Do This Now for Less Pain Later
Just jump to it. Okay, you don’t have to literally jump. But do be active. People who pick up their feet and commit to regular aerobic exercise have much less muscle and joint pain as they age.
How Much Less?
A 14-year study that followed a healthy over-60 crowd found that consistent exercise — be it running, biking, swimming, dancing, or brisk walking — led to as much as 25 percent less musculoskeletal pain down the road. Yes, even with the high-impact runners. Researchers aren’t sure why, but they suspect that exercise’s endorphin release may play a role.
Looking Ahead
Less pain when you’re older means a more active and independent life. Here are a few other ways to lower your risk of chronic future aches:
Hit the mat. Yoga boosts endorphins and improves flexibility and joint-supporting strength.
Cross-train. Mixing up your activities helps keep your back in good shape.
Have a cup or two . . . of green tea.
Bone loss, back pain, high cholesterol . . . very different problems. But there’s a single solution.
It’s cross-training. Research shows that increasing the variety of exercises you do increases the range of benefits you get. The triple reward for consistently mixing it up: stronger bones, a limber back, and a healthier cholesterol profile.
When women who went through menopause early combined a number of different physical activities — from strength training to jumping rope — the results were clear: broadening their fitness menu expanded their physical benefits. After 2 years of doing cross-training workouts at varying speeds and intensities, the women had increased their bone mass, boosted their muscle strength, reduced their back pain, and improved their cholesterol profiles.
The lesson for everyone: The more you mix up your workouts, the more rewards you’re likely to reap. And adding variety helps keep your interest up, too. Doing yoga or Pilates, jogging, hiking, lifting weights, biking, playing racquetball or golf, jumping rope, dancing, walking, swimming . . . it’s hard to get bored when you have so many get-moving options.
Check out Watching Simpsonsand find out what blogger Richard Ristow means when he writes ‘x-files meets simpsons’.
August 26th, 2008 at 11:13 am
[...] Original post by Brick ONeil [...]
September 11th, 2008 at 11:05 am
After years of chronic illness, pain and fatigue, yoga has really been my personal path to healing. In addition to the chronic fatigue and constant pain, I had sciatica, SI problems, herniated discs – you name it. I had no idea what my first yoga class would lead to!
I have studied yoga for over 20 years, teaching and becoming a yoga therapist along the way. I was compelled to make this healing process available to the public, and the result is The Essential Low Back Program. I have been working on this project for the last 8 years with The National Institute of Health who funded a study looking at yoga therapy for the treatment of lower back pain. We collaborated with the Group Health Center for Health Studies, and the results were so exciting that the Annals of Internal Medicine picked it up. It is a simple and affordable at home practice, and I am very excited to make it available to everyone. (Please visit http://www.yogabackcare.com to learn more.)