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How Do I Exercise With A Bad Back?
How Do I Exercise With A Bad Back?
How Do I Exercise With A Bad Back?
Glendale, AZ
623-486-3333
How Do I Exercise With A Bad Back?
How Do I Exercise With A Bad Back?
How Do I Exercise With A Bad Back?
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Exercise

How Do I Exercise With A Bad Back?

How Do I Exercise With A Bad Back?

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Let’s talk about exercise and back pain.

Last week I had a question asked by one of our patients, Mary age 56, of Peoria, Arizona.

It is a very common question.

“Is it ok to exercise when my back is hurting? I’ve just got into a good routine at the gym working out three times a week, and I really don’t want to stop…”

Can exercise make back pain worse?

I get the frustration, I know the thought of doing any movement when you are going through some kind of pain may feel a little scary.

You don’t want to run the risk of aggravating it anymore just in case it turns into something more serious.

You don’t want to go “too hard” in the gym just in case you pull another muscle.

And you don’t want to wake up one day to find it difficult to get out of bed, walk down the street, or even drive because what you did made it worse.

Don’t let that worry you too much – That is rarely the case!

An aching lower back doesn’t mean you have to be housebound with ice packs until it magically goes away.

You CAN keep moving, In fact, not moving at all can make your back pain worse!

Here’s why…

If you suffer from lower back pain that comes and goes, gentle walking with exercises designed to improve lower back strength will make a big difference.

Walking is a natural movement that keeps your joints mobile and muscles working – even those in your feet, legs, hips, and torso – which play a vital role in keeping the muscles in your back, strong.

Stretching combined with walking will improve your back strength, flexibility, and posture, which in turn, can help stop back pain from creeping up on you when you least expect it.

So here’s the important question to answer now that you know it is 100% OK to exercise even if you’ve got a bad back…

The best exercises for lower back pain

What exercise can you actually be doing? Because of course, too much exercise, or exercise that’s strenuous could make it worse or keep it hanging around longer.

Introducing Yoga.

Even though there are false beliefs around Yoga, like ‘you’ve got to be flexible’ etc., etc., etc… you can disregard those false beliefs because it’s for anyone!

Let me tell you why – Yoga helps build strength.

Follow along with this video to learn some simple yoga stretches for back pain.

Yoga requires you to concentrate on specific muscles in the body when holding poses – many of them improve back strength. When these muscles are stronger your back pain can be greatly reduced and is less likely to affect you as bad as it once did.

As well as strengthening, Yoga relaxes the body and reduces any tension in stress-carrying muscles (a.k.a your back!)

For people with lower back pain, stretching is important. Stretching the muscles in your legs actually helps to increase the range of movement in your hips, taking the stress off your lower back – which also increases blood flow, allowing nutrients to flow in, taking care of the muscles in your back.

It is also one of the best forms of exercise to maintain and improve a healthy posture. It feels great when you can walk around confident and tall.

So there you have it, gentle walks and yoga.

Read how walking can make you feel healthier and happier!

Both of these will help you gain back the strength in your back, so you can return to doing the exercise you love the most.

If you want tips for easing back pain, here’s our free special report with 7 top tips to keep active with less back pain – just click on one of the images to get your free report…

How Do I Exercise With A Bad Back?How Do I Exercise With A Bad Back?

Exercise After Injury

Exercise After Injury

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I had a patient tell me this the other day:

“How long does it take to get back to exercise after an injury?…

…I hurt my ankle a month ago, and want to know how long it’ll take me to get back to running. It’s frustrating not knowing if it’s safe to get back out for a run because I have a race coming up in a few months…”

First off, I get the frustration.

When something like ankle pain strikes, or an injury hits you out of the blue, not being able to exercise like you used to, and not knowing when it’s safe to get back into it, is annoying.

And although I know you’re itching to get back into it, hold the brakes a minute – injuries are no joke. They are your body’s way of sounding an alarm telling you that something’s not right, so we shouldn’t start back full steam ahead right away.

Instead making an intelligent comeback to running, or any form of exercise, after taking time off due to injury requires a gradual approach.

And although you’re dying to get back to normal and waiting is frustrating, ask yourself this:

Would you rather make slow, pain-free progress towards building a healthy running, or exercise, base so you don’t risk another injury?

Or jump back into your exercise routine and possibly experience a set-back that leads to pain that lasts even longer, or another injury?

