Patellofemoral pain is an extremely common and disabling condition that affects both men and women of all ages. Functionally it limits everyday movements and activities such as squats, lunging, walking up stairs and hills. It has been suggested and research concludes that dysfunction between the Vastus Medialis Oblique (VMO) and the Vastus Lateralis is one of the common predisposing factors that precedes patellofemoral pain.
The anatomical structure of the patella and the groove in the femur (trochlear groove) dictate that if the patella does not sit within the groove perfectly, then the hard edge of the lateral femoral condyle will contact the undersurface of the patella and create a pressure area that begins to wear down the cartilage structure of the patella and femur. Dysfunction of the VMO creates the situation whereby the patella is not able to be centralised in the groove and thus rides up on the lateral femoral condyle.
Physiotherapists, Chiropractors and exercise professionals have for decades been utilising VMO exercises in the treatment of patellofemoral pain.
Some of these exercises have been validated as effective VMO exercises and others have not.This month the focus of this research review is on VMO activity in rehabilitation exercises and also the validation that VMO dysfunction is associated with patellofemoral pain. The first study from Stanford University in California (Pal et al 2011) studied the relationship between VM activation delay and patellar tracking measures in different groups of knee pain patients. They hoped to find that measures of patellar tracking, patellar tilt and bisect offset correlate with VM activation delay in patellofemoral pain patients labelled as lateral maltrackers.
They selected 40 subjects who had suffered for more than 3 months with patellofemoral pain.
They had to have had pain on at least 2 of the following provoking movements � stairs, kneeling, squatting, prolonged sitting and isometric quadriceps contraction. They also selected 15 active, painfree control subjects. The subjects were initially studied in a motion analysis laboratory whilst walking and jogging. From this they collected data on ground reaction force and also the EMG data of the quadriceps was measured during leg swing phase before heel strike. Heel strike was the start of the measurement period and they continued to collect EMG data between the VM and VL during stance phase.
The researchers then measured the EMG signals from the VM and VL in all 55 subjects whilst performing isometric quadriceps contractions to generate �normal� data on each individuals maximum VM and VL activation. The isometric contraction was performed with the subject seated and the knee flexed to 80 degrees and they contracted against the resistance of the examiner. Magnetic resonance images of the subject�s knee in standing with the knee flexed to 5 degrees was also undertaken. From this they could evaluate the relative position of the patella in relation to the femur. They looked at the patella
The research papers
1. Pal et al (2011) Patellar maltracking correlates with vastus medialis
activation delay in patellofemoral pain patients. American Journal of Sports
Medicine. 39(3). 590-598.
2. Sousa A and Macedo R (2010) Effect of the contraction of medial rotators of the
tibia on the electromyographic activity of vastus medialis and vastus lateralis.
Journal of Electromyography and Kinesiology. 20: 967-972.
3. Irish et al (2010) The effect of closed kinetic chain exercises and open kinetic
chain exercise on the muscle activity of vastus medialis oblique and vastus
lateralis. Journal of Strength and Conditoning Research. 24(5): 1256-1262.
bisect offset value (which is how far lateral the patella sits relative to the midline of the femur) as well as patella tilt angle which is a measure of the lateral rotation of the patella in relation to the femur. From this data they statistically compared the VL/VM activation during walking and running between 5 groups; pain free controls, all patellofemoral pain patients, patellofemoral pain patients classified as normal trackers, patellofemoral pain patients who were maltrackers either with the patella tilt or the patella bisect offset and those with both tilt and offset. What they discovered was that subjects with both patella tilt and bisect offset as shown on MRI had the greatest and significant differences in VM activation delay. Interestingly, from the 40 subjects with patellofemoral pain, 7 were maltrackers with either a tilt or bisect abnormality whereas 8 had both. The other 25 pain subjects did not show tilt or bisect abnormalities. But when the painfree normal subjects were compared as a group to the pain group, there existed no significant correlation between the groups in VM activation delay in both walking and running. The second study from Portugal (Sousa and Macedo 2010)
approached VM/VL activation in a novel way. They compared maximum quadriceps contraction and the VM/VL ratio between normal quadriceps contraction and quadriceps contraction with resisted tibial medial rotation. The hypothesis was that activation of the medial tibia rotators would increase the VM/VL ratio favourably to recruit the VM over the VL. They selected 24 normal healthy females to participate in the study, all of whom had no injury to the knee, were not athletes and had a Q angle of 14-17 degrees. They had the subjects perform 4 series of contractions with 3 repetitions of each � a total of 12 maximum contractions held for 5 seconds with a 2 min rest. They randomised the sequence of contractions to avoid the fatigue effect. The 4 series were, isometric quadriceps contraction, isometric with forced medial tibial rotation with the tibia internally rotated, neutral rotation and externally rotated.
