Archive for February, 2010

“Convenience” May Be Key When It Comes to Regular Exercise

Sunday, February 21st, 2010

As a chiropractor I always recommend that my patients get regular exercise. Often the “resistance” I get is from my older patients who don’t have “convenient” exercise opportunites available. However, it is extremely important, especially as we age, to keep our body moving or to get our body moving, so whether it is convenient or not, every individual needs to find a way to make routine daily activity…routine.

According to a new study, many older men find themselves leaving out this important aspect of health. In fact, the new study points to the health benefits of living in neighborhoods with built-in physical activity resources. Researchers conducted a study among community-dwelling men age 65 years or older from the Portland, Oregon, metropolitan area. They wanted to see whether or not older men who live within one-eighth, one-quarter, or one-half mile of physical activity resources (including parks, trails and recreational facilities) are more likely to maintain or increase the amount of time they spend walking than men who live farther from these resources.

The study ran from March 2000 – April 2002 at six U.S. clinical centers, and then was then followed an average of 3.6 years to assess changes in time spent walking. The results of the study revealed a positive association among urban-dwelling older men between living within one-eighth mile of parks and one-half mile of trails and maintaining or increasing time spent walking, although the association was limited to men living in high-socioeconomic status neighborhoods.

The study’s authors said, “Proximity to physical activity resources such as parks and trails may be important for maintaining moderate physical activity over time among older men residing in high-socioeconomic status neighborhoods. These findings support an eco-social model of physical activity promotion incorporating neighborhood-level resources and parks and trails.”

Source American Journal of Public Health

Posted via email from chironews4u’s posterous

A First for Olympic Athletes: Chiropractic Care Included in 2010 Olympic Vancouver Winter Games

Saturday, February 6th, 2010

Whether you see a chiropractor for “crisis” care or on a regular basis, you may have assumed that chiropractic treatment has always been included for the athletes participating in Olympic Games. But, sadly, that hasn’t been the case until now. Read on…

For the first time in the history of the Olympic Games, the 2010 Winter Games in Vancouver, Canada, will include chiropractic care inside the Olympic Village Polyclinic, a multi-disciplinary facility that offers comprehensive health care and medical services. While doctors of chiropractic (D.C.s) have historically been included on the Olympic medical staff, the upcoming events mark the first time that D.C.’s from the host country will be treating athletes and officials from around the world directly inside the Polyclinic.

“This is an historic event not only for the chiropractic profession, but also the athletes who will now have access to the care that will help them prepare their bodies for competition,” states Michael Reed, D.C., MS, DACBSP, and Team USA Medical Director (USOC). “These athletes train hard and endure significant physical demands. Sports-focused D.C.s, along with other members of the sports medicine team, are specially skilled to assist them in reaching peak performance.”

Throughout the years, chiropractic has become a mainstay in the care of world-class athletes, leading to a growing number of D.C.s included in the Olympic Games. Countless athletes attribute the care they receive from their chiropractors — working along-side other health care professionals – as a key to properly preparing their bodies to perform optimally.

Posted via email from chironews4u’s posterous