Aging slowly changes the body’s various structures and organs. With age, muscle mass decreases, the process of rebuilding and repairing muscle protein slows, and there is a definite decrease in physical strength. The ability of the body’s red blood cell system to transport oxygen throughout the body slows, and the heart becomes less powerful. The skin becomes more prone to lacerations and cuts, as skin thickness deceases by up to 30% by age 50.  Also by age 50, bone density decreases by about 10%, which means that osteoporosis poses more of a risk to the body, and the skeleton becomes more susceptible to fractures. The speed with which the body grows new cells to fix any of its injuries determines one’s injury recovery rate. Young athletes recover from injury more rapidly than older athletes. For instance, certain studies show that those aged 45 and over will take up to 18% longer to heal from an injury, than similarly injured 30 year olds.

Although younger athletes heal more quickly, injuries still pose risks to youth in different ways.  Long term damage can be done to the bones of those who have not yet completely matured physically. Damage to bone growth plates -located at the end of major bones in the body- that have yet to fuse to the ever growing bones can have negative impacts on the bone structure of children over time.  In comparison to fully developed adults, children may be more susceptible to injury due to their larger surface area to mass ratio or their proportionately larger heads.  Moreover, children may not yet posses the coordination or motor skills that certain activities require.

A study was conducted comparing the rate of recovery of 20-year old versus 16-year old athletes who have had concussions. It was found that the 20-year athletes recovered much more quickly than the 16 year olds.  A 16-year olds body is not yet finished developing, and its body parts may develop at different rates, creating an imbalance that renders it more susceptible to injury.  Adolescents often have imbalances in flexibility and strength. Contrarily, a 20-year old is not only finished developing, but is more likely to have sustained a concussion before and is therefore more capable of handling the injury both physically and psychologically.

Acute and exertional injuries are common among the elderly population. It has been found that muscle is one of the most commonly acutely injured tissues in the elderly.  Additionally, the elderly tend to injure their lower extremities.  Aging causes physical activity to become increasingly risky, as the body becomes less and less able to carry out the activity.  The elderly have slower reaction times, poorer coordination, and less physical balance, so naturally activities demanding these abilities are much more difficult for the elderly. 

For advice in starting an exercise program at any age, please contact the health professionals at Kew Gardens Health Group.

Article written by Megan Meisner

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When a change occurs that causes strain either physically, emotionally, or psychologically, stress is taking place. Certain forms of stress are helpful to the body, and others can cause serious damage.  There are four different types of stress:

Eustress:  A healthy form of stress that keeps one vital by creating a feeling of fulfillment (ex. working hard to meet a deadline)

Acute Stress:  Commonly known as the fight-or-flight response, this is an intense and short-lived type of stress that occurs in response to an immediate physical, emotional, or psychological perceived threat.  Because it is not long lasting, acute stress has no major negative health impacts.

Episodic Acute Stress:  Also known as distress, this type of stress is caused by continual needless worrying, typical of those with personalities characterized by irritability, impatience, and anger. This is an unhealthy form of stress, which can have damaging effects on health.

Chronic Stress: Stress that is felt most of the time in any given individual, and seems inescapable and never-ending. This is an extremely unhealthy form of stress, which can cause long term damage to health.

The point at which stress stops motivating one to take action and to strive to accomplish goals, is the point at which stress becomes unhealthy.  Stress becomes damaging to overall health when an individual feels paralyzed by anxiety and worry, and consequently is no longer inspired to take action.

When the body experiences stress, it releases hormones such as adrenaline and cortisol. These hormones change the autonomic nervous system by increasing heart rate, slowing digestion, and decreasing blood flow to extremities.  As a result of these changes, the body gains a surplus of energy. Normally, when the stressful situation has ceased, the body’s systems should return to their normal functioning as one relaxes once again.  In the case of chronic stress, the body does not relax, and experiences stress when stress is unnecessary.  When the body’s systems are continually functioning abnormally, there can be grave repercussions to overall bodily health.

The first symptoms of chronic stress are usually physical. Common symptoms include chronic headaches and contracting colds more easily. Chronic stress that has been experienced for longer periods of time may contribute to depression, diabetes, heart disease, hyperthyroidism, hair loss, obesity, obsessive-compulsive or anxiety disorder sexual dysfunction, ulcers, as well as gum and tooth disease.  Although it is not yet certain, research suggests that chronic stress may also be a contributing factor to cancer.  Almost 90% of doctor’s visits are due to stress- related symptoms.

