Fitness, Health and Wellness

Working from home has become the new norm ever since the onset of the global pandemic that began in late 2019. As many of us get accustomed to continuing our 9-5 jobs while huddled on our beds, or hunched over a table at home, you might start to discover that your legs hurt – even though you’re not doing anything strenuous. Did you know that you can get leg pain just from sitting all day? Here’s everything you need to know about it and how you can relieve the pain. Change Your Workspace & Posture Most people have pain from sitting at a desk all day. Sitting in one place for long periods with minimal movement can cause blood to pool in your legs and feet, which eventually cause strain on your muscles which can lead to swelling too. One easy way to fix this issue is to change your workspace and posture. Swap your couch or bed to a desk and chair. Once you have made this change, it’s time to fix your posture. First, adjust your chair so that your elbows sit at a 90-degree angle. After that, make sure your thighs are parallel to the floor and your feet sit firm and flat. You may get foot pain when sitting if your feet dangle, even just a little bit.  To prevent this from happening, prop your feet up with a box or a table to support them. Also, did you know that sitting for too long can tighten your hamstrings and this can cause strain in your lumbar spine, also known as your lower back. To minimize straining your lower back, ensure your back is supported. Position your back to be in line with the chair back, so that your shoulder blades are pressed firmly against the back and there is no pain on your lumbar spine. If it’s still not comfortable, add a pillow behind you. Exercise & Stretch Working from home means for the most time you are seated in one place with minimum movement. This may result in leg pain when standing up from sitting. It may seem strange that your body can hurt without doing anything; but sitting for prolonged periods of time can tighten the muscles. If you’re wondering how to relieve leg pain from sitting all day, exercising and stretching periodically will do wonders to your body. Here are some easy stretches targeted at different muscles to reduce leg and upper thigh pain after sitting. For the Hip Flexors: Believe it or not, when you sit, your hip muscles are flexed. However constantly sitting means that these muscles are constantly working which can shorten and tighten the muscle. To stretch your hip flexors, do 3 sets of weighted lunges. For the Piriformis: If you’ve been asking “why does my leg hurt after sitting?” This is most likely because your piriformis has become too tight. The best thing is to hold the pigeon stretch for 10 to 15 seconds per leg and repeat this for 3 sets. For the Plantar Fascia: You may not have heard of this before, the plantar fascia is a connective tissue that runs from your heel to the front of your foot. It acts as a shock absorber and supports the arch of your foot and helps you walk. After sitting all day, you need to stretch this muscle before exercising or it will get too tight. One easy stretch is to point and flex your foot against resistance bands or belts.   Wrap it Up Finally, one of the most convenient ways you can relieve leg pain while working is by using Spryng. This is a wireless, pneumatic compression wrap that relieves aches, speeds recovery while also making your muscles feel great. After you’ve completed your stretches, wear this compression wrap which will help to further relieve any pain or tension you feel in your legs.

Whether you spend a lot of time in your vehicle as part of your job, or you are simply traveling on leisure, your legs might start to hurt after a few hours of driving. This stiffness and ache is often a result of immobility or strenuous activity focused on one muscle group far a certain length of time. There are various ways to prevent leg pain while driving which range from home remedies for leg pain and muscle cramps, like a warm or cold compress to muscle recovery tools and products. Why do your legs hurt while driving? Leg pain while driving occurs when the nerves on your back and legs are compressed and pinched over a long duration with minimal movement. While driving, your right leg is more prone to aches and soreness as it’s doing all the work from controlling the brake and accelerator. Calf pain while driving is also a common occurrence and your leg muscles will eventually cramp and get stiff from being in the same position over a long duration of time.   What causes leg pain while driving?   