Self-Massage for Runners

Polina Savelieva, LMT
Class Instructor

Blogmaster's Note:  This blog entry was written by Polina Savelieva, the instructor who generously guided the free Flyers Self-Massage Class discussed below.  For prior entries on the Flyers Blog about massage, please click HERE.  -Dave K, NY Flyers Blogmaster.

On Monday night, December 19^th, the JackRabbit Sports UWS community room was filled with NY Flyers eager to try their hands at learning self-massage. When it comes to self-massage, the best way to learn is by doing! So after a brief overview of the many benefits of massage, the runners were ready to learn and practice the techniques.

Using a foam roller and a tennis ball, Flyers were shown a series of movements to release the tension and tightness in the body, muscle by muscle.  Everyone got to practice the movements while focusing on good technique and body mechanics.  The workshop focused on muscles, tendons and ligaments most heavily used by runners. The participants left the class with a program to make them feel better and help prevent common running injuries.  Two lucky Flyers took home prizes: Colleen R won a foam roller courtesy of the NY Flyers by winning a heated competition when Flyers were instructed to try to spend exactly one minute foam-rolling their hamstrings (she came the closest!), and Siggy T was the lucky raffle winner of a gift card generously donated by JackRabbit Sports.

Smiling Flyers Feeling Good
At the End of Class

THE BENEFITS OF SELF-MASSAGE

We've all heard that recovery is an important part of training and that a sports massage is an excellent choice to maximize your days off. We also know that despite our best efforts, sometimes there just isn't enough time left in the day to see a professional.  The Self-Massage Workshop was created to empower athletes of all levels with skills to reduce pain and fatigue, prevent injuries and speed up recovery time.

The physiological benefits of self-massage are essentially the same as the benefits of seeing a licensed practitioner.  The myofascial release performed with a foam roller is endorsed by sports doctors, physical therapists, athletic coaches, and personal trainers as an effective tool to prevent and treat injury!

With quality training, good technique and practice, regular self-massage can reduce the need to see a massage therapist. Of course in case of severe, lingering or undiagnosed injury an appointment with a professional is still recommended.

Let’s take a look at some of the benefits of starting a Self-Massage Program:

• Decrease post-exercise soreness by reducing inflammation in the affected muscle tissue
• Promote faster recovery by stimulating cells to replace damaged muscle tissue with healthy, new muscle
• Prevent restriction in flexibility and restore range of motion to normal levels
• Decrease hypertonicity (stiffness) of muscles and tendons
• Reduce muscle cramps and spasms
• Increase circulation to target muscles and warm-up the tissue before event
• Nourish and hydrate the body’s fascia, the connective tissue that binds together the muscles, the skeleton and all internal organs

A short list of common running injuries that respond well to self-myofascial release:

• IT Band Friction Syndrome
• Chondromalacia Patella
• Sciatica and Piriformis Syndrome
• Achilles Tendinitis
• Plantar Fasciitis
• Shin Splints
• Low back pain

WHAT TO FOCUS ON

The areas to focus on will vary from athlete to athlete, based on previous injuries, type of training (speed or long-distance), body mechanics and skeletal structure. It is a good idea to meet with a practitioner before starting a self-massage program.  A good massage therapist can easily identify the tight problem areas that are unique to you. With time and experience, working on yourself will help you more easily detect the areas that need attention.

In general for a runner, these are the muscle groups that need the work: hips and glutes, hamstrings, quads, IT band, adductors, shins and calves, feet, deep abdominal flexors and the diaphragm.

TECHNIQUE! TECHNIQUE! TECHNIQUE!

Self -massage should be relaxing. When working on a tight spot, keep the rest of the body nice and relaxed. This will allow you to focus in on the target area and prevent tension build-up elsewhere.  Use your breath to help release tight hot spots (trigger points). 

When using the foam roller, pay attention to body mechanics and posture. The tension in the shoulders, low back and wrist joints should be kept to a minimum. Instead, direct the bulk of your weight into the foam roller. 

To get maximum results, the roller should be your strongest point of support to allow for most counter pressure at the area you are working on.  Avoid holding yourself up by using your arms and letting your shoulder rise when on your side. (Your arms should not be shaking!) Keep core abdominal muscles strong to avoid excessive arching of low back.  Maintain good alignment of the spine. Do not bend at the waist or round the spine when working on the IT band. Think strong clean lines from head to toe. Practice in front of the mirror to improve body mechanics. 

Work the entire length of the muscle.  A common mistake is to grind the same painful spot over and over. It is okay to concentrate on tight areas, but be sure to work the whole muscle from origin to insertion for best results.

