Low back pain – kaylee may

22
May
2015

The Dos and Don’ts of Breastfeeding | How to prevent musculoskeletal pain

categories: Health, Low back pain, neck pain, Pregnancy

Sometimes it seems like breastfeeding is a sport. It requires concentration, endurance, a balanced diet, practice, patience, and sheer determination.

The more you do it, the more weight you lose. (insert thumbs up emoji)

The more you do it, the more you are prone to injury. (insert thumbs down emoji)

Breastfeeding can cause back pain, neck pain, shoulder pain, and wrist pain. Each pain condition is directly related to posturing while nursing. The good news is, posture can be easily adjusted to reduce the risk of pain associated with breastfeeding.

In this post, I will discuss the most common breastfeeding positions and talk about how they can cause pain and what you can do to prevent the pain.

The key to good breastfeeding posture is taking the time to prepare for the nursing session. Your baby might be screaming his precious little head off, but take 5 extra seconds to think through your position and set up before latching on the starving little babe.

CRADLE HOLD

Source: BabyCenter.com | Positions and tips for making breastfeeding work

I’ve never personally done this position because…ouch. Seton was born at a whopping 8 pounds, 10 ounces and (obviously) has only been getting bigger. I was NOT ABOUT to hold that weight in the crook of my elbow for 15+ minutes at a time. In the picture above, one can see the weight of the baby will pull the entire right shoulder blade forward which subsequently rounds out the upper back.

This picture also shows the mother tenderly looking down at her child. Let’s all let out a group sigh…”awwww”… and then let’s never do that. Looking down at your infant for the duration of the feeding causes the muscles on the back of your neck to work really hard for a really long time in a really elongated position. Really. And that’s a workout those muscles just don’t need. (did I say “really” enough to make my point?)

A better option is to place the infant on a stack of pillows (and/or a boppy) to take the pressure off the supporting arm and shoulder. Once the baby is latched, keep your neck tall and look forward. Alright, you can peak at the cutie pie once in a while.

To prevent lower back pain, make sure your feet are supported and not just dangling from the couch or rocking chair. Sit evenly on your buttocks. If you have one foot tucked under your hips, your back is in a bent and rotated position that can cause pain.

THE CROSS OVER HOLD

This is similar to the cradle hold, but the position of the arms are switched. For this position, I suggest to make all the changes recommended above.

These two positions put an enormous amount of pressure on the arms and pull your upper back forward. Unless you’re going for the hunchback look, USE PILLOWS to support the baby!

Also make sure your back is fully supported. In some chairs your feet may not reach the floor if your back is supported on the back of the chair. In this case, you may need to use pillows behind your back to support your back and allow your feet to touch the floor.

THE CLUTCH OR FOOTBALL HOLD

This position is great for so many mothers including those with large breasts, those with twins, and those who have had a Cesarean section.

As you may have guessed, I recommend placing the infant on pillows so you take out the work your arm would have to do. Sit with your back supported so that the arm that is guiding the infant’s head does not have the tendency to pull your shoulder girdle forward and cause your back to round out. As always, once the infant is latched, keep your head up and look forward. Your feet should be supported.

THE RECLINING POSITION

Great was the day that I mastered this position because it meant I did not have to sit on my postpartum bum. (TMI?) This is also a great position if you have low back pain. Just remember to support your head with pillows so your neck is in a neutral position. I’ll take this moment to refer to my post on the Ergonomics of Sleep where I mention the importance of keeping your neck in a neutral position while laying down. Don’t prop your head up with your hand like the ever-so-informative cartoon shows above.

To summarize the dos and don’ts of breastfeeding:

DON’T support the weight of the baby with your arms.

DO rest the infant on pillows and/or a boppy (I use a boppy and pillows galore and have remained pain free).

DON’T look down at your baby for the duration of the feeding…(or your Kindle, Nook, or iPad…)

DO keep your neck in a neutral position.

DON’T allow legs to dangle or be crossed under your booty.

DO make sure feet are flat on ground or stool to take pressure off the low back.

Happy nursing and feel free to message me with any questions!

02
Apr
2015

3 tips to preventing running injuries

categories: foot pain, Health, hip pain, knee pain, Low back pain, neck pain, running

The ice is melting. The sun is shining. The warmer temps are calling our names.

Before you lace up your running shoes and inhale in your first deep breaths of spring air, stop to read these injury prevention tips for runners.

injury, runner, prevention

Buy the right shoes.