The pain you’d feel while driving is often described as a sharp, shooting pain that throbs in one or both legs; usually in your thighs or lower leg muscles. In some instances, you can relieve the pain by stretching your legs. You can also take your  foot off the accelerator and use cruise control. The most common leg pain while driving is a condition called sciatica. It occurs when the sciatic nerve that runs through the lower back and thigh is pinched or obstructed for a certain time period. Sciatica leg pain while driving will result in a persistent throbbing pain that shoots through both legs and lower back. Additionally, drivers could face Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness – leg pain that occurs after driving or stopping movement. Read our guide to DOMS and how you can recover and prevent it.   Don’t ignore leg pain caused from driving If you’re experiencing chronic leg pain each time you sit behind the wheel, you might need to consider scheduling an appointment with a doctor or physiotherapist. Ignoring any pain in your body, whether caused from driving, or any other physical activity isn’t advised. Finding treatments and prevention methods is essential especially if you get recurring leg pain or muscle cramps while or after driving.   Sign up Want to know more? Learn more about how Spryng can help you! Subscribe for the latest updates and deals. Treating leg muscle cramps and soreness while/after driving Once you reach your destination, walk around and do some light stretches. It’s vital to get blood circulating properly through our body after your journey ends and you stop driving. Avoid sitting for a few minutes, unless completely necessary. If you experience leg pain while driving, try repositioning your seat a bit. Many drivers feel instant relief by pushing their seat back – enough to have their legs stretched out in front of them. This is especially useful if you’re on a highway and unable to stop your car for a quick stretch-break. Additionally, you can also learn some simple car exercises to practice while driving. This could include stretching your toes, moving your shoulders and arms in circular motions or tightening and relaxing your leg/calf muscles periodically. Other ways to help relieve pain and cramps while driving is to apply a warm and cold compressor on to the stiffness of your leg muscles. A warm compress will help avoid cramps while an ice therapy will relieve any stiffness and aches in your legs. You should also wear comfortable clothing and shoes while driving and traveling long distances. If you’re looking for a muscle recovery tool that provides relief from aches and stiffness and improves circulation, Spryng is the best alternative. You can simply wear it for 15 minutes and get about your day!   FAQs Why do your legs hurt while driving? Leg pain while driving occurs when the nerves on your back and legs are compressed and pinched over a long duration with minimal movement. While driving, your right leg is more prone to aches and soreness as it’s doing all the work from controlling the brake and accelerator. Calf pain, while driving is also a common occurrence and your leg muscles, will eventually cramp and get stiff from being in the same position over a long duration of time. What causes leg pain while driving?   The most common leg pain while driving is a condition called sciatica. It occurs when the sciatic nerve that runs through the lower back and thigh is pinched or obstructed for a certain time period. Sciatica leg pain while driving will result in a persistent throbbing pain that shoots through both legs and lower back. Additionally, drivers could face Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness – leg pain that occurs after driving or stopping movement.   How to prevent leg muscle cramps while driving? If you experience leg pain while driving, try repositioning your seat a bit. Many drivers feel instant relief by pushing their seats back – enough to have their legs stretched out in front of them. This is especially useful if you’re on a highway and unable to stop your car for a quick stretch break. You can also learn some simple car exercises to practice while driving. This could include stretching your toes, moving your shoulders and arms in circular motions, or periodically tightening and relaxing your leg/calf muscles. How to treat leg muscle cramps and soreness after driving? Once you reach your destination, walk around and do some light stretches. It’s vital to get the blood circulating properly through your body after the journey ends. Avoid sitting for a few minutes, unless completely necessary.  A warm compress will help avoid cramps while ice therapy will relieve any stiffness and aches in your legs. You should also wear comfortable clothing and shoes while driving and travelling long distances.

