Osteoporosis, the loss of bone mineral density, occurs in 55% of Americans over the age of 50. It’s associated with increased risk of fracture after a fall. Weight-bearing exercises are often effective at reducing the rate of bone loss, but rarely increases bone density in osteoporotic women.

Researchers investigated the effects of a multi-component and multi-modal exercise program in osteoporotic women. The 11-month exercise program included a well-rounded exercise program of strength, balance, flexibility, and aerobic activities. The first 3 months of exercise were performed 3 times per week on land, while the remaining 8 months combined land-based (twice a week) with aquatic exercise (once a week). Exercise sessions lasted 60 minutes and included exercises with dumbbells, Thera-Band® resistance bands, exercise balls, and steps. Each session included 20 to 25 minutes of warm-up, 30 minutes of training, and 5 to 10 minutes of cool-down. The exercise group also performed the exercises at home.

After the intervention, the exercise group significantly improved their femoral neck bone density score while the control group significantly decreased. Physical function also significantly increased in the exercise group, but decreased in the control group. Total bone mineral density, balance, and flexibility did not improve significantly in either group.

In conclusion a multi-component exercise program including Thera-Band resistance bands and aquatic exercise can improve function and bone health in post-menopausal women with osteoporosis.

REFERENCE: Tolomio S, Ermolao A, Lalli A, Zaccaria M. The effect of a multicomponent dual-modality exercise program targeting osteoporosis on bone health status and physical function capacity of postmenopausal women. J Women Aging. 2010 Oct;22(4):241-54. 

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Arizona Chiropractic Orthopedics

Arizona Chiropractic Orthopedics
4558 N. 1st Ave, Ste. 110
Tucson, AZ  85718
520/888-2600    
FAX: 520/888-3882 
wlwdc@azchiro.net

Google Map to AZCO

Weekly yoga classes eased pain and improved functioning in some people with chronic lower back pain -- but the yoga sessions weren't any better than regular stretching classes, according to a new study.

Researchers found that participants in both types of classes had better functioning and fewer symptoms after three months than back patients who were only given a book with advice on preventing and managing pain.

"We've known for a while... that exercise is good for back pain," said Dr. Timothy Carey, from the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, who wrote a commentary published with the study.

Yoga, he told Reuters Health, "seems to be a perfectly good option for people with back pain, but it is not a preferred option." 

Three months after the 12 week programs, symptom improvements were similar in people who had done either stretching or yoga, and still better than in the third, non-exercise group.

And at both the end of class sessions and three months later, twice as many of the class participants reported cutting back on pain medications, such as non-steroidal anti-inflammatories (NSAIDs) -- about 40 percent versus 20 percent in the book group.

"Here is an option that is something worth trying," said Karen Sherman from the Group Health Research Institute in Seattle, who led the study.

With either stretching or yoga classes, she told Reuters Health, practice is a must for patients. "There is absolutely no treatment that works for everybody... (but) if they're willing to practice, they should go ahead and give it a try."

Carey said the findings suggest that the best type of exercise for people with back pain depends on their preferences and what's convenient.

"It's important that people do exercise they enjoy," he said -- that way, they're more likely to stick with it. And, "you don't need to drive 50 miles to the nearest yoga class if there's not one near you," Carey added. 

A picture is worth a thousand words, and that’s why nutritionists use symbols and shapes to answer the question, “What should I eat?” For nearly two decades, the U.S. government distilled its nutrition advice into pyramids. These efforts didn't accurately show people what makes up a healthy diet. Why? Their recommendations were based on out-of-date science and influenced by people with business interests in the messages the icons sent. This year, the U.S. government scrapped its MyPyramid icon in favor of the fruit-and-vegetable rich MyPlate—an improvement, yet one that still doesn't go far enough to show people how to make the healthiest choices.

There are better alternatives: the new Healthy Eating Plate and the Healthy Eating Pyramid, both built by faculty members in the Department of Nutrition at the Harvard School of Public Health, in conjunction with colleagues at Harvard Health Publications. The Healthy Eating Plate fixes the flaws in USDA's MyPlate, just as the Healthy Eating Pyramid rectifies the mistakes of the USDA's food pyramids. Both the Healthy Eating Plate and the Healthy Eating Pyramid are based on the latest science about how our food, drink, and activity choices affect our health—and are unaffected by businesses and organizations with a stake in their messages. 

