Body, Expert advice
Fab Exercises To Get Rid Of Flabby Thighs!

K.Vijay Simha

Bachelor in Physiotherapy, Exercise Scientist, Exercise Rehabilitation Specialist

3 min read

 

For most of us who try to lose weight, there is always a struggle with certain parts of the body. The stubborn fat from these sites just don’t seem to respond well despite our repeated efforts! The lower body is the least responsive site! The arms, upper back and forearms seem to respond very quickly to weight training, but the abdomen and thighs are generally unresponsive. To bring in some significant changes to the aesthetic profile of the lower body, we need to be smart about our choice of exercises and selection of loads. So here are some exercises that not only tighten but tone the thighs too! Add the below sequence into your training routine to replace fat with muscle!

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Barbell back squat complex: No, this is not your regular back squat exercise. In this particular variation, you have to pair back squats with an aerobic exercise like rowing or skipping. This keeps UR heart rate elevated and as you progress forward in the set, it gets harder and harder. Keep in mind to choose an exercise to pair with the squat that doesn’t interfere with the quality of the upcoming sets.
Choose a weight that you can maintain for all sets. The load should be moderate enough to be able to perform 8-12 reps without compromising on the quality. Perform 4 sets of back squats for 8-12 repetitions each, paired with 30-45 seconds of an aerobic activity, followed by a minute of rest before the next set. This variation will attack the fat tissues of UR lower body and help you lose the fat.

Stair climbing intervals: Looking for a killer variation for your leg muscles? Try stair climbing for intervals at the end of UR workout. After finishing your weight training routine, adopt this variation to accelerate the rate of fat loss of UR lower body muscles. Unlike running, this variation is much harder on the cardiovascular system and the inclined terrain helps strengthen the muscles and joints of your lower body. Perform one-minute intervals with 45 seconds break between sets for six rounds and that should be it. However, those with knee pain should be careful while performing this exercise.

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Looking for a killer variation for your leg muscles? Try stair climbing for intervals at the end of UR workout.

Sled push: The sled push is a modifiable exercise which is regularly used by fitness enthusiasts’ pre or post-workout. It is great for conditioning the body for different sports or long-distance running, and some runners even use it to recover after an injury. It involves engaging UR glutes, hips, back, hamstrings, calves, core, triceps, and shoulders all at once that is why it is referred to as an all-out high intensity exercise, whether you load the sled with heavy weights or not. This is what makes it a great full-body exercise for those willing to challenge their fitness.

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Reach out for a weighted sled and push it as far as you can for as many rounds as possible, when conventional weight training tools fail to deliver its promises. Perform 4-5 sets of sled push with a minute break in between for maximum results. Increased time under tension creates an optimal environment inside the muscle cells to break down the tissues to provide the lean look that you desire. Moreover, sled push is an excellent exercise to engage all the muscles of UR lower body for prolonged durations. Just add the above variations to your routine when you hit a plateau and get confused about the best exercises to choose.