Don’t Rush! Most people start out by doing the exercises too fast, which reduces the benefits.  It also is easier to pay attention to your body mechanics when you slow down.  Spend at least 1-2 minutes per muscle group (more if it feels tight). Use a timer to make sure you are not rushing through the movements.

Self-massage can be done everyday! It can be done before you run as a warm-up, after you run as a cool down/stretch, and on your days off for recovery.  Go through the complete lower body sequence at least once a week. If you are training, you may find that daily use of a foam roller and tennis ball on problem areas is not too much!

Self-massage is an effective and inexpensive system to help you stay healthy. Give it a try today!

VIDEO CLIP FROM THE WORKSHOP

The following video clip was taken during the workshop.  The instruction shown in this clip focuses particular attention on the IT Band, lower back, hips and glutes.

INSTRUCTOR'S BIO

Polina Savelieva is a runner, triathlete and NYS licensed massage therapist, trained at the Swedish Institute.  She has a full-time private practice with a strong client base for sports massage and injury recovery/prevention.  Polina is also currently employed by Eastside Massage Therapy on the Upper East Side.  Her previous clinical and volunteer experience includes Jacob Perlow Hospice, NYC Triathlon, NYC Marathon and Crossfit Games.

Polina is available for massage sessions and private self-massage instruction by appointment. For more information and to schedule a session, please e-mail polina.savelieva@gmail.com or call (646)283-4657.  For updates and special promotions visit Facebook page: Polina LMT.

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Flyers Food Drive Fundraiser

The holiday season is normally a time for celebration, but joy is in short supply for the approximately 3 million New Yorkers – including senior citizens, low-income families, single mothers, and the working poor – who experience difficulty affording the most basic necessities for survival.

WHAT IS THE FOOD BANK FOR NEW YORK CITY

The Food Bank for New York City is New York's largest non-profit hunger relief agency in New York.  It serves communities in all five boroughs, supplying shelters and food assistance organizations throughout the city.

In addition to procuring and distributing food, the Food Bank for New York City also sponsors a variety of programs on nutrition education, teaching basic cooking skills, and promoting healthy food choices and increasing the availability of fresh, healthy ingredients in neighborhoods that are underserved by traditional grocery stores and supermarkets. The Food Bank for New York City also works with community-based organizations to increase the availability of food stamps, and with low-income individuals and families to file income taxes.

WHAT IS THE NY FLYERS FOOD DRIVE FUNDRAISER?

Since 2008, the Flyers have raised money for the Food Bank for New York City during the holiday season through the New York Flyers Food Drive Fundraiser.  While we've never tracked exact numbers each year, this drive, which normally kicks off in mid-November and runs through mid-December, has successfully raised more than $10,000 total in its four consecutive years.  This year our target is $3,000 total, and as the drive approaches its halfway mark, we have raised a smidgen above 50% of our goal to date.  All donations are fully tax-deductible!

WHY IS THERE A NY FLYERS FOOD DRIVE FUNDRAISER?

There are a great many worthwhile charitable organizations supporting a vast array of causes in New York City.  The Flyers chose to support the Food Bank for New York City both because of its mission to address the most basic of human needs in our own community, and because the Food Bank for New York City scores extremely high marks with watchdog agencies like Charity Navigator, which assess non-profits' organizational transparency and efficiency of donation use.

While the Food Bank for New York City plays a key role in acquiring and distributing food to a broad base of immediate-relief organizations, it encourages its supporters to focus on monetary contributions rather than direct food donations.  This is because the Food Bank for New York City is able to leverage relationships with wholesalers and other suppliers to buy large quantities of food (including fresh produce) at prices that are vastly lower than retail.

In addition, by not using its limited resources for picking up and transporting individual food donations to its warehouses for redistribution, the Food Bank for New York City also can focus on efficiency in distributing the larger quantities of food it has acquired through its supply network.  Each dollar donated to the Food Bank for New York City provides five meals to help alleviate hunger, and 96 cents of every dollar donated go directly to hunger relief.  As a result, even small donations make a significant impact.

THE FOOD BANK AND HURRICANE SANDY

This year, the Food Bank for New York City is also direcly involved in Hurricane Sandy relief.  In addition to leveraging donations from our own fundraiser and others like it to assist individuals and families hard-hit by he recent storm, The Food Bank for New York City is also running both a dedicated emergency response fundraiser and a dedicated volunteer program in which volunteers can aid the relief effort through meal preparation, food repackaging, and working at several different relief centers throughout the city.

Click here for more information on the 2012 Flyer Food Drive Fundraiser and to donate. Additional information is posted on the Food Bank for New York City's website.

