Preventing Injuries For Young Female Athletes

Sports build fitness and confidence in young women. Competitive athletics can result in serious athletic injuries that have lifelong consequences. Girls get five times more anterior cruciate ligament injuries than boys. Injuries to the vital knee ligament can cause a lifetime of pain, arthritis and instability. Orthopedic scientists think that women sustain more knee injuries because of muscle imbalance in the lower body. Women have stronger quadriceps muscles, but relatively weaker posterior leg muscles (hamstrings and glutes). Also, women are more stiff-legged when they run and jump. Active young women can prevent serious knee injuries by developing the posterior leg muscles through weight training and functional-high levels of fitness. Many girls benefit from specialized speed- and power- training programs. So train those hamstrings and try to incorporate exercises that work the smaller muscles in your legs (the muscles that will help assist the larger muscles and will help you from getting injured.

Below I have included an image of an exercise that you may want to try when training to strengthen the small muscles in your legs. It is called Over And Backs (as you can see I have her using a cane- I like using the cane because you can challenge yourself by adjusting the cane to go higher after mastering a certain height level). When doing this exercise, find your center point. Keep your shoulders and hips squared in front of you. Contract your quads and  point your toe. Go over the top of the cane tapping the floor and then going back to the other side (try not to rest as soon as you tap, try to go continuous and make sure you watch your form). Do not to bend your knee when doing this exercise. Always keep your quad engaged even when you tap the floor. Over and back= 1 rep....try to do 30 reps and then graduate from there. Exercises like these are effective when your reps are higher. Thanks for tuning in and I hope you have a wonderful day. :)

The Washington Post, September 11, 2007

IMPROVE OVERCOME SUCCEED

Unfortunately, getting injured is part of life for any hard-training athlete. It's inevitable at some point during your career in the gym. But it is how you handle the injury that determines the outcome and how quickly you recover or heal. First, follow the RICE  principal of REST, ICE, COMPRESSION, and ELEVATION for the first week after an injury occurs and eat PLENTY OF GOOD NUTRIENT-RICH FOODS. You must consume extra protein, Vitamin C and Zinc to help speed recovery.

Try taking a Glucosamine supplement. Glucosamine helps repair connective tissue and will shorten your time away from the gym. Make sure to maintain your weight while recuperating...doing so will change your metabolism and slow down your healing abilities. Remember, it is always about the little things you do that will help you improve, overcome, and succeed. :)

Tips For Flexibility Training

When it comes to "The Big Three" of exercise--cardiovascular, strength and flexibility training--it’s pretty clear which one can get overlooked. After all, while we prize cardiovascular and strength training for their role in helping us lose weight, build muscle and get fit, the benefits of flexibility training are less immediately alluring. 

However, as the population ages, more of us are learning to appreciate the rewards of stretching. Staying limber can offset age-related stiffness, improve athletic performance and optimize functional movement in daily life. Research shows that flexibility training can develop and maintain range of motion and may help prevent and treat injury. In fact, the American College of Sports Medicine has added flexibility training to its general exercise recommendations, advising that stretching exercises for the major muscle groups be performed two to three days per week. 

How can you include an effective flexibility workout in your fitness program? Here are some guidelines: 

1. Think in Terms of Serious Flexibility Training, Not Just Brief Stretching. Squeezing in one or two quick stretches before or after a workout is better than nothing, but this approach will yield limited results. What’s more, generic stretches may not be effective for your particular body. The more time and attention you give to your flexibility training, the more benefits you’ll experience.

2. Consider Your Activities. Are you a golfer? Do you ski, run or play tennis? Do your daily home or work routines include bending, lifting or sitting for long periods? Functional flexibility improves “the stability and mobility of the whole person in his or her specific environment,” says physical therapist Deborah Ellison. She recommends an individualized stretching program to improve both stability (the ability to maintain ideal body alignment during all activities) and mobility (the ability to use full, normal range of motion). 

3. Pay Special Attention to Tight Areas. Often the shoulders, chest, hamstrings and hips are particularly tight, but you may hold tension in other areas, depending on your history of injuries and the existing imbalances in your muscle groups. Unless you tailor your flexibility training to your strengths and weaknesses, you may stretch already overstretched muscles and miss areas that need training. 

4. Listen to Your Body. Stretching is an individual thing. Pay attention to your body’s signals and don’t push too far. Avoid ballistic stretching, which uses bouncing or jerking movements to gain momentum; this approach can be dangerous. Instead, slowly stretch your muscles to the end point of movement and hold the stretch for about 10 to 30 seconds. Older adults, pregnant women and people with injuries may need to take special precautions. 

