Category: Fitness

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Is Your Breathing Limiting Your Running or Athletic Performance?

We all know that the leg bone connects to the hip bone, but did you know that your primary hip bone also connects to your diaphragm?
Diaphragm 101:
The diaphragm is our primary breathing muscle. It is a dome shaped muscle situated at the bottom of the rib cage that functions by depressing downward like a bellow to pull air into your lungs from the outside by creating negative pressure inside the chest cavity.
Oxygen intake is very important for athletic performance, particularly during long duration aerobic activities like distance running. With time, metabolic byproducts of muscular contraction build up in the tissues limiting performance. Breathing provides working tissues with oxygen and removes these waste products at the same time. Functionally, the diaphragm also plays an important role in stabilizing the core. It forms the top of the inner unit, the deepest layer of abdominal tissues that surround our organs and spine.
To see what natural diaphragmatic breathing looks like, take a look at a young child. Their belly pops in and out as they breathe, their chest staying relatively still unless there are exerting themselves. We often see the exact opposite in adults. Lots of expansion in the chest and inward movement of the belly. By not using the diaphragm, breaths become shallow and less effective, as only the upper portion of the lungs expand. Functionally, a loss of diaphragmatic contraction interferes with activation of the inner core musculature which places more demand on larger superficial muscles for spinal stabilization. This dysfunctional pattern of stability is much less efficient and can become the root cause of a host of different injuries.
So what does all this has to do with your hips?
Today’s medical model tends to localize problems in the body to the area of symptoms alone, when in reality, the body is interconnected from head to toe. This becomes extremely apparent when we take a look at the musculature of the front of the hip.
The psoas muscle is a powerful hip flexor that starts at the bottom third of the spine, traveling downward through the pelvis and attaching to the front of the upper leg. At its point of origin, the psoas has a strong connection to the diaphragm. The psoas plays a major role in gait and spinal stability. Due to its location and size, it has a tendency to become hyperactive, especially when the inner core musculature isn’t working correctly. These factors create an interdependent relationship between the two muscles. If one is tight, it affects the other.
Clinically, I often see significant changes by simply re-establishing an awareness of the diaphragm and loosening the hips. Here are a couple of exercises you can try.

  1. 1. Lay on your back in a relaxed position, head supported, knees slightly bent.
  2. 2. Place one hand on your belly and the other on your upper chest.
  3. 3. Take a breath in, trying to breath from your stomach instead of your chest. You should feel motion on your belly hand first as your abdomen rises due to your diaphragm contracting.
  4. 4. Let the belly fall naturally during your exhale as your diaphragm relaxes.
  5. 5. Progress by trying to do the same thing standing. Try to incorporate sessions of diaphragmatic breathing throughout your day and while performing physical activities.

 
Stretching your psoas can also be helpful to release pressure from the lumbar spine and diaphragm.

  1. 1. Get in to a split kneel, keeping your hips aligned to the front (forward) and your pelvis in a neutral position (not tilted forward or back).
  2. 2. Engage your core and tuck your tailbone between your legs by performing a posterior pelvic tilt. You should feel tension develop at the front of the hip on the kneeling leg.
  3. 3. You can increase the tension through the front of your hip by maintaining the pelvic tilt and gently shifting your pelvis forward.
  4. 4. To ramp up the pull on your psoas, maintain the tension you have created with the pelvic tilt, then lift your arm on the same side and gently side bend your torso to the opposite side. Since the psoas originates on the side of the lower spine, this motion will greatly increase the pull through the region.
  5. 5. To maximize gains, perform deep diaphragmatic breathing in this position.

 

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Fitness

Can You Move Enough to Run Safely?

