Knee Arthritis|Knock Knees|Virtual Knee Surgery

Do your knees buckle in the buffet line? The numerous choices and the "all you can eat mentality" can create anxiety among the most disciplined "dieters". Yet eating through the buffet line can be fun, healthy and fat blasting when you use these 7 keys:

KEY 1: Just because it is all you can eat doesn't mean you eat it all! Move past the notion of getting your money's worth. How do we determine the exact worth of any meal? Also, eating more because you feel like you have to make this meal a bargain will end in bloating, gas and fat.

KEY 2: Downsize your portion size: Start small. Look over the whole buffet and determine what your "must-haves" are then take a small amount. You can always go back.

KEY 3: Turn your plates upside down Have you noticed the 2 different-sized plates at the buffet? Usually we place our salad on the small plate and then fill the big plate with foods that expand our waistline. Instead, why not fill the big plate with salad and use the small plate for your delicious delicacies? With this built in portion control, you are filling up on "good for you" vegetables without feeling deprived from your favorite foods.

KEY 4: When using one big plate practice the 翻 + 翹 + 翹 portion equation of satisfaction without suffocation. Before you place one morsel on your plate, look at your plate and visually cut it into quarters. Use half of the plate for vegetables, one quarter for protein and one quarter for starch.

KEY 5: Life may be uncertain but that doesn't mean you should eat dessert first. Your first time through the buffet line has one purpose; to fuel your body. Dessert is fun and delicious and a treat which means it is eaten after you fuel your body. In addition, when you return to the buffet table to have dessert, pick one item. Just because a dozen items are displayed doesn't mean you need to taste them all.

KEY 6: When eating dessert use the DIG principle for maximum enjoyment and a minimum of calories: After you return from the buffet table with your dessert, make sure it is exactly what you want otherwise you will not feel satisfied and may keep indulging. Pick up your fork and take a bite while really focusing on the taste then put down your fork. Repeat this process two more times. After that third bite, ask yourself: "Do I want more?" and listen. If so then take another bite and ask yourself again "Do I want more?" When we are focusing on our treat without guilt or self-hate, those first three bites will be satisfying without adding pounds.

KEY 7: Perception Use your God-given expert status to perceive when you are full. Just because you fill your plate doesn't mean you clean your plate. Rather, take home that extra food or place it in the trash. Yes, it is wasteful but your health, your weight and your self-esteem are worth more than any amount of food.

You can't feed the starving children with your leftovers, but you can help the world with your glowing health which is a byproduct of using Portion control, Proportion control while exercising your self-perception muscle.

Hammer toes x-rays are sometimes ordered when a patient has pain on the bottom or in the ball of the foot, especially if the deformity is not obvious. Redness on the top of the affected joint is often the first sign. If the redness is noticeable, your doctor might not order an X-ray.

Physical examination is sometimes the only necessary diagnostic tool. After evaluating the location of a person's pain, if pain is present, and physically manipulating the joints, it is often possible to see the stiffness that is symptomatic.

During the early stages, before obvious deformity occurs, it is possible to correct the problem by improving flexibility. Exercises geared towards stretching the tendons and increasing muscle strength may help. But, it all depends on the severity or advancement of the deformity.

Accompanying problems are another factor that helps to determine treatment. A condition called "cross-over-toe" can accompany a hammertoe and a bunion on the big toe. The root cause of this problem is the bunion.

During hammer toes x-rays, the bunion would be seen in views taken from the top of the foot. They occur in the first joint (closest to the foot) of the big toe. In the X-ray, the joint will appear enlarged and the toe will point towards the others, to varying degrees.

If the bunion is not corrected, there will be continued pressure on the second toe, which may cause pain, blistering, corns or calluses. Eventually, the second toe develops the hammer-appearance and in order to accommodate the deformity in the big toe, the second toe becomes an overlapping or cross-over-toe.

Like many other problems affecting the health of the feet, hammertoes and bunions are often caused by poorly fitting shoes. Narrow, pointy-toed shoes are common causes, but over-pronation may be involved, too.

Hammer toes x-rays may not reveal over-pronation. Taking an imprint of the bottom of the foot is the usual method of diagnosis. A low or absent arch will be present, which can be observed on the imprint.

In over-pronation, the heel angles inward. So, instead of balanced pressure throughout the foot, more pressure is placed on the inside area, the side with the arch.

Examining the person's posture and appearance of their knees is another diagnostic method. In severely pronated feet, the person appears knock-kneed.

If your doctor orders hammer toes x-rays, he or she may also do these other diagnostic tests to find related problems and come up with an effective treatment plan. If over-pronation is a problem, orthopedic insoles may be used to straighten to provide support and reduce the pressure on the knees and other lower-body joints.

These are not problems that should be overlooked or taken lightly. The health of your feet affects the health of your total body. Deformities can become permanent. The irritation and inflammation caused by the initial problem can contribute to arthritis in other joints of the body.

So, if your doctor orders hammer toes x-rays, take his advice. Before you even visit your podiatrist, consider buying more practical shoes. That's the first step.

Perhaps you are tired of your treadmill routine, or perhaps your knees, ankles and hips just need a break from the pounding. I've heard some trainers say that you can't use running to get into shape, because you need to be in shape to run. It made sense to me considering the crazy amounts of force and stress running puts on your joints. If you are carrying extra weight you are just adding to the problem. Doubly so if you are running with poor technique.. yes there is technique to running. Anyway, here are 4 alternatives to the treadmill that will still give you a fat-burning and exciting interval workout.

1. Switch Machines

If you are in a gym try switching to a different machine for a while.... like a stationary (but not a recumbent) bike. Bikes are actually easier to change speeds on than treadmills and don't involve any tricky jumping on and off. Also the tread of a treadmill guarantees you will work at a certain pace (or fall off). Without that on a bike, you are forced to push yourself to keep pace... most relatively recent bikes will have an RPM monitor so you can see your speed.

Or you could try my personal favorite machine: the erg rower. This one will hit the posterior chain much harder than a bike or a treadmill so go easy on your first day or you risk having very sore hamstrings the next. You also get a nice pulling action for more upper body integration than the other machines. Rowers might show your RPM, but it will spike when you pull and drop when you are recovering, so I find it easiest to count the number of strokes. Sprint your first interval and then knock a stroke off to find a decent target for your remaining intervals.

2. Get Off the Machines

If you have one at your gym a punching bag is about the most fun you can have for a cardio workout. If you've never taken a martial arts course, or a kickboxing class... well its not that important here. The priority is cardio! And nothing gets your heart rate up like wailing on a punching bag for 30-60 seconds. If you follow these 3 quick tips you should ensure some injury-free cardio time.

1. Wear bag gloves. These are not the big heavy gloves that boxers use, but rather thin leather gloves that protect the skin on your knuckles.
2. Keep your wrists straight. I've seen a lot of former teammates try to punch with crooked wrists. If you punch hard enough that can be dangerous. Close your hand into a fist and keep it there like an extension of your forearm. True purists would say you should keep your fist loose until the actual strike to conserve energy. But we're not in a fight here, we just want to burn some calories (and take out a little aggression too).
3. Land punches with the first 2 knuckles of your fist. Those are the ones that line up straight with your forearm. Landing powerful punches with the other knuckles (ring and pinky fingers) can result in a classic boxer's fracture...though probably not very likely with gloves on and hitting a bag.

If you don't have a bag hanging up or standing up somewhere, then do some interval swings or snatches with a kettlebell. You can use a dumbbell in a pinch, but stick more to swings if you do since the handles aren't smooth like on a kettlebell.

