Exercise Archives - Page 2 of 4 - Health Tips From The Professor

Preventing And Reversing Osteoporosis

November 19, 2019 by Dr. Steve Chaney

A Bone Health Lifestyle

Author: Julie Donnelly, LMT – The Pain Relief Expert

Editor: Dr. Steve Chaney

Fall is glorious in my book. I was up in New York a few weeks ago, and the trees were just changing – I was about a week too early for the best colors, but it was still beautiful. Then I flew out to Lake Tahoe, and it was really beautiful there. The air was crisp and clean, and I loved all the fall decorations.

In Florida we are entering our most wonderful time of year. It’s starting to get cooler, the humidity is going down, and hurricane season is over. Hooray! It’s great to be outdoors again!

Please remember all the people who are still going through very difficult times in the Bahamas. Many people have lost their homes, their workplaces and the income that supports them, and some have lost loved ones. A devastating loss.

We here in the USA were blessed that Dorian didn’t come any further west and do the same thing to Florida, Georgia, and the Carolinas. I wanted to share what I have with the people who now have nothing. That made me search for places I trust that will send all the money I donate. In case you want to help, and you don’t have a favorite charity, I want to share those places with you:

https://disaster.salvationarmyusa.org

http://secure.americares.org/help/now‎

https://www.mercycorps.org/articles/hurricane-dorian-bahamas#mercy-corps-helping

Preventing And Reversing Osteoporosis

Weight-bearing exercise builds strong bones. That statement is so common that just about everyone knows they need to exercise for strong muscles and bones, and for all the good it does for just about every system in the body. And, we are what we eat, so nutrition is vital.

Do you like to exercise? Some people are almost addicted to exercise, but I’m not one of them. I go to the gym and I have a fitness trainer to help me stay on track, but it fits right in with my eagerness of going to the dentist. I must say, I’d like that to change, and maybe if I can find a workout partner, it will.

Meanwhile I need to do something because I’ve been told I have osteoporosis. Yikes! One thing for sure, I’m not taking any type of medication. I truly believe there is another solution.

While I’m not an exercise nut, I do love nutrition and I know that the body is so adaptable that if it’s given the proper nutrition, it can do miracles. I believe nutrition and exercise can reverse this osteoporosis diagnosis.

A Bone Healthy Lifestyle

The first thing I did was contact my friend, Steve Chaney, PhD, author of the weekly blog “Health Tips From The Professor. He pointed me to an article he had written on a “Bone Healthy Lifestyle”. Here is a brief summary:

Exercise, calcium, and vitamin D are all essential for bone formation. If any of them are missing, you can’t form healthy bone. The reason so many clinical studies on calcium supplementation and bone density have come up empty is that exercise, or vitamin D, or both were not included in the study.

Get plenty of weight bearing exercise. This is an essential part of a bone healthy lifestyle. Your local Y can probably give you guidance if you can’t afford a personal trainer. Of course, if you have physical limitations or have a disease, you should consult with your health professional before beginning any exercise program.

Get your blood 25-hydroxy vitamin D level tested. If it is low, take enough supplemental vitamin D to get your 25-hydroxy vitamin D level into the adequate range – optimal is even better. Adequate blood levels of 25-hydroxy vitamin D are also essential for you to be able to utilize calcium efficiently.
Consume a “bone healthy” diet that emphasizes fresh fruits and vegetables, minimizes meats, and eliminates sodas and other acidic beverages. For more details on whether your favorite foods are acid-forming or alkaline-forming, you can find plenty of charts on the internet.
Minimize the use of medications that adversely affect bone density. You’ll need to work with your doctor on this one.
Consider a calcium supplement. Even when you are doing everything else correctly, you still need adequate calcium in your diet to form strong bones. Dr. Chaney wasn’t advocating a “one-size fits all” 1,000 to 1,200 mg/day for everyone. Supplementation is always most effective when you actually need it. For example:

o If you are not including dairy products in your diet (either because they are acid-forming or for other health reasons), it will be difficult for you to get adequate amounts of calcium in your diet. You can get calcium from other food sources such as green leafy vegetables. However, unless you plan your diet very carefully you will probably not get enough.

o If you are taking medications that decrease bone density, that may increase your need for supplemental calcium. Ask your pharmacist about the effect of any medications you are taking on your calcium requirements.

If you do use a calcium supplement, make sure it is complete. Don’t just settle for calcium and vitamin D. At the very least you will want your supplement to contain magnesium and vitamin K. Dr. Chaney recommends that it also contain zinc, copper, and manganese.

Between increasing my exercise and ramping up all the nutrients that build bone, I just know that by this time next year I’m going to be surprising the doctor with my great health

Is Our Microbiome Affected By Exercise?

November 6, 2018 by Dr. Steve Chaney

Microbiome Mysteries

Author: Dr. Stephen Chaney

In a recent post, What is Your Microbiome and Why is it Important, of “Health Tips From The Professor” I outlined how our microbiome, especially the bacteria that reside in our intestine, influences our health. That influence can be either good or bad depending on which species of bacteria populate our gut. I also discussed how the species of bacteria that populate our gut are influenced by what we eat and, in turn, influence how the foods we eat are metabolized.

I shared that there is an association between obesity and the species of bacteria that inhabit our gut. At present, this is a “chicken and egg” conundrum. We don’t know whether obesity influences the species of bacteria that inhabit our gut, or whether certain species of gut bacteria cause us to become obese.

Previous studies have shown that there is also an association between exercise and the species of bacteria that inhabit our gut. In particular, exercise is associated with an increase in bacteria that metabolize fiber in our diets to short chain fatty acids such as butyrate. That is potentially important because butyrate is a primary food source for intestinal mucosal cells (the cells that line the intestine). Butyrate helps those cells maintain the integrity of the gut barrier (which helps prevent things like leaky gut syndrome). It also has an anti-inflammatory effect on the immune cells that reside in the gut.

However, associations don’t prove cause and effect. We don’t know whether the differences in gut bacteria were caused by differences in diet or leanness in populations who exercised regularly and those who did not. This is what the present study (JM Allen et al, Medicine & Science In Sports & Exercise, 50: 747-757, 2018 ) was designed to clarify. Is our microbiome affected by exercise?

How Was The Study Designed?

This study was performed at the University of Illinois. Thirty-two previously sedentary subjects (average age = 28) were recruited for the study. Twenty of them were women and 12 were men. Prior to starting the study, the participants filled out a 7-day dietary record. They were asked to follow the same diet throughout the 12-week study. In addition, a dietitian designed a 3-day food menu based on their 7-day recall for the participants to follow prior to each fecal collection to determine species of gut bacteria.