During recovery it’s important to listen to how your body feels. You can trust it. It will tell you when it’s ready to get back to doing certain things and when you’ve done too much.

Other factors that will have a significant impact on your return to exercise include things like your age, how long you’ve been suffering from your injury, and what you do to get back to physical activity safely.

With that said, here’s 6 steps you can take to get back to exercise safely, after an injury:

1. Take It Slow

It’s easy to want to go back to exactly what you were doing before an injury put you out, but not so quick! If you go back to running how you did before right away, or if you go back to the gym and exert all your energy, you run the risk of making yourself weaker which means a higher risk of another injury!

Not good.

Add to that your body has likely been out of exercise for a couple of weeks or more, it could be a little weaker.

Take it slow and go back into it gradually, and if you feel pain…

Stop.

2. Modify, modify, modify

Just because you can’t run doesn’t mean you can’t do other activities.  Take a look around at other types of exercise like cycling, elliptical, swimming, rowing, weight lifting, etc.  

There are so many things you can do to keep your cardio output high but not irritate your injury.  Be creative and remember the first rule, take it slow.

See how your body feels and gradually increase your time spent doing it.

3. Remember, Pain is Pain

While some people live by the motto ‘no pain, no gain’, when it comes to an injury nothing could be further from the truth.

Pain is the body’s signal that you’ve gone too far or done too much.

Rest and recovery are just as important as re-introducing exercise. Give your body time to recover so you can return to it safely.

4. Work On Your Balance

This might not be something that comes to mind right away, but doing exercises to improve your balance in turn will improve your posture AND strengthen your core – which is essential to exercise safely.

Without a strong core, you run the risk of injuring yourself quick.

5. Eat Well And Keep Hydrated

Eating well and keeping yourself hydrated are key to recovery.

Food plays a big part in the body’s healing process and helps to make your joints strong again.

Stay away from alcohol and any junk foods during this time. Eating whole, natural foods, and drinking plenty of fluids will help speed up the process.

6. Consider Getting Help From A Hands-On Physical Therapist

A hands-on therapist can provide you with a step-by-step program tailored specifically to you and your needs, to help get you back to the exercise you enjoyed in the quickest, and safest way possible.

A physical therapist will also be able to assess when you’re ready to get back to it safely, and will help make sure the injury doesn’t re-occur.

When it comes to your health, fitness and lifestyle, it’s important to listen to expert advice – that way you can be sure to get back to running and activities much quicker and safer like you deserve.

Exercise After Injury

Why Knee Pain Gets Worse While Exercising

Why Knee Pain Gets Worse While Exercising

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With Spring and Summer quickly approaching, it’s no surprise when I get an influx of new patients at my clinic with complaints about knee pain around this time of year.

Why? Most people tend to take up a more active lifestyle in order to prepare for the upcoming seasons. Those who are new to working out begin to walk or run farther than they probably should.

Those who have been consistently active start to amp up their workouts and add in a few extra runs here and there, going 4 days a week instead of 2.

Both of these situations can lead to something called “runner’s knee”. Just as the name sounds, this condition is common among runners, and not just the experienced ones. Runner’s knee, unfortunately, can affect those who are new to running as well.

Now you may be wondering, “What exactly is a runner’s knee?”.

Running can often cause irritation around the knee area, and the ensuing pain can either be sharp and sudden or irritating and gradual. I even hear people say that their pain disappears after they start running, just to reappear afterward.

How Does Runner’s Knee Cause You Pain?

If you aren’t used to running or becoming too aggressive with your running schedule without building up to it, it can be a shock to your knees. Tissues need time and or increasing load over time to safely adapt to new or more load.

It’s important to strengthen your legs and gradually build up to how long you want to run and how many times a week you’d like to run because if your knees are weak, they aren’t going to be able to support you. This means you’re much more prone to aches and pains.

Want to know how to strengthen your knees? Watch this video with simple knee strengthening techniques.

So What’s The Solution?

The solution is simple. Strengthening not only the knee muscles but the hip and lower back muscles as well will allow your knees to become strong enough to support the pressure placed on them. The solution is not to start exercising more.

Many times exercising and being active is great for you…to an extent. If you aren’t doing the right type of exercises that benefit everything else you’re doing, then it could cause more harm than good.

This means incorporating exercises and stretches that will help to strengthen the right muscles allowing your knees to walk and run for longer durations of time and with reduced pain afterward.

