Asanas without injury: how to make yoga safe. What to do if your joints hurt after training

There has been a lot of talk lately about whether running is bad for your joints. This article begins a series of materials on joint health, which will include recommendations for choosing nutrition and supplements that can help keep your joints in excellent shape, as well as tips on how to run without injuries and what to do to prevent them.

How does the joint work?

A joint is a connection between the articular surfaces of bones, each of which is covered with cartilage. The joint is enclosed in an articular capsule, or capsule. This ensures the tightness of the joint and protects it from damage. Joint cartilage is necessary to absorb the stress that the joint experiences during movement. The inner lining of the joint capsule is called synovial and produces synovial fluid into the joint cavity. Synovial fluid is needed to lubricate the articular surfaces of bones and nourish cartilage. Cartilage in its structure resembles a sponge: when loaded into the joint cavity, synovial fluid is released from it, and as soon as the compression stops, the fluid returns back to the cartilage.

What is cartilage made of?

The basis of cartilage is made up of collagen fibers (type 2), which go in different directions, forming a frame. The remaining space is filled with proteoglycan molecules that retain water in the joint. Therefore, cartilage contains approximately 70-80% water. Proteoglycans consist of a protein molecule with which hyaluronic acid, chondroitin sulfate and keratan sulfate are connected. These connections are built by chondrocytes - special joint builder cells.

How is the joint “nourished”?

The joint is nourished by synovial fluid, from where the cartilage, through seepage, takes the nutrients it needs. And they enter the synovial fluid from the blood vessels passing next to the joint. Fluid circulation is ensured only during movement: when the leg is bent, synovial fluid comes out of the cartilage into the joint cavity; when it is straightened, it goes back into the cartilage. In addition, when moving, the muscles attached to the elements of the joint contract, and due to this, blood is pumped through their vessels, delivering more nutrients to the cartilage.

Why does cartilage thin out?

Inflammation

In the affected joint, the production of “pro-inflammatory” cytokines, cyclooxygenase, increases, which initiates inflammatory reactions and damages chondrocytes. Damaged chondrocytes produce irregular collagen and proteoglycans (short collagen, low molecular weight small proteoglycans) that are different from normal cartilage tissue. Cartilage loses chondroitin and hyaluronic acid. As a result, it gradually collapses.

Physical inactivity

Little walking, a sedentary lifestyle, standing work, as a result of which the blood supply to the joint is disrupted and the cartilage does not receive adequate nutrition. In turn, this affects the work of chondrocytes, and processes of cartilage destruction occur. Cartilage absorbs synovial fluid only when the joint moves and the periarticular muscles contract.

In what cases does inflammation occur?

Obesity

The scientific literature provides numerous data on the relationship between catabolic processes in cartilage and metabolic disorders associated with obesity. Adipose tissue is an endocrine organ and secretes a large number of cytokines, chemokines and peptides that perform important physiological functions in the body. They affect the metabolism of carbohydrates, fats, the processes of inflammation, coagulation, immunity, and the functioning of bone and cartilage tissue. Obesity becomes a risk factor for diseases of the musculoskeletal system, as it activates pro-inflammatory cytokines, which affect the normal functioning of chondrocytes (creators of cartilage).

Constant microtrauma of the joint

Running is specific in that the athlete is forced to repeatedly repeat a certain motor element during training, which is accompanied by a load on the same muscle groups, joints and tendons, and under conditions of an accelerated rhythm and increased load. This in turn can lead to an increased risk of microtrauma. If the load exceeds a reasonable limit, then permanent trauma occurs, and this triggers the inflammatory process. This process occurs in people who are overweight and have weak leg muscles.

In recent years, a growing number of studies have confirmed that decreased strength of the quadriceps femoris muscle, which performs the main stabilizing function of the knee joint, contributes to the development of osteoarthritis of the knee joints. And if excessive loads are combined with obesity, then destruction occurs at double speed!

How to keep your joints healthy

Bring your weight back to normal and improve your diet

Provide the body with necessary vitamins, microelements and high-quality protein. For example, collagen consists of amino acids and is synthesized with the participation of vitamin C and zinc, and the rate of synthesis depends on magnesium. If there is a lack of protein or vitamins, chondrocytes will not be able to effectively build collagen bonds to strengthen bones, muscles, ligaments and joints.

