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:::
for her
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focus on health
ALSO KNOWN AS the Mongan Method, HypnoBirthing
teaches mothers-to-be to hone their focus so they can
relax and give birth naturally while experiencing reduced
pain. Developed as a natural birth technique in the 1920s,
HypnoBirthing uses terminology with a positive spin.
Instead of feeling contractions, women experience "surges"
that help them push the baby through the birth canal.
By practicing self-hypnosis techniques, women and their
partners can create a calm environment. Soft music or
meditation techniques might also be used to help women
focus during the birth.
Staying calm during labor has multiple benefi ts for
mother and child. Feeling fearful when giving birth can
cause a woman's blood pressure and heart rate to rise,
which in turn restricts blood fl ow in the uterus. Practicing
deep relaxation techniques can help regulate blood fl ow
throughout the body, easing the birth process.
Women may still experience pain during birth using
this technique, but feeling more relaxed helps release
endorphins, which reduce pain naturally without the need
for extra medications.
Research suggests females may be up
to 10 times more likely to tear an anterior
cruciate ligament (ACL) than their male
counterparts are.
GIVE BIRTH …
Duchess Kate Middleton may have used
HypnoBirthing techniques to reduce pain
while delivering Prince George. Could this
childbirth technique help you?
MANY TH EOR I E S HAVE been proposed to explain
why gender appears to be a factor in this sports-
related injury.
The ACL is part of a group of ligaments that
stabilize the knee joint. An ACL strained during
movement or subjected to sudden shock may stretch,
resulting in a tear or lessened stability in the joint.
Most athletes report hearing a popping sound
followed by pain and weakness in the affected knee.
One explanation for why ACL injuries are more
common in female athletes is that differences in
the muscular structure of females make them more
susceptible to the injury. Slightly weaker hips allow
knees to buckle inward when landing or twisting.
Another theory proposes that hormonal
differences may be a factor. A study in the Journal of
Athletic Training found a possible
correlation with a female's
menstrual cycle and higher
hormone levels. The study
found that reports of ACL
injuries increased during
the fi rst days of the
menstrual cycle.
FEMALE ATHLETES
ACL TEARS
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