5. Get Creative. Varying your flexibility training can help you stick with it. You can use towels, resistance balls and other accessories to add diversity and effectiveness to your stretching. 

6. Warm Up First. If you’re stretching on your own, don’t forget to warm up your muscles before you begin. Walking briskly for 10 or 15 minutes is a simple way to do this. 

7. Find a Flexibility Class That Works for You. Classes that include stretching are becoming more popular and more diverse. Some combine cardiovascular and strength components with the flexibility training; others focus exclusively on stretching. 

8. Stretch Yourself--Mind and Body. Did you know that your emotional state may affect your flexibility? If your body is relaxed, says Ellison, it will be more responsive to flexibility training. Listening to music and focusing on your breath can help you relax as you stretch. You may also want to explore yoga or exercise inspired by the work of Joseph Pilates. In addition to stretching, classes in these disciplines may include relaxation, visualization and other mind-body techniques designed to reduce stress and increase mindfulness. 

9. It’s Not Just for Wimps. Forget the idea that stretching is just for elderly, injured or unconditioned people. Many Olympic and professional athletes rely on flexibility training for peak performance. 

10. Do It Consistently. It does not help to stretch for a few weeks and then forget about it. Integrate regular stretching into your permanent fitness program. For inspiration, look to cats and dogs--they’re dedicated practitioners of regular stretching!  :)

The Moment My Life Changed Forever Part 2

The next day was a big reality check for me. I remember playing in high school...having concussions, pulling my back out, spraining my ankles and bouncing back. NOT THIS TIME...This was a totally different situation. Not only was it ten times the normal size due to the swelling but I could barely walk. My knee was upset!!! And it was showing me how upset!!!  I remember going to the training room and the trainers got right to work in trying to get the swelling down....from ice to the stem machine to light stretching. I was going to do whatever it took to get back out on the court...I wanted to be ready for my first SEC Tournament. Those two weeks prior to the tournament were such a blur...I remember the normal routine of icing and stem every single day. The trainers would then wrap up my whole leg and have me do cutting drills up and down the court (we still weren't sure the extent of my knee), to see if I would be ready to play in the tournament. I remember doing these drills up and down the court but the knee would just buckle on me. I would be able to run and cut a little then my knee would just give and buckle. I remember never losing hope and still believed that with some small miracle I would be ready to play in the SEC Tournament. It got closer to the Tournament and my knee just wasn't budging...I was so heartbroken. I did everything I was supposed to do and knew in my heart that my knee would be ready. MY KNEE WAS NEVER READY. I told myself I didn't have time to feel sorry for myself or to be upset...I would just have to deal with the card I was dealt and be there for my team. Cheer them on! I remember during the second half of the first game of the tournament, my coach paced up and down...looked over at me and said, "We could of used you today." I was speechless.

As soon as the SEC Tournament was over and my swelling was finally down, it was time for me to get an MRI and know the real damage done on my knee. I remember getting the MRI and feeling positive as I left the doctor's office. The coaches informed me that they would contact me in El Paso as soon as they knew the results (since I would be there for spring break). I was at home talking to my sister and my best friend when I received a phone call from my mother who was at her school working in her classroom. I remember her voice being a little shaky and she asked me if I could come by the school for a bit she had to talk to me about something very important.

I arrived at my mother's school and I remember her having such a heartbroken look on her face. I wasn't sure what this was all about but I was ready to hear what she had to say. She sat me down and she began to cry...she explained to me that the coaches had just called her and gave her the news that I had been waiting for...what seemed like a lifetime was now going to be my reality. Her voice got real low and she said that I had torn everything in my knee...the whole knee had exploded inside and the chances of me ever playing again were slim to none. She began to cry...she immediately grabbed me and hugged me tightly...I remember sitting there numb to the whole thing. I was in shock and could not comprehend the words that she had just told me. I remember her looking at me and asking me if I was okay, she reassured me that we would get through this. I looked at her and said, "I know, everything will be okay." I remember I was trying really hard to be strong for her...I didn't want her to feel worst than she did at that moment. I hated seeing my mom in so much pain because of me. I looked at my mom and said, "Mom...everything will be okay. You know me...it is hard to keep me down. They may say I will never play again but I really am the only one that knows if that is going to happen or not." My stubbornness began to shine bright...lol. My mom knew what that meant but her main concern was getting my knee better. I know she was hurt knowing that the love of my life (basketball) may be over for me...but just like any mother/parent, her main concern was my injury.

