Exercises for Kyphosis

Typically the human spine is known to have a series of regular curves when the spine is viewed from the side. These curves serve the primary purpose of absorbing the load that may be applied to the spine on account of the body weight. In order to know what is kyphosis one needs to understand that the upper back or the thoracic spine develops an outward curve which is known as the kyphotic curve or kyphosis of the spine wherein the spine tends to bend forward. Some of the symptoms of kyphosis is the appearance of a hump in the back which is also referred to as a hunchback along with muscle fatigue, back pain and some amount of stiffness in the back.

In usual cases of kyphosis of spine these symptoms tend to remain almost constant and do not worsen over a period of time. However in some severe cases of kyphosis of the spine, the individual may observe that their symptoms are actually getting worse over a period of time and may even go to extreme levels resulting in an exaggerated hunchback, loss of bladder or bowel control, bodily weakness and even loss of sensation. Some of the common causes of kyphosis especially in adults include multiple compression fractures of the building blocks of the spine which may be on account of osteoporosis as well as other causes ranging from spine infections, degenerative arthritis, spine tumors and so on. Kyphosis of the spine is known to look like a rounding of the spine; however the person suffering from this medical condition may even look normal.

The kyphosis treatment for adults includes plenty of exercises which form part of the physical therapy that is required. One of the exercises for kyphosis lordosis is the shoulder blade squeeze which is known to be very effective. In this kyphosis treatment exercise the individual is required to sit on a stool and then tuck their chin into their chest. Thereafter they should pull together their shoulder blades and try to keep their chest high at the same time. This position should be held for at least 5 seconds before repeating the exercise. Another one of the exercises that forms part of the kyphosis treatment for adults is the reverse fly which includes the use of light weight dumbbells and a small amount of motion. In this exercise for kyphosis, the individual needs to sit on a stool and then hold the weights and bend over trying to put their head down and the weights at their knees.

While maintaining the same position they should then try to raise their arms to the sides of their shoulder and again squeeze together their shoulder blades. Stretches are also an important part of the exercises for kyphosis treatment. The cat stretch is known to be one of the extremely easy and effective exercises for kyphosis. To perform this exercise one should bend down on their knees and hands and allow their abdomen and back to sag to the floor. Thereafter they should try to arch their back slowly as if they are trying to pull their back and abdomen towards the ceiling. This position should be held for a few seconds before returning to the original position and repeating the stretch. The other exercise for kyphosis treatment in adults is known as the upright row. In this exercise one should stand with their feet at shoulder width distance and hold light weight at their waist with the palms facing inwards. The weights should then be pulled up touch the chest with the elbows bent. One should keep their waist as straight as possible and the elbows preferably over their shoulder throughout this exercise.

The layers of fat which accumulate in the mid section area and are very prominent over the sides of the abdominal external oblique muscle, are casually referred to as “Love Handles”. Unfortunately, they are commonly seen on people who are overweight, lead a sedentary lifestyle or maintain a diet that is high in fats and carbs. They can be quite ugly and no body likes to see them or have them, which is why exercises to get rid of love handles have become an integral part of most fitness and weight loss centers. Several men and women practice spot reduction exercises to get rid of love handles, but may not be very successful. This is because overall body metabolism needs to be raised to a higher level, so that the extra layer of fat in the midsection is burned. In order to see the desired results, it is best to first get the entire body in shape and then work on certain areas.

There is a general idea amongst people that the best exercise for love handles is crunches. However, basic crunches can eliminate some fat about the area, but proper workouts to get rid of love handles can be much more effective. Before practicing the exercises to get rid of love handles, it is important to remember that in order to trim any part of the stomach it is necessary to begin with a long duration aerobic exercise. Some of the common exercises to get rid of love handles are:

Leg Flutters

• Lie down on your stomach, preferably on an exercise mat
• Keep your head slightly lifted and your arms straight, at your sides. Alternately, you could also keep your arms bent, with your elbow resting near you
• Lift your feet and then knees off the floor and flutter your legs back and forth at a rapid pace
• Continue fluttering your legs for at least 20 to 30 seconds and then take a break
• After the 20-second break, repeat the exercise again.

