Profiles of Fitness
Jane Brody, author and health columnist for the New York Times recently celebrated her 60th birthday with a vigorous weekend of hiking and rock climbing with friends. She plays tennis three or four times a week, walks briskly for an hour a day and swims laps for half an hour most days. On days when she is not playing tennis, she ice skates or bicycles, depending on the weather.
Jane and her exercise companions, who range in age from 62 to 83, agree that “chronological age need not be an impediment to an active life.”
[SOURCE: Jane E. Brody, “Secrets of Keeping Aging’s Effects at Bay,” New York Times, May 29, 2001]

Nasal Dilators: Do They Work?
Many professional and recreational athletes have recently begun using a product known as a nasal dilator, worn on the bridge of the nose. The idea is to improve performance by increasing air flow in the nose. A recent study of 14 subjects in their 20s found no significant benefit from use of the nasal dilators. Further studies of the dilators are needed, the authors said.
[SOURCE: Joseph A. O’Kroy, Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, reported by Eric Nagourney, “Of Pain, Gain and Tape on Your Nose,” New York Times Health, May 1, 2001]

How Long To Hold a Stretch?
When you’re stretching your calves and hamstrings after a run or a game of tennis, how long do you hold each stretch? Experts say that you’ll probably get the maximum benefit after about 30 seconds. Most research shows little or no additional benefit for longer periods, although one study indicated that persons holding stretches for 60 seconds had significantly increased flexibility and range of motion.

If you can’t hold a stretch for 30 seconds, work up to it gradually.
[SOURCE: “To Stretch or Not Stretch?” Tufts University Health & Nutrition Letter, December, 1997; Patricia deSa, “Gain Greater Flexibility in Just 60
Seconds,” Prevention, November, 2000]

Happiness Is a Warm Muscle
Increasing the temperature within a muscle has a significant effect on reducing stiffness and increasing the amount of stress and strain a muscle can endure without becoming injured. Studies of combination warm-up and stretching routines performed before exercise indicate that most of the benefits come from the warm-up.
Stretching may be most effective when muscles are warm after a workout–reducing tension and lengthening the muscle fibers.
[SOURCE: Duane Knudson, “Stretching During Warm-Up: Do We Have Enough Evidence?” JOPERD–The Journal of Physical Education, Recreation & Dance, September, 1999]

How Much To Exercise?
There’s no question about the benefits of physical activity in improving health and lowering the risk of heart disease, hypertension, diabetes, obesity, colon cancer, osteoporosis and depression. But how much should you exercise and at what intensity?

Federal guidelines during the 1970s and 1980s stressed sustained, vigorous exercise such as running, swimming or aerobics three to five days a week. Current guidelines recommend at least 30 minutes of activity at moderate intensity or greater on most days. The bottom line for both is the expenditure of at least a thousand calories a week in exercise. That’s about 10 miles of walking or running, 40 of biking or about five hours of gardening or raking leaves.
[SOURCE: “Start with a Walk: Physical Activity, Part I,” Harvard Women’s Health Watch, June, 2001]

Can Type 2 Diabetes Be Prevented?
Lifestyle changes can make a difference in delaying or preventing type 2 diabetes, according to a Finnish study of 522 overweight, middle-aged persons. The subjects did not have type 2 diabetes but were judged at risk because of impaired glucose tolerance.

Among subjects getting detailed individual advice about exercise, caloric restriction, fat restriction and fiber intake, the four-year cumulative incidence of diabetes was 11 percent compared to 23 percent among a control group who got no such advice.