3. No Equipment at All? No Problem.

Try Bodyweight-only Exercises. For instance, do as many bodyweight squats as you can for 20 seconds and then hold the bottom position for 10 seconds. Rest 30 seconds and repeat. 8 rounds of that is only an 8 minute workout that will have you burning.

Or if you are really adventurous (and already in good shape) you can try some squat thrusts or burpees. Starting standing up, you squat down until your hands touch the ground. Then kick your feet out behind you into a pushup position. For a burpee throw in a pushup, otherwise immediately jump your feet back up to your hands (resume the squatting position). Then squat yourself back up to a standing position for a squat thrust or jump into the air for a burpee and repeat. Fair warning, you can do these anywhere and at any time, but these are possibly some of the most difficult cardio exercises you can find!

Alright, so those are just a few of the countless ways in which you can change up your interval training to keep burning fat and spend less time in the gym than with traditional cardio.

A place for everything and everything in its place: This is the mantra of the organized, tidy person. If your place is small but cluttered, you want cabinets to put your clutter in, but you can't afford the floor space. There's a way to have your cake and eat it too in this instance. The way to clear precious floor space without blocking this same floor space with bulky cabinets is with recessed or built-in cabinets. These can be the shelf storage cabinet, bathroom storage cabinets, or the bathroom wall cabinet, among others. Recessed cabinets can also add beauty and a look of elegance to your rooms.

Let's start in the bathroom. This is the most obvious spot, with the usual recessed medicine cabinet and toilet paper holder. But other things can be recessed, including bath storage cabinets, shelves for towels, towel bars themselves, and tissue box holders. As an added bonus, when these things are recessed, they aren't targets for elbows and knees in the dark.

There are a lot of opportunities for recessed storage cabinets in the living room. Think of how beautifully your books can be displayed in recessed bookcases. These bookcases can be wide or narrow. They can be tall or short. They can be recessed into a corner. If they have decorative molding, this molding can be designed to blend with the architectural style of your house or your interior decorating style. They can even be glassed in to keep the dust off your precious library collection. But the storage shelves in the living room can be designed to hold more than just books. Media storage shelves can be designed to hold DVDs, CDs, and computer games.

A woman with an abundant supply of jewelry would love to have a recessed jewelry cabinet. These cabinets come in many styles. Some are rectangular. Some have an arched top. Additional functionality and aesthetic value are added by a mirror on the door.

There are many types of recessed cabinets for the kitchen. Think of the pantry, the home fire station, the built-in ironing board, and the pet food holder. Do you have a few spices? Install a spice rack. Are you a gourmet cook? The full-sized spice cabinet may be just what you need. Your kitchen will be the best organized on the street.

Wall niches are a beautiful addition to any room, whether it's the bedroom, living room, entry way, or hallway. These niches are less functional than just beautiful. Wall niches go far back into history as a way to decorate a wall with three-dimensional art objects such as vases, figurines, plants, and statues. A niche is a good solution for these displays because they are flush with the wall, making it difficult for the careless person to knock the art object to the floor.

With so many options for built-in storage, there is no excuse for not having a place for everything. Look at your walls. Where can you put a well-placed cabinet to hold your stuff?

Are you tired of excuses? Looking for a persuasion technique to get people to take immediate action? Are prospects saying things to you like: "I'll think it over and get back to you?" "I need to talk it over with my wife." "Call me next week and we'll set up an appointment." Then create a sense of urgency and get your clients to want what you have now!

The first step in getting people to take immediate action is for them to perceive your product or service as being in demand or in limited supply. People want what is "hot" right now! Psychologists have proven, people find more value in things they have a difficult time obtaining. If you're told you can't have something, you want it even more.

Infomercials tell you that if you call now they will give you another one free or knock $20 of the original price. Shopping networks use a time limit or tell you they only have so many left. Marketers know how to create a sense of urgency.

Have you noticed when you are starving for new business you have an attitude that you would do anything to get business. You make promises you normally wouldn't make. You're practically on your knees begging them to do business with you. You can feel it and so can your customers. They see the look in your eyes and hear the tone of your voice and will do anything to get rid of you. People figure if you're desperate for business then you must not be any good, because if you were you would be in high demand. People want to do business with successful people.

How do you put this persuasion technique in action and create a sense of urgency?

First, don't be so accessible. Make it difficult for people to get an appointment with you. What I mean is, don't say I can do it any day this week. Instead use a more persuasive technique by saying, I'm very busy this week, however, I might be able to squeeze you in. Give them a deadline. If people think they have unlimited time to make a decision about your product or service they will stall and procrastinate. Set a time limit for your offer and stick to it.

Be selective about who you work with. Set standards for the type of client you are willing to work with. You will give people the impression that you are busy and that you don't work with just any one. Some people will even go out of their way to conform to your standards to work with you.

Use the persuasive technique of "take away selling". What I mean is say something like, I'm not sure that our product is right for you. Or maybe our service isn't the right match for your company. Remember, people want what they can't have. By taking it away from them they will search for reasons why they want it now.

Creating a sense of urgency in sales is a win - win for both you and the client. For the client it helps to move them to make a decision to buy something they wanted anyway. For you, it means more sales and the sense of accomplishment for moving people to make a decision that will benefit them.

So many golfers needlessly complicate their golf swings with all kinds of extra moves, excess swing thoughts they pick up and stuff they've heard their buddies say. Most of the time, this just adds up to more shots from the rough and having to buy more golf balls if you actually stick with the game when things are going wrong. There's a better way to play: Simplify your swing. The two tips below will help you do just that in a very short time. Check them out.

Tip #1: Use general swing thoughts that can be repeated every time you're over the ball during a round to simplify your golf swing. Thoughts like "release the wrists" or "hit down on the ball" are kryptonite to golfer's swing because they're segmental thoughts that don't focus on your overall swing. Instead, try using swing thoughts like "slow back, accelerate through", "back, and go to finish" or "1, 2 & 3". These are thoughts you can apply right away and they'll actually have a positive effect. You can say general thoughts like these to yourself during practice swings and take them right on to the tee for the real shots right after your practice swings. Using these types of techniques will create more consistency in your game almost instantly which is sure to shave off strokes and get you playing better in a matter of days.

Tip#2: Forget the upper body to simplify your golf swing. All your power, grounding and stability comes from your lower body. The pros take full advantage of their lower bodies instead of letting their upper body try to take over their swing. You can do the same by taking a bit of tension out of your upper body joints so that they don't try to chase ahead of your lower body. This doesn't mean getting all loose and wobbly with your lower body, it just means you should become aware of the true timing of the movement which is coming from your vastly more powerful lower limbs first followed by your upper body limbs second. Get in touch with your hips at the start of your downswing and follow your body through to the finish of your swing where the insides of your knees should softly kiss, not knock out teeth.

These two tips will simplify your golf swing almost instantly. They're the kinds of golf tips that can actually be used by any golfer right away. Though they sound simple, they're very effective when you run into a tough shot or find your swing slipping away a bit.

For more great golf tips and more like these ones that will help make your golf swing simple and practical so you can start shooting better every time you play, check out my site Better Golf Secrets. All the best and keep on swinging.

Cheers,
Ty Cooper

Michael Jordan did not become Michael Jordan in a flash. It took him years of practice to be the greatest pro basketball player of all time. He mastered every aspect of the game from the basics to the most difficult moves. To be successful, the first thing you need to do is to practice. Practice in every game, whether it is a practice game or a real game; Practice to do your best, push yourself forward and strive to do better. Concentrate on your basics first. With consistent practice, you will notice that you will be able to increase your vertical jump, block effectively and play rebounds with considerable ease. This will not just help you become an all-around player but it will also help in creating a name in basketball.

