Skiing and Back Pain

 

As heavy snow is covering mountaintops, many of us will be hitting the slopes this season. For some people, however, this much-loved activity can flare up previous and current injuries. Downhill skiing and snowboarding can result in both serious and minor injuries if you are not prepared. Skiers and snowboarders often require specific conditioning and workout routines not only to perform better and prevent fatigue, but also to reduce the risk of injury on the slopes. Strength, flexibility, endurance, and agility drills for skiers and boarders are all essential for recreational and expert skiers. Most skiers return to the slopes after months, if not years, away. While some athletes participate in other sports during the off-season to stay in shape, many are weekend warriors. No matter how experienced a skier you are, you could wind up with minor aches, pains, or even a serious injury if you do not spend some time preparing for this demanding sport.

So here are a few things to be aware of that will help you avoid unnecessary injuries:

  • Exercise: Begin exercising to prep for the skiing season at least 6 weeks before your trip. You will have a lot more fun on the slopes if you are in good shape.
  • Get your heart pumping: Cycling gives an excellent cardiovascular workout and strengthens those important leg muscles.
  • Core work: Remember to work on your stomach and back muscles. Abdominal crunches, plank exercises, and low back extensions will improve your posture and balance when skiing, not to mention support your spine.
  • It’s a balancing act: Balance is an important factor in skiing. Use a wobble board to improve balance and build up ankle muscles. Rocking heel to toe is good for boarders while left to right is best for skiers.
  • Check it out: Most skiers and boarders find turning one way easier than the other. Poor technique might not be the problem here; in fact, muscle and joint alignment could be causing this. Visit us to sort out any spinal joint dysfunction and improve performance.
  • Respect your limits: Ski on slopes that fit your ability level. Do not ski trails that are above your skill level. Trails will be clearly marked to note what level they are appropriate for. On a similar note, stay in control of your skis and focus on the trail you are skiing. Accidents happen more often when you are distracted.

If you have a back problem on the slope, consider taking lessons from a ski instructor who has experience in teaching individuals with back pain.

Unresolved joint and muscle problems are a sure way to increase your risk of injury. Be sure to consult your doctor before the trip so that your trip is free of pain and injury. All it takes is a bit of care, attention, and common sense to avoid traumas. Remember, pain is a warning – do not ignore it.

Interventional Physicians of Indiana is a leading provider of leg, back pain treatments, relief for acute or chronic pain since 2003. Serving the greater Indianapolis, IN area including Carmel, Westfield, Fishers, Noblesville, Geist, Broad Ripple and Castleton.

Top 5 Things You Need to Do to Get Your Legs Ready for Spring

 

It takes real work getting ready for bare-leg weather. Though it seems like spring is a lifetime away, warmer weather really is just around the corner, and now is the best time to get those legs looking their best. So don’t waste time! There is so much you can do now!

Here are five things you can do during the cold winter months to get your legs ready by the time the sun shines in April.

1) Eat the Right Foods. 

You hear it all the time, but it is true. Eat well = look well. Our skin is the largest organ – it needs the right nutrients to look and function at its best. Vitamins A, B3, C, E and K are the ones needed to improve skin health. The Mediterranean Diet (which is high in fruits and vegetables, fish, nuts, bread and olive oil) provides these essential vitamins.

2) Get Plenty of Exercise.  

It’s no secret that exercise is healthy for the body’s internal organs. But not much emphasis is put on how exercise benefits the skin. Exercise increases blood flow, thereby nourishing skin cells and keeping them vital. In this process, blood carries oxygen and nutrients to working cells throughout the body – which includes the skin.

3) Re-Hydrate Every Night With a Good Moisturizer.

Our skin takes a lot of abuse. Think of all the pollution, rough weather and general stress our skin endures on a daily basis. As a result of all this, our skin tends to dry up, implying a deficiency in nutrients. To combat this, it’s best to hydrate your legs each and every night with a dermatologist-recommended lotion. The most effective lotions not only moisturize the skin, they also condition and repair it too.