Contrary to what most people believe, you can do your CrossFit training at home. There are plenty of CrossFit workouts (also known as “WODs”, or “workouts of the day”) that require only your body weight. Although we would not say that your living room or garage would have the same feel as a CrossFit box, you should still be able to workout a decent sweat. CrossFit for beginners at home is a great starting point for those of you who are curious about but intimidated by the idea of CrossFit and its hardcore reputation. If you are someone who has been Cross-fitting for some time now, you may have recently been forced to switch to CrossFit exercises at home, given the current situation. It is safe to say that Cross-fitters are known to be some of the most intense workout junkies around, so even a pandemic will not get in the way of your daily WOD’s. We hear you! That is why we have put together a list of some of our favorite types of CrossFit at home workouts for beginners and regular Cross-fitters alike, so that you do not fall too far behind before the doors to the gym open again. Recommended workouts The following types of CrossFit workouts are fast-paced, calorie-burning, and compact. Meaning you can perform them right in your living room, garage, or driveway! RFT workouts – RFT stands for “rounds for time,” meaning you have to complete a given number of rounds of a circuit as fast as possible. The short rest periods help develop long-lasting muscle endurance. Example workout: 5 rounds for time 50 Air squats/goblet squats 25 Sit Ups 10 Push Ups *For the goblet squats, find any object that would challenge you to hold on. Anything from a water bottle to random objects stuffed into a backpack would suffice. AMRAP Workout – AMRAP stands for “As many rounds as possible.” Complete a given exercise combination as many times as you can within a given time. Example workout: AMRAP in 20 minutes 30 double unders (or 60 single unders) 30 air squats 30 double unders (or 60 single unders) 30 reverse lunges 30 double unders (or 60 single unders) *If you do not have a jump rope, substitute the workout with 60 jumping jacks. EMOM Workout – EMOM stands for “every minute on the minute.” Start a running clock and do a set number of reps at regular intervals. Example workout: Every minute on the minute, for 12 minutes alternating between: Minute 1: Burpees Minute 2: Sit Ups Minute 3: Box Jumps Minute 4: Rest Importance of Recovery While CrossFit is a wonderful way to stay in shape, the high rep scheme, combined with the constantly varied workouts is a recipe for DOMS (Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness). Adequate rest between workouts and an appropriate recovery plan is essential for anyone who wants their workouts to be effective and help you to see meaningful results. Your soreness will peak anywhere from 24 to 72 hours (about 3 days) after your workout which can cause a bit of discomfort. Here are some helpful tips to recover faster and better from your CrossFit workouts. Active recovery Moving your legs will make them feel better and is essential for CrossFit muscle recovery. It will promote blood flow which is one of the best ways to battle DOMS. SPRYNG Active Compression Solutions With SPRYNG’s active compression sleeves, post CrossFit recovery becomes easier, and you can get back on your feet faster. SPRYNG promotes muscle recovery, driven by its unique wavetec compression pattern that helps to improve circulation, flush out lactic acid and improves oxygenation to muscle tissue. Find out more about the Science behind SPRYNG < https://spryngme.com/pages/the-science-of-spryng > Hydrate Hydration is an important aspect of recovery for CrossFit. Drinking plenty of water is important to make sure you stay hydrated while your body is building itself stronger. You use up a lot of fluids while you exercise, so make sure you replenish them.            

Chances are that as the new year dawned you’ve promised yourself to ‘get fit’ and stay healthy. Chances are, that plan may go down the gutter before March even comes around. While there may be a few common reasons we’ve all let escape our mouths at one point or the other, here are a few tips on how you can stick to your new year fitness goals this year. From planning ahead to setting small goals – it’s all about creating a new habit. Start small & be realistic about your goals Whether you’re trying to get rid of the holiday weight to simply trying to stay fit and healthy throughout the year, you need to set small goals. Workout routines for beginners will aim at targeting your entire body and help you achieve your overall fitness goal. Smaller goals will help you accomplish more and the gratification you receive from hitting that goal will motivate you to keep going. Once you’ve planned out your goals, write them down and stick it somewhere you can see clearly. Either on your wardrobe door or bathroom wall, this will serve as a constant reminder to stick to your new year’s fitness resolution. Stick to a workout routine After a few weeks, the urgency or importance of your fitness goals might start to dwindle. What is important is to keep pushing through. After a few weeks of sticking to a routine, you might start noticing some results (depending on your goals and fitness schedule), sticking to the schedule at this particular time is important. If you miss a day, make sure you resume your workout the next day. Working out is one of the best ways to alleviate your mood. It’s not only great for your body – but also for your mind.  