Heart Surgery for Lisa Curry Kenny

All of us at Krunch Fitness in Sydney wish Lisa well and we know that her strength and resolve will see her through this very trying time. Good luck Lisa.

The Australia Day Council released this Press Release today:

MEDIA RELEASE
MONDAY 31 MARCH, 2008
HEART SURGERY FOR LISA CURRY KENNY

Triple Olympian, Commonwealth Games medallist, four time Outrigger Canoe World Champion, business woman, author and mother of three, Lisa Curry Kenny AO MBE, will undergo surgery this morning (Monday 31 March 2008) to treat a heart condition.

Curry Kenny's heart is beating irregularly and erratically - a condition known as Myocarditis. Left unchecked, the condition could result in cardiac arrest. Doctors believe her heart muscle suffered injury from a viral infection which may have been compounded by a rigorous training program.

During today's surgery, the cardiologist will implant a cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) which can detect and deal with a dangerous, rapid heart rhythm by applying a burst of pacing or the delivery of an internal shock. The defibrillator will stay with Curry Kenny for the remainder of her life.

Shocked by the diagnosis, 45 year old Curry Kenny is preparing for the surgery and the changes she will have to make to her lifestyle. After the surgery, she will be under strict doctor's orders to rest completely for at least three months and her heart will be monitored regularly to ensure the defibrillator is operating correctly. She will also be on medication to unload and settle the excitability of the electrical system of the heart.

"This has been a very big challenge for me and for my family and I'm dealing with this as I have always approached big challenges - one step at a time," said Curry Kenny.

"Right now I'm just trying to walk my talk and stay positive.

"This is something I never thought would happen to me.

"The risk of cardiac arrest is very small but unpredictable and I'm not prepared to jeopardise my life for that small risk.

"I was in training to compete in the World solo long distance canoe championship race in Hawaii at the end of April.

"Training was going really well and then, one day, I just didn't feel right so for the past two months I've been undergoing tests to determine why I've been feeling unwell, but it was my paramedic training partner who guessed what it was."

Curry Kenny is concerned that many athletes may be similarly pushing themselves beyond healthy limits and wants to warn other sportspeople to be mindful of their long term health.

"This is a timely lesson for elite athletes who are pushing themselves to train as hard as they can every day and for anyone who is extremely committed to their sport and their fitness programs," said Curry Kenny.

"Many athletes continue to push themselves in training despite feeling tired or unwell, but it can be dangerous - you must listen to your body and rest when you need to in order to protect your long term health.

"I don't really know when I suffered from the virus that damaged my heart because, while there have been times I've felt lethargic or very tired, I haven't felt particularly sick.

"Right now, what's important to me as a mum and a wife is fixing this problem and regaining my full health, and I hope everyone will understand and respect our need for privacy during this time of rest and recovery."

Curry Kenny retired from the role of Chair of the National Australia Day Council this year and will receive her Order Of Australia medal from the Governor General in Canberra next week.

She won what was possibly the last race of her career at the National One Man Canoe Championships in Coffs Harbour in late January, a race she won in 2hrs, 20min as lead-up race to the five hour Hawaiian race she was training for recently.

Krunch Fitness in Earlwood, Sydney
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Krunch Fitness provides resources to empower you with knowledge and motivation to lead a dynamic life through Health and Fitness, Knowledge and Vitality. . . . Not just another Fitness Centre . . Krunch Fitness 02 9559 7787

Krunch Fitness Glossary - X-Z

Y

Yoga
Freedom of the self from its temporary state through methods such as exercise and relaxation.

Yogi
A person who practices yoga

Krunch Fitness in Earlwood, Sydney.
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Krunch Fitness provides resources to empower you with knowledge and motivation to lead a dynamic life through Health and Fitness, Knowledge and Vitality. . . . Not just another Fitness Centre . . Krunch Fitness 02 9559 7787

Krunch Fitness Glossary - U-W

U

Unilateral
Pertaining to one side.

V

Vertebrae
Individual bones that comprise the spinal column.

VO2 Max
Maximal oxygen consumption.

Volume
Refers to total work load done within the context of a training session and/or particular time frame (i.e. total sets, reps, load, etc.)

Voluntary Movement
A movement performed under the volition of an individual.

W

Whiplash
A non-medical term meaning an injury to the neck caused by hyperextension and/or hyperflexion.

Work
The product of force and distance.