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Body, Expert advice

Know UR Body’s Limitations When UR Working Out 

We all dream of having a perfect body and there’s nothing wrong in that! In search of overnight results, we sometimes end up pushing our bodies too far. You might be looking to lose the lockdown weight fast and push your body really hard. Without putting in the time and effort towards being fit first, it is not possible. That’s where we can go wrong while we are working out. Working out is more about being aware of your body’s limits and understanding what works for you rather than getting easily distracted with someone else’s workout results. Well, there’s a way to avoid these cardinal workout mistakes and refine your workout routine. In the same path, we find ourselves trying a trending routine that gives us the toned body with minimal to no efforts. This majorly happens when we get inspired by other's routines and want the same kind of results without knowing the effort which goes into it. There are three stages which can define your workout levels Beginners are people who never worked out or made working out as a part of their daily schedule. Intermediate have a routine and are at it for some time. Advanced are ones who work out everyday and follow a certain set of workout routine. Depending on which category you fall under, your body type, BMI and other elements your instructor can easily suggest a workout routine which can work in your favour. I’ve seen many trainers do the complete opposite too, so make sure your trainer doesn’t push you too much. During the current times, where people do not prefer to go out, hitting the gym is not an option. The next best option is to keep up with their trainers virtually. This contributed to me making content on workouts and modifications. The training sessions on social media are making working out at home accessible to everyone. With so many videos being easily available it is hard for people to find the source of information and assess the reality of the workout videos. Quote: Setting realistic expectations and achieving them one day at-a-time helps you achieve your fitness goals in a healthy manner. How You Decide Your Workout Routine Depending on body type, every exercise has to be customized to an individual needs and limitations. People are trying these exercises with the hope that the harder they work, the more fit they become. But all they end up with is sore muscles, and still, some go at it day in day out until they stretch it too far - encounter a spasm or muscle strain. For example, if you are about 70 kilos and are overweight according to the BMI (Body Mass Index), taking up an hour of advance training on the first day (beginner) eventually exhausts your body. In the same way, people with medical conditions or injuries might not be able to exercise the same way in these fad workout videos. Be heedful of… 1. Identify your level of fitness Before beginning a workout, make sure you understand your needs and learn the right way to develop your strength. If you are new to start working out, start walking around the house for 10 minutes and increase the time limit as days pass by. To be fit, you need to spend the time, stick to the routine and build your core strength brick by brick. 2. Recognize your body’s needs Comparing yourselves to another's routine or other's fitness levels. Work with your body instead of overworking it. For example, if a person never did a push-up in life, they wouldn't know how to do it and couldn't do it properly. It is crucial to follow what your instructor and if you are not comfortable with an exercise, tell your trainer. 3. Set realistic expectations Your body is unique and it falls on you to be mindful of it, nurture it by selecting the right set of exercises. Setting realistic expectations and achieving them one day at-a-time helps you achieve your fitness goals in a healthy manner. 4. Give your body rest Resting your body is vital for recovery. Recovery time helps build your muscles the right way. Your instructor should always help you become aware of your resting days when you start a routine. Expert advice: It is highly important for you to discuss your medical history with your trainer to avoid injuring yourself any further. Fitness is a journey and working with your body is what you should be doing. Don’t push your body too hard just because you saw someone doing it. Don’t forget that you have to live in it for the rest of the day! Take it one day at-a-time and you will be surprised that you're closer to your fitness goals than before!

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Body, Expert advice

5 Easy Household Chores That Help You Burn Major Calories 

