4 ms·

When I started taking my daughter to daycare(1300 metres and ~15min with the stroller one way) I noticed a positive change - but it was mostly about loosening u

by Tade0 3y ago

When I started taking my daughter to daycare(1300 metres and ~15min with the stroller one way) I noticed a positive change - but it was mostly about loosening up my shoulder muscles and lubricating my joints - stuff that previously made all other activities surprisingly energy-consuming. Cycling 2+ hours weekly on top of that was the real bump in fitness. It's still the bare minimum a person should be doing, but it's nice to finally be able to sit comfortably after all these years. First weeks were rough though - it felt as if I was morphing into something else - something with a higher lung capacity.

michael1999 3y ago
You probably were. Tight shoulders and ribs inhibit inhalation. Once you loosen up and grow stronger, you will increase the volume of your ribcage. As you do that, the tissues of the lungs unfold or stretch to fill them. Some corners of your airway will get cool/fresh air for the first time in ages. It all feels pretty odd -- tickles, itches, or even a fearful asthma response.
- superturkey650 3y ago
  Just reading this comment made my lungs feel constricted and caused a subconscious deep breath to fill them up.
- Tade0 3y ago
  Wow, so it wasn't just my imagination, good to know.
- oarfish 3y ago
  What's the clinical definition of "tight shoulders" and is it shown to correlate significantly with inhalation problems?
  - michael1999 3y ago
    You need a cite to understand that the bellows of the ribs might be constrained by tension held in the intercostals and shoulder girdle? Lol. Here ya go. https://academic.oup.com/ptj/article/86/3/345/2805157 https://academic.oup.com/ptj/article/86/3/345/2805157 The diaphragm is also a muscle, and can be trained. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1746068914000650#:~:text=Our%20results%20demonstrate%20that%20diaphragm,respiratory%20pressures%20and%20pulmonary%20function https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S17460....
    - oarfish 3y ago
      First paper does not seem to support your point, as it is about respiratory musculature, not shoulders.
  - throwaway9274 3y ago
    >What’s the clinical definition of “tight shoulders”? Chronic contraction of the upper trapezius. >[I]s it shown to correlate significantly with inhalation problems? There’s not much in the medical literature beyond noting that that upper trapezius is an accessory muscle in expanding the lungs. (MDs correct me if this is wrong.) Physiotherapy research is less rigorous but more expansive on the point. See e.g. Kim et al. >BACKGROUND: Forward head posture (FHP) causes changes in the strengths and rigidities of cervical muscles. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to investigate correlations between FHP and respiratory functions and the muscle activities of respiratory accessory muscles in young adults in their 20s. METHODS: A volunteer sample of 33 healthy young adults participated in this study. Craniovertebral angle (CVA), cranial rotational angle (CRA), vital capacity (VC), forced vital capacity (FVC), forced expiratory volume at 1 second (FEV1), peak expiratory flow (PEF), maximal voluntary ventilation (MVV), and sternocleidomastoid (SCM) and upper trapezius activity ratios were measured. RESULTS: Significant positive correlations were found between CVA and VC, FVC, FEV1, PEF, and MVV, and a significant negative correlation was found between CVA and SCM activity ratio. Significant negative correlations existed between CRA and VC and FVC, and significant positive correlations between CRA and SCM and upper trapezius activity ratios.
moffkalast 3y ago
> lubricating my joints And I thought robots weren't allowed on HN. /s But seriously how do you do that exactly? Take some olive oil and inject it into your knees?
- RangerScience 3y ago
  AFAIK, movement. Like, there’s parts of your elbow that get pretty much zilch for blood flow. Movement literally gets the fluids “pumped” in those places. Also, something-something your body will produce the right fluids when “prompted”, just like it’ll grow muscle when “prompted”.
  - moffkalast 3y ago
    TIL, interesting.
- esperent 3y ago
  Exercise increases synovial fluid production. Synovial fluid is joint lubricant. So exercising does literally lubricate the joints. Olive oil is also potentially beneficial for joint lubrication when combined with exercise according to this study: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0955286313001514 https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S09552... However, you probably shouldn't inject it. A more normal way of getting things like this into your body is to eat them.
  - alex_lav 3y ago
    Worth adding high doses of fish oil have the same results. This is common in strength training and athletic communities. I take handful each morning and feel great.
    - wredue 3y ago
      The fish burps aren’t my favourite thing.
tootie 3y ago
I've been doing that for going on 15 years and I have to say whatever benefit has worn off long ago. Whatever new baseline just become the new normal.
- pastage 3y ago
  Doing everyday Cardio is very beneficial if you are going to do high intensity cardio. If you try to only do high intensity you might be able to keep that max output a week or four, but that retention time can be doubled if you continue with daily low intensity cardio. It is often vizualized as a pyramid you need a good base to be able to keep max going. So even if you only do a daily commute you have an easier time getting better.

