A deep tissue massage is helpful for mild-to-moderate strains because it reduces muscle tension, combats inflammation and promotes relaxation. Start with a 30 minute massage, focusing on your thigh muscles and kneecap area. Allow the therapist to go as deep as you can tolerate without wincing.  The therapist may use a focal cross-friction technique on your kneecap area if they think there's a build-up of scar tissue. Always drink lots of water immediately following a massage in order to flush out inflammatory by-products and lactic acid from your body. Failure to do so might cause a headache or mild nausea. Acupuncture involves sticking thin needles into specific points on the body to reduce pain and inflammation. Acupuncture is not commonly recommended for OSD, but it's virtually risk-free and certainly worth a try, especially if it's done when the symptoms first occur. Based on the principles of traditional Chinese medicine, acupuncture works by releasing a variety of substances including endorphins and serotonin, which act to reduce pain.  Acupuncture points that may provide relief to your knee pain are not all located near where the pain is — some can be in distant areas of your body. Acupuncture is practiced by a variety of health professionals including some physicians, chiropractors, naturopaths, physical therapists and massage therapists — whoever you choose should be certified by the National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (NCCAOM). A risk factor for OSD is poor biomechanics while running and jumping, and sometimes that's caused by flat feet and knock-kneed posture. Orthotics are customized shoe inserts that support the arch of your foot, align your legs and promote better biomechanics while standing, walking, running and jumping.  Health professionals who make custom orthotics include podiatrists and some osteopaths and chiropractors. Some health insurance plans cover the cost of customized orthotics, but if yours doesn't, then consider a pair of off-the-shelf insoles — they're considerably less expensive and may provide quick relief.
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One-sentence summary -- Get a leg massage. Try acupuncture. Consider shoe orthotics.


Having a positive morning routine can help set the tone for the entire day. Wake up to your alarm 15 minutes earlier than usual. Spend a few minutes in bed, take some deep breaths, and assure yourself that today will be a good day. Tell yourself that this is a chance for a fresh start, which will help you center yourself for the rest of the day. Finding pockets of time during the day to help you let go of problems, consider remedies or solutions, or treating yourself will help you maintain a Zen attitude. Constantly rushing around will add to your stress and make it harder to maintain calm. Take time to enjoy activities like cooking, walking or writing. This will also help you feel more in control over things in your life. Meditating will give your mind some much needed space to process everyday stresses. Choose the same time of day in order to get yourself into a routine. This is often best at the beginning of the day, when you are preparing for the day. Meditating doesn’t need to take very long, so adjust the time to what works for you. Start with a minimum of 5 minutes and work up to 10 minutes, then 25 minutes.  Take a minimum of 5 minutes to sit quietly and comfortably. Focus on your breathing, drawing in full, deep breaths through your nose and into your lungs and stomach. Breathe out slowly and deliberately. Count to 4 on the inhale, and count to 4 on the exhale.  Keep your eyes open with a soft focus. You can close your eyes if this feels more comfortable to you. As your mind begins to wander, bring it back to focus on your breathing and to resume counting the breaths. Sleep is a naturally healing technique that will help you remain calm and ready to tackle the day. Plan to go to bed at a regular bedtime every night and aim to get at least 7-8 hours of sleep. Turning off distractions such as your phone or computer will go a long way to uncluttering your mind. Social media and email encourage you to respond to people’s needs and requests instantly and constantly. Taking time away from your electronic devices will help you clear your mind.
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One-sentence summary -- Start the day off right. Take time in your day for yourself. Slow down your activities. Meditate daily. Get lots of rest. Unplug your tech devices.


Even if you don’t remember your dreams, you have them every night. Writing them down can help you remember your dreams. Along with your dream journal, keep a pen or pencil. This will remind you to record your dream as soon as you wake up.  Don’t forget to bring your dream journal along when you travel. It’s best to date your entries. If you’d like, you can also leave room under each entry for your dream interpretation. Then write them down. Make it your morning ritual to record your dream while you’re still in bed. You’ll remember the most right after you wake up. If you wait even a few minutes, your memory of the dream will start to fade away.  Don’t even go to the bathroom, as that gives your mind time to forget! You’ll get a more meaningful interpretation if you remember more details. This includes what you were doing, who was with you, how you felt, and anything you saw that could be a symbol. Write down as much as you can. Some people even draw what they saw in the dream! Things to write down include:  Emotions you felt People in the dream Animals The setting of the dream Colors A mode of transportation, if there was one A journey, if there was one A plot, if there is one It’s normal for dreams to not make sense. However, your conscious mind will want to create a story out of your dreams. Resist this urge! Write down only what you remember, even if it’s just a series of random emotions and images. This will give you a better interpretation than a made-up story.  If you feel tempted to turn the dream into a story, focus just on the emotions you felt, what you saw, and adjectives to describe the scene. For example, you might have a dream where you're lost in the woods, being chased by a wolf. In addition to writing out what happened and how you felt, you might draw several trees to represent a forest from your dream, along with words like “lost,” “chased,” and “wolf.” This could influence what you write, making you change or omit important details from your dream. At first, just try to document what happened. You can interpret it later. This challenges your mind to identify a specific theme or what stuck out most to you. Don’t try to make your titles meaningful, however. Just use whatever comes to mind first. This can help you get a better idea of what you really feel about the dream. For example, you could title the forest dream described above something like “The chase,” “Scary woods,” or “Running scared.”
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One-sentence summary --
Place your dream journal next to your bed. The moment you wake up, keep your eyes closed and try to remember as much of the night's dreams as possible. Record everything you can remember. Avoid creating a plot in your dream if there isn’t one. Don’t try to interpret the dream while you’re recording it. Title each dream.