Athletes need more sleep. Our comfort products can help.

Athletes are always on the go, on and off the field, and less sleep can mean more injuries. Players who got less than six hours of sleep per night had an increased rate of injury during games, according to a University of California study; making choosing comfort products conducive to sleep crucial. 

“When we design products, we keep athletes in mind,” said Contour Products President Scott Davis. “Our products aim to aid comfort by correctly aligning the body during sleep. This can not only prolong sleep, but help athletes recover when injuries do happen.”

Athletes often place sleep on the back burner. In highly trained team sport athletes, 50 percent of athletes were considered poor sleepers and 28 percent had daytime sleepiness in a recent study published in the European Journal of Sport Science. The study concluded that athletes needed to learn more about their sleep schedules, sleep longer, and have better quality sleep.

Injury is a common occurrence in sports. In collegiate football alone, 8 out of every 1000 players are injured, according to a National Collegiate Athletic Association report. The way players behave during recovery from these injuries is critical for their chances of playing again.

For longer sleep and shorter recovery time, players should consider how they sleep and type of injury. Comfort products are designed to target specific areas of the body: 

• Head, Neck, Shoulders, Upper Back: orthopedic pillow, cervical roll, bed wedge 

• Lower Back, Hips, Pelvis: lumbar cushion, leg support pillow, seat cushion 

• Legs, Knees, Ankles, Feet: leg wedge, knee elevation cushion 

“We want athletes to be as healthy and safe as possible, because both everyday exercise, and injury recovery time can have a huge impact on their success,” said Davis. “Our variety of comfort products can help.” 

The Contour Cool Leg Pillow was recently featured in 12 NFL players’ training camp bags. Check it out here.

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Can Heavy Shoes Reduce Your Back Pain?

In the practice of Chinese medicine, cures often come in the form of something strange. Acupuncture calls for sharp needles to be placed into the body – which in theory, should cause pain; foot massages are known to affect any part of the body; and toxins can be pulled directly through one’s skin. For those of Western medicine, it’s cures like these that are hard to accept … even when they’re proven to work.

But according to a recent report, there may just be one more obscure medical cure: extremely heavy iron shoes. Wearing them on a regular basis, some say, can cure back pain altogether.

One Chinese worker, Zhang Fuxing, has been using this method for years, saying it has completely eliminated his extreme back pain. Now weighing more than 440 pounds each, he walks about 50 feet in the shoes each day. (Most start out with smaller versions, as low as 22 pounds, and work their way up to larger weight and distance intervals.)

How it Works

According to Chinese medicine, it’s not muscles that require us to lift heavy things, such as the shoes. Rather, the physical strength comes from one’s organs. By “lifting from within” people are able to hold great weights. As Fuxing says, “When you walk with your heart it will work.”

Scientifically, the weight works to stretch out one’s spine, work the legs, or cause an extreme increase in blood flow. The movement can also strengthen the core and create an advanced sense of balance among users.

The shoes’ makeup, however, is also important. Though users place straps over their existing footwear, iron is said to be good for the body, especially the heart and bones. By combining its traits of wellness with viable exercise, a growing cure has been found.

Iron Shoes In Practice

Though critics remain strong, patients all across China are trying this method. A vocal supporter of the iron shoe, Fuxing makes them himself and sells them to friends, neighbors, and online shoppers. With hundreds in circulation, patients seem to agree that the method has had an extreme and direct affect against back pain.

While there are no studies that have tested these theories (other than actual patients), it’s certainly an interesting concept to consider: the cure for back pain just may be a new set of shoes.

Read more about Fuxing and his iron shoe store at CTV News.

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The Health Perks of Going Barefoot

Going without shoes – or barefoot – is usually a hit or miss trend. Either you love it, or you hate it and are sure it’s going to cause all types of sicknesses. But despite your previous allegiance, there are several benefits to be had from going without shoes. No, you still shouldn’t run down the street or venture into the porta potties without foot protection, but in safe, clean environments, you can easily improve your health just by going without shoes.

