With the impact-free nature of cycling, many people turn to the sport to spare potential knee injury. However, cycling can cause knee injuries for several reasons. The most common reasons for knee injuries related to cycling are improper training,...
According to the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, 90 percent of disc herniations occur between the fourth and fifth (L4/L5) lumbar (lower back) vertebrae. An L4/L5 bulging disc, or disc herniation, can cause significant symptoms in the...
The Mayo Clinic states that sciatica is pain that travels along the path of your sciatic nerve, from your lower back to your lower leg. Your sciatic nerve is the longest and thickest nerve in your body. There are over a dozen possible causes of...
The sciatic nerve is the largest nerve in the body. It consists of 5 nerves that emerge from the lower spine, and resembles a thick, flattened cord. It extends down the back of both legs and into the feet. The sciatic nerve can be as thick as a...
Ossification is the process of bone formation beginning at birth, and although your bones stop growing once you have reached adulthood, a constant cycle of regeneration continues. Bruising your ribs triggers healing mechanisms that rely on various...
Low levels of vitamin D can cause muscle weakness and bone pain. The vitamin is stored in the liver where it is then metabolized. Because vitamin D is needed for bone formation and growth, deficiency decreases calcium absorption in the body and...
l-carnitine, which is derived from the amino acid lycine, is good for you because it promotes energy production from fat and helps treat heart and nervous system conditions. Produced primarily in the liver and kidneys, l-carnitine is stored in the...
Calf and shin pain is common in athletes and non-athletes alike. The cause of pain and discomfort in the lower leg can be due to any number of factors including overuse of the muscles, poor footwear, poor circulation or trauma caused by an...
According to the South Florida Institute of Sports Medicine, swelling around one ankle can compress local nerves, causing toe numbness. Injuries that can lead to ankle swelling and toe numbness include ankle sprains, impingement syndrome and blood...
A lower back or lumbar discectomy procedure removes all or part of the cartilaginous disks found between your vertebrae. When these disks shift position -- or herniate -- they can cause numbness and pain in the lower legs, incontinence, and muscle...
There are several types of hereditary neuropathies, which can affect the motor, sensory or autonomic nerves, or a combination of different nerve types. Symptoms depend on the type of nerve affected. The severity of symptoms vary greatly between...
Calcium is a mineral that the body needs to maintain the strength and density of bones. It combines with phosphorus to form calcium phosphate, which assists in providing the structure as well as the strength to the bones. Calcium is also important...
Shin splints are a common injury that cause pain in the lower part of the leg. They are considered an overuse injury, and the hairline fractures that occur are often due to training too hard, too fast or improperly. If an unconditioned person...
Vitamin D serves an important role in the absorption of calcium and phosphate for proper bone health but also plays a protective role against a variety of diseases. Vitamin D comes from foods such as milk, cheese and certain fish but is also...
Swimming is a low-impact activity that can help prevent injuries, but weakness in your left leg can interfere with your workout. Contact your doctor if you have significant weakness in one leg while swimming because you might have an underlying...
Vitamins are chemical substances required by the body for normal growth and development. Vitamins D and B12 are two of a total of 13 vitamins that the body needs. Each vitamin has a specific function and an insufficient quantity of any vitamin...
Strength training can greatly improve your biking ability. To get the most out of your off-bike workout, warm up with some light aerobic exercise and do a little stretching, recommends Ed Burke, author of "Serious Cycling." The specific exercise...
The sciatic nerve starts in the lower back and runs down the back of the legs. When this large nerve becomes inflamed, the condition is called sciatica in medical terminology. This can cause pain, numbness and tingling throughout the nerve's...
Vitamin D is an organic nutrient found in some foods and is synthesized naturally by the human body. Vitamin D is a fat-soluble nutrient, meaning that the body can store excess amounts and use it when needed. When you don't produce or get enough...
The spinal column is comprised of bones, called vertebrae, and soft spongy discs that separate the vertebrae. Housed within and protected by this spinal column is the spinal cord, a collection of nerve fibers that runs from the brain to the bottom...
Weak lower back muscles often result in pain and discomfort after standing or carrying objects. Dumbbells are generally used to work the muscles of your arms and legs, but also to strengthen the lower back. If your doctor gives you her nod of...
The thyroid gland, a small butterfly-shaped gland in the front of the neck, regulates the body's energy level. When it is slow, which is called underactive thyroid or hypothyroidism, all the of body's processes slow down, including pulse and...
The term spondylosis is used to indicate degenerative changes to the discs and vertebrae in the spine. It has also been called degenerative disc disease. It happens as the discs located between the vertebrae begin to lose their fluid. In addition,...
Vitamin D acts throughout the body; it is involved in bone development and bone calcification. Activation of vitamin D takes place in the skin; sunlight is needed for this to occur. Sufficient sunlight is needed for adequate concentration of...
Myelin is the outer covering of the nerve fibers. Demyelinating diseases involve damage to this outer covering. With the myelin damaged, the nerve impulses can no longer communicate effectively, and symptoms such as muscle spasms, problems walking...
Adequate daily intake of vitamin D is 5 mcg up to age 50, 10 mcg from 51 to 70 and 15 mcg over age 70, notes the Office of Dietary Supplements. Synthesis of vitamin D is triggered in the skin via sun exposure. Primary dietary sources include dairy...
Shoes -- or more specifically, poorly fitting shoes -- are a leading cause of foot pain. But walking around without them isn't always an option. One alternative is wearing exercise shoes that have a similar effect on your feet as walking in sand....
As its name implies, jumper's knee affects athletes in sports that involve a lot of jumping, like track and field, basketball and volleyball. However, patellar tendonitis, as the condition is more formally referred to, affects athletes in other...
Lumbar radiculopathy, is a medical condition in which the spinal root nerve is compressed or irritated. The symptoms of lumbar radiculopathy will vary depending on the nerve root that is compressed, however sciatica is the most common symptom of...
