Taking Calcium and Vitamin D after Hip Fracture Reduces Mortality

In a study involving 221 elderly hip fracture patients it was found that prescribed use of calcium and supplementation with vitamin D was associated with reduced mortality.

In women, concomitant use of anti-osteoporotic drugs was also associated with reduced mortality. The authors point out that, "Several studies have shown excess mortality among hip fracture patients compared with the normal population of the same age."

To conduct this study questionnaires were sent to 137 patients who were still alive 27.5 months after they suffered a hip fracture. Four year survival data for all patients in the study population was obtained. Results showed supplementation with prescribed calcium and vitamin D was associated with a 43% reduction in deaths in male subjects and a 36% reduction in deaths in female subjects. 

Female subjects who also used anti-osteoporotic drugs were found to have an even greater reduction in deaths (43%).

The authors conclude, "Further investigations are needed to understand the reason for the reduction in the risk of death. Population-based, randomized, placebo-controlled trials with total mortality as the main endpoint should be conducted to verify our results."

This information is from: "Post-Fracture Prescribed Calcium and Vitamin D Supplements Alone or, in Females, with Concomitant Anti-Osteoporotic Drugs is Associated with Lower Mortality in Elderly Hip Fracture Patients: A Prospective Analysis," Nurmi-Luthje I, Luthje P, et al, Drugs Aging, 2009; 26(5): 409-21. (Address: Department of Public Health, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland).

High-Fat Diets May Impact Short-Term Memory as well as Exercise Endurance

Adding to a body of research that has associated long-term consumption of a high-fat diet with decline in cognitive function-as well as weight gain and heart disease-a study published in The FASEB Journal finds that eating fatty foods may have an almost immediate detrimental effect on short-term memory and exercise performance.

For the study-which was funded by the British Heart Foundation, and led by a researcher then at the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom-a research team fed 42 rats a low-fat rat-food diet in which just 7.5% of the calories came from fat and trained them for two months to complete a challenging maze and run on a treadmill. The researchers then switched half of the rats to a high-fat diet in which 55% of the calories came from fat. Comparing the cognitive performance and endurance of the rats for five days-after letting the rats eating the high-fat food get acclimated for four days-the researchers found that the rats on the high-fat diet made mistakes sooner in the maze task than the rats on the low-fat diet. Specifically, the rats on the number of correct decisions before making a mistake in the maze dropped from more than six in the low-fat diet cohort to an average of five to 5.5 in the high-fat diet cohort. Additionally, the rats eating the high-fat diet ran 30% less distance on the treadmill than rats on the low-fat diet on day five of the diet and 50% less distance on the ninth day of the high-fat diet. The researchers also found that rats on the high-fat diet had increased levels of a protein that interferes with the process of energy creation in cells-thus reducing the efficiency of the heart and muscles-and that, after nine days, the rats eating high-fat food had significantly bigger hearts than those eating low-fat food.

According to the researchers, the findings of similar studies performed on humans-which are still being reviewed-appear to have similar short-term effects. In addition to helping to inform athletes of the optimal diets for training regimens the researchers suggest that the findings may help develop ideal diets for patients with metabolic disorders such as diabetes and patients who are obese, among others (Murray et al. The FASEB Journal, 8/10; Parker-Pope, New York Times Well Blog, 8/13; University of Cambridge release, 8/11).

Medical College Study on Pitching Mound Height Provides Insight into Baseball Injuries

A study involving several Major League Baseball (MLB) pitchers indicates the height of a pitcher's mound can affect an athlete's throwing arm motion. This alteration in arm motion may lead to stress on the shoulder and elbow thereby increasing the potential of injuries.

The study was led by William Raasch, M.D., associate professor of orthopedic surgery at the Medical College of Wisconsin in Milwaukee. Dr. Raasch is also the head team physician for the Milwaukee Brewers, a major league baseball team. The study was funded by Major League Baseball to help prevent injuries among professional baseball players.

The results of the study were presented at the 2007 MLB Winter Meetings at a joint session of the Major League Baseball Team Physicians Association and Professional Baseball Athletic Trainers Society.

The researchers recruited 20 top-level pitchers from Major League Baseball organizations and Milwaukee-area NCAA Division I-A college pitchers for the study which was conducted during 2007 spring training in Arizona and at the Froedtert & Medical College Sports Medicine Center in Milwaukee.

"Our researchers employed a motion analysis system using eight digital cameras that recorded the three-dimensional positions of 43 reflective markers placed on the athletes' bodies. Then we analyzed pitching motion using the regulation 10-inches of mound height along with eight-inch and six-inch mounds as well as having the athletes throw from flat ground," Dr. Raasch explains.