When it’s time for dinner, most of us eat off of a plate. So think of the new Healthy Eating Plate as blueprint for a typical meal: Fill half your plate with produce—colorful vegetables, the more varied the better, and fruits. (Remember, potatoes and French fries don't count as vegetables!) Save a quarter of your plate for whole grains. A healthy source of protein, such as fish, poultry, beans, or nuts, can make up the rest. The glass bottle is a reminder to use healthy oils, like olive and canola, in cooking, on salad, and at the table. Complete your meal with a cup of water, or if you like, tea or coffee with little or no sugar (not the milk or other dairy products that the USDA’s MyPlate recommends; limit milk/dairy products to one to two servings per day). And that figure scampering across the bottom of the placemat? It’s your reminder that staying active is half of the secret to weight control. The other half is eating a healthy diet with modest portions that meet your calorie needs—so be sure you choose a plate that is not too large. .....

People lose muscle mass as they age but U.S. researchers say adults can fight the battle of strength and muscle loss that comes with aging.

Mark Peterson, a research fellow in the University of Michigan's Physical Activity and Exercise Intervention Research Laboratory, says adults age 50 and older who are sedentary can expect muscle loss of as much as 0.4 pounds a year.

"That only worsens as people age. But even earlier in adulthood -- the 30s, 40s and 50s -- you can begin to see declines if you do not engage in any strengthening activities," Peterson says in a statement. "No matter what age an individual is, they can experience significant strength improvement with progressive resistance exercise even into the eighth and ninth decades of life."

Progressive resistance training means the amount of weight used and the frequency and duration of training sessions are altered over time to accommodate an individual's progress, Peterson says.

The study, published in The American Journal of Medicine, finds after an average of 18-20 weeks of progressive resistance training, an adult can add 2.42 pounds of lean muscle and increase overall strength by 25 percent to 30 percent.

A good way for people to start on a resistance training program -- after getting permission from a doctor -- is to use body mass as a load for various exercises such as squats, standing up out of a chair, modified pushups and exercises such as Tai Chi, Pilates or Yoga.

Stay strong, stay flexible, stay healthy!!
 

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Arizona Chiropractic Orthopedics

Arizona Chiropractic Orthopedics - the practice

Arizona Chiropractic Orthopedics is located in the Rillito Business Park just south of River Road on 1st Avenue in North Tucson.  The office is a modern, clean, and spacious setting with ample parking and outstanding views of the Catalina Mountains.  We are contracted as a preferred provider with all major health insurance networks, and our experienced staff can verify coverage upon request.

Dr. Wesselink is a Chiropractic Orthopedist, trained at National University of Health Sciences, Lombard, IL, and Northwestern University of Health Sciences Bloomington, MN.  He has extensive training in whiplash injury biomechanics and spinal trauma from the Spine Research Institute of San Diego.  The practice focuses on treatment and rehabilitation of spinal and orthopedic conditions using techniques from esteemed authorities such as Craig Liebenson, DC, Jeffrey Tucker, DC, Stuart McGill, PhD, and Gray Cook.

Dr. Wesselink has a long-standing working relationship with occupational medical centers and numerous medical providers, and has excellent communication with patient's primary care physicians and other specialists.

The office is equipped with state-of-the-art physical medicine and rehabilitation equipment, and conditions are evaluated and treated using evidence-based and best practices guidelines.  Each patient receives a customized self-care program appropriate for their specific condition and lifestyle.  Exercise and stretching programs are easy to understand and perform, and use low-tech and inexpensive methods such as TheraBands, PhysioBalls, foam rollers, yoga workouts, and aquatic therapy.  X-rays are NOT performed in the office as Dr. Wesselink prefers to refer patients to the many excellent imaging centers in Tucson.  This allows medical specialists to evaluate x-ray, CT, and MRI evaluations, ensuring patient safety and increasing quality of care.  The office uses electronic medical records and electronic billing to facilitate insurance claims and reporting to requesting parties, including patient's physicians.

In-Office Patient Treatment:

 

• ADA approved elevation tables
• Flexion-Distraction (Cox) lumbar decompression
• Chattanooga Triton DTS Spinal Decompression
• Chattanooga Cervical Spinal Decompression
• Interferential Electromuscular Therapy
• Russian Stimulation Electromuscular Therapy
• Active Release Technique
• Myofascial Release Therapy
• Non-osseous spinal mobilization/manipulation procedures
• Massage therapy performed under doctor's direction

We invite you to view our practice and visit the website AZChiro.net for more information.

Contact Us

Arizona Chiropractic Orthopedics

 

Arizona Chiropractic Orthopedics
4558 N. 1st Ave, Ste. 110
Tucson, AZ  85718
520/888-2600    
FAX: 520/888-3882 
wlwdc@azchiro.net

Google Map to AZCO