The 2014 Flyer Food Drive Fundraiser runs through December 19th.  As the year draws to a close, please consider including this worthy cause in your annual giving.

-Dana M.

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A Tale of Two Sundays

Julie W and Lara K

From the Blogmaster: This blog post was co-authored by Julie W and Lara K. -Dave K

INTERNATIONAL LOVE -- 

THE "PEEPOLZ MARATHON" REPORT

LARA
Marathon Sunday.  Although we couldn’t have guessed it a month, or even a week out, it would really be a day like no other.

Having taken the “semester” off from marathoning, I expected to spend the day once again, volunteering at the Flyers PowerGel station, and maybe even running a few miles with a teammate.

But the events of October 29th changed everything.  I’m not gonna rehash things here.  You all know how things played out.  And on that Friday evening, emotions ran the gamut from acceptance to relief to anger to just maybe feeling a little lost.  I wasn’t even running the race, but I felt them all with you.

Then my awesome Flyer teammate Julie W posted on Facebook:

“I have a proposition...an impromptu marathon in Central Park on Sunday. Four loops just like the old days. We can dedicate it to the hurricane victims or to Laurie H. or whatever feels right.”

That was exactly what the doctor ordered.  And from what was witnessed through various social media channels, many many others seemed to be on the same wavelength...

So I headed to the park on Sunday, honestly a little apprehensive...based on what I had witnessed over social media the few days prior, quite a few people may have been taking some of the lyrics of David Guetta’s song Titanium a little too seriously... ”Stone-hard, machine gun.... Fired at the ones who run..."

Would we be welcome, or met by hordes of protesters and the like?  I need not have worried, as Central Park was absolutely MOBBED with runners.  Many wearing their orange NYCM race shirts.  Many wearing their race bibs.  And probably many wearing what they would have worn for the race as well.  And there were no jeers from the crowd, only cheers.  Restored all faith in humanity for me :)

Running Through a Cheering Tunnel

So at Engineer’s Gate, Julie said a few words of thanks to everyone before we all set off at the symbolic start time of 9:40 am (if you’re not sure why that’s symbolic, the answer will be later in the story ;-) )  In the early going, Julie had International Love by Pitbull playing on her iPod, which I felt was very appropriate for the day.  

Flyers Ready to Run

The first loop of the park was just taking things in.  All the runners from around the world, whether they were doing 1 loop or 4, for fun or a hard effort, and everything in between.  The spectators on the side cheering their heart out.  Recognized some locals (Brian H!), and many holding the signs they would have held if the show had gone on.  Little bit of a shame they had people running around the finish line instead of through/under it, but I guess some things are sacred :)  

Stephanie T Does a Finish Line Leap

I had the pleasure of sharing the second loop with our Thursday Nite Run leader Michael R, where we had a celebrity spotting of sorts!!  Yep, pasta party speaker Amy Hastings with her running partner Kim Smith were logging their mileage among the crowds in the park!!  (And rumor has it Meb Keflezighi was out running as well!)  Was a cool sight –– the elites wanted to be one of us that day.  And right around the 102nd street transverse was another celebrity spotting –– our very own Pat D playing the bagpipes...not quite the Willis Avenue Bridge, but was great to see him doing his thing :)

Pat D Gets a Thumbs Up from Julie W

My two loops done, I stuck around at Engineer’s Gate to cheer on my teammates going longer, and, well, everyone else too!! Central Park was a party still going strong.  Lots of runners still out and the crowds were as deep as 5th Ave.  Some spectators even had out their own “finish line tape” anticipating their loved ones’ finish.  And eagle-eye Glen W spotted a runner in a “Seoul Flyers” singlet and we had a photo op-see, the Flyers are EVERYWHERE!

To sum it all up, what I witnessed in Central Park on that Sunday was just so much caring and love, and a sense of renewal.  I walked (well, ran) away from Central Park proud to be a runner, and declared on Facebook that “Others may think otherwise, but from what I witnessed today, runners are the best people. ever.”

International love, indeed.

JULIE
A wise man (my father, actually!) once said: 

“You can’t change what you can’t control…you can only change your reaction to it.” 

And although he wrote this to me after the Yankees got knocked out of the playoffs this year, never was this phrase more apt than post-hurricane Sandy. I grew up in the south, land of epic storms, and I actually “rode out” hurricane Andrew in 1992 while in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. However, nothing prepared me for the devastation wrought upon New York and New Jersey by Sandy. Despite having seen thousands of images on the news as well as in person, it still feels so unreal to me.