To be an all-around player, the most basic skill needed is the ability to jump. It is so similar to the times in kindergarten where the teacher put in great effort to make you hold the pencil right. Once you get a good grip, you can then proceed on to learning to write letters and of course put in the effort to make it more legible.

The basic stuff you must remember while you attempt to make a jump is given below.

Take one or two preliminary steps: The energy developed in those steps can help generate additional upward lift

Get into position. Your hips should be flexed at 30 degrees, knees bent 60 degrees, and ankles flexed 25 degrees in order to generate the most power without injuring your knees. Be careful that your knees don't point inwards in a "knock knee" position; they should be positioned over the second toe. Have your arms at your sides.

Push your body up with your legs, springing off the balls of your feet. Simultaneously swing your hands up into the air, towards the ceiling, for additional momentum and Breathe out when you're doing the motion (like when you lift weights).

Land smoothly: When you land, land on the balls of your feet and then roll smoothly onto your heels. Bend your knees to absorb the shock.

If you're like a lot of families, this time of year is the time that you're looking around the house and yard and deciding what projects need to be taken on to make this a more enjoyable space for all of you. One thing that many people don't think of is making sure that the backyard suits all members of the family. To be more specific, they don't make sure the patio area suits the smaller members of the family.

Most people purchase patio furniture sets that are suited for adults. Since usually it's all the parents sitting around the table while the kids play in the yard this seems to make perfect sense. But what happens when it comes time for the kids to gather around the table for a meal? Generally, it's very awkward.

How many times have you seen a child trying to sit at a set of adult patio tables and chairs? Usually, their chin is barely coming over the surface of the table. They're reaching up and over the lip of the table trying to get the food off their plate. More often than not things end up getting spilled and knocked over as the children are trying to reach around the table but can't because of the position they're sitting in.

Instead of setting yourself up for a constant mess on the patio, why don't you take the time to prepare a specific area for the kids? Did you know there are patio tables and chairs that are specifically made for children? These patio sets are miniature versions of the ones you're using. That means that they are at the right height for your children to use.

Here's what you should look for when purchasing patio tables and chairs for kids. First, look at the chairs. They should be at a height that when your child sits down they have some stability. They should be able to bend their knees off the end of the chair, just like you do. It would be best if they were able to touch the ground as well, to give them a little extra stability. They should also be able to sit back in the chair and enjoy back support just like you do with a grownup table.

When the chairs are pulled up to the table, they should be at abdomen or lower chest level. Think about where a table sits when you pull up to it. This is how you want it to be for your children. You don't want them to have to be reaching up and over the edge of the table in order to pick up their food. Instead you want them to be comfortably seated and be able to reach forward to pick up the food or drink that they want to have. You also don't want a table that's so massive that your children can't reach across it. Just like at the adult table, condiments, drinks and other items are usually towards the center of the table. If your child has to stand up and lean across the table each time they want something, chances are they're either going to knock something over or end up leaning in their food and making a mess while they're just trying to reach something that's far away.

Being obese doesn't happen overnight. It often happens over years. Whether we realize it of not, it is a combination of many factors all coming together that results in constant sustained weight gain. In simple terms it includes physiological drivers that cause us to eat, eating the wrong foods, eating too much food and lack of physical activity.

Most weight loss surgeons will want you to demonstrate a commitment to lifestyle change before they perform surgery on you. Whether you're preparing for surgery or you just want to break your weight gain cycle, the info in this article will help you.

The 1st step in any change is to break the cycle of your current habits. Often people are rooted in their existing routine and find it incredibly difficult to make any kind of shift. Inertia keeps us in the same old rut because it's easier to continue to do what we're familiar with. Add on the satisfaction and rush we get from the physical and physiological drives that cause us to eat, and you face an extremely difficult challenge.

Great news! This challenge is not insurmountable if you use some simple techniques to help you shift your lifestyle to healthier choices. If you're pre-op, demonstrating your commitment to sustained lifestyle change will persuade your surgeon that you're serious and move you faster toward your surgery date. If you just want to loose weight, then these techniques will increase your success rate. After all, the statistics through diet alone are pretty disheartening, so anything that increases your success opportunity is a benefit. Right?

Lets begin. We're going to look at the four main obstacles that prevent you from changing your lifestyle and losing weight. We'll start with wrong foods, eating too much food, physical activity and last but not lease physiological drivers.

Wrong Foods - Making Right Choices To Change Our Diet

Everything thing in the food industry today is driven to get you to buy food that has high profit margin on it. Even the lay out of the average super market emphasizes poor food choices. Guess what? All the bad food for you fits this category.veg

Here are some specific tools to help you change your habits in choosing better foods:

* Stay out of the center aisles in super markets. This is where most of the bad food choices are. It's also where you'll spend the most money. Try and shop around the parameter of your super market (except the bakery section - stay the hell out of there completely)

* Don't buy "white" foods. This means carbohydrates and includes potatoes, flour, fortified wheat products, rice, pasta, pizza, crackers, cookies. etc...you get the idea. All of these add pounds fast and provide little or no useful nutrients.

* Don't buy prepackaged foods and fast foods

* DO buy and eat in this order - proteins (chicken, fish & leaner cuts of meat are best), vegetables and fruit, preferable fresh. Frozen is the next best choice. Canned is not so good, because it usually contains too much salt and sugar. Deli meats are NOT considered a good choice of protein because of their high levels of fat and nitrates.

* No junk food. It's in a center aisle to start with, but once in your house, it's also one of the greatest temptations to browse/snack on. If you must have something to nibble on, pop your own popcorn. Use PAM vegetable spray as a topping and your favourite spice/herb for seasoning

* Shop often and only buy what you'll eat in 1 or 2 days. Our forefathers shopped every day. Mostly because they didn't have minivans to carry 2 weeks worth of groceries and also because refrigeration wasn't available and you needed to buy only fresh food. If you don't have 2 weeks of food in your fridge and cupboards, you can't snack on it in the evening. You'll end up eating fresher foods, it will cost you less and of course you won't eat as much.

* Stick to the 5/5 rule for any food you buy. Five or less grams of fat per serving and five or less grams of sugar per serving.

Too Much Food - Size Does Matter

Human beings are visual by nature. It's no accident that marketing in the Fast Food industry over the last few years has steadily increased the portions size of their menus. Just look at the pictures and commercials. Every picture of a hamburger and french fries is deliberately staged to make them look as big as possible, dripping with fatty juice. People want "bigger". Super-size it! Increase the price and tell the customers they're getting more for their money. It still annoys me even now after my surgery. When I want a treat I'll got to the Golden Arches and order 1 chicken wrap with no sauce on it and a small diet coke. Even though I can't drink more than that small coke, the guy always asks if I want to super-size my drink. Then I'll get 5 times the diet coke for only a few pennies more than the cost of the small drink.

So lets look at some strategies that can help with portion size of food we eat.

* Change you plate. Yep. This will make the biggest difference on the quantity you eat. There is nothing worse than placing proper sized food portions on our traditional dinner plates. The food sits in a small pile in the middle of a vast empty expanse of plate. I sear some times the food looks like it's shivering in loneliness. Start using lunch size plates for all you meals. The portions you should be eating will fill the plate and your eyes will think you're eating lots.

