Natural Solutions for Soft Tissue Injuries and Sore Joints

Cold wrapped compress on my ankle.

A few weeks ago I ran a 10k for The FEED Project in a different pair of road shoes than I have been training in. You can read all about it HERE.  Now I'm not often sidelined by soft tissue injuries as I always try to protect them with proper technique and equipment. All the same, here I am with very sore Achilles tendons that have made even walking painful.

Tender Times
You may need to see what new training routines you can try to lessen the stress on the injured area. This may seem intuitive but if any of your lower extremities such as knees, ankles, shins and hips become over-worked to the point of being painful, you'll do better to give them a rest. My ankles actually got WORSE days after the 10k which I was not expecting. I have a busy schedule so staying completely off them was not an option. Each night I make sure to take at least 500 mgs of Calcium Citrate in addition to my usual Turmeric supplements. Even with all of this, it has taken time to rebound so....patience, patience.

Increase your anti-inflammatory foods and supplements.

Adding Some Anti-Inflammatory Foods
In addition to taking extra Calcium Citrate and turmeric, I also make sure to add foods rich in omega fatty acids like: sardines, salmon, walnuts, sesame oil, etc. One of my favorites is pan seared salmon. I add a smokey apple wood rub to salmon fillets which have been marinated in lemon juice. A little flour and a quick turn in the pan with a bit of sesame oil makes them SO juicy! I also increase my antioxidants by adding a side of sweet potato fries which are rich in Vitamin A. You can also buy natural sweet potato and squash soups in cartons at the super-market. This way they are ready to heat and eat making it more likely you'll consume enough while recovering.

Squash, pumpkin and sweet potatoes are all rich in Vitamin A

Another natural pain reliever, especially for people with arthritic or stiff joints is something very delicious. Sweet Tart Cherries. I like Dried Montmorency Tart Cherries which are grown in Michigan. Add them to granola, Greek yogurt, poultry stuffing or simply eat right out of the bag. Just a few a day helps me ditch the pain of sore knees and ankles.

Seeing the LED Light
You may simply need to employ the RICE method which is an acronym for Rest Ice Compression and Evaluate. Now while this mostly applies to acute sprains, it can also help when injuries tend to linger a bit. While my leg is up, I also use LED Lights placed just over the joint or ankle area. The lights cycle for 15 minutes and you will usually notice a difference after only one or two treatments. A lot of sports medicine practitioners have LED lights in the locker room, ready to go to work on team members. They really work well in helping to speed blood flow, thus helping to increase the body's response to inflammation. This 2 panel model is perfect for positioning over joints as well as lower back strain. See them online at Louisa Grave's website under LED Lights

Red LED Light Therapy helps soothe sore joints and tendons.

Wrap It Up and Chill
I've used and re-used these cool wraps by Arctic Ease. I like to put them in the refrigerator first so they get nice and chilly. Next I unroll it and wrap the offending joint. They feel great on and give a lot of instant relief for times when you just can't stand it. These reusable cold compression wraps come in different sizes and re-hydrate easily with just a little water. See them at ArcticEaseWrap.com

Beauty and the Beat: Collagen and Omega 3's

NeoCell Collagen supplements and Karlene's Sea-Licious EPA + DHA Omega 3.

In addition to editing XTreme XTraining, I also blog for Best Picks Magazine and am a Lucky Contributor. This means as a fashion and beauty editor, I sometimes come across products which are designed for one purpose but are helpful in others. I've always taken a liquid collagen supplement at night but have to admit I had not noticed any definable results from it.  Then it was no longer available, (I wonder why!) so I began researching for a replacement collagen product.

NeoCell Collagen Supplements
I came across NeoCell and was impressed in the variety of collagen based products they had to offer. The first product I tried was their Collagen + C Pomegranate Liquid which replaced the liquid collagen I had been taking. Just like the previous product, I took 1 tbsp at night before bed. I had always taken my liquid collagen with 500 mgs of vitamin C but since it is already included in this NeoCell supplement, I skip that step. Within about a week, I noticed my fingernails growing faster and stronger. As I mentioned before, I hadn't seen any real change with the previous collagen product I had been taking for over 4 months.

Beauty Bursts
Needless to say I was pretty stoked about that but what I didn't expect was a lessening in lower back pain I had learned to live with. Weight lifting and cycling are part of my daily activities and each day I have noticed a lessening of back discomfort. In addition to the NeoCell liquid collagen, I began taking their Beauty Bursts.  They contain collagen 1 & 3 plus Hyaluronic Acid and are really delicious. Kind of like a high-powered Star-Burst!

Both supplements are easy to incorporate into your daily lifestyle as they are delicious and completely portable.  They also make a Keratin Hair Volumizer and Collagen Beauty Builder in tablet form. The jury is still out on those but the liquid and chewable collagen supplements are making a difference. Yes, my skin looks great but the added bonus of more flexibility in my back and joints was an unexpected plus.  That's because both collagen and hyaluronic acid diminish as time goes on. It's kind of like the mortar between the bricks in a building. Without it, you lose the necessary cushioning between the joints, bones and ligaments. I've been taking these supplements for a little over a month and can see as well as feel the difference.

