Thursday, May 13, 2010

Off to Texas Man Triathlon This Weekend!

Texas Man triathlon series is this weekend in Denton, Texas. The girls at FAANT (Foot & Ankle Associates of North Texas) have decided to try to suck in one of our coworkers and do the Half-Ironman distance relay. Janet and I are still tired from the New Orleans 70.3 so we thought a relay would be fun and it would get Lori to drink the Kool-aid of triathlon! I get to swim (why does everyone hate the swim?), Janet is going to smash the bike (I heard there were a few little hills, ha ha) and our newest triathlete, Lori, is going to motor the run! A good time I’m sure will be had by all. I’m happy because the swim should be wet suit legal! I float better that way. The forecast is bleak and includes possible thunderstorms, so pray for good weather at 7am on Sunday! We will update you after the race!

Here’s a shout out to everyone else racing this weekend. Be safe and have fun!
Run Happy!!

Wednesday, May 12, 2010

Which is Better? Ice, Beer or Heat for Injury Rehabilitation?

Ice, Heat or Beer? That is the Question?

Seriously, I crawl over the finish line and the first thing I want is a beer (or twenty)! I think that beer is a great adjunctive therapy for injury rehabilitation. Think about the benefits of beer:
1. It relaxes you.
2. It is a great pain reliever.
3. It makes the end of a race much more enjoyable.
4. It can precipitate post-race amnesia making you want to do another one.
5. It tastes much better than Gatorade.
6. I think I even read a study that showed beer helps flush out all that lactic acid!
7. It promotes social activity after a race when you feel like you just got run over by a truck
8. It’s a great carbohydrate replacement recovery drink.
9. It makes the ride home so much more comfortable……….and the next morning if you don’t have to go to work 

All right, all funny aside, how about the ice versus heat question?

Ice versus heat? This is a common question a lot of athletes, coming into my Grapevine, Texas office, ask. Most understand that ice immediately after injury is very important. The questions usually revolve around when to use heat. There are some basic guidelines that every athlete can use to reduce confusion.

Immediately ice the “fall down, go boom injuries.” Ice works well for reducing redness, swelling and internal bleeding in acute injuries. It also is a great pain reliever. Acute injuries and post surgical pain and swelling usually respond well to 10 to 15 minutes of ice every few hours. This should be done for up to several weeks after an injury or surgery. Ice can be in the form of an ice pack (ice wrapped in a protective towel) or ice massage (massaging with a frozen water bottle or block of ice).

Ice can also be helpful in reducing swelling in a chronic injury like runner’s knee or plantar fasciitis. Icing immediately after activity can prevent further inflammation of an already annoyed area and help in recovery.

So where does heat come in? Heat can be used in several different ways. Contrast baths with ice/heat/ice can be helpful in chronic injuries. Especially those joints or tendons that still have just a little inflammation or edema. Heat should never be used alone in these cases. Moist heat is best for chronic stiffness and old injuries with scar tissue. It can also help in the rehabilitation process. For example, when plantar fasciitis becomes plantar fasciosis after four to six months (which is a chronic degeneration of the plantar fascia), deep heat therapy with ultrasound or moist heat packs can help increase range of motion of the area and increase the effectiveness of physical therapy. Heat actually temporarily increases inflammation in an area, but this is often helpful in kick starting the healing process. Heat can also be used to calm muscle spasms and relax a tight muscle.

Heat causes an increase in circulation to an area, so it should never be used in acute injuries or chronic injuries with a lot of swelling. It can actually make an injury worse if there is still a little internal bleeding going on. A great way to heat a joint or tendon is to use a reusable heating pack or an electric heating pad for about 20 minutes before stretching, massage or other therapy. Heating an old injury before exercise can also be helpful in warming up the area to ready it for increased activity.

The simple rule of thumb is that ice is used for acute, swollen injuries and heat is used for stiff, chronic injuries. This subject is debated continuously, but I hope this discussion clears up the mystery of ice versus heat!

Sunday, May 2, 2010

It's National Running Month, So get Off the Couch!

Hey, it's May. You know what that means? It's national running month!

Wow, what a great month to get started with your new running program! We all know that there is a new running boom and running is one of the fastest growing sports in the United States next to my second favorite, Triathlon! The bottom line is that running gives you the best fitness that you possibly can get from a simple exercise that costs almost nothing! So think about it. Let's walk down to the local running store and get yourself a new pair of running shoes! Let's get back on track today just because national running month! It's a great excuse to get started.

A wise woman always says that the hardest part of a marathon is the first three steps out of bed in the morning, so let's get out there and get running.

If you are using your on and off foot pain as a good excuse to stay on the couch, click here and order my free book on foot and ankle woes. Yes, I said FREE!