Getting Rid of Cramps

Hello everyone, his month I want to talk about a common muscular condition – cramping. Every athlete knows what it feels like to get a muscle cramp. It is common knowledge that poor stretching plays an extremely important role in the development of cramps. What is less commonly understood are the other factors that predispose to the onset of one of these painful episodes. 

Cramping is not something that only affects more active people. In fact, cramping is extremely common in the elderly also. Hopefully this article will help some of you to stay cramp free.

In order for a muscle to contract and relax a complex physiological process is undertaken at a cellular level. Much energy is required, importantly, during the relaxation phase as well as the contraction phase. In order for this process to occur effectively several metabolites (minerals) are needed to be present in the muscle tissue. These are, namely, sodium (for stimulation of the muscle), calcium (for contraction) and magnesium (for relaxation). Good circulation is also needed so that oxygen can be provided. The oxygen allows the muscle to produce energy from glucose, which fuels the whole process. Any disturbance in these factors can lead to poorer muscle function.

During exercise, minerals are lost in the sweat and glucose is burned. It is important for an athlete to replace lost minerals and lost glucose after exercise to allow the muscles to repair and to provide the necessary minerals for them to relax fully. A deficiency in these minerals, especially magnesium, increases the risk of a cramp developing. Magnesium, as we mentioned earlier, is extremely important for muscle relaxation.

In the elderly, cramping usually affects the calf muscles at night time. Gentle exercise, such as walking and stretching before bed can help to prevent the development of night cramps by increasing the circulation. It is important to consider that dehydration and magnesium deficiency may also be a factor. Magnesium is a water soluble mineral and is often lost from foods in the cooking process. Speaking to your GP about taking a magnesium supplement may make a dramatic difference to night time discomfort (Note : patients with kidney problems should not take a magnesium supplement). Drinking 8 glasses of water per day can make a great difference to the health of your muscles by providing much needed hydration and flushing out toxins.

Enjoy the rest of the Summer and stay injury-free!

Geoffrey Hogan

Registered Osteopath

www.wimbledonosteopathy.com

To Book an appointment FREE Telephone Consultation with Geoffrey Hogan call 020 8946 2331

Stretch For Tennis (and a better Shoulder!)

Mid summer’s approaching and it’s Wimbledon season again. Many will be inspired to pick up a racket, blow off the cobwebs and call a mate to hit the courts. If it’s been a while since you played then it’s a good idea to take it easy in the first game to reduce the risk of injury. You’re muscles may not be ready for the sudden increased demand. Do a proper warm up by gently hitting a few balls against a wall before you play. Follow this with a few gentle pectoral stretches and forearm stretches. If it has been a while since your last visit, it may be worth having an assessment with your Osteopath before hand.

Try these 2 stretches. They will help prepare you for a better game and all importantly help reduce the risk of injury.  By stretching you are releasing the muscles and nerves. This means you can expect more swing and power too! Finally these stretches are also great for simple neck and shoulder pain.

Pectoral (Chest) Stretch

To stretch the pectoral muscles stand within a doorframe or side-on to the end of a wall. Place the hand and elbow on the side that you are stretching onto the flat surface of the wall or doorframe with the elbow bent to 90 degrees directly underneath the hand. Your body should be in line with the wall/doorframe. Take a step forwards with the inside foot keeping the hand and elbow fixed to the structure. Shift your weight onto the front foot so that the shoulder moves forward past the elbow. You should feel a stretch across the chest. Now gently twist your body away to enhance the stretch. Hold for 30 seconds, release for 2 seconds and repeat 3 -5 times. Swap over and stretch the other side.

Nerve (Arm) Stretch

To stretch the forearm, stand side on to a wall, arm length away from it. Place your hand flat against the surface of the wall with your fingers pointing backwards and your wrist facing forwards with your arm straight.  Keeping your hand fixed to the wall, twist your body away from the wall so that your wrist bends backwards. You should feel the stretch down the front of the forearm and possibly into the upper arm and chest also. Hold for 30 seconds, release for 2 seconds and repeat 3 – 5 times. Swap over and stretch the other side.

  

Remember, stretches should not be painful. You should only feel that tight stretching feeling. If any stretch is painful during or afterwards, try to stretch more gently. If the stretch is still painful then stop doing it until you have either spoken to or been assessed by your Osteopath.