Krunch Fitness in Earlwood, Sydney.
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Krunch Fitness provides resources to empower you with knowledge and motivation to lead a dynamic life through Health and Fitness, Knowledge and Vitality. . . . Not just another Fitness Centre . . Krunch Fitness 02 9559 7787

Diet . . Fitness . . Health

Look Great, Feel Great, Look After Your Health Through Diet and Fitness

By Layla Marshall

Being conscious of your health, diet and fitness is not just for people who have a weight problem but for everyone who wants to be energetic and stay younger for longer.

There are several ways to incorporate exercise and a sensible diet into your life. There's no need to go out of your way to join a gym. You can reach optimum health by monitoring what you eat and how much you exercise from the comfort of your own home.

Here are some benefits of exercising;

1. It is the easiest way to maintain and boost your metabolism
2. Studies have shown that exercise release 'feel good' hormones and can increase self esteem.
3. Exercise helps to reduce and delay the appearance of ageing.

Now don't go and participating in a marathon right away, if you've never done one before. If you've never worked out, it's best to increase the intensity of your workout gradually.

Endurance cannot be built overnight. Increasing the frequency of your workouts is also important. Workouts are pointless without a sensible diet.

You should look for guidance when it comes to planning your diet program. The reason most people find dieting frustrating is that they don't know what their doing. Getting help from a professional, i.e. a dietitian, doctor or book is a great start.

Include all food groups in your diet

Carbohydrates – wholemeal/ wholewheat bread, potatoes, bran, cereal, rice
Vitamins & minerals – fruits, vegetables, dairy foods, oily fish. Make sure to choose fruit and vegetables that have a strong colour.

Fiber – Fruit, fruit juice, oats, vegetables, potatoes, sweet potatoes, psyllium husks.
Fat (mono and polyunsaturated) – oily fish such as mackerel, salmon, tuna, olives, flaxseeds, sunflower seeds.

Get Rid of Vices

Some vices need to go when it comes to becoming more healthy. Most people smoke and drink. Smoking has been proven to cause lung cancer and other diseases as well complications for women giving birth. Excessive drinking has also shown to do the same. A drink with friends once in a while won't do you much harm. The occasional glass of wine, in fact, has been found to provide antioxidants that help to fight heart disease. Moderation is the key.

For people who don’t smoke, it is best to stay away from people who do since studies have shown that second hand smoke increases the risk of cancer.

Health, diet, fitness. The key to living a longer, healthier life. What more? You'll look great and have more energy than ever!

Are 60 Million Overweight Americans Passing Up The Simplest And Safest Reducing Plan Of All? - "Fact" Diet Succeeds Where "Fad" Diets Fail!

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Krunch Fitness provides resources to empower you with knowledge and motivation to lead a dynamic life through Health and Fitness, Knowledge and Vitality. . . . Not just another Fitness Centre . . Krunch Fitness 02 9559 7787

Easter Eggs and Staying Trim

For Easter, organize an Easter Egg Hunt for several families in the neighbourhood.

Colour the eggs first and number them from one to 100. Use as many eggs as you like, but we suggest two for every child.

Do not allow the children to see where the eggs are being hidden.

Hide the eggs in a large field, so they get lots of exercise, in a playground or school yard. Once the eggs are hidden, the children are brought to a starting line.

On the signal, they search the field for eggs. Once they find an egg they return it to the designated area where their name and the number of the egg is recorded. Once a child finds two eggs, that child can help the other children find their eggs until everyone has found two of them.

Once all the eggs are found, you may want to give the children prizes such as coloring books, crayons, balloons, Frisbees®, puzzles or comic books (no chocolate or very little if you must).

Krunch Fitness in Earlwood, Sydney
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Krunch Fitness provides resources to empower you with knowledge and motivation to lead a dynamic life through Health and Fitness, Knowledge and Vitality. . . . Not just another Fitness Centre . . Krunch Fitness 02 9559 7787

Krunch Fitness Glossary - T

T

Tactile
Pertaining to touch.

Tempo
The rate of speed of a repetition.

Tendons
A cord of dense, tough tissue connecting a muscle with a bone or part.

Testosterone
Primary male hormone responsible for skeletal muscle development.

Thoracic
The chest or rib region of the trunk consisting of twelve vertebrae.

Thorax
The region between the neck and abdomTightness Shortness; denotes a slight to moderate decrease in muscle length; movement in the direction of lengthening the muscle is limited.

Transverse Abdominus
Muscle inserting on the last six ribs, iliac crest, inguinal ligament, lumbodorsal fascia, linea alba and pubic crest; increases intra-abdominal pressure.

Trunk
The part of the body to which the upper and lower extremities attach.