The joy of running is that it’s easy to throw some shoes on and go for a run! We all know how to run (even when some of us look goofy doing it), but should we all be running? As a physiotherapist, there are a few things that I always assess when I see a new patient with a running injury. One of those is range of motion (ROM) of certain joints. When we run, we are repetitively going through the same ROM’s. If we don’t have enough ROM in the right places, well… the range has to come from somewhere else. That somewhere else tends to be where an injury forms.
Here are three things you can check on yourself, to see if you are setting yourself up for an injury, or if you’re good to go!
Toe Extension
Believe it or not, if you are missing toe extension, you are at risk of a myriad of injuries, especially to your achilles tendon. Such a little movement, but actually a big deal. To test, pull up your toe…you need 30° to run safely. Reasons for this movement to be lacking could be previous joint sprains or breaks, or arthritis.
Ankle Dorsiflexion
Sit on a chair, and put your big toe against the wall.
Keeping your heel down, bring your knee to the wall.
If you can do this, you have enough ankle ROM to run.
(Please note, while this is enough range to run, to do a lot of other functional tasks during the day, you need way more than this. Normal ROM for this movement would be where you can move your foot 8-10 cm away from the wall, keep your heel down, and still get your knee to the wall.) This movement tends to get stiff if you have sprained your ankles a lot, or broken your ankle in the past.
Hip Flexion (Hamstring stretch)
I’m not looking for circus moves with this one.
You need to be able to lift your leg 70° from the ground to have enough range for running.
When you do it, make sure your low back isn’t rounding out, and pushing into the ground…the movement should be coming from your hips, not your spine
How to fix it: what to do if you don’t have enough range
So what do you do if you’re missing range on any of these movements? Well, the tests are also the exercises to improve their ROM. You can try to work at them for a couple weeks…preferably 4-5 times a day with 30 second holds. Yup, it’s a lot. If you’re not noticing a change after 2 weeks, that’s when you need me.
Check these movements out…it only takes a minute, and will keep you running safely this season.

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Fitness For your Info Tips

Top Three Motivational Workout Strategies

That statement is so true. Every so often, it is tough to maintain the energy that existed when you started your new routine. Even dedicated folks have the potential for a funk. Whether it’s a lack of sunshine, work stress or just not enough positive energy around you, sticking with your plan can be a challenge. Here are three simple but really effective ways to keep yourself engaged for the next six weeks and beyond.
1.       Each morning, do these three things as soon as you wake up:
a.       Bathroom visit
b.      Grab pen/paper/organizer and take 60 seconds to organize; A) what time you will work out; B) what you will do in your workout (hint: make it something fun/different/interesting); C) where you will have lunch and what you will eat.
c.       Go about your morning routine as usual.
The Key: Only take 60 seconds. You shouldn’t need more than that. Let’s face it, 60 seconds will not have a negative impact on your morning but will have a huge positive impact on your success for the day.
2.       Get a Buddy
Yes it’s cliché and yes, it will take a bit more planning. But wow, what a difference it makes for you staying on track. Accountability is like that. Your buddy can be a friend, family member or a trainer, it doesn’t matter. The only thing that does is that you are now responsible to someone else. A bonus in this scenario is that each of you can take turns planning the workout as above. Now you have variety built in as well.
3.       Do something you enjoy
You know those people that bug the hell out of you because they are so committed to getting to their workouts? Their secret is that they have found something they love to do. Would anyone else submit themselves to doing things over and over, long term, if they disliked them? Of course not.
If it’s sports, do sports. If it’s rowing, do rowing. If it’s classes, do classes. If you don’t know, try activities that interest you. Something out there will be fun.
That’s it. Simple but so effective. The great thing about the three points above is that they apply at any time of the year. Whenever your motivation lags, employ some version of these tips to continue taking steps forward. Even small steps get you to a destination.

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Fitness

Nutrition for Long-Distance Runners

The Sporting Life 10K and Goodlife marathon mark the opening for race season in Toronto. Proper nutrition leading up to and on race day will make all the difference in how the runner feels and in their results. As a 10km-marathoner and triathlete myself, this is an area of special interest to me and I have experienced first hand the difference proper nutrition can have on performance. Please keep in mind that all advice is based on running and training for a 10km race and should not be applied to other sports or distances. However, if you have an athletic event you are training for and would like information about nutrition please feel free to contact.

Carbohydrates

A question that comes up far too often: Are carbohydrates bad for you? The answer is definitively NO! As an adult runner, carbs should make up 60% of your daily diet. Carbohydrates are the main source of fuel used during a 10km run.