The study included a two-week baseline when their baseline gut bacteria population was measured, and participants were tested for fitness. This was followed by a 6-week exercise intervention consisting of three supervised 30 to 60-minute moderate to vigorous exercise sessions per week. The exercise was adapted to the participant’s initial fitness level, and both the intensity and duration of exercise increased over the 6-week exercise intervention. Following the exercise intervention, all participants were instructed to maintain their diet and refrain from exercise for another 6 weeks. This was referred to as the “washout period.”

VO_2max (a measure of fitness) was determined at baseline and at the end of the exercise intervention. Stool samples for determination of gut bacteria and concentrations of short-chain fatty acids were taken at baseline, at the end of the exercise intervention, and again after the washout period.

In short, this study divided participants into lean and obese categories and held diet constant. The only variable was the exercise component.

Is Our Microbiome Affected By Exercise?

The results of the study were as follows:

Fitness, as assessed by VO_2max, increased for all the participants, and the increase in fitness was comparable for both lean and obese subjects.
Exercise induced a change in the population of gut bacteria, and the change was comparable in lean and obese subjects.
Exercise increased fecal concentrations of butyrate and other short-chain fatty acids in the lean subjects, but not in obese subjects.
The exercise-induced changes in gut bacteria and short-chain fatty acid production were largely reversed once exercise training ceased.

The authors concluded: “These findings suggest that exercise training induces compositional and functional changes in the human gut microbiota that are dependent on obesity status, independent of diet, and contingent on the sustainment of exercise.” [Note: To be clear, the exercise-induced changes in both gut bacteria and short-chain fatty acid production were independent of diet and contingent on the sustainment of exercise. However, only the production of short-chain fatty acids was dependent on obesity status.]

What Does This Study Mean For You?

There are two important take home lessons from this study.

With respect to our gut bacteria, I have consistently told you that microbiome research is an emerging science. This is a small study, so you should regard it as the beginning of our understanding of the effect of exercise on our microbiome rather than conclusive by itself. It is consistent with previous studies showing an association between exercise and a potentially beneficial shift in the population of gut bacteria.

The strength of the study is that it shows that exercise-induced changes in beneficial gut bacteria are probably independent of diet. However, it is the first study to look at the interaction between obesity, exercise and gut bacteria, so I would interpret those results with caution until they have been replicated in subsequent studies.

With respect to exercise, this may be yet another reason to add regular physical activity to your healthy lifestyle program. We already know that exercise is important for cardiovascular health. We also know that exercise increases lean muscle mass which increases metabolic rate and helps prevent obesity. There is also excellent evidence that exercise improves mood and helps prevent cognitive decline as we age.

Exercise is also associated with decreased risk of colon cancer and irritable bowel disease. This effect of exercise has not received much attention because the mechanism of this effect is unclear. This study shows that exercise increases the fecal concentrations of butyrate and other short-chain fatty acids. Perhaps, this provides the mechanism for the interaction between exercise and intestinal health.

The Bottom Line

A recent study has reported that:

Exercise induces a change in the population of gut bacteria, and the change was comparable in lean and obese subjects.
Exercise causes an increase in the number of gut bacteria that produce butyrate and other short-chain fatty acids that are beneficial for gut health.
These effects are independent of diet, but do not appear to be independent of obesity because they were seen in lean subjects but not in obese subjects.
The exercise-induced changes in gut bacteria and short-chain fatty acid production are largely reversed once exercise training ceases.

For more details and my interpretation of the data, read the article above.

These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This information is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.

Can You Eat Spinach For Muscle Growth

November 29, 2016 by Dr. Steve Chaney

Was Popeye Right?

Author: Dr. Stephen Chaney

You may have seen the recent headlines proclaiming that eating spinach will make you stronger. The more “mature” adults among my readers may remember the Popeye cartoons of our youth. Every time Popeye was on the brink of disaster he would down a can of spinach and become superhuman. Was Popeye right? Can spinach actually improve strength and endurance? Can you eat spinach for muscle growth? To answer those questions, I analyzed the study behind the headlines.

The short answer is that there may be some truth to the headlines, but you would never be able to prove it from the study they quoted.

Even worse, this study and the headlines it generated are typical of the sports nutrition marketplace. There are far too many headlines and sports nutrition products based on weak and inconclusive studies.

Spinach for Muscle Growth?

Let’s start at the beginning. In the first place the study behind the headlines (De Smet et al., Frontiers In Physiology, 7: 233-244, 2016) did not actually use spinach. In fact, participants were advised to avoid nitrate-rich foods like spinach and beets during the study.

The study enrolled moderately-trained male students from the University of Leuven in Belgium. All the participants completed 5 weeks of sprint interval training (SIT) consisting of 30 second sprints followed by 4.5-minute recovery intervals on an exercise cycle. This was repeated 4-6 times per session 3 times per week.

One group took a sodium nitrate supplement containing 400 mg of nitrate 30 minutes before each workout. The other group received a placebo. There were only 9 students in each group. [I have simplified the study design for the purposes of this discussion. There were other aspects of the study, but they are not relevant to our discussion.]

The investigators measured maximum oxygen consumption (a measure of exercise efficiency and endurance), maximum power output during a 30-second sprint, and composition of quadriceps muscle fibers both before the 5-week training started and again when it was completed.

The results were disappointing:

Nitrate supplementation caused a modest increase in fast twitch (type IIa) muscle fibers compared to placebo. That is a physiological response that may (or may not, depending on who you believe) allow high intensity exercise to be sustained for longer without fatigue.
Nitrate supplementation failed to show any significant benefit for any other measure of exercise capacity. In particular, no effect of nitrate supplementation was observed on:
- Maximum oxygen consumption
- Maximum power output
- Peak heart rate
- Time to exhaustion.
- Various metabolic markers of exercise efficiency

In spite of these largely negative results, the authors concluded: “The current experiment demonstrated that oral nitrate supplementation during short-term sprint-interval training increased the proportion of type IIa muscle fibers, which may contribute to enhanced performance in short maximal exercise events…”

“May” is the operative word here. Their data did not provide any evidence that nitrate supplementation actually improved performance.

Online headlines (the kind of nutrition information most people read) took it a step further. For example, one headline claimed “Spinach Can Boost Your Physical Fitness and Muscle Strength.” That headline came out of thin air.

Sports Nutrition Myths

Unfortunately, this study is typical of many of the sports nutrition studies I have reviewed over the years. Most of them are very small studies. In many of them only one or two measure exercise performance change, while other measures show no effect of supplementation.