Strengthen muscles, build training loads correctly

This is why participation in marathons and half-marathons without appropriate preparation is contraindicated. The inflammation processes that will be launched during participation in marathons without preparation may not fade away and continue, which undoubtedly leads to degeneration of articular cartilage.

Prevent inflammation

Taking dietary supplements that reduce inflammatory processes in the body and joints (Glucosamine, Curcumin, Omega 3 - eicosapentaenoic acid).

As a conclusion, we can only say one thing: running is good for joints and running is bad for joints. Just like walking can harm joints, or it can help. Joint health depends on your lifestyle, proper nutrition, and your thoughtful attitude to training and running, in particular.

Run more, live longer!

Strenuous physical training, weight training, leads to increased stress on the joints.

The joints become less mobile and begin to deteriorate. Moreover, this process can take place painlessly for a long time. And the athlete doesn’t even realize that his joints need urgent help. Which sometimes leads to irreversible consequences. That is why people involved in sports, as well as those who monitor their health, need to think in advance about how to protect their joints. Preventing sports injuries is a much easier process than treating them.

Causes of training injuries

How to avoid injuries in the gym? This issue worries not only novice athletes. Even professional bodybuilders constantly face pain in joints, ligaments, and tendons. Many people have pain in their hands, elbows, knees and shoulders after training. It is very difficult to avoid these pains during prolonged strength loads. However, there are ways to reduce discomfort and significantly reduce their time. Training without injury is possible if the joints and ligaments are healthy.

The main causes of joint injuries during training are the abrasion of cartilage tissue. The increased load between the bones causes the joint to become inflamed. And the more an athlete trains with heavy weights, the faster this happens. Each time, the joint becomes less and less lubricated from the inside with synovial fluid, wearing out and becoming inflamed. And without additional external replenishment, which helps fluid to be produced faster, making joints and ligaments elastic, the wear process occurs very quickly.

How not to harm your training

In order for training to be effective and not cause harm to the body, you need to follow the following rules:

Warm-up and intense warm-up before each workout. This will increase blood circulation and cause lubrication in the joints.
The use of special bandages - elbow pads, knee pads, sports gloves for fixing the hands - reduces the load on the joints. They should definitely be used if your joints hurt after training.
The use of collagen is a special bioactive additive that improves blood circulation, causes the release of additional lubrication in the joints, and makes the ligaments elastic. For example, the “Collagen Ultra” preparation contains easily digestible collagen hydrolyzate. It is absorbed into the blood several times faster than its analogues - in just 20-30 minutes. And it makes the workout as effective as possible, helping to avoid injury to the joints.
Using warming ointments will also keep your joints healthy. The “Collagen Ultra” series includes ointment and gel that will help increase blood circulation specifically in the joint area and have an anti-inflammatory and therapeutic effect.

How to exercise correctly in the gym

Even professional athletes make mistakes when training. They go out to lift heavy weights without warming up and forget to put on a corset or bandage. In these cases, sports knee injuries, dislocations, and sprains are common. And for beginners, a strength training program must be drawn up by a professional trainer. Also, the first few lessons, when errors during training occur constantly, are best done individually with a trainer. He will tell you how to take the apparatus correctly, how to distribute the load, and how many approaches are optimal to begin with. Effective training without injuries is possible only with strict adherence to all recommendations of professionals, the use of supportive products and proper nutrition.

What to do if your joints hurt after training?

Often, even professional athletes ask the question “knees hurt after training, what should I do?” or “what to do if your joints hurt even after lifting light weights?” At the same time, training takes place without injury; how to train correctly has long been known. In this case, sports doctors have several tips that will help get rid of pain and avoid its recurrence:

Carefully note the area in which pain is felt. This can be done using elastic bandages or special bandages.
Remove the load for two weeks from the part of the body that hurts.
Use a warming ointment for sports injuries. The best one is one that has a healing effect (for example, from the “Collagen Ultra” series).
At least once a day (or better twice, if a coach or sports doctor advises) take soluble collagen.