5 Easy Household Chores That Help You Burn Major Calories Rakesh Uddiyar Director & Founder Body Wizard Fitness Academy & Celebrity Trainer 1) Sweeping the house is a very common and practical life activity most of us regularly do. The good news is you can burn a good amount of calories with this action. Sweeping for just 10 minutes can help you burn around 37 to 40 calories. This activity requires bending, standing and movement of UR upper body due to the moving of UR hand muscles like biceps brachii, brachialis, coracobrachialis, triceps brachii, anconeus, pronator teres, anterior flexor and posterior extensor. It also involves your mid-section muscles. Sweeping helps to improve UR balance and works on UR core. When you rotate your spine during sweeping, it works on your internal major muscles known as quads, including your rectus femoris, the vastus lateralis, the vastus medialis, the vastus intermedius and so on. The whole idea is to move your body with this activity and though there is no particular way to do this, you need to ensure that you don’t put too much stress on one side. Use both your hands and both your legs while sweeping. 2) Making beds in the morning and at night also help to burn calories. This is because you need to fold the bed sheets and reopen it, depending on how many beds you have in the house. If you don’t have many beds to make, you can fold bed sheets instead. Ensure you continue with this activity for at least 10 minutes to burn 23 calories. When you do this chore, there is the involvement of your upper and lower back muscles including the muscles known as trapezius, rhomboid major, levator scapulae thoracic spine, cervical, vertebrae as well as the supraspinatus, infraspinatus, teres minor transversus abdominis, multifidus, internal and external obliques, rectus abdominis, sacrospinalis, especially the longissimus thoracis, gluteus maximus, gluteus medius and gluteus. Making the bed also works your arm muscles like biceps brachii, brachialis, coracobrachialis, triceps brachii, pronator teres, anterior flexor and posterior extensor. 3) Ironing if you’ve noticed takes a lot of patience and has to be done while you stand. This slow-paced activity is a full upper body workout as it works your shoulders, arms and back. So gather all UR unironed of wrinkled clothes and continue ironing them for at least 20 minutes to burn 50 calories. Ironing requires you to stand. This means 50% of your entire lower body and entire mid-section’s major muscles are involved to do this activity. The muscles engaged during ironing are the lower gluteus maximus, gluteus medius and gluteus rectus femoris, the vastus lateralis, the vastus medialis, and the vastus intermedius, semimembranosus, semitendinosus, biceps femoris, soleus and gastrocnemius. When you iron clothes UR abdominal and midsection muscles are engaged. You also work your shoulders and arm muscles like biceps brachii, brachialis, coracobrachialis, triceps brachii, anconeus, pronator teres, and anterior flexor and posterior extensor. 4) Mopping is a household task that can help you exercise without wasting your time. So if you’re finding it difficult to take the time out for working out – consider your mop as a piece of equipment for exercise. This mundane chore can help you burn 42 calories in 20 minutes. The muscles involved for this activity includes the biceps brachii, brachialis, coracobrachialis, triceps brachii, anconeus, pronator teres, anterior flexor and posterior extensor. You also work your midsection muscles while mopping. This activity not only helps to improve UR strength, it even works on your core. While mopping you rotate your spine so it works on your internal major muscles including your pelvic floor muscles, oblique muscles, abdominal muscles, sacrospinalis group of muscles, diaphragm and the muscles known as lower rectus femoris, vastus lateralis, vastus medialis, vastus intermedius, semimembranosus, semitendinosus, biceps femoris soleus and gastrocnemius. Depending on the way you choose do this activity, mopping requires a lot of sitting or bending. You can either do mopping standing while moving your hands with the mop from left to right or vice versa, or you can get down on the floor and squat in the Indian toilet position with a mopping cloth in your hand and adopt a left to right hand movement to clean the floor. Either way, you engage many of your muscles with this household chore. 5) Washing dishes can be a good way to unwind and exercise too. So the next time your maid doesn’t turn up – don’t complain but just head to the sink happily and start washing up! This activity will not only help you get your kitchen in order but will also help you lose weight. You can expect to burn 26 calories with 10 minutes of standing at your kitchen sink cleaning utensils. This activity requires the engagement of your upper and lower back muscles which includes the trapezius muscle, rhomboid major, levator scapulae thoracic spine , cervical, vertebrae as well as supraspinatus, infraspinatus, teres minor transversus abdominis, multifidus, internal and external obliques, rectus abdominis, sacrospinalis, especially the longissimus thoracis, gluteus maximus, gluteus medius and gluteus. Dish washing also engages the muscles of your upper arms and forearms which include the biceps brachii or simply biceps, brachialis, coracobrachialis, triceps brachii, pronator teres, anterior flexor and posterior extensor.

