Shin Splints Stink!

Since the start of the new year is also the time many people dust off their running shoes and start hitting the pavement (or belt if your a mole runner***) in start of training for their spring races, I thought I'd write a little something about shin splints. Also, I know someone who thinks she might have shin splints! Ouch.

Shin splints is a term used to describe pain in the front of the lower leg. But the term shin splints is just that. A phrase to describe a symptom. It is not a diagnosis.

What exactly are shin splints then?

Tibial Stress Injury particularly Medial Tibial Stress Syndrome (MTSS). MTSS is the most common, but not the only, diagnosis for anterior shin pain. According to John T.Hester, DPM,MSPT, researchers believed it was microtrauma to the lining of the bone, but there is a growing body of evidence that suggests it is a bone stress reaction caused by chronic repetitive loads that induce tibial bending forces (1)

What you feel. Pain is felt in the lower half to 2/3 of the shin along the middle to inside of the tibia. It may be a dull ache felt upon starting activity which goes away, only to return hours later after the activity has subsided. The pain may progress to where it felt during the entire activity and performance is diminished. Further progression causes pain even with inactivity. There may also be pain or tenderness to the touch and swelling in the surrounding area.

What you can do. Stop running and cross train (2). Swim or pool run, bike, elliptical, lift weights (don't jump around, though). Keep it low impact or modify the activity. Depending on the severity, for instance, you may be able to box or kick box with proper modifications. You may be able to go down hill skiing. Ask your doctor or use pain as your guide...that is "if it hurts, don't do it".

What else you can do. Ice the area after activity. Usually 10-20 minutes is the recommended time to ice. If you use an ice cup, it takes about 5 minutes. To make an ice cup fill a paper cup with water and freeze. When you need to ice the leg, take out the cup, peel the top portion of the cup off, using the remaining cup to hold on to the ice chunk, rub the affected area in a circular motion for about 5 minutes.

You can do more. Take an anti-inflammatory. I'm not a doctor and do I really need to say check with your doctor before taking any medications because I'm not a doctor?

What else you ask? Here's a few more things to do. Replace your running shoes if it's been more than 250-300 miles (2). Run on soft surfaces- think high school track. Remember this, too. Grass is softer then (but it's also uneven, so be careful) pavement, pavement is softer then concrete. Run on even surfaces. Watch for the crown in the road and bumpy surfaces.

Yep, there's more. Get the right running shoe and maybe some custom orthotics. Over pronators are more likely to suffer from MTSS then people with moderate to high arches. When the foot lands, it flattens out too much, causing stress and strain on the muscles, tendons, ligaments and bone.

Something else. Strengthen the area. Also, work on endurance, balance and flexibility of the lower leg.

Check this out, too. According to Hester's article(1) "... do not overlook hormonal and nutritional factors. The female athlete triad (amenorrhea, disordered eating and osteoporosis) has been linked to decreased bone marrow density and increased risk for bone stress injuries." Even if you do not have disordered eating habits you still may be lacking in protein and calcium. Seek the advice of a nutritionist.

By the way if it's not MTSS is could be one of the following, but you should ask your doctor to be sure, since I am not a doctor and can't diagnose you.

• Tibialis anterior tendinitis. Inflammation of the tendon of the muscle that attaches to the foot, crosses the ankle, runs ups the front of the shin and attaches at the top of the lower leg (tibia).
• Compartment syndrome. The lower leg has 3 compartments. Each compartment is like a tube of connective tissue. Within that tube is a group of muscles,nerves, arteries and veins. In compartment syndrome one of the tendons or muscles becomes inflamed and causes swelling. Because of the compartment, there is no place for the swelling to go and pressure is placed on the nerves and blood vessels. This causes pain and perhaps symptoms like pins and needles.
• Stress fracture. A hairline fracture in the tibia.

Refrences:

1.Hester, John T. Conquering Medial Tibial Stress Syndrome. PodiatryToday.com/article/5031

2.Whorton, Jim and Phil. Get Over It:Shin Pain. Runnersworld.com/article/0,7120,s6-241-286-289-12604-0,00.

***a mole runner is a name I just came up with to describe someone who only runs on the treadmill and never sees the light of day until race day. What an awful way to spend your entire training regimen!

The Big, the Bold and ...the Beautiful?

This is Juliette, a female body builder. I don't know her, but she looks like she must be a winner in the body building arena. Do you think Juliette just did a few lunges, bench presses and ab crunches to get this physique? The answer is a big fat "no." Don't get me wrong, Juliette worked really, really hard to get this body, but she also added some special sauce to the recipe.

Although I am fascinated by the world of body building I have to chuckle when women say to me "I don't want to get to big. I just want to tone up." It's always women, too. Men never say that...go figure.

This does lead to an interesting point. What makes someone (women) think they are going to get "big" anyway? My theory is that they must be reading Muscle and Fitness, Flex or Testosterone:Muscle with Attitude. Right? Because aren't one of those magazines sitting next to your toilet?

