Come Be Our Next "Success Story"

Plantar fasciitis is common among our Axio clients. Personally, I have dealt with it off and on for over 10 years. At times it can be very painful and difficult to find relief. I’ve personally researched and talked to many physical therapists about tips and tricks to help with plantar fasciitis. Recently, my plantar fasciitis flared up again. When it does, there are now only three things that I do: 1. Stretch- stretching is by far the most helpful for me. And by stretching, I don’t mean stretching the bottom of your foot a couple of times per day. I intentionally keep my foot stretched all the time. If I’m sitting at a table, I’ll stretch it on a table leg. When I’m on the couch, I’ll keep it stretched against the coffee table. Or if I’m standing for long periods of time, I find some sort of object or incline to keep my foot stretched. A physical therapist gave me this advice because when your foot is stretched, your plantar fascia cannot tighten up. 2. Rest- I love to walk and run. But rest really is important to overcome plantar fasciitis. However, resting your foot doesn’t mean you have to rest from exercise. You can still swim, bike or use a row machine to get your cardio! But intentionally resting from walking, jogging, or standing for too long will give you significant relief in just a few days. 3. Ice- Rolling your foot on a frozen water bottle can also help give you relief. However, the first time I got plantar fasciitis I was constantly rolling my foot on frozen water bottles, golf balls, or anything else I could try to get back to normal. My sister, who is a doctor, suggested I just try to leave it alone for a little while. That helped! So, I think I’ve learned that doing too much rolling and massaging isn’t good either. Consider ice or roll your foot occasionally, but not so much that it is always tender. Along with these three tips, the proper shoes are very important. Typically, supportive shoes with a little elevated heel and a big toe box are best. There are shoes of all styles designed specifically to help with plantar fasciitis. Check reviews before purchasing footwear but try to have the proper shoes for every occasion, not just for exercise. At Axio Fitness we can also offer stretch therapy sessions specifically designed to help heal plantar fasciitis. We can massage and stretch the foot, ankle and calf for relief and healing.

A lot of studies have been done recently around the benefits of morning sunlight exposure. A major benefit that has been studied more in recent years is the positive effects of morning sunlight for your sleep. When you’re able to get outside in the mornings and expose yourself to the morning sunlight, your body will naturally suppress your melatonin levels. Then, your body will eventually increase your melatonin production in the evening, helping you to naturally fall asleep more easily. Many doctors suggest that sunlight in the morning is a great way to set your circadian rhythm. Most experts suggest at least 30 minutes of sunlight before noon to experience the sleep benefits of morning sun. However, even 5-10 minutes seem to help. So, get any sunlight exposure that you can in the mornings to experience the benefits. Along with better sleep, there are many other health benefits that have come from the study of morning sun including increased vitamin D levels and enhanced mood and energy. Always remember to be safe in the sunlight as well. Be cautious to avoid sunburn and other damaging effects of overexposure to the sun.

Growing up, my siblings and I were fortunate to have a trampoline in our barn. This was a long time ago, before trampolines were as common as they are now. What was also unusual was my enjoyment and borderline addiction to jumping! Even as an adult, I enjoy jumping on the trampoline more than any form of activity. There is something therapeutic about that repetitive movement. Many of us probably think that jumping on a trampoline is just for kids. But adults can also enjoy many benefits that trampoline jumping can offer. One obvious benefit is the cardiovascular exercise you get while jumping. It is a great way to do your cardio and burn calories that is easy on the joints. But more research is coming out about some of the unique benefits a trampoline can offer. These include boosting your immunity, improving circulation, reducing cellulite, combating varicose veins and boosting your metabolism. Or course there is always a risk of injury with a trampoline. So be careful trying it for the first time. But, consider giving this a try as a form of exercise!

There are so many apps available to us today that allow us to track our food daily. At Axio Fitness, we use My Fitness Pal with our clients, but there is no shortage of options for anyone looking to begin tracking their food intake and totaling their calories for the day. If you have a goal of weight loss, logging your food each day has proven to be extremely effective in helping you make better choices and eat better options. What is even more effective than simply tracking is allowing someone else access to your food log. This is added accountability and motivation that we all need for our nutrition. At Axio Fitness, we ask our clients to track everything they eat for their first six weeks with us. This allows us to educate the client, make suggestions on different adjustments, and help them find ways to eat right for their goals. But the most effective thing about tracking everything our clients eat is the accountability that comes with checking the food logs. Whether you are an Axio Fitness client or not, simply logging your food is a great way to get on track with your nutrition goals. Try committing to tracking your food for the next six weeks and see if you notice better eating behaviors.

At Axio Fitness, we are big fans of cardio! With the weather changing and the ability to get outside and be more active, we hope you are motivated to do more walking or jogging around town, in the parks, or on the trails. You may be motivated to lose weight and you want to spend your time outdoors efficiently, therefore being motivated to run or jog. However, if you haven’t been very active in the last several months, it may not be a good idea to go right into jogging. Most physical therapists suggest being able to walk pain free for at least 45 minutes before attempting to jog. Meaning, if you get knee, ankle, foot, or hip pain after a 30-minute walk, you may not be ready to start running. When you do start jogging, be mindful of your cadence. If you have a smart watch, you can enter your runs in there and it will automatically give you your cadence. Suggested cadence to avoid injury is 160- 180 strides per minute. If you do less than 160, your stride is too long, and it can cause injury or joint pain. If you need help getting on a structured cardio plan, or if you need the accountability to do more walking and jogging this summer, Axio Fitness is here to help! We offer a service called Axio Cardio where we can structure a customized, personalized cardio plan for you based on your ability and your goals.