* Start measuring. Get yourself a good scale and set of measuring cups. There is a BIG difference in calories between a 12 oz steak and a 6 oz steak. You'll find that after you use measuring cups for a while, you'll be able to gauge how much a proper food portion is. This comes in handy when you're out at a restaurant. Take a look at the plate when it arrives and push away those parts of the food that don't fit your portion sizes.

* Serve your plates in the kitchen before bringing them to the table. No bowls of food on the table to get second helpings from.

* If you do have a snack after dinner, leave the food container in the kitchen. Bring only the serving size to your favourite recliner in your living room.

Move! Any Movement Is Good

We've all heard the message. Exercise, exercise, exercise! I thought I'd scream if I heard that word one more time from my surgeon during my journey. If only it were that simple. Everything becomes 100 times harder when you're obese. Feet hurt, legs hurt, knees are excruciating, can't breath, heart rate is 200+ and feels like it's going to explode. Yes, exercising is more fun than the morning after your 1st mickey of Lemon Gin.

Put that together with the sight of all the jiggling fat jogging past the neighbors window and you have a perfect reason to hit the refrigerator, eat that piece of chocolate cake you've been hiding and go to your bedroom for at least a week of depression rehabilitation TV watching.

Once you crawl back out of your bedroom, you're still going to have to increase you physical activity some how. The simple reason is that more activity equals more calories burned. Put it together with eating the right foods, eating the right quantities of food and you're close to a "knock it out of the park" winning home run against obesity behavior changes. Lets take a look at some reality suggestions to "get moving".

* Set yourself an exercise goal, but start with a reasonable one. Remember, commitment and sticking to it is the single biggest success of your exercise program. No matter what you do, if you're sticking to your commitment, you're a WINNER!

* Don't join the local "10 Milers A Day Club". What ever exercise you choose, start with 20 minutes 3 times a week. When you can do 20 minutes, increase it to 30 minutes. When you can do 30 minutes increase the number of days to 4 or 5 a week.

* If you can't walk, sit on a chair and move your arms, twist from side to side.

* A stationary bike is a great tool as long as you don't let it become a clothes hanger in your bedroom.

* Walking is great, but most of us obese folks find it too hard on our lower limbs. If you can walk, it's a bonus for you. Get out there and see the world!

* Bike riding is another great activity. It's a lot easier on your lower limbs. Some of us however, are just too large for bike riding. If you fit that category then try....

* Swimming! - Swimming is by far the best alternative for most obese people. It's easy on the body, yet the constant resistance of the water gives you a great physical work out. Almost all public pool recreation facilities have a swimming program for YOU!.I know...you're think how awful you'll look in a bathing suit. Been there, done that, still do. I found out that nobody cares or looks. Half the place is filled with people who have the same problem as you and I do. I go to the "seniors fitness class"...not because I'm a senior, but because the exercise program they do is more suited to some one who is obese and has a limited range of motion with lower limb aches and pains. Beside, there were a bunch of other overweight people in that program doing exactly what I was doing

Am I Crazy? If not, Why Can't I Control How Much I Eat?

If only we could answer this question. Who ever does, will be a very rich person. I do think we're crazy. At least I'm suspicious about me! Many of my friends and family have accused me of being mentally deficient...although that might be something different than mentally deranged.

All kidding aside, most of obese people got that way because of some sort of internal struggle with their own personal demons. Could be as simple as your mom to tell you to clean you plate or you might have been seriously abused as a child. What ever the reason, before you can move on you need to address it. Most of us will need professional help. Here are some tips to start you journey on discovering why you eat?

* Think back to the 1st time you remember being fat. What was going on in your life?

* Make a list of reasons you eat...be honest! Find a good friend you trust to go over your list. Don't ask for solutions. The idea is to just let you verbalize why you eat.

* Find a Life Coach to work with

* Talk to your doctor about wanting to address the reasons you eat and ask her/him for a referral to a good eating disorder councilor.

* Ask for a referral to a physiologist or psychiatrist.

In the end, we all have to come to terms with who we are and why we eat. Lots of people have destructive behavior patterns. Some parachute out of perfectly good planes, bungee jump off of bridges, go mountain climbing or motorcross bike riding. People who eat too much food aren't the only ones out there who are dealing with life issues. I say, lighten up on yourself. Make today better than yesterday and plan for a good day tomorrow. If you do that, you're off to a great start on fighting your obesity.

Are you having problems with your kneecap (patella)?

If you experience knee pain or have a knee injury, it can be a frustrating process trying to let it heal.

Patella related knee conditions and injuries can take months to heal, and can be painful during the time they are healing. One condition that is common for people suffering from knee problems is called "patellar tracking disorder". Patellar tracking disorder involves an imbalance in the knee that can cause the kneecap to shift or to move out of place. This generally occurs when the leg is bending or straightening.

Symptoms of patellar tracking disorder include an aching feeling under the kneecap or around the kneecap, and a popping, slipping or grinding of the patella. There can also be signs of swelling around the knee and some people feel like their knee is going to give out and not be able to support the weight of the body. There are many things that can cause patellar tracking conditions in people of all ages.

A patellar tracking disorder is usually caused by more than one issue. The combination of the shape of the kneecap, muscles in the leg that are too tight or too loose, and overuse may lead to what is known as patellar tracking disorder. Moreover, a severe blow to medial (inside) aspect of a healthy knee can knock a kneecap out of alignment. When your kneecap suffers with this kind of issue it can obviously be painful, but the stability of the patella can become a serious concern of yours very quickly.

Knee braces for patella stabilization are one of the best things that you can do if you have a patellar condition. They can provide the support to the knee area that you need to help you move and protect the knee while it is healing. If you experience feeling as though the knee is slipping from side to side, you can benefit from wearing a patella stabilization brace. The braces work by surrounding the patella area and helping to keep the patella in place during all kinds of movements that can further cause damage or patella deviation.

They are available in different levels of support, depending on what your needs are. If you are having problems with your kneecap you should not just think that the problem is going to go away by itself. Consider providing meaningful support to your knee.

How do your knees feel when you cycle?

Any exercise or systematic use of your knee can result in massive pain or injury. For example consider cycling. Millions of individuals use cycling as a means to stay fit. Not only does this form of exercise provide a way for you to build strong muscles but to also build a strong heart. However, many full-time and even novice cycling enthusiasts will end up acquiring a sore knee due to cycling.

The extent of soreness and the level of pain will vary from individual to individual. Often times the knee pain can be compared to how much you use your knees while cycling. This involves the distance traveled and the amount of time you spend cycling. A healthy and physically fit individual who cycles once a week may experience less knee pain than an individual who cycles four times a week.

Why do you get a Sore Knee Cycling?

There are many reasons why a person may experience a sore knee cycling. The first reason, which is also the most common, is that the person cycling is not in shape. An individual who has never cycled before may experience mild to severe knee pain when they first begin cycling. This is common and will generally subside once their body and muscles adapt to the physical exercise.

However, for those individuals who do cycle on a regular basis there can be a number of causes for their sore knee while cycling. The first reason that a seasoned cyclist may experience a sore knee is due to improper stretching. - Prior to cycling, stretching should take place in order to relax and prepare the muscles around the knee for exercise. Failure to stretch could result in a very painful injury that could affect a cyclist long-term.

A second cause for a sore knee cycling could be from over use. There is such a thing as "over doing it." When you are cycling, your knees carry out a very specific motion that they maintain for the extent of your cycling work out. Forcing your knees to carry out this specific motion for extended periods of time can put strain on the muscles surround the knee. This in turn can cause sore knees.