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Body, Expert advice

A Day In The Life Of A Nurse During Covid-19 

A Day In The Life Of A Nurse During Covid-19 Billuri Pushpanjali - Infection Control Nurse, Apollo Medical College Hospital, Jubilee Hills There is no typical day at the hospital during these challenging times, but as a nurse there are certainly things we can expect to deal with regularly. I usually wake up at 6.a.m but nothing seems to be usual about these days. We are currently dealing with a pandemic and we need to be extra cautious. This disease has changed the way we deal with our patients and has made us extremely vigilant in order to minimize the risk of contracting the virus. Before leaving my house I prepare breakfast and lunch for my four-year-old daughter and husband. I say my morning prayers, get ready and head out of the house. I live 12 kilometers away from the hospital, so it takes me around half an hour to commute. I ride a bike to work. As lock down rules apply – I’m allowed to pass only when I show my ID. My constant companions nowadays are a mask and an alcohol-based hand rub. One of the first things I do as I reach the hospital at 8.a.m is to change my mask as I enter the clinical area. I also remove my mask and wear a fresh mask while moving out. Movement is mainly restricted for covid-19 patients and also the staff handling covid-19 patients. The doffing and donning areas are strictly monitored and staff movement to the patient care area too is based on the patients need. Unnecessary exposure is avoided. Also, while going to the patient area I wear complete PPE - gown, mask, gloves, goggles, face shield, shoe cover, and head cap. 8.30 a.m. to 8.45 a.m. I head straight to the microbiology department to collect all the reports and inform the concerned departments about the same. 9 a.m. I wear a mask and gloves and go on my rounds which include monitoring and surveillance of all infection control practices in all wards. This goes on till nearly 12 p.m. during which time I complete my rounds. I check all the cleaning activities, monitor the dilutions of the cleaning chemicals, examine all the microbiological reports, check the cleaned equipment, check the cleaning protocols, monitor waste segregation practices and check the linen handling practices. I then report about the abnormal reports and communicating with the microbiology HOD and inform about the necessary measures that need to be taken up by the concerned departments. 12 p.m. to 1p.m. we have our training classes for housekeeping, security and front office departments. 1 to 2 p.m. is reserved exclusively for nurses, because they need more details. 2:15 p.m. to 3:15 p.m. I take training regarding covid-19 for the billing department, pharmacy department, intern doctors, all staff nurses, lab technicians, housekeeping, security and front office staff. Mainly I train them regarding hand hygiene practices, doffing and donning of PPE, biomedical waste segregation practices, cough etiquette, safe handling of linen, safe handling of sharp equipment and environmental cleaning. Each training session is for one hour and I usually train 2-3 departments a day. I conduct training classes to all the health care personnel regularly and daily. During these sessions we maintain social distance while communicating, always use a hand rub and face mask, and never touch the high-touch surface areas directly. We maintain at least three feet distance while communicating and during training classes at least 4 to 6 feet as there are many people. 3:30 p.m. an updated report is submitted to the Nursing Superintendent regarding all the reports, issues during the rounds, surveillance reports, cleaning activities monitoring reports etc. As times we have meetings and attend these according to the schedule planned. Hand hygiene audit is done daily under silent survey. The critical care departments are thoroughly trained regarding bundle care practices. The hand hygiene survey is to check all the staff regarding how well they are practicing hand hygiene daily and routinely in the hospital. It is mainly to reduce the risk of transmission from the health care personnel to the patients and also the staff. I also ensure that all the protocols have been displayed in all the wards. Conduct of nursing care in the isolation ward: •Nursing assessment of admitted patients •Minimizing the exposure to staff from patient •Do's and don'ts to the patient explained at the bedside with physical distance (3 feet) and the same in poster form displayed in the ward •3 layer surgical mask provided to every patient •7 a.m. the third shift nurse checks vitals, sp02, administers the prescribed drug, GRBS and food distribution (breakfast) •8 a.m. doffing of PPE and going directly to the staff isolation area (hostel) •8 a.m. first shift nurse comes for duty •12 p.m. first shift nurse follows the rounds, checks vitals, and administers medications and food distribution (lunch) •2 p.m. doffing of PPE and go directly to the staff isolation area (hostel) •2p.m. second shift nurse comes to duty •7 p.m. second shift nurse check vitals, administer medications and food distribution (dinner) •8 p.m. doffing of PPE and go directly to the staff isolation area •8 p.m. third shift nurse comes to duty 4 p.m. my duty gets over and I try to reach back home by 5 p.m. After reaching home, I instantly keep all my belongings out of my daughter’s reach. I go for a bath, wash my clothes immediately and only then do I attend to my household activities. I cook for my family and we prefer to eat fresh homemade food. I cook all south Indian dishes and ensure we have a high protein diet. My daily diet consists of egg, milk, fruit juices without ice which is freshly prepared and dry fruits soaked in water. We have non-vegetarian food twice a week. During my free time, I like to spend time with my daughter - playing, chatting, writing, singing and dancing with her. Healthcare workers are most needed during this crisis and I consider myself lucky to be able to care for patients during this difficult time. There are constant developments we get to hear of with regard to the treatment of covid-19, but in the meantime it’s best to adopt all safety measures and continue to practice hand hygiene and wear a mask. Stay strong and stay safe. We will get through this!

Billuri Pushpanjali 5 min read
 
Body, Expert advice

5 Ultimate Workouts That Need No Equipment! 

If you’re dreaming of a slim and trim body, you don’t always need an expensive gym membership or some fancy equipment. It can also be achieved by utilizing your own body weight! There are tons of home workouts that can give you positive results without any equipment. Listed here are some of the most effective workouts you can do just about anywhere! 5 Ultimate Workouts That Need No Equipment! K.Vijay Simha Bachelor in Physiotherapy, Exercise Scientist, Exercise Rehabilitation Specialist If you’re dreaming of a slim and trim body, you don’t always need an expensive gym membership or some fancy equipment. It can also be achieved by utilizing your own body weight! There are tons of home workouts that can give you positive results without any equipment. Listed here are some of the most effective workouts you can do just about anywhere! Running/Walking Focussing on cardio makes your body transform and it is not expensive too. You just need a good pair of running shoes and the willpower to run! While you are doing cardio, the maximum benefit you can gain is by pulling your navel into the core. For the newbies, you can try walking at a brisk pace or running for 15 to 30 minutes. Keep adding 5 to 10 more minutes at the end of every week. Squats Apart from working on your leg muscles, squatting is helpful for developing your core strength and stability along with upper and lower body strength. Once you perfect your form, you can move to more difficult versions over time. Push-ups A push-up is considered to be an ideal muscle-building exercise that works on UR chest, shoulders, and triceps. As you gain strength, you can progress from classic to different push-ups like elevated or decline push-ups that put more emphasis on UR shoulders, upper chest, lower chest and triceps. Crunches Crunches are helpful to tone UR mid-section. Along with other exercises, you can include crunches to develop core strength which is crucial for overall body strength and balance. Lunges Lunges work on some hard-to-reach muscles of the thighs. It’s also an ideal exercise to build lower body strength. Variation in UR exercise routine is important. Daily exercise is recommended for healthy living but when you repeat the same exercises day in and day out for a certain period, workouts become monotonous. If there is no variation in UR workouts, your body will reach the plateau stage sooner. Adding variety to your workout regimen brings changes in your strength and endurance levels which helps you to get closer to your fitness goals. Moreover, mixing different workout programmes helps you to understand the strength and weaknesses of UR body. Trying different workouts also adds fun to your workout sessions and helps you to stay motivated towards your fitness goals.

