7 Health Benefits You Get from Regular Exercise

It’s not all about how you look in a bikini. Fitness and exercise should be more about your health. Here are some great, medical benefits you’ll get just from being active!

1. Get better sleep. Want better Z’s? The key is being more active during the day, which can simply translate to standing up more often at work or taking daily, 15 minute walks. The more active you can be, the better you’ll sleep!

2. Strengthen your bones. Bones can be strengthened with regular, weight-bearing activity which can help reduce some of the natural decline in bone health as we get older. If you are already doing a low-impact activity, switch up your routine and try using some free weights.

3. Lower blood pressure. Exercise helps your heart become more efficient at pumping blood, which leads to lower blood pressure. Moderate physical activity like jogging, biking or swimming will work wonders and give you a great reason to enjoy these beautiful sunny days!

4. Relieve Stress. Studies indicate that a regular fitness routine reduces fatigue, improves alertness and elevates mood. So the next time you are feeling stressed, take a quick walk.

5. Reduce the risk of stroke. Researchers have linked inactivity with an increased risk of stroke. Cut your risk by working out at least 5 days a week.

6. Boost Your Immune System. Taking a daily walk or following a simple exercise routine a few times a week may help you feel better. Exercise not only helps your immune system fight off simple bacterial and viral infections, it decreases your chances of developing heart disease, osteoporosis, and cancer.

7. Keep Your Brain Alert. With a regular fitness routine, you can reduce the cognitive decline that is associated with aging. Additionally, getting your kids to exercise will help with their learning and memory.

Whether you are a workout pro or just getting started, remember to be safe with your fitness routine and make sure that you find something you like to do - your body will thank you!

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A FAST Procedure to Treat Tennis Elbow

 

The fancy name for tennis elbow is Lateral Epicondylitis and it refers to a condition that that results in the deterioration of tendon fibers (tendonitis) that attach to the bone on the outside of the elbow. Tennis elbow strikes people that engage in activities that require repeated use of the forearm muscles: tennis, golf, racquet ball, or bowling. It can also affect painters, plumbers, auto workers and cooks because they also tend to overuse the forearm muscle. .

The FAST (focused aspiration of soft tissue) procedure, done under local anesthesia with ultrasound guidance, offers a minimally invasive approach to treating tennis elbow. Anyone who experiences tendinitis for more than three months is a good candidate for the treatment. Additionally, , anyone who has failed more conservative treatments like physical therapy or cortisone injections should consider the procedure.

At Texas Orthopedics, Dr. Michael Loeb has seen a lot of success with the FAST procedure.  And because it’s a quick procedure, requiring only about 15 minutes, it’s done while the patient is completely awake. Best of all…recovery is fast and easy. Most patients can return to work the next day.

 

To find out if you’re a candidate for the FAST procedure call Texas Orthopedics at (512) 439-1001 or request an appointment online.

 

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Study Finds Milk Might Slow Knee Osteoarthritis Progression in Women

 

“Got Milk?” A recent study conducted by researchers from Harvard Medical School and published in the peer-reviewed medical journal, Arthritis Care and Research, focused on the link between osteoarthritis and milk consumption. Osteoarthritis is a joint condition where the connective tissue between bones wastes away over time, causing the bones to rub together. It’s painful and most often affects the joints in the hands, knees, spine and hips.

Researchers wanted to know if milk helps stop existing osteoarthritis from getting any worse, so they focused on one aspect of osteoarthritis: the gap in the knee joint that can be seen on an X-ray, which is an established clinical measure of the progression of the condition. 

The study found that in women who regularly drink milk, the joint gap did not reduce as much after four years than women who drank less or no milk (meaning the milk drinkers’ osteoarthritis was deteriorating at a slower rate). However, in men there was no significant association between drinking milk and the gap in the knee joint.

While the study was limited to this one measurement and did not address whether or not the reduction in joint gap led to any reduction in discomfort and pain for people with osteoarthritis, it does start an important discussion in the medical community. And it also reminds us that getting the right amount of calcium in our diets is extremely important for strengthening bones.

