ActivAided Blog

Work Out Around the World

Do you love to travel but fear losing your workout rhythm when you’re not at home? Not to worry! You can stay in shape as you explore other places or even new countries. You can even plan certain trips around a workout routine. Stay in Shape While You Travel The act of traveling -- be it on planes, trains, or automobiles -- can be exhausting, despite it not being a very physical activity. Long periods of immobility can be just…

Fall Activities to Keep You Physically Fit

Step outside and enjoy the fresh air. Fall is here and the weather is finally showing it! As the temperature begins to drop, we want to encourage you to continue to stay active and go outside. After all, this time only comes once a year and you should enjoy every changing leaf in sight. Solo runs in the fall can be lovely, but you can also mix it up with activities that will keep the whole family active together. Whether…

Why Eating Is Part of Your Workout

Eating for your workout not only helps you stay healthy and keep your energy up, but it also can help you lose weight faster, burn more calories, build muscles, recover more quickly, and boost your energy for the rest of the day. Many people believe that by not eating, you can lose weight, but this is not true. Although weight loss is increased when dieting and exercise are combined, dieting does not mean cutting out meals. You may actually gain more…

Why Piriformis Syndrome Is a Pain in the Butt

The piriformis is a muscle in your buttocks, right behind the hip joint, running from your lower back to the outer hip bone. Piriformis syndrome is caused when the muscle and its tendon are too tight and pinch, rub, or tether against the sciatic nerve, causing pain and irritation to the nerve. It also leads to a decrease in blood flow to the area. There are no specific tests that can be done to accurately diagnose the syndrome, which leads…

Roads Hurting Your Knees and Back? Try an Elliptical Trainer.

While streets and roads can offer consistent flat surfaces for running, they’re not great for your body. Constantly running outside or even on treadmills can lead to anterior knee pain, plantar fasciitis, and stress fractures. Elliptical training is a low-impact exercise that can help alleviate back pain. Ellipticals have pedals suspended off the ground that move in an oval motion. These pedals help simulate walking, running, stair-stepping, and even cross-country skiing, but without the impact on your joints. Most ellipticals have varying incline…

Can Pilates Alleviate Back Pain?

Pilates is a great low-impact form of exercise. Not only does it increase your core strength and endurance level, but it has also been proven to decrease chronic back pain. Pilates focuses on how our body parts are lined up in relation to each other -- our alignment. These exercises work to improve the strength and flexibility of your body and muscles. It concentrates on the hip and shoulder areas in particular to prevent unnecessary strain on the back. Pilates…

Can A Chiropractor Help My Back Pain?

Have you tried almost everything to fix your back pain? If so, you may benefit from seeing a chiropractor. The chiropractic profession has gone through quite the revolution since its inception back in the late 1800s. Today, it is seen as a legitimate form of medical care, with over 22 million visits to a chiropractor every year in the U.S. Role of a Chiropractor A chiropractor is a healthcare professional that focuses on the diagnosis and treatment of neuromuscular disorders.…

Massages: Rub Back Pain the Right Way

We know how you feel sometimes, sitting at your desk all day, stretching your back and neck. All you want is to go home and get a massage from your loving significant other. But why don’t you invest in a professional massage? A licensed masseuse has underwent the rigorous training to become board certified. They know what areas to focus on to alleviate pain versus stress. Although a massage from your roommate or loved one might be passable, we think…

Ankylosing Spondylitis: It’s Not What You Think

Simply speaking, Ankylosing Spondylitis (AS) is an inflammatory disease that causes some of your vertebrae to fuse together. Classified as a type of Arthritis, this condition isn’t just painful but it can also lead to hunched over posture. The symptoms of AS usually start in your lower back in your lumbar vertebrae. However, the pain can move quickly up your spine, and if your ribs become affected, breathing can become very difficult. Symptoms AS affects men more than women, usually…

Backpack Safety Isn’t Just for Kids

With school back in session, homework and life is beginning to weigh down on kids’ backs. The Federal Consumer Product Safety Commission has calculated that carrying a 12-pound backpack to and from school and lifting it 10 times a day for an entire school year puts a cumulative load on youngsters’ bodies of 21,600 pounds — the equivalent of six mid-sized cars. But it’s not just kids: College students and professionals weigh themselves down with heavy backpacks too. It’s extremely…

How to Prevent Back Pain When Golfing

Golf is a fun and relaxing sport that requires time, patience, and skill. It is one of America’s all time favorite sports and you don’t necessarily even have to be good at it to go out, walk 18 holes, and have a great time--it’s also great exercise. However, there are injury risks in golf just like in any other sport. The most common golf injuries are muscle strains and disc injuries.  Most recently we have seen a large amount of…