Today I have some Q&A from EFI readers and answers from Shawna K about burpees and jump rope.
If you have questions or feedback, please keep them coming (Reply to this email or email me at support(at)exercisesforinjuries.com).
Enjoy!
~ Rick
Question #1:
My problem with the Burpee is when I hop out, the impact on the toes transfers to my left knee and is painful.
In the same way, from a push up position, if I open and close my legs, I get that pain in the knee. I can walk in and out of the Burpee without problem.
Q
Shawna K’s Answer :
The great thing about the burpee is that it can be modified to fit any fitness level, and you can also work around the injury by doing a modified burpee version. I’m happy to hear that you can do the burpee walkout pain-free.
I suggest doing the Burpee walkout for now until you get your knee issue solved.
Thank goodness for our good friend Rick K who can help you with that issue.
I’m all for ‘pain’ in a workout, but it has to be the correct type of pain. Any pain from a joint or unilaterally is generally bad news. Pain in the muscle belly evenly on both sides of the body is usually the kind of pain I encourage.
Thanks for your question. It’s best to address this now. Please work within a pain-free range of motion on the burpee and any other exercise, and take care of the knee before it becomes more serious.
I know Rick will work with you to get you up to full speed and do regular Burpees in no time.
Rick’s Reply:
Okay, let me jump in here.
You are loading your quadriceps, and this excessive loading is putting a lot of stress on your knee cap. It sounds like when you come out of the plank and move to stand. There are things that you can do. Let me give you a few ideas.
Things that you can try:
- When coming out of the plank and tucking your knees, try to land more on your mid-foot and heel compared to your toes
- When you come out of the knee, tuck to a standing position, and try the full-body extension with a focus on pushing through the mid-foot and heel.
- Before your workout, work on foam rolling your quadriceps, stretching your quads, stretching your hip flexors, and performing some bodyweight squats.
Give that a go, and let us know how it goes.
If you want to check out Shawna K’s Challenge Burpee program, which is full of all kinds of burpee workouts, you can here:
Question #2:
Any suggestions for shoes when jumping rope? I used to love it but now that I’m on my feet 12 hours a day my feet aren’t as thrilled with it anymore.
Thanks.
Susan
Shawna K’s Answer: Susan, I suggest a cross-trainer or aerobic dance shoe for rope jumping.
Contrary to running, which stresses the heel, most of the stress of jump roping hits the forefoot. Most of the impact falls on the ball of the foot. For that reason, your shoes need reinforced toes and ample foot cushioning.
You want good cushioning under the forefoot and good lateral stability. Running shoes have more cushioning under the heel and don’t generally have good lateral stability. You also want shoes with smooth sides and bottom surfaces (nothing that will snag the rope).
Choose whichever brand fits your feet the best and meets the abovementioned criteria. In the end, the shoe should feel good when you bounce up and down on the balls of your feet and when you move your feet around.
If you want to learn more about shoes and how they affect your foot pain, check out Plantar Fasciitis Relief In 7 Days.
That is all, folks.
Have a great Friday.
Rick Kaselj, MS