And if you’re still weary about it, start at home, then venture into the yard. Then try a friend’s house, water park, or any other (clean) public place where a lack of shoes is kosher. Before long, you’ll have developed a newfound freedom that only the shoe-less can enjoy.

What can it do for your health?

Avoiding shoes for an hour or two each day can work to improve your posture, mood, and feet placement. Without a shoe to guide and align the feet, we’re left to figure it out for ourselves. This is like hitting a “reset” button on our posture, letting the legs, back, and feet redefine what’s comfortable and supportive.

Runners are beginning to jog without foot support as well, but this is a more extreme switch. Try it if you dare (with your doctor’s approval), but a few hours around the house each day should also do the trick.

It’s also said that going barefoot can help to improve one’s mood. By connecting directly with the ground, there’s a scientific theory that says it will help reunite you with the earth. This may sound somewhat sketchy, but there is actual data showing that electrons from the ground can be absorbed by one’s body; scientists say this works to rejuvenate energy levels, which often results in a lifted spirit.

Walking outside while barefoot has also been shown to act as an antioxidant, and have an anti-inflammatory effect on the body. [Peak Fitness]

Whether or not you believe in self “grounding,” going without shoes can offer a number of benefits. Test it out today to start getting the most out of your time outdoors.

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Staying Fit After Age 50 - New Advice and Tips from Contour Living

New article from our own Lauren Stone - Staying Fit After 50.    See the full article via the link, or check out the excerpt below.

Is this realistic? Of course it is! With a combination of a few life adjustments, maintaining a healthy body, regulated metabolism, vitality and energy is certainly attainable.  Your body still requires a balance of a healthy diet and sufficient exercise, not only to prevent weight gain but to maintain flexibility and ward off unwanted ailments further down the road. 


Some tips for the older than 50 crowd center around aerobics, muscle strengthening, stretching & flexibility and balance.   It's important to note that balance includes mental balance - exercise your brain along with your body.  Word games like crosswords, Sudoku and similar can help keep you sharp

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Staying Fit After Forty

Have you ever heard of “boomeritis?” It is actually
a term that has been coined by the American Academy of Orthopaedic
Surgeons, referring to a growing number of sports related injuries
among baby boomers. In fact, the problem is so extensive, that the
AAOS has developed a web site, www.boomer-it is.org geared toward
helping active baby boomers avoid and cope with injuries.

Of course, the AAOS is not in any way discouraging boomers from staying active
and fit, on the contrary, the organization recognizes that the benefits
of exercise far outweigh the risks of injury. But don’t forget,
it’s a good idea to get your doctors approval before starting
any exercise program. So once that’s done and you’re
ready to roll, how do you avoid being sidelined by an injury?

Follow these five tips, and you’ll be well on your way:

1. Stay Balanced! Be sure to incorporate a good mix of stretching,
flexibility exercises and cardiovascular activity. The more well
rounded the exercise program, the less likely you are to sustain
an injury.

2. Variety is the Spice of Life! Mix it up a little bit. Don’t
do the same routine every day. Walk a few days a week, bike or go
to the gym and use the treadmill. By doing this, you accomplish two
things: You’re less likely to get bored with your routine and
quit, and by varying more likely to avoid injuries stemming from
overused muscles.

3. Stay Loose! Stretching seems to help keep injuries at bay. Tightness
can spell disaster, and since muscle tissue elasticity decreases
with age, older muscles are even more at risk.

4. Gear Up! Go for the bicycle helmet, make sure running shoes fit
properly and by all means, wear the wrist, elbow and kneepads while
skating or roller blading. Safety equipment can keep you out of the
emergency room and into your routine.

5. Take Your Time! Don’t try to do too much at once. Limit
yourself to increases of just 10% per week. For example if you’re
running for 20 minutes one week, increase to just 22 minutes the
next, and build from there. A rapid ramp up can be a real shock to
your system.

Contour is the brand leader in ergonomic products designed
specifically for comfort and support. Products include orthopedicpillows, Wedge cushions, chair pads, mattress pads and more. Visit
Contour Living for more information on solutions to improve posture, sleep better,
correct support problems and live more comfortably.

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