Vim & Vigor - Summer 2013 - Parrish Medical Center - (Page 17)

Lower Back Make a Run for It? Ofﬁce workers and others who sit most of the day frequently experience joint pain in their lower back, which can be caused by inactivity as well as poor posture, White says. Besides sitting up straight and ensuring your shoulders don’t slump forward, White suggests these two moves to strengthen chest muscles that protect your back and help ward off joint pain. (PS: Your neck and shoulder muscles will thank you, too!) TRY THIS: Standing or sitting in a lowback chair, start with your palms face forward with your upper arms parallel to the ﬂoor. Keep your shoulders relaxed (but don’t roll forward) and pull your elbows back, pushing your shoulder blades together. Hold this position for three counts, then relax and repeat. onlIne AND THIS: Standing in a door frame with your feet shoulder-width apart, bend your knees slightly and your arms at a 90-degree angle at the elbow, with palms out against the door frame. Now, lean forward to stretch your pectoral (chest) muscles. Walk to Stay in Shape Parrish Health & Fitness Center’s outdoor track takes you on a picturesque walk to stay in shape. Visit bit.ly/vigor-fitness to learn about the amenities and services available year-round. When you were a kid, running was as easy as opening your front door and hitting the bricks. But if you’re over a “certain age” or you’re having joint problems, should running still be part of your repertoire? “If running is what you want to do, I think it’s fine,” says Patience White, MD, vice president of public health at the Arthritis Foundation. “Just be smart and do the kind of muscle building and full-body strengthening and stretching needed to prevent muscle imbalances that can occur from doing only one activity.” She recommends three musts for runners striving to prevent joint pain: 1. Good shoes. Make sure they fit well—with plenty of room in the toe and heels that don’t rub or slip—and replace them after 300 to 500 miles of running. 2. Good surface. “The edge of roads, where many people run, is not a good surface because roads are actually dome-shape,” she says. This causes your feet to land at different angles. Stick with smooth terrain, where both feet will land flat. 3. Good conditioning. Be sure your muscles are prepared. “The goal here is to protect you from injury, because injury is what sets you up for future joint pain and arthritis,” White says. S UM MER 2013 17 http://www.bit.ly/vigor-fitness

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Vim & Vigor - Summer 2013 - Parrish Medical Center

Vim & Vigor - Summer 2013 - Parrish Medical Center
Contents
Tasty Tips
Opening Thoughts
Community Calendar
What’s New?
Walk This Way
The Ultimate Back-to-School Checklist
Join the Movement
Stroke Stories
5 Steps to Better Bone Health
Gut Instinct
Morgan Freeman
Prostate Playbook
The Main Ingredient
Looking Ahead
Read Up
Pedal to the Mettle
Community Health
Foundation Focus
Ask the Expert

Vim & Vigor - Summer 2013 - Parrish Medical Center