Finally, a sore knee could also be the result of an internal injury that the cyclist has been inflicted with while previously cycling or from an unrelated injury or sprain.

How To Avoid Getting A Sore Knee Cycling

Stretch! Stretch! Stretch!

Be sure to stretch before getting on your bike and taking to the road. Stretching is a major tool in fighting off sore knee pain. However, if you are a professional or avid cyclist who has made cycling part of your every day life, you may want to consider wearing a knee brace for the knee that you experience pain in. A knee brace can provide stability and allow a great degree of mobility and can actually decrease the onset of a sore knee from cycling. - Don't underestimate these supports, it could be one of the best things you have done for yourself.

Up Downs Conditioning Drill

Up downs is an excellent conditioning drill that will improve reaction time and endurance. This drill starts by having the players run in place as fast as they can encourage them to get their knees up as high as they can. From time to time the coach will signal to the players, by whistle or a command, to get down - meaning that they drop down do a push up and get back up as quickly as possible to run again. Because this drill can be very taxing, it is important to increase the time spent at this slowly over time as the player's strength increases.

Conditioning: The Quick Jump

Conditioning in football is meant to help you react quickly on the field moving in a variety of directions. This practice drill is intended to increase reaction speed and the ability to quickly change directions. It starts by placing players in a small four square box. The drill starts by having a player stand in one area or box, and has them jump diagonally, laterally, frontwards, and backwards from one area to another. Coaches should encourage one foot jumping to increase further strength and reactions on the field.

Prevent fumbles with strong techniques

You can't run with the football until you have learned some basic ball security measures. There is nothing worse than almost getting a first down or even a touchdown and fumbling the ball, for this reason there is a great need for ball security. A great way to teach tight ball security is with four points. First grab the football with your carrying hand with the tips of the football being covered with your fingers. The second point is your forearm wrapped around the ball and shielding it from the defense. Third, pull the football in close to your bicep to protect it from opponents jabs and attempts to make you fumble. The final point is keeping the football high and tight against the ribcage. Practice holding the football and having defensive players try and knock out the football by any means possible. In this way you can practice great defensive moves to force a fumble, and also focus on offensive ball protection.

Some benefits to Weightlifting

Let's not forget weightlifting. It is one of the essential elements that will help you improve your game. The effects of weight lifting will add muscle to your body and increase strength, this straighten will add to your maximum power. Maximum power differs in importance to strength due to the fact that it is exertion during play and not just muscle mass. Strong and powerful execution will enable fast plays, quick action, and recognition on the field. Weight lifting can cause injuries, and as such we highly recommend having a professional coach on hand during weightlifting sessions. You trainer will also help you accomplish your weightlifting goals and teach you new techniques.

So you've finally dived straight into the scary world of motorcycling and bought your first bike but low and behold you've just found out you need to get more accessories to avoid any serious injury and to ensure you operate at your best while on the ride with your bike. Quality motorcycle riding gear is no joke and should be taken serious. It doesn't take a genius to realize that decent riding gear will improve your overall ability to also improve your enjoyment. The ultimate purpose of motorcycle riding gear is to protect you in the unlikely event of ending up in an accident or collision. Let's break it down into what accessories you'll need and what you can expect to pay on average.

• Motorcycle Helmets - The most important of the bunch. Look for helmets that have been certified by the DOT or by the Snell Foundation. This matter is not to be taken lightly as studies show that rider's are more likely to survive an accident when using certified helmets. Types available include; Full face, Open face, Hal face or Skid Lid, Modular or Flip-up, Off Road/Motocross, and lastly Novelty Helmets (most of these are not certified by the DOT).

• Motorcycle Leather Jacket - The basic idea here is to offer you protection on your elbows, chest and back. Be careful of knock-off or Cheap leather jackets made from pig or goat's leather. You want leather jackets made from Cow hide or Buffalo. Yamaha has an extensive range of leather jackets with a strong focus on protection and performance. Another recommended brand is Olympia that specializes in Viper Mesh textile jackets that are multi-functional offering super ventilation and can transform to short sleeved garments with the clever use of zips.

• Motorcycle Boots - Your main aim here is to get boots that are breathable and comfortable. It's very important that the boot provides support for your ankles and heels. Two different types of motorcycle boots are available namely Tall and Short Biker boots. Short boots are popular due to the fact that they offer more free movement but don't protect your shins and upper leg. Tall boots are the most popular and offer maximum protection from the elements (like riding in winter) and your body in the event of a collision.

• Motorcycle Gloves - Crucial in keeping your hands safe and warm. It's important to have good circulation while maintaining a decent grip while riding and shifting gears. Consider investing in a quality pair of Motorcycle Heated Gloves that serve to protect your hands while providing warmth when you most need it in winter months.

• Motorcycle Pants - These need to be comfortable and durable at the same time. Olympia offer great quality pants that keep you well ventilated without feeling the chill of winter. Alternative leather brands keep your knees well protected.

Companies like Yamaha and Olympia have invested millions into the research and development of highly functional motorcycle riding gear so all you have to do is consult your local dealer or look online.

What is Overpronation?

The term overpronation is used to describe an excess amount of pronation and is usually treated with arch supports. Pronation is the movement of the foot that includes an inward rolling motion that causes flattening of the arch of the foot. Pronation is a normal part of the gait cycle found in walking and provides shock absorption to the foot, however, if you pronate too far, overpronation occurs. During overpronation, the arch remains flat and the ankle rolls too far inward as you begin to push off your toes. This places extra pressure on the muscles and ligaments of the foot and can eventually cause a lot of pain. Flat feet and plantar fasciitis are associated with overpronation.

The opposite of overpronation is oversupination. Supination is again a normal part of the walking cycle, however, oversupination occurs when the foot rolls outward too far, or does not pronate enough and can also have some painful side effects. Supination is associated with high arches.

What Happens if You Have Overpronation?

When overpronation occurs on a regular basis, numerous injuries or symptoms can occur. These may include:

- Plantar fasciitis
- Achilles tendonitis
- Heel Spurs
- Metatarsalgia
- Shin splints
- Stress fractures
- Anterior compartment syndrome
- Patello-femoral pain syndrome
- Tarsal tunnel syndrome
- Bunions

When overpronation causes the foot to roll inward it also causes the lower leg to turn inward. This puts the hip and the knee out of proper alignment and can even cause an altered rotation of the back.

How Can Overpronation Be Treated?

In most cases, someone who has a lot of overpronation will be prescribed custom made or off-the-shelf foot orthotics (arch supports). Foot orthotics (arch supports) use a variety of strategies to control the position of the foot and work towards correcting the overpronation issue. Orthotic insoles designed for overpronation include appropriate arch support and often include medial rearfoot posting that can tip the foot away from the pronated position.

If you are looking for arch supports that control overpronation, make sure you get something made from rigid or firm enough material that it can actually help control the position of your foot. Most off the shelf foot orthotics are too soft, but there are a few foot orthotic companies that are making over the counter devices that are rigid enough to control overpronation. It is also important to choose the correct footwear. When deciding upon a shoe, make sure you choose a shoe with good stability shoe with good stability and a firm heel counter.

Am I An Overpronator?

To determine if you are prone to overpronation look at your feet in a standing position. Do you have a clear arch or are the soles of your feet touching the floor? If you have no defined arch you most likely are a 'pronator'. If you get someone to look at your heels from behind, overpronators will also have ankles that turn in, and may stand in a 'knock-kneed' position.

Your shoes can also tell you how you've been walking. If they are worn on the inside of the sole, overpronation may be a problem for you. For a true diagnosis, see your doctor or podiatrist.