They found that significant differences existed between VM/VL ration with no tibial rotation and with forced activation of tibial rotators. It did not matter if the leg was medially rotated, neutral or externally rotated, contraction of the medial tibial rotators preferentially recruited VM over VL during isometric quadriceps contraction. The final study from Plymouth in the United Kingdom assessed the VM/VL activation in 3 commonly used rehabilitation exercises – leg extension, squat with resisted adduction and lunge. They selected 22 healthy asymptomatic subjects (11 men and 11 women) to perform the series of exercises. They initially collected normalised data for maximum EMG activity by
performing repeat maximal isometric quadriceps contractions at 45 degrees of knee flexion. This was done over three trials. They then had the subjects perform 3 trials of the following exercises; 1. Knee extension � seated and contracting the thigh with the knee from 90 degrees to full extension. 2. Double leg squat with isometric hip adduction. With the back flat against a wall and a pillow between the knees, the subject squatted to 45 degrees with constant pressure against the pillow. 3. Lunge exercise. Standing in a stride stance position the knee was flexed to 45 degrees followed by a return to full extension.
What they found was that the squat with the pillow and the lunge produced a greater VM/VL ratio than knee extension. There was no difference between the squat and the lunge with VM/ VL ratio, but the squat showed greater VM activation than the lunge. Furthermore, the leg extension showed greater VL than VM activation. The lunge
exercise showed the best idealised ratio of 1.1 with the VM/VL. Swimmers who covered more than 35 km in training were 4 times more likely to have tendinopathy than those who swam less.
Need to know Is any of it really new?
The first study from Stanford University is the first study to look at standing MRI images of patella position and have this correlated with EMG data for VM activation
delay during walking and running. Previous studies had looked at supine MRI of the patella with the leg relaxed. The patella engages the trochlear groove at 30 degrees knee bend so patients suffering from patellofemoral pain tend to notice their pain once the patella engages into the groove.
By investigating the patella position in standing, it would more approximate what the patella does in weightbearing activities such as walking.
The UK study is one of the first to have studied the VM/VL ratio in a lunge position. Considering that this is a commonly used rehabilitation exercise, it adds to the evidence of the effectiveness of this exercise as a useful rehabilitation exercise for patellofemoral pain.
Does it challenge the consensus? The Australian EMG study does challenge previous research that If anything, the Standford University study demonstrates that evidence for patella maltracking and patellofemoral pain is in fact quite unrelated. Many of the subjects who suffered patellofemoral pain had normal patella tracking on MRI imaging.
Any clinical implications? Absolutely. If patellofemoral pain and patella maltracking and VM onset is only loosely correlated, then perhaps many of the causes of patellofemoral pain are unrelated to poorly functioning VM and patella maltracking. Perhaps reasons as simple as tight overall quadriceps which may increase the compression force between the patella and femur in knee flexion may be a simpler explanation. The study from Portugal adds another dimension to VMO rehabilitation. By actively internally rotating the tibia (even isometrically) the VM increases its activity. The suggestion is that the VMO also acts as a tibial internal rotator due to its position on the medial patella. However, they measured the activity at 90 degrees knee flexion, a position not suitable for painful knees and post-operative knees. The UK study adds further credibility to the understanding that closed kinetic chain exercises are more favourable for knee rehabilitation than open kinetic chain exercises. Possibly the lunge is a better exercise for gaining preferential 1.1 ratio of activation but the squat with the isometric hip adduction may be better if the goal is to selectively activate the VM.