If you follow these tips, recovery from sports injuries will not take long.

June 21 is International Yoga Day. Maxim Popogrebsky, doctor, traumatologist-orthopedist of the highest category at the Federal Scientific and Clinical Center for Sports Medicine and Rehabilitation of the Federal Medical and Biological Agency of Russia, talks about how to do yoga correctly. No injuries and fun.

Yoga is training the mind and body through a combination of different techniques. Performing special exercises ( A san) have a positive effect on the body - they are suitable both for the prevention and treatment of various pathologies, and for the search for inner harmony and spiritual self-improvement. The effect of yoga on the body has already been quite well studied. It is, of course, impossible to cure ligament damage or arthrosis with its help, but it still has a positive effect in the treatment of certain functional disorders, such as back and joint pain, and depression.

However, a person can get injured while practicing yoga. Thus, according to the US Consumer Product Safety Commission, more than 7,000 pathologies associated with yoga have been registered. The most common are injuries to large joints and ligaments of the spine. The fact is that when performing some exercises, a non-physiological load is placed on the joints. Positions with prolonged emphasis on the arms, excessive axial rotation of the body, and headstands can cause harm even to a healthy person in excellent physical shape, not to mention people with existing pathologies. In the “plow” or “candle” position, for example, the angle between the neck and torso tends to 90 degrees - this leads to a significant load on the spine in the cervicothoracic junction.

The same can be said about various versions of headstands, in which a serious load falls on the cervical vertebrae, nerve structures, intervertebral discs and vertebral arteries. They are simply not adapted to such a load. In addition, the upside down position can negatively affect the well-being of people prone to increased intracranial pressure or suffering from glaucoma. If such loads are directed to a spine already affected by one or another pathology, the likelihood of complications will increase many times over. Another insidious circumstance: the structures near the spinal cord, oddly enough, do not have a rich network of sensitive receptors. That is, the signal about excessive load does not arrive immediately, which, in turn, also leads to damage.

Any injury requires rest and sometimes immobilization. In case of injury to the cervical spine, it is not difficult to make something like a Shants collar from available materials and give the head and neck a neutral position (if this position is painless). A cold object can be applied to the injured area through the fabric. This will ease the pain and possibly reduce swelling.

Signs you're doing something wrong

The first and main sign of improper loading is pain. During muscle stretching, moderate pain is possible, but it should not be excessive. A sign of moderate pain: you can distract yourself from it. Pain that persists after exercise is a bad sign.
Change in well-being. For example, some postures can lead to changes in intra-abdominal pressure and breathing problems.
Exercise is not satisfying. After physical activity, you should feel calm and pleasantly relaxed. If you're exhausted and in a bad mood, you might be doing something wrong.

During exercise, you need to take into account the natural range of motion of each joint. Not all people have the same potential stretching ability. In addition, sometimes there are anatomical reasons for restriction of movements in the joints (dysplasia) - the shape of the articular surfaces is changed and high-amplitude movements lead to collisions with structures not intended for this. Trying to stretch such a joint will lead to damage and subsequent problems.

Age must also be taken into account: the joints and ligaments of an adult are not capable of either amplitudes or serious loads. But here, as in sports, a lot depends on the instructor, his experience and knowledge. If you have injuries, diseases of the musculoskeletal system or any other somatic pathology, it is important to consult with a competent specialist and discuss the necessary restrictions in the load regime. Classes under the guidance of an experienced instructor will minimize the likelihood of injury.

For many bodybuilders, cardio is a necessary evil. Make short running sessions safer with science-based modifications to your treadmill landing biomechanics.

If you've ever been in a gym while a group of bodybuilders are doing cardio on a treadmill, you've probably noticed that it sounds like a herd of bison running across the vast prairies of the Midwest. Bodybuilders may not be the most elegant runners on the planet, but they also make time, even if it's just 10-20 minutes.

And even this short period of time is enough to get injured. But you can prevent injuries that keep you away from your leg workouts for long periods of time by simply changing the way you plant your feet on the running surface.