That doesn’t stop bloggers from hyping the studies and creating sports nutrition myths. It also doesn’t stop companies from offering sports products with those ingredients and making outrageous claims about how their product will make you bigger, faster, and stronger. For example, a claim that you can eat spinach for muscle growth.

It is only when dozens of studies have been published, and a meta-analysis combines the data from all the studies that we are in a position to see whether any particular nutrient has a statistically significant effect on performance.

Must You Eat Spinach for Muscle Growth or Could Nitrates Provide Exercise Benefits?

Despite the weakness of this particular study, there is reason to believe that nitrates might improve exercise performance.

There is a plausible mechanism. In the body nitrates are converted to nitric oxide, which improves arterial health, lowers blood pressure, and enhances blood flow. Increased blood flow to the muscles could enhance exercise efficiency.

Other studies have come to a similar conclusion. There are several other exercise studies Health Benefits of Beetroot Juice involving supplements containing either nitrates or beetroot juice (which is rich in nitrates) that have suggested that supplementation improves exercise efficiency. Each of the studies are small and inconclusive by themselves, but in the aggregate they suggest that nitrate may have some benefits.

Arginine, which also enhances nitric oxide production, is well established in the sports nutrition world. There are dozens of published exercise studies involving arginine and meta-analyses of these studies suggest that arginine provides modest benefits. However, there is an important caveat, which I shall explain below.

In short, the idea that nitrate supplementation might improve exercise performance is plausible. However, plausible is a long way from proven.

The Ultimate Irony

When you analyze the meta-analyses of arginine supplementation and exercise performance studies, the ultimate irony is that arginine supplementation is most effective for untrained individuals who are just beginning an exercise program. It provides little benefit for trained athletes (R. Bescos et al, Sports Medicine, 42: 99‐117,2012).

There is a logical explanation for this observation. Intense exercise also enhances nitric oxide production and blood flow to the muscle. Most highly trained athletes have already maxed their nitric oxide levels and have excellent blood flow to their muscles. Arginine (or nitrate) supplementation provides little additional benefit for them.

Why do I call this the ultimate irony? Think about it for a minute.

The people most likely to use sports supplements with arginine or nitrate are gym rats and highly trained athletes – the people who get the least benefit from those supplements.

The people least likely to use special sports supplements with arginine or nitrate are the weekend warriors and the busy professionals who are just trying to stay fit – the people who are most likely to benefit from those supplements.

The Bottom Line

Recent headlines have suggested that you can eat spinach for muscle growth and exercise performance.

When you look at the study behind the headlines, the study was done with nitrate, not with spinach. Spinach is a nitrate-rich food (as are beet roots), but the headlines were clearly misleading.

The study was also inconclusive. It was a small study, and most parameters of exercise performance were not affected by nitrate supplementation.

Unfortunately, this kind of small, inconclusive study is all too common in the sports nutrition literature. That doesn’t stop bloggers from hyping the studies and creating sports nutrition myths. It also doesn’t stop companies from offering sports nutrition products with those ingredients and making outrageous claims about how their product will make you bigger, faster, and stronger.

However, other studies suggest the idea that nitrate in food or supplements could improve exercise performance is plausible.

In our bodies, nitrate is converted to nitric oxide, which enhances blood flow to the muscles.

Other studies with nitrate and with beetroot juice (an excellent source of nitrate) have shown some exercise benefits.

Arginine, which is also converted to nitric oxide, is a fairly well established sports supplement.

Of course, plausible is a long way from proven.

The ultimate irony is that the people most likely to use sports supplements with arginine or nitrates are gym rats and highly trained athletes. They already have excellent blood flow to their muscles. They are the people who get the least benefit from those supplements.

In contrast, the people least likely to use special sports supplements with arginine or nitrates are the weekend warriors and the busy professionals who are just trying to stay fit. Those are the people who are most likely to benefit from those supplements.

These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This information is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.

Should We Take Calcium Supplements?

September 27, 2016 by Dr. Steve Chaney

Clearing Up The Calcium Confusion

Author: Dr. Stephen Chaney

Should we take calcium supplements? You have every right to be confused about calcium supplementation. There have been a lot of conflicting headlines in recent months.

It has seemed like a no-brainer for years that calcium supplementation could help post-menopausal women and men over 50 avoid the debilitating effects of osteoporosis.

After all:

>99% of adults fail to get the USDA recommended 2.5-3 servings/day of dairy products.

67% of women ages 19-50 and 90% of women over 50 fail to meet the RDA recommendations for calcium intake from diet alone.

Men do a little better (but only because we consume more food). 40% of men ages 19-50 and 80% of men over 50 fail to meet the RDA recommendations for calcium intake from diet alone.

Inadequate calcium intake over a lifetime is considered a major risk factor for osteoporosis.

Osteoporosis is serious business. It doesn’t just cause bone fractures. It can result in chronic pain, disability, long term nursing home care, and even death.

It’s no wonder that some experts have predicted that supplementation with calcium and vitamin D could save over $1 billion per year in health care cost savings. It is also why health professionals have recommended calcium supplementation for years, especially for postmenopausal women and men over 50.

However, recent headlines have claimed that calcium supplementation doesn’t really increase bone density or prevent osteoporosis (more about that later). Other headlines have suggested that calcium supplementation is actually bad for you. It may increase your risk of heart disease.

That’s why the general public, and even many doctors, are confused. Should we take calcium supplements? Everyone wants to know the answer to two questions:

Do calcium supplements work?

Are calcium supplements safe?

I will start with the second question first.

Are Calcium Supplements Safe?

I have discussed the issue of calcium supplements and heart disease risk in a previous issue of Health Tips From the Professor. Briefly, the initial studies suggesting that calcium supplementation might increase the risk of heart attacks and cardiovascular disease were good studies, but they were small, short-term studies.

The initial studies raised an important question, so the scientific community stepped up to the plate and conducted larger, longer term studies to test the hypothesis. Both of those studies concluded that calcium supplementation posed no heart health risks.

Now a third major study on the subject has just been published (Raffield et al, Nutrition, Metabolism & Cardiovascular Disease, doi: 10.1016/j.numecd.2016.07.007). The study followed 6236 men and women ages 45-84 for an average of 10.3 years. The subjects were from four different race/ethnicity groups and came from 6 different locations in the United States. More importantly, there were 208 heart attacks and 641 diagnoses of cardiovascular disease during the study, so the sample size was large enough to accurately determine the relationship between calcium supplementation and heart disease.

The results were pretty straight forward:

The authors concluded: “[This study] does not support a substantial association of calcium supplement use with negative cardiovascular outcomes.” If you would like the plain-speak version of their conclusion, they were saying that they saw no increase in either heart attacks or overall cardiovascular disease in people taking calcium supplements.