Any loose ends? Unfortunately for the Stanford University study, the MRI images of the patella were only taken at 5 degrees knee flexion and not 30 degrees. It would be interesting to view the patella position at greater angles of knee bend whilst standing. Furthermore, it cannot be concluded that what a patella to femur relationship looks like in standing is the same as what happens in walking/running. Due the impact of gait on the limb, perhaps the patella maltracking may be more pronounced due to the influence of the supporting soft tissues such as VL, ITB and also hip joint position. Furthermore, the Stanford University study did not differentiate from the EMG data if the activity was from the Vastus Medialis Obliquus (VMO) or the entire VM. Perhaps with more defined EMG analysis of the VMO � which has been shown to be a significant patella stabilizer � the correlation between VM delay and knee pain may have been more pronounced. It would be interesting if the Portuguese study also looked at their study with the knee flexed to 60 and 30 degrees knee flexion.
Perhaps the knee angle plays a large part on selective activation of the VM when the tibial rotators are activated. Furthermore, they did not specify how much force was placed on the tibia to be resisted for the medial rotation. This may also have a bearing in the clinical setting. Similar to the Portuguese study, the UK study only looked at the effect of the exercises on normal subjects. Would the results have been different in patients with patellofemoral pain?
The first rule of diet success is to make changes you can stick with for the long term. And that means scheduling — not skipping — meals and snacks. This keeps you feeling satisfied and helps you say no to tempting high-fat foods.
You might do best on a plan with many small meals throughout the day. Or maybe a schedule of three meals, two small snacks and a low-calorie dessert would work better for you. People often find that mid-morning and mid-afternoon snacks help them stick to a diet.
For a small-meal schedule, you might plan out five 200- to 250-calorie meals for 7 a.m., 10 a.m., 1 p.m., 4 p.m. and 7 p.m. For a three-meal/two-snack schedule, you could schedule breakfast, a mid-morning snack, lunch, a mid-afternoon snack and then dinner with dessert. Schedule snacks for about two hours after breakfast and lunch.
Once you decide on a schedule, plan out your meals and snacks. Using a diet diary can help keep you on track. Pick and choose from lean protein, low- or no-fat dairy, whole grains, fruits, vegetables and some heart-healthy fats.
Contents
Starting a Dietary Plan
Snacks can be a great way to get more fruits and vegetables into your day.
Great veggie snacks include:
Bell pepper strips.
Baby carrots.
Pea pods.
For fruit snacks, consider:
Small apples or pears.
A cup of melon chunks or berries.
A dozen red or green grapes.
A diet-friendly dessert of frozen yogurt and berries after dinner will keep you from missing high-calorie pies and cakes.
But what about calories? In general, aim for 1,000 to 1,200 a day if you’re a woman, 1,200 to 1,600 if you’re a man.
Bottom line: It might take some time to find the right eating schedule for your lifestyle, but nailing this first step will help you lose weight and keep it off.
News stories are written and provided by HealthDay and do not reflect federal policy, the views of MedlinePlus, the National Library of Medicine, the National Institutes of Health, or the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
The scope of our information is limited to chiropractic and spinal injuries and conditions. To discuss options on the subject matter, please feel free to ask Dr. Jimenez or contact us at 915-850-0900 .
Additional Topics: Weight Loss Eases Back Pain
Back pain and symptoms of sciatica can affect a majority of the population throughout their lifetime. Research studies have demonstrated that people who are overweight or obese experience more back complications than people with a healthy weight. A proper nutrition along with regular physical fitness can help with weight loss as well as help maintain a healthy weight to eliminate symptoms of back pain and sciatica. Chiropractic care is also another natural form of treatment which treats back pain and sciatica utilizing manual spinal adjustments and manipulations.
Chronic fatigue syndrome, a baffling disorder that affects an estimated 1 million Americans, has been strongly linked to imbalances in gut bacteria in a new study from Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health.
The researchers found abnormal levels of specific gut bacteria are found in people with the condition — formally known as myalgic encephalomyelitis/ chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS), according to the study published in the journal Microbiome.
The findings offer new hope for an effective new way to diagnose and treat ME/CFS, a complex, sometimes-debilitating disorder that can interfere with activities of daily living.
Symptoms include extreme fatigue after exertion, muscle and joint pain, cognitive dysfunction, sleep disturbances, and orthostatic intolerance (light-headedness, dizziness, or fainting when standing upright).
Up to 90 percent of ME/CFS patients also have irritable bowel syndrome IBS, past research has shown. But the Columbia University study is among the first to disentangle microbiome imbalances in individuals with ME/CFS and IBS.