To view more tips and advice about knee pain, visit the “knee pain” tab on our website or pick up a copy of my free report instantly directly below.

Why Knee Pain Gets Worse While Exercising

How to Avoid Common Running Injuries

How to Avoid Common Running Injuries

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Lately, on my way to and from work, I’ve been seeing lots of people running outside while the weather in Arizona is still enjoyable.

How great is that!

It’s never too early to start prepping for that 5k, half marathon, or marathon or even just running because you love to do so.

But what I’m about to say comes with a bit of warning and was brought to my attention by a few of my patients experiencing foot pain.

Picture this: A man in his late 30’s has been doing lots of running around the track, his neighborhood, and any other place he can in order to get in shape for his upcoming 5k. Much like his competitors, he has been training on hard surfaces that are almost unavoidable in Arizona. When running a couple of miles every week on a flat surface, his feet are constantly being pounded into the ground’s surface. What can happen is an injury known as Plantar Fasciitis.

Fortunately, plantar fasciitis is much easier to explain than it is to pronounce.

It’s an injury that can be characterized as a sharp “stabbing” like pain coming from the bottom of the foot. This injury can be a result of either too much running, long-term issues with an Achilles tendon that wasn’t fixed properly, wearing running shoes that are too tight, running on hard surfaces, or even having a weak lower back. All of these have the ability to cause your muscles to tighten and joints to stiffen.

Either way, it’s not a good feeling!
I often hear my patients explain that they experience extreme pain during the first 20 minutes of waking up and stepping out of bed in the morning. Then later on in the day while attempting to increase cardiovascular fitness the pain has a tendency to increase. Understandably they become frustrated because it affects their entire day and restricts them from doing what they enjoy.

If you thought this injury was bad, you can also acquire another one on top of that!

Another overuse type of injury that I’ve seen a lot of from this kind of activity is none other than “shin splints. You won’t hear as often consistent runners talking about shin splint pain, mainly because they’ve better prepared themselves when it comes to training. In order to limit the risk of any injury, they have techniques that aim to stabilize key muscles.

This being said, my tip for maintaining fitness while still limiting the stress placed on the foot and ankle is simple. Varying your training is essential to avoid the risk of not only Plantar Fasciitis, but shin splints as well. Get on your bike or swim a couple of laps! Even performing proper stretches before and after you, train or workout (warming up and cooling down) can have a huge effect on whether you’ll be in pain for the following couple of months or if you’ll be able to do what you love, like running that 5k!

Looking for more ankle and foot injury tips? Here is our free report that will give you the inside scoop on how to further avoid Plantar Fasciitis.

How to Avoid Common Running Injuries

Is 100% Recovery Ever Possible?

Is 100% Recovery Ever Possible?

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Nick here again and I’d like to talk to you about recovery…

The more health conscious that we get as a nation, the more this question pops up in my clinic:

“Will I return to 100% and be able to do everything that I used to be able to do, again?”

The answer to this, I have found, is often varied. It depends entirely on what the person is like and the activities that they do.

For example, a young adult who plays football and comes in with a muscle strain has every chance of getting back to playing football to the same standard and, and fact, the aim is to return even stronger.

However an older adult who has taken part in a lot of sports throughout their life and has a degeneration problem probably won’t get back to the same level they were at in their earlier sporting years.

So what does the older, health conscious adult do you ask?…

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Most of the time in the range from 50 to 65 years older, it’s your knees that stop you from playing the sports you’ve played all your life, and often even jogging.

Why not take up swimming or cycling to take the pressure off of your joints?

It’s essential that you don’t stop your healthy lifestyle, but instead find something that you can do. Maybe not just for the health benefits, but for your own stress levels too.

I’ve actually seen this first hand from a family friend when the arthritis in his knees stopped him from playing tennis…

This caused him to be miserable as he didn’t have what he’d done for the previous 30 years on Saturdays. (His wife started dragging him along to shop with her instead!)

However… once he got out cycling and walking, his mood changed dramatically and he was like a completely different person!

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Often when you stop exercise altogether, it causes the muscles (especially in your low back) to become stiff. This then causes OTHER problems as you get older.

“I really can’t emphasize how important it is to stay active in whatever way you can!”

Find something that you enjoy and can do easily without too much pressure, even if it is at a lower intensity.