I remember driving back to my house and thinking that everything was just so surreal...I felt like I was in a nightmare and was going to wake up at anytime. I began to cry...and cry...and cry. It felt good to cry and really process everything that just happened. I remember telling myself..."It couldn't be that bad." All I could think about is my mom telling me that the coach was absolutely heartbroken and that the doctor specifically said..."It looked like a war zone in there." Wow...A WAR ZONE.  It was at this point I made a pact with myself that I was ready to take on this challenge. I was ready to do whatever it took to get back on that basketball court. WHATEVER IT TAKES! BRING ON THAT WAR ZONE!!!

Thank you so much for reading my story and I hope you stay tune for my Part 3...The Fight To Get Back On The Court. Thought for today is: Accept any challenge that is put in front of you. Turn any negative into a positive experience. Always see the GOOD out of something that is BAD. Never let ANYTHING stop you from doing what is in your HEART! Have an absolute wonderful day!
Lots of Love,
Dofitness

Be Careful When You Ice

Often times people don't realize the damage they can do when they ice a body part due to an injury. It is important that you are careful and pay attention to the area of your body that is being iced. It is important that you follow the rules of 20 minutes on/ 20 minutes off. ALWAYS use a barrier between your skin and the ice pack to prevent serious injury to your skin. Be careful when using gel ice packs, they are more dangerous than a bag of ice. Ice packs, which are 32 degrees, or colder when augmented with alcohol. Gel packs are typically colder and can cause serious injury if applied for too long and/or applied directly to the skin. Ice packs help relieve pain due to the cold numbs the injured area...but this numbing effect can be dangerous, however, because when you lose sensation in a part of your body, you have a difficult time noticing tissue damage. 

The Association of Chartered Physiotherapists in Sports Medicine recommends only using ice packs for a maximum of 10 minutes at a time on areas where the skin is close to the bone, and up to 30 minutes on areas with more fat or muscle. ALWAYS cover the ice pack or the affected area with a cloth, towel, or elastic bandage.

The video below shows a second degree burn and frostbite due to leaving a gel ice pack on an injured area for about 45 minutes along with no barrier between skin and gel ice pack. The video shows the sequence of what occurs in a 10 hour span.  Viewer discretion is advised. 

**UPDATE** AFTER DOCTOR VISIT. VIEWER DISCRETION ADVISED.

The Moment My Life Changed Forever Part 1

This is the story of a moment in my life that became both a learning and challenging experience. A time in my life that changed my outlook on everything in my life. A moment that is still a constant in my present life. A moment that if I could go back in time...I would never change. An experience that has shaped me into the person I am today.

So on with the story, a story that I have never truly discussed in detail until now. I have been an athlete all of my life. I have suffered through the devastating losses, all the extra practices, and all the injuries that go along with it....BLOOD, SWEAT, AND TEARS. I know what it takes to get to the next level...I knew that in order to be successful you must work hard, practice, and deal with the consequences that come along the way...all the challenges that all athletes have faced one time or another.

I received a full athletic scholarship to the University of Arkansas in 92-93. It was a very exciting moment for me...I was going to be able to do the one thing that I loved doing at the next level, especially in the SEC. The one thing that was always there for me from the third grade to my high school years...if I needed to express myself and/or take my mind off the things that were stressing me out basketball was there. It was always there...I could express my feelings through my ball handling drills or my one-on-one challenges with myself. I remember it being an exciting but scary moment to leave my hometown, El Paso, Texas and live in a new and unfamiliar place, Fayetteville, Arkansas. The beginning of my freshman year was interesting and a little overwhelming...I remember all the things that were expected of me as a student athlete. I didn't have time to think about anything but basketball and school....number of hours I needed to take, going to all my classes,  preseason workouts in the early morning and afternoon, study hall hours, meetings for new freshman, on and on and on. I remember in November of 1992...I was ready to go back home...I was sooooo homesick. I didn't realize how much my life was going to change so fast without my family and in a very unfamiliar place. I remember talking to my mom and she said, "Just stay strong, you will be home with family in December...everything will be ok." I got only three days off that December to be with my family and I remember having a heart-to-heart with my mom. I told her that I had no problem handling all the things being thrown at me...the hardest part was being so far from my family. She understood my words but assured me that things would get better just to continue to give it a chance, and if at the end of the year I was still homesick that I could just come home. That made me feel better but at the same time a part of me understood things in a different way...You have started something, you have committed yourself to something...you must finish this journey. And that was the end of that for me.