TFL (Tensor Fasciae Latae)
A muscle of the hip and leg. Origin - Iliac crest just posterior to the ASIS.
Insertion - Tibia by way of the Iliotibial tract (IT band). Function(s) - Concentric - Hip flexion, hip Abduction, hip internal rotation. Isometric - Dynamic stabilization of the lumbo-pelvic-hip complex. Eccentric - Deceleration of hip extension, hip Adduction, and external rotation.

Krunch Fitness in Earlwood, Sydney.
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Krunch Fitness provides resources to empower you with knowledge and motivation to lead a dynamic life through Health and Fitness, Knowledge and Vitality. . . . Not just another Fitness Centre . . Krunch Fitness 02 9559 7787

Krunch Fitness Glossary - S

S

Saggital
The Saggital plane (otherwise known as the anterior/posterior plane), is an imaginary line that divides the body into right and left halves. Sagittal plane exercises lie on the frontal axis.

Scaption
Is a shoulder movement that is in-between a shoulder lateral raise and a front raise.
You raise your arm at a 45-degree angle from your body, so it's not straight in front (front raise) of you or straight out to the side (lateral raise) AND the thumb is pointing upward. This allows the greater tubercle of the humerus to avoid impingement with the acromion process.

Scapulohumeral Rhythm
The movement relationship between the humerus and the scapula during arm raising movements.

Soft Tissue
Usually referring to myofascial tissues, or any tissues that do not contain minerals (such as bone).

Speed
Ability to move the whole body quickly.

Stability
Remaining consistent and steady. Joint stability: Integrity of the entire joint.

Stabilization
The ability to control the body both statically and dynamically.

Stabilizer Muscle
A muscle responsible for stabilizing an adjacent segment.

Static Posture
The position of the body at rest, sitting, standing or lying.

Sticking Point
The point in a movement or exercise through which movement is most difficult.
This is especially pertinent in free motion exercises like the squat where posture and body position are so demanding - it is often very tempting to break form in order to pass through the sticking point, and that is where the body becomes most susceptible to precarious positions and potential injury. Another example: The point in the range of motion where the person performing is at a biomechanical DIS-advantage. Example: The 90-degree position in an isolated arm curl.

Stress
A physiological or psychological response to a stressor beyond what is needed to accomplish a task.

Stressor
Any stimulus or condition that causes physiological arousal beyond what is necessary to accomplish the activity.

Structural Exercises
Exercises that require neural communication between muscles, and promote coordinated use of multi-joint movements.

Subcutaneous
Below the skin.

Super Setting
Done in two ways: 1. Two exercises involving ANTAGONISTIC muscles performed back-to-back. (ex: overhead press/pull-ups) 2. Two exercises involving the SAME muscle group performed back-to-back. (ex: overhead press/lateral raise).

Supine
Lying with the face upward.

Synchronization of Motor Units
A neural factor that could increase force production. The greater the synchronization, the greater the number of motor units firing at any one time.

Syndrome
A set of symptoms occurring together, the sum of signs of a morbid (sad, melancholic) state.

Synovium
A thin layer of connective tissue with a free smooth surface that lines the capsule of a joint.

Synovial fluid
Lubricates and facilitates movements of the joint.

Krunch Fitness in Earlwood, Sydney.
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Krunch Fitness provides resources to empower you with knowledge and motivation to lead a dynamic life through Health and Fitness, Knowledge and Vitality. . . . Not just another Fitness Centre . . Krunch Fitness 02 9559 7787

Therapeutic Massage

Therapeutic Massage

You might be thinking what does getting a massage do for my health other than to make me feel good. Actually, therapeutic massage has many benefits. For example, it can help alleviate pain, reduce stress, and promote good health.

When a person gets a therapeutic massage, they are actually getting the benefit of function improvement with circulatory, muscular, skeletal, nervous systems, lymphatic, and can even help the body heal after an illness or injury.

Depending on what the specific health issue, there is a Swedish Massage, which is a more relaxing massage good for headaches, back stress, and muscle cramps, Pressure Point Therapy, helpful for some injuries as well as circulation problems, headache and muscle tension, insomnia, anxiety, and more.

Finally, Sports Massage focuses on muscle groups used for different sports. Licensed masseuse can help with the issues mentioned as well as allergies, arthritis, asthma, carpal tunnel syndrome, depression, digestive disorders, myofascial pain, limited range of motion, sinusitis, and TMJ.

The next time you tell someone you are going to get a massage, you can simply explain that it is for the benefit of your health.

