Injuries & Medical Problems of Dancers
| October 24th, 2011
I enjoy treating dance injuries despite the fact that I would twist my ankle attempting an arabesque or some of the kicks of Irish dance. My interest comes from involvement with youth and professional ballet dancers in training.
Dance has been described as a recreational activity, a professional activity, and an art form. It has been [...]
Keep Moving…
| October 4th, 2011
Once cooler weather in Wisconsin moves in, it can become hard to remain active and stay fit over the long winter months. The decreased amount of daylight does not help. The combination of these two factors can make coming up with an excuse NOT to exercise very easy. I know this from experience. We all [...]
Post-Marathon Injury Tips
| September 15th, 2011
Recovery begins as soon as you finish your race! It is important to start your post-race recovery immediately and continue when you get back home to begin your post race routine. If you don’t have a post race routine yet, these tips will help you to develop one.
Keep walking after you finish the race. During [...]
Air Quality For This Weekend’s Races
| September 15th, 2011
Smoke from a raging fire in northern Minnesota may raise some concerns in participants in this weekend’s Community First Fox Cities Marathon events. Although there are no posted air quality alerts, participants at risk should take some precautions, advised Dr. Michael Maguire, a pulmonologist at Appleton Medical Center.
“If you have asthma, make sure you stay [...]
Going the Distance with Epilepsy
| September 13th, 2011
My love of running started on the trails of the Colorado Rockies and has continued its ups and downs in Appleton for the past eight years. At 21 years old I ran my first marathon, Cellcom Green Bay. The first words out of my mouth after crossing that finish line were, “when’s the next one?” [...]
Do I Need A Day Off?
| September 7th, 2011
It is important to know your body’s limits to prevent over-training. Rest and recovery are key components of training and allow your body to adapt to the stresses you are placing on the body. When we train, we cause irritation and inflammation to our muscles. Rest days give our body the opportunity to recover and [...]
Fueling Up to Run
| September 1st, 2011
Hydration
Hydration is the No. 1 intervention in providing performing-enhancing effects when running. When exercise or any event lasts more than 60-90 minutes, fueling is crucial to keep energy levels high and not deplete the glycogen stores in the muscles. Sweating increases electrolyte loss, which can cause up to a ten percent loss of contractile strength [...]
Barefoot Running
| August 24th, 2011
Barefoot running has become more noticeable in the last few years. There are several brands of barefoot or minimalist shoes, and many articles about the pros and cons of barefoot running. One of the physical therapists at ThedaCare Orthopedics Plus, Tim Hatlestad, a barefoot runner, shares his first-hand knowledge on the subject.
How long have you [...]
Core strengthening
| August 17th, 2011
Runners often neglect the importance of core exercise to improve their performance. Strong core muscles will allow you to keep an optimal body alignment, which will improve your speed, power and reduce injuries.
You can gain the benefit of core strengthening by doing the following exercises for 20 minutes three times/week.
LOW PLANK: Lay face down. [...]
Strengthening to prevent knee injuries
| August 10th, 2011
Strengthening exercises are important for runners to help ward off lower extremity injuries. Strength training provides stabilization to the joints, teaches the body to slow down and control motion to improve shock absorption, and delays the effects of fatigue. Research shows that weakness of the gluteal muscles (the buttock) is correlated with many lower extremity [...]