Heed the Pain

I was reading the papers yesterday when I came across the term "Stress Fracture". It happened to basketball star Yao Ming when he had to undergo surgery on his left foot due to stress fracture, caused by extensive exhaustion from playing. Stress frature is not like a fracture or breaking of the bone but is caused by constant trauma to the bone with insufficient rest and repair and this causes the bone to weaken over time. According to the article (The Sunday Times, Lifestyle section, "Bones Feel Stress of Bad Break", 13 April 2008, P.9), stress fracture is most often caused by an increase in the intensity or impact during exercise and improper protection and support from your shoes or equipments used. Besides high-impact exercise, people who are obese, tall in stature, wear heels, have irregular menstruation or suffering from osteoporosis and poor diet are also prone to such frature. I started to worry a bit when I finish reading the article as I have a nagging pain in my right knee for the past two weeks. Its not very painful and it doesn't hurt when I walk. But it hurts when my right leg is turned a certain angle or when I moved or get up after sitting or standing for a long while. It also hurts when I get up in the morning and after my gym class and running. I should have change my pair of running shoes some time ago. Guess the support and cushion has wore out and the impact from running has gone to my knees. Prevention is better than cure so I must replace my shoes. Always wear the proper footwear according to the type of activity you are doing, do exercise that strengthens the muscles and take more calcium and vitamin D! Hope I can still run......:(

Also read from the same paper that drinking tea is good for the brain as tea contains a natural compound called catechins. It protects the brain cells from the build-up of damaging protein over the years and this maintains the cognitive ability of the brain ("Give your Brain a Tea Break", The Sunday Times,, Home section, 13 April 2008, P.1). Hmm...lots of readings about health for a day....haha

Watched Street Kings on sat with suz and YA. Keanu Reeves' age seems to have shown in the movie as he looked slightly older than before. I think the last time I saw him on the big screen was in the movie "The Lake House", a romantic love story starring alongside Sandra Bullock. He was really good-looking in that movie....anyway Street Kings is average. Probably should catch it on a weekday to save the money if you intend to watch it.

Looking forward to the day.....

14 Apr 2008 10.05pm