Types of Force on the Body

Force on the body is any influence causing the body to undergo change.   Our bodies, particularly our bones, tolerate some forces better than others.  This especially matters when facing heavy resistance, which magnifies the effect of a force.  The 5 types of force are (RDL Fitness);    

• Tension which consists of two pulling forces. This force usually occurs with the pull of a muscle on its tendons.
• Shear which consists of two equal and opposite forces acting parallel that tend to displace an object between the lines of force. Bones cannot handle shear well.
• Bending places maximum tension on the convex surface of a bent object and maximum compression on the concave surface of a bent object.
• Torsion which is a twist that affects one end with the other end fixed.
• Compression which consists of two pushing forces. It deforms an object to make it shorter along the line of force.  Specific bones handle large compressive forces, with examples including the tibia of the leg and the femur of the thigh.

This Blog will specifically focus on Compression.

Compression Force Effects on the Body

Compression force (or compressive force) occurs when a physical force presses inward on an object, causing it to become compacted.  This occurs throughout our daily life as we walk, run and carry heavy loads.  Compressive forces are pushing down on our body, specifically on the lower part of our body where the compression is felt most (Tekscan).  Compression can have negative effects on lower extremities causing bone damage, fatigued limbs and flat feet.

How to Alleviate Compression

Proper exercise technique and more important proper footwear can help alleviate and prevent injury because it allows bones to support the weight, not the less rigid muscles, tendons and ligaments around joints.

     (1) Proper alignment of skeletal elements during exercise allows distribution            of compressive forces to those structures that are most resistant and                  thus prevents orthopedic problems. If you put a barbell on someone’s                  shoulders, gravity is going to pull the weight toward the ground with a f                force that is applied along the long axis of the body. In other words, the                body is being squished between the weight and the earth. It’s a good                  thing for us that the body is built precisely to tolerate huge compressive              forces. After all, supportive bones such as the vertebrae have similar                  compression resistance to oak structural beams.

          Exercises with a compressive nature, when done for months to years,                stimulate bones to add new mineral content, thus reinforcing the bones              and making them even more resistant to fracture.   

                            

           Proper exercise technique in the face of large compressive forces                       prevents injury because it allows bones to support the weight, not the                 less rigid muscles, tendons and ligaments around joints. Obviously,                     these latter structures contribute, but proper alignment of skeletal                         elements during exercise allows distribution of compressive forces to                   those structures that are most resistant and thus prevents orthopedic                   problems.

          Bone-on-bone movement provides more effective force transfer as an                  added perk.  When done progressively, exercises that possess                            compressive characteristics develop additional tolerance to compressive            force                       

    (2)  Proper arch support in your footwear is crucial to alleviate compressive              forces on lower extremities. SelectFlex® adjustable support insoles are              engineered to provide dynamic support to meet the variable compressive            weight load demands on the foot arch that people experience every day.              It also provides selectable suspension technology to customize and                    dynamically correct imbalances of the foot and ankle.  

         The SelectFlex arch suspension system is currently marketed as the                   PowerLift Arch™, but the same principal applies to military use. Studies               have shown that SelectFlex delivers up to 52% increased arch support to           help protect feet under heavy pack weight loads which increases                         compressive forces.

Find out more today about SelectFlex!

 

Joint pain is an extremely common condition. The US Centers for Disease Control estimates that roughly one-quarter of the millions of Americans who experience arthritis will, in fact, suffer from severe joint pain.

The usual remedies for pain, including pharmaceuticals, often do not achieve the results hoped for. Unfortunately, they also come with serious risks of addiction and dependency that make them less-than-ideal long-term treatment options.

So, how can you stop joint pain safely and effectively? Read on to find out practical steps you can take to eliminate or reduce joint pain.

Exercise More
By this point, encouragements for more exercise are a dime-a-dozen. Nearly any healthcare or wellness publication will extoll the proven benefits of exercise on quality of life.

Exercise is an eternal answer to poor health, though, because it indeed has enormous potential to improve the function of the body. After all, we evolved to spend our lives outdoors on the hunt or in the field getting exercise and fresh air and sunlight, not cooped up in an office.  Even minimal amounts of exercise like walking for a few minutes a day can do wonders as far as alleviating your chronic pain.

