Can adding fartlek training improve speed and endurance for runners and running enthusiasts? Running Fartlek Training Fartlek training, which means speed play in Swedish, is a form of running training that involves alternating between bursts of fast running and slower recovery jogging. It is a form of interval or speed conditioning. It involves varying one's pace throughout their run, alternating between fast treks and slow jogs. Workouts are unstructured and allow runners to decide the duration and intensity of the fast and slow sections. Unlike formal interval training, this flexibility offers a new way to improve speed, endurance, mental preparedness, and stamina. Training Benefits Traditional interval training uses specific timed or measured segments. Fartleks are more unstructured, with work-rest intervals based on how the body feels. With fartlek training, individuals can experiment with pace and endurance as they run, which helps them tune in to their body and adjust how i...
For individuals dealing with digestive issues and conditions, can incorporating Tai Chi help improve gut health? Tai Chi For Gut Health Tai Chi is an exercise that has been referred to as moving meditation. The practice is rooted in Chinese medicine, which fuses martial arts and meditation. The art of Tai Chi is used to improve physical health. It can also positively impact gut health by improving digestive function, reducing inflammation, and influencing the gut microbiota composition. The slow, controlled movements and deep breathing can stimulate abdominal and pelvic organs, promoting digestion. Additionally, it has been shown to reduce inflammation in the gut and increase the diversity of gut bacteria, including beneficial butyrate-producing bacteria. ( Kang D., Wang X., & Wang J., 2023 ) Types The idea is to slow down your mind and body by repeating rhythmic choreography and breathwork for about 30 to 60 minutes, culminating in finding a sense of inner peace and tranquil...
Children walking with their toes pointed in may be pigeon-toed. What are the causes, conditions associated with it, and treatments? Pigeon-toed Walking If a child walks with their feet turned inward at the toes, it is usually described as being pigeon-toed. This pointing inward of the feet occasionally occurs as a child learns to walk and may continue through toddlerhood. It is noticed more often in children than adults, but older individuals can experience it. Pigeon-toed walking is rarely a major orthopedic problem and usually disappears without treatment. However, there are times when it may impact a child's lower extremities and hips. Bracing or surgery may be necessary in these cases to correct the problem. ( Paramanandam V. et al., 2019 ) This condition is common and typically is caused by abnormal birth positions in utero. Sometimes, slight issues may lead to noticeable functional characteristics. Mild changes in bone shape and positioning usually cause pigeon toes. Often,...
Can postural assessments help identify problems with how a person stands or sits, which can lead to various musculoskeletal issues? Postural Assessment Proper posture is an exercise in which the muscles support the skeleton in a comfortable, stable, and efficient alignment. Healthy posture is present when the body is still and when moving. However, numerous factors can affect and hinder posture. These include daily wear and tear, injury, illness, or a condition. A posture assessment is a process that identifies posture issues and their root causes, often using visual and palpation techniques, and can help determine appropriate treatment or exercises. ( Science Direct, 2007 ) Visual Assessment Observing the body's alignment and symmetry from different angles (anterior, posterior, and lateral views). Palpation Feeling for muscle imbalances and/or tenderness. ( Singla D., & Veqar Z., 2014 ) Movement Analysis Assessing how a person moves and if there are any limitations or compen...
During pregnancy, is indoor cycling a safe and recommended way to maintain fitness? Pregnancy Indoor Cycling Exercising during pregnancy is highly recommended for both the parent and the baby. Staying physically active can: Increase blood circulation Increase energy Reduce backaches Improve digestion and sleep Enhance mood Help manage weight Promote muscle tone, strength, and endurance. ( Hinman, S. K. et al., 2015 ) The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, or ACOG, advises pregnant individuals to exercise regularly during pregnancy. ( The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, 2024 ) The guidelines indicate that individuals who regularly engage in vigorous-intensity aerobic exercise before pregnancy should continue these activities during their pregnancy. ( Syed H., Slayman T., & DuChene Thoma K. 2021 ) According to ACOG, observational studies of pregnant individuals who exercise show benefits such as: The reduced risk of gestational diabetes me...
Individuals dealing with pain in the buttocks and in the back of the thigh, along with numbness and tingling down to the bottom of the foot, may be experiencing hamstring syndrome, a condition caused by pressure on the sciatic nerve. What is the recommended treatment? Hamstring-Syndrome Relief The hamstrings are three muscles in the back of the thigh, extending from the pelvis or upper thigh across the back of the knee to the leg. This muscle group is important for bending the knee, straightening the hip, and stabilizing the knee. The sciatic nerve is a large nerve that runs from the lower back down the legs. It usually passes near or through these muscles, and the pelvis then runs under these muscles in the thigh. Hamstring syndrome refers to pain in the buttock and back of the thigh, often radiating down the leg, caused by compression or irritation of the sciatic nerve at the hamstring-insertion point on the ischial tuberosity, typically due to tight or scarred tissue. ( Sakari...
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The information herein is not intended to replace a one-on-one relationship with a qualified health care professional, licensed physician, and is not medical advice. We encourage you to make your own health care decisions based on your research and partnership with a qualified health care professional. Our information scope is limited to chiropractic, musculoskeletal, physical medicines, wellness, sensitive health issues, functional medicine articles, topics, and discussions. We provide and present clinical collaboration with specialists from a wide array of disciplines. Each specialist is governed by their professional scope of practice and their jurisdiction of licensure. We use functional health & wellness protocols to treat and support care for the injuries or disorders of the musculoskeletal system. Our videos, posts, topics, subjects, and insights cover clinical matters, issues, and topics that relate to and support, directly or indirectly, our clinical scope of practice.* Our office has made a reasonable attempt to provide supportive citations and has identified the relevant research study or studies supporting our posts. We provide copies of supporting research studies available to regulatory boards and the public upon request.
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Dr. Alex Jimenez DC, MSACP, CCST, IFMCP*, CIFM*, ATN*
email: coach@elpasofunctionalmedicine.com
phone: 915-850-0900
Licensed in: Texas & New Mexico*