Whether you’re stressed out at work or home, a workout will help relieve that stress and help you focus better too. Monitor your progress This is especially important. Monitor your progress. Usually, a selfie is one of the easiest ways to track it. You can also maintain a record of your statistics, such as your waist, hips, leg and arm size. If your goal is to lose weight, take a picture of your body before you start and then at regular intervals, once a month and so on and before you know it, you’ll start to see the difference. If your goal is to increase your workout distance (i.e. a longer run, cycle ride, etc.), then track it on your phone or smartwatch. Tracking your progress will keep you motivated. Partner it up Heard of the phrase ‘two is better than one’? It applies here too! If you’re wondering how to stick to a workout routine, grab a friend to do it with you. Partnering it up with a buddy will help you see your plan through until the end. With someone to motivate you and push you, even on days when you just don’t feel like it, is just what you need to stick to your schedule. Having a workout buddy will also help the two of you to commit to your routine.  Besides, having a friend to share your goals and accomplishments is always better than doing it alone! Diet A well-balanced meal is essential if your aim is to get fit and stay fit. Binge eating or ordering fast food every other night will slow down your workout progress and will eventually be a waste. An important factor to maintain your beginner’s guide to eating healthy, means incorporating a good balance of carbs, fats, proteins and essential nutrients and vitamins into your diet. Remember, the same way that fast food is bad for you, having only a salad is not the best way to go about a meal plan either. Spice up your salad with a grilled chicken leg or a slow cooked beef steak. How you cook your meals will also ensure that you enjoy the food you eat! Recovery Post workout recovery is important and how you get about it to ensure your body recovers in a healthy, effective way is crucial to sticking to your new year’s fitness resolution. Once you start your work out, sore muscles might be a recurring factor and something you’ll encounter as your fitness intensity increases. Plan for this too – a quicker recovery will not deter you from working out the next day. Whether you intend on home remedies or a convenient muscle recover product, schedule a day to let your body regroup. We often tend to take a ‘rest day’ that extends to 2-3 days longer if our muscles or body aches from the previous workout. Consider a warm bath, apply a soothing balm or invest in Spryng, the ultimate wireless, pneumatic compression wrap that relieves aches, speeds recovery, improves performance, and feels incredible! Wondering how to recover quicker from sore muscles? Read our blog on easy and effective ways to reduce muscle soreness after a workout.    

Winter seems like the perfect time of the year to hibernate. As the days get colder, shorter and grayer, there’s nothing more enticing than staying under the covers all day. However, you should try to resist the temptation to hibernate in winter as much as you can because winter is actually the perfect time to be active. If you’re not convinced, read on to find out the  benefits of staying active in winter. Benefits of staying active in winter 1. You burn more fat: research shows that colder temperatures can convert white fat in the body into brown fat, fat that actually burns calories.  2. The weather is ideal for exercise: As temperatures get cooler, you expend less energy while exercising. That also means you’re less likely to be drenched in sweat just a few minutes into your workout, making winter workouts much more pleasant.   Maintaining physical and mental health Exercising in the winter is generally recommended for people who experience Seasonal Affect Disorder (SAD) along with professional help. This is because the endorphins released as a result of exercise can elevate your mood.   How to stay motivated to workout in the winter Great, now you know the importance of staying active in the winter. But you still can’t find the motivation to exercise. Read on for tips on how to stay motivated to work out in the winter. 1. Find a workout buddy There’s a good reason why having a workout buddy is a tip almost every fitness trainer recommends. Having a workout buddy will encourage you not to bail on your partner and skip workouts. Moreover, having someone to exercise with makes staying active even more fun. 2. Try new sports, take advantage of winter sports Sometimes, we experience a drop in our motivation levels because we might just be bored. By adding something new into your workout sessions, you can motivate yourself to continue staying active in the winter. Try taking advantage of winter sports like skiing and snowboarding, for instance. Or what about snow kayaking or figure skating? 3. Plan ahead but also allow for flexibility By scheduling in your workouts, you’re more likely to stay motivated and stick to a routine. But avoid beating yourself up after missing a workout or two- this can actually end up being demotivating. Instead, focus on trying not to miss the next workout.   How to workout in the winter If you’re planning on exercising outside this winter, read on for some working out in the winter tips.  1. Dress warm Remember to layer up before you go outside to exercise. You can take off layers as your body temperature increases. Avoid wearing active wear made out of cotton, as cotton can soak up and hold in moisture. This can make you feel colder. Instead, opt for active wear made out of synthetic fibers like polyester or nylon as these materials are designed to dry quicker.   2. Drink water In the winter, you might not feel as thirsty as you would feel in the summer. However, it’s important to remember that you are still losing fluids (by sweating, for example) that you need to replace by drinking water. 3. Warm up before workouts In the winter, tight muscles are at a greater risk of injuries and strains. Therefore, warming up before workouts is very important to reduce the risk of injury.   