Work Turmeric Into Your Diet
Although turmeric is most often associated with Indian culinary preparations such as curry, this Indian spice has so much more to offer in terms of its painkilling ability.

Turmeric has long been used in ancient Indian medicine. Now, emerging evidence from scientific study of turmeric and its bioactive various bioactive compounds can substantially reduce chronic arthritis pain as effectively as pharmaceutical drugs: "8–12 weeks of standardized turmeric extracts (typically 1000 mg/day of curcumin) treatment can reduce arthritis symptoms (mainly pain and inflammation-related symptoms).

Arch Support
The human foot is naturally designed to function with an "arch" on the inside portion of the foot. If there is some flaw to the natural function of the arch, chronic pain may develop. This concern is especially relevant for athletes and workers people who stand for hours on their feet.

SelectFlex Orthotic Insoles are high-quality shoe inserts proven to alleviate foot pain caused by a poor arch. The product has customizeable arch support so that the insoles can be adjusted to deliver maximum comfort. These types of therapeutic devices are especially beneficial for individuals who experience Morton's Neuroma.

Include More Fiber in Your Diet
Fiber reliably decreases the severity of pain in a large portion of individuals who usually take sub-optimal amounts of fiber through their diets.

The reality of the standard American diet is that very few US adults get enough fiber in their diet, often sacrificing nutritional meals packed with healthy fiber for fast food and processed food, which generally have much lower amounts of fiber.

The simplest way to include more fiber in your diet is to focus on getting at least 3-4 servings of vegetables and/or fruits each day. Just be cautious about too much sugar from overconsumption of fruits.

Purge Added Sugar From Your Diet
Of course, Mary Poppins said that a "spoonful of sugar makes the medicine go down." What she didn't know, apparently, is how devastating sugar can be to health, including by driving the very inflammation that often causes chronic pain.

Accordingly, do all that you can to limit your sugar intake. This means cutting out foods with added sugar like sodas or candies and in their place looking for natural substitutes.

One good rule of thumb is to spend the vast majority of your time at the grocery store on the outside portion of the store where fresh, unprocessed foods are more likely to be found.

If you are diligent about getting more exercise, eating more nutritious foods, filled with healthy fiber and free of processed sugar, taking turmeric supplements, and possibly changing your footwear to include support with SelectFlex Orthotics, you are sure to see improvements in your pain levels. 

Plantar fasciitis is a very common foot ailment that occurs when an inflammation of a thick band of tissue forms and connects the heel bone to the toes (Footwear News). It is usually self-diagnosable & self-treatable. The inflamed tissue runs across the bottom of the foot with the primary symptom being a stabbing pain near the heel. Plantar fasciitis happens a lot with runners and people who have flat feet, high arches, are overweight, or who are on their feet a lot. You're more likely to develop the condition if you're female or have a job that requires a lot of walking or standing on hard surfaces. You're also at risk if you have tight calf muscles that limit how far you can flex your ankles. People with very flat feet or very high arches also are more prone to plantar fasciitis (Footcare MD).

With attentive care, the sufferer can often do these 7 things in their daily life to alleviate the pain caused by Plantar Fasciitis and help your foot heal faster (Podiatry Today).

1) Rest: Sure this one seems most obvious and easiest to implement, but as we know life often gets in the way of taking care of one’s self. General rest is critical; it may not offer quick relief from Plantar Fasciitis, but it is very important to keep weight off your foot until the inflammation goes down.

2) Ice: The old standby of ice to treat inflammation still works great , and there are multiple ways that you can implement this.

• A store bought ice pack always works great. They are relatively inexpensive and most efficient to use. One piece of advice would be to get one of minimal size as you want to focus on icing the heel area and not the entire bottom of the foot. General recommendation is to put it on your heel 3 to 4 times a day for 15 to 20 minutes at a time.
• Next option would be to make a homemade pack. First wrap a towel around a plastic bag filled with crushed ice or even around a package of frozen corn or peas. As with the store bought ice pack, put the homemade ice pack on your heel 3 to 4 times a day for 15 to 20 minutes at a time.
• Another option for quick relief from Plantar Fasciitis is to fill a shallow pan with water and ice and soak your heel in it for in it for 10 to 15 minutes a few times a day. Remember to keep your toes out of the water as we want to focus primarily on the heel area.