Too much stress can reduce one’s happiness and quality of life, as it can make setting and reaching goals as well as sustaining healthy relationships much more challenging. So naturally, anxiety disorders and depression can develop when one is under too much stress.

Dramatic increases or decreases in weight are other possible results of stress.  Because everyone deals with stress differently, some may overeat and some may under eat to cope with stress.  Some people may also develop eating disorders. These are often those who feel stressed or unhappy about something they may not be able to control. In response, they choose to fix another aspect of their life that they can control to make themselves feel better. Body mass is usually an element of one’s life that one can control, and so those who are unhappy with their weight have the power to lose it. The rational behind some eating disorders is that improving upon and having control over body mass, will make one feel happier in the face of the primary cause of unhappiness that is out of that individual’s control. Contrarily, some overeat in response to stress because eating is easy, quick, and can provide instant pleasure during stressful situations.

Less Obvious Effects of Stress on the Human Body

Memory and concentration can be negatively affected by chronic stress.  Research indicates that those who are overexposed to stress have trouble with their short term and verbal memory. Stress can negatively affect performance at school and work, as stress makes paying attention to detail much more difficult which can lead one to make a greater number of careless mistakes. 

Believe it or not, emotional distress can actually worsen already existing pain.   Furthermore, headaches, muscle pains, back pain, and increased sensitivity to arthritis can all be caused by emotional stress.

Certain gastrointestinal disorders such as irritable bowel syndrome, inflammatory bowel disease, and ulcers can be caused by stress.  Nausea, constipation, and diarrhea are all symptoms of stress as well.

Written by Megan Meisner

Eating a balanced diet requires some planning and also having plenty of nutritionally dense food readily available for snacks. Follow the 1-2-3 principle for snacking

Every snack that we ingest should have 3 components to make sure that we are getting a properly balanced nutritionally sound caloric intake.

1. Fruit
2. Carbohydrate
3. Protein

Some examples of very simple snacks that you can take with you:

• Apple, granola bar, yogurt
• Peanut butter and banana sandwich
• Orange and chocolate milk  (more on chocolate milk later…)
• Trail mix with dried fruit
• Grapes and a bagel with cream cheese

Pack snacks for throughout the day which follow the 1-2-3 pinciple and you will have more consistent energy and see better results.

With the snow now gone, we can now enjoy our exercise outdoors. Try these four great spring exercises.

Walking

Health Benefits:  An aerobic low impact exercise that is not likely to cause injury. Walking protects against diabetes and high blood pressure, and strengthens the cardiovascular system.

New Ideas:

• With the snow gone a greater range of routes lie waiting to be walked. Take advantage of this and try out new routes to add variety to your walking routine.
• Power walk with friends for an enjoyable and social workout that will motivate you to keep up the routine.
• Join a walking or hiking club to help keep you on track.

Golf

Health Benefits: The walking required in golf targets the legs, while putting and driving target the arms and core, making golf a great low intensity full body workout.

For Beginners: A great game for new golfers is the pitch-n-putt. The pitch-n-putt is bigger than miniature golf courses, yet smaller than regular courses and so still allows for much walking for exercise. The smaller size is less intimidating and overwhelming to new golfers.

Tennis

Health Benefits: Tennis involves continual movement and running, and will help to improve endurance and coordination.

Cheap alternatives: A great way to overcome the expenses of tennis is to sign up for inexpensive lessons at the nearest YMCA, or any other local community center. 

Bicycling

Health Benefits: Cycling is another low impact aerobic activity which also helps with balance and coordination. This exercise helps to manage blood pressure, and reduce the risk of heart problems as well as diabetes. In addition, cycling helps to strengthen bones.

Bonus:  Not only is biking good for the body, but it is also an environmentally friendly means of transportation. Cycling allows one to go further and discover more than running, and cycling can sometimes be faster than transit or motor vehicles. Traveling by bike allows for a more predictable commute time.

Written by Megan Meisner

Today eating locally and seasonally is foreign to many, because most foods are available all year. However, eating locally and seasonally is beneficial for the environment as well as the body.  The following foods are in season this spring having many health benefits. 

Asparagus:

Asparagus is high in vitamins A and C, calcium, and iron. Folate helps keep the heart healthy and helps to prevent birth defects, yet is one of the most common nutrient deficiencies.  67% of daily requirements of folate are found in a single cup of cooked asparagus..

 Asparagus is best when it’s stems are thin and firm, and it’s tips are purple or dark green..