The study focused on determining if there is increased stress on the shoulder or the elbow based on the height from which the pitcher has thrown. A kinematic analysis provided information regarding pitching motion (position and velocity), while the kinetic analysis determined the forces and torque generated at the shoulder and elbow.

"We found that compared to flat ground, pitchers using a 10-inch mound experience an increase in superior shear and adduction torque in the shoulder - meaning there's a greater amount of stress on the joint surface and surrounding structures. That greater stress may result in injury to the shoulder including tearing of the rotator cuff or labrum which may result in surgery and long-term rehabilitation. It also can make it difficult for the athlete to replicate the same throw and develop a consistent strike," Dr. Raasch says.

"The most notable kinematic difference was the increase in shoulder external rotation at foot contact. This probably represents a change in the timing of the foot contact relative to arm position, because the foot lands earlier in the pitch delivery during flat ground throwing than with a slope," he says.

While the study did not result in enough data to recommend reducing the 10-inch mound height which became standard in 1968 and is also used in college and high school baseball, Dr. Raasch says the findings give trainers information that can help them determine if pitchers would be better off practicing on flat ground, especially after an injury.

"Nolan Ryan, who played major league baseball for 27 years often threw pitches more than 100 mph, even past the age of 40, and he liked to throw on flat ground in his waning years. I think others might follow his lead," Dr. Raasch says.

 

Add Fish Oil Supplements to your Diet

There are plenty of good reasons for taking fish oil supplements.  One reason is to increase the amount of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids in your diet. 

Why is this significant? 

The typical American diet is very high in unhealthy omega-6 fatty acids and needs more omega-3 fatty acids … and omega-3 fatty acids are commonly found naturally in fish.

The ratio of omega-6 fatty acids to omega-3 fatty acids should be 1:1 but is currently approaching a 20:1 ratio due to the composition of the typical American diet.  

When diets are high in omega-6 fats it tends to push your body toward an inflammatory state.  This type of inflammation has been linked to various disease conditions such as cardiovascular disease and even certain cancers. 

Balance the Omega-3 and Omega-6 Ratio

The omega-3 fatty acids such as those found in fish help create a less inflammatory internal environment within your body. This leads to the possibility of having less chance of developing many health depleting conditions and disease processes.  Supplementing with omega-3 fatty acid nutritional supplements in conjunction with an anti-inflammatory diet helps restore balance between the omega-3 and omega-6 ratio. 

Remember, an ideal ratio would be a 1:1 ratio of omega-6 to omega-3. 

Another reason to increase your intake of fish or fish oil is that it is high in EPA and DHA, which have been proven to increase levels of HDL, or good cholesterol, and arterial compliance, which is essential in decreasing mild hypertension and in preventing certain cardiac arrhythmias.  An adequate amount of omega-3 PUFAs is 2.7–7.5 grams per meal and appears to meet the nutritional recommendation of the American Heart Association.  

Muscle Pain Treatment at Perry Hall Chiropractic and Physical Therapy

Did you know that you have about 600 muscles in your body? That's a lot of muscles that can suffer pain of various types, injury, tightness, inflammation, or strain.

Muscle tightness and pain can be caused by too much exercise, injury, trauma, whiplash-type injuries, and dehydration. You may experience twitching, tightening of a muscle, or sharp pain with movement when muscle pain is involved. Sometimes, pain can mimic sciatica pain into the legs, radiating pain into the arms, and may even lead to headaches or other symptoms.

Muscle Pain due to an Injury can develop a "Trigger Point"

After a muscle in injured a "trigger point" may develop. A trigger point is an area of sensitivity in the affected muscle that can remain long after the injury is healed. Trigger points are commonly called "knots" and are often associated with muscle pain, fibromyalgia, whiplash, other muscle strains, repetitive muscle movements, and emotional stress.

The traditional medical approach to trigger point pain therapy often includes injections of local anesthetics to "numb" the pain. However, this is symptom relief that does nothing to address the CAUSE of the muscle pain. A mechanical problem demands a mechanical solution not a chemical one for long term benefits to result.

Many Patients Experience Significant Improvement in Muscle Pain after Chiropractic Care 

Many patients with muscle pain experience significant improvement after receiving chiropractic adjustments. Several studies back this up with one study of 5 men and 18 women between the ages of 11 and 76 who suffered with chronic fatigue syndrome, trigger point pain and fibromyalgia. Every patient was able to resume his or her normal activities following a series of chiropractic adjustments.

Results that amaze people are common after starting chiropractic care as it is practiced at Perry Hall Chiropractic and Physical Therapy.