Being flexible is not always about doing splits or doing some random bending. It is about achieving a level of mobility that will not hold you back from doing whatever you are able to do. Most people think that stretching or flexing your muscles and body as the first method to defend you from pain. But if stretching and flexing can be done correctly, it can lengthen one's muscles and give one relief from pains and aches. Stretching is also done to increase the functional range of one's joints and muscles. There are various ways by which one can stretch their muscles. However, the question which looms over here is which is the correct procedure and which is the wrong one.

The Wrong Vs the Right Way: Before discussing about the correct way, let us talk about the various wrong ways in which stretching can be done. The first rule is that if stretching is causing you pain or if it is hurting you, then you are probably taking it too far. A muscle needs to relax as much as possible, if it needs to stretch. If one is stretching so hard that he or she cannot relax then the muscle will not lengthen. Stretching should never be painful.

One should also avoid stretching for an insufficient length of time. Only a few seconds of stretching will not hold the therapeutic effects of stretching.

The following methods are few of the correct ways to stretch:

Always start with the warm muscles. Warm your muscles by doing some aerobic movement or by applying heat with the help of a warm bath.
After warming your muscles, monitor your level of discomfort. Let it go once you feel pain.
Hold any stretch for at least 30 seconds.
Stretching the Correct Muscle: There are muscles, which need to be stretched and there are muscles, which should not be. So getting to know the correct muscles to be stretched is as important as knowing the correct procedure to stretch your muscles. Every muscle, which does not hurt should not be stretched. There are different types of muscles that cause pain like stiff, tight, short muscles and long muscles. Muscles that are tight should only be subjected to stretching. Stretching muscles that are too long is not a good idea.

Using Physiotherapists: Most people who cannot determine which muscle should be stretched and which should not be should consult a physiotherapist. Physiotherapists can quickly and easily diagnose muscular issues. They will also show ways to stretch which are most effective for particular needs.

Stretching should be made a part of one's life. It is a way by which one can become their healthiest self and avoid muscular imbalances.

Stretches for Tight Muscles 

Gone are the days when bone ailments and damages were detected based on the experience and superficial conversations made by the physicians. These days with the advent of radio waves, medical science has made significant progress that has enabled a detailed overview of what exactly is going on inside your body and what should be the most relevant treatment in that regard. Magnetic Resonance Imaging or more commonly known as MRIs are a boon when it comes to diagnosing orthopedic and musculoskeletal complaints.

Common Uses of the Procedure:

MR imaging is usually the best choice for examining the:

body s major joints.
spine for back pain
soft tissues (muscles, tendons and ligaments) and bones of the extremities.
MR imaging is typically performed to diagnose or evaluate:

degenerative joint disorders such as arthritis.
tears of the menisci, ligaments and tendons (knee) or rotator cuff and labrum (shoulder and hip).
fractures (in selected patients).
spinal disk abnormalities (such as a herniated disk).
the integrity of the spinal cord after trauma.
sports-related injuries and work-related disorders caused by repeated strain, vibration or forceful impact.
infections (such as osteomyelitis).
tumors (primary tumors and metastases) involving soft tissues around the joints and extremities (such as muscles, bones and joints).
pain, swelling or bleeding in the tissues in and around the joints and extremities.
congenital malformations of the extremities in children and infants.
developmental abnormalities of the extremities in children and infants.
congenital and idiopathic (developing during adolescence) scoliosis prior to surgery.
tethered spinal cord (abnormal stretching in the spinal cord) in infants and children.
The Process:

In this process, X-rays and radio waves are subjected upon the affected region to examine the conditions of the bones, tissues, muscles and also detect the presence of tumours. This is majorly a non-invasive test and is painless. It does not use ionizing rays and therefore does not harm the body in any which way. The MRIs capture a detailed picture of the organs and the internal body structures and then transmit them onto a computer screen for the physician to monitor the inside story.

The Benefits: 

MRI is an imaging technique that does not require exposure to radiation.
MR images of the soft-tissue structures of the body (particularly muscles, bones and joints) are often clearer and more detailed than with other imaging methods. This detail makes MRI an invaluable tool in early diagnosis and evaluation of many conditions, including tumors.
MRI can distinguish abnormal tissues from normal tissues much more accurately than most other imaging tests (x-ray, CT, etc.).
MRI enables the discovery of abnormalities that might be obscured by bone with other imaging methods.
The contrast material used in MRI exams is less likely to produce an allergic reaction than the iodine-based contrast materials used for conventional x-rays and CT scanning.
MR images allow the physician to clearly see even very small tears and injuries to tendons, ligaments and muscles and some fractures that cannot be seen on x-rays and CT.