Foot orthotics (arch Supports) can be used to support the arch, control the overpronation, and keep your feet in a better anatomical position, which keeps the legs in a better position as well. There are no better options than the use of foot orthotic insoles to control overpronation.

Putting isn't just about feel. It's also about information processing. In other words, the better you are at reading greens, the more likely you are to sink a putt. You don't need a golf tip to tell you that. Plumb-bobbing is an old-school technique for generating information that's useful in putting. Some players swear by it. Others disregard it. The question is can it help you sink a putt.

The biggest knock against plumb-bobbing is that it tells you how a putt breaks but not how much. But a computer model developed by Fredrick Haney, Ph.D., a few years ago, is changing the way golfers think about plumb-bobbing. Haney's model suggests that there's more to it than meets the eye and that with a little effort you can use it to help determine how much a putt breaks. Improve your putting and you'll slice strokes off your golf handicap quickly.

The Art of Plumb-bobbing

Before we get into Haney's findings, lets take a look at plumb-bobbing and how to do it correctly. Here are six tips on plumb-bobbing:

1. Stand behind the ball
2. Extend one arm
3. Hold the grip lightly
4. Align your dominant eye
5. Flex your knees
6. Align the shaft's longest point

Stand behind the ball so the hole, ball, and your dominant eye are aligned. Keep your eyes parallel to whatever slope exists on the portion of the green you're standing on. Flex your knees slightly. Let your body tilt with the green's slope. Holding the top of the grip lightly between your thumb and forefinger, extend your arm slightly. Let the putter hang freely in your grip.

Next, using your dominant eye, line up the putter so that the shaft's lowest point covers the ball. Without moving your head, look up at the hole. If it appears to the right of the shaft, the hole slopes left. If it appears on the left, the hole slopes right. If it's in line with the putter, the hole is flat. That's all there is to it. You could learn all you need to know about plumb-bobbing in the first 5 minutes of a golf lesson.

Determining Plumb-Bobbing Distance

If you plumb-bob correctly, you'll notice that the putter makes a point either left or right of the hole on the putting surface. The distance from that spot to the center of the hole, Haney explains, is the plumb-bob distance (PBD), a measure of slope and distance at the ball. On a level putt with no right or left break, the PBD is zero. But for all other putts, plumb-bobbing produces a discrete value. That value is an indicator of how much the ball will react around the hole.

Using PBD, Haney developed a computer model on plumb-bobbing. It takes into account varying speeds of greens, the distance of a putt, and the amount of slope (both sideways and up or down). It also takes into account the effect of friction on a putt. When you first stroke a ball, it first slides and then rolls. Both are considered in the computer model. The force of friction causes the ball to slow down. Haney's goal was to figure out if you could use plumb-bobbin to determine the true amount of the break.

Computer Model Guidelines

After examining lots of examples and producing numerous charts, Haney concludes that for typical green speeds (9 on the Stimpmeter) and level putts (no uphill or downhill slope), the amount of break varies from slightly more that the PDB for gentle slopes to about 1-1/2 times the PBD for steeper slopes.

The above guidelines assume you're following the Dave Pelz suggestion for leaving your missed putts 17 inches past the cup. If you like to die your putts into the hole, then you need to allow for about 2 to 4 times the PBD for steeper slopes.

For similar conditions, moderate uphill putts break as little as half the PBD. Down hill putts can break anywhere from eight to 10 times the PBD. Obviously, downhill putts break much more than uphill putts. Green speed has much the same effect as uphill and downhill putts. The break is greater for faster greens than for slower ones.

Putting is about feel and information processing. The better feel you have and the more accurate your information processing, the more your chance of being the kind of putter that sports a low golf handicap and that I talk about in my golf tips. Keep in mind, however, that there's no magic formula for determining the break on a putt. But by experimenting and using PBD as an additional bit of information, you can improve your green-reading skills.

I want to give you an opportunity to learn some self defense techniques that I know work well in real life. Over the years I've spent time struggling to keep myself alive while in prison and working as a bouncer. During that time I learned some things that any martial arts student can use along with the training they have received in more formal martial arts and street fighting experience. If you find that you are confronted by a rapist or mugger these techniques might just make the difference between life and death for you. While you can't use these techniques in fight competitions or in a martial arts dojo, they are very effective where it counts most, in real life fighting on the street.

The number one best self defense tactics - Never hesitate to bite the bad guys face or any other vulnerable areas if given the chance. If an attacker gets his fingers near you face bite them. There are many different areas on the body face and neck you can bite for serious pain. Anything from eyebrows, to ears, lips, legs, flanks, even the groin, fave or an elbow can be a biting target. When clinch fighting you are even more dangerous if you use street only moves like opportune biting. Sure it makes sense your worried about blood. If you really think about, if the guy wants to kill you, what is more important? You're better off to opt for the blood as leave the chance go by and end up dead for sure. Bites work very well, there is no denying their effectiveness.

The number two best self defense tactics - When you are throwing some kicks aim at the knee caps, groin and shins. And you better know how to get up instantly if you end up on the ground because your assailant caught your side kick. Do what you can to keep you balance steady and your kicks low so that you can keep your assailant from getting nearer to you. While you're at it, if you want to kick use the dirtiest street fighting "tricks" and kicks you can think of. If you need a great sequence of self defense moves try stomping on the attacker's feet followed by kicking him in the shins as hard as you can and then punching him in the groin and you'll have a winning sequence! You have to be capable of truly ruthless violence in order to prevail in a real street fight.

The third best self defense tactic - You have to practice self-defense that will do you some good in real life situations that weren't pre-planned. You need to make your situations and the response to an attack as real as you can. Practice in a park or other available open space. Then turn it around and do your training where space is at a premium, like a small bedroom or hallway. When a fight presented itself in prison it was often in a hallway area that was only five feet wide. It's essential to learn how to fight in any sort of area with varied terrain and opponents of different sizes and with different techniques.

The fourth best self defense tactics - Being able to tear out an attackers eye ball is a lot more effective then hoping your punches knock him out. If you have the chance to reach out and gouge the eyes of an assailant first, you can follow with punches. It's a lot less likely that your assailant will think he can beat you when he can't see you or what he's doing either. Really, if you can, tear his whole eye out. You might think it's too harsh, but if someone is really trying to rape or kill you anything you do to survive including any means you can use to disable or defeat your attacker is the right thing to do.

Men see women as vulnerable and fragile that is why, in most cases, women are the usual victims of violence and crimes. However, this wrong perception needs to stop immediately. Every woman should be strong and smart to be able to protect themselves from threats and violence. Men and women are equal. If men can be fully knowledgeable and skilled with fighting and martial arts techniques, then women can also be. With training and determination, women can also be great masters of martial arts and they can easily knock down their beefy masculine attackers as well. It is very important that every woman like you will always look and stay physically strong so that you will not be easy prospects for crime and violence victims.

However, if you do not have formal training yet on self-defense or martial arts, still, there are easy ways and techniques you can do to protect yourself. With the right timing and opportunity, you can apply these techniques easily and effectively once a stranger attacked you violently. Some parts of your body can be very helpful when fighting your attacker. The elbow is one of the very useful ones, especially when your assailant grabs you and positions himself at your back. A strong elbow strike at his ribs or belly can cause him so much pain, and if you do it well, you will have better chance to run farther away from him.