Another wise old saying is that “hindsight is 20/20”. I’m sure the NYRR staff are feeling that phrase deeply having gone through the “on again, off again” NYC Marathon once Sandy had done her worst. 

Of course, it would have been better to cancel the marathon earlier and save those traveling great distances the headache and disappointment associated with a last-minute cancellation. And they should have anticipated the community’s reaction to going ahead with the race in the face of so much destruction. However, I don’t think anyone really knew the full impact of this storm until days later. And the bottom line is that I personally feel that although they made the decision too late, they made the right decision.

Given the fact that the race was canceled at the last minute, it was understandable that many folks (Flyers and non-Flyers alike) were shocked and disappointed to learn that they would not be running two days later. Once the initial shock wore off, I felt it was time to “make lemons out of lemonade” and hold “The Peepolz Marathon” anyway, Sunday morning in Central Park. 

The idea was simple: 

• Show up at 9:40 (the original start time of the race), 
• Run anywhere between 1 to 4 loops of the park, and 
• Have fun doing it. 

Stephanie T, Julie W and Lara K
Having Fun on the "Peepolz" Run

The idea quickly caught fire and gained momentum, and before we knew it our Flyers had organized not only a sizable running contingent, but a large group of race supporters (complete with a table setup by Glen W and friends).

Glen W with his Table and Friends

I figured there would be others running in the park that day, but I hadn’t counted on the sheer volume, international showing, and number of enthusiastic supporters out there. I literally got choked up walking up to Engineer’s Gate that day, and it was only the first time of many that day I would tear up.

Some of the most memorable moments were the large group of French runners coming in the opposite direction, cheering their hearts out, the Brazilian contingent handing out water along the way yelling “fresh water, no additives or artificial sweeteners…we made it ourselves!”, and the children handing out their Halloween candy to strangers. 

VIVE LE FRANCE!!

The NYC Parks Department had wisely anticipated the crowds, and was instructing bikers to get off and walk their bikes near the marathon finish line. Despite the amount of congestion and need to re-route runners around the finish line rather than through it, things went surprisingly smoothly. And at the end of the day, I think we all came away with a renewed sense of the resilience and determination that makes each of us proud to call ourselves a runner.

INTERNATIONAL AID: 

THE "BAD KIDZ ON THE BUS" TRY TO DO GOOD!

JULIE
For me personally, the only “fly in the ointment” about organizing the Peeps Marathon on Sunday was the fact that I would not be able to join a group of fellow Flyers in Staten Island to aid in the relief efforts there. So, when the opportunity came up through JackRabbit Sports and NYC MORE (Marathon Effort of RElief) to head out on the following Sunday, I jumped at the chance. 

Again, I was pleased to see many of my fellow Flyers were up to the task.  The idea was to bus 500 folks out to three of the hardest hit areas in New York: Staten Island, The Rockaways, and Long Beach. Groups left from three of the JackRabbit locations, and those leaving from the UWS went to Staten Island. We had four buses going to this location, and each bus was dropped off at a different site deemed most in need based on their inquiries the day before. 

Julie W and Brian H

I was on the bus with Reyna F, Victoria S, Shira Z, Lara K, Nick J, and Brian H. As you can imagine, we were like the “bad kidz on the school bus” during the nearly 2 hour ride over, but our fun and games came to an abrupt halt once we saw the extent of the devastation. 

Our bus was the last to drop off folks in the Tottenville region, which coincides with the southernmost point of New York State. When we got off the bus, we were instructed to break into smaller groups and go house to house to ask folks if they needed help. We were told to be somewhat persistent, as folks might be proud and afraid to admit they needed anything. 

Shira Z Carrying Supplies
To Bring on the Bus for Toting to Tottenville

The first house we came to, Nick approached two gentlemen who were coming out of their house and asked if we could do anything for them. To my delight, they spoke up right away and said if we were game for it, they needed two folks to help tear down the bottom portion of sheetrock from their first floor, which had been badly damaged by flooding. 

Nick and I decided to take on the challenge of demolition, and spent the next few hours happily encased in plaster dust, smiling the whole time. The guys turned out to be great…very down to earth “New Yawkers”, and a lot of fun to work with.  The younger man, Steven, said that he was so grateful we came by as he had just been looking around and getting very discouraged,  trying to figure out how he and his father, Frankie, were going to get all that work done by themselves. He said that we were just the motivation he needed…and we were certainly thrilled to help! 

With Frankie and Steven

While we were there, the Red Cross truck came around with food and beverages. Steven said they came by twice a day, and that the NYC Dept of Sanitation trucks came by non-stop to keep up with the loads of debris being put on the street. It was nice to see that things were finally starting to get organized.