“Individuals with ME/CFS have a distinct mix of gut bacteria and related metabolic disturbances that may influence the severity of their disease,” says co-lead investigator Dr. Dorottya Nagy-Szakal.
The findings suggest sufferers may be able to ease their symptoms by incorporating certain probiotics — healthy bacteria — in their diets, to balance their gut bacteria.
To reach their conclusions, the researchers tracked 50 ME/CFS patients and 50 others without the condition. They tested subjects’ fecal samples for bacterial species, and blood samples for immune molecules.
The study’s key findings show that:
Levels of distinct intestinal bacterial species —Faecalibacterium, Roseburia, Dorea, Coprococcus, Clostridium, Ruminococcus, Coprobacillus — are strongly associated with ME/CFS.
The abundance of these species appears to be predictive of a ME/CFS diagnosis.
An abundance of Alistipes and low levels of Faecalibacterium are the top biomarkers of ME/CFS with IBS. Increased Bacteroides abundance and decreased Bacteroides vulgatus are the top biomarkers of ME/CFS without IBS.
The researchers also noted the severity of patients’ symptoms — such as pain and fatigue — correlated with the abundance of distinct bacterial types.
“Our analysis suggests that we may be able to subtype patients with ME/CFS by analyzing their fecal microbiome,” says co-lead investigator Dr. Brent L. Williams, Ph.D. “Subtyping may provide clues to understanding differences in manifestations of disease.”
The study also points toward a possible mechanism behind the development of ME/CFS.
“ME/CFS may involve a breakdown in the bidirectional communication between the brain and the gut mediated by bacteria, their metabolites, and the molecules they influence,” explains senior author Dr. W. Ian Lipkin.
“By identifying the specific bacteria involved, we are one step closer to more accurate diagnosis and targeted therapies.”
So far, researchers have not identified the cause of ME/CFS. Nor are there any standard diagnostic lab tests or federally-approved treatments for the condition. For reasons that are unclear, women are two to four more times likely than men to have ME/CFS.
Because MD/CFS is so variable, treatment focuses on individual symptom control. Conventional approaches include prescription medications to treat anxiety, depression, and insomnia; graded exercise, physical therapy, and psychological counseling including cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT).
Adjunctive therapies to help manage pain and fatigue include:
Acupuncture.
Biofeedback.
Deep breathing exercises.
Hypnosis.
Massage.
Meditation.
Muscle relaxation techniques.
Yoga or tai chi.
Preliminary but inconclusive research suggests that some natural remedies may be helpful for ME/CFS, according to the Mayo Clinic. These include:
Magnesium injected into the muscles of people with low red blood cell magnesium.
A combination supplement containing fish oil and evening primrose oil.
Melatonin.
Nicotinamide.
Adenine dinucleotide hydrate (NADH).
Coenzyme Q10.
Propionyl-L-carnitine.
D-ribose.
Although the new Columbia University study suggests that probiotic supplements may be helpful for ME/CFS, more research is needed, experts say.
A 2009 study of 39 ME/CFS patients, however, showed that the Lactobacillus casei strain Shirota (LcS) was associated with significantly reduced anxiety symptoms compared to placebo.
Doctor of Chiropractic, Dr. Alexander Jimenez takes a closer look at turmeric and its benefits.
Is the herb turmeric actually the new wonder drug? Or can it be just that recent scientific studies have demonstrated North Americans that there really may be something to the claims. This relative of ginger has been touted as a cure for everything from osteoarthritis to ringworm to depression. A study has linked it to delayed onset of type 2 diabetes and, other information suggests it may help patients with cancer.
Contents
How Turmeric Relieved My Back Pain
My first introduction for this wonder spice was in the whispering of a fellow customer at physical therapy�a lovely dancer recovering from knee surgery. While she was hobbling around on crutches, she never stopped grinning. Make that laughing and smiling. I wondered what her secret was. I mean come on�I have chronic back pain resulting from degenerative disc disease, and the favorable mind-set tactic had attempted, but that wasn�t always easy.
One morning during our daily exercises we began to speak. She told me turmeric was her go to drugs for inflammation. At the time, I discounted it and distinctly remember thinking��Yeah, right How could something as easy as a spice that may be easily added to any diet be powerful enough to remove pain and stiffness?