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Krunch Fitness in Earlwood, Sydney.
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Krunch Fitness provides resources to empower you with knowledge and motivation to lead a dynamic life through Health and Fitness, Knowledge and Vitality. . . . Not just another Fitness Centre . . Krunch Fitness 02 9559 7787

Understanding Biofeedback

Biofeedback

Biofeedback is a method used to help blood pressure, muscle tension, heart rates, brain activity, and other bodily functions. Basically, biofeedback is a painless system that is hooked up to your body and then through electrical signals received from tightening of your muscles, you would be able to receive those signals by a light telling you that you are tightening your muscles.

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This in turn trains you to be aware of when you are bringing on stress and to help you identify when you need to relax your body. Biofeedback is very successful and can be used for migraine headaches, chronic pain, high blood pressure, epilepsy, and much more, which can occur when you tense up.

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Krunch Fitness in Earlwood, Sydney.
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Krunch Fitness provides resources to empower you with knowledge and motivation to lead a dynamic life through Health and Fitness, Knowledge and Vitality. . . . Not just another Fitness Centre . . Krunch Fitness 02 9559 7787

Krunch Fitness Glossary - R

R

Range of Motion
The range, measured in degrees of a circle, through which a joint can be flexed and extended.
Active range of motion: Voluntarily moving a joint through a controlled range of motion; active movement of a joint.
Passive range of motion: Having an external force move a joint through its range of motion.

Reciprocal Inhibition The concept of muscle inhibition caused by a tight agonist, which inhibits its functional antagonist.

Repetition
The act of repeating an action/ movement.

Resting Heart Rate
A measure of heat beats per minute when the body is completely at rest, such as in the morning right out of bed.

Rotation
Exercises or trunk movements performed in the transverse plane, around a longitudinal axis, to the left or right.

Krunch Fitness in Earlwood, Sydney.
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Krunch Fitness provides resources to empower you with knowledge and motivation to lead a dynamic life through Health and Fitness, Knowledge and Vitality. . . . Not just another Fitness Centre . . Krunch Fitness 02 9559 7787

Krunch Fitness Glossary - Q

Q

Q-Angle

The angle formed by the longitudinal axis of the femur and the line of pull of the patellar ligament

Quit

We do not know what this means!!

Krunch Fitness in Earlwood, Sydney.
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Krunch Fitness provides resources to empower you with knowledge and motivation to lead a dynamic life through Health and Fitness, Knowledge and Vitality. . . . Not just another Fitness Centre . . Krunch Fitness 02 9559 7787

Krunch Fitness Glossary - P

P

Path

Variable Many path options.

Pattern Overload

Many repetitions performed in the same pattern can lead to overloading soft tissues beyond necessary stimulus.

Pelvic Girdle

The two hip bones.

Pelvis

Composed of the two hip bones, sacrum and coccyx.

Perceived Volitional Fatigue

Similar to Rate of Perceived Exercise

The fibrous connective tissue, which surrounds the surface of bones.

Perimysium

The connective tissue enveloping bundles of muscle fibers.

Popliteal Space

The space behind the knee joint. The space is bounded by ligaments and contains soft tissue including nerves, fat, membranes and blood vessels.

Postural Response

A change of body position that leads to a change in the projection of the center of mass.

Planes

The three basic planes of reference are derived from the dimensions in space and are at right angles to each other. Types of planes: Sagittal: Is vertical and extends front to back. It may also be called anterior-posterior plane. Coronal: Is vertical and extends from side to side. It is also called the frontal or lateral plane, and divides the body into anterior and posterior sections. Transverse: Is horizontal and divides the body into upper and lower portions. It is also termed the horizontal plane.

Power

Ability to exert muscular strength quickly.

Prehabilitation

Refers to the prevention of injury by training the joints and muscles that are most susceptible to injury in an activity. Unlike rehabilitation, prehabilitation deals with injuries before they occur.

Prognosis

Prediction of the course of an injury or disease, including its end result.
Prone Lying face downward.

Proprioception

The neurological sense that allows one to know not only where one is in space, but also the position and location of each individual part and joint.

Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation (PNF)

A method of promoting a response of neuromuscular mechanisms through the stimulation of proprioceptors in an attempt to facilitate increased range of motion, increased strength and movement pattern control.

Proximal

Nearer to the center or median line, or to the thorax.

Pyramiding

Done in two ways: 1. Beginning with sets that use a lighter load and higher rep count, progressing to heavier load and lower rep count. 2. Beginning with sets that use a heavier load and lower rep count, progressing to lighter load and higher rep count.

Krunch Fitness in Earlwood, Sydney.

Krunch Fitness provides resources to empower you with knowledge and motivation to lead a dynamic life through Health and Fitness, Knowledge and Vitality. . . . Not just another Fitness Centre . . Krunch Fitness 02 9559 7787