Sea-licious EPA + DHA and Omega 3
While I prefer to get my Omega 3's from good old food like salmon, walnuts, mackerel, etc. sometimes it's just not practical. If you are traveling or on vacation, your meals may be as well planned as you would like so taking an Omega 3 supplement would be the wise choice. I've tried a few Omega 3's in tablet form but really prefer the liquids as I know they are going to be immediately broken down and absorbed.  I have tried a few liquid super omega supplements, (one was even chocolate flavored!) but they tended to be somewhat fishy and heavy tasting. Karlene's Sea-licious also comes in yummy flavors, (check out the Raspberry-Lemonade) but is much lighter and easier to swallow.

Sea-licious in Raspberry Lemonade

Sea Me!
This is another supplement that does double duty, giving your skin a luminous glow while doing your joints and ligaments a lot of good.  That's because Omega 3's are equally known for their anti-inflammatory effect. This is a concentrated product so only 1 TEASPOON a day contains 1,325 mgs. of Omega 3's, 700-790 mgs of Eicosapentaenoic acid and 440-525 mgs of Docosahexaenoic acid. I still prefer eating my salmon but that is a whopping amount of nutrition in one teaspoon.  It contains natural flavors, sunflower lecithin, rosemary extract and Monk Fruit.  The fish oil is derived from anchovy, mackerel and sardines. This makes the taste and texture very light and easy to digest without the fishy burping associated with cod liver oil (remember that stuff?)

I did the Rapha Women's 100 this year on July 7th and posted a personal best for my longest road bicycle ride ever. My back did not hurt during or after the ride and my recovery was instant. So if your knees, back and ankles are taking a beating during your workout, try adding these collagen and Omega 3 supplements to your diet. They are a beauty treatment for both the inside and outside.

Grilled Salmon =Delicious Omega 3's!  Sometimes getting them this way isn't practical.

 

Natural Backache Relief

Cycling, walking and running can all put extra stress on your back.

I know a lot of athletes say, "Go big or go home" but sometimes that may mean going home with a backache. After a somewhat dormant winter, our muscles seem to rebel against any unfamiliar stretching.  All the same, here are some natural muscle soothers that I have used over the years to avoid "back talk".

Stretch After You've Warmed Up
Aggressive stretching right before you've had a chance to warm up isn't the best idea. Your muscles are cold and will not appreciate being coaxed and elongated. Skip it. If you are out for an hour, you can do a bit of stretching at the 30 minute mark.  Save the rest for when you get home.

In The Drops or Not
This is obviously when you are bicycling and try to get low in the drops. Spend only about 30 seconds down at a time until you back is able to take longer times.  Better still, invest in a set of aero bars. They make such a difference and allow your back and upper body to take a break while cutting through the wind. 

Back Stretches

Try ab specific exercises as part of your x-training

The best way to stretch out the spaces between your vertebrae and ease the muscle tension is to lay flat on the floor with your legs up on a chair at a 90 degree angle. Dig your heels into the cushion and lift your buttocks off the floor for a count of 10.

Tone Your Abs
Your abdominal muscles support your back muscles so keep them in shape with planks and other exercises to include your obliques.

Limit Your Time Sitting
As a writer, this is one occupational hazard I can't avoid. I have used a voice recognition software program to dictate my last book but spent even more time correcting the computer's mistakes.  If you have to sit, make it point to get up at least every 20 minutes. It has been found that people who sit for long periods of time not only have more back problems but also have a higher mortality rate than less sedentary folks.

Dietary Helps for a Backache

Curamin by Terry Naturally quells inflammation

Curamin vs NSAIDS
I used to take Celebrex on a limited basis but eventually decided the risks were not worth the relief. I did a bit of research on natural anti-inflammatories and found Curamin which is a highly concentrated and bioavailable form of Tumeric.  Within about 3 months of using this supplement, I was completely off the Rx medication.

I also make sure to eat anti-inflammatory foods like ginger, tart cherries, salmon and others to keep flare ups at bay. There is an even more powerful form of this supplement call CuraMed which I use if I've over-done it.

Topical Soothers

I'll be the first to admit that I can not stand the scent of menthol, camphor or any other strong rubbing salves. Well, maybe a little embrocation on my legs every now and then but otherwise, NO.

Topricin Homeopathic Cream
If I'm especially sore, I take a warm bath in Epsom Salt or Dead Sea Salts and follow up with a generous slathering of Topricin which is completely odor free and non-greasy. I put my body through a lot and often start the day with a Topricin rub even before I get rolling.

Red LED Light Therapy
I have used this treatment for my shoulder, lower back and elbow as it gives drug-free relief from most strains and sprains. The powerful LED lights penetrate below the skin to help bring healing at the cellular level. The unit I have has a large panel that can be placed right next to the skin.  Usually 20 minutes is enough as I set it to cycle between frequencies. I recommend getting a unit that has a larger area of LED lights so you can treat multiple zones all at once. I place it against my lower back and set my iPod's timer to between 15-20 minutes.  It's very soothing and offers lasting relief. 

Red LED Light Therapy Panels like these cover and treat larger areas like your back.