This does not mean you should eat a loaf of white bread though! Complex carbohydrates maintain more stable blood sugar so you don’t get the energy crash after eating but still supply your body with fuel and nutrients.

Here are some of the best choices for carbohydrates:

Whole grains (such as oats, brown rice, quinoa)
Fiber-rich fruits and vegetables (such as apples, sweet potatoes, cooked spinach)
Legumes (such as kidney beans, chick peas)

Q: When is the best time to eat carbs before a race?

Some research suggests tapering down carbohydrate intake on days 3-7 before the race and then increasing carbohydrates 1-2 days before competition. Whether you decide to taper or not, it is a good idea to increase from your normal carbohydrate intake 24-48 hours before your race.

Q: Do I need to take carbohydrate gels/ sports drinks during a 10km race?

Myth buster! You do not need gels or sports drinks during a 10km race, as your muscles have carb stores for almost 2 hours of activity. Also, popular sports drinks are often high in refined sugar and should be substituted for a higher quality electrolyte drink.

Proteins

Q: I thought carbs were the fuel for a 10km, why do we need protein?

Protein is required for all muscles to function and to be repaired. Exercise breaks muscle tissue down and repairing it with the help of protein is how performance is improved.

Q: How much protein do I need?

A 10km athlete should have about 1.2 grams per 1 kilogram of body weight (ex. For 65kg = 75-80 g/ protein per day). In general it is a good idea to have a 25-30g serving of protein with every meal. 1 serving of lean meat with 25-30g protein is about 4oz (100g) or the size of your iPhone or Blackberry.

Q: What protein sources can I pair with each meal?

Breakfast: 2 eggs OR smoothie with protein powder (whey, rice, soy etc.)
Lunch/Dinner: Skinless, boneless chicken breast/fish, extra lean ground beef OR tofu.

Q: Is dairy a good source of protein?

If you have no digestive concerns or allergies then dairy could be a good source of protein. But it is important which dairy you choose.

Good dairy choices: cottage cheese, low fat or Greek yogurt.
Bad dairy choice: cheese, as it is high in bad fats and salt.

Fats

Q: I thought fats were bad for you?

Actually quite the contrary, some fats can actually improve athletic performance.

Good fats = (Poly)Unsaturated: avocado, olive oil, coconut oil, almond butter.
Bad fats = Saturated/ Trans: butter/margarine, fried foods, cheese, meats high in saturated fat (beef {non lean}, pork)

Although fats can improve performance, they should still compose less than 30% of daily food intake.

Hydration

Each individual has different hydration needs based on gender, body type, body composition and fitness level. However, the easiest way to tell if you are well hydrated is as simple as checking out your urine:

Light straw colour = hydrated
Dark yellow colour = dehydrated

If you are on a B complex vitamin this is a little more difficult as your urine is likely a neon yellow colour. If this applies to you, get a urine analysis from your ND or health care provider and ask for the specific gravity of your urine. This will tell you how concentrated urine is and therefore how hydrated you are.

Q: OK, urine is light straw colour; do I need to increase water before the race?

Yes, 1-2 days before the 10km increase water intake 20-30%. Water is required to fill glycogen (fuel) stores for your muscles. Drink 500mL of water 20-45minutes before the 10km race starts to keep you hydrated throughout the race.

Q: How much water should I bring/ drink during the 10km?

Trick question! You do not need to bring water or drink water at the fluid stations during a 10km race. The water belts can be uncomfortable and heavy and drinking will only slow you down. Your body has adequate fluid for a 10km race.

Q: When should I start drinking water after the race?

Water consumption should begin immediately after the race and continue until rehydrated.

Recovery Meal

Chances are your 10km race is not going to be the last time you ever lace up, so a recovery meal is very important to refuel the body so you can get back to training.

Q: How soon after the race should I have my recovery meal?