Your foot is another effective body part to use for self-defense. A strong and powerful kick to the side or front part of the attacker's knees will absolutely immobilize the attacker. Try to avoid high kick, particularly if you want to aim and hit his face. This might give your assailant a chance to grab your foot while it is on the way up. The groin is another favorite part to kick when you want to get away from an attacker successfully.

Another great asset of women when it comes to self-defense is their brains. Yes, if you know that physical strength is not your advantage, then, use your brain wisely. Always trust and follow your instincts because mostly, they are helpful during those difficult times. Be alert and do not panic when someone attacked and grabbed you. Instead, keep an open and relaxed mind to help you think of a better solution to get away from the attacker.

Always be vigilant and be a keen observer whenever you are in a public area or in a dangerous situation. Once you sense that there is something wrong, go towards the area with many people. Do not let yourself be alone in a dark corner so you will avoid being an easy target for robbery, kidnapping, harassment and other crimes.

It is always necessary for women to stay strong, alert, smart and confident whenever they are in a difficult and dangerous situation so they can protect themselves effectively.

Since the initiation of the turn starts with the foot, and the foot rests inside the boot, it seems logical to begin this ski equipment series of articles with the ski boot. If your boots are uncomfortable, don't flex adequately, or your feet are out of alignment, your performance and technique will be adversely affected. In addition, foot comfort and alignment are critical for expert skiers, since they affect the ability to maintain a balanced stance.

Softer Ski Boots for Shaped Skis

With the advent of shaped skis, subtle foot-and-ankle steering has almost replaced the need to apply strong forward pressure to the tips of the skis. To compensate, boot manufacturers began to make ski boots with more natural flex built right into the design. The result is a softer more comfortable ski boot, with better handling characteristics.

With regards to the aspiring all-terrain skier who has recently purchased shaped skis or is contemplating a new pair of super side-cuts, we'll take a look at a number of different manufacturers and models in a future article. The ski boots we examine will be geared to the expert skier. First, we'll cover the following topics:

• Stance Test


• Knee Tracking Test


• Ankle Flexion Test


• To get a Good Fit find a Good Fitter

In this way, you'll be knowledgeable about your own feet and stance, as well as about boot mechanics and terminology when you approach your local boot fitter.

For those who are happy with their straight-sided or subtle side-cut skis, and conventional ski boots, please stay with us especially if you are having trouble with your boots in terms of fit, comfort, or stiffness. You may just need an external flex adjustment, an internal modification to eliminate a pressure point, or a foot bed to replace the original insole that came with your ski boots.

Stance Test

To ski like an expert, you need a stable platform for your feet, and your body must be in alignment. How important is it for you to ride a flat ski? If you are a beginner, maybe it's not that important. If you are an aspiring expert, proper alignment is essential. Put another way, a strong stable foot that's properly balanced makes for a strong skier.

In this section, and the next two, we'll examine whether or not you have stance issues and alignment problems. To test if you have a problem with your stance, stand in front of a mirror and slowly bring your legs together.

• If your knees touch before your ankles, you're knock-kneed.


• If your ankles touch before your knees, you're bow-legged.


• If they both meet at the same time, you're from another planet.

What's best? A slightly knock-kneed stance is considered to be best for downhill skiing. However, too much knock is not good. In addition, all bow-legged stances make it difficult to accurately pressure the edges of your skis. Make a note of your stance, so you can discuss with your boot fitter.

Knee Tracking Test

Knee Tracking tests to see whether or not your knees track straight when you flex forward.

1. Find a partner to help you measure.


2. Stand with your feet six to eight inches apart.


3. Measure the distance between your knees with a tape measure.


4. Flex forward and ensure that your heels remain on the floor.


5. Now, measure the distance between your knees again.

If the distance between your knees increases or decreases, your foot is rolling inward or outward, respectively. Ideally, you want your knees to track straight when you flex forward. If they don't, it's a sign that your foot is collapsing. You may need the support offered by a foot bed, which is a custom insole molded for your particular foot. Make a note of your test result, so you can discuss with your boot fitter.

Ankle Flexion Test

It is critical for the expert skier to find out whether or not he/she is transferring energy efficiently to the front of the boot. The following test can be used to determine your flexion range.

1. Find a partner to help you with this test.


2. Stand with your feet six to eight inches apart.


3. Flex forward and ensure that your heels remain on the floor.

If you can flex the front of your knees forward to a point between the base of your big toe and approximately one inch beyond it, you have a good range of flexion. However, if your knees stop at your instep or go way past the big toe, you need to have your boots flex-tuned for your particular lower body. Make a note of this test result, so you can discuss with your boot fitter.

To get a Good Fit find a Good Fitter

Armed with your stance, knee tracking, and ankle flexion test results and a pair of ski socks that you will be wearing during the ski season, it's time to visit a reputable ski shop in your area. What do you mean by a reputable ski shop?

A sporting goods store sells all types of equipment, whereas a ski shop specializes in ski equipment and clothes in the fall and winter months. A good ski shop will have trained and experienced ski boot fitters on staff. If you can't find such a store locally, drive to the nearest town or city which has a shop suited to your needs.

Comfort and Performance

Once inside the ski shop, prepare to spend three to four hours for a proper fit. Yes, three to four hours! You'll be wearing the boots for the next five to ten years, so it's imperative that you spend the time initially to get the best fit. As an aspiring expert, you want the best fit possible, so you can reap the best of both worlds. You need to strike a balance between comfort and performance.

In terms of comfort, the expert skier needs a boot that he or she buckles up in the morning, and rarely needs to adjust throughout the day. There should be no pain, pinching, or pressure points, and your feet should never get numb or cold. The fit should be so good that you don't mind leaving them tightened up during your lunch break.

In terms of performance, aspiring experts need boots that they hardly know they are wearing. The boot should feel like an extension of the foot. When you roll your ankle and foot, even slightly, you should get a lightning fast response from the inside of the boot to the edge of the ski. The time lag should be minimal.

Runner's knee is a term used to describe a constellation of symptoms of knee pain that is frequently encountered in running athletes. Other terms that have been used to describe this condition are "anterior knee pain", "chondromalacia patella", or "patellofemoral pain syndrome (PFPS)". Runner's knee involves the kneecap, quadriceps tendon, patellar tendon, and the associated soft tissues that are critical to extension of the knee. Historically, "runner's knee" was attributed to irritation and softening of the cartilage lining on the undersurface of the kneecap ("chondromalacia"). More recently, however, it has been recognized that overloading of the underlying ("subchondral") bone can be a substantial source of pain, as it has a rich nerve supply. The soft tissues and fat pad in the front knee can be causes of pain as well.

Who gets Runner's Knee?

While classically associated with long-distance running, any activity that places significant stresses on the front of the knee joint ("patellofemoral") can result "runner's knee". This includes repetitive jumping sports like basketball or volleyball, as well as skiing, cycling, and soccer. The repetitive pressure and stress between the femur and patella in these sports can result in softening of the cartilage and abnormal loading of the underlying bone.

How does Runner's Knee present?

Runner's knee presents as activity-related pain in the front of the knee and around the kneecap. While the pain develops during athletic activity, it can often be most pronounced afterwards during a period of rest. Pain is also felt after sitting for a long period of time with the knees bent - the bent position actually increases the pressure between the kneecap and femur. For the same reason, marathon runners will often paradoxically complain of greater difficulty running downhill rather than uphill. Kneeling, squatting, or direct pressure on the front of the knees may be uncomfortable as well.

What things might predispose me to Runner's Knee?