4) Limit Exposure to Sunlight. 

Sun damages the skin. Yes, tanned skin looks fantastic and appealing, but not everyone can benefit from exposure to the sun. In fact, sunlight can be harmful to most people’s skin, often causing cancer. This is true even in the winter months, with cooler temperatures and sporadic sunlight. For those with fairer skin, it’s best to limit sunlight altogether – yes, even in winter. But, say, on a nice-weather day, a fair-skinned person wants to wear shorts or a skirt; he or she should still wear sunscreen to protect the skin from UVA and UVB rays.

5) If Needed, Get a Treatment for Those Unsightly Varicose Veins.

It is easy to hide varicose veins in the winter with long pants and staying indoors. However, when spring comes, people want to show off their legs a bit. This is why winter is the perfect time to get treatment to eradicate varicose veins: the winter months allow a person some time to heal from a treatment.

Breaking It Down!

There really is a simple and effective way to prepare your legs for spring. It requires changes in one’s daily habits and approaches to health, and it depends on being mindful of the effects daily life has on your overall health. Winter doesn’t have to be a dormant season; instead, it can be a season of preparation. It will take a little work, but it always pays off in the end. Bare-leg season is just a few weeks away! Take advantage of the time you have now to get your legs looking the best in time for spring.

Noninvasive Fibroid Procedure: UFE

 

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT UTERINE FIBROID EMBOLIZATIONS

Surgery is not the only option to treat your fibroids. Before you decide on a treatment, be sure to ask your doctor about Uterine Fibroid Embolization (UFE). This nonsurgical, outpatient procedure has successfully treated 30,000 women in the US.

Once you and your doctors(s) have determined that Uterine Fibroid Embolization (UFE) is the right fibroid treatment option for you, here are some of the things you’ll need to know before, during and after treatment.

UFE is a nonsurgical, minimally invasive treatment performed by an Interventional Radiologist that shrinks the fibroids to provide relief. UFE is 98.5% effective in treating symptoms caused by fibroids. The Interventional Radiologists at Interventional Physicians of Indiana (IPI) perform this procedure at Community Hospitals North and East.

Uterine Fibroid Embolization (UFE), also known as uterine artery embolization (UAE), is a minimally invasive procedure that is performed by an Interventional Radiologist, a medical doctor with extensive experience in radiology. During this procedure, the doctor cuts off the blood supply by using embolic material (small spheres) as blockage depriving the fibroid of the blood and oxygen it needs to grow that causes them to shrink; this eases the pain and other symptoms. Such treatment usually takes 1 to 2 hours and requires an overnight stay in the hospital. The procedure does not require general anesthesia, and recovery time is significantly reduced compared to surgical alternative. Currently, this kind of treatment is FDA approved for women with symptomatic uterine fibroids who have no desire to get pregnant in the future.

Following UFE, patients typically can return to normal activities in approximately 7 to 10 days. The treated fibroids shrink approximately 50%-60% over the course of a year. Patients who present mainly with symptoms of abnormal uterine bleeding notice improvement within a few days. Other patients notice improvement within a few weeks.

Modern technologies and a professional doctor’s consultation will help you choose a treatment method that is just for you. Allowing you to feel happier and in more control of your Fibroid Treatment.

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ABOUT FIBROIDS

What are fibroids? Fibroids are noncancerous growths of muscle fibers inside the uterus, which can range from a quarter-inch (like a walnut) to the size of a cantaloupe.  The cause of fibroid tumors is still unknown, but experts believe that estrogen stimulates their growth.

Uterine fibroids are common among women of childbearing age. Nearly 40% of women develop fibroid growths and often don’t have any symptoms.  Usually, fibroids are harmless, but they can press painfully on other organs causing frequent urination, pelvic soreness and excessive menstrual bleeding.