womens sports and aching legs recovery

Are You A Gardener?

Aching fatigued legs relief using the World Run Recovery System

There are 2 main groups of people with Aching leg recovery concerns

The 'Intentional Athlete' with sports related leg recovery problems.

They make a deliberate choice to do a chosen sport; this could be running-walking-soccer or any other sport

The 'Accidental Athlete' gardener

Who loves their garden and spends many hours out there creating their own Garden of Eden; working in the garden provides many hours of interest and happiness for millions of people around the world

or

Whichever is your choice, all this creativity can come at a physical cost

is this you at the end of the gardening session?

Blisters on the hands, being stabbed by thorns, bitten by the unseen insect who is looking for a meal or protecting itself home or self in leaves or plants they thought they were safe in.

Other than take the precautions of wearing gloves and insect repellant, the luck of this for any individual is in the lap of the gods, no one can predict who these will happen to.

There is one common area that can be predictable though

• Who has not spent the day, digging, weeding, pruning, grass cutting, carrying water in containers, spraying and the other mundane maintenance jobs needed to produce that beautiful garden?

• Who has not been kneeling down to work and forgot the time then tried to stand up to walk to the next chore and found that the legs have gone stiff and the back is aching?

Or suddenly felt the burning muscles in the shoulders (not all of it caused by too much sun) from over use?

• Who has not gone back inside after the satisfying day working, had a hot shower to ease out the aches and pains, then sat down, happy to relax feeling it was all worth it- then trying to move.

The pain and soreness that follows for a few days after that makes life uncomfortable until the following week is called 'delayed onset muscle soreness' many intentional athletes get this.

The gardener has similar problems as the sporting athlete in recovery

The body needs to repair itself after overuse in the exactly the same way as a competing athlete as their physiology is common to both groups.

The difference though is that the athlete trains and is more aware of the bodies limits, what it can do, and what it can achieve than the gardener who just prides themselves on what their body has done.

Ask anyone who works in their garden whether they are into athletics and they would laugh and deny it because competition is not on their agenda (but many are actually competing in secret) to produce a better garden than their neighbor but they won't admit it!)

Gardeners are reducing their own ability to spend as much time and care in it doing what they do love

It is this lack of knowledge of their body that can lead to muscle injury and long term conditions causing them pain and discomfort; the fact that they are gardening and not playing football or doing athletics does not make them less vulnerable to injury.

Their lack of condition, training and flexibility, age, and ongoing medical conditions makes the average gardener more open to the gardeners equivalent of the sporting injury.

Some ways the Gardener can reduce some injury

• Avoid sudden movements.

• Think before doing something and do it slowly.

• Plan how it is to be done

• Avoid double handling

• Do some stretching

Gardening shows

These are a very popular pastime and are usually crowded wiith people wanting to see gardening related equipment and obtain advice on their particular area of interest.

Much of the time is spent standing in lines to get into different venues and slow walking to see and photograph as much as possible; walking all those flat floors very slowly this can mean aching feet.

Walking long distances, or long distances over small areas either tightens the leg muscles or-does not give muscles the opportunity to apply contraction and relaxation to the veins.

As the day wears on the legs are really moving very little so the used bood in the lower legs and feet is not being pumped back to the body for refreshing and recirculationg.

When it just sits, there is no fresh blood going to the leg muscles so they fatigue and feel heavy and the legs ache; water starts to separate from the used blood into the tissues and as it can't be pumped up the legs back to the body the ankes swell.

Do you really want this to happen to your legs?

Swollen ankles (edema) fluid build up in the tissues; fluid cannot be pumped away fast enough as the calf muscle pump is not working efficiently, so the ankles will swell.

No of course not but-

To keep the circulation in balance in the legs and reduce muscle fatigue, the same volume of blood should come out of the legs as goes into them.

The the arteries veins take blood away from the heart to the rest of the body and the veins which have one-way valves in them take it back to the body again; the way used blood gets back up the legs so that it can be replaced by fresh blood is by a special system called

The Calf Muscle Pump

The calf muscle pump forces used blood against gravity up the legs back to the body for recycling by alternately putting pressure on the venous system and releasing it

As the muscles sqeeze, they open the valves, letting blood pass through them; when the tension is released, they close stopping the blood flowing back down towards the feet

Oxygen depleted blood is progressively moved from the lower legs back up to the body where it is re-nourished with oxygen and nutrients and sent back out again to various parts of the body through the arteries

The muscle pump is made up of all the leg muscles and together they form a pump which forces used blood against gravity up the legs back to the body for recycling.

