The Massage Geek^® Blog

Is it essential to stretch and be flexible? I think yes, it is. Can a person stretch too much? Yes. Here is a very interesting New York Times article about the economy of flexibility. According to them, the more flexible a runner is the lower their performance. And they are probably right.

For years I have been telling my clients to NOT stretch before an event for this very reason. Instead, I recommend they stretch AFTER an event. But the purpose is not to lengthen a muscle or stretch out tendons and ligaments. The purpose is to separate the fibers and layers of tissue to prevent adhesions. THAT kind of suppleness will serve you quite well. And I think that is why resistance stretching is so effective. The best analogy I can think of is those 3M Command adhesive strips. Pull them taut and slow, voilà! Unstuck.

Someone might say “But Lynn, if you are more flexible you can extend further and your running stride will be longer and more fluid.” I would answer “Yes. If you are STRONG at your end-range.” If your are just loose and weak, the flexibility will not improve your performance and possibly will be detrimental. Hm. I see opportunity for injury here. I surmise this weakness is why the loose feeling after a stretch does not last (as mentioned in the article). This is why resistance stretching is doubly effective. It builds strength at the end-range.

I’m starting to sound like a commercial for resistance stretching. That is not my intention. Resisted and passive stretching make good partners. Passive stretching seems to target the attachments and tendons while resisted stretching seems to target the belly of the muscle.

Here is an excerpt from the article:

“…they found that, across the board, the tightest runners were the most economical. This was true throughout the groups and within the genders. The inflexible men were more economical than the women, and for both men and women, those with the tightest hamstrings had the best running economy. They also typically had the fastest 10-kilometer race times. Probably, the researchers concluded, tighter muscles allow “for greater elastic energy storage and use” during each stride. Inflexibility, in other words, seems to make running easier.”

It is that time of year again in Minnesota when the air becomes crisp and the humidity drops.  That means it is the beginning of the season of cracked skin on our heels, thumbs, and fingers.

As a massage therapist I am vigilant about keeping my hands moisturized and soft.  Which can be difficult since I have to wash my hands frequently.

Here is what I have learned about preventing cracked skin around the fingernails and heels:

Find a good hand lotion and keep using it.  It will keep the skin from getting dried out and hard.  I like  Neutrogena Norwegian Formula creams.  A little goes a long way.

But, once the skin is already dry and starting to harden, the best thing to do is file the skin down.  For example, on the heel you will start to see dry flakes forming in lines on the edge of the sole.  But it is not the dryness of the skin that will actually make it crack open into those painful, bleeding cracks.  That is the result of the hardness of the skin.  Use a file to file down the flakes and any hard skin.  Once you get down to soft skin you can moisturize again.  Use a fingernail file for the skin around the fingernails.  For the feet you will need a special foot file.

DO NOT file wet or damp skin.  Make sure you skin is free from lotion, water, or oil before you file.  Otherwise you will end up filing away good, healthy skin.  The filing should not hurt.  If it does hurt, then you have filed too deeply.

If your heel is already cracked open and bleeding or red, do your best to file down the hard edges on either side.  Then apply an antibiotic ointment, if it is safe for you to do so.  Ask your doctor if necessary.

I have tried MANY over-the-counter creams and lotions that promise soft feet or say that they will prevent or even heal cracked heels.  NONE of them have worked.

This type of cracking around the nails and heels is different from the cracking that occurs in the soft skin in creases between the fingers or between the toes.  I have never had that kind of cracking, so I don’t have any wisdom or experience to pass on in regards to it.  I would guess that is more likely caused by bacteria and excess moisture and would suggest a routine of washing hands thoroughly and then drying hands thoroughly.  I have heard good reports about a cream called “Look No X E Ma” from Four Elements.