After Nick and I finished up at Steven and Frankie’s , we headed over to a large house that was literally the southernmost property in New York State. Most of the other folks from our bus were already there. 

LARA
It was what was once a beautiful house on the water, complete with a long deck leading out to the shore, the glass windows letting whoever was inside see some beautiful sunsets on the water.  When we approached the house, we could not believe our eyes –– it looked like it was standing on stilts, the whole first floor had been washed away.  

The family felt lucky to have survived (by taking refuge in the attic) but you can tell it was devastating to lose a lifetime of memories.  We all got to work helping clean out the attic and the second floor and eventually debris outside.  When we were throwing out what had been damaged from the storm, we found a lot of trophies, medals, an old NYRRC race bib, even an old Runner’s World log filled in with entries of various runs and workouts-one of the daughters had been a champion cross country runner back in the day.  We could tell the experience was incredibly heart-wrenching for the mother –– she couldn’t look at the years of memories that had to go, but she was so appreciative for the help and gave us all numerous hugs and thanked each of us.

Before leaving for the day, we took a look at the next block over, which we were told was hit the hardest.  There were two homes completely leveled.  Another that had the front and side completely destroyed and gone, the red “Unsafe” sign had to be put on the wall by the fireplace since there was no longer a front door.  Sh*t had definitely gotten real.  I almost wanted to cry when seeing scenes like that throughout the day....

Picture Speaks for Itself :(

But on a more positive note, I was incredibly impressed by the sense of community, I definitely felt the “we are in this together” sentiment and the optimism that remained despite the horrible situation –– “we will rebuild.”  Our crew was exhausted on our bus ride back to Manhattan (no, not “the city” ;-) ) but felt incredibly fulfilled, which was definitely worth the trip to Staten Island and then some.

JULIE

My feelings at the end of the day echo Lara’s. Never have I felt more humbled and at the same time proud of the human spirit and the incredible strength people can show in times of adversity. I will always remember our day on Staten Island, and the people I met there. May we be ever grateful for what and, especially, WHOM we have in our life!

- Julie W/Lara K

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Flyers Volunteer After Hurricane Sandy

Stephanie P

Many, many Flyers were out helping our community this past weekend after Hurricane Sandy devastated so many of our local neighborhoods. The question, “How can we help?” was answered in many different ways.  

THE ROCKAWAYS

On Saturday, Sondra M, Matt M, Alan G, Stephanie P and Louie R drove out to the Rockaways to help a friends’ family clean out their storm ravaged home.  Their basement was filled with water, sand and muck to the ceiling before it was drained.  Using a bucket brigade, the balance of the sand was removed from the basement and carted out to the curb and the beach.  The carpeting and its padding was pulled up and, dripping wet, discarded before the washer, dryer and refrigerator were navigated up the stairs and out to the curb.   

In addition to cleaning out the ravaged basement, family and friends shoveled the mountain of sand off the pathway in front of the homes, filling buckets and wheel barrows and carting it to the beach area.  Occasionally, we would find personal photographs and other items, including ages old baseball cards that had been swept out of the homes on the block.  Matt M found someone’s wallet, intact with money in it and got it to someone to return it.  One neighbor with a beachfront home got help clearing a path through what was about four feet of sand to his storage shed so that he could clean it out and make room to store salvageable furniture and items from his otherwise demolished home.  Chainsaws were in action cutting through wood to break down what were once fences and porches so that they could be carted off.

This home was one of the lucky ones, as it was across a walkway and behind the beach front homes and will not need to be demolished.  The beach front homes were largely demolished by Sandy and will have to be rebuilt from the basements up.  Here are just a few examples to help describe the degree of damage: one beach front home’s living room was ravaged and contained a significant section of what had been the boardwalk;  the concrete walls that were installed as barriers to the tidal waters had been tossed around like they were made of plywood.  Another home’s foundation had collapsed leaving it tilted into the ground at an absurd angle.  And in an ironic pose was a surfboard that was leaning up against the front door of a condemned home that had succumbed to Sandy’s fury.

A block away, on Beach 130^th Street, we learned that numerous homes had caught fire and been burned to the ground.  One of those homes was the subject of an article in the Daily News on November 5^th, in which the owner, a firefighter, and his son, donning scuba wetsuits as flood waters rose to precarious levels.  The man strapped his 80 year old mother to a surfboard and floated her to safety at a home that was somewhat less impacted than theirs. 

