Stretching question

[CaroPhoenix]

I've decided to start walking around my neighborhood. However, I want to stretch my legs/muscles before I start the little walking routine. Does anyone have any suggestions for simple stretches? (Please keep in mind, that I'm more sedentary than anything so walking is a big deal, my legs/ankles like to swell for no reason, I have a bad back and I'm not very limber. :D)

[Chanlin]

Easy stretches to do for your hamstrings is to stand on one leg, use a hand to steady you if need be and simply lift your foot and bring it up behind like your pulling it toward your behind hold it tight for about 10 seconds and then let go. Repeat this process 2 to 3 times for both legs.

Another easy way is to place both hands palms flat about shoulder width apart on a wall in front of you at about shoulder height. From this position you can stretch almost your entire leg depending on how you lean.

If you lean forward and let the knee of the leg you want to bend up so your knee pulls in toward your chest you will stretch your hamstring. If you let your leg trail behind you (like your trying to push the wall forward) you will stretch your calf.

Lastly sit down on the ground, almost indian style so both the bottoms of your feet touch and push your knees down. Do this so its comfortable for you, but you feel an obvious stretch. Hold this for about 10 to 15 seconds and then let up repeat this about 2 to 3 times.

I have more but don't have time at the moment to post it all :)

Disclaimer: I am not a health professional, my dad does coach track so I know a bit about proper stretching, but this is in no way professional fitness or medical advice. I will try to find pictures later at some point to to illustrate if these descriptions dont make sense to you.

[ThePhoneGoddess]

Here (http://www.womensheartfoundation.org/content/Exercise/stretching_exercise.asp) is a page with diagrams for simple stretches for the entire body.

If you suffer from edema (swelling of the feet and legs) try cutting down on your salt, it should help.

[CaroPhoenix]

Thank you for the advice! :) I really like the page with the stretches (it even mentions what Chanlin typed :)).

TPG - Not sure if I have edema or not. I've been swollen like this since after having my daughter. (I also have pre-eclampsia when I was pregnant). I have high blood pressure & am on medication for it. At least I haven't had any heart attacks (had an ultrasound of my heart), but there may or may not be any congestion around my heart (my mom's mom died of congestive heart failure at age 72).

[ThePhoneGoddess]

Yes, you sound like you do suffer from edema (http://www.intelihealth.com/IH/ihtIH/WSIHW000/9339/9883.html).

I believe you have mentioned before that you carry extra weight? I don't know how much extra you carry, but edema is common in overweight people. Try cutting down on the salt you eat and when you're sitting, like watching TV or something, elevate your legs. It should help.

Good luck on your walking, and remember to buy some comfortable shoes.

[Chanlin]

Rockin pictures there PG. Allow me to also add cool down stretches after you are done walking is as important, if not more important, than doing warm up stretches before you start.

So don't forget to stretch both before and after you are done.

[Umingmaq]

Stretching cold muscles invites injury. You should warm up gently for 5-10 minutes before any stretching. Most effective is after your workout.

Libraries are wonderful institutions. Look for a fairly recent book on stretching for recommendations on procedures, specific stretches, proper form, and duration. Doing it right is quite important. For example, stretch gradually and don't bounce to increase the stretch. That can lead to problems, especially with 'cold' muscles. And don't feel that this level of involvement is too much for the start of a simple walking program. A few simple stretches, done right, will make you feel and move better and reduce your chances of injury. Get into it gradually, with emphasis on the long term. Walking is great exercise that shouldn't be hard on your back.

Good luck. Prepare, but don't over think it.

[PuckishOne]

Rum, I'm in a similar boat and I find it helps me to do a few stretches before and after. Your mileage may vary, but I tend to get shin splints if I don't stretch a bit before walking. Good luck!! :)

[Seshat]

A few more things.

Don't forget to stretch your torso, shoulders, arms and neck as well as your legs.

Try to put all your joints through their full range of motion every day. Start at the head and work down, or start at the feet and work up - which way doesn't matter. But for every joint you have, even the little ones like the individual joints in your fingers and toes, use their muscles and move them in every direction they'll move. Move them as far as you comfortably can.

Remember that the back is a set of joints as well, so bend forwards, backwards and sideways. Remember that your hips can sway and circle like a hula dancer. Remember that your thighs can go sideways as well as forward and back. Your ribs are joints too - deep breathing is exercise for the rib joints. Open your ribcage and lungs so much that your belly expands!

Moving all your joints through their full range of motion every day will help you keep that full range of motion. It will also help you regain movement if you've lost some of it. (Though if you've lost enough movement to worry you, see a doctor and get professional advice.)

