A recent study conducted by Oregon State University revealed that people sleep significantly better and feel more alert during the day if they get at least 150 minutes of exercise a week.

In a sample of more than 2,600 men and women, ages 18-85, the study found that 150 minutes of moderate to vigorous activity a week (which is the national guideline) provided a 65 percent improvement in sleep quality.  People also said they felt less sleepy during the day, compared to those with less physical activity.

The study, out in the December issue of the journal Mental Health and Physical Activity, lends more evidence to mounting research showing the importance of exercise to a number of health factors.  Among adults in the United States, about 35 to 40 percent of the population has problems with falling asleep or with daytime sleepiness.

After controlling for age, BMI (Body Mass Index), health status, smoking status, and depression, the relative risk of often feeling overly sleepy during the day compared to never feeling overly sleepy during the day decreased by 65 percent for participants meeting physical activity guidelines.

The study’s findings coincide with what we se in this practice.  Many of our patients have musculoskeletal conditions (low back pain, joint pain, etc) which prevent them from exercising properly.  Most of these patients also have problems falling to sleep at night and/or staying alert during the day.

In addition to enhancing sleep, a good exercise regimen – strengthening, stretching and toning muscles – can help prevent some musculoskeletal injuries.

Information contained in this blog is intended for educational purposes only and not for medical diagnosis or treatment.  If you have a medical concern or issue, please consult with your physician.

A recent study presented at the American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine’s (AOSSM) Annual Meeting in San Diego in July 2011, suggests that low vitamin D levels might increase the chance of muscle injuries in athletes.

Michael Shindle, MD, lead researcher and member of Summit Medical Group, presented the study results.  The study focused on NFL football players.  According to Dr. Shindle, 80 percent of the football players studied had vitamin D insufficiency.  African American players and players who suffered muscle injuries had significantly lower levels.

Researchers identified 89 football players from a single NFL team and provided laboratory testing of vitamin D levels in the spring 2010 as part of routine pre-season evaluations.  The team provided data to determine the number of players who had lost time due to muscle injuries.  Twenty-seven players had deficient levels (<20 ng/ML) and an additional 45 had levels consistent with insufficiency (20-31.9 ng/mL).  Seventeen players had values within normal limits (>32 ng/mL).  The mean vitamin D level in white players was 30.3 ng/mL, while the mean level for black players was 20.4 ng/mL.  Sixteen players suffered a muscle injury with a mean vitamin D level of 19.9 ng/mL.

Dr. Scott Rodeo, MD, co-chief of the Sports Medicine and Shoulder Service at the Hospital for Special Surgery, said that screening and treatment of vitamin D insufficiency in professional athletes may be a simple way to help prevent injuries.  But, according to Dr. Joseph Lane, MD, director of the Metabolic Bone Disease Service at the Hospital for Special Surgery, further research also needs to be conducted in order to determine if increasing vitamin D leads to improved maximum muscle function.

Normally, our bodies take in vitamin D in the form of sun synthesis through the skin.  Additionally, eating the right foods can also increase our vitamin D levels.  Foods such as: 

·         Fish –salmon, mackerel, herring, canned tuna or sardines, or cod liver oil

·         Meat – beef, lamb, chicken or pork liver, or eggs

·         Foods fortified with vitamin D

More info on vitamin D-rich foods can be found at LiveStrong.com or the Global Healing Center.

Information contained in this blog is intended for educational purposes only and not for medical diagnosis or treatment.  If you have a medical concern or issue, please consult with your physician.

Nutritional counseling is an important aspect to consider to ensure adequate healing of injuries.  Weight loss may be necessary, especially with chronic injuries, when once active, athletic patients become sedentary due to painful injuries.  When the same number of calories (or more) are consumed and there is a concomitant drop in caloric expenditure due to lack of exercise, the inevitable response is weight gain.

Weight gain leads to a whole host of secondary disorders if left untreated: hypertension, diabetes, coronary artery disease, and the increased load of the extra weight on the injured body segment.  One of the prime risk factors for joint replacement is excess body weight.

Addressing the weight issue early, while properly diagnosing the true underlying cause for pain, and then implementing an appropriate and quick treatment response minimizes the possible necessity of joint replacement surgery.  If the injury has been prolonged, misdiagnosed, or unsuccessful surgery has occurred, it is not unusual to find patients who have gained substantial weight.  In these cases, an appropriate weight loss program is necessary to assist in the healing process.

Often, when the injured segment heals, weight loss and exercise improve secondary health issues and often medications for hypertension, diabetes and cholesterol are reduced or no longer needed.  This illustrates the old saying, "less is more."

There are many weight loss programs available.  The first key is to find a program that works for you and then stick with it.  For patients that need to lose more than 20 pounds, the HCG (Human Chorionic Gonadotropin) diet has become popular. 

The second key is exercise – which we will cover in the future.

Information contained in this blog is intended for educational purposes only and not for medical diagnosis or treatment.  If you have a medical concern or issue, please consult with your physician.