To work efficiently, the calf muscles must be working properly

To keep the circulation in balance in the legs and reduce muscle fatigue, the same volume of blood should come out of the legs as goes into them

First aid needed for fatigued leg muscles

The faster the legs receive help, the faster they recover but it is important they get it as soon as possible before soreness and stiffness limits what can be done with them.

Taking care of your tired heavy legs can be as simple as having better foot and shoe comfort; good shoes can prevent ankle and foot pain

There are ways to give the legs first aid

It can be passive; this means letting the legs have their own way and letting them fix themselves up

Lie down with the legs elevated (anything interesting on the television?)

If time is a problem because of children, work or play then there is not much left to devote to doing this

If time constraints are not an issue then this is the best option to take

If time is a problem

You need a pro-active method of getting all that used blood and fluid back up the legs so that fresh blood can flood the muscle tissues and help them recover again

Active Recovery

Active Recovery means taking a pro-active role in helping the calf muscles to work the pump at moving the fluid up the legs

This is where the legs are helped to recover using a system that is directed at increasing the circulation so that fresh blood can flood the muscle tissues

This can be done using

• Simplicity

• Predictability

• Consistency-conditions the muscles by repetition.

This is applied using

The latest in non-technical, non-invasive 'cutting edge' solutions to fatigued aching legs relief-a Do It Yourself recovery

• No disrobing

• Works with the muscles not on them

• No oil used

• Non invasive

• User friendly

• Easy to learn

Many gardeners are on a limited budget and cannot afford the costs of employing a massage therapist to look after their recovery after a day in the garden or at garden shows

A cheaper option is to have a system that is do it yourself and flexible enough to do anywhere at any time and does not need equipment to be bought and maintained

Where ever you are can be turned into a mini recovery center


I am the Muscle Recovery Specialist on the 2008 the World Run Project-as part of it I am expected to be on the road with the 2 runners for a fair part of the distance www.worldrun.org

In Australia it is very difficult to get sponsors unless you already have a big name as a star-

For support crew who do cannot supply glamor it is impossible.

There are not enough funds to cover my time away so I am making my many years of knowledge available to the public. Buying a manual form me will defray my costs of being involved in the world run project

At the same time let the gardener share the experience of a recovery similar to that of the world runners at a very affordable price

$20.00 a manual

It is very difficult for the gardener to win any races as they are competing with themselves and their circulation, but in this situation everyone wins.

With your support I get to on the World Run and the gardener gets the very same recovery system I will be using on World Run 2!

Some References

Michael’s methods of massage and blister care helped me to stay mobile throughout the race and to recover quickly afterwards. His techniques are safe and gentle.
Unlike some treatments, which put the runners and walkers at risk of muscle tears or infection, Michael’s techniques are gentle, safe, reassuring, and highly effective. They enhance comfort and flexibility, build confidence, and promote success.

This booklet will help others to learn and practice Michael’s methods. It is recommended reading for everyone who walks and runs and who wants to go further, go faster, or just to enjoy life more!!'

SANDRA BROWN 1996 Ladies 1000 Mile World Record Holder

1999 Ladies 100 mile Race walking World Record Holder
“I know that your massage kept a number of competitors in the event. The cold weather of Saturday afternoon and night certainly got to many of the walkers and your prompt action had them back in the race after a short stop.
In years past, that would have ended up as a non-finish. A number of walkers were able to keep going for the full 24 hours on the basis of your expert help.”

Tim Ericson Secretary Australian Centurions Club

'I have known Michael Gillan for many years and have always got quick relief for my aches and pains from the stretching he performs'.
CLIFF YOUNG-75-80 24 Hour World Record Holder (150.07 kilometers)

A word from Jesper Olsen World Runner about Light Manual Muscle Relaxation
“If I hadn't had the qualified help from the excellent masseur Michael Gillan, taking several thousands of km out of my legs, I could spare myself the effort!”