Louie R Wheel-Barrowing Sand
In Staten Island

Sondra M Readying Items
For Trash Removal in the Rockaways

FLYERS SERVE STATEN ISLAND

Our own El Jefe, President Siggy T and Alan G organized volunteering on Staten Island on Sunday.  Flyers Leslie L,  Meg B, Elle G, Stephanie P, Debbie P,  Louie R, Kevin M, Howard C,  Janna G, Nick J, Sungwon H and others (I am sure I am forgetting many names, my apologies) made their way in several cars to Staten Island to hand out relief supplies and help with the cleanup.   Everyone met at the FEMA staging site on Father Capodano Blvd. just a short distance from the Verrazano Bridge/NYC Marathon starting line and added some FEMA supplied items to the donations they’d brought with them. 

This area got hit hard by the storm as the neighborhoods that parallel the Midland Beach, New Dorp Beach and others are downhill from the beach area.  The storm surge sent waters flying down the streets and into people’s homes, flooding basements and ruining much of their belongings.  Trees were uprooted, power lines were down, cars and homes were damaged, if not totaled.  The homeowners were and continue to be, as this is written, without power and heat.

Before heading out, several of us loaded relief supplies onto a NYC bus that was going out into the community to bring aid items to the residents.   When we took to the streets, Nick J and Howard C drove around the Midland beach area with batteries, garbage bags, wipes, drinks and emergency meal packs.  They crisscrossed the neighborhood looking for houses that had people in them.  The individuals who were attending to their homes were working really hard to clean up their places.  Sadly, they seemed to be throwing out just about everything.  It was encouraging to see how determined they were to clean up, fix up and rebuild as quickly as possible.   D batteries and garbage bags were very popular requests.  There was a police officer who was directing traffic who saw that we had batteries and was so pleased when we gave him a couple of D batteries for his equipment.  Others were shocked that we had "D" batteries to give out, as one guy said, "Wow!  These things are like GOLD around here...". 

With the nights longer now and the power still out in many areas, there is a high demand for battery power for lanterns and flashlights. The variety of materials was well received because so much was needed and people were VERY appreciative of the items, like Gatorade, paper towels, toilet paper, granola bars and blankets. There was also the couple who thought the emergency meal pack food (provide by FEMA) was very delicious and were so pleased when they asked for a couple of more and we happily obliged. There also were a fair number of people who declined the things we were offering, stating we should give it to others, who were more in need. It was very encouraging to see neighbors looking out for each other.  

Howard C with Other Volunteers on SI

Trunk Full O' Supplies

Donated Clothes (Including Winter Race Shirts!)

Alan G, Stephanie P, Debbie P, Louie R and Leslie L volunteered at the FEMA site in Staten Island and assisted a family with the removal of some large furniture from the damaged lower level of their home.   Louie R used his engineering expertise to help in carefully removing a sliding door so the furniture could be carted out of the house and to the curb.  However, people reported needing more physical labor rather than the supplies we had overflowing in Alan G’s Flyermobile.  Louie R noted that he had heard that parts of Canarsie had been hit pretty hard, but were being overlooked in the relief effort.  So, they then proceeded to drive to Canarsie, in Brooklyn, where it turned out the waters had overflowed from a nature preserve and flooded homes in the vicinity.  This group supplemented an American Red Cross vehicle by distributing meals, clothing and other supplies to those without power, and whose homes were severely damaged by flooding.

Louie R, Alan G and Leslie L with Grateful Recipients

OTHER FLYERS GROUPS TAKE ACTION

Other Flyers showed the Flyer spirit, too.  A group, including Jon B, Deb M, Anne H, Lindsay M and Jocelyn T,  joined Dr. Jordan Metzl and thousands of others to run through the area with backpacks full of supplies to hand out in Staten Island.  Paul and Cassie N did the same with another group, covering 18 miles in the process of running with supplies to the Beach Channel area of Queens.  Nick J, Betsy P, Sungwon H, Amy S and others either volunteered at or brought supplies to distribution centers throughout the city   And, on Sunday, Claudia O was with Sondra M and Matt M on Long Island helping two families clean out their water-damaged homes, while also providing needed supplies and moral support. 

A common thread that appeared in the communities the Flyers visited was the resilience of the local folks.  Though surrounded by utter devastation, people were working hard to get their homes back in order.  Neighbors were out helping neighbors.  Families and friends traveled some distance to help their family members and friends who were stricken hard by the storm.  And the locals showed a stiff upper lip and even a dose of humor; and their heartfelt gratitude.  Yet, it is clear that more help is needed as the days have now become shorter and the weather colder.  Hopefully, power and heat will be restored in short order to the neighborhoods where it is still off, but people still need help.  So, let’s count our lucky stars and do our part to keep it coming as best we can!