by Tade0 3y ago

michael1999 3y ago

You probably were. Tight shoulders and ribs inhibit inhalation. Once you loosen up and grow stronger, you will increase the volume of your ribcage. As you do that, the tissues of the lungs unfold or stretch to fill them. Some corners of your airway will get cool/fresh air for the first time in ages. It all feels pretty odd -- tickles, itches, or even a fearful asthma response.

superturkey650 3y ago
Just reading this comment made my lungs feel constricted and caused a subconscious deep breath to fill them up.
Tade0 3y ago
Wow, so it wasn't just my imagination, good to know.
oarfish 3y ago
What's the clinical definition of "tight shoulders" and is it shown to correlate significantly with inhalation problems?
- michael1999 3y ago
  You need a cite to understand that the bellows of the ribs might be constrained by tension held in the intercostals and shoulder girdle? Lol. Here ya go. https://academic.oup.com/ptj/article/86/3/345/2805157 https://academic.oup.com/ptj/article/86/3/345/2805157 The diaphragm is also a muscle, and can be trained. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1746068914000650#:~:text=Our%20results%20demonstrate%20that%20diaphragm,respiratory%20pressures%20and%20pulmonary%20function https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S17460....
  - oarfish 3y ago
    First paper does not seem to support your point, as it is about respiratory musculature, not shoulders.
- throwaway9274 3y ago
  >What’s the clinical definition of “tight shoulders”? Chronic contraction of the upper trapezius. >[I]s it shown to correlate significantly with inhalation problems? There’s not much in the medical literature beyond noting that that upper trapezius is an accessory muscle in expanding the lungs. (MDs correct me if this is wrong.) Physiotherapy research is less rigorous but more expansive on the point. See e.g. Kim et al. >BACKGROUND: Forward head posture (FHP) causes changes in the strengths and rigidities of cervical muscles. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to investigate correlations between FHP and respiratory functions and the muscle activities of respiratory accessory muscles in young adults in their 20s. METHODS: A volunteer sample of 33 healthy young adults participated in this study. Craniovertebral angle (CVA), cranial rotational angle (CRA), vital capacity (VC), forced vital capacity (FVC), forced expiratory volume at 1 second (FEV1), peak expiratory flow (PEF), maximal voluntary ventilation (MVV), and sternocleidomastoid (SCM) and upper trapezius activity ratios were measured. RESULTS: Significant positive correlations were found between CVA and VC, FVC, FEV1, PEF, and MVV, and a significant negative correlation was found between CVA and SCM activity ratio. Significant negative correlations existed between CRA and VC and FVC, and significant positive correlations between CRA and SCM and upper trapezius activity ratios.

moffkalast 3y ago

> lubricating my joints And I thought robots weren't allowed on HN. /s But seriously how do you do that exactly? Take some olive oil and inject it into your knees?

RangerScience 3y ago
AFAIK, movement. Like, there’s parts of your elbow that get pretty much zilch for blood flow. Movement literally gets the fluids “pumped” in those places. Also, something-something your body will produce the right fluids when “prompted”, just like it’ll grow muscle when “prompted”.
- moffkalast 3y ago
  TIL, interesting.
esperent 3y ago
Exercise increases synovial fluid production. Synovial fluid is joint lubricant. So exercising does literally lubricate the joints. Olive oil is also potentially beneficial for joint lubrication when combined with exercise according to this study: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0955286313001514 https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S09552... However, you probably shouldn't inject it. A more normal way of getting things like this into your body is to eat them.
- alex_lav 3y ago
  Worth adding high doses of fish oil have the same results. This is common in strength training and athletic communities. I take handful each morning and feel great.
  - wredue 3y ago
    The fish burps aren’t my favourite thing.

tootie 3y ago

I've been doing that for going on 15 years and I have to say whatever benefit has worn off long ago. Whatever new baseline just become the new normal.

pastage 3y ago
Doing everyday Cardio is very beneficial if you are going to do high intensity cardio. If you try to only do high intensity you might be able to keep that max output a week or four, but that retention time can be doubled if you continue with daily low intensity cardio. It is often vizualized as a pyramid you need a good base to be able to keep max going. So even if you only do a daily commute you have an easier time getting better.