Months passed. Physical therapy became a distant memory. The stiffness in my own back diminished but still lingered. I was too young to feel this damn old! The exact instant of action is uncertain to me now but somewhere along the way I woke up stiff yet again, along with thinking of turmeric came dashing over me. A light bulb have been turned on that wasn�t burning out. �Why not?� I presumed. What do I have to reduce?
Turning To Turmeric
I started with nutritional supplements and added one 450 mg capsule (about a teaspoon full) from Nature’s Bounty to my day-to-day yogurt. I dumped it in and just broke it open. I liked it so much I began adding the spice to my food�sprinkling it liberally on my salads, yogurt, mashed potatoes, soup…you name it. And sure enough, my back was even less stiff than before.
Please note, it may possibly not be helpful or safe to others while turmeric has worked wonders for me. Much like the ramifications of over the counter and prescription anti inflammatory medications, turmeric may thin the blood. In the event you take nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medication such as ibuprofen, adding turmeric to your own diet may not be advisable.
I began looking more deeply into my remedy as I used myself as a guinea pig for testing. I had been utterly fascinated by the wide-ranging research behind this wonder drug. Turmeric has been used in India and over years for over 2,500 4,000 years in Ayurvedic medicine!
One of my favorite recipes is Butter Chicken and Rice (Recipe below). Not only does the recipe call for turmeric in the butter as well as on the chicken, however you can sprinkle it on your own rice, also. I’ve even discovered that substituting turmeric for salt provided new chances to add the spice to my food with a lot less sodium!
Turmeric�s Active Ingredient
Curcumin is the active substance that provides turmeric its distinctive golden color. Combined with the vibrant, shining color it provides, in my experience, the medicinal properties are equally as lovely. Turmeric’s anti-inflammatory potentially Alzheimer’s Disease, Crohn’s disease, and effects imply it can benefit patients with arthritis.
Head, my health and my body rejoice and have already been glad to the superpower spice ever since. Approach and my energy level are among the most noticeable changes. When you’re able to move and exercise more, a confident approach is much more easy to adopt. When you get the key to alleviating it, your life changes, as anyone who has endured quietly with chronic pain can tell you. Without pain, you become alive. I discuss this story hoping turmeric will help to release other long-time sufferers from their prisons. Stay tuned for turmeric upgrades in my personal blog.
Fragrant�Indian Butter Chicken Recipe
As a miracle spice, turmeric is touted since early time. The crucial compound, curcumin, gives turmeric it�s vibrant, golden colour and well-being boosting super powers and is being used to take care of many anti-inflammatory ailments. Try this recipe that uses turmeric for a delicious, wholesome dinner!
2 Tbsp butter
1-1/2 cups chopped onion
2 teaspoon minced garlic
1 Tablespoon grated gingerroot
1-1/2 teaspoon chili powder
3/4 teaspoon turmeric, ground cinnamon, ground coriander cumin and
1 can diced tomatoes, drained
1-1/2 cups reduced sodium chicken broth
1 Tbsp brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt and freshly ground pepper
1 whole cooked rotisserie chicken, skin removed and meat cut up
1/3 cup light sour cream
1 Tbsp minced cilantro
Hot cooked basmati (optional)
Melt butter in a deep 10-inch skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and onions. Cook slowly, stirring often, until onions are soft. About 5 minutes. Add turmeric, coriander, ginger root, chili powder, cinnamon, and cumin. Cook 1 more minute.
Add brown sugar, chicken broth, tomatoes, salt and pepper. Reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add cut up chicken and sour cream. Simmer, uncovered, for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in cilantro. Serve over hot basmati rice, if desired. Sprinkle a little turmeric directly on the rice also for much more health benefits.
Lots of people report feeling improvement in their condition and/or general well being taking dietary, vitamin, mineral, as well as /or herbal nutritional supplements. In most cases, an appropriate diet and also a “multiple vitamin” will provide the necessary health supplements for many people. Just before taking additional dietary, vitamin, mineral, and/or herbal supplements it is strongly recommended that patients consult with their private doctor to discuss their specific supplement requirements.
Mr. and Mrs. Dominguez share their wonderful story of health and recovery. After being injured in a car accident, Manuel Dominguez and his wife needed help healing their injuries. That’s when they found Push-as-Rx � and their path to recovery began. With the help of Dr. Jimenez, Mr. and Mrs. Dominguez started the therapies that changed their lives completely and together with the exercises given to them by the trainers at Push as Rx, little by little, they regained back their health. With great gratitude, Mr. and Mrs. Dominguez give their thanks for the magnificent service they received at Push-as-Rx �.
