October 2004 [Volume 3, Issue10]

To Your Health is brought to you by:

This issue features a number of articles you will want to share with your family, friends and co-workers. Please feel free to forward this newsletter to them via e-mail. If you have received this e-mail newsletter from someone else, you may subscribe free of charge and begin receiving your own copy by going to:

http://www.massagetoday.com/newsletter/TYH/subscribe.php

In this issue of To Your Health:

• Nine Things Your Back Hates
• Gain Without Pain?
• Answers to Your Massage Questions: Highlights From This Month's "Ask a Massage Therapist" Online Forum

Since 1948, residents of Framingham, Mass., have been subjected to all manner of inconveniences in the name of science. The Framingham Heart Study (FHS) has examined volunteers there every two years, and data used during examination #22 (1992-1993) were used for a first-ever study on the contribution of back symptoms to overall physical disability in older adults.

Of the 1,710 surviving members from the original 5,209 taking part in the FHS, 1,007 contributed data on back symptoms. Subjects ranged in age from 70 to 100, and were surveyed regarding pain, aching and stiffness. Researchers then asked subjects about their difficulty standing in place for 15 minutes; walking half a mile; stooping, crouching or kneeling; lifting a 10-pound object; entering and exiting an automobile; pushing or pulling a large object; putting on socks or stockings; extending arms above shoulder level; and writing, handling or manipulating small objects. Any of these activities was classified as a "functional limitation" if it could not be performed or was performed with difficulty.

In all subjects, 18 percent to 34 percent of all functional limitations were attributed to back problems; moreover, women seemed particularly affected by these limitations. Don't let back pain limit you! Regular massage therapy can help your spine "make friends" with the nine activities listed above.

To learn more about the benefits of massage, visit www.massagetoday.com.

Reference: Edmond SL, Felson DT. Function and back symptoms in older adults.
Journal of the American Geriatrics Society December 2003:51(12), pp1702-1709.

For years, we've heard the phrase "no pain, no gain" with respect to exercise, but that might not be as accurate as once thought. Recent studies have indicated that when you exercise, your threshold for pain may actually be a warning, rather than a gauge of progress.

A study that appeared in the February 2004 issue of Preventive Medicine compared two groups of 30 college students who were subjected to incremental treadmill exercise tests. Investigators measured the transition from aerobic (with oxygen) to anaerobic (without oxygen) activity. Researchers theorized that once an exerciser completes the transition to the anaerobic state, exercise becomes uncomfortable - and even painful. It is this painful or uncomfortable stage that researchers say should be a hint to "ease up."

The researchers concluded that the perceived transition to anaerobic exercise is a good indicator of nonproductive exercise, and a good monitor for regulation. In other words, when you're exercising and you start to feel uncomfortable, it may be time to stop!

And remember, massage is a great way to soothe the muscle aches and pains associated with exercise, as well as promote relaxation and stress relief. For more information on the benefits of massage, visit www.massagetoday.com.

Reference: Ekkekakis P, Hall EE, Petruzzello SJ. Practical makers of the transition from aerobic to anaerobic metabolism during exercise: rationale and a case for affect-based exercise prescription. Preventive Medicine Feb. 2004;38(2), pp149-159.

Question: Can rubbing your belly a certain way give you appendicitis?

Answer: Appendicitis is an inflammation of the appendix resulting from obstruction or twisting. Regular massage therapy doesn't cause this condition; however, massage therapy to the area can rupture an appendix that is already inflamed.

Question: I'm wondering if you can give me any general information on how a body massage would help a patient with M.E. My mother has just been told she has the illness and was informed by other patients that a body massage will help her.

Answer: M.E. stands for myalgic encephalopathy, more commonly known as chronic fatigue syndrome. Therapeutic massage along with light excercise can be beneficial for people with this condition.

Note: Information provided in this Q&A section is drawn from the "Ask a Massage Therapist" online forum, in which massage therapists field questions relative to the massage profession. Readers are encouraged to post their questions at www.massagetoday.com/ask/.

This edition of To Your Health is co-sponsored by:

Thank you for subscribing to To Your Health. If you have received this newsletter in error or wish to unsubscribe, you may remove your name from our e-mail subscription list at http://www.massagetoday.com/newsletter/TYH/unsubscribe.php.

If you have any questions regarding your subscription, please complete this form at http://www.massagetoday.com/newsletterhelp/TYH.