And this will keep you healthy physically as well as mentally immediately and in the long term.

AND if you think you may have overdone it on the exercise, read my free sports injury report for some useful hints:

Is 100% Recovery Ever Possible?

Do Exercises Always Work For Sports Injuries?

Do Exercises Always Work For Sports Injuries?

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Why do Most Exercises never Work for Sports Injuries?

When I get patients suffering from sports injuries, many are shocked to hear I’ll be giving them exercises to help with their recovery.  Many think that because they are active they don’t need exercise to help them get better.  Especially if their sports injury is from exercising. This causes lots of confusion.

The main reason exercises never work to help sports injuries is because they are being done at the wrong time in recovery, for the wrong reason, and in the wrong load.

There’s a myth among people who’ve had bad physical therapy that anytime a person gets injured, doing any kind of exercise will help you get better.  This is because these people didn’t have specialized physical therapy with plans tailored to their condition and in line with their goals.  Too often patients tell us they were given a sheet of exercises to do on their own and the physical therapist would check back in from time to time.  This is not tailored to their condition or specific to their goals and is the reason it fails to provide any help.

Why Doing Just Any Exercise Won’t Help!

I’d go so far as to say it IS what is causing millions of people to suffer from physical problems like back pain and neck pain, and even keeps injured runners on the sidelines for months (and years) longer than is necessary.

And it has happened because the primary care physician will have you believe that the answer to anything physical is to just go and do “some exercises” and keep it moving.

(Heard that line before?…)

So you go to the internet and look up “the best exercises for (fill in the blank) pain”.

I hear it from very confused (and frustrated) runners, CrossFit athletes, tennis players, and golfers on a daily basis.

Internet doesn’t help of course- one search on there and 1000 exercises will appear that ‘look right’ and promise that if you do them, all of your problems will be solved.

But really, most of the time general exercises don’t work for a specific problem.

There’s also a huge difference between doing exercises that recover you safely from a sports injury and those that just get you up and about again quickly (meaning “unsafely”).

The prime example is for Achilles tendinitis, a common sports injury.  We wrote a blog post all about 3 things you can do to help avoid tearing your Achilles you can do at home.  In the post, you’ll notice there aren’t specific exercises you must do to help the tendon recover because if you don’t load it properly you can make things worse.

How to know if you are doing the correct exercises

When it comes to doing the right exercises, here’s a trick that most people miss:

You need to have at least three different types– all working sequentially, simultaneously, and running concurrently alongside the treatment of a specialist who works on the injury and knows just how far it can be “safely” pushed.

For example:

Did you know that you should be starting with static exercises in the first few days, adding in some dynamic stretches as the injury progresses? Or that starting “core” type exercises is vital from day one?

Static exercises, also known as isometrics, are important to keep as much muscle strength as possible while recovering from a sports injury.  This blog post makes these recommendations perfectly when looking for relief from knee pain.

And that’s before I even start talking about exercises to improve proprioception and flexibility.

To get the very BEST results from “just doing exercises”, you HAVE to combine all of these different types into one plan that is perfect for YOU.

Then progress that plan regularly, as progress allows, and always take into consideration that it’s not about easing the pain or getting up and at it again as fast as possible. It’s about being safely able to get back to running or playing without the fear of the injury happening again, any time soon.

That’s what I do for my patients.

I’d like to do it for you too.

And if you’d like to know the ONLY exercises that you should be doing for your sports injury, and have a custom exercise plan made just for you and your specific fitness goals, please make your inquiry here:

Press the button below and fill out a simple form that will appear and let us create a custom treatment visit that will work best for you.

 

P.S. It is going to work for you…

And you will love everything that I do for you to get you fit!

And if you don’t or I don’t deliver on my promise, you will leave without paying.

You’ve got nothing to lose.

I only want for you to leave my care, fit, happy, and confident that you’re not going to break down again anytime soon.

More Sports Injury Tips Here:

Do Exercises Always Work For Sports Injuries?

What To Do To Keep Up With Exercises When In Pain

What To Do To Keep Up With Exercises When In Pain

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One of the biggest health mistakes that people make during these cooler fall months is to think that walking or jogging is the only way to exercise while enjoying the fresh air.

Yet, the health benefits of doing something like cycling are endless.

Cycling regularly can help improve physical fitness, ease stress (due to the rush of endorphins that will be released) and it’s also a great way to reduce your weight. Not to mention you’ll get to see some nice sights if you pick a scenic route.