The kneecap and its cartilage is subject to very high forces with daily activities, and any injury to the cartilage or factors which result in increased pressure between it and the thigh bone ("femur") can increase the risk of "Runner's Knee". These include:

o Malalignment of the kneecap and/or leg
o Subluxation or dislocation of the kneecap
o Direct trauma to the kneecap
o Overuse with running and jumping activities
o Wide hips and/or "knock knees" (valgus) resulting in maltracking of the kneecap
o A weak quadriceps/vastus medialis muscle
o Flat feet ("pronated" feet)
o Direct trauma to the kneecap
o Overuse with running and jumping activities
o Wide hips and/or "knock knees" (valgus) resulting in maltracking of the kneecap
o A weak quadriceps/vastus medialis muscle
o Flat feet ("pronated" feet)

In certain cases, runner's knee results from irritation or injury to the soft tissue around the kneecap. For this reason, inadequate muscle strength and/or stretching of the thigh and calf muscles can predispose to "Runner's Knee" as well.

What can I do to prevent Runner's Knee?

While certain predisposing factors such as kneecap and leg alignment are not in the control of an athlete, other preventative measures can be taken to minimize the risk of "runner's knee". These include:

o Quadriceps and vastus medialis strengthening - a strong quadriceps and, specifically, the vastus medialis muscle will improve the tracking of the kneecap and help to minimize contact pressures between the kneecap and thigh bone.
o Keep your weight down - the patellofemoral joint experiences forces that are 8 to 10 times our body weight, such that even small reductions in weight can significantly reduce the forces on the kneecap. Ten pounds of weight loss can be as much as 80 to 100 pounds less force of the kneecap when climbing or descending stairs.
o Stretch before running or jumping activities - Strains of the patellar tendon, quadriceps tendon, or other soft tissues that stabilize the patella can cause significant anterior knee pain. Warming up and stretching both before and after exercise can help to prevent strain injuries to these structures.
o Wear proper shoes and orthotics - Flat feet ("pronated" feet) can predispose to maltracking problems and knee pain. Orthotics to reconstitute the arch of the foot can help to alleviate these symptoms. High heels can also worsen anterior knee pain and should be avoided if you have "runner's knee" symptoms.
o Plan for a good running surface - Running on a flat surface without steep, downhill slopes can help to prevent significant stress on the knee cap. Even, padded surfaces and good running shoes can help as well.

How is Runner's Knee diagnosed in athletes?

Usually, the diagnosis of "runner's knee" can be made in athletes based on the history and physical examination of the knee by your sports medicine specialist. The exam will evaluate the stability of the kneecap as well as alignment of the leg. Signs of tenderness under the kneecap and/or instability will be assessed. Strength and tone of the quadriceps and hamstrings will also be determined. Flexibility of the feet and loss of the arch should also be noted as this will predispose to kneecap problems. X-rays, MRI, and CT scans can all be useful adjuncts depending on the examination findings and symptoms. Special views can show the position and alignment of the patella in its groove on the thigh bone ("trochlea"). Tilting of the patella that leads to abnormal contact pressures can be appreciated. If instability of the kneecap is suspected, CT scan can help to determine abnormalities in alignment and position. MRI is useful to evaluate for softening or injury to the cartilage on the kneecap and femur.

What is the treatment for Runner's Knee?

The first line of treatment for "runner's knee" is typically nonoperative. Recommendations include:

o Stop running, jumping, or any of the activities that cause pain in the knee. Even though it is difficult, the athlete must refrain from competition until he/she is pain-free. Fortunately, low-impact activities such as swimming or cycling can allow the athlete to maintain their aerobic fitness while protecting the patellofemoral joint.
o Avoid running down hills or down steep slopes or stairs that increase pressure on the kneecap.
o Ice and anti-inflammatory medications can certainly help to relieve the pain in the front of the knee.
o In certain cases, taping of the kneecap ("McConnell taping") or use of stabilizing braces for the kneecap can help. These are particularly useful in the setting of instability of the kneecap.
o If the athlete has flat feet ("pronation"), orthotic inserts to reconstitute the arch can be extremely useful to alleviate symptoms.
o When the knee is pain-free, a course of rehabilitation for range-of-motion of the knee and strengthening of the quadriceps and vastus medialis muscle may be useful.

However, exercises that are performed with the knee bent should be avoided, as the pressure beneath the kneecap is increased in this position. Instruction on preventative stretching exercises for the quadriceps, hamstring, and calf muscles is very important as well. In rare circumstances, the knee will continue to be painful and refractory to all of the nonoperative measures described above. When the pain of "Runner's Knee" prevents the athlete from returning to play, surgery may be considered.

The specific treatment will depend on the underlying cause for the pain. Arthroscopic ("minimally invasive" camera-based) surgery can be pursued to manage softening or damage of the articular cartilage of the kneecap and thigh bone. If there is accompanying instability of the knee cap, soft tissue reconstructive procedures or re-alignment of the leg ("osteotomy") may be performed to improve the tracking of the patella. These may also be performed to relieve abnormally high pressures between the kneecap and femur.

Training Muay Thai on heavy bags is not to be taken lightly. You see the heavy bag every day! You do heavy bagwork every day. And some of you understand what heavy bags are for, others do not! As for the aspiring fighters among you, you have heard the expression "heavy bagwork"! My question however is, do you work the bag? A simple way to discover whether you "work" while training Muay Thai on heavy bags, is to ask this question: is it as difficult to throw your first kick, punch, knee or elbow as it is to throw the last? If NO is your answer you can thank me later for making it clear, the importance of heavy bagwork principles in Muay boxing!

Heavy bagwork principles while training Muay Thai boxing begin before the heavy bags are even touched. The first principle that will be exposed can be summed up by the Capitalized Word: APPROACH! Before hitting the bag with any of your Muay boxing techniques the heavy bag must be approached in a sincere, present, serious but not rigid, respectful manner. The approach on any heay bags should resemble the approach to the Muay Thai fight RING moments before stepping over the ropes and onto the canvas where you honor your lifestyle as a pugilist! The approach to the boxing ring with intent of being the victor starts well before the ring is within eyesight and should resemble your mentality before you step towards the heavybag. Every time! Training Muay Thai on heavy bags is serious business since you are training for full contact fighting and not for exercise. You are a pugilist and are in the gym to be a pugilist and not a pretty-boy!

The second principle is PRESENCE! You must be present each moment of each round while training Muay Thai on heavy bags. Each moment that you are not hitting the bag with full intention of knocking the bag of the heavy bag rack will in essence be a moment that your opponent is hitting you! Although training Muay Thai on heavy bags is not fighting, you must remain present as if you may get struck down by your opponent at any time: chin must be down, guard must be relaxed but strong, eyes must be fixed, gazed on the target. Presence during training is very important! Any qualified Muay boxing trainer, or boxing trainer for that matter understands the reality that a fighter will fight how he trains. If he trains mindlessly, is not present, not focused and simply goes through the motions to make it to the end of each round, to make it to the end of the training session, his expression in the Muay boxing ring will be the same. He will drift in and out of focus during the fight and will fight as if only trying to make it to the end of the bout!

The third principle exposed here is POWER! While training Muay Thai on heavy bags power is key! Each and every technique thrown should be thrown with as much power possible as if it were the last technique that could possibly be summoned by your spirit. The jab, the cross, knees, elbows and kicks, all techniques, should connect with the bag as if you are trying to knock out your opponent! Each and every technique should be thrown as a knockout blow.

Approach, Presence and Power. These three important Muay boxing heavy bagwork principles will give you a good base to work on while training Muay Thai on heavy bags. Follow all Muay boxing principles while training and train to do what you plan to do; fight!