K.Vijay Simha 2 min read
 
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Body, Expert advice

Why You Should Be Exercising During A Pandemic 

The COVID-19 pandemic has thrown us a curveball. Many of us possibly thought about every aspect of our life as we are invariably living in fear of falling victim to the virus. We are ready to try everything and anything to boost our immunity. It is for a fact that working out helps boost immunity. When we say exercise, it need not necessarily mean going out of the way and doing something which UR body isn't used to. All I advise is to move UR body! To reiterate the importance of workout lets start by understanding how exercise has helped us during influenza and how it's helping us now during COVID. The Origins Of Pilates The name 'pilates' was derived from Joseph Hubertus Pilates, the man who used a combination of various exercises. This gave birth to an incredibly effective workout routine that is still trending globally! He suffered a few illnesses during his childhood, making him interested in physical fitness. He was exposed to various types of physical routines in his life before he ended up in internment during World War I. He left Germany around 1912 and came to Britain. He was trained in boxing, diving, skiing, acrobats, self-defence, to name a few. As the war broke out in 1914, Joseph was kept in internment where he developed his fitness routine by fusing several sport-specific workout variations in his unique routine. Slowly this routine was picked up by a few curious inmates stuck in internment with him. These inmates were his first students/trainees and the camp was where he introduced Pilates. The immunity developing aspect of these physical exercises came to light when the Spanish flu was at its peak in 1918. It was observed that Pilates or the inmates he trained were able to ward off the diseases successfully. He was then positioned as a nurse in the hospital wing to care for the injured soldiers. Quote: Attaching springs to the beds of the hospitals, enabled the physically challenged to get a full-body workout with ease. Today we know that piece of equipment as the Cadillac/trapeze table! Cadillac/ trapeze table Pilates was tasked to help along with the recovery of veterans who were physically challenged fighting the war. He neatly worked out a practical and innovative idea to modify his routine to suit his soldiers. Attaching springs to the beds of the hospitals, enabled the physically challenged to get a full-body workout with ease. Today we know that piece of equipment as the Cadillac/trapeze table! After the war ended, he returned to Germany and started working on reforming his techniques and incorporating techniques from the east and the west. He set up his first studio in 1923 in America, and we all know this legacy with its universal appeal. That was the beginning of an exercise powerhouse we now know as Pilates. Importance Of Working Out During COVID 1. Boosts your immunity and improves your chances of fighting the virus, flu or infection. 2. Helps release happy hormones(endorphins) in the body which keep you mentally and physically fit. 3. Reduces stress, prevents weight gain and improves your sleep. As we are living through a pandemic at the moment, it is essential to remember that when injured soldiers can have the urge to work out, we can too. While creating and adjusting to new fitness routines may take some effort, any physical activity during the coronavirus pandemic can help you optimize your health and wellbeing. Use this time wisely to make the most of your lockdown, work out at your pace and as I said before a little bit of exercise is better than no exercise. If you need a little push, then read our other article on how you can build your workout routine.

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Body, Expert advice

Unheard Health Benefits Of Squatting In The Indian Toilet Position! 