3) Pain relievers: Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) can make your foot feel better and help with inflammation. The most prominent NSAIDs are aspirin, ibuprofen, and naproxen, all available over the counter.

4) Stretching and exercise: Stretch your calves, Achilles tendon, and the bottom of your foot. Do exercises that make your lower leg and foot muscles stronger. This can help stabilize your ankle, ease pain, and keep plantar fasciitis from coming back. A few simple stretches can reduce tension in the foot and calf, offering both rapid pain relief and a steady improvement of symptoms over time (Medical News Today).

5) Night splints: Most of us sleep with our feet pointed down, which shortens the plantar fascia and Achilles tendon. Night splints, which you wear while you sleep, keep your feet at a 90-degree angle. So instead of shortening your plantar fascia, you get a good, constant stretch while you sleep. Although night splints tend to be bulky, they work well and can help relieve pain while you sleep. Once the pain is gone, you can stop wearing them. 

6) Shoe inserts: For the daytime and your daily activities, quality shoe inserts are crucial to use. Most shoes are not factory produced with quality support for your feet. Also called insoles, arch supports, or orthotics, shoe inserts can give you extra cushion and added support that your shoes do not provide. You can get them over-the-counter (OTC) or have them custom made. Typically, your results will be just as good, and less expensive with OTC inserts, but quality is still important when considering. When you choose one, adjustability is key and it is important to make sure that you can achieve a level of firmness that is right for you -- and make sure it has good arch support. Also you should choose a pair of insoles with a good heel cup that provides extra cushion.

(7) Adjustable Insoles: SelectFlex Adjustable Arch Technology
SelectFlex’s PowerLiftArch™ relieves heel and foot pain by LIFTING your arch with each and every step, alleviating strain on your plantar fascia reducing pain with [ 3 ] adjustable arch comfort settings.

Can You Prevent Plantar Fasciitis?

Once your foot feels better, you can make a few lifestyle changes to help keep plantar fasciitis from coming back. These include:

• Losing weight. Obviously there are numerous advantages to losing weight, but as it relates to plantar fasciitis, if you're overweight or obese, you may put more pressure on the bottom of your feet. That pressure can lead to plantar fasciitis.
  
  
• Make sure all of your footwear has good support. As important as it is to replace your athletic shoes often, it is equally important to make sure you replace your inserts when needed. Most inserts will last between 6-12 months, around the same lifetime of your athletic shoes. Ones you find the insert that works best for you, it is often helpful to buy additional pairs and have them in all of your shoes so you don’t have to move them from your works shoes, to your sneakers to your boots, etc.
  
  
• Stay away from high heels. Wearing them can cause your plantar fasciitis to come back
  
  
• Don’t go barefoot on hard surfaces. This includes your first few steps when you get up in the morning. It's common to feel plantar fasciitis then. So you'll want to keep some supportive footwear by your bed.
  
  
• Do low-impact exercise. Activities like swimming or cycling won't cause plantar fasciitis or make it worse. After you're done, stretch out your calves and feet. For instance, curl and relax your toes and make circles with your feet and ankles.
  
  
• Avoid high-impact activities. These include running and jumping, which put a lot of stress on your feet and can make your calf muscles tighter if you don't stretch them out.
  
  
• Keep doing your leg and foot stretches.  Regular daily calf stretching performed over a 6 to 8-week period will alleviate plantar fasciitis in almost 90% of patients (Foot Education). The stretching should be performed for a total of 3 minutes per day. Two of these include:
  1) Stretch your calves. Stand facing a wall. Put your hands on the wall. Step one foot behind the other, keeping both feet parallel to each other. Gently lean toward the wall, keeping your back heel on the ground. Hold for 10 seconds, and then switch feet. Repeat several times on each side.
  2) Stretch the bottom of your foot. Sit down and cross one foot over your other leg. Hold your toes and gently bend them backward.

• Untuck your bedsheets. If your sheets are tucked too tightly and you sleep on your back, your feet will be in a pointed position while you sleep

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