Any thoughts on how I can change my body mechanics while running?

[kentucky]

I went to the doc today, to ask him about my legs cramping. He said at my age, it was unlikely any type of electrolyte imbalance, or a dehydration factor. He said that my problem was most likely in my body mechanics.

I asked how to change them, and he gave me some bullshit, instead of saying 'I don't know'. I guess I should've went to a podiatrist.

Do you guys have any suggestions on how to change them. Have you ever heard of this?

 

[FitFossil]

Many years ago I went to a podiatrist and got expensive orthotics. They nearly crippled me before I had the good sense to toss them.

I am a devotee of "Rolfing", also known as Structural Integration. It's a type of massage where they work on the muscle fascia, which is the connective tissue between your muscles and tendons.

The theory is that our bodies can develop tightness and imbalance over time due to weakness, injury, or a lifetime of bad habits. This is what leads to aches and pains.

After a lifetime of aches, pains, and stiffness (I was a competive rider for years and took my share of falls), I feel better at 39 than I did at 18! The only pain I get now is muscle soreness from working out, but I like that. The rolfer I went to took before and after pictures and the change in my posture is pretty dramatic.

Sometimes people say rolfing can be painful, but to me it's good pain because you feel your body release as the rolfer works through the sore spots.

http://www.rolf.org/
http://www.rolfguild.org/aboutsi.html

 

[kentucky]

Is this stuff expensive?


anybody have any other suggestions?

 

[erickthegreat11]

Cramping is usually dehydration. It could also be a muscle weakness, in that the muscle is tiring quickly.

 

[kentucky]

I drink about 1-1.5 gallon of water a day.

So what's the solution is the muscle is tiring quickly?

 

[FitFossil]

Is this stuff expensive?


anybody have any other suggestions?

An hour and a half session is $100, but may vary by area. You start with a series of 10 sessions, and each session focuses on a different area of the body, bringing the whole body into balance. So that's a $1000 investment - certainly not cheap, but it WORKED for me.

I'd tried all the other stuff like chiropractors, massage therapy, accupunture, and physical therapy over the past 20 years, and while those made me feel good for awhile, nothing lasted. Each session of that other stuff was probably cheaper, but add them all up and consider the lack of long-term results, it was money wasted.

 

[Lord_Suston]

make sure you stretch and work slowly into excecise routines. Docs don't really know much about excercises. Make sure you eat some bananas for the potassium levels will sometimes be low and cause cramping