Green Beans:

They are rich in beta-carotene, as well as vitamins A and C.  Green beans can be eaten fresh as they are harvested while immature.   

Apricots: 

The beta-carotene and lycopene found in apricots help reduce LDL cholesterol to maintain heart health. Apricots are also a great source of antioxidants as signaled by their bright orange colouring.

Spring Onion:

Onions contain vitamins A and C, as well as calcium and iron. New research links the consumption of onions to a reduced risk of some cancers.

Green Peas:

Green peas are high in folate, certain antioxidants, and B vitamins, which helps properly metabolize proteins, fats, and carbohydrates.  

Basil: 

Basil is at its peak in the spring, and is rich in vitamin A.

Avocados:

Avocados contain roughly 50 % more potassium that do bananas. Although they are high in fat, the fat is monounsaturated heart-healthy fat which helps to reduce cholesterol.

Written by Megan Meisner

Weight training can cause injuries, although far fewer than many sports, such as football and soccer. Furthermore weight training in a safe and proper manner will help one become stronger and more resistant to injury, thereby reducing one’s risk of injury more than simply being sedentary.  Knowing how to perform weight training exercises, knowing your body’s limits, and having good judgment about the load attempted to lift will serve to reduce the risk of injury. With weight training, it is recommended that one train regularly, consistently and with gradual increases in load, intensity, or time. This concept of adapting progressively is called the “training effect”.

 
Overuse injuries result from frequent and intense training, and they often involve an overworked tendon. Tendons join muscle to bone and an overworked tendon can lead to tendonitis.  More serious injuries involve a structure that has broken down or worn away. Examples of these types of injuries include pulled tendons, worn cartilage, or strained muscles or ligaments. In these instances, medical treatment is usually required. The three most common sites of injury in weight trainers are the shoulders, lower back, and knees. Related injuries are usually overuse injuries, and serious injuries are rare. It is a good idea to strengthen areas of the body that are more susceptible to injury, such as the lower back, hamstrings, shoulder rotator cuff complex, and quadriceps (which control knee function). This can be done using light weights and stability exercises. 

Strength training can show benefit in endurance sports, such as running, swimming and cycling.  If areas of the body that are highly prone to injury are strengthened with weight training, one can rely on the strength of these areas during endurance training at times when energy is low.

Weight training is part of a well rounded fitness routine, and shows benefit in many areas of activity that one would not expect. It is imperative that weight training be done properly to minimize injury. Consult a health care professional before beginning a new weight routine. Kew Gardens Health Group would be glad to offer suggestions in that regard.

Written by Megan Meisner

                Being sleep-deprived can adversely affect your mental focus as well as your body’s immune system and physical repair mechanisms.   Athletes can often neglect their sleep as part of a comprehensive training program.  They will address their nutritional profile, their strength and cardiovascular demands, and the technical skills required of their sport but will somehow neglect their sleep and recovery.

                There are 5 stages of sleep – stage one (alpha), two through four (delta) and Rapid Eye Movement (beta).  It takes around 90 minutes to cycle through the stages, and the cycles repeat themselves through the night’s sleep.  Stages 1-4 are used for the body to physically heal itself from the wear and tear of the day’s activity.  This involves fighting off disease, repairing damaged tissue and growing of new tissue.  Stage 5 is when REM dreams occur, where neurological connections are made, and where the mind recovers and reorganizes after the day’s activity.

                Every person requires a different amount of sleep.  How much damage you do to your body (including  your brain!) determines how much sleep you require to repair these processes.  Everyone needs between 7-10 hours of sleep a night.  Children who are still growing may require at least 10 hours, adolescents an average of 9.25 hours with sedentary adults getting away with 8 hours of sleep.  (Nitka, 2002)  A study in the United States indicated that only 85% of adolescents are obtaining their required sleep.  Sleep-deprivation is also linked to a decrease in performance in school, with those students sleeping less than 8 hours scoring C grades or lower on average.  Sleep deprivation can also affect co-ordination and cognitive function similar to someone with a .08 blood alcohol level. (Nitka, 2002)

Creating an optimal environment will increase the quality of your sleep.  Aim for complete darkness as the release of the sleep regulating hormone melatonin will be affected.  Try to sleep in a consistent place as sleeping on couches and in class will not be conducive to proper recovery.   A noisy environment may affect the quality of your sleep even at a level which does not wake you.  A semi-firm mattress with a good pillow is recommended and you should avoid sleeping on your stomach.  Napping can be beneficial for individuals who are pushing themselves hard and require more recovery time. The goal of at least 9 hours sleep AT NIGHT should still be adhered to regardless of sleep accumulated through mid-day napping.