Have your recovery meal ASAP after the race, ideally on-site. Some examples of recovery meals are:

Protein fruit smoothie
Protein powder in water plus a piece of fruit
A small meal with 20g of protein and a balance of carbs and fat

Reminders

Eat what you’ve been eating. Do not try new foods the day of the 10km.
Increase carbohydrate and water intake 24-48 hours before 10km.
Breakfast: 2-3hrs before the 10km.
500mL water 20-45min before 10km.
Have a recovery meal immediately following race.

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Fitness For your Info

Running and Winter: Do They Belong in the Same Sentence?

Going for a run can be an intimidating prospect in the best of weather. Living in Canada, we are obviously faced with at least a few months of “less than ideal” outdoor running conditions. In this article I am going to discuss running safely and effectively in the winter months.
First we are going to put to rest a winter running myth. You are not going to freeze your lungs if you run in the winter! By the time the cold air hits your lungs it has warmed up. I have run in some very cold weather and lived to tell about it. So no excuses!
The key to having a successful run in the winter is having the proper gear. In the winter, it’s all about layering. We will walk through how to layer up and still be able to move for your run.
The trick to determining how much to wear when heading out for a brisk winter run is to add 10 degrees to the outdoor temperature and dress for that temperature. This represents your body temperature, and so it is how you should dress. Also, taking note of how cold it was outside, what you wore and how you felt on the run is a good habit to form so you have a better idea of what to wear. You should feel a little cold at the beginning of the run then as you start working harder, your body will heat up to a point where you should be comfortable.

For your upper body the first layer should be tight-fitting and moisture-wicking. Not cotton…cotton is rotten and will stay wet when you sweat. The second layer is one you can play around with to best suit the temperature: a T-shirt, a looser fitting dry fit or even a sweatshirt if it is very cold. The last layer I recommend is a jacket that is going to cut the wind. If you have something that gets rid of the wind chill, it will make a big difference.

On your lower body, you definitely want to be in pants — Spandex, yoga style or even a nylon pant will do, just make sure you can move in them. You can put a second layer on your lower body when it’s really cold. I usually always wear at least tight shorts under my pants.
Be sure to cover your hands and ears as well. Your extremities will get especially cold in a colder temperature. Proper gloves and a toque or headband are an absolute must. It may also be warranted to get some warmer winter running socks to keep your toes warm.
Now that you are dressed and ready to take on the great outdoors, another thing you need to consider is the slippery conditions of the sidewalk. Ice can be hard to spot, so make sure to watch out for it. Try to avoid routes that not well kept and potentially very icy. And if this is not avoidable, run with a wider stance and slower pace as this is more stable.
Since it’s cold outside, it’s important to ease into your run — or better yet, do a warm up pre-run. You do not want to step outside and start out at a fast pace, as your muscles will be cold. So start off easy and let your muscles warm up.  Then you can increase your pace.
Another thing to consider with winter running is the lack of daylight. Be sure to have something that lights up or is reflective on while running in these conditions. Also be sure to check before crossing roads because you are harder to see in the dark.
A few local areas that I have found that are well maintained throughout the winter are the Lakeshore trail and Mount Pleasant Cemetery.
If you absolutely must do a run on the treadmill due to a blizzard…this is the only acceptable circumstance. Put the incline to 1.0 — this makes the effort level more comparable to outdoor running.
Lastly, set a spring time goal! It’s really hard to stay motivated in the winter, so I advise everyone to sign up for a race in the spring time. That way you have to keep training and running through the winter months. There are a lot of great races in the Toronto area in the spring, so check them out. All this winter running makes you way tougher for these spring races.
See you out on the roads….Stay warm and happy running!