If anything, they saw a slight decrease in heart attack risk in those taking calcium supplements, but this was not statistically significant.

In summary, the weight of evidence is pretty clear. Three major studies have now come to the same conclusion: Calcium supplementation does not increase the risk of either heart attacks or cardiovascular disease.

Of course, once information has been placed on the internet, it tends to stay there for a very long time – even if subsequent studies have proven it to be wrong. So the myth that calcium supplementation increases heart attack risk will probably be with us for a while.

So, should we take calcium supplements? Let’s first investigate a little further.

Do Calcium Supplements Work?

As I mention above, recent headlines have also suggested that calcium supplementation does not increase bone density, so it is unlikely to protect against osteoporosis. I analyzed the study behind those headlines in great detail in two previous issues of Health Tips From the Professor.

In Part 1 Calcium Supplements Prevent Bone Fractures I pointed out the multiple weaknesses in the study that make it impossible to draw a meaningful conclusion from the data.

In Part 2 Preventing Osteoporosis I discussed the conclusion that the study should have come to, namely: Adequate calcium intake is absolutely essential for strong bones, but calcium intake is only one component of a bone healthy lifestyle.

The bottom line is that calcium supplementation will be of little use if:

You aren’t getting adequate amounts of vitamin D and all of the other nutrients needed for bone formation from diet and supplementation.

You aren’t getting enough exercise to stimulate bone formation.

You are consuming bone dissolving foods or taking bone dissolving drugs.

Conversely, none of the other aspects of a bone healthy lifestyle matter if you aren’t getting enough calcium from diet and supplementation.

The bottom line is that you need to get adequate calcium and have a bone healthy lifestyle to build strong bones and prevent osteoporosis, and calcium supplementation is often essential to make sure you are getting adequate calcium.

Should We Take Calcium Supplements?

Should we take calcium supplements? If you are one of the millions of Americans who aren’t meeting the RDA guidelines for calcium from diet alone, the answer is an unqualified yes. Calcium supplementation is safe, and it is cheap. Osteoporosis is preventable, and it is not a disease to be trifled with.

However, you also need to be aware that calcium supplementation alone is unlikely to be effective unless you follow a bone healthy lifestyle of diet, exercise and appropriate supplementation to make sure you are getting all of the nutrients needed for bone formation.

Of course, it is always possible to get too much of a good thing. The RDA for calcium is 1,000 – 1,200 mg/day. The suggested upper limit (UL) for calcium is 2,000 – 3,000 mg/day. I would aim closer to the RDA than the UL unless higher intakes are recommended by your health care professional.

The Bottom Line

80% of men and 90% percent of women over 50 do not get enough calcium from their diet.

Consequently, doctors have consistently recommended calcium supplementation to prevent osteoporosis, and 50% of men and 60% of women over 60 currently consume calcium supplements on a regular basis.

Some small, short term studies suggested that calcium supplementation might increase the risk of heart disease, and warnings about calcium supplementation have been widely circulated on the internet. This hypothesis has been evaluated by three larger, longer term studies that have all concluded that calcium supplementation does not increase heart disease risk.

A recent study claimed that calcium supplementation was ineffective at increasing bone density, and that report has also been widely circulated. However, there are multiple weaknesses in the study that make it impossible to draw a meaningful conclusion from the data.

If you are one of the millions of Americans who aren’t meeting the RDA guidelines for calcium from diet alone, you should consider calcium supplementation. It is safe. It is effective when combined with a bone healthy lifestyle of diet, exercise, and appropriate supplementation. Finally, it is cheap. Osteoporosis is preventable, and it is not a disease to be trifled with.

Of course, it is always possible to get too much of a good thing. The RDA for calcium is 1,000 – 1,200 mg/day. The suggested upper limit (UL) for calcium is 2,000 – 3,000 mg/day. I would aim closer to the RDA than the UL unless higher intakes are recommended by your health care professional.

These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This information is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.

Stretching Exercises For Flexibility And Pain Relief

June 21, 2016 by Dr. Steve Chaney

The Pluses And Minuses Of Stretching

Author: Julie Donnelly, LMT –The Pain Relief Expert

Editor: Dr. Steve Chaney

When using stretching exercises for flexibility and pain relief, you should be careful to release the knots first.

Minuses! Are there any minuses to stretching? Yes, there are…let me explain.

All muscles originate on one bone, we’ll call the bone that is at the beginning of the muscle the “stationary bone,” then the muscle tendons cross over a joint and insert into another bone we’ll call the “moveable bone.”

When the muscle contracts (shortens) it pulls on the tendons, and they pull on the moveable bone where they are inserting. This is how all joints move.

Let me demonstrate with the biceps muscle in your upper arm. Your biceps originate in two different places:

The “long head” is deep inside your shoulder joint, and the “short head” is on a bone at the top of your shoulder called the coracoid process of your shoulder blade.

Your biceps tendon crosses over the inside of your elbow joint and inserts into the bone in your forearm.

When your biceps contract, you bend your elbow so you can touch your shoulder.

Notice that your triceps, on the back of your arm, are having to totally stretch to allow this movement.

Imagine what will happen if your triceps won’t stretch.

You won’t be able to bend your arm and your elbow will hurt. You may decide that you need to stretch your triceps – but this is where the “minus” comes in!

The “Minus” of Stretching Exercises for Flexibility When Your Muscle is Tight

When you repetitively use a muscle, in this case the triceps, the muscle fibers spasm and become painful, tying them into knots that are shortening the muscle fibers. The fibers are now short, but they are still originating and inserting in the same place. This causes a strain on the bone, usually at the insertion point.

If you had a 12″ length of rope and tied enough knots in it to make it 11″ and then consider what would happen to the rope if you tried to stretch it back to 12″ without first untying the knots. The knots would get tighter and the fibers outside of the knots would be overstretched. This is what happens to your muscles when you stretch without first releasing the spasms. It is the main reason you may feel worse after stretching than you did before you stretched.

Also, since the fibers are now short, they can’t lengthen enough to allow the joint to bend. In this example, the triceps have shortened which prevents them from lengthening. You either think you need to strengthen your biceps, or you think you need to stretch your triceps.

Rarely does anyone think about first releasing the spasms, and then stretching the muscle fibers. Yet, this is exactly what needs to be done if you plan on using stretching exercises for flexibility and pain relief.

Release the Spasms Preventing You From Using Stretching Exercises Safely.

As I mentioned, when you try to stretch you are now causing the knots in the muscles to become more complicated, and you are overstretching the fibers on either side of the knot.