Athletes require more sleep than the average individual.  They put their bodies through extensive wear and tear with training and competition.  Their minds are stressed in learning new skills and the preparation required for competition.  Adequate rest and recovery is needed, and proper sleep is central to this process.   Make sleep a priority in your comprehensive training program and you will see the benefits in your training and your game.

The information provided to consumers by running experts may not always be accurate however there are a number of precautions consumers can take to ensure they purchase quality running shoes.

Before purchasing a running shoe consider your running shoe store. Finding the right running store can make a big difference in the service and ultimately the quality of shoe the runner receives.  It is worthwhile to get set up with a sales person who is a running enthusiast, or is very knowledgeable on the subject of running.

There are also a number of tests that can be performed on running shoes by customers in order to help them determine the quality and durability of the shoes.  The following tests are very useful:

1.       The Toe Bend:   Bending the front part of the shoe (from the toe to where the ball of one’s foot would be) upwards will reveal a lot about the shoe’s flexibility.  It is ideal for a shoe to be able to bend upwards easily, as this allows the runner more flexibility when running.

2.       The Cross Twist:    This test can be performed by twisting the front of the shoe in the opposite direction of the back of the shoe (as if one were wringing out a towel). This test determines the strength and torsion of the tread of the shoe.  The shoe should be strong and therefore resist the twisting potion applied to the shoe.  A shoe that twists easily would indicate a weak construction and therefore less stability and foot support. 

3.       The Heel Pinch:  This test can be performed by cupping the heel of the shoe with your thumb and fore-finger and squeezing.  Position your thumb and forefinger about an inch above the sole of the shoe.  A good running shoe should have a solid heel cup, and should not collapse during this test.

Running shoes should be replaced regularly in order to avoid injury.   There is no definite amount of mileage put on a shoe that will indicate it’s time to purchase a new pair, as it depends on a variety of factors including the surfaces upon which they run.  Re-applying the above tests and taking a look at the wear on the treads of the shoes can give you an indication when it’s time for a new pair.

If you have questions regarding picking a high quality running shoe, please contact a health professional at Kew Gardens Health Group. 

Written by Megan Meisner

Twenty six bones, thirty three joints, one hundred and twelve ligaments, and many other nerves, tendons, and blood vessels all can be found in one foot.  The force exerted on the feet with each step in a run is equivalent to three to four times the runner’s body weight.  In order to safely accept this great force, it is crucial that a runner wear proper running shoes.  Running in improper shoes can lead to various running related injuries.

Much like science, prescription of running shoes is evolving and is not perfect. Unlike science however, leading research suggests that the prescription of proper running shoes is based off of little supporting evidence and research.  Running shoes are usually prescribed based on the runner’s foot type, and whether they pronate, supinate, or have a normal gait pattern.

“Pronation control elevated cushioned heel” (PCECH) is the basis of running shoe prescription guidelines today.  Motion control shoes are generally recommended to overpronators, stability shoes are recommended for neutral feet, and cushion running shoes are deemed the ideal shoe for supinators. There is in fact little to no research that has actually been conducted that directly supports today’s widely accepted running shoe prescription guidelines.

Because many prescribers rely on peer reviewing to validate their information, there is often a conflict of opinion among running experts and information can lose its credibility.  Unfortunately running experts will often base their recommendations off of their own experiences and observations rather than reliable higher level evidence, such as scientific studies.

Current research suggests that numerous factors play a role in running injuries, with no factor being considered the major cause of injury.  Internal causative factors , such as genetics, gait mechanics, and muscle imbalance,  as well as external factors,  such as training frequency and intensity, nutrition, running surface, and distance are responsible for running injuries. 

Fortunately, studies are now beginning to be conducted to address the assumptions and unknown information surrounding PCECH running shoes. Supporting evidence has yet to be found, but at least valid studies are underway.

The moral of the story is: Do not make the mistake that running shoe prescribers have made, the mistake of assuming.  Running shoe providers have assumed that PCECH is directly related to running injury prevention with little to no research having been done to support their claims.  Do not assume that what you hear from a sales person is based off of extensive and reliable research- your feet will thank you.

Please see part 2 of our Running Shoe Guide for some basic guidelines in choosing a high quality pair of running shoes.

Thanks!

Written by Megan Meisner