El Sr. y la Sra. Dominguez nos dieron a conocer su maravillosa historia de salud y recuperacion. Despues de salir lastimados en una accidente de auto, Manuel Dominguez y su esposa necesitaban ayuda para curar sus lesiones. Ahi fue cuando encontraron la clinica de Push-as-Rx � y empezaron su camino a la recuperacion. Con la ayuda del Dr. Jimenez, el Sr. y la Sra. Dominguez comenzaron a recibir terapias que cambiaron sus vidas por completo y junto con los ejercicios de los entrenadores de Push as Rx, poco a poco fueron recuperando su salud. Con mucho agradecimiento, el Sr. y la Sra. Dominguez dan las gracias por el magnifico servicio que recibieron en la clinica Push-as-Rx �.
PUSH-as-Rx � is leading the field with laser focus supporting our youth sport programs. The PUSH-as-Rx � System is a sport specific athletic program designed by a strength-agility coach and physiology doctor with a combined 40 years of experience working with extreme athletes. At its core, the program is the multidisciplinary study of reactive agility, body mechanics and extreme motion dynamics. Through continuous and detailed assessments of the athletes in motion and while under direct supervised stress loads, a clear quantitative picture of body dynamics emerges. Exposure to the biomechanical vulnerabilities are presented to our team. Immediately, we adjust our methods for our athletes in order to optimize performance. This highly adaptive system with continual dynamic adjustments has helped many of our athletes come back faster, stronger, and ready post injury while safely minimizing recovery times. Results demonstrate clear improved agility, speed, decreased reaction time with greatly improved postural-torque mechanics. PUSH-as-Rx � offers specialized extreme performance enhancements to our athletes no matter the age.
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Richard Overton, the oldest living U.S. World War II veteran, turned 111 on Thursday in Texas.
Overton, an Austin resident, served with the Army’s 1887th Engineer Aviation Battalion in the Pacific Theater from 1942 to 1945.
He celebrated his 111th birthday with a lunch party at the University of Texas club, which was attended by Austin Mayor Steve Adler and other dignitaries. Overton received many gifts, including an autographed football from the University of Texas, ABC News reported.
The mayor declared May 11 Richard Overton Day and temporarily renamed Hamilton Avenue, where Overton lives, Richard Overton Avenue in his honor.
A GoFundMe campaign in January raised funds to allow Overton to stay in the home where he has lived for more than 70 years since he came home from the war, rather than be moved to an assisted living facility.
“111, that’s pretty old, ain’t it,” Overton said, USA Today reported. “I can still get around, I can still talk, I can still see, I can still walk.” Overton credits “cigars and God” for his longevity, admitting he had already had a few cigars that day.
Overton, a sharpshooter in the war, has been honored numerous times for his service, including for his 107th birthday having breakfast with President Barack Obama in the White House.
Overton was born May 11, 1906, in Bastrop County, Texas, Fox News reported.
Twitter users in his community and from far beyond it shared their appreciation and good wishes with Overton to mark his special day.
@AP Happy Birthday Richard Overton. U are much loved in our state.Hope u see many more years.My aunt lived 2 106. You’re looking good.
Dozens of studies have found that exercising can lift your spirits by boosting levels of serotonin — the “feel good” hormone — but a study from the University of Connecticut shows the exercise doesn’t have to leave you sweating and panting for breath. If you spend hours at your desk at work or sit at home watching television, just getting up and moving around can reduce depression and make you feel better about yourself.
“We hope this research helps people realize the important public health message that simply going from doing no physical activity to performing some physical activity can improve their subjective well-being,” says study lead author Gregory Panza.
“What is even more promising for the physically inactive person is that they do not need to exercise vigorously to see these improvements,” Panza continues. “Instead, our results indicate you will get the best ‘bang for your buck’ with light or moderate-intensity physical activity.”
Light physical activity is the equivalent of taking a leisurely walk around the mall with no noticeable increase in breathing, heart rate, or sweating, said Linda Pescatello, senior author of the study that was published in the Journal of Health Psychology.