-Stephanie P

Blogmaster's Note: And the disaster relief efforts continue.  Several Flyers donated goods and volunteered their time on Tuesday in SI (Adam M, Dana M, and Stephanie T -- along with Stephanie's Mom and Mom's students! -- with other volunteers) and me on Lower East Side.  Last weekend, Glen W went out to Long Island to help his Mom, whose home was damaged.  This weekend, a group of Flyers is heading out to SI on Sunday as part of a group organized by JackRabbit Sports, and Stephanie T and Sungwon H are heading out to provide disaster relief assistance tomorrow (11/10).  And many (or quite possibly all) Flyers, whether or not mentioned here, have been and/or will continue to be involved in the relief effort by giving of their time and/or money.  Follow Flyers Facebook for more info to get involved or to recruit others (or use Flyer Forums on the Flyers website).

Of course, suffering in NYC sadly pre-dates Hurricane Sandy and will continue after the relief efforts are deemed completed.  And, of course, the NY Flyers and its membership will continue to demonstrate civic responsibility to help improve our world.  Next week, a group of Flyers will help heal Central Park at the next  Central Park Clean-Up Day, a program that Heather M has spearheaded for many years.  Last week, Flyers donated more than 40 pairs of used running shoes at the Pre-Marathon Pasta Dinner to Soles4Souls that will help folks in need.  It's not too late, too, to contribute to the NY Flyers Giveback (just click here) led by Glen W in support of the NYRR Holiday Sneaker Drive As the work goes on.......  -Dave K.

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One Decade Later: Balance Training and Running

Marc Bochner

I first wrote an article for the Flyers newsletter on the role of “balance training” in running and injury care and prevention back in 2002.  Since then, as fitness trends have moved away from only performing exercises on isolated machines to full body, “functional” exercises, such as in some “Boot camp” and cross-fit routines, workouts that challenge the balance system have become commonplace in many general fitness, running and triathlon conditioning programs. However, often these exercises can be utilized at the wrong time or in the wrong order, so it is important to know how to properly integrate balance exercises into your running and fitness routines.

WHAT IS BALANCE?

Improving our balance is one of the best ways to maintain a healthy neuro-musculoskeletal system and in turn prevent injuries, including those that occur with running – which essentially is a single-leg sport as we stride from leg to leg.  Balance is the ability to maintain our “equilibrium,” or an upright, controlled posture, while performing an activity.  

Balance is one of the key components of fitness and also is a key to preserving musculoskeletal health, especially as we age. Both de-conditioning and injury can lead to a loss of this ability.  De-conditioning of this system occurs as most modern occupations require less and less diverse motions and more and more sedentary hours at the desk, causing balance ability and cardiovascular fitness to decline.  Old injuries such as ankle sprains or back pain and dysfunction that aren’t properly treated and rehabilitated also can lead to poor balance. 

Before we discuss how to restore lost balance ability, an understanding of how a healthy body maintains equilibrium is necessary.  Visual cues from our eyes and from the “semicircular canals” in our inner ears, as well as cues from specialized sensory nerve endings called proprioceptors in our joints and muscles, help us maintain our balance.  Feedback from these receptors to the central nervous system in turn activates our core and extremity muscles to help us maintain a balanced posture. Thus, balance is achieved both at the local joint level as well as through the entire nervous system.  Proper function along the entire “kinetic chain” of joints, muscles and myofascial tissue is necessary for well developed balance ability.

BALANCE BASICS

Balance is closely related to core/extremity stability and strength, and both are developed together as infants grow or after injury with rehabilitation. Think of a baby first learning to walk and gradually using the core to maintain an upright posture, and at the same time finding the right balance point to not fall down.  Or, as a child or adult, think of learning to ride a bicycle or ski, or reaching out to throw, catch or hit a ball – the correct core contractions are necessary for you to remain upright and balanced and depend on proper feedback from the sensory/balance system to learn when to contract what muscles. 

For this reason, the balance exercises described below are usually taught to patients as part of most stability and core strengthening programs and are sometimes dependent on basic core strength before they can be performed safely. These exercises are much more difficult if the core muscles are not firing properly. 

Exercises to improve balance start with just simply practicing "single leg-standing" (liftng one leg off the ground by bending one knee behind you) and holding a stable posture for up to 30 seconds. This should be possible with the eyes open and also closed, and can be used as a test of one's balance ability. Exercises then progress to challenging this upright posture with arm and leg movements forward, backward and laterally, while maintaining your balance and body control. More advanced exercises involve performing weight training exercises on a single leg or on an unstable surface, such as the “bosu” trainer. However, traditional “double leg stance exercises” and exercises on stable surfaces still have merit for general strength development. Additionally, for those without balance deficits, sport specific drills and simply practicing your sport or activity will help maintain and improve balance.