Monitor vertical load

In a recent study conducted at the Hong Kong Polytechnic University, scientists found that novice runners cut their risk of injury by 62% simply by learning to land a little softer.

The more rigidly you place your foot, the higher the value of the indicator, which is called the “average level of vertical load”. And the greater the vertical load, the higher the risk of injury. The purpose of the study was to see if runners could learn to reduce their average thrust level.

Running is not absolutely safe, but less traumatic

In an experiment, 166 novice runners used feedback to learn how to place their feet correctly upon landing. After 12 months, during which they ran 7 km per week, 28 injuries were recorded in this group. Another group of 154 runners running the same distance without feedback reported 61 injuries over the same 12 months.

In the main group, 10 injuries occurred due to inflammation of the Achilles tendon and strain of the calf muscles, while there were no such injuries in the control group. On the other hand, the control group had 23 cases of plantar fasciitis and 18 cases of knee pain. In the group that learned proper running biomechanics, there were only 2 cases of plantar fasciitis and 4 cases of knee pain. Overall, runners in the study group suffered 62% fewer injuries.

A study previously conducted at Harvard Medical School and the Spalding National Running Center at Harvard University found that people who land on their heels suffer twice as many injuries as runners who land on their forefoot. The head of the center, Dr. Irene Davis, believes that landing hard on the heel is similar to jumping from a height and landing on straight legs, while it is much safer to allow the ankle, knee and hip joints to take on part of the axial load. According to Irene Davis, running shoes with highly shock-absorbing soles do not protect against such injuries - and even increase their frequency.

“Cushioning creates a false sense of security that makes runners think they can land on their entire foot,” says Davis.

Correct your running biomechanics

Scientists have found two solutions to the problem of “hard running”. In a Hong Kong study, runners trained on a laboratory treadmill and used visual feedback to learn to plant their feet more softly. Participants in the experiment could see on a computer screen how the foot was in contact with the surface and change their gait to reduce the stress. The study's lead scientist, Dr. Roy Cheng, also recommends that runners use an average stride length.

In another study, researchers from the University of Tennessee used audio feedback - the sound of a foot hitting a treadmill. In both experiments, the runners ended up significantly reducing the stiffness of their feet at the moment of contact with the surface.

Irene Davis gives some practical advice for people who don't have access to closed-loop laboratory equipment. To start, take the headphones out of your ears, she says, and pay attention to the sound of your feet.

“The louder you land, the harder you plant your foot,” she says. “You can run like this, too, but it’s better to make your steps softer.”

We invite you to familiarize yourself with the summary compiled after reading one of the best books about running, “Run Fast and Without Injuries.” It was compiled by our reader Igor Stefurak.

Most often, runners fail to achieve success either because they lack technique, or because their technique does not allow them to accelerate at critical points in the race. For example, they cannot use a powerful finishing spurt, Coup-de-Grace (“strike of mercy”). It pays to train harder, compete harder, and not give up at any stage of the race.

Gordon Peary's running rules

Running with the correct technique on any surface (even on bare feet) cannot lead to injury.
Running is a sequence of jumps with a spring landing on the forefoot. Your legs should be slightly bent at the knees—silent running. When landing, the foot should be under the center of gravity of the body. A person only stands on his heel when walking.
Everything you put on your body will impair your running technique.
Quality beats quantity. The speed at which you train will be your running speed.
Walking hurts running.
The frequency of steps should be from 3 to 5 per second.
Arm strength should be proportional to leg strength.
Correct posture is critical to running. DO NOT lean forward!
Speed destroys endurance, endurance destroys speed.
There is only one training program for each runner. One that reflects its unique characteristics. Any program is useless if there is no control.
Static flexibility exercises lead to injuries!
Running means staying in conditions of insufficient air supply. Therefore, breathing through the mouth is mandatory.

Workout

Achieving results is a symbiosis of lifestyle, training methods, food quality, and successful shoe design.
The goal of training is the result you show in competitions. Progress is not measured by what you do during training (more miles, how often you journal), it is measured by what happens during competition.
Often athletes train at a loss, instead of having a deload day. There is nothing wrong with strenuous training, but it is worth remembering “easy days” and temporary reductions in loads. Heavy workloads coupled with insufficient recovery lead to disappointment, illness and injury.