How to work out in the winter at home/without a gym  If you cannot go outside this winter or if you prefer to stay indoors, here are some bodyweight exercises you can try at home:  1. Squats Squats are a great exercise to include in your leg workouts as it strengthens your lower body muscles as well as your core muscles. To do a basic squat, you should stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and your chest up, engaging your core. Then squat down until your thighs are parallel to the ground, making sure not to bring your knees beyond your toes. Hold this squat position for a moment and then push back to the initial standing position. Once you have mastered the basic squat, you can try different squat variations like the pistol squat, curtsey squat or the Bulgarian split squat.   2. Burpees  The burpee is a full-body exercise that increases strength, promotes cardio health, and effectively burns calories. To do a burpee, start in a squat position with your hands on the ground just in front of you. Then kick your feet back behind you so that you are in a push-up position. Bring your feet back to the original squat position. Then jump up as high as you can to a standing position. If you want to challenge yourself further, you can modify the classic burpee by adding a push-up or including dumbbells if you have them at home.   3. Planks On top of increasing core strength, planks can improve stability and posture. It’s a very simple exercise to do but it can be challenging to hold the plank position for longer periods of time. In order to avoid boredom and maintain motivation, you can try different variations of the plank like the side plank crunch, arm or leg lift plank, or the plank jack.  Recovery after workouts To experience the benefits of working out in the winter without feeling terrible after, it is important to cool down after workouts. You can do this by doing cool down stretches right after your workout. Or you can use active compression wraps, like SPRYNG, for faster recovery after workouts. SPRYNG can speed up muscle recovery by increasing blood circulation in the legs. You can learn more about SPRYNG here. 

An effective workout routine will always include a leg workout! Leg workouts target the largest muscle groups in the body and engage several other muscles such as the core and improve overall strength and fitness. However, going to the gym is not always be possible, especially with the pandemic. The best part is that it is still possible to get a great leg workout without any equipment. Read on for a few leg workouts for women without weights, inner thigh exercises, and calf exercises without equipment you can try at home. Leg Workouts for Women at Home Bodyweight squat Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, with your toes slightly turned outwards and knees slightly bent Hinge your hips forward and bend your knees until your thighs are parallel with the ground. Avoid pushing your knees past your toes As you stand up straight again, remember to engage your core and squeeze your glutes You can do either 3 or 4 sets with either 10 or 15 reps or as many as you are able to    Squat jump Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and your knees slightly bent Hinge your hips forward and bend your knees until your thighs are parallel with the ground Jump up while engaging your core and go back into a squat position You can do either 3 or 4 sets with either 10 or 15 reps or as many as you are able to   Inner Thigh Exercises at Home for Women Lateral lunge Stand with your legs together Take a wide step with your right leg to the side and bend you right knee until your thigh almost is parallel to the ground Push back to the initial standing position Repeat this exercise with your left leg You can do either 3 or 4 sets with either 10 or 15 reps or as many as you are able to  Curtsey lunge Stand with your legs together Take a big step back with your right leg so that it is diagonal to your left leg Bend your knees until your left thigh is parallel to the ground Push back to the initial standing position Repeat this exercise with your other leg You can do either 3 or 4 sets with either 10 or 15 reps or as many as you are able to  Calf Exercises for Women Jumping jacks Stand up with your legs together and your arms by your side Jump up with your legs shoulder-width apart while raising your arms out and over your head Jump back to the initial standing position Repeat the above steps as many times as you want   Calf raises Stand with your legs together Raise your heels off the ground as high as possible Hold this position for 30-60 seconds Slowly lower your heels back to the ground You can do either 3 or 4 sets with either 10 or 15 reps or as many as you are able to    Leg Day Soreness Relief - How to Help Sore Legs after a Workout After a workout, you may experience sore muscles, or Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness (DOMS). DOMS, which usually lasts around 3 to 5 days, can be extremely uncomfortable and may discourage you from completing the next leg workout. To help you deal with pain after leg workouts, we have listed a few simple remedies below.  Rest Rest days are just as important as leg days. Resting allows your lower body muscles to recover as soon as possible which alleviates the pain felt in the legs after a tough workout. However, don’t pencil in too many rest days per week as this can be counterproductive. Ice packs Applying an ice pack to the sore or injured area causes the blood vessels around the area to constrict which can help ease the pain after a tough workout.  Compression Applying pressure to the sore or injured area can also relieve pain after a leg workout. You can use active compression calf wraps like SPRYNG to ease calf muscle pain after workouts. SPRYNG relieves calf muscle pain in women by reducing the pooling of blood in the legs which improves blood circulation to the lower body. You can learn more about SPRYNG here