pre diabetes, or long COVID). When we sit down to discuss these goals, we often find that clients are not meeting their minimum protein requirements. Increasing protein is necessary to fuel the body in achieving these goals.

Why do we care about protein intake as physical therapists?

Protein is required for muscle growth and repair.  Subsequently, healthy muscle mass is required for a healthy metabolism, bone mass, blood pressure and more. In addition, a lack of protein can result in an impaired immune system and increased inflammation.

You may be low on protein because you just don’t consume enough quality protein.  It may be that your need is higher than average because you are healing or under a lot of physical stress. Or you may not be able to break down or absorb the protein you are consuming adequately. In any of these cases, the result will be a difficult time healing from injury, illness or workouts.  You may have not have levels of hormones and neurotransmitters necessary to feel your best, produce energy, stabilize your mood, build muscle, and lose body fat.

Can we agree that one of your spring goals should be meeting your body’s protein needs? Now, let’s figure out how to do that in the midst of a busy schedule.

1. Start Your Day with Protein.

Your first meal of the day is important for your metabolism, sustained energy, and to curb cravings for less healthy foods later in the day.  A well balanced meal also sets the stage mentally for making healthy choices as the day goes on.

2. Space your intake throughout the day.

The body can only process so much protein at one time, so there is no reason to eat your days worth of protein at dinner. Instead of focusing only on your daily protein goal, be sure you are getting adequate amounts at each meal.  For most people this will be 20-30 grams.

3. Drink plenty of water, but not with your meals.

Hydration is important to keeping the body – especially digestion and detoxification – running well.  However, drinking too much water with your high protein meals can decrease the digestive enzymes in your stomach necessary to break down the food properly for absorption.

4. Be mindful with your protein.

Hitting macronutrient targets is important but if you aren’t absorbing the nutrients you are consuming it doesn’t do you much good.  The biggest trigger for gut health issues and poor absorption is stress.  So focus on enjoying your food and take a few deep breaths before your meal if you feel like your mind is racing.

5. Read food labels.

Marketers know that “protein” is a buzzword, but you must check the label for quantity and quality.  That protein bar with 5 grams of protein is not a “high protein” snack.  In addition, you should avoid poorly absorbable or highly inflammatory proteins like casein and soy.

6. Supplement with protein powders.

When you need a quick protein boost a shake may be your best option.  Check labels for artificial ingredients, flavorings, and sweeteners that can cause more harm than good.  Be sure the product has at least 20 grams of quality protein (from multiple sources like hemp and rice if vegan and grass fed if a whey protein).

These are six simple ways you can optimize your protein intake and better absorb it.  Remember, if you are recovering from an illness or injury, training hard, or over the age of 40, you may need more protein than you think.  The RDA (recommended daily allowance) does not take into account these instances of increased need or situations where absorption may be altered.

If you are interested in identifying your unique protein targets to meet your health goals, Integrative Health Coaching may be your next best step. Schedule a Free Discovery Visit to find out if a personalized plan and support through coaching is the solution you are searching for.  Click HERE to reserve your spot.

Is Your Youth Athlete At Risk For Injury? 5 Simple Self Tests

Is Your Youth Athlete at Risk for Injury

Do you have wonderful memories as a youth athlete?

Maybe it was church T-ball, Collierville Rec soccer, the first tackle football game, cheering on your classmates, or trying out for a varsity team.

We want our own children to experience this same joy and excitement. The physical, emotional, and social benefits of participating in organized sports.

There are many reasons to encourage our children to get involved in athletics, but it’s wise to also help them be both prepared and safe. A study from August 2013 found that every 25 seconds a youth athlete suffers an injury severe enough to require an emergency room visit. As parents, this shouldn’t scare us but move us to be proactive.

What about the sports physical?

The medical clearance your child’s school or organization may require rules out health risk only.  It’s important for preventing life threatening medical emergencies, but will not determine risk for injury of the soft tissue (muscles, tendons, ligaments).  Furthermore, these types of injuries or faulty movement patterns in our children can have lasting effects appearing as pain, injury, and arthritis in adulthood.

The good news is we can measure risk and take action now instead of waiting for problem to arise. When we identify the faulty repetitive movement patterns that lead to injury early, a correction is often simple. This not only improves performance in the present, it prevents a future of degenerative joints, ligaments and spinal discs.

How can we help them perform at their absolute best, while also protecting them from damage to their growing bodies?

Fortunately, there are some quick tests you can perform at home to see if their strength, agility, and movement is ready for their athletic season.

1. Squat

Start by standing with feet shoulder width apart.  Squat down as far as possible.  The upper legs should be parallel to the floor and the heels should be able to remain flat on the ground.

2. Balance with Eyes Closed

Stand on one foot with your hands on your hips.  Close your eyes and hold this position for 30 seconds on each side. This should be done without leaning or loss of balance.

3. Toe Touch

To see if lower body muscles are ready for quick starts and heavy lifting, hamstring length should be tested. Start by putting your feet together, then bend over and touch your toes. You should be able to do this without rounding your back.

4. Push Up

Start by lying face down on the floor.  The hands are placed beside each shoulder.  As you push up, the back, hips, and knees need to be in a straight line.

5. Overhead Reach

With your head, back and heels against a wall and arms straight in front, lift your arms overhead and touch the wall with your thumbs. If your lower back arches or you can’t reach the wall, there are likely movement restrictions in the back or shoulders.

Further testing is indicated if the athlete is unable to complete any of these tests correctly (or if discomfort or stiffness is present). The next step is a functional movement screen. Our specialty trained therapists use this tool to identify risk factors for ankle, knee, hip and shoulder injuries. In addition, if they identify an increase in risk factors, corrective exercises can be prescribed to mitigate the risk.

Is all of this really necessary for my healthy child?

According to a 2016 review of the literature, youth athletes especially, due to their developing musculoskeletal and neuromuscular systems should undergo pre-participation musculoskeletal screening for identification of movement limitations.

The amazing thing with children is the corrective strategies we implement tend to clean up the problem FAST. Generally, no time is lost from their sports training program or competition. In addition, they can continue on stronger and performing at a higher level than before.

To inquire about a functional movement screen with a Doctor of Physical Therapy for you or your child, click HERE to fill out a short form. You will hear from us soon or you can call our office at 901-316-5456 to get your questions answered.

*Functional Movement Screens for Youth Athletes are performed in person at our Collierville location, as well as via telehealth.

10 Tips to Easily Maximize Exercise Recovery

What you do after the gym matters just as much as what you did during your workout. That’s because the post workout recovery period is a time when your body builds lean muscle mass and repairs any damage.

If you shortchange yourself, you could wind up decreasing performance, increasing injury risk, or even gaining body fat. And all these things are counterproductive to the reason you exercise in the first place.

The good news it, you can ensure your workouts deliver the results you want without causing any collateral damage. Add in a few of these suggestions after you exercise to encourage maximum recovery and restoration.

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Do I Really Need to Stretch After My Workout?

I know we are all short on time and taking 10 minutes to stretch at the end of a gym session, long walk, or tennis game can seem like a waste.
We believe the gains made to improve our cardiovascular system, muscular strength, and agility are during the workout . . . right?
The truth is, strength and performance gains are made during recovery as your body rebuilds what was broken down during your workout.
And stretching is an integral part of the recovery process.
It improves blood circulation to deliver nutrients to the muscles that “feed” them as they recover.

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