Correct running

To learn how to run correctly, stand straight barefoot on the floor, rise up on your toes and lean forward. To avoid falling you will have to take a step. As you will see, in this case it is not possible to lower yourself onto your heel. In this position, start running - light steps at low speed, with an emphasis on your fingers. Legs should remain bent at the knees. It should feel like you are running in a slightly squat position, and your body should remain upright—straightened. This will allow you to run completely silently. As you shift your body weight forward, your entire sole should touch the ground—don't stay on your toes during this phase. This may cause injury.
If a runner uses the ability of the muscles of the feet and hips to store and release elastic stretching energy, then his movement will be more powerful and he will be able to cover a greater distance with each step. The running stride frequency must be at least 3 steps per second.

Hand position

At the initial stage, the arms perform a passive compensatory role for the movement of the legs. Hands should be kept close to the body, elbows should be bent at an acute angle - less than 90 degrees. Gradually, arm movements should become more and more energetic - a short and sharp swing. Don't swing your arms to the sides. If everything is correct, then energy will be transferred from hands to feet. The forearm should cross slightly over the chest, but no further than the middle of the chest.
The body, at this time, should not perform any movements. The stronger the legs and the more energetically they work, the more actively the arms should work. Side tingling and back pain are a result of you twisting your body while running to maintain balance with your footwork. And this should be done by hands.

Step rate and breathing

High running speed leads to an increase in stride length, but everything should be in moderation. A common mistake is excessive running stride length. This slows down the speed and leads to injury. If you need to speed up, you just need to increase your step frequency and try to make your movements more energetic.
You should understand that at first, your legs and feet will be tired and sore because these muscles are not ready for the demands you are putting on them. Keep practicing and it will pass. Massage also helps.
Breathing should correspond to the fast and clear rhythm set by the arms and legs. Breathe in quick and short sessions. Don't breathe deeply!
Each element of running requires separate development. Only after this can you begin the training process.

Running shoes

Most modern manufacturers make shoes with thick soles. While the correct running is running on the forefoot! Pirie recommends running in the lightest shoes you can find. It should have the same sole thickness. If you run correctly, your shoes will wear out under your toes. Ideally, shoes should fit tightly, like a glove. Also, it is worth paying attention to the Achilles tendon, which is injured if, while running, shoes (the protruding part at the back) press on it. The material from which the sole is made must be hard enough so that the runner does not lose stability.

Interval training using the Herschel method

Factors that must be controlled during interval training:

Speed. It should be such that you can complete the entire plan without undue stress.
Distance. Maintain the distance at the right pace.
Intervals. Rest intervals should be long enough so that the next segment can be completed at the desired speed.
Continuous running. During rest intervals, you should continue running at a comfortable pace.
Variability. The length of the segments and the speed must vary to maintain interest.
Technique. Control movements.

Keep an eye on your pulse

The maximum heart rate that you can measure without additional devices is 170 beats per minute. And this is 17 blows in 6 seconds. Heart rate monitors show the maximum frequency at the end of the segment.

Power training

Often injuries are caused by one side of a person being more developed than the other. This means that the stronger side pushes the weaker side forward until it gets tired. This includes injuries to the back of the thigh that occur due to insufficient development of the back.
To prevent this from happening, you need to pay attention to strength training with additional weight. Dumbbells are well suited for this, the weight of which should be increased over time (up to 1/3 of body weight). If you can do 3 sets of 10 reps, then the weight of the dumbbells is too light. If you can't do 6 reps, the weight is too heavy. The same rule applies to the barbell. Strength training is needed every 2nd or every 3rd day, taking into account the training process.
There are two types of strength training:

To failure. You can’t do it in preparation for a competition, but you can try it before the competition itself.
Light form. It allows you to cleanse and restore muscles.

Nutrition

Nutrition issues are most individual and require consultation with a doctor.
Do not drink while eating as it affects the digestion process. The general rule is to drink less than 10 minutes before meals and within 1 hour after.
Gordon Pirie advises not to run earlier than 2 hours after eating.