If you’re having regular problems with arthritic knees or hips, a really stiff lower back, or even tightness in muscles such as the Achilles or calves, then cycling is a great option. Even if you only do it for 30 minutes or so at a time.

Why? Because you’ll be reducing the impact of the hard surface that can easily damage vital joints. You’ll also be helping essential processes like the heart and the lungs to stay healthy.

This is so important that I want to say it again-You’ll feel so much healthier if you vary your exercise habits and fitness plans. It’s also essential to remain alert of the impact that doing the same thing night after night can have upon your joints and muscles.

Bike riding is something that anyone in their 40’s, 50’s or above should seriously consider. It’s even better than walking if you’re objective is to stay active and healthy.

Now, let’s bust a myth about bike riding. Many people think that to have the same positive impact on your health, like say going for a run, you have to do much more when riding a bike.

I’ve found this confusion to be one of the most common objections when I suggest people consider taking bike rides. It’s true that to get the endorphins, you’ll have to sit on your bike a bit longer than if you were just heading out for a run.

Keeping this in mind, here’s a fact when it comes to bike riding vs. running. Someone who weighs approximately 160 pounds will burn roughly 650 calories from riding a bike for an hour. With a typical 20 minute run, you’ll be lucky to burn 200. So although it might not feel that way, you’re working just as hard. Only, it’s much safer in terms of the reduced impact on your knees and hips. Just something to think about.

When the numbers stack up, you can see why more and more people aged 50+ are getting back on their bikes to keep healthy and feel and look great.

You can pick up your free report on ways to ease knee pain, here:

What To Do To Keep Up With Exercises When In Pain

Tips To Keep Active and Healthy

Tips To Keep Active and Healthy

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So, let’s talk about keeping you active, healthy, and full of energy this autumn.

With those long summer days almost behind us, it’s easy to let the cooler temperatures prevent you from spending time outside… so it’s easy to stop exercising completely, and spend more time indoors doing things like watching TV, and sitting for long periods of time.

And let’s be honest, you and I both know that a lack of movement can lead to stiffness and unwanted pain, which can get in the way of your day-to-day life.

So with that in mind, let’s look at what you could possibly do to keep moving and reduce the risk of experiencing stiffness this season – here are some of the tips I give my patients:

Embrace Gentle Movements:

One way you can keep moving now that it’s cooler outside is to bring your activities indoors.

Go for a swim, take up yoga, gently ride an exercise bike while you watch your favorite shows – seriously you’ll love just how easy that one is to do.

In fact one of my patients, Mary, absolutely dreaded using her exercise bike, until I told just her how easy it is to make it a healthy habit if she used it while she watched her favorite shows, and now she doesn’t mind using the exercise bike at all!

The key is to find something that you enjoy and to get your body moving gently so that you keep yourself fit and healthy… which brings me to my next point:

Boost Your Immune System:

Here’s an important one, if you want to avoid trips to the Doctor’s office.

Whenever the seasons change, and I feel a need to boost my immune system, I first take a look at mother nature. Some of my favorite immune – boosters are to drink plenty of fresh water and eat plenty of foods packed with nutrients – such as raw honey, garlic, and root veggies. You could even make some delicious pumpkin dishes this autumn.

As the days are becoming shorter, now is the perfect time to really look after yourself. Use this autumn to relax at home, enjoy early nights, cook nutritious food, and maybe even find a new activity to enjoy.

Does Shopping Count As Exercise?

Does Shopping Count As Exercise?

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Got asked this question the other day on Facebook:

“Nick, does shopping count as exercise? I hate the thought of going to the gym, so if I can find any way around that to keep active, then I will!”

So I thought I’d answer it here:

Now we’re into December and getting closer and closer to Christmas…

There’s something that we do around this time of year that that counts as good healthy habit.

It can help keep you active and burn calories!

Have you guessed it?

It’s shopping.

Christmas shopping – THE busiest shopping time of the year.

Now Christmas shopping can do one of two things – cause you frustration and stress…

OR bring you delight and enjoyment.

But let me ask you this – have you ever considered that shopping might be a legitimate addition to your weekly exercise routine?

I’m serious – hours of walking around the shops can clock up a huge amount of steps, and you can even burn up to 200 calories doing so!

