29th February 2012

Tower Running is taking off as a top sport

We all know how tiring walking up stairs can be, hence the popularity of ‘taking the lift!’ But how about running up several flights of stairs or, better still, Tower running – sprinting up 86 flights of stairs to the top of the Empire State Building?

Every year approximately 650 runners sprint to the top of one of New York’s most iconic landmarks in the Empire State Building Run-Up event.

This year was the 35^th time this demanding 1,576-step vertical climb, which sees runners start at the ground floor and finish at the Observation Deck, has taken place.

This gruelling activity is emerging as a competitive sport known as ‘skyscraper runner’, ‘tower running’ or sometime ‘competitive stair climbing’, and is attracting some of the world’s top athletes.

Other Tower Running events, which see participants sprint and scramble up vertical stairways against the clock, are being held at some of the world’s tallest buildings asides the Empire State building, including Chicago’s Willis Tower, the Taipei 101 in Taiwan and the Menara Tower in Kuala Lumpar, Malaysia.

Both male and female athletes are getting a taste for ‘tower running’. In last year’s Empire State Building Run-Up, Thomas Dold, an athlete from Germany won the race, sprinting up 86 floors in just over ten minutes. Whilst the woman’s race was won by Australian Alice McNamara, who reached the Observation Deck from ground zero in little more than 13 minutes.

Cindy Harris from Indianapolis regularly competes in these ‘tower running’ events and, during the last 13 years, has managed to finish in the top three women.

Talking about how she trains for ‘tower running’ competitions, Ms Harris told MSCBC Health.com that she trains in the stairwells of 15-storey and 30-storey buildings twice a week, as well as practising Pilates and competing in regular 5 km races and half marathons.

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28th February 2012

The Mio Cyclo 305 – At last a Sat Nav for cyclists!

From being in constant fear of being run off the road by irate truck drivers, to suddenly finding a cycle lane has abruptly finished, cyclists certainly seem to be on the lowest rung of the road domination ladder!

When therefore, personal navigation specialists Mio announce the launch of a sat nav for cyclists, bicycle riders around the world should rejoice and see the arrival as a step forward in their race to be considered a worthy contender of the road!

These nifty devices fit inconspicuously on the bike frame and comprise of large buttons that can be easily controlled without the expense of having to slow down or, worse still, dismount your bike!

And, being waterproof, shock-resistant, and having a three-inch anti-glare screen, cyclists can rely on their Mio Cyclo 305 sat nav regardless of weather conditions and whether it will fail to function properly if they happen to take a tumble from their bike.

Coming equipped with pre-installed maps from leading digital map makers, TeleAtlas, cyclists can plan their routes with the Cyclo 305.

One novel feature of this  is a “surprise me” option, which basically takes cyclists on a magical mystery tour down country lanes, through cows fields and paths so narrow only bikes can fit down them, until they eventually reach their chosen destination.

Using Mio’s desktop software, cyclists can even share information such as location, time, distance, speed and number of calories consumed with other Mio-using cyclists.

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27th February 2012

How to treat social anxiety naturally

Social Anxiety Disorder, also known as Social Phobia, is when an individual has intense and unreasonable fear in social situations. Sufferers often feel as though they are being judged by others or will humiliate and embarrass themselves in public.

In severe cases, those with Social Anxiety Disorder go to extreme lengths to avoid social situations, such as isolating themselves from others by not leaving the house.

The exact causes of Social Phobia are not entirely known and whilst some experts relate it to genetics, as a tendency to be anxious, shy or sensitive seems to run in families, some relate it to a person’s upbringing, if their parents criticized them regularly or if a person was bullied at school may have influenced an adult’s ability to cope socially.

The good news is that you can control and successfully treat social anxiety naturally.

There are several natural remedies that, for many individuals suffering from acute social tension and shyness, have proved successful in helping them to deal with social situations more relaxed and confidently.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) – CBT aims at changing a patient’s unconscious perceptions of their perceived ‘danger’ associated with social situations.

The patient and CBT therapist may carry out role plays and rehearse the situations they deem fearful. This type of therapy includes a gradual exposure to social situations that an individual fears until they are no longer anxious or worried about a particular situation.

Progressive Relaxation – Similar to CBT a trained psychologist can help patients overcome their fears of social situations by using various relaxation and coping strategies and techniques.

The aim of Progressive Relaxation therapy is that a person eventually feels more control in social situations.

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24th February 2012

Who is the best person to treat sports injuries?

So you’ve got a sports injury, you’re going to be out of action for several weeks, and your desperate to be ‘cured’. Whilst some people are telling you to see a physiotherapist, others are telling you to a podiatrist, and some have even mentioned seeing osteopathic expert, leaving you a little confused about who is the best person to treat sports injuries?

If this situation sounds familiar then read on as we explain which experts deal with what complaints.

Physiotherapists – Physiotherapy is an extremely broad term and most physiotherapists specialise in particular areas of the body. Physiotherapy involves the physical manipulation of an affected area using numerous well-established treatments and techniques.

There are also sports physiotherapists available who deal specifically with sports injuries. Your GP can refer you to a physiotherapist on the NHS but it may take several weeks for an appointment. Alternatively you can visit a private physiotherapist almost immediately but this may be quite costly.

Chiropractors – Chiropractors deal specifically with problems with the bones, muscles and joints and the effects these problems have on the nervous system.

Paying particular attention to the spine, chiropractors use physical manipulation to treat painful areas, but are essentially associated with treating back problems. If your sports injury is related to your back it may be sensible to see a chiropractor although your GP will be able to advise you.

Osteopaths – Osteopathy is a complementary treatment which focuses primarily on muscular-skeletal injuries and complaints.

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23rd February 2012

Magnetic therapy to treat foot problems

Using magnetic therapy to treat foot problems.

Our feet do a lot of work. Think about it, they support our body weight all day long, they are forced to bear the brunt of four-inch heels and then they have to pound the streets and take us on a five-mile run!

It’s no wonder our feet get tired and suffer a few complaints now and then. From cramp and swollen ankles, to clogged arteries in the legs and heel and arch pain, magnetic therapy can help to treat foot problems.

According to practitioner Rosemary Skinner poor blood circulation is often the guilty party in contributing to a whole host of foot problems. Magnetic therapy to treat foot problems makes sense, it helps improve the blood circulation and therefore increasing the blood supply, helping to alleviate conditions such as cramp, swollen ankles and clogged arteries in the legs.

In her book ‘Magnetic Therapy – a Powerful Healing Force’, Dr Skinner explains that elderly people who suffer from conditions such as cramps in the feet and legs, poor blood circulation, cold and sweaty feet and blocked arteries in the legs, can benefit by placing magnets under the soles of their feet for 20 minutes in the morning and 20 minutes in the afternoon.

Dr Skinner advises to place the North Pole of the magnet under the right foot and the South Pole of the magnet under the left foot for optimal results.

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