Orthopedic and Musculoskeletal MRI

When you think about a healthy diet, you wonder how much carbohydrate, protein, fats and minerals you need to stay fit. However, are you neglecting the importance of vitamins in your daily diet? Research suggests that vitamins play a crucial role in muscle building and bone health.

Here is a look at the different vitamins that will help you enhance your muscles and bones using vitamins.

1. Vitamin D-

You may have heard about the importance of calcium for proper bone health. However, only consuming calcium-rich foods will not help you develop stronger bones. If you do not have enough vitamin D in your body, you will not be able to use the excess calcium for bone health. Vitamin D helps your body utilize the calcium for bone growth and enhancement.

Apart from strengthening your bones, vitamin D also works wonders for your muscles. It helps the body absorb calcium and phosphorus, both of which are essential elements in the production of adenosine triphosphate or ATP. ATP is the only form of energy that your muscles can use during movements and activities.

Best sources for vitamin D are cheese, egg yolk, certain fatty fish, shrimp, mushrooms, soya milk, orange juice and cereals.

2. Vitamin K2-

Vitamin K2, also known as menaquinone, improves your cardiovascular health. Vitamin K2 is also a coenzyme that helps your bone use proteins. Additionally, a study performed in 2013 revealed that vitamin K2 improves bone metabolism in post-menopausal women. At such an age, women s bone health starts to deteriorate and osteoporosis sets in. Therefore, vitamin K2 becomes all the more important for women at such an age.

Best sources of vitamin K2 are butter, cheese, egg yolk, dark chicken meat, and fermented soy.

3. Vitamin C-

Vitamin C is a great choice if you work out regularly. A powerful antioxidant, it helps your body metabolise proteins in the body, leading to muscle growth. Additionally, vitamin C helps in the absorption of iron, which is an essential component of blood.

Best food sources for vitamin C are citrus fruits, such as oranges, lemons and more. Additionally, green capsicum, broccoli, and blackcurrants also provide ample amounts of vitamin C to your body.

Even though vitamins have a role to play in building stronger bones and muscles, the only diet will not be enough for a fit body. You need to start exercising along with eating a balanced diet if you want to stay healthy. Furthermore, exercising helps improve your musculoskeletal health.

Vital Vitamins For Musculoskeletal Health!

Torn cartilages are quite a common form of injury occurring in the human body. While one can t always be too cautious of injuries, one can still try to be conscious of their muscles and do not move about in an abrupt manner to cause injury to themselves. Further, even though torn cartilages are very common, they are quite painful and most often they occur in the knee. Here are some tips to ensure that your torn cartilage heals well and you are exposed to less pain during the healing period:

Rest: You must take rest. While it is advised to take bed rest, humanly it is impossible to spend all day in bed. Thus one can move about a little but avoid walking and straining their legs and knee too much. At times crutches can be taken while taking a few steps in the room.

Ice Therapy: Putting ice bags in the affected area helps in relaxing the muscles and reducing the pain quite a lot. Though previously people adhered to putting hot water bags, the scenario is slowly changing to ice therapy.

Compress: When you are suffering from a torn cartilage, the doctor often puts a bandage on the knee to compress the area. This is done so that the muscles are brought together and they can heal on their own with time and rest.

Elevate the Knee: Often it is seen that during such cases, the knee or the hands are rested in an elevated platform. This platform is created with the help of a pillow mostly. This lets the cartilage get time to rest and heal on its own.

Avoid Strenuous Activities: This includes jumping, running, jogging, kicking etc, when it comes to the legs and writing, lifting weight etc. when it comes to the hands. These activities require a lot of strength and power and most of all the use of the cartilages. Since the cartilages are torn and in their healing mode, it is best to avoid such activities for a certain amount of time to not put pressure on the cartilages and damage them further.

Painkillers: It has been already mentioned that the healing period can be painful. Thus, the doctor may prescribe some painkillers to ease the pain during this time.

