Taking into account the hectic lifestyle we lead, most of us end up suffering from aches and pains. But that does not mean we have to continue to suffer from them. There are plenty of easy exercises that one can follow in order to keep themselves healthy and problem free!

In order to avoid aches and pains, the first thing that a person needs to do is 

Practice hamstring stretches regularly: What this entails is that he or she needs to lie on the back, raise a leg and hold the back of it with both hands. While it may be called the hamstring stretch and one would probably normally think that the beneficial impact of doing it would be limited to the hamstring, it works quite a bit of special magic which has an ability to ease the pain in the lower back. Now, for an exercise which is so simple, is it not worth it?
Side Stretch: Talking about stretches, another form of a stretch happens to be the side stretch. Even this is rather simple and all that needs to be done is to lie on one s side and pull the ankle of the leg which is not in contact with the ground towards the back. While this is being done, the ankle of the lower leg should apply pressure on the thigh.
Straight leg raise: It may seem that most of the exercises which reduce pain are stretches! However, this is not really the case as there is a place for exercises such as the straight leg raise and the like. What exactly is the straight leg raise? Well, it can be done when a person is either in a sitting position or is lying on his or her back. The toes are to be kept pointed upwards and the leg is to be raised. It is to be kept in mind that the challenge of the straight leg raise is that the knee should not be bent, at all.
The cat and camel exercise: The terms cat and camel generally refer to members of the animal kingdom. However, jointly, in terms of exercises, the cat and camel is an exercise well worth remembering as it can save the individual quite a lot of pain. All that needs to be done is to alternatively arch one s back towards the floor and the ceiling while resting on one s hands and knees.
While our way of living may come with certain side-effects ,but it would not be right to say that we are helpless. We need to take charge and make little changes to enjoy a healthy and happy lifestyle.

4 Easy Exercises for Aches And Pains

5 Ways to Stop Muscle Cramps

Muscle cramps are feared and loathed by all of us alike – they hurt, they slow us down and they just give us a helpless feeling! The most common cause of these cramps is premature fatigue which affects the reflex control of muscles. Here are 5 ways guaranteed to beat these troublesome muscle cramps:

1. Take rest
The most easy and sure-shot way to kill a muscle cramp is to take rest. Just rest your body, be at one place and the cramp will not last more than 3-4 minutes. Moving around will only cause the pain to be aggravated and eventually affect other areas as well.

2. Consume solutions rich in salt
Whenever you encounter a troublesome cramp, the first instinct is to reach for water. However, studies have shown that salt solutions are far more effective in countering cramps as compared to plain water. You can have pickle juice and similar drinks which have a high salt concentration.

3. Be physically active
The most common reason for muscle cramps is over-straining of the body. If you are planning to indulge in an extremely intensive physical activity, make sure to train well in advance. Also, keep the duration and intensity of the training at a similar level to that of the actual activity.

4. Keep your body hydrated
Dehydration is the root of a number of troublesome conditions, muscle cramps being one of them. Make sure to always carry a water bottle with you and drink a minimum of 7-8 glasses of water on a daily basis.

5. Indulge in light passive muscle stretching
When faced with a muscle cramp, in addition to resting, try and gently stretch the affected muscle. This continuous and light passive stretching lets the brain know that it can relax the muscle and help it return to normal.




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5 Winning Ways to Stop those Nasty Muscle Cramps

Care for shoulder pain and related problems

Shoulder problems usually happen because of internal problems or external trauma. People who are into any form of manual labour, pick up a lot of heavy things regularly or play sports experience shoulder pain at some point of time or other. Shoulder pain can be detected by physical examination, mri, x-ray, ultrasound and medical history.

The most common types of shoulder problems are arthritis, fracture, dislocation, frozen shoulder, rotator cuff tear, and rotator cuff disease. Cures for the different shoulder pains are different. Follow these simple ways to help you manage the pain.

1. Rest the hurtful shoulder: you need to take ample rest. Using the arm which is affected is not a good idea and needs to be avoided. If your job involves manual labour, it is advised that you stay at home to rest.

2. Ice pack healing: applying ice pack on the wound is also advised around 3-4 times in a day. This varies as per the kind of shoulder pain, so doctor's advice must be followed.

3. Be consistent with exercise: depending upon the source of pain, physiotherapist will advise certain sets of shoulder exercises. It is very important that they should be performed diligently for fast recovery.

4. Support it well: wearing a sling is extremely important and should not be taken lightly at any point of time. A good support will ensure there is no mislocation and faster recovery.

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Shoulder Pain Care - 4 things you must not ignore!

Tennis elbow is a condition, which is characterized by the inflammation of the tendons occurring in the elbow region due to excess use of the muscle groups present in the overarm. Tennis elbow can cause a lot of distress once it occurs so it is best to perform certain exercises to strengthen the muscle groups in your overarm so that muscle strain does not occur during your physical activities. Read on more to find about all the different ways to strengthen your muscle groups to prevent tennis elbow.

1. Staying in good physical shape overall tones your body and strengthens your muscle groups, thus reducing the likelihood of tennis elbow.