Who needs an excuse to buy new shoes? Not this girl. But if you’re looking for one, here are three.

Buy new shoes if…

1. There is any breakdown in your current running shoe (aka your shoes are old!)
2. You have been running on a treadmill all winter and are switching to land.
3. You have been using your running shoes for walking.

Make sure to choose the right running shoe for your foot. You can read about how to choose the right shoe here.

Ease into outdoor running.

Your first outdoor routes of the season should be on level ground, then gradually start working in inclines and different terrain. Trail runs (personal fave) can quickly bring on ankle injuries if you haven’t worked up to them.

Pay attention to what your body is trying to tell you.

Muscles aches the day after running are signs your muscles are changing and adapting in good ways. Localized pain, sharp pain, or joint pains are signs you should ease off a bit.

Check to see if your local physical therapy clinic has a “Running Clinic” where your run can be analyzed, and you can get pointers on how to improve your stride!

Happy running!

02
Oct
2014

Return to Running After Pregnancy

categories: Exercise, foot pain, Health, hip pain, knee pain, Low back pain, neck pain, running

Postpartum has been a long road. And not the kind of “oh, what a journey…” road. The first days after Seton’s birth I didn’t so much want to roll over in bed. I was definitely not dreaming of tying up my shoelaces and going for a run. But eventually, albeit after many weeks, I found myself promising the exercise gods that I would never complain about working out again as I watched Netflix count down to the next episode of my TV marathon in utter disbelief that my current state of life existed on a couch. Being restricted from doing something just makes you want to do it, right? I longed for the feeling of my tennis shoes hitting pavement, my heart beating through my chest, and my frequent breath mixing with the fall air.

We may be anxious to return to running after pregnancy, but it’s important to make our comebacks gradual. Lots of changes just happened to our bodies and, as mothers, we now need our bodies to take care of our babies. Being injured isn’t an option.

To prepare for running, I encourage you to strengthen your abdominals and pelvic floor muscles through the abdominal progression and pelvic floor exercise progression I recommend. Having strong abdominals for running can reduce the risk of injury to our backs, hips, knees, ankles, and even should girdles and necks! The abdominals will work to stabilize our backs and pelvis to allow the limbs to generate movement for each step.

I also encourage you to strengthen your gluteals. You should do this the same way I recommended doing it throughout your pregnancy: by performing Hip Abduction with Lateral Rotation (“The Clamshell”). You can read through the steps in my post Top 3 Exercises Every Pregnant Woman Should Do.

When you feel as though your abdominals and pelvic floor muscles are strong enough that you can keep them contracted throughout the course of the day (even when going up/down stairs or getting up for the floor while holding your baby), you are likely ready to begin a running progression. Make sure your doctor has cleared you to exercise!

To begin, start with running and walking at one minute intervals, aka run a minute, walk a minute. Prior to pregnancy, I told my patients to do this for 30-minutes. But, now that I am experiencing the joys of postpartum first-hand, I recommend doing this for as long as you can up to 30-minutes. I started my progression (ahem, last night) and barely made it to 18 minutes. I walked that last 12 minutes telling myself, “whatever, I’m strong…I pushed a human out of my body!” as I somehow heard my heart beating the way you do after an insane workout.

Since you are only running one minute at a time, use the minute to focus on running with good form. After pregnancy, our bodies will forget we have abdominals and gluteals, so we will be relying on muscles like the tensor fascia lata (TFL, which is the muscle that controls the infamous IT band) that can lead to injury. Focus on contracting your abdominals. Review my post Improve Your Running Stride Part II: The Gluteals which will help you use your gluteals to improve your stride.

Once you hit this walk/run cycle for 30 minutes, start aiming for running 2-minutes, then walking 1-minute up to 30-minutes.

Add a minute to your running spurts when you feel ready (should be every three to five runs), and so on.

Keep in mind:

Do not push yourself too quickly. Your muscles need time to catch up to what you are asking your body to do.

Do not set time goals until you are confident you can run with good form.

If you’re having unusual aches, pains, or … ahem, dare I say leaking, talk to your physical therapist.

And, lastly, you may want to wear two bras. 🙂

This was my reaction to finally getting the green light from my doctor to exercise:

Hopefully you enjoy you first run back as much as I did.