Every exercise helps tone UR body but a few positions have extraordinary benefits. Squatting Indian toilet style is one such exercise! Sitting in this position not only helps tone UR thighs, legs and glutes but also enhances UR gut health and eases bowel movements. The squatting position improves your flexibility and is also a good weight-bearing exercise that helps keep bones strong, says Dr. K J Reddy, Senior Orthopaedic Consultant and Joint Replacement Surgeon, Apollo Hospitals. According to him, most daily activities only use a maximum of 90 degree flexion at the knee. However, the knee joint is capable of flexion of up to 180 degrees and the joint is not used to its maximum potential frequently. All the joints in the body have synovial fluid which provide nutrition to the cartilage in the joints. The cartilage depends entirely on this fluid, as it has no blood supply of its own. The fluid acts as a blood substitute for the cartilage. To produce the fluid two factors are required: movement and compression. If the joint is not going through its full range of movement, nutrition will be compromised due to decreased synovial fluid production. This is what happens with the knee and hip joints - due to the lack of nutrition they start to degenerate at an earlier stage. This proves the importance of keeping active and moving joints to reduce degeneration. Squatting involves the full range of movement which helps to get rid of stiffness in joints. The squatting posture also enhances balance. It’s good to practice sitting in the Indian toilet position to make UR back strong. This in turn will help you walk, stand and sit better. Dr. Reddy recommends squatting for five-ten minutes each day (for those who don’t suffer from any previous knee or back problems). Ensure you don’t take up squatting suddenly, as it can damage the muscles and cartilages around UR knees. If you are fit, then UR knee joint will be able to handle it without any excessive damage. When you squat down, you bend UR knees and stretch UR legs. Every muscle in the legs is used while sitting in this posture. It makes UR leg muscles, hips and calves strong and enhances flexibility. When you squat UR colon is naturally compressed as the weight of UR torso is pushed against UR thighs, says Dr. K.S. Somasekhar Rao, Gastroenterologist & Hepatologist, Apollo Hospitals. Squatting also helps in coordination and strengthening of various pelvic floor muscles and requires you to strain less during defecation. This may be a taboo subject to discuss, but apparently sitting in the toilet and not squatting, can take a toll on our health. Squatting for defecation may be considered uncivilized but sitting on the toilet not only causes health hazards but also delays the elimination process. In the past, the royal families of Britain and the incapacitated used pedestal toilets. This practice soon filtered down to the common people and to the people in the third world countries. Many industrialized countries of the world also adopted the chair-like toilet. Postures adopted for defecation vary according to culture but worldwide, sitting or squatting is most common. Traditional Indian toilets require the squatting position but people in urban India prefer western toilets which require a sitting position. Squatting is a more beneficial posture as it leads to relaxation of the muscles concerned with fecal continence and defecation (puborectalis muscle), thus it widens the recto-anal angle, protects the pelvic nerves from damage due to less straining and offers better and complete elimination. In the latter part of the 19th century, there was a surge in pelvic diseases linked to the alteration in toilet habits. But the theory that posture during defecation can cause diseases of the bowels was ignored at that time. From the beginning of time, humans have always been squatting to defecate, evident by the fact that children from every culture unconsciously squat for defecation. This is because the human anatomy is naturally designed to function better in this position. The squatting position is considered to be the most appropriate way to defecate as the abdominal muscles work better and there is total elimination, unlike with the sitting posture whereby the abdominal muscles are not supported leading to health hazards later on. It seems like the human body is actually designed to eliminate waste while squatting, as sitting makes elimination incomplete and difficult. If you’ve been experiencing bloating, constipation and hemorrhoids, sitting on the toilet may be to blame! Dr Rao further explains that the squatting posture helps to relax the puborectalis muscle leading to the straightening of the anorectal angle which in turn allows the bowels to eliminate fully. By squatting, the kink - which is at the rectum entry point, is unlocked as the sigmoid colon is lifted. The sigmoid colon is the s-shaped last portion of the large intestine that leads to the rectum. As pressure is taken off from the puborectalis muscle by squatting, incontinence is prevented. Coordinated movement of multiple abdominal and pelvic muscles results in a normal defecation process. Uncoordinated movement of pelvic floor muscles (Pelvic dyssynergia) is the most common cause of constipation seen in all age groups. Predominantly females after child-bearing age are most affected. The squatting position during defecation is recommended to ease constipation of any type. Despite the multiple health benefits of squatting in the Indian toilet style, Dr. Reddy warns that before you take up this exercise, it’s good to be mindful of the fact that if this posture is held for too long, it can also cause joint damage and also lead to osteoarthritis, according to some studies. Do things in moderation, make small lifestyle changes and see a drastic difference in UR health.

UR 5 min read
 

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