However, if you release the spasm by putting direct pressure on it, you will feel a burning sensation, but as you press and release, the burn will lessen until it totally disappears. Now you can safely stretch for flexibility without injuring any of the muscle fibers.

The Perfect Stretching For Flexibility Packages:

Two products that will demonstrate how you can safely release the spasms and then start stretching for flexibility

The 15 Minute Back Pain Solution

Specifically written to focus on each muscle that causes back pain. THE 15 MINUTE BACK PAIN SOLUTION explains in detail why the muscles from the middle of your back to your knees will cause low back and hip pain, including sciatica and what to do to relieve the pain. An easy-to-read eBook that has a step-by-step program you can do in 7 Days.

This is the perfect way to prepare your muscles so you can use stretching exercises for flexibility!

And

Focused Flexibility Training

The comprehensive stretching program covers all aspects of releasing the spasms that have shortened the muscle fibers, and then guides you through a safe stretching routine using proven yoga-style postures.

Focused Flexibility Training has three DVDs that:

Demonstrates how to do every Julstro self-applied treatment taught in Treat Yourself to Pain-Free Living.
Two 30-minute yoga-style stretching programs for the upper body
Two 30-minute yoga-style stretching programs for the lower body.

Both stretching programs featured in the DVDs start with a 15-minute routine of Julstro self-applied treatments to release spasms in the muscles being stretched and then continue on to the 30-minute guided stretching programs.

Focused Flexibility Training also comes with a Julstro Perfect Ball and a Bamboo Stick Massager to provide all the tools you’ll need to be safely stretching for flexibility.

With just a bit of time and focused attention on safely stretching, you will be able to get back to living your life without joint pain and with more flexibility than ever before – it’s easy and it feels great!

Wishing you well,

Julie Donnelly

About The Author

Julie Donnelly is a Deep Muscle Massage Therapist with 20 years of experience specializing in the treatment of chronic joint pain and sports injuries. She has worked extensively with elite athletes and patients who have been unsuccessful at finding relief through the more conventional therapies.

She has been widely published, both on – and off – line, in magazines, newsletters, and newspapers around the country. She is also often chosen to speak at national conventions, medical schools, and health facilities nationwide.

These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This information is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.

Does Obesity Cause Cancer?

June 14, 2016 by Dr. Steve Chaney

Is The Obesity Epidemic Killing Us?

Author: Dr. Stephen Chaney

Does obesity cause cancer?

You probably already know that we are in the midst of a world-wide obesity epidemic. If not, here are some of the alarming statistics that characterize that epidemic:

The global prevalence of obesity has increased by 27.5% between 1980 and 2013.

35% of the adult population worldwide is now overweight (BMI ≥ 25), including 12% who are classified as obese (BMI ≥30).

According to the NIH the situation is even worse in developed countries like the US where 75.1% of adults are now overweight, including 35.7% who are obese, and 6.3% who are very obese (BMI ≥40).

Unfortunately, overweight and obesity are not benign. You probably already knew that those excess pounds increase your risk of diabetes, heart disease, kidney failure and much more. You probably also knew that those excess pounds increase your risks of certain types of cancer such as colon, rectal, kidney, pancreatic, postmenopausal breast, ovarian and uterine cancer.

It’s been a little more difficult to determine just how much obesity increases cancer risk. However, a recent study suggests that the increased risk could be quite significant. In fact, if this study is correct, obesity may only be second to smoking as a preventable cause of cancer. The truth might just scare you skinny!

Does Obesity Cause Cancer?

The International Agency For Research On Cancer did a worldwide study, (Arnold et al, The Lancet Oncology 16: 36-45, 2015), in which they looked at the effect of BMI on cancer incidence in adults aged 20 years or older. The BMI data was collected in 2002 and was segregated by sex and age groups. Recognizing that cancer takes decades to develop, they then collected data on newly diagnosed cancers in adults 30 and older in the same countries in 2012. They were determined to get closer to answering the question, does obesity cause cancer?

By comparing BMIs in 2002 with the incidence of newly diagnosed cancers 10 years later they were able to calculate the effect of excess body weight (BMI ≥25) on cancer incidence. The results were startling:

They estimated that 481,000 new cases of cancer in 2012 in adults over 30 were attributable to excess weight.

That represents 3.6% of all new cancer cases, which makes overweight second only to smoking as a preventable cause of cancer.

Uterine cancer, postmenopausal breast cancer, and colon cancer accounted for 63.6% of all cancers caused by overweight. Other cancers affected by excess weight were rectal cancer, pancreatic cancer, kidney cancer, gallbladder cancer, and ovarian cancer.

The effect of excess weight on cancer risk was almost 3-fold greater for women (5.4% of new cancer cases) than for men (1.9% of new cancer cases).

In North America 111,000 new cases of cancer in 2012 for adults over 30 were attributable to excess weight. That represents 3.5% of all new cancers in men and 9.4% of all new cancers in women.

A quarter (about 118,000) of the worldwide cancer cases related to high BMI in 2012 could be attributed to the increase in BMI that has occurred since 1982.

The authors concluded “These findings emphasize the need for a global effort to abate the increasing numbers of people with high BMI. Assuming that the association between the high BMI and cancer is causal, the continuation of current patterns of population weight gain will lead to continuing increases in the future burden of cancer.”

What Does This Study Mean For You?

We have to stop kidding ourselves. That excess flab isn’t harmless. It is killing us, and cancer is a particularly gruesome way to go. It’s time to get serious about weight loss. Here are my top 5 tips for lasting weight loss.

Eat healthy low calorie meals and snacks with plenty of protein so that you maintain muscle mass while you are losing fat.
Avoid the fad diets. You don’t need to restrict carbohydrates or fats. You just need to focus on fresh fruits and vegetables, healthy proteins and modest amounts of healthy fats and healthy carbohydrates.
Find an exercise program you like and stick with it every day.
Focus on true lifestyle change rather than short term diets. A good strategy is to make one healthy change at a time rather than trying to do everything at once.
Change how you think about food, think about exercise, and think about your ability to make the kinds of changes that will lead to permanent weight loss. Don’t think of yourself as a fat person who is trying to lose weight. Think of yourself as a skinny person who happens to have a few extra pounds that are on their way out.

Of course, getting to a healthier weight isn’t the only change you want to make if you are trying to reduce your risk of cancer. Here are my top 7 lifestyle change suggestions (besides weight loss) for reducing cancer risk.