***The content of www.kayleemay.com is for informational purposes only. The information presented is not to be taken as professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. If you are having pain, or seeking medical advice, talk to your health care provider. Do not delay in seeking treatment because of information you have read on www.kayleemay.com. Taking recommendations presented on www.kayleemay.com is solely at your own risk***

12
Sep
2014

Postpartum Abdominal Strengthening

categories: Exercise, hip pain, knee pain, Low back pain, Pregnancy

*These exercises are based off the Sahrmann Low Abdominal Progression.*

I swore to myself I wouldn’t get that certain post pregnancy “pooch” that stays with me the rest of my life…we all know what I am talking about. Yeah, good for Kate Middleton for going out in public right after giving birth with a pregnancy pooch, but let’s be honest… that kind of thing sticks around a whole lifetime for us normal folk. I thought I would share my postpartum abdominal strengthening program for those in the same position as me.

This post will look very familiar to those of you who read my series on tips for runners. Postpartum abdominal strengthening is very similar to how I recommend my runners strengthen their abdominals with a few key differences.

One difference is that it is important to take it slow and remember that your abs have been stretched to their limits over the course of 9 months. The initial goal of postpartum abdominal exercises is to first be able to contract the muscles. The subsequent goal is to strengthen the abdominals to support your low back, pelvis, and hips. After all, you will be carrying extra weight around (aka the babe and that extremely heavy carseat…grr), and you need your abdominal brace to support your back and hips! Many of my patients’ musculoskeletal problems can be traced back to poor movement patterns due to weak abdominals that they never strengthened after being pregnant. The final goal, for vanity’s sake, is to reduce the chance of the friendly pooch being with us the rest of our life.

One other difference of postpartum abdominal strengthening is that it is necessary to contract your pelvic floor muscles (you’ve heard of Kegels) when you contract your abs. I tell this to my runners as well, but it is especially important after giving birth.

Lastly, and most importantly, ask your doctor and physical therapist before initiating any abdominal strengthening postpartum. It didn’t take me long after giving birth to realize we all have different birth stories (it seemed like everyone else got an epidural because they worked #lies #imnotbitter #yesiam), therefore different rates and amounts of healing required. This goes for any type of birth– Cesarean, water, natural, epidural, in a rain forest like that crazy lady on Youtube (don’t Google it, I warned you)…anything! Your doctor will likely want you to wait a certain amount of time before initiating exercise.

The postpartum abdominal strengthening progression takes you through five abdominal exercises, each progressively more difficult. You will notice that the low back does not move at any point in the exercises. Rather, the abs work to stabilize as the limb movement becomes progressively more challenging. To work through the exercises, you must first successfully perform up to 20 repetitions correctly before progressing to the next exercise. Therefore, you may be on one level for up to 2 weeks before you feel you are ready for the next. If you can not perform an exercise without compensations (arching it away from the floor, pushing into the floor, or allowing your abdominal muscles to “pooch” up toward the ceiling), you must go back down to the previous level.

Level 1

Step 1: Lay on back with knees bent and feet flat on floor.
Step 2: Contract abdominals buy pulling navel toward your spine as you exhale. Contract pelvic floor muscles (the muscles you use to stop the flow of urine).
Step 3: Hold 5-10 seconds.
Step 4: Repeat 10-20 times.

Watch out! Do not push your back into the floor or arch it away from the floor. Your stomach should be sinking DOWN, not pushing UP toward the ceiling.

Perform exercise daily until you feel you are able to do 20 repetitions correctly.

Level 2

Step 1: Perform abdominal and pelvic floor contraction as in Level 1.
Step 2: Raise one leg so hip is bent 90 degrees while maintaining abdominal contraction.
Step 3: Place leg back to starting position as in Step 1.
Step 4: Raise contralateral leg so hip is bent 90 degrees while maintaining abdominal contraction.
Step 5: Place leg back to starting position as in Step 1.
Step 6: Repeat 10-20 times.

Watch out! Do not push your back into the floor or arch it away from the floor. Your stomach should be sinking DOWN, not pushing UP toward the ceiling.

Perform exercise daily until you feel you are able to do 20 repetitions correctly.

Level 3

Step 1: Perform abdominal and pelvic floor contraction as in Level 1.
Step 2: Raise one leg so hip is bent 90 degrees while maintaining an abdominal contraction.
Step 3: Maintain position of Step 2 and raise opposite leg so hip is bent 90 degrees.
Step 4: Place one foot back to starting position (keep those abs contracted!)
Step 5: Place the other foot back to the starting position (keep those abs contracted!)
Step 6: Repeat 10-20 times.