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Fitness For your Info

Addressing Injuries Before They Happen

I am a cardio junkie. I will gladly run for hours at a time, and I truly believe that there is no better way to start a day than a sunrise run along my favourite path. I also have a tendency to avoid strength training at all costs.
I am also a physiotherapist who is passionate about helping runners get back to crushing their running goals, being stronger than ever and staying injury free.
Unfortunately, I am well aware of the fact that those two identities are somewhat ironic.
For a long time, I was delighting in tracking my ever-increasing mileage each week, ignoring the advice that I gave to clients on a daily basis about the importance of strength training, and signing up for every race that I could manage to squeeze into my schedule.
So began my seamless transition into injury.
As a physio, I knew that I was on the fast track to disaster, yet I felt invincible. Perhaps it’s more a question of being lazy. Either way, I was not impressed as it became increasingly apparent that my bad habits were catching up to me.
Hobbling into the off-season with aches and pains, I vowed to finally address the underlying factors that had been contributing to the injuries that I was fighting through. Focusing on strength and mobility throughout the quieter months meant that I could attack the following season healthier, faster, stronger and more in love with running than ever before.
Whether your goal is to get through next season without injury, to finally snag that PB or to up your game with some longer distance races, planning your off-season appropriately is an essential first step in setting yourself up for success.
Here are a few pointers that I frequently share with my clients (and even adhere to myself!):

1. Give yourself some time off

  • Sleep in on the weekend, grab a beer with friends, dust off your cross country skis, and enjoy the entire stack of pancakes with extra maple syrup.
  • Don’t worry about running for a while, but when you do lace up, wave to every single runner who you pass along the way and leave that Garmin at home. After a season of following training plans, it’s liberating to run at whatever pace suits you that day and for whatever distance seems right just because you feel like it.
  • Try something new that forces you to move in different ways. Most runners move in the same plane of motion over and over again. Humans are built to move in multiple directions, and when we don’t, the result is often injury.

 

2. “Prehab” to avoid rehab by strengthening

  • Try to incorporate strength training 2 times a week, focusing on multi-joint, body weight exercises such as lunges, squats, and planks. Build gradually, and remember that simplicity is often the best policy.
  • While there are numerous muscles that play a role in maintaining great running form, the most common culprits that we see are:
    • The core. Think of the glutes, lower back muscles and deep abdominals as the foundation for all movement. As you run, energy travels through your body as a result of the impact of your foot on the ground and your muscles contracting to propel you forward. Your core acts as a hub for transferring that energy. If a runner’s core is weak, that energy transfer becomes less efficient. In addition to slowing you down, inefficient motion can cause another body part to receive more than its share of energy, or load. This can lead to injury as those tissues are not designed to withstand that excess demand. Injuries can also develop when a runner’s movement patterns change as a result of asymmetrical transfer of energy. With a strong core, we are able to transfer energy efficiently, ultimately creating a faster, more powerful gait pattern that is less prone to injury.
    • The hips. The main stabilizer of your leg when standing on one leg is the gluteus medius. When you run, you’re essentially landing and balancing on one leg thousands of times in a row. If this hip stabilizing muscle is not strong enough, there is often a huge amount of stress on your knee, ankle and foot, ultimately leading to injury.
      In 2007, Dr. Reed Ferber of the Running Injury Clinic at the University of Calgary completed a study of 284 runners complaining of a wide variety of knee, ankle and foot injuries. He found that 93% of participants had weak hip muscles. Impressively, 90% of those runners were pain free following a six week targeted strength program. Strength training works!

3. Check your gait

  • Get an analysis early in your training. Unless you understand your movement patterns, it is impossible to properly address any limitations to your strength, mobility, flexibility, and ultimately, your performance.
  • Don’t forget how valuable running drills can be in cueing a proper gait pattern. Even the best runners in the world do drills on a daily basis in order to remind themselves not to reach too far in their stride, teach their bodies to land below their centre of mass and keep their cadence up. Some good examples include: strides, high knees, skipping, side shuffling, and butt kicks.

 

4. Focus on and plan for just one or two goals for next season

  • Meb Keflezighi won the Boston marathon last spring. The guy runs for a living and has a whole team of coaches, medical professionals and sponsors behind him. How many marathons did he run last season? Two! This is a good reminder that our bodies need time to recover. If a pro runner has only one ‘A’ race to focus on at a time, how can those of us who are not training as a full time gig expect to be racing hard all season while still avoiding injury and exhaustion? Pick a goal or two that you’re really excited about, and base your season, including your off-season, on whatever you need to do to help you to achieve that goal.