If you smoke, stop. No ifs, ands, or buts. Smoking is still the #1 cause of cancer.
Eat a healthy diet (including supplements to fill the gaps).
Eat plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables, especially those that are good sources of cancer-fighting antioxidants, carotenoids, flavonoids, and polyphenols.
Eat fish and fish oil supplements to make sure that you get plenty of omega-3 fatty acids.
Minimize saturated fats and avoid trans fats. Substitute olive oil for vegetable oils whenever possible.
If you drink alcohol, drink it in moderation.
Avoid sun exposure as much as possible, and use sunscreen when outdoors.
Eat healthy proteins.
Minimize consumption of red meats and processed meats.
Use chicken, fish and vegetable proteins whenever possible.
Soy protein is particularly helpful for reducing the risk of breast cancer. (Yes, those scary blogs about soy and breast cancer are wrong. For accurate information, just go to https://www.chaneyhealth.com/healthtips and type soy in the search box).
Get plenty of exercise.
Get regular check-ups.

So, does obesity cause cancer? I think you now know the answer.

The Bottom Line

A recent study has shown:

481,000 new cases of cancer worldwide each year are attributable to excess weight.

That represents 3.6% of all new cancer cases, which makes overweight second only to smoking as a preventable cause of cancer.

Uterine cancer, postmenopausal breast cancer, and colon cancer accounted for 63.6% of all cancers caused by overweight.

The effect of excess weight on cancer risk was almost 3-fold greater for women (5.4% of new cancer cases) than for men (1.9% of new cancer cases).

In North America 111,000 new cases of cancer for adults over 30 are attributable to excess weight. That represents 3.5% of all new cancers in men and 9.4% of all new cancers in women.

That excess flab isn’t harmless. It is killing us, and cancer is a particularly gruesome way to go. For my top 5 tips for lasting weight loss and my top 7 tips for reducing your risk of cancer, read the article above.

These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This information is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.

Does Exercise Reduce Cancer Risk?

May 15, 2016May 10, 2016 by Dr. Steve Chaney

Another Reason To Stop Using Your Exercise Bike As A Clothes Rack

Author: Dr. Stephen Chaney

OK guys; listen up. We need to have a heart to heart talk about exercise. Sometimes it seems as if exercise is the step child of a healthy lifestyle.

Taking supplements is easy, and most of us can manage a healthy diet – when we think of it…

…but exercise – who has time? Does exercise reduce cancer risk?

The more we learn, the more it looks like we should really make the time to exercise on a regular basis.

Does Exercise Reduce Cancer Risk?

A study reported several years ago in the British Journal of Cancer (98: 1864-1869, 2008) showed that moderate intensity exercise significantly reduces cancer incidence and decreases cancer deaths in men.

This study followed 40,708 Swedish men, aged 45-79,from 1998 to 2004.

When men who walked or cycled an average of 30 minutes a day were compared to men who exercised very little, there was a 5% (non-significant) decrease in the incidence of new cancer and a 33% increase in 5-year survival after cancer diagnosis!

When they looked at men who walked or cycled an average of 60 minutes a day, the 5-year survival after cancer diagnosis was about the same as for the men who were exercising for 30 minutes a day, but there was a statistically significant 16% decrease in the incidence of new cancer diagnosis compared to men who exercised very little.

A 16% decrease in new cancer diagnosis and a 33% increase in 5-year cancer survival after a cancer diagnosis – now that’s pretty significant!

What Does This Mean For You and Me?

If you are a man, this study shows that moderate intensity exercise has the potential to decrease both your chance of developing cancer and your survival if you do get cancer – and as little as 30 minutes of exercise a day can make a difference.

But the sad fact is that less than 50% of the men in this country exercise for 30 minutes even 5 days a week- and 15% are bona fide couch potatoes.

So it’s time to dust off that exercise cycle or lace up your walking shoes and get moving.

If you are a woman, don’t think you are off the hook. Other studies have shown that regular exercise is just as beneficial in reducing cancer risk and increasing cancer survival in women.

So, does exercise reduce cancer risk? The evidence in this study seems to say “yes.”

The Bottom Line

A study of 40,708 Swedish men showed that:

As little as 30 minutes/day of moderate intensity exercise increases your 5-year survival rate after cancer diagnosis by 33%.

If you up that to 60 minutes/day of moderate intensity, you not only increase your 5-year survival rate, but you also decrease your risk of developing cancer in the first place by 16%

If you are a woman, don’t despair. Other studies have shown that exercise is equally effective at decreasing cancer risk and improving cancer survival in women.

These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This information is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.

The Benefits of Resveratrol

April 26, 2016 by Dr. Steve Chaney

Author: Dr. Stephen Chaney

Some athletes, particularly Olympic athletes, are starting to use resveratrol to improve their workouts and their performance in events. Is their belief in the benefits of resveratrol justified, or is resveratrol just another of those “mythical” sports nutrition supplements? There have only been a few small studies on the subject, and those studies have been conflicting.

The study I am featuring this week (Polley et al, Appl. Physiol. Nutr. Metab. 41: 26-32, 2016) asked a more fundamental question. It asked whether resveratrol enhanced the effect of exercise on muscle mitochondrial capacity. For those of you who aren’t scientists that statement may require some interpretation.

What Are Mitochondria and Why Are They Important?

You can think of mitochondria as the power packs of the cell. They are tiny organelles that are found in most cells in our body. The foods that we eat contain a lot of energy (calories), but that energy is not in a form that our cells can use. Our cells metabolize those foods into small molecules that donate electrons to our mitochondria, and the mitochondria use those electrons to create energy in a form that our cells can utilize.

As you might imagine, mitochondria are particularly important for cells with high energy requirements, like our muscle cells. Those muscle cells responsible for endurance and high intensity (think gymnastics or weight lifting) exercise have the highest density of mitochondria and are the most dependent on those mitochondria for optimal performance.

Why Resveratrol Might Increase Muscle Mitochondrial Capacity?

Mitochondria have a finite lifetime in our cells. As our cells age their mitochondria become less efficient and start doing bad things like releasing damaging free radicals into the cell. Exercise stress causes the mitochondria in our muscles to age more rapidly than the mitochondria in other cells. Fortunately, regular exercise also stimulates a pathway that causes production of new mitochondria and enhances their efficiency. Thus, the net effect of any exercise program is to increase both the number and efficiency of mitochondria, something referred to as mitochondrial capacity.

It turns out that resveratrol and a small group of related polyphenols also stimulate the same pathway. Animal and cell culture studies show that resveratrol can increase muscle mitochondrial capacity. However, since resveratrol and exercise increase mitochondrial capacity by the same mechanism, the question is whether resveratrol has any added benefit over exercise alone. That is the question this study was designed to answer.

The Benefits of Resveratrol on Muscle Mitochondrial Capacity?