Watch out! Do not push your back into the floor or arch it away from the floor. Your stomach should be sinking DOWN, not pushing UP toward the ceiling.

Perform exercise daily until you feel you are able to do 20 repetitions correctly.

Level 4

Step 1: Perform abdominal and pelvic floor contraction as in Level 1.
Step 2: Raise one leg so hip is bent 90 degrees.
Step 3: Raise opposite leg so hip is bent 90 degrees.
Step 4: Straighten out one leg, keeping heel close to the floor.
Step 5: Bring leg back to position in Step 3 (bent 90 degrees).
Step 6: Straighten opposite leg, keeping heel close to the floor.
Step 7: Bring leg back to position in Step 3 (bent 90 degrees).
Step 8: Continue alternating extending each leg (as if running!) while keeping abdominals contracted for 10 -20 repetitions.

Watch out! Do not push your back into the floor or arch it away from the floor. Your stomach should be sinking DOWN, not pushing UP toward the ceiling. If you cannot straighten your leg without moving your back, try sliding your heel on the floor. Progress to being able to straighten your leg with your heel just above the floor.

Perform exercise daily until you feel you are able to do 20 repetitions correctly.

Level 5

Step 1: Perform abdominal contraction as in Level 1.
Step 2: Lift one leg so hip is bent 90 degrees.
Step 3: Lift other leg so hip is bent 90 degrees.
Step 4: While maintaining your abdominal contraction, straighten BOTH legs so heels are just above floor.
Step 5: Bring both legs back up to being bent 90 degrees.
Step 6: Repeat straightening both legs at the same time for 10-20 repetitions.

Watch out! Do not push your back into the floor or arch it away from the floor. Your stomach should be sinking DOWN, not pushing UP toward the ceiling. If you cannot straighten your leg without moving your back, try sliding your heel on the floor. Progress to being able to straighten your leg with your heel just above the floor.

Perform exercise daily.

You also want to integrate the program into your daily life. Be sure to contract your abs when walking, getting up from a chair, carrying your baby (and that carseat…grrr), etc.

For humor, here is what family gatherings look like when you are related to a physical therapist and someone asks how to strengthen their abs:

***The content of www.kayleemay.com is for informational purposes only. The information presented is not to be taken as professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. If you are having pain, or seeking medical advice, talk to your health care provider. Do not delay in seeking treatment because of information you have read on www.kayleemay.com. Taking recommendations presented on www.kayleemay.com is solely at your own risk***

27
May
2014

{Health and Body} Pregnancy and Back Pain

categories: Health, hip pain, Low back pain, Pregnancy

Lately I have been eating, sleeping, and dreaming pregnancy. So when I thought about what I want my readers to know about {health and body} this week, backaches during pregnancy seemed to be an appropriate topic.

Does anyone else’s husband break out into this song when you say to him, “My back aches…”?

No? Just my husband? Figures.

What is it about pregnancy that makes our backs hurt, sometimes to the point of sending shooting pain down our legs?

There are a million-ca-trillion things going on in our bodies during pregnancy that contribute to backaches.

One of the main reasons for back pain is our changing hormones. Yes, you read it right, those little buggers not only bring us into an emotional roller coaster and make us think cruel thoughts. The hormone relaxin also makes our ligaments looser, causing instability in our spine and pelvic area. Instability can lead to pain.

Weight gain, especially rapid weight gain, puts strain on our body by increasing pressure through all our joints. We are supposed to be gaining 25-35 pounds in pregnancy–sheesh! Think about how that weight can pull down on our backs, reducing the space between our vertebrae and causing compression of various nerves and blood vessels.

As pregnancy progresses, our cute bumps start to pull our backs forward leading to an extension force (as described here) The force that pulls our low backs forward also leads to pain.

Additionally we have lost our “natural back brace“, that is, our abdominals. Our abdominals are being stretched to the max, so no matter how hard we try, it’s nearly impossible to use our abdominals to support our backs during daily activities like walking, washing dishes, bending over to pick things up from the floor, and going up and down stairs.