“My crew for the current stages, Michael Gillan, has proven to have other talents than the quite taxing job of taking care of all the requirements of a really tired ultra runner!
He has since years back been working on a new approach to stretching and muscle-rebuilding for ultra runners. I have the last two days tried his careful stretch and massage, and a bit to my surprise the muscles are beginning to feel like before the start back in Greenwich, London!!

Usually I doesn’t take massage as the legs of an ultra runner will often be quite sore during the long time events (and especially in an multi-year event like this...), and getting a massage can at times cause more injury and cramping up than good. For example my last massage was some 12 000km ago when I ran the 12-hour competition in Finland. And so far that has been the only one.

But Gillan came with best recommendations from my main contact in Australia, Phil Essam, who besides being vice president in the Australian Ultra runners Association has heaps of good knowledge to share. And this new kind of mild massage for ultra runners is definitely one of the good tips! There should be a fair chance that I actually get fresh enough to do some decent running at the 6 Day Race that I have coming up in Colac from the 21.November. I quite look forward to that, even though I can’t expect to make a top class result :-)”

He won! 756.2 kilometers (Jesper holds the record for the longest run in history over 26000 kilometers and the first person to run around the world
Taken from www.worldrun.org

Some notes for safer gardening

• Have tetanus shots up to date

• Do not bend down to pull up weeds.

• If you have to bend over, bend the knees and keep the back straight while you are down there.

• Use a kneeler with handles at the side to help you up and down.

• Use long handled tools as mush as possible to save bending over.

• Do not stay in one position for too long

• Do not move suddenly to reach for something

When you sit down for a break, and want to stand up do not move suddenly, let the brain know what you are going to do and move slowly; this way, there is no confusion between the brain and muscles as to what is to happen, so risk of pulling something is reduced.

• Do not move loads that are too heavy for you

• Split the load or wait until you can get help to move it.

• Avoid the garden trollies with one wheel at the front.

• Most people fill them up with too much material, and then go for the 'snatch and grab' weightlifting movement, then pushing against the handles to move the load.

• They are also very unstable when they are being wheeled.

• Think before you do something how you are going to move it, how are you going to get it there, what are you going to do with it once you get it there?

• Try to avoid double handling

• Wear garden gloves (See discussion article on blisters)

• Wear a sun hat and sunscreen

• In hot weather do not have the neck and shoulders bare.

During the 1000 Mile walk, Sandra Brown and her husband raided all the local clothes shops and bought all the cheap cotton pajamas they could; they cut holes in to let air in and while everyone else suffered from the heat, they were quite cool.

When cutting the grass with a motor mower-

• Check the area for loose stones or anything which may fly up and hit you if it bounces off a hard object.

• Wear Gloves

• Long trousers

• Preferably steel toecapped shoes or boots

• Wrap around safety glasses

• Ear muffs

• Gloves

• Do not put gas in while the motor is running

• Do not have the motor running while taking the mower over a gravel path

• Make sure there is no one around while mowing.

• If you are working out in the back garden make sure your front door is locked-For security

• Take frequent breaks, while you plan the next job, if it is a hot day, have frequent drinks and take them before you feel thirsty.

It is very easy to become dehydrated and you are going into this before you feel the thirst

• In cold weather wear something light but warm to work in.

• Do not let the back become cold.

• Do not kneel on damp grass.

• Keep the arms and legs covered.

• When you have finished in the garden, do a stretching session and warm down.

• Do not sit down straight away when you go inside, you will find it difficult to move when the muscles have cooled down.

• Go and have a shower or bath first.

When showering and everything is sore, do not have the shower hot, but just warm. (See inflammation and soreness)

If you have pulled something, do not put on the lotions and potions.

Remember the first rules of first aid

Cold for the first 24-36 hours, then heat

• Rest

• Ice

• Compression

• Elevation

No massage or rubbing oils into the affected part

The reason for this is that the body goes straight into its self healing mode to repair and limit the damage. If you try to help this by putting on 'Deep Heat' and other heat producing compounds at this stage, then the heat caused can make the blood vessels larger

This can make the damaged area bigger which takes longer to heal.

Warning

Do not self diagnose-before having any treatment at all on legs that look similar to mine, it is strongly recommended that any underlying cause of them is investigated by medical professionals-the first stop is to the doctor.







© 2007 Michael Gillan mgillan@hotmail.com