Moderate intensity activity is equivalent to walking a 15-20-minute mile with an increase in breathing, heart rate, and sweating, yet still being able to carry on a conversation. Vigorous activity is equivalent to a very brisk walk or jogging a 13-minute mile with a very noticeable increase in breathing, heart rate, and sweating to the point of being unable to maintain a conversation.
The study tracked the movements of 419 middle-aged adults for four days and then asked them to fill out questionnaires including exercise habits, depression, pain levels, and feelings of well-being.
Researchers found that those who were most sedentary were the least happy. Overall, physical activity improved their sense of well-being. But different levels of physical activity helped some people more than others.
People who were sedentary and engaged in light or moderate physical exercise showed the greatest improvement in their sense of well-being.
“The ‘more is better’ mindset may not be true when it comes to physical activity intensity and subjective well-being,” says Panza. “In fact, an ‘anything is better’ attitude may be more appropriate if your goal is a higher level of subjective well-being.”
Most previous studies found that although exercise increased serotonin levels, the most effective exercises were aerobic, like running, swimming and biking.
There are other simple ways that are clinically proven to increase serotonin levels including massage and getting enough sunlight.
Grating, cracking or popping sounds around joints may predict future arthritis, especially in the knees, according to a recent U.S. study.
Among thousands of people with no knee pain who were followed for three years, one quarter had noisy knees yet they made up three quarters of the cases of symptomatic knee arthritis that emerged by the end of the study period, researchers found.
“Many people who have signs of osteoarthritis on X-rays do not necessarily complain about pain. Presently, there are no known strategies for preventing the development of pain in this group,” said lead study author Grace Lo of Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, Texas.
Especially when people have joint space loss or other arthritis-related changes visible on X-rays, their also having noisy knees can be considered a sign of higher risk for developing pain within the next year, she said.
Osteoarthritis is the most common form of arthritis, affecting more than 30 million adults in the United States, Lo and colleagues write in Arthritis Care and Research. Symptomatic knee osteoarthritis, which means X-ray evidence of arthritis plus pain or stiffness, affects about 16 percent of adults older than 60, they note.
Lo and colleagues analyzed data from 3,495 participants ranging in age from about 50 to 70 in a long-term study conducted in hospitals in Rhode Island, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Maryland. None had symptomatic knee arthritis at the start.
The researchers looked at how often people experienced knee pain, stiffness and “crepitus,” or noises and scraping feelings in their knees.
During clinic visits, people were asked questions like, “Do you feel grinding, hear clicking or any other type of noise when your right knee moves?” and “During the past 12 months, have you had pain, aching or stiffness in or around your right knee on most days for at least one month?” The patients were evaluated at the beginning of the study and again at 12, 24 and 36 months. X-rays were also taken once a year.
At the start, 65 percent of participants said they had no crepitus, 11 percent experienced it “rarely,” 15 percent had it “sometimes” and 9 percent had it “often” or “always.”
Overall, 635 participants, 18 percent, developed symptomatic arthritis of the knee during the study period.
Even after adjusting for weight and other factors, researchers found that odds of developing symptomatic arthritis rose along with the frequency of crepitus. Those who reported it “rarely” had 50 percent higher risk than those who never had it, and those with crepitus “sometimes” or “often” had about double the odds.
People with crepitus “always” were three times more likely to develop arthritis over four years than those who never had it.
Older age and having crepitus also increased the likelihood of developing arthritis, and men with crepitus were more likely than women with noisy knees to go on to develop arthritis.
“Differences across genders is interesting and unexplained. This may tell us about differences in symptom reporting or the biology of osteoarthritis,” said Daniel Solomon, the chair of arthritis and population health at Harvard Medical School in Boston.
“Knowing how to predict who will develop symptomatic osteoarthritis may give patients and providers clues to who should receive earlier treatment or even prevention,” Solomon, who wasn’t involved in the study, told Reuters Health by email.
“It would be helpful to look at the MRIs of the people who had X-ray evidence, no pain and always had crepitus to understand what is happening in their knees,” Lo said. “This could help identify ways to decrease the risk for developing knee pain.”
Since MRI scans are more sensitive than X-rays, Lo added, researchers for future studies may be able to see osteophyte formations or other symptoms around the knee that they can’t usually see.
“Not all noises coming from a knee are a bad sign,” she said. “It might be helpful to ask your doctor for an X-ray to see if you have evidence of osteoarthritis and then take precautions from there.”