Anyway, tone vs. muscle. Is there a difference between toned and muscular? No. When people (women) say "toned" they typically mean low-moderate body fat, feminine figure, some visible muscle definition and no "bat wings" hanging from the back of their upper arms. They (women) don't want to be "big" like Juliette. And thank God, because it just isn't pretty to look at, even on a man.


So, ladies, go ahead and lift some heavy weights to get a feminine physique. You will lose body fat, get stronger, become healthier and look and feel better.

Here are a few reasons you won't big!

. You're not taking anabolic steroids


2. You don't have enough testosterone (in fact, women have 20-30x less testosterone then men)


3. Muscle fibers are smaller in women


4. Muscle fibers can only get so big.


Just to be sure you understand that lifting weights is a good thing, here are some interesting facts as to why you should lift weights and lift heavy on a regular/semi-regular basis.


1. Women have lower amounts of muscle tissue and if not weight trained, by age 70 could lose functional ability (i.e. can't get off the toilet)


2. Use it or Lose it! Motor neurons actually die off if you don't weight train, leaving you unable to use the muscle.


3. Women store fat under the skin (subcutaneously) compared to men who store fat deeper in the body. When you exercise, especially weight training, fat loss comes off first subcutaneously. This will make your muscles more defined.

Here is a great example of an exercise that will build strength and muscle development and make your legs look beautiful!

The Rear Foot Elevated Split Squat.

I know, I know this video is of a collegiate male athlete. However, he is being coached by Mike Boyle, a well-respected strength and conditioning coach to professional athletes, collegiate athletes and others. Watch all the way through to get training ques.

Post your questions or comments!

In Good Health,

Marie

What The Experts WON'T Eat

Happy New Year, everyone and Happy First Birthday, Audrey.

Here is an article from Prevention. It's what I always talk about...wholesome, non-processed, organic eating. I hope you find it helpful and inspires you to make better choices at the supermarket!


I was surprised about the potatoes. I do buy organic carrots and other root vegetables, though.


Post your comments and what you were surprised to learn or what you will change the next time you go food shopping!

7 Foods That Should Never Cross Your Lips



Provided by Prevention

Clean eating means choosing fruits, vegetables and meats that are raised, grown and sold with minimal processing. Often they're organic, and rarely (if ever) should they contain additives. But in some cases, the methods of today's food producers are neither clean nor sustainable. The result is damage to our health, the environment, or both. So we decided to take a fresh look at food through the eyes of the people who spend their lives uncovering what's safe -- or not -- to eat. We asked them a simple question: "What foods do you avoid?" Their answers don't necessarily make up a "banned foods" list. But reaching for the suggested alternatives might bring you better health -- and peace of mind.

The Endocrinologist Won't Eat Canned Tomatoes

Fredrick Vom Saal, Ph.D., is an endocrinologist at the University of Missouri who studies bisphenol-A.

The problem: The resin linings of tin cans contain bisphenol-A, a synthetic estrogen that has been linked to ailments ranging from reproductive problems to heart disease, diabetes and obesity. Unfortunately, acidity (a prominent characteristic of tomatoes) causes BPA to leach into your food. Studies show that the BPA in most people's body exceeds the amount that suppresses sperm production or causes chromosomal damage to the eggs of animals. "You can get 50 mcg of BPA per liter out of a tomato can, and that's a level that is going to impact people, particularly the young," says Vom Saal. "I won't go near canned tomatoes."

The solution: Choose tomatoes in glass bottles (which do not need resin linings), such as the brands Bionaturae and Coluccio. You can also get several types in Tetra Pak boxes, like Trader Joe's and Pomi.

Budget tip: If your recipe allows, substitute bottled pasta sauce for canned tomatoes. Look for pasta sauces with low sodium and few added ingredients, or you may have to adjust the recipe.

The Farmer Won't Eat Corn-Fed Beef

Joel Salatin is co-owner of Polyface Farms and author of half a dozen books on sustainable farming.

The problem: Cattle evolved to eat grass, not grains. But farmers today feed their animals corn and soybeans, which fatten up the animals faster for slaughter. But more money for cattle farmers (and lower prices at the grocery store) means a lot less nutrition for us. A recent comprehensive study conducted by the USDA and researchers from Clemson University found that compared with corn-fed beef, grass-fed beef is higher in beta-carotene, vitamin E, omega-3s, conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), calcium, magnesium and potassium; lower in inflammatory omega-6s; and lower in saturated fats that have been linked to heart disease. "We need to respect the fact that cows are herbivores, and that does not mean feeding them corn and chicken manure," says Salatin.

The solution: Buy grass-fed beef, which can be found at specialty grocers, farmers' markets and nationally at Whole Foods. It's usually labeled because it demands a premium, but if you don't see it, ask your butcher.

Budget tip: Cuts on the bone are cheaper because processors charge extra for deboning. You can also buy direct from a local farmer, which can be as cheap as $5 per pound. To find a farmer near you, search eatwild.com.

The Toxicologist Won't Eat Microwave Popcorn

Olga Naidenko, Ph.D., is a senior scientist for the Environmental Working Group.