So what’s a pregnant woman to do (besides listening to her husband’s version of Ciara ‘Got Me Good’ daily)? Refer to my previous post on the Top 3 Exercises Every Pregnant Woman Should Do. Each exercise can help relieve back pain and promote stability in our pelvic girdle and spine

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***The content of www.kayleemay.com is for informational purposes only. The information presented is not to be taken as professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. If you are having pain, or seeking medical advice, talk to your health care provider. Do not delay in seeking treatment because of information you have read on www.kayleemay.com. Taking recommendations presented on www.kayleemay.com is solely at your own risk***

27
Apr
2014

{Health and Body} The Ergonomics of Sleep

categories: Health, hip pain, knee pain, Low back pain

I love sleep. My husband can tell you that I take my sleep time very seriously. My well being (and his) depends on how well I sleep.

But I have noticed with my patients that sleep can have a negative impact on our muscles and bones if we sleep in the wrong position.

With every evaluation I perform at the clinic, I ask “What is your preferred sleeping position?” because the position we lay in for a long period of time is the position that directs the way our body moves during the day.

Take for example what I like to call the “road kill” position, a favorite among young women:

If you like to sleep in this position, you are all over a mess the next day. My neck hurts just looking at this! People who sleep in this position traditionally face the same way each night, which overly stretches their neck. Upon evaluation, I notice that they have too much neck rotation one direction and not enough rotation the other direction. The road kill sleeper may also stick one arm under a pillow, meaning that night after night, they over-stretch their rotator cuff muscles (the shoulder stabilizers), making the shoulder weak, loose, and often painful.

The road kill sleeper also comes into the physical therapy clinic with low back pain and hip pain because the asymmetrical alignment of the hips rotates the pelvis and low back.

Night after night, this makes the back overly flexible into rotation, meaning that the back will tend to rotate during daily activities (like walking, climbing stairs). The lumbar spine (low back) is not designed for rotation, so rotating the back during daily activities leads to pain. When a young woman tells me she has “sciatic pain” (a generic term for pain that is referred down one leg), chances are that she sleeps with her legs in an asymmetrical position.

There are a number of ways we sleep, and night after night, we allow our bodies to adapt and form into our preferred sleeping position. So what’s the best position to sleep in?

Every person is different, but it’s good to keep symmetry in mind. The legs should be symmetrical, the neck should be in a neutral position, and the low back should be in a neutral position (not too bent, not too extended, not too rotated). Try laying on your side with 1-2 pillows between your knees (all the way down to your shins). If you have shoulder or neck pain, it’s a good idea to hug a pillow with your top arm. Make sure your bottom arm isn’t consumed under your head pillow….you’re just asking for your hand to go numb because you’re impinging on nerves.

Changing the way you sleep may seem an impossible task. You’ll likely wake up in the road kill position with the extra pillows on the floor — but keep trying. If we start protecting our bodies now, they will last us a lot longer!

***The content of www.kayleemay.com is for informational purposes only. The information presented is not to be taken as professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. If you are having pain, or seeking medical advice, talk to your health care provider. Do not delay in seeking treatment because of information you have read on www.kayleemay.com. Taking recommendations presented on www.kayleemay.com is solely at your own risk***

13
Apr
2014

A Guide to Abdominal Strengthening For Runners

categories: Exercise, foot pain, Health, hip pain, knee pain, Low back pain, running

As technology becomes a greater influence, it becomes more common for me to hear from my patients that they previously looked up exercises to treat their injury on Google before they even get to me. Part of me thinks, Yes! People are taking ownership of their health! And the other part of me cringes in anticipation to hear what they read online. It’s a great thing that we have so many resources at our fingertips to learn how to take care of our bodies, but it’s really hard to know what to trust when reading through things online.

The runners I treat all have their own understanding of how to strengthen their abdominals. So I put myself in my patients’ (running) shoes and Googled “abdominal strengthening exercises” to see where they were getting their information.

I wanted to cry. None of them were exercises I would refer to the majority of my patients, and certainly none of them were exercises I would suggest to my runners.

When strengthening our abdominals (which is an important part of a good running stride), we have to consider what movements are happening during the exercise. We want the exercise to essentially mimic the movement of the stride. When does the movement of a sit-up occur during running?! NEVER! When does a “crunch” happen during a running stride?! NEVER! So why is the internet telling us to bend our backs repeatedly to strengthen our abs for running? Just because we feel a muscle burn does not mean the exercise is beneficial.

During running, we want our low back to stay relatively still. The movement we generate is coming from our limbs. I want to provide runners with a guide to abdominal strengthening that mimics the running stride.