To put that into context, if you see someone out jogging, they’ll have to run at the same pace for up to 30 minutes to burn the same amount of calories.

And even though they’re keeping active for a shorter amount of time, for those of you who don’t enjoy jogging or booking yourself into a gym class, shopping, especially at this time of year is a great alternative to keeping active.

Of course I’m not saying shopping alone should replace your regular exercise regime, but it’s nice to know that an everyday activity like this counts towards your daily exercise goals.

Not to mention, the next time someone says you shop too much, you can use this as the perfect excuse!

Now I know sometimes it’s difficult, there’s always so many people around and it seems like it would be a much better idea to order everything online.

But try to resist the urge to buy it all online.

You don’t get the opportunity to do something new as exercise by ordering it all online – not to mention keeping active during winter is always a great way to stick to the health goals many people tend to get distracted from this time of year.

If you’re wondering about other daily activities that can count as exercise that I mentioned, here are some ideas for you:

Cleaning the house, washing your car (although maybe not a great idea in winter!), walking the dog, playing with the kids or grandkids…

There’s plenty of options, but doing your Christmas shopping is a win-win!

You get all the Christmas presents sorted, and you’re exercising and burning calories.

So my take away for you today is this, while traditional exercises like running and finding a fitness class you enjoy are key to maintaining a healthy lifestyle – everyday activities can be an additional way to get you moving.

Stay tuned for more tips coming to you this month to keep you active during the holiday season!

Why You Should Run When It’s Cold out

Why You Should Run When It’s Cold out

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I’m going to guess that you’re reading this article because you enjoy running (or know someone who does)…

Or you’ve read the title and thought it sounds crazy – what could possibly be good about running in the cold, right?

I’m not going to pretend that I ‘enjoy’ stepping outside on a fresh cold morning in my running shorts…

But just because the temperatures outside have suddenly dropped, shouldn’t mean you should stop pounding the pavements.

Just the other day I was talking with a client I used to treat who at the end of the year decided to take up running to live a more active life.

Each morning, without fail he got outside and upped his mileage, and as a result, told me he’s feeling great!

He can now walk further for longer, doesn’t get out of breath when taking the stairs, and has a lot more energy throughout the day.

But the other day he said to me that now it’s got colder in the mornings, his desire to get out and run is fading away – even though he doesn’t want to stop this good habit he’s kept to so well!

And because I know a lot of people are likely to be feeling this way too, I wanted to share five good reasons why running in cold weather is actually good for you, so you don’t STOP!

So lace up your running shoes, bundle up, and get outside to run after reading this…

1. It’s The Ideal Weather For Running

Believe it or not, cold weather is actually ideal for your run.

The colder the weather, the less heat and stress on the body, which makes it significantly easier to run.

Running in hot weather is taxing on the body, you’ve got to hydrate even more and make sure you don’t overheat – there’s a reason why most marathons are held near the end of the year.

2. Running In The Cold Promotes Weight Loss

Running in the cold can actually burn more calories as the body has to expend more energy on staying warm.

During the Fall and Winter months it’s a lot more tempting to move less and eat more – so taking your run outside is a great way to maintain your weight, and shed some if you want to.

3. Running Can Keep You Feeling Great!

As the nights creep in, levels of a feel-good chemical in your brain fall, which can bring on something called Seasonal Affect Disorder in some people.

Running helps release powerful hormones that help combat this ‘dull’ feeling, increasing positive mood states during the colder months. This is also known as a “runner’s high”.

4. It Strengthens Your Heart

Cold weather makes the heart work harder to distribute blood flow throughout the body. If you exercise on a regular basis, running in the cold can make your heart even stronger and will help you prepare for your summer workouts, and not mention, you’ll be able to run further for longer!

5. You’ll Keep In Shape!

Many people wait to run until the weather warms up, attempting to cram in their workouts and get in shape for their holidays. Maintaining your regular routine, no matter what the weather, keeps excuses at bay and helps you stay on track all year round!

So there you have it! Five reasons why running in the cold is actually good for you, and why you shouldn’t stop, even if the colder mornings aren’t so appealing.

My big tip on this: If you are running now it’s cooler outside, proper warm-ups and cool-downs are even more crucial to keeping the body in top shape and free from injuries. Be sure to do dynamic stretch before and static stretch after runs, and even treat yourself to a sports massage, to keep your body free from any nagging pains and injuries.

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