Archive for March, 2010

Aerobic Exercise: What is Aerobic Exercise, Aerobic Exercise Benefits, Common Aerobic Exercise Injuries

What is aerobic exercise? Well, aerobic exercise is any fitness activity that causes your heart to pump faster and harder for an extended period. And because more oxygen is required for this accelerated heart rate, you’ll correspondingly breath quicker and deeper as well.

A faster beating heart increases blood flow out to your muscles and back. This hastened flow widens your capillaries for improving oxygen delivery and waste product removal. Both of which promote your overall fitness.

Some examples of aerobic exercise are:

Participating in some form of aerobic exercise regularly strengthens your heart for efficient delivery of oxygen to your entire body. The presence of oxygen is fundamentally necessary for all your cells to function properly. And it’s the sum total of high performing cells that will keep you highly fit.

So generally, if you’re moving about to an extent that you feel a bit out of breath, keep it up for the aerobic exercise benefit of it. Speaking of benefits, aerobic exercise benefits are extensive and far reaching. Here’s just a few of the known fitness benefits aerobic activity yields:

  • promoting relaxation
  • improving circulation
  • elevating energy level
  • decreasing blood pressure
  • promoting insulin sensitivity
  • lowering bad cholesterol levels
  • dropping blood glucose amounts
  • strengthening your heart & lungs
  • reducing tension, stress & anxiety
  • gaining strength for ease of mobility
  • increasing cardiopulmonary efficiency
  • maintaining strong bones, joint flexibility
  • keeping arteries clear & free from plaque
  • boosting your mood via endorphin production
  • assists in losing excess body fat & helps keep it off
  • augmenting stamina & building endurance to abate fatigue
  • guarding against minor viral infections (i.e. common cold, influenza) by activating your immune system

Depending on the type of aerobic exercise engaged in, it can also play a beneficial role in preventing or lowering your risk for:

  • stroke
  • obesity
  • hypertension
  • osteoporosis
  • heart disease
  • type 2 diabetes
  • certain types of cancer
  • subsequent heart attacks

It also appears that partaking in routine aerobic fitness exercise might benefit you toward living a longer, healthier life.

Injuries are common with physically challenging aerobic exercise. Common aerobic exercise injuries typically involve the foot, ankle, lower leg, knee and back. And various specific common injuries encompass:

Frequently, common aerobic exercise injuries are a direct result of wearing improper footwear. Investing in proper shoes for the aerobic activity you predominantly participate in is crucial for staying injury-free. At a minimum, they should provide ample cushioning and shock absorption.

Essentially, if your sole is substantially worn, then grab a new pair.

Plantar Fasciitis Causes Heel Pain for Plantar Fasciitis Pain in Heel Treatment

Do you have a “knife like” heel pain or sharp “bottom of foot” pain when you first stand up in the morning? And does your heel pain tend to subside once you move around a bit? Then you might have plantar fasciitis.

Plantar fasciitis is inflammation of your plantar fascia, a thick band of tissue that connects your heel bone to your toes on the bottom of your foot. It’s one of the most common causes of stabbing heel pain, especially in those who:

What causes the heel of plantar fasciitis are small tears as the result of excessive tension.

Aging creates a greater risk for this cause of pain in the heel. As you age, your fascia becomes less elastic, so it doesn’t stretch as readily. Thus, after age 40 some activities that were previously performed without pain may now cause you heel pain on that first step in the morning.

The pain caused by plantar fasciitis typically develops gradually and often only affects one heel. Also, because you may change the way you walk to compensate for your plantar fasciitis, you could initiate foot, knee, hip or back problems. So, you’ll need to treat it ASAP.

Initial treatment for pain in your heel caused by plantar fasciitis includes:

  • if overweight, lose it
  • don’t wear high heels
  • replace worn out fitness footwear
  • regularly perform heel stretching exercises
  • if you stand or walk on hard floors, pad them
  • stop fitness running or walking until pain eases up
  • only wear shoes with good arch support & shock absorbency
  • insert inexpensive arch supports to take tension off & help absorb shock
  • apply ice for at least 15 minutes three times daily, especially after fitness activity
  • take OTC pain relievers & anti-inflammatory ~ aspirin, acetaminophen, naproxen, ibuprofen

You may need to treat plantar fasciitis for several months before your heel gets better.

If pain fails to subside, your health care provider may suggest:

  • wearing orthodics
  • using night splints
  • cortisone injections
  • wearing a cast boot
  • putting on a short leg cast

In rare cases, surgery may be necessary to release a tight inflamed fascia.

And bone spurs in your heel do not cause this heel pain.

queries. 0.363 seconds. -->