This post will take you through 5 abdominal exercises, each progressively more difficult. You will notice that the low back does not move at any point in the exercises. Rather, the abs work to stabilize as the limb movement becomes progressively more challenging. To work through the exercises, you must first successfully perform up to 20 repetitions correctly before progressing to the next exercise. Therefore, you may be on one level for up to 2 weeks before you feel you are ready for the next. If you can not perform an exercise without moving your low back (arching it away from the floor, pushing into the floor, or allowing your abdominal muscles to “pooch” up toward the ceiling), you must go back down to the previous level.

Level 1

Step 1: Lay on back with knees bent and feet flat on floor.
Step 2: Contract abdominals buy pulling navel toward your spine as you exhale.
Step 3: Hold 5-10 seconds.
Step 4: Repeat 10-20 times.

Watch out! Do not push your back into the floor or arch it away from the floor. Your stomach should be sinking DOWN, not pushing UP toward the ceiling.

Perform exercise daily until you feel you are able to do 20 repetitions correctly.

Level 2

Step 1: Perform abdominal contraction as in Level 1.
Step 2: Raise one leg so hip is bent 90 degrees while maintaining abdominal contraction.
Step 3: Place leg back to starting position as in Step 1.
Step 4: Raise contralateral leg so hip is bent 90 degrees while maintaining abdominal contraction.
Step 5: Place leg back to starting position as in Step 1.
Step 6: Repeat 10-20 times.

Watch out! Do not push your back into the floor or arch it away from the floor. Your stomach should be sinking DOWN, not pushing UP toward the ceiling.

Perform exercise daily until you feel you are able to do 20 repetitions correctly.

Level 3

Step 1: Perform abdominal contraction as in Level 1.
Step 2: Raise one leg so hip is bent 90 degrees while maintaining an abdominal contraction.
Step 3: Maintain position of Step 2 and raise opposite leg so hip is bent 90 degrees.
Step 4: Place one foot back to starting position (keep those abs contracted!)
Step 5: Place the other foot back to the starting position (keep those abs contracted!)
Step 6: Repeat 10-20 times.

Watch out! Do not push your back into the floor or arch it away from the floor. Your stomach should be sinking DOWN, not pushing UP toward the ceiling.

Perform exercise daily until you feel you are able to do 20 repetitions correctly.

Level 4

Step 1: Perform abdominal contraction as in Level 1.
Step 2: Raise one leg so hip is bent 90 degrees.
Step 3: Raise opposite leg so hip is bent 90 degrees.
Step 4: Straighten out one leg, keeping heel close to the floor.
Step 5: Bring leg back to position in Step 3 (bent 90 degrees).
Step 6: Straighten opposite leg, keeping heel close to the floor.
Step 7: Bring leg back to position in Step 3 (bent 90 degrees).
Step 8: Continue alternating extending each leg (as if running!) while keeping abdominals contracted for 10 -20 repetitions.

Watch out! Do not push your back into the floor or arch it away from the floor. Your stomach should be sinking DOWN, not pushing UP toward the ceiling. If you cannot straighten your leg without moving your back, try sliding your heel on the floor. Progress to being able to straighten your leg with your heel just above the floor.

Perform exercise daily until you feel you are able to do 20 repetitions correctly.

Level 5

Step 1: Perform abdominal contraction as in Level 1.
Step 2: Lift one leg so hip is bent 90 degrees.
Step 3: Lift other leg so hip is bent 90 degrees.
Step 4: While maintaining your abdominal contraction, straighten BOTH legs so heels are just above floor.
Step 5: Bring both legs back up to being bent 90 degrees.
Step 6: Repeat straightening both legs at the same time for 10-20 repetitions.

Watch out! Do not push your back into the floor or arch it away from the floor. Your stomach should be sinking DOWN, not pushing UP toward the ceiling. If you cannot straighten your leg without moving your back, try sliding your heel on the floor. Progress to being able to straighten your leg with your heel just above the floor.

Perform exercise daily.

Want more running advice? Read these:

Improve Your Running Stride Part I: The IT Band

Improve Your Running Stride Part II: The Gluteals

Improve Your Running Stride Part III: The Running Shoe

Stretches For Every Runner

***The content of www.kayleemay.com is for informational purposes only. The information presented is not to be taken as professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. If you are having pain, or seeking medical advice, talk to your health care provider. Do not delay in seeking treatment because of information you have read on www.kayleemay.com. Taking recommendations presented on www.kayleemay.com is solely at your own risk***

06
Apr
2014

Top 3 Exercises Every Pregnant Woman Should Do

categories: Exercise, Health, hip pain, Low back pain, Pregnancy

I guess I am feeling very brave today (or something), but I am posting pictures of myself (sorry) at 23 weeks pregnant. I say sorry because I am not one of those gorgeous pregnant woman on Pinterest that look so adorable that I pin their maternity fashion mainly because I want their body. But I just couldn’t resist the opportunity to share the top 3 exercises every pregnant woman should do!