Previous studies had suggested that one of the benefits of resveratrol might be increasing muscle mitochondrial capacity for people who have engaged in relatively little physical activity in the past. For examples, studies have shown that resveratrol activates the pathway leading to increased mitochondrial capacity in obese and diabetic populations, both groups that may not have been involved in regular exercise. In contrast, other studies found no enhancement of those same pathways compared to exercise alone in more highly trained populations involved in high intensity training.

Based on those results, the present study (Polley et al, Appl. Physiol. Nutr. Metab. 41: 26-32, 2016) was specifically designed to assess the effect of resveratrol supplementation along with low-intensity exercise in an untrained muscle group. The authors recruited healthy young adults with approximately equal numbers of men and women. To assure that the muscle group was relatively untrained, they asked the subjects to perform wrist flexor exercises in their non-dominant arm. They excluded from the study anyone whose exercise regimen involved regular use of the non-dominant forearm such as rowing, rock climbing or CrossFit.

This was a double-blind, placebo-controlled study. Half of the group received 500 mg of resveratrol and the other half received the placebo. The placebo group served as a control for the effect of exercise alone. The dominant arm was not exercised, so it served as a control for the effect of resveratrol alone. The participants took resveratrol or placebo upon wakening each morning. The wrist flexor exercises were performed 3 times per week for 4 weeks. Mitochondrial capacity measurements were made using near infrared spectroscopy on a weekly basis.

The results were pretty straight-forward.

Low-intensity training alone (placebo group) for 4 weeks resulted in a 10% increase in mitochondrial capacity.

Low-intensity training plus resveratrol for 4 weeks resulted in a 40% increase in mitochondrial capacity. This represented a highly significant difference between the resveratrol and placebo groups.

Neither the resveratrol group or the placebo group exhibited changes in the untrained arm, which suggests that resveratrol without exercise has little or no effect on mitochondrial capacity in young, healthy subjects.

The authors concluded: “Taken together, these findings indicate that [the] combination of exercise and resveratrol is needed for eliciting maximal muscle mitochondrial adaptations to low-intensity training programs.”

What Are the Strengths and Weaknesses of This Study?

Strengths:Because previous studies had suggested that the effects of resveratrol might be masked in highly trained individuals or by high intensity exercise, this study was specifically designed to look at the effects of resveratrol on mitochondrial capacity when administered along with low-intensity exercise in untrained muscles. In that sense this study breaks new ground and suggests that, under the right conditions, resveratrol can enhance exercise training.

Weaknesses:The weaknesses of this study were many:

It was a very small study. That is not unusual in this area of research, but clearly much more research is needed.

It used a higher dose of resveratrol than previous studies. However, plasma levels of resveratrol were not determined and the effect of lower doses was also not determined, so we have no idea how much resveratrol is actually needed to elicit this response.

While increased mitochondrial capacity is a probable predictor of improved exercise efficiency, no performance outcomes were actually measured. Most people probably don’t care how well their mitochondria work. They care about how well their muscles perform.

What Does This Mean For You?

We are in the very early stages of research into the benefits of resveratrol on exercise. Many more studies are needed before we will be in a position to fully understand the effects of resveratrol on exercise efficiency and performance outcomes. This and previous studies suggest that resveratrol is likely to be most effective at enhancing exercise efficiency with low intensity exercise in relatively untrained muscles.

If true, that would mean resveratrol might be helpful for the millions of Americans who are “weekend warriors” or exercise sporadically. It may even be beneficial for those of us who exercise regularly at a low to moderate intensity level.

However, because resveratrol and exercise improve mitochondrial capacity by the same mechanism, previous studies suggest that resveratrol might be a less effective addition for highly trained athletes engaged in high-intensity exercise.If true, this would put resveratrol in the same category as several other popular exercise supplements such as arginine and citrulline that also appear to be more effective for untrained individuals than they are for highly trained athletes.

However, I am aware of many Olympic athletes who use and swear by a resveratrol polyphenol blend. It could be placebo, but it could also suggest that resveratrol does enhance performance for highly trained athletes engaged in high-intensity exercise. As I said at the beginning of this section, there is much more research to do. That’s what makes science so much fun. There are always new things to learn.

The Bottom Line

We are in the very early stages of research into the benefits of resveratrol on exercise. Many studies will be needed before we will be in a position to fully understand the effects of resveratrol on exercise efficiency and performance outcomes. However, a recent study is of interest because it introduces a new perspective to our understanding of the possible effects of resveratrol on exercise efficiency.

Thisstudy reports that resveratrol significantly enhances the increase in mitochondrial capacity caused by low-intensity exercise in untrained muscles

If true, that would mean resveratrol might increase exercise efficiency for the millions of Americans who are “weekend warriors” or exercise sporadically. It may even be beneficial for those of us who exercise regularly at a low to moderate intensity level.

However, because resveratrol and exercise improve mitochondrial capacity by the same mechanism, previous studies suggest that resveratrol might be a less effective addition for highly trained athletes engaged in high-intensity exercise.

If true, this would put resveratrol in the same category as several other popular exercise supplements such as arginine and citrulline that also appear to be more effective for untrained individuals than they are for highly trained athletes.

However, I am aware of many Olympic athletes who use and swear by a resveratrol polyphenol blend. It could be placebo, but it could also suggest that resveratrol does enhance performance for highly trained athletes engaged in high-intensity exercise.

As I said before, there is much more research to do. That’s what makes science so much fun. There are always new things to learn.

These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This information is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.

Exercise and Weight Loss

March 22, 2016 by Dr. Steve Chaney

Author: Dr. Stephen Chaney

Are you confused yet? Just as you were starting to wrap your mind around the current consensus recommendations that we engage in 30 minutes of moderate intensity exercise 5 days/week, news stories are starting to appear saying that might not be enough exercise if you want to lose weight!

So how much exercise DO you need, and why is there so much confusion with exercise and weight loss?

Let me start by reviewing a couple of studies that appeared a few years ago on weight loss in middle aged, overweight women.

Exercise and Fat Loss

The first study looked at the effect of exercise intensity on abdominal fat loss over a 16-week period(Irving et al, Medicine & Science In Sports & Exercise,40: 1863-1872, 2008).

The women in this study were divided into three groups:the control group that just continued their normal exercise pattern (little or none), a group that engaged in supervised moderate intensity exercise 5 days per week, and a group that engaged in supervised, high intensity exercise 3 days per week and moderate intensity exercise the other two days.

The diet was identical for all three groups and the calories expended by exercise were also identical (the high intensity exercise was performed for shorter periods of time so that the calories expended were the same).