Have fun and stay injury free!

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Geoffrey Hogan is a qualified Osteopath with a special interest in Sports Medicine at Wimbledon Osteopathy & Cranial Clinic.

FREE ADVICE. Send an email to MyQuestion@WimbledonOsteopathy.com.
Or simply call us for a free of charge 15 minute telephone consultation 020 8946 2331

The Cyclist's Stretch (... and Officer workers too!)

Geoffrey Hogan, Osteopath

Hello all,

The days are brighter, longer and warmer now thankfully. A long cycle seems like a great way to spend a day or a nice way to commute to work. Stretching your legs properly afterwards is essential, especially the hidden and often overlooked psoas major muscle (pronounced "So-As").

Psoas major is possibly the most important muscle of the low back. It is also a huge muscle. It bends the hip (hip flexor). But here’s the important bit – it attaches to all the bones and discs of the lower back and eventually attaches itself to the thigh bone (femur).

A number of cyclists have presented to me in the sports clinic complaining of low back pain. Often it is directly related to tightness in the psoas muscle. We say this could have been avoided with proper psoas stretching.

Cycling exercises the psoas muscle making it tight. Additionally, the sitting position keeps the hip in flexion causing a relative shortening of the muscle.  (Interestingly, office workers often also have shortened psoas major muscles due to prolonged sitting).  When it is tight or shortened, psoas major pulls on the lumber spine affecting the movement here and this can lead to back pain.

To stretch this muscle, place a cushion on the floor. Kneel onto one knee using the cushion to protect the knee – this is the side being stretched. The opposite leg is in front with the knee bent to 90 degrees. Shift your weight forwards onto the front leg so that the front knee comes up towards your chest. The back knee, fixed to the cushion, is pulled back behind the hip and a stretch can be felt at the front of the hip. Be sure to lean forwards (not backwards) at the waist. Hold the stretch for 30 seconds. Release for 2 seconds. Stretch again for 30 seconds. Repeat 3-5 times on each side.  

The stretch should not be painful, only a stretching feeling should be felt. If it is painful of if you feel pain do not continue. Always seek professional help if in doubt. Pain that does not go away always needs to be checked. Our Clinic offers FREE telephone advice 020 8946 2331.

So keep your psoas loose, enjoy the weather and stay injury free!

Geoffrey Hogan M.Ost

REGISTERED OSTEOPATH

Wimbledon Osteopathy & Cranial

Hi Everyone,

Long Distance Training

With last month’s London Marathon behind us, we have had a number of questions about training and long-distance runs. If done correctly it can help you expand your fitness and avoid injury.  In any case the improving weather should certainly encourage more out-door training. So enjoy it and here are my tips.

The Taper

Tapering involves reducing your mileage gradually as you lead up to the race. You can still run as often as you like though. It is a vital part of any long distance or marathon training, that allows your muscles to repair, allows your body to store vital carbohydrates that will prevent you from hitting ‘the wall’ as fast; and it reduces the risk of you sustaining an injury before race day!

Generally speaking a taper should be performed over 3 weeks but you can taper also over 2 weeks if you haven’t been training for as long as you may have liked.

The Final Run

Three weeks before the run, do your final long run. On the first week of the taper your mileage should be cut to 75% of the normal. At two weeks cut to 50% and the week before cut down to 25% of your normal mileage. Try to allow one day between each run to rest. You may want to run for 20 minutes or so the day before the race to calm the nerves but resting the day before is totally fine too.

On The Day

Make a list of all the things you need to take with you on race day so that you can tick them off the night before and you’ll know that you haven’t forgotten anything.

On race day you will need to take about 3-4 gels with you and take them at 45-60 minute intervals. This will keep your carbohydrate levels up throughout the race. Stay hydrated. It is a combined depletion of glycogen stores and dehydration that makes you hit the dreaded wall. Don’t try new gels or anything that you haven’t tried before at this stage. It’s too late to risk not getting on with them.

Be kind to your body afterwards and take a very well deserved rest for at least a whole week. You will have more than earned it.

Best of luck on your big day, hope you all smash your PBs.

Geoffrey Hogan M.Ost

REGISTERED OSTEOPATH

Wimbledon Osteopathy & Cranial