A Brief Guide To Exercise Stretching

The majority of us spend a large chunk of our day in a seated position. Think about it, you sleep for 7-8 hours and most of that may be in the foetal position, you get up maybe drive to work...in a seated position and then get behind a desk, when you get home you sit in front of the TV to unwind. Added to this if you do take some time out for exercise, can you honestly say that you finish your session with a good stretching routine? Just think of your poor bunched up muscles crying out for a BIG stretch!

I realise that I've just made a big generalisation but it hopefully helps you to understand where I'm coming from. There are many forms of stretching and much opinion of when it's better to stretch, before exercise, during, after or none at all! Some people think that we should stretch whether we exercise or not and others don't. So it can be confusing.

To keep it simple this advice is aimed at those who want to carry out a static stretching routine on its own and not before or after an exercise session. I don't intend to add any new theories to this debate but what I do want to do is to keep it clear and and concise, so read on!

Benefits of Stretching:

* Can improve your flexibility. 

* Helps you to relax. 

* Reduces the risk of joint sprain or muscle strain. 

* Can reduce the risk of back problems. 

* Can reduce post exercise muscle soreness. 

* Can reduce tension in the muscle.

Warming Up. Before starting your stretch routine I would recommend that you 'warm up' your muscles prior to doing so. Stretching is often mistakenly thought of as a sufficient way of warming up your muscles but its important realise that a gentle warm up prior to stretching is a safer option as your warm up routine will increase blood flow to your muscles and therefore reduce the chance of injury prior to stretching.

A gentle warm up should consist of light rotation of the joints such as the shoulders, hips, knees and ankles followed by gentle to brisk walking or walking/jogging on the spot. This should last approximately 5 minutes or so until you feel warm and slightly out of breath.

Types of Stretches. Stretches can be split into 5 different techniques: Static, Ballistic, Passive, Ballistic/Dynamic and Proprioceptive. If you are a beginner I would recommend the simplest and easiest technique to ease you gently into it which is the Static stretch where you stretch the muscle to a point where you feel the tension and holding the stretch for approximately 15-20 seconds.

Static stretching can improve your flexibility over time and is one of the safest forms of stretching. Good luck with your journey to improved flexibility!

Damian@FitnHealthy

Difference Between BMI and BMR Calculators

Unlike Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) Body Mass Index (BMI) is determined by an individual's height and body weight. It is widely used to determine whether the individual belongs to a healthy weight group. In simpler terms body mass index is the value that represents the weight status of human body in relation of the amount of fat present in it. Similar to Basal Metabolic Rate now it is also possible to easily calculate body mass index using BMI calculator for men and women. Similar to BMR calculator, body mass index calculators are simple tools those can be used for figuring out the amount of excess body fat present in one's body and also have a clear idea of the risks associated with this excess weight.

Body mass index is calculated depending upon the height and weight of an individual man and woman and can be broken down into four categories - underweight (BMI less than 18.5), normal (BMI between 18.5 and 24.9), overweight (BMI between 25 and 29.9) and obese (BMI is 30 or higher). According to researchers and experts these numbers are just fine as a general measurement of obesity for close to 95% of the population. But traditionally obesity has been defined as a certain cut off in the BMI scale and judging a person's obesity depending upon only his height and body weight, which is done by any BMI calculator for men and women is probably inadequate and not sufficiently efficient too. For people who are overweight but still maintain a good health - there body mass index doesn't properly reflect the health risks associated with their excess weight.

BMI and BMR calculator for both men and women are now widely used by doctors and health care professionals as quick screening tools but the BMI calculator for men that is now being widely used also has a number of possible drawbacks users are required to be aware about. One major drawback of both BMI and BMR calculators is the fact that they don't reveal anything regarding body composition like the amount of muscle and fat present in the body. This is a reason that conclusions based upon the results of these calculators might not always be accurate and also misleading in certain situations. People like players or body builders whose weights are pushed up by their muscle tissues have body mass index that is pretty high but they also have only little body fat. Activity level of the concerned individual, body type and location of fat in the body, age and ethnicity are other factors those should also be playing determining role in Basal Metabolic Rate and body mass index calculation but the current calculators those are now being offered online don't involves this factors in their calculations and that is precisely the reason that the results they show are only accurate up to a certain standard and it might not be a very good idea to fully depend upon them.

Source Harish Shinde | GO 

Using TENS to Relieve Pain: What is TENS and How Does it Work?

TENS is a contemporary, non-pharmaceutical pain relief treatment. The word "TENS" is actually an acronym for Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulator.

TENS is a contemporary, non-pharmaceutical pain relief treatment. The word "TENS" is actually an acronym for Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulator.

Its full name can be a little bit misleading, since many people associate "electrical" with shock and shock therapy. In reality, transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulator treatment, which is delivered through the use of a TENS unit, delivers a mild pulsing sensation, not shock.

TENS units are devices which deliver low levels of electrical currents topically (through the skin.) The device creates a series of pulsing sensations. The frequency and intensity of the pulses are controlled through knobs and/or buttons. The electrical pulses are delivered from the device to the skin through the use of electrodes. These electrodes are connected by wire to the TENS unit and applied to the skin, directly over the place where the pain relief is needed.

Depending on the nature of the injury or illness, doctors and therapists may start patients on a very low frequency and intensity of pulses. They may gradually increase that level if the patient is comfortable and the condition warrants it. Some units can actually be controlled by the patient, who can adjust the level him/herself to a level that is comfortable and provides the most benefit.

The length of the treatment itself often depends on the nature of the injury/illness. A typical course of treatment for acute pain (i.e. post-op pain or accident injury) lasts for 6-8 weeks, with two to three sessions per week. Individual sessions may last for ten to twenty minutes, and may be adjusted depending on the effectiveness of the treatment and the progress of healing. TENS pain relief treatment for chronic pain (i.e. MS, arthritis) may be delivered on an ongoing and as-needed basis.

This therapy may be prescribed to alleviate pain from a range of illnesses or injuries. TENS therapy may be prescribed for treatment of both chronic (pain that is recurrent, such as pain from osteoarthritis) and acute pain (pain that is the result of an injury that hasn't healed completely.) It has been used to treat tissue and muscle damage (i.e. from a car accident or sports injury), pain resulting from surgery, strains (i.e. neck, back), tendonitis, arthritis and more.

There is conflicting information on the effectiveness of TENS pain relief treatment. Research has only been conducted on a few specific types of pain, and in most of these cases has been shown to be moderately to highly effective. Effectiveness usually depends upon the nature of the illness/injury, and the overall health and fitness of the individual patient.

TENS therapy has become a fairly routine form of treatment for pain and rehabilitation after an accident or operation. A majority of patients who receive TENS therapy report at least a small level of pain relief. Many find the treatment very effective, and most physical therapists agree that it may significantly shorten the duration of healing. It is also an excellent alternative to drug treatments, especially when used on a regular basis during recovery.

TENS units are found in two basic types. They may be found in the form of a home device, which patients can use in their own homes as needed (or prescribed) rather than requiring a doctor's or therapist's visit. These units typically deliver lower levels of electricity and pre-programmed programs of treatment.

The other type of TENS unit is more complex. It usually has the potential to deliver higher electricity levels than home units, and therefore must be administered under the supervision of a doctor or therapist.

Damian@FitnHealthy