Standing Trunk Twists

• Stand up straight and place your feet a foot apart, with your knees slightly bent
• Keeping your hips and legs as still as possible, twist your torso to the left and at the same time, cross your right arm and fist in front of your body, in the punching pose.
• Twist your body back and then to the right, this time crossing your left fist in front of you
• Repeat the exercise, till 100 reps have been complete.

Before performing exercises to get rid of love handles or any other exercises for that matter, it is best to consult a doctor and get an approval.

Does stretching before running prevents injuries

In order to prevent running injuries, it is important to warm your body up adequately before you engage in a bout of strenuous exercises. Stretching your muscles not only helps in making them flexible, but can also prevent the injuries from running. There are many exercise disciplines which focus exclusively on stretching routines. However, these movements and sequences which are performed before or after the exercise are a vital part of any exercise routine—be it for flexibility, weight loss or strength building.

Each muscle in the body is made up of several long fibers. These fibers are then bundled up and held together by connective tissues. The muscle fibers themselves have long and complex structures. To prevent running injuries, these muscle fibers should be stretched and warmed up so that there is less chafing along the muscles. Along with running injury prevention, stretching exercises also help make your muscles conducive to the exercising by bringing them in motion.

It has been seen that proper stretching routines and techniques can help prevent running injuries by 50%. If you suffer from frequent foot injuries from running, the most likely cause is the absence of a stretching or a warm up routine before and after your core exercises. When the muscles are not stretched properly, they may feel over taxed and may experience toxic build. When you stretch the muscles, there is extra supply of blood to them, making more oxygen available to the muscles and reducing the amount of lactic acid that is released upon the movements of these muscles.

To prevent running injuries, it is ideal to stretch for at least 10 minutes before you go for a run. Once your workout is complete, stretch for another 10 minutes to slow your body down and reduce the formation of lactic acid in the muscles. When you follow a proper stretching routine before and after your exercise, you will not feel soreness in your muscles even after a long workout session. Foot injuries from running, which are a result of over exertion of the muscles, can also be treated using the right stretching techniques. The doctors that perform running injuries treatment also usually recommend that runners perform proper stretching exercises before actually beginning to run. When you perform stretching before running, you not only prevent running injuries, but also increase the overall flexibility of your body as well as your overall fitness.

Running Without Shoes

Recently there has been an increase in the people who believe that running without shoes can be more beneficial than running with shoes on. Research has shown that running barefoot can reduce the risk of foot injury and that the running efficiency increases by 4%. Some believe that wearing shoes and running would weaken the muscles in the feet and reduce the natural biomechanics of the foot. With the support from shoes, ligaments and tendons stop functioning the way they ought to and this increases the chance of tears in the ligaments and cramps in adjoining muscles of the feet. Running without shoes has both its pros and cons. It would really help you save some money on the running gear. Though at first it might feel awkward you will soon get used to it and soon you will start enjoying the feel of the earth beneath your feet. Shoeless running is said to help to keep all the tissues and muscles of your feet active and strengthen them. The insteps in your feet often need support but it is said that running without shoes is one way of making them stronger and less prone to inflammation and weakening. As you start running barefoot you might have to first try out small distances.

Running your normal course barefoot the first time might lead to more complications than you expect, as you will put your feet and calf muscles through unexpected rigorous activity. It is only natural to feel uneasy and sore the first few times but soon you will get used to it and eventually you will get comfortable running without shoes. One other issue to keep in mind is that while running barefoot you must plan your route for running with great care. Generally you might pick a trail through the woods or a mountainous path but barefoot running requires a lot of care and precautions. Golf courses, jogger’s parks, paved paths and grassy fields are among the best places to go running without shoes. If you live near the beach, then the best place to run barefoot in on the beach but you will need to watch out for glass pieces and broken shells. Running without shoes has its disadvantages also as it tends to increase the plantar fasciitis and Achilles tendon as the shock on the foot increases the ligaments and muscles might start revolting. The key is to start slowly and try to get comfortable while running without shoes.