My freshman season was a very interesting and fulfilling one. I worked hard during and after practices on parts of my game that needed improvement at the college level. Each game and practice showed improvement which earned me a lot of playing time as back-up point guard to starting point guard, Shea Henderson. The last game of the season was finally here...and I remember it being such a huge deal not only because it was the last game of the season, but because it would also mark the last game played in Barnhill Arena (we would be playing in the new Bud Walton Arena the next year).

So here is the moment that would change my life forever...I was stretching before the game as usual along with my teammates...I do remember my legs being a little heavy at pre-game but didn't think anything of it...continued on with warm-up and was just astounded by the number of fans that came out to support us. The atmosphere was so amazing...the fans were AWESOME! That in itself was a very exciting moment for me. I remember Coach Sutherland putting me in the game right away (maybe 6 min had passed)...everything seemed fine as I went up and down the court a few times running the offense...playing hard on defense.

And then my moment came (the moment that was destined for me)...I remember stealing the ball and running up the middle of the court for a fast break. I remember a big girl jumping out in front of me to stop the fast break play. I did a crossover to avoid the charge and planted the foot to pass the ball off to Alyson Twiggs for the score...as I passed the ball I heard a snap and fell to the ground...right on top of the HOG'S NOSE...I remember keeping my eyes on Twiggs to make sure that we scored...THE CROWD ROARED...SCORE. And then I looked down to my knee. My kneecap had twisted to the side of my leg...I remember trying to stand up...pushing my heel down to get up..but I couldn't. I had nothing there. The knee seemed dislocated and not sure what was going to happen at this point. I was carried off the court and taken straight to the training room. As I stood there...my knee made it back to its regular position. Doctors and trainers were all tending to my knee...pushing on it, bending it, pressing it...it felt absolutely fine. I was like are you kidding me...I can't believe I was taken off the court because of a stupid knee twist/strain. They had me walk around on it and jog in place...I passed every test that was thrown at me. Doctors and trainers both agreed I was fine...that it seemed that I twisted it and could go back to the bench. I was so relieved...so I sat there trying to understand everything that had just happened. I was sitting there and Coach Sutherland looked at me and said, "Get in there." So here comes my next moment (the moment that was tied to the last moment and would be the END and the BEGINNING of this journey with two paths).

Again, everything was fine...jogged a little during a play...SCORE...teammate scores on the play...THE FANS GO WILD! HOG WILD THAT IS...LOL. And the moment of truth is finally here. Full court press...trapped a girl right away, she passes the ball off...I sprint to my next spot and all of a sudden my whole basketball life flashes right before my eyes. I experienced the worst pain I have ever experienced in my life. As I sprinted...My knee swooshed back and forth as if it was a rubber band that was vibrating back and forth...I collapsed to the floor and had nothing to support me to get up. I remember being so pissed off and realized this deep and intense pain...but was too focused on making sure we stopped the other team from breaking the press. I tried desperately to get up...but couldn't...EVERYTHING WAS OUT OF MY CONTROL. I could do NOTHING to fix this at this moment. They had to carry me off the court again and it was in the training room that they discovered something was seriously wrong. My knee had swelled ten times its regular size in a matter of 15 minutes. The swelling was out of control and nobody was able to make a diagnosis due to the severity of the swelling in my knee.

I am going to make this my first chapter...lol. I don't want to make this blog entry tooo long. I will be sure to write, The Moment My Life Changed Forever Part 2 soon. So be sure to tune in and check out the second part of my story. My message for today is...Be sure to experience each moment that is put in your life...GOOD AND BAD...Each has a contributing factor that will help you BECOME STRONGER and that will help you UNDERSTAND TRULY WHO YOU ARE.
Love Always,
Dofitness

Antioxidants Lower Blood Pressure

During normal metabolism, your body produces chemicals called free radicals that cause aging, degenerative diseases, and breakdown of the immune system. Free radicals can be thought of as biological rust that attacks vital cell membranes and genes. Antioxidants, such as Vitamin C, E and beta-carotene, fight free radicals and help prevent aging and diseases such as hardening of the arteries (atherosclerosis). Foods-such as vegetables and fruits-contain important antioxidants that combat free radicals and enhance health.

Tulane University researchers found that blood levels of beta-carotene and Vitamin C were associated with lower blood pressure levels. High blood pressure is an important cause of heart disease. Taking antioxidant supplements and eating plenty of fruits and vegetables may help you reduce free radical damage and protect against high blood pressure and heart disease.

(Hypertension 40: 810, 2002).

Do The Body Right And Stretch