As noted above, common injuries such as an old ankle or knee sprain or chronic lower back or neck pain can cause poor balance as they often result in scar tissue, joint restrictions, and muscle inhibition/weakness, which alter the propriceptor function in these key areas. An acute ankle sprain, for instance, will result in swelling and joint stiffness that alter our proprioception from that joint. Most people stop worrying about the injury once the swelling reduces and they can walk again, but the scar tissue in the ligaments and joint restrictions remain.  Thus, passive treatment involving chiropractic adjustments and soft-tissue care should be performed before advance balance exercises begin. Without these treatments, single leg exercises can sometimes do more harm than good! 

Chiropractic adjustments help to restore proper joint range of motion and nervous system control, which is essential for those proprioceptive nerve endings to function properly. And soft tissue techniques help allow proper nerve function in the myofascial structures, which is essential for balance and coordinated joint movement.

BALANCE EXERCISE GROUPS –– RED ZONE, GREY ZONE AND BLUE ZONE   

To organize all of the different types of balance exercises, we  divide them into 3 groups based on your current level of “balance fitness”:  

• Acute/Activation Care (Red Zone),
• Corrective Care (Grey Zone), and 
• Performance Care (Blue Zone). 

This three group, or “Zone,” system of exercise and treatment, is used with my Prepare to Compete® Injury Prevention System for simultaneously restoring the other components of fitness: core/extremity stability, core/extremity strength, aerobic endurance, muscular endurance, flexibility, and power.

For those who currently or recently have had an injury that has limited the amount of weight bearing activity (or who recently have put some time in floating around on the gravity-less International Space Station), we need to re-establish the basic “activation” of the balance system.  This involves both office treatment to activate inhibited muscles and release scar tissue and joint restriction and home exercises. 

Starting with the “Red Zone” is crucial because we must stop and get treatment and only do basic exercises until pain levels decrease and joint and muscle treatments take hold.  Examples of balance exercises for this stage are single leg standing, single leg standing with knee hug,  stability ball balancing, and double leg rocker board (not pictured). They can be performed for a specific time, such as for a total of one minute per exercise per side, and repeated throughout the day.

                                            

Single leg standing

Standing knee hug:

Stability Ball Balancing

The next level is the “Grey Zone” for those who have some basic balance ability and can perform their sport but who demonstrate poor balance when challenged with increased exercise intensity and experience pain or re-injury when resuming regular training. This is the “grey zone” because the athlete is not “injured’ and unable to perform the chosen activity, but the athlete is  not fully functional and healthy.  Exercises here will challenge the balance system to remain activated under greater loads and on less stable surfaces. Office treatment still is often necessary for continued correction of any joint and myofascial restrictions locally as well as in other joints of the kinetic chain (the knee, hip and back for instance in our ankle sprain example). Single leg rocker board, bosu balancing, single leg squats and multidirectional lunges are examples of “Grey Zone” balance exercises.

Finally, the “Blue Zone” is what we want to strive to achieve: we have good balance ability even under tough conditions and can challenge ourselves with exercises that increase our ability to maintain balance and proper form in our specific sport at high levels. For running, this would be running well and with a low risk of injury at faster paces or for longer periods or on a cross-country course - all of which make maintaining proper posture more difficult.  Exercises here will involve the performance of plyometric type movements as well as running drills and workouts that challenge our ability to maintain good form while exerting more force or moving faster or going longer.  Examples are “jumps” onto rocker boards, box jumps, trampoline exercises, ladder drills and exercises that mirror the motions of running while on the bosu or other unstable surface.

I hope this explanation of the how, why and when of balance training helps everyone properly integrate the above exercises at the right time in order to prevent injury and improve performance!

See you in the park,

Marc

Please consult with a sports medicine professional before performing any of the exercises described above if you have a current injury or are unsure about how to perform them safely.

Blogmaster's Note:  Dr. Marc Bochner is a long-time Flyer who is a sport/running injury specialist and Certified Active Release Techniques provider and assistant instructor. He has created the Prepare to Compete® Injury Prevention system, founded Sports Chiropractors of New York, a non-profit association providing volunteer event doctor coverage at area races, and in November is launching TrainingHistory.com, an interactive website/training log for training and injury progress tracking, patient records and exercise instruction. He can be reached at 212-688-5770 or through www.bochnerchiropractic.com or at Dr.Bochner@att.net. 

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