Scientists unveiled a lightweight, robotic, outer “skeleton” Thursday that can detect when someone loses their balance, correct their gait, and prevent their fall.
Designed to limit stumbles among the elderly, the device has sensors that can discern in real time when a limb starts to buckle or flail, and lightweight motors which exert instant force on both legs to restore balance.
“Wearable machines that enhance your movement and endurance no longer belong to the realm of science fiction,” the device’s creators said in a statement.
According to the World Health Organization, falls are the second cause of death from accidental or unintentional injuries worldwide.
Every year, more than 420,000 people die from falls — most of those are older than 65.
Nearly 40 million falls that require medical attention are reported annually, says the WHO, and this number is likely to skyrocket as people live to become ever older.
Dubbed the Active Pelvis Orthosis or APO, the new device could also help disabled people and amputees, said its designers from the Scuola Sant’Anna, an Italian University, and Switzerland’s EPFL polytechnical school.
“It’s technology that will actually help people with their daily activities,” they added.
The team published the results of their lab experiments in the journal Nature Scientific Reports.
The “exoskeleton” is worn from the waist down, its creators explained, “and is vastly different from the armoured stuff you see in today’s science fiction movies”.
It is attached to a belt worn around the middle that holds small motors at the hips, and soft braces strapped to the thighs.
The device weighs about five kilogrammes (11 pounds), can be easily adjusted to a person’s individual height and girth, and does not interfere with normal walking, the team said.
The “assistive mode” is activated only when balance loss is detected.
“The robotic exoskeleton is able to identify an unexpected slippage and counteract it,” Peppino Tropea, one of the study authors, told AFP.
The APO “increases stiffness at hip joints against limb movements, indeed, the slipping leg is slowed down, while the other one is forced towards the ground. This strategy is effective for balance recovery.”
Tropea and the rest of the team tested their creation on eight elderly people and two amputees with prosthetic limbs — two groups particularly vulnerable to potentially devastating falls.
They were made to walk on a treadmill with a platform that would unexpectedly slip sideways, causing the walker to lose balance.
Repeated tests showed that the device “effectively” aided balance recovery, the paper reported.
“I feel more confident when I wear the exoskeleton,” a statement quoted 69-year-old Fulvio Bertelli, one of the trial participants, as saying.
A video explaining the invention can be watched here:
We love following fit moms on Instagram, from A-listers (hi, Britney!) to yoga instructors. Not only do these women prove you can be in amazing shape at any age or stage in life, they also inspire us to prioritize fitness (even when it feels like there’s zero time in the day). And of course, they tend to share irresistible snaps of their adorable kids. Here, eight strong moms who make us want to break a sweat.
The Spanish actress (and wife of Thor star Chris Hemsworth) regularly gives us a glimpse into her super-challenging fitness sessions, including her now-famous ab workout using a stroller—genius!
Laura Kasperzak is always posting sweet snaps of the yoga poses she teacher her young daughter, who is already a total pro at challenging moves like Bow Pose and Bird of Paradise.
Celebrity yoga instructor Hilaria Baldwin (and mom of three little ones with hubby Alec Baldwin) stays balanced and grounded through her practice. Find your own center with Baldwin’s gentle 5-minute yoga sequence, which strengthens the lower body while emphasizing the importance of breath.
Health‘s contributing yoga editor recently gave birth to twin boys, and she’s kept active by incorporating them into her workout routine—such as by using them as super-cute “weights” in yoga-inspired, at-home strengthening exercises like the one above.
Fitness entrepreneur and Health cover star Jillian Michaels (who is mom to daughter Lukensia and son Phoenix) always inspires us to get moving. (Check out her total-body workout for new mamas at least 12 weeks postpartum.)
Denise Austin (of LifeFit by Denise Austin) has more than 30 years of experience as a fitness instructor, and shows no signs of slowing down. Need proof? Check out the full-body workout above with her daughter Katie Austin. This 10-minute routine tones from head to toe.
As anyone who’s been to her ridiculously-challenging Tracy Anderson Method classes can attest, Health‘s contributing fitness editor is seriously strong. And most importantly, she understands the importance of balance and self-care. “You want to take care of yourself and be as good to yourself as possible,” she recently told Health. “With self-gratitude, you can start making choices that will create balance for your body.”
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