I have treated countless pregnant women in physical therapy for various aches and pains, but it took being pregnant for me to realize that even our own doctors, although eager to help us, don’t consider how exercises may ease our aches and pains. I told my doctor I had calf cramping in the middle of the night, and her quick response was “magnesium!” I told her my back was aching, and she said, “Tylenol and a heating pad!” While these are good options, stretching and gentle exercises can provide pain relief without adding another pill to our evening prenatal rituals.

Without further adieu, the top three exercises every pregnant woman should do are: 1) The Pelvic Tilt; 2) Quadruped Stabilization While Rocking Back; and 3) Hip Abduction with Lateral Rotation (“Clamshell”).

The Pelvic Tilt

Step 1: Sit or stand with good posture.
Step 2: Contract abdominals by pulling your belly button toward your spine.
Step 3: Hold 5-10 seconds. Repeat 10-20 times at least twice per day.

Purpose: Maintain and/or strengthen abdominals. Our abdominals, when strong and firm, act as a natural back brace that stabilize and support our low back. Additionally, labor will be easier if our abdominals are strong enough to help with the pushing! We all want labor to be easier, right?!

pelvic tilt, pregnancy exercise — The pelvic tilt; Step 1

Quadruped Stabilization While Rocking Back

Step 1: Position yourself on your hands and knees. Make sure your hands are directly under your shoulders and your knees are directly under your hips.
Step 2: Contract your pelvic floor muscles (the ones you use to stop the flow of urine). Hold.
Step 3: Contract your abdominals by pulling your belly button toward your spine.
Step 4: Holding the contractions, rock back toward your heels while keeping your back flat.
Step 5: Hold 1-2 seconds. Repeat 10-20 times twice per day.

Purpose: This is a great position because it is non weight-bearing for the spine! This equates to relief of lower back pain by just putting ourselves in this position. Can I get an amen, sista? It is also an easier position to recruit contractions from our abdominals and pelvic floor muscles, allowing us to fully engage our stabilization system to help our low backs!

pregnancy exercise — Quadruped Stabilization While Rocking Back; Step 1-3

Hip Abduction with Lateral Rotation (“Clamshell”)

Step 1: Lay on your side with your pelvis exactly perpendicular to the floor. Knees and hips should be bent 45-90 degrees.
Step 2: Contract pelvic floor muscles and hold.
Step 3: Contract abdominals by pulling your belly button toward your spine.
Step 4: Keeping feet together, roll top knee off bottom knee. Make sure you keep the muscles in your thigh relaxed; you should be contracting your gluteal muscle to lift your thigh. Do not allow your pelvis to move.
Step 5: Hold 5-10 seconds. Repeat 10-20 times twice per day.

Purpose: This exercise engages our posterior gluteus medius (and minimus), one of the greatest muscles in our bodies that we all tend to ignore. By strengthening our “gluts”, we provide more stability around our sacroiliac joint which tends to be looser during pregnancy due to the affects of those fun things called hormones. The “Clamshell” provides us with muscular stability around our pelvis which further leads to a more stable spine.

Good luck, ladies!

***The content of www.kayleemay.com is for informational purposes only. The information presented is not to be taken as professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. If you are having pain, or seeking medical advice, talk to your health care provider. Do not delay in seeking treatment because of information you have read on www.kayleemay.com. Taking recommendations presented on www.kayleemay.com is solely at your own risk***

08
Feb
2014

Improve Your Running Stride Part III: The Running Shoe

categories: Exercise, foot pain, Health, hip pain, knee pain, Low back pain, running

I have spent a long time looking for a running shoe that has firey blazes shooting from the back that miraculously make me run faster. My search continues to this day. I will not give up.

"Mama says they was magic shoes." — “Mama says they was magic shoes.”

In the meantime, it’s important to find a shoe that fits the shape of your own particular foot, promoting the best and most optimal relationship between your foot and the ground. A fitted shoe has the ability to lower your risk of injury.