Want to know other foods besides milk that can help strengthen your bones? Check out our blog on 5 Foods to Improve Your Bone Health.

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Achilles Tears: It’s Not Just Superstar Athletes That Suffer These Injuries

Tiger Woods, Kobe Bryant and most recently Christian Benteke; what do they all have in common? They’ve all suffered Achilles tendon tears – serious injuries that have sidelined them for their respective sports. Your Achilles tendon is one of the longer tendons in your body, stretching from the bones of your heel to your calf muscles. You can feel it-- a springy band of tissue at the back of your ankle and above your heel. It allows you to extend your foot and point your toes to the floor.

Achilles tendon tears can strike all kinds of athletes or even the average person not playing a sport. A tear can happen when you’re walking down the street and suddenly you trip in a hole; however, in most cases, Achilles tendon tears occur while engaging in sports and activities that require you to sprint and jump or make sudden movements such as those in basketball, tennis, running, volleyball and soccer.

Tips to Prevent Achilles tendon injuries:

·         If you are planning to intensify your exercise routine, do it gradually over time instead of all at once.

·         Before working out or playing any sports, make sure you loosen and stretch your muscles.

·         Try to alternate between high-impact and low-impact training and workout activities.

·         Drink water to ensure that your muscles are properly hydrated.

·         Make sure that the shoes you’re wearing are the right size and provide the right support for the activity you’re engaging in.

·         If you are feeling any pain, stop exercising.

Playing high-intensity sports is exciting and fun, but remember to take careful precautions to protect your Achilles tendon. Injuries can be extremely painful and often require a long recovery, which means being out of the game for a while! And that’s the last thing any of us want.

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Ugly Truth about High Heels

Women love their high heels... but you might think twice about how often you wear them after watching Dr. Barbara Bergin's interview on KVUE telling the ugly truth about high heels and foot problems.

Tips for Keeping up Your Garden with Your Back and Knees in Tact

Spring has sprung so the time has come to break out the rake, put on some gloves and start the mower so that you can get your yard looking green again. But before you get started, we want to provide you some tips to help you avoid painful injuries while gardening and doing yard work. 

You might not realize it, but gardening and yard work can be quite a workout. You’re using a lot of upper body strength raking leaves; you’re squatting to pull weeds; you’re bending over to lift heavy objects; and the list goes on.

Minimize Risk of Injury:

The best way to make sure you can get your work done while enjoying yourself is to minimize your risk of injury. For example, try not to squat with your heels raised. Keep your feet flat on the ground. Or better yet, keep a stool handy and try to sit while doing things like pruning.

Another way to reduce injury is to maintain correct posture. Posture isn’t just about sitting. It’s also important during activity. Don’t bend at the waist to dig or rake; bend from the knees. This also applies to lifting heavy objects. Also, try to use a wheelbarrow or other tools whenever possible to keep the weight off your back.

Use these tips while working in the yard. Your back, knees and hopefully yard will thank you!

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Study Finds Extreme Sports Pose High Risk for Head and Neck Injury

With the excitement surrounding the X Games coming to Austin in June, some people may forget that the X stands for ‘Extreme’. And just like their name, extreme sports pose extreme injury risks.

A new, one-of-a-kind study presented at the 2014 Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS) found that while extreme sports might be more thrilling than traditional team sports, they present a more serious risk of head and neck injuries. Researchers reviewed 2000-2011 National Electronic Injury Surveillance System (NEISS) data for seven popular sports featured in the Winter and Summer X Games: surfing, mountain biking, motocross, skateboarding, snowboarding, snowmobiling and snow skiing.

The study found that of the 4 million injuries reported for extreme sport participants, 11.3 percent were head and neck injuries (HNI). Of all HNI reported in extreme sports, 83 percent were head injuries and 17 percent neck injuries. The data included all ages; however, not surprisingly, teens and young adults accounted for the highest percentage of extreme sport injuries.

So if you already participate in extreme sports or are inspired by the X Games to start, make sure you are aware of the risks and wear a helmet to prevent head and neck injuries.

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