Over the first two years, those in the study group had a mean weight loss of 4 kilograms (about 11 pounds) compared to 1 kilogram (less than 3 pounds) for the control group.
[SOURCE: J. Tuomilehto, et al, “Prevention of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus by Changes in Lifestyle among Subjects with Impaired Glucose Tolerance,” NEJM, May 3, 2001]

Massage Helps Lower Back Pain
A study of HMO patients with lower back pain found that therapeutic massage was more effective than Chinese acupuncture or self-care educational materials in bringing about short-term reduction of pain and disability. Over a year, none of the methods was particularly impressive at reducing disability.
[SOURCE: D.C. Cherkin, et al, “Randomized Trial Comparing Traditional Chinese Medical Acupuncture, Thereapeutic Massage, and Self-Care Education for Chronic Low Back Pain,” Archives of Internal Medicine, April 23, 2001]

Moderate Drinkers: No Reason To Quit
If you’re a moderate drinker (two drinks a day for men and one for women), you have a lower risk of heart disease than either heavy drinkers or abstainers. And according to a recent study, even persons who have had a heart attack can lower their risk of death with moderate consumption of alcohol.
[SOURCE: K.J. Mukamal, et al, “Prior Alcohol Consumption and Mortality following Acute Myocardial Infarction,” JAMA, April 18, 2001; A.L. Klatsky, “Should Patients with Heart Disease Drink Alcohol?” JAMA, April 18, 2001]

How Long Do Athletic Shoes Last?

• Running–300 to 500 miles
• Walking–500 to 800 miles
• Hiking–500 miles
• Basketball–6 months if you play twice a week for an hour
• Tennis–6 to 9 months if you play an hour a week
• Cross training–150 hours

[SOURCE: Bill Stieg, et al, “Put Your Feet First,” Men’s Health, March, 2001; “10 Tips for Choosing Shoes,” IDEA Health & Fitness Source, April, 2000; Bill Donohue, “What’s In Store,” Runner’s World, February, 2001]

Let’s Buy Two
When you’re buying athletic shoes, consider buying two pair at a time. Shoes last longer if you wear them on alternating days, giving them a chance to dry out properly. You’ll also be less likely to get athlete’s foot.

If you find a shoe that works well for you, consider buying several pairs. Chances are that model will no longer be available next time you need shoes.
[SOURCE: Gary Vitti, “How To Choose Your Workout Shoes,” Vibrant Life, March-April, 1998]

Pillows Are for the Head, Not the Feet
Some athletic shoes have soles so thick and soft they feel like pillows on the feet. Tempting as that may sound, avoid these shoes; they don’t provide enough stability to protect the foot. If the shoe gives too much, the foot tilts as well, putting undue stress on the ankle and knee.
[SOURCE: Edwin W. Brown, “Avoid the Shoes with Thick, Soft Soles!” Medical Update, June, 1997]

Last-Minute Prep for Competition
You’ve been preparing for your first big bicycle race for months now. Don’t let all your hard work go to waste. Make sure you allow plenty of time to warm up once you reach the race site. And that doesn’t just mean stretching and riding slowly, although that’s important, too. After about 10 minutes of easy riding, exert yourself to 80-85 percent capacity for another five to ten minutes. Follow that with another ten minutes of slow, easy movement.
This type of warm-up gets your heart and lungs, as well as your muscles, primed and ready to go. It also reduces your risk of muscle strain. And remember, when you take off at your first starting line, don’t overdo it. Adrenaline may boost you into a faster pace initially, but if you haven’t trained for it, you’ll be fading by the halfway mark.
[SOURCE: “How Long before the Start of a Big Ride (or Race) Should I Warm Up?” Bicycling, December, 2000]

Cycling and Testicular Trauma
Long-distance cycling has been cited as a possible cause of erectile dysfunction and other problems affecting the male genitalia.
Among mountain bikers, the rate of testicular disorders is higher than in the general population. Researchers believe this may be due to the constant vibration of the bicycle seat while traveling over rough terrain.
To minimize vibrations, cyclists should position the bicycle seat so that it lies either horizontal or slopes slightly downward in front. Padded bike shorts and shock-absorbent saddles may also help. Frequent rests during long rides will reduce the risk of injury.
[SOURCE: Ferdinand Frauscher et al, “Subclinical Microtraumatisation of the Scrotal Contents in Extreme Mountain Biking,” The Lancet, October 21, 2000]

Walking To Work Reduces Obesity
A study of nearly nine thousand middle-aged European men found that simply walking or riding a bicycle to work resulted in a significant reduction in body mass index and waist line over a five-year period.
[SOURCE: Patricia Reany, Reuters Health, reporting on 11th European Congress on Obesity, May 31, 2001]