Finding the right running shoe requires an understanding of foot mechanics. To simplify foot mechanics, think of two different foot movements: supination and pronation. Both of these movements are very complex and involve multiple joints, but for the purpose of this post, pronation is when the arch of the foot moves toward the floor and supination is when the arch of the foot is raised.

In a static standing position, you may have a supinated foot defined by a raised arch. This type of foot is classically more rigid.

A pronated foot has a collapsed arch and is classically more flexible.

To decide what type of shoe is best for you, the first step is to figure out if your foot is pronated, supinated, or neutral. To figure this out, I recommend having someone trace your foot while you are standing. Look at the tracing and determine if it is more pronated, supinated, or neutral. It is important that you are standing so the you are fully weight bearing.

This is an example of a pronated foot with a notable rectangular shape:

This is an example of a neutral to supinated foot with a larger curve on the inside:

Ideally, the bottom of the ideal shoe should match the shape of your tracing. If your foot is pronated (or flat), the bottom of the running shoe will look more like a rectangle. If your foot it supinated, the inside of the running shoe should curve inward.

It is also very important to consider what happens to the arch of your foot when you move. Some people may stand with a very high arch, but once they walk or run, their arch collapses. If you feel as though you fit in that category, I would recommend finding a local running store that has a good reputation. They should be able to watch you run and recommend a shoe for you.

So as we wait for rocket shoes to be invented, make sure your current running shoe is the right shape for your foot–and if it’s not, be sure to invest in a new pair to prevent injuries.

***The content of www.kayleemay.com is for informational purposes only. The information presented is not to be taken as professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. If you are having pain, or seeking medical advice, talk to your health care provider. Do not delay in seeking treatment because of information you have read on www.kayleemay.com. Taking recommendations presented on www.kayleemay.com is solely at your own risk***

25
Jan
2014

Improve Your Running Stride Part II: The Gluteals

categories: Exercise, foot pain, Health, hip pain, knee pain, Low back pain, running

In my previous post Improve Your Running Stride Part I: The IT Band, we discussed how runners typically have stiff IT bands. A stiff IT band has the potential to lead to hip pain, knee pain, foot pain, and back pain. Simply stretching the IT band will not solve the problem; rather, a runner has to change how he uses his muscles when he runs to prevent the IT band from tightening up.

As mentioned in Part I, the key to reducing the use of the IT band lies in increasing the recruitment of the gluteals during runs (a stronger booty!)

Changing your running form can be a daunting task and may require increased energy expenditure at first. But with these three basic tips, you will be using your gluteals—which are some powerful muscles—in no time.

On your next run, practice these three things:

1. Think of yourself as one of two types of runners: a runner who pulls himself forward with each step, or a runner that pushes himself forward with each step. To use your gluteals, you need to be a runner that pushes yourself forward. Give the ground a good push to get to your next step.

2. With respect to number one, make sure your foot hits the ground directly below your body as opposed to reaching ahead of your body. If your foot reaches too far forward, you will likely have to pull yourself to the next step. When you think of placing your foot directly below your body during your next run, you may feel as though you are leaning forward. Strangely enough, that’s okay. Leaning forward a little puts your gluteals in a position in which their contraction will much stronger.

3. As your leg is swinging through, but before it contacts the ground, raise your knee a little higher. Colleagues of mine commonly use the cue, “pretend you’re riding a bike down a hill and your legs are trying to keep up with the pedals.” Raising your knees up will bend the hip more, allowing the gluteals to work through a greater range of motion. Another benefit of bringing your knees higher is that it allows more time in the air and less time on the ground. Research shows that faster runners spend more time airborne than slower runners. Therefore, this little clue may get you to the finish line quicker.

Changing the way you run in even the smallest way will initially make your runs more fatiguing. I encourage you to practice these three things in two minute intervals until you feel like you are getting the hang of it. You’ll feel funny running this way at first, and you will be sore the next day. But no worries; keep practicing, and it will become second nature.

Now you can spend more time running and less time stretching your IT band.

Are you curious about which running shoes are the best for your foot? Part III will discuss how you should go about choosing a running shoe based off the shape of your foot.

***The content of www.kayleemay.com is for informational purposes only. The information presented is not to be taken as professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. If you are having pain, or seeking medical advice, talk to your health care provider. Do not delay in seeking treatment because of information you have read on www.kayleemay.com. Taking recommendations presented on www.kayleemay.com is solely at your own risk***

Category: Low back pain