The results were striking. Weight loss was similar in the two exercise groups (calories do count). However, the women in the high intensity exercise group lost a significant amount of abdominal fat while the other two groups did not! As you may know, abdominal fat appears to be much more damaging metabolically than fat stores in other parts of our bodies.

Exercise and Weight Loss

The second study looked at the effect of exercise duration on weight loss over a 24-month period (Jackcicet al, Archives of Internal Medicine, 168: 1550-1559,2008).

In this case the diet and the intensity of the exercise(moderate intensity) were the same. The difference was in the duration of the exercise. In this case the calories expended by exercise was not kept the same. The group that exercised for longer burned significantly more calories than those who exercise for a shorter time.

Again the results were striking. Only those study participants who exercised for at least 275 minutes/week (an average of almost 60 minutes a day for 5 days) were able to lose 10% or more of their weight and keep the weight off over a 24-month period.

How Much Exercise is Enough?

So what does all of this mean to you?

When most Americans decide to shed a few pounds, one of the first things they think of is getting more exercise. After all, it’s much easier to walk around the block during lunch hour than to actually change what you are eating.

The question then becomes how much exercise is enough? Is the recommended 30 minutes a day of moderate intensity exercise 5 days per week enough?

If you actually work through the math, it is pretty easy to guess that it might not be enough. For example, a recent study looked at how much moderate intensity exercise would be required for a 155-pound woman to burn off the calories in same popular fast foods. For example, to burn off the calories:

In a MacDonald’s Big Mac, she would need to cycle at a moderate pace for 1 hour.

In an Arby’s Reuben, she would need to walk at a moderate pace for 3 hours.

In a Super Sonic Double Cheeseburger with Mayo, she would need to do low impact aerobics for 3 hours.

Of course, if she had fries and a soda with any of those meals she would need to do even more exercise.

These estimates are not just hypothetical. The studies described above clearly show that if you are relying on exercise alone to shed your excess pounds and/or excess fat, you are going to need higher intensity exercise and/or longer duration moderate intensity exercise than the current consensus recommendations suggest.

In other words, the current recommendations of 30 minutes of moderate intensity exercise 5 days per week probably won’t make much of a dent in your weight unless the exercise is coupled with a very good weight loss program.

But, if you have ever relied on exercise alone for weight loss, you have probably guessed that already!

Of course, the consensus recommendations are still valid for what they were designed to accomplish. 30 minutes a day of moderate intensity exercise 5 days per week is sufficient to improve fitness and reduce cardiovascular risk factors. And fitness reduces your risk of disease even if you are still overweight.

Furthermore, since many Americans probably don’t get even 30 minutes of exercise in a week, 30 minutes 5 days per week is a great starting goal.

The Bottom Line

Recent studies show that the current recommendations of 30 minutes of moderate intensity exercise 5 days per week probably won’t make much of a dent in your weight unless the exercise is coupled with a very good weight loss program.

Don’t freak out about all of the conflicting exercise recommendations. Here’s what I suggest:

1) Consult with your physician before you start any exercise program.

2) Get active. Start slowly and start by choosing activities that are fun and accessible to you.

3) Set your goal of 30 minutes of moderate intensity exercise 5 days per week. If you want to lose weight, couple that with a well-designed weight loss program.

4) If your combination of exercise and diet isn’t putting a dent in your weight and weight loss is important to you, pick up the pace or increase the duration of exercise.

These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This information is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.

Chronic Hip Pain Relief

March 15, 2016 by Dr. Steve Chaney

You Can Enjoy Pain Free Living From Home

Author: Julie Donnelly, LMT –The Pain Relief Expert

Editor: Dr. Steve Chaney

You may not be an Irish dancer like the woman who sent this question, but if you are a runner, golfer, or you play tennis – or if you are just having chronic hip pain – you’ll find answers to the cause of your pain, and what you can do to resolve it!

The Cause of Bridget’s Chronic Hip Pain

I received this question recently.

I am a competitive Irish dancer. I love what I do, it is my passion. I am 40 years old and I have been Irish dancing since I was 35.

The pillar of Irish dancing is core muscles and hamstrings. The better I have gotten with my dancing, the worst my everyday pain in my high hamstrings right at the hip joint (Bicep Femoris). I have been in pain for 4 years now. It only gets worse.can you please advise.

Bridget

Obviously “Bridget” is overusing all of her muscles. She doesn’t have a “chronic hip pain condition” she has overuse syndrome, and it CAN be reversed easily. It’s just a matter of discovering what is causing the pain, finding the source of the pain, and then eliminating it with simple self-treatments.

My Answer For Bridget’s Chronic Hip Pain

Hi,

I LOVE Irish dancing, and I’ve always appreciated how grueling it is for the dancers from their hips to their feet. I’m happy to tell you that it is easy to treat each of the muscles, but it’s more than just your hip joint and hamstrings. This chronic hip pain pattern actually starts from your quadriceps, specifically your rectus femoris.

It will help you follow this discussion if you first read my article on hip joint pain relief . You’ll see that your quadriceps cause your leg to go straight after you bend your knee, so it is being repetitively strained from all of the dancing.

The rectus femoris is the only one of the four quadriceps that originates on the tip of your pelvis, so when it is being repetitively strained – and therefore shortening – it is pulling DOWN on your pelvis and UP on your knee.

As your pelvis rotates down from this strain, it causes the muscles of your hamstrings to become OVERSTRETCHED. The worst thing to do is to stretch your hamstrings without first treating the muscles that have caused your pelvis to rotate.

The overstretching occurs because the origin of your hamstrings are on the base of your pelvis. So as your posterior pelvis is pulling your hamstrings, which have their own spasms occurring and are tying the fibers into knots, they are now being overstretched as the pelvis moves.

The muscles of your hip become involved because they are twisted as your pelvis pulls them down in the front, and contracts them as your pelvis moves up in the back. This puts a great strain on the top of your thigh bone, called the greater trochanter.

You need to do your self-treatments in a specific way to sequentially release your muscles in a manner that will reverse the domino-effect your rectus femoris is putting on your pelvis. As you release each muscle in what is called the Julstro Protocol , your pelvis will be able to release.

As a dancer, I suggest you self-treat each of the muscles regularly, even daily. This will force out the toxins that are created as you dance for hours, and will enable your muscles to heal while you sleep so you’ll be fresh in the morning and not carrying around yesterday’s pain.

You can release all of the muscles that are causing your chronic hip pain, and you’ll find that you’re dancing better, with more flexibility, and you’ll also feel stronger.

Wishing you well,

Julie Donnelly

About The Author

These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This information is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.