How To Fix Your Knee Pain
Lance Codner • March 3, 2020
Don't Break The Imaginary Glass
Knees! They can be frustrating to deal with if you have ongoing pain or constant discomfort. A common factor that leads to knee pain is improper loading on the knees.
Improper loading can be greatly changed by improving how your knee tracks, and your hips and ankles play a major role in this. To help those of you who experience knee pain while training, here are a few cues you can try that have shown to be very helpful for our members:
Don’t Break the Imaginary Glass
◽ lmagine there is a glass shield from the crease of your big and second toe, that travels vertically up to just the medial side of the knee.
◽ When performing exercises that require knee bending, your goal is to picture this glass shield and not allow your knees to collapse in and break the glass.
◽ This will help to keep the movement more hip focused and take unnecessary load off the knees.
Keep a Stable Foot
◽ Shifting unequal load on to the forefoot, or onto the heel of the foot can hinder our overall balance and stability with an exercise.
◽ This can also lead to unwanted load on our knees because our feet are not properly grounded while performing movement.
◽ For this cue focus on keeping the pressure at the bottom of your feet equally distributed between the forefoot and your heel.
◽ A great way to practice this is to think about gripping the floor. Like if you were to pick something off the floor with your foot.
◽ Try adding these cues to your workouts and let us know if they helped.
◽ We do want to mention that knee pain can arise for many reasons. We suggest that you always seek professional medical advice to make sure you are clear to exercise before trying these exercises and cues.
Music: Voyage
Musician: @iksonofficial
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It's that time of year again where Halloween candy is everywhere - especially if you have children who are in the trick or treating age. We all know that candy is unhealthy and we are aware of sugar's detrimental effects on our health, from weight gain to cavities... But do you know the risks in eating Halloween candy that go beyond weight gain and cavities? While sugar is certainly a concern, other ingredients in many popular candies can chip away at your health and well-being. The Deceptive Allure of Halloween Treats While eating Halloween candy can be a nostalgic pleasure, the ingredients list tells a different story. I personally love Halloween but about 7 years ago I went clean and gave up Halloween candy for good because I learned it is much more than a sugar problem… Beyond sugar, are ingredients like hydrogenated oils, high-fructose corn syrup, artificial colors, titanium dioxide and common allergens like wheat, corn, dairy, and soy. These ingredients can wreak havoc on our bodies, leading to a host of negative health effects that most consumers overlook. Beware: 5 Ingredients in Halloween Candy With Negative Health Effects 1. Hydrogenated Oils: Hidden Fats Hydrogenated oils transform liquid oils into solid fats and enhance texture and shelf life. These trans fats are notorious for raising bad cholesterol levels, increasing the risk of heart disease and causing inflammation in the body. Look out for the word ‘Hydrogenated’ in candies like Skittles or Starburst 2. High-Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS): A Sweet Sabotage HFCS is another frequent offender. It’s a cheap, sweet alternative to sugar that can lead to rapid spikes in blood sugar levels and cravings. Overconsumption of HFCS has been linked to obesity, insulin resistance and fatty liver disease. Many people consume HFCS without even realizing it. Candies like Oh Henry and other chocolate bars have HFCS. 3. Artificial Colors: A Rainbow of Risks The colors that make Halloween candy so visually appealing are often the result of artificial colorings like Red 40, Yellow 5 (Tartrazine), Yellow 6 (Sunset Yellow) and Blue 1. Studies have shown links between these artificial colors and hyperactivity in children, as well as allergic reactions as well. Here are some of your Halloween favorites with these colors: Skittles , Maynards , Sour Patch Kids , Jolly Rancher , Twizzlers , Starburst and M&M’s 4. Titanium Dioxide: The White Truth Titanium dioxide is used in many candies to enhance their whiteness and opacity. It is a detergent that damages your gut and decreases your gut microbiome. Any candy that has a white center, like Skittles is known to use this ingredient. 5. Allergens: Hidden Dangers for Sensitive Individuals Finally, we can’t forget the processed allergens like wheat, corn, dairy and soy in many candies like Mars or Snickers . 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If it was just one day on Oct 31 then sure - that could be ok, but most children are coming home with more than 10lbs of candy that they consume over the next 30 days. It’s no wonder why so many of us suffer with health issues including our children. Modern children are being diagnosed with more health problems than previous generations. Things like childhood depression/anxiety, food allergies, ADHD, autism, eczema and obesity are just some of the things we are seeing more of. Stay Vigilant and Read Labels Can we blame our poor health all on Halloween candy? Certainly not - it's more than just candy in October however the amount of candy with the above ingredients being consumed during Halloween and through the year is definitely a contributor. So when it comes to candy, watch out for the sugar but it’s time to wake up to the other ingredients that are damaging us. The best thing to do is read the labels and be aware of what you choose to consume. 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