Thus, these are some of the easiest ways to deal with a torn cartilage. The recovery period may be painful, but it happens to many people and is completely healable in nature.

How To Deal With Torn Cartilages?

In Ayuveda, muscle cramp is known as  khalli vaata . Vyaana vaata it is a biological force that is responsible for regulating the functioning of your voluntary muscles. In case of a muscle cramp, the vyaana vaata gets impaired. Metabolic wastes are harmful toxins that tend to get accumulated in your system if not flushed out of your body and deposited between your muscle tissues and nerve-endings. This toxic waste is known as 'aama' in Ayurveda and it is known be a prominent cause of cramps. Besides aama, vata dosha is also responsible for muscles cramps.

Ayurveda provides a number of remedies to treat the problem of muscle cramps. The following are some of the most effective remedies to relief the discomfort of muscle cramps:
1. Drink warm milk to get instant relief from abdominal cramps. The alkaline properties of milk help to pacify the acidic condition in stomach that results in cramps. It is also a rich source of calcium which is known to aid in the relaxation of troubled muscles.
2. Physical activity including stretching exercise is effective in reducing the acute pain of leg cramps.
3. Garlic compound which is also called as 'Lagsunadivati' is helpful in relaxing muscles and it is also known to calm the  vata dosha  that aids in relieving muscle cramps.
4. Do warm up exercises and stretching exercises to lessen the risk of developing a muscle cramp during your workout session
5. Increase the intake of foods that are rich in minerals, calcium, potassium and magnesium as it is known to reduce the chances of muscle cramps.
6. Massage the painful region with 'prasarini taila' or 'mahanarayana taila' to relax the strained muscle.
7. Apply ice pack on the strained muscle to reduce the swelling and pain of the muscle.
8. Sinhanaada guggulu is well known to provide instant relief from muscle cramp. It has medicinal properties which have a mild laxative effect. It eases the problem of abdominal cramps and lessens the discomfort associated with it.
9. In case of extreme pain, 'Lakshmivilaas rasa',  Prataapa lankeswara rasa , are among the most effective Ayurvedic medications which are known to provide relief in case of chronic muscle cramps.

Muscle Cramps - How to Treat them Effectively through Ayurveda

Unlike muscle aches, neuropathic pain or nerve pain is usually a lifelong condition. This usually affects the feet. In some cases, it can get better over the years but in most cases, nerve pain stays persistent or worsens with time. Neuropathic pain is caused by nerve damage and commonly triggered by conditions such as diabetes or is a result of the side effects of medication or chemotherapy.

Medication is usually the first line of treatment when it comes to dealing with neuropathic pain. Medication prescribed for such conditions can be categorized as:

Antidepressants
Anticonvulsants
Local anesthetics
These may be prescribed individually or in a combination of two or more types of drugs. additionally, topical creams may also be prescribed for pain relief. Conventional medicine can provide temporary relief from nerve pain. However, in the long run, making a few lifestyle changes can help control nerve pain. Here are a few tips.

Exercise: Nerve pain may tempt you to sit in one place, but you must force yourself to walk about and exercise a little on a regular basis. Exercising increases blood flow to the extremities of the body and releases endorphins that act as natural painkillers. It can also expand blood vessels and nourish damaged nerves.
Avoid alcohol: If you suffer from nerve damage, alcohol can aggravate the damage and increase pain. Hence it is best to skip alcohol and all other kinds of stimulants.
Heat therapy: Soaking your feet in a warm bath or using a heat pack can be very effective when it comes to dealing with nerve pain. The heat temporarily increase blood flow and reduces pressure on the nerves. However, be careful to avoid burning yourself.
Get a good night's sleep: Nerve pain is usually aggravated at night, thus disturbing your sleep. To get the required 8 hours of sleep a day, try maintaining a schedule of going to bed and waking up at the same time everyday. Drinking a cup of warm milk may also help you fall asleep faster. Ensure that the last cup of coffee you drink is in the afternoon.
Massage: As with muscle pains; a massage can help ease and reduce nerve pain. Your choice of oils also has a role to play in the effectiveness of the massage. While lavender oil helps people relax and takes their mind of the pain, geranium oil can help directly reduce nerve pain.

Ways to Control Nerve Pain

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