Finally, massage your muscles or get someone to do so for you. Massage will increase blood and lymphatic flow, and by doing that, it will encourage the muscles to respond to the exercise by getting stronger.

If you have pain during the massage; especially if your masseur finds a 'knot' in the middle of muscle which hurts like hell when you press on it; you may have a muscle problem called a 'trigger point'. If you do, you can fix it by rubbing it gently in one direction (enough to hurt, not enough to make you yelp), half a dozen times each session, three or four sessions a day. When it no longer hurts when you press on it, it's fixed.

If you find something that might be a trigger point but doesn't go away, see a doctor. If you have pain caused by massage pressure that isn't in muscle, it can't be a trigger point. See a doctor.

Healthy muscles that are being exercised can get 'good pain', which is really just the feeling of muscles being triggered to grow stronger (or muscles growing stronger). Any other sort of muscle pain may be a signal of problems. Joints and tendons aren't supposed to hurt at all, so any pain means possible problems. See a doctor if you feel pain other than 'good pain'.

Your heart, lungs and cardiovascular system will also need to grow and strengthen. Again, there is 'good pain' which is the feeling of them being triggered to strengthen, or them strengthening. And there is 'problem pain'. See a doctor for 'problem pain'.

Ask the sports-minded here, or sports-minded friends IRL, to describe 'good pain', or bend their ear about what you feel. And remember, once you know what 'good pain' is, it's encouraging! It means your body is getting healthier and better. Learn to enjoy the 'good pain'. :D I'm told it's more a warmth or an odd sensation than a painful one anyway.

[CaroPhoenix]

Okies ... I have pain in my right shin - I'm thinking it's a shin splint, but since I've never been "officially" diagnosed with it, I don't want to unofficially diagnose myself (does that make sense?). Anyways, what should I do for it? See a doc? Ice it? Thanks!

[blas]

I might be able to help, since I've had to walk a little over a mile to the tanning salon and to get cigarettes (closest gas station is by the salon....grrr).

I get in my comfiest clothes (not sure of where you live, but it's still chilly here so I dress in layers) and I stretch my legs out really good before I go walking.

Pace yourself. Make realistic goals. I may jog and run a lot in the summer, but I hadn't done that in months. I was so out of it that the first day I had to walk, I winded myself really bad. I nearly collapsed when I got to the salon. I was kidding myself when I thought I could walk that far after going so many months of not walking or jogging long distances.

Start out small, then build up to longer distances.

[Andara Bledin]

(Please keep in mind, that I'm more sedentary than anything so walking is a big deal, my legs/ankles like to swell for no reason, I have a bad back and I'm not very limber. :D)

I have to ask: What is the seating arrangement for you at work/home?

Most people are completely unaware of just how much the chairs they sit in affect them. Gravekeeper recently found out the hard way that the chairs at his work (most likely) are bad for him.

I have a chair at home that is a little too high for me, so my legs hang off the edge, leaving my feet to dangle. The major blood vessels in the legs are at the backs of the knees, so this restricts the blood flow from my feet, causing swelling in my feet and ankles and making my feet feel 'tight' and puffy. If you're lucky, it's something as simple as that.

^-.-^

[CaroPhoenix]

Andara-

My problem is I'm short so the majority of chair I sit on (and if I sit all the way back to where my back is touching the chair back), my feet dingle. I have to sit forward, with my knees pressing against the seat edge, and my feet flat on the floor & my back nowhere near the chair back. (Which leaves me hunched over. :cry:)

As for work - I sit on a stool - my feet dingle.

Anyway, I think the swelling is from my poor diet & high blood pressure. (I used to eat fast food about 4-5 days/week, but I've given that up, but I'm still not eating that well). Also, my doctor found congestion around my heart & he thinks it could be because of my high b.p.

As for my leg problems (I have sciatica and other problems), I'm going to be making an appointment with my doc come Monday morning. My shins still hurt. :( So I'm definitely discussing it with him.

[Andara Bledin]

You should seriously look into getting a foot rest so your feet have something to prop on. While there are a lot of other things that could lead to the swelling problem, that is the easiest and cheapest to fix, and it will also help avoid the possibility of a blood clot.

^-.-^

[Seshat]

Okies ... I have pain in my right shin - I'm thinking it's a shin splint,

They develop due to inadequate stretching of the calf muscles. Be gentle with your legs while you have it (and yeah, check with a doctor). But to prevent them in future, hold your calf muscle stretches for longer.

Don't stretch to pain, just to feeling the stretch. And hold them for as long as you can without being bored silly.