The problem: Chemicals, including perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), in the lining of the bag, are part of a class of compounds that may be linked to infertility in humans, according to a recent study from UCLA. In animal testing, the chemicals cause liver, testicular and pancreatic cancer. Studies show that microwaving causes the chemicals to vaporize -- and migrate into your popcorn. "They stay in your body for years and accumulate there," says Naidenko, which is why researchers worry that levels in humans could approach the amounts causing cancers in laboratory animals. DuPont and other manufacturers have promised to phase out PFOA by 2015 under a voluntary EPA plan, but millions of bags of popcorn will be sold between now and then.

The solution: Pop natural kernels the old-fashioned way: in a skillet. For flavorings, you can add real butter or dried seasonings, such as dillweed, vegetable flakes or soup mix.

Budget tip: Popping your own popcorn is dirt cheap.

The Farm Director Won't Eat Nonorganic Potatoes

Jeffrey Moyer is the chair of the National Organic Standards Board.

The problem: Root vegetables absorb herbicides, pesticides, and fungicides that wind up in soil. In the case of potatoes -- the nation's most popular vegetable -- they're treated with fungicides during the growing season, then sprayed with herbicides to kill off the fibrous vines before harvesting. After they're dug up, the potatoes are treated yet again to prevent them from sprouting. "Try this experiment: Buy a conventional potato in a store, and try to get it to sprout. It won't," says Moyer, who is also farm director of the Rodale Institute (also owned by Rodale Inc., the publisher of Prevention). "I've talked with potato growers who say point-blank they would never eat the potatoes they sell. They have separate plots where they grow potatoes for themselves without all the chemicals."

The solution: Buy organic potatoes. Washing isn't good enough if you're trying to remove chemicals that have been absorbed into the flesh.

Budget tip: Organic potatoes are only $1 to $2 a pound, slightly more expensive than conventional spuds.

The Fisheries Expert Won't Eat Farmed Salmon

David Carpenter, M.D., director of the Institute for Health and the Environment at the University at Albany, published a major study in the journal Science on contamination in fish.

The problem: Nature didn't intend for salmon to be crammed into pens and fed soy, poultry litter and hydrolyzed chicken feathers. As a result, farmed salmon is lower in vitamin D and higher in contaminants, including carcinogens, PCBs, brominated flame retardants and pesticides such as dioxin and DDT. According to Carpenter, the most contaminated fish come from Northern Europe, which can be found on American menus. "You could eat one of these salmon dinners every 5 months without increasing your risk of cancer," says Carpenter, whose 2004 fish contamination study got broad media attention. "It's that bad." Preliminary science has also linked DDT to diabetes and obesity, but some nutritionists believe the benefits of omega-3s outweigh the risks. There is also concern about the high level of antibiotics and pesticides used to treat these fish. When you eat farmed salmon, you get dosed with the same drugs and chemicals.

The solution: Switch to wild-caught Alaska salmon. If the package says fresh Atlantic, it's farmed. There are no commercial fisheries left for wild Atlantic salmon.

Budget tip: Canned salmon, almost exclusively from wild catch, can be found for as little as $3 a can.

The Cancer Researcher Won't Drink Milk Produced with Artificial Hormones

Rick North is project director of the Campaign for Safe Food at the Oregon Physicians for Social Responsibility and former CEO of the Oregon division of the American Cancer Society.

The problem: Milk producers treat their dairy cattle with recombinant bovine growth hormone (rBGH or rBST, as it is also known) to boost milk production. But rBGH also increases udder infections and even pus in the milk. It also leads to higher levels of a hormone called insulin-like growth factor in milk. In people, high levels of IGF-1 may contribute to breast, prostate and colon cancers. "When the government approved rBGH, it was thought that IGF-1 from milk would be broken down in the human digestive tract," says North. As it turns out, the casein in milk protects most of it, according to several independent studies. "There's not 100 percent proof that this is increasing cancer in humans," admits North. "However, it's banned in most industrialized countries."

The solution: Check labels for rBGH-free, rBST-free, produced without artificial hormones, or organic milk. These phrases indicate rBGH-free products.

Budget tip: Try Wal-Mart's Great Value label, which does not use rBGH.

The Organic-Foods Expert Won't Eat Conventional Apples

Mark Kastel, a former executive for agribusiness, is codirector of the Cornucopia Institute, a farm-policy research group that supports organic foods.

The problem: If fall fruits held a "most doused in pesticides contest," apples would win. Why? They are individually grafted (descended from a single tree) so that each variety maintains its distinctive flavor. As such, apples don't develop resistance to pests and are sprayed frequently. The industry maintains that these residues are not harmful. But Kastel counters that it's just common sense to minimize exposure by avoiding the most doused produce, like apples. "Farm workers have higher rates of many cancers," he says. And increasing numbers of studies are starting to link a higher body burden of pesticides (from all sources) with Parkinson's disease.

The solution: Buy organic apples.

Budget tip: If you can't afford organic, be sure to wash and peel them. But Kastel personally refuses to compromise. "I would rather see the trade-off being that I don't buy that expensive electronic gadget," he says. "Just a few of these decisions will accommodate an organic diet for a family."



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