Last year this blog suggested that a pedometer would make a healthy Christmas present. This year, you were advised of the AARP offer of a free pedometer.
But, did you get one?
Here’s why you should have. Continue reading Do pedometers motivate physical activity and improve health?
Dr. Brooks Cash from the National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland has published a detailed review on Medscape.
There are some surprising conclusions regarding common treatments, including fluids, dietary fiber, physical activity, education, enema, and biofeedback. Continue reading CAM recommendations to treat chronic constipation
Researchers from the Royal Hallamshire Hospital in Sheffield, UK studied people with New York Heart Association (NYHA) class II and III heart failure.
In other words, their condition ranged from mild symptoms and slight limitation during ordinary activity to marked limitation in activity due to symptoms, even during less-than-ordinary activity. Continue reading The benefits of tai chi on exercise tolerance in people with moderate heart failure
Pain is the most common symptom of rheumatic disease (mostly arthritis) in children. This review on Medscape includes cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and physical therapy/exercise as complementary options to other, mostly pharmacological treatments.
Continue reading Treating chronic pain in children with rheumatic disease
Bone-loading exercises help prevent osteoporosis.
But which ones to choose?
Pelvic floor dyssynergia-type constipation occurs when pelvic muscles contract instead of relaxing when a person strains to defecate. It’s “functional” because the muscles needed to defecate aren’t working properly.
Are you still with me on this?
Continue reading Using biofeedback to treat functional constipation
Following total knee replacement, patients must perform exercises several times a day. It’s a painful part of recovery.
Here’s an innovative application of music therapy developed by Dr. Thomas Ryan from Michigan State University to help motivate patients do their exercises.
Continue reading Music-exercise video aids recovery from total knee replacement
The Miami Herald reports that the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test (FCAT) is a pressure-packed time for kids.
To address this need, companies offering a yoga curriculum and teacher training have cropped up nationwide, according to the article, with some adding academics to the stretches.
Some examples in Florida.
Continue reading School children are learning yoga for stress control
How many of these recommendations from the American Heart Association relate to complementary lifestyle changes discussed on this blog?
Continue reading 2007 Guidelines for Preventing Cardiovascular Disease in Women
Dr. Kathleen Kendall-Tackett is a health psychologist and a board certified lactation consultant from the University of New Hampshire in Durham. Her work focuses on family violence and perinatal health.
Here are her thoughts on postpartum depression. Continue reading Why new mums get depressed and what to do about it
A study reported during the American Academy of Family Physicians 2007 Annual Scientific Assembly concluded, “tai chi is comparable to but not quite as effective as a brisk walk for raising heart rate variability.” Continue reading Effect of tai chi vs a brisk walk on heart rate variability
HealthNotes Newswire reports on the new physical activity guidelines for adults 65 years and older, and adults 50 to 64 with chronic medical conditions.
Here are highlights from The American College of Sports Medicine and the American Heart Association recommendations. Continue reading New activity guidelines for seniors
Clinical Practice Guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment of low back pain have been published in the Annals of Internal Medicine by the American College of Physicians and the American Pain Society.
Here are recommendations #6 and #7. Continue reading Treating low back pain: Guidelines from the mainstream
A literature review reveals there are short-term benefits following elective primary total knee replacement (arthroplasty) for osteoarthritis. Continue reading Effectiveness of physical therapy exercise programs after knee replacement
“Flexion-distraction [FD] involves the use of a specialized table [see photo] that gently distracts or stretches the spine,” says Dr. Arn Strasser from the Center for Chiropractic & Pain Rehabilitation in Portland, Oregon.
OK, but how does it compare to an active trunk exercise (ATE) protocol (see photo below) as performed by physical therapists?
Continue reading Flexion-distraction vs active exercise for chronic low back pain
Conflicting findings on the effectiveness of acupuncture are often attributed to flaws in study design and methods. The German Acupuncture Trials (GERAC) were intended to demonstrate that it’s possible to design acupuncture studies in accordance with the standards of good clinical practice.
Here’s what they report. Continue reading Surprising results and conclusions from the GERAC acupuncture trials for low back pain
This is useful.
Dr. Peter Stanton, a chiropractic orthopedist from Burke, Virginia, offers these guidelines for identifying a chiropractic physician and the expected course of events during chiropractic care.
How does your chiropractor measure up? Continue reading How to recognize good chiropractic care
The review article is posted on the American Family Physician website. In addition to diagnosis and pharmacological treatment, it covers diet and exercise.
CAM options are not included. Continue reading Allopathic and CAM update on diabetes treatment in young people
Narcotic drugs (opioids) are commonly prescribed for short-term relief of chronic back pain, but their long-term (greater than 16 weeks) effectiveness has never been proved.
Also, opioid abuse occurs in 24% of cases.
What’s this got to do with CAM?
Continue reading Limits of long-term narcotic use to treat back pain and CAM options
This report provides a reason to review the past few months of CAM studies and reviews on depression. Continue reading Deadly depression in people with heart failure