2. It is also important that the physical activities, which are performed by you are done using proper technique as otherwise undue strain might cause unnecessary discomfort and pain.

3. You should try strengthening the muscles in your shoulder, arm and upper back to reduce the stress your elbow undergoes during physical activity.

4. Using a counterforce brace for activities, which include twisting or grasping of the arm can also help. The use of a counterforce brace is to distribute the pressure throughout the arm, which reduces the stress on the elbow. The brace is highly recommended for people who are likely to develop tennis elbow. One should consult a doctor before opting for a counter brace. 

However, it is not a substitute for rehab exercises. If repeated arm movements or certain physical activities are causing discomfort or pain in the elbow region, check for alternative ways of performing the task. If you have taken up tennis, cricket or golf as a sport, it is highly recommended that you take proper lessons in technique as these sports involve twisting and grasping your arm, which can cause injuries if you do not follow proper techniques. Also keep in mind to choose sports equipments which are at par with your physical fitness, flexibility and strength.

For daily activities, take a note of the activities, which involve putting stress on your elbows. In such instances follow techniques or different ways to perform the tasks, which will put minimum stress or pressure on your elbows. Also, apart from using the technique one has to stay fit, for which getting regular body health check up is very important.

How to Prevent Tennis Elbow

Tennis elbow is a condition which is characterized by a sharp pain on the outer portion of the elbow. This condition is also called  lateral epicondylitis  and it occurs when the muscles of the elbow are overused. The symptoms of pain tend to occur near the forearm when you bend your elbow or try to grip an object.

Causes
The elbow joint comprises of muscles which facilitate movement of the wrist, elbows and the fingers. There are tendons present in the elbow which join the muscles and bones, thus regulating the forearm muscles. When the muscles of the elbow are overused, then it can lead to inflammation and tears in the muscles.

This condition is so called as it is usually caused by playing certain sports, primarily tennis. It may also be caused by activities that put repetitive stress on the elbow. If the same pain occurs around the inner portion of the elbow, it is called a  golfer s elbow .

Prevention
The best treatment method to prevent tennis elbow is to strengthen your elbow muscles. You need to follow a regulated strength and stretching program directed at strengthening the muscles of the body, including the elbows.

Here are some tips to prevent tennis elbow:

Try to stay in good shape physically.
Use proper technique when you are carrying out any activity that involves the elbow.
Avoid overstressing the elbow joint with repetitive movements as it can cause injury to the tendon.
The muscles of the shoulder, arm and the upper back should be strengthened to prevent tennis elbow.
For movements that require you to twist your arm or grasp things, you can use a counter force brace to protect your elbow. This brace is worn on the forearm which redistributes pressure on the muscle. A counter force brace is recommended for people who are at an increased risk of tennis elbow.

Tennis Elbow - Tips To Help You Prevent It!

Tennis elbow is a type of tendinitis. It is usually the swelling of certain ligaments. It causes pain in the elbow as well as the arm. These ligaments are bands of strong and stretchable tissues that connect the muscles of your lower arm to your elbow. In spite of its name, you can in any case get tennis elbow regardless of the possibility that you have never been close to a tennis court. This is merely a name for the condition and has little to do with the sport. It can affect anyone who indulges in a swinging motion.

Any repetitive exercises that require a tight grip, particularly in cases where the thumb and the initial two fingers are used frequently, may cause tennis elbow. Tennis elbow is the most common reason for patients to see their doctors for elbow torment. It can occur in individuals of all ages; however, it is most common and normal at about the age of forty.

This condition is usually caused when there are repeated contractions of the lower arm muscles that you use to raise your hand and wrist as well as to straighten it. The repetitive movements and pressure to the tissue may bring about a series of little tears in the ligaments that connect the lower arm muscles to the hard surface on the outside of the elbow.

Tennis elbow ordinarily occurs after some time. Dull movements such as holding a racket during a swing can strain the muscles and put a lot of weight on the ligaments. That consistent pulling can cause a small amount of tears in the tissue. Tennis elbow may be caused because of the following reasons:

Playing tennis
Playing racquetball
Playing squash
Fencing
Weight lifting or any other stressful exercises involving the muscles
In tennis, the following moves can lead to tennis elbow:

One-handed backstroke with a poor stance or lose hand
A late forehand swing bringing a bend in the wrist altogether
Snapping and turning the wrist while hitting with full power
As the name suggests, playing tennis, particularly repeated use of the backhand stroke with poor strategy, is a conceivable reason for tennis elbow.
However, a number of other basic arm movements can also cause tennis elbow. It can also affect individuals with particular occupations or while performing leisure activities that require heavy arm movements or gripping, for example, the following:

Carpentry
Excessive writing
Painting
Raking
Weaving or knitting
Utilising plumbing devices
Driving screws
Chopping cooking ingredients or vegetables, especially meat
Repetitive computer mouse utilisation
Lifting heavy materials or even grocery bags
There are a number of ways to treat a tennis elbow. These include certain over-the-counter (OTC) medicines. If those do not work, seek the help of a specialist or physiotherapist. He or she can recommend you the right kind of medicines as well as exercises needed for the recovery.

Tennis Elbow - Common Causes Behind It!

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