http://www.eastwestrehab.com/index.php/blog/ en bill@eastwestrehab.com Copyright 2010 2010-08-11T12:45:08+00:00 http://www.eastwestrehab.com/index.php/blog/entry/toning_shoes_mbt_and_sketchers_shape-ups/ http://www.eastwestrehab.com/index.php/blog/entry/toning_shoes_mbt_and_sketchers_shape-ups/#When:12:45:08Z If you have a fused ankle or forefoot pain, these shoes might offer pain relief. I am highly skeptical of any claims that they help tone muscles. I would expect them to increase the risk of falling as they are unstable. Here is a link to a recent NPR story: Link 2010-08-11T12:45:08+00:00 http://www.eastwestrehab.com/index.php/blog/entry/minimalist_shoe_links/ http://www.eastwestrehab.com/index.php/blog/entry/minimalist_shoe_links/#When:02:23:04Z Here goes a collection of links to articles and sites about potential benefits of minimalist shoes in no particular order The painful truth about trainers: Are running shoes a waste of money? You Walk Wrong Wiggling their Toes a the Shoe Giants One Man and His Ugly Shoes The Men Who Live Forever NPR: Shoes for Barefoot Runners 2009-09-14T02:23:04+00:00 http://www.eastwestrehab.com/index.php/blog/entry/nsaids_like_ibuprofen_increases_stress_of_exercise/ http://www.eastwestrehab.com/index.php/blog/entry/nsaids_like_ibuprofen_increases_stress_of_exercise/#When:18:48:36Z If you are going for a big hike, playing a long day of tennis or running a marathon, it makes sense to pop a few advil to minimize inflammation right? Maybe (probably!) not............... Here is an excerpt from a recent New York Times Article: "Those runners who’d popped over-the-counter ibuprofen pills before and during the race displayed significantly more inflammation and other markers of high immune system response afterward than the runners who hadn’t taken anti-inflammatories. The ibuprofen users also showed signs of mild kidney impairment and, both before and after the race, of low-level endotoxemia, a condition in which bacteria leak from the colon into the bloodstream." Here is a link the the entire article. 2009-09-13T18:48:36+00:00 http://www.eastwestrehab.com/index.php/blog/entry/christian_meditation_tradition-centering_prayer/ http://www.eastwestrehab.com/index.php/blog/entry/christian_meditation_tradition-centering_prayer/#When:18:26:20Z Christian Meditation Tradition-Centering Prayer You Tube Video by Thomas Keating 2009-09-10T18:26:20+00:00 http://www.eastwestrehab.com/index.php/blog/entry/osteopenia_worth_taking_medication_for/ http://www.eastwestrehab.com/index.php/blog/entry/osteopenia_worth_taking_medication_for/#When:20:01:41Z Have you been diagnosed with osteopenia? Here is an article from New York Times suggesting that it might not be worth taking medication (with potentially nasty side effects) for osteopenia. It also indicates that much of the push to test bone density has been driven by pharmaceutical companies looking to sell more bone density drugs. Here is the link to the article 2009-09-08T20:01:41+00:00 http://www.eastwestrehab.com/index.php/blog/entry/stress_reduces_cognitive_and_adaptive_capacity_relaxation_increases_it/ http://www.eastwestrehab.com/index.php/blog/entry/stress_reduces_cognitive_and_adaptive_capacity_relaxation_increases_it/#When:19:04:31Z Stressed rats show decreased cognition and adaptive behavior. Let them "vacation" in a less stressfull environment and they regain cognitive ability: Link to article in Nature Link to article in New York Times Do you think this applies to humans too? 2009-08-20T19:04:31+00:00 http://www.eastwestrehab.com/index.php/blog/entry/people_who_take_vacations_have_lower_blood_pressure_lower_stress_hormones_a/ http://www.eastwestrehab.com/index.php/blog/entry/people_who_take_vacations_have_lower_blood_pressure_lower_stress_hormones_a/#When:17:33:37Z No shocking news here-vacations and leisure activities are good for you... Link to NPR Story 2009-08-20T17:33:37+00:00 http://www.eastwestrehab.com/index.php/blog/entry/yoga_for_kyphosis_forward_slump_in_thorax/ http://www.eastwestrehab.com/index.php/blog/entry/yoga_for_kyphosis_forward_slump_in_thorax/#When:14:57:26Z I find yoga to be a very potent way to address an excessive forward bend in upper back. Kyphosis (Greek - kyphos, a hump) also called "hunchback", is a very common condition of a curvature of the upper (thoracic) spine. It can be caused by degenerative diseases (such as arthritis), osteoporosis with compression fractures of the vertebrae, and trauma. When combinded with osteopathic manual therapy and tai chi qigong it is even more effective. Here is a link to a recent study that evaluated the efficacy of yoga for this common condition: Link 2009-08-20T14:57:26+00:00 http://www.eastwestrehab.com/index.php/blog/entry/tai_chi_improves_mood_sleep_quality_physical_performance_and_self-efficacy_/ http://www.eastwestrehab.com/index.php/blog/entry/tai_chi_improves_mood_sleep_quality_physical_performance_and_self-efficacy_/#When:13:43:49Z Effect of Pilates tai chi and pilates training on self-efficacy, sleep quality, mood, and physical performance of college students.Here is a LINK to the study. 2009-08-20T13:43:49+00:00 http://www.eastwestrehab.com/index.php/blog/entry/tai_chi_qigong_for_knee_arthritis/ http://www.eastwestrehab.com/index.php/blog/entry/tai_chi_qigong_for_knee_arthritis/#When:13:28:44Z Tai Chi Qigong training appears to have beneficial effects in terms of the quality of life and physical functioning of elderly subjects with knee osteoarthritis. That was the primary finding of this recent study: LINK The results of this clinical study "piles on" yet more evidence that Tai Chi & Qigong are invaluable therapies for people with arthritis. 2009-08-20T13:28:44+00:00 http://www.eastwestrehab.com/index.php/blog/entry/do_you_snore_could_be_sleep_apnea/ http://www.eastwestrehab.com/index.php/blog/entry/do_you_snore_could_be_sleep_apnea/#When:18:09:14Z Muscle pain, joint pain, myofascial pain syndromes and movement impairment syndromes can be caused or exacerbated by inadequate or poor quality sleep. Here is a link to an NPR story on sleep apne. 2009-08-06T18:09:14+00:00 http://www.eastwestrehab.com/index.php/blog/entry/is_it_normal_to_spend_a_few_hours_staring_at_the_ceiling_in_the_middle_of_t/ http://www.eastwestrehab.com/index.php/blog/entry/is_it_normal_to_spend_a_few_hours_staring_at_the_ceiling_in_the_middle_of_t/#When:17:55:49Z Here is a link to an NPR story about the natural tendency for sleep to be interupted in the early AM by a period of "wakeful rest", This tendency increases with age. NPR Link 2009-08-06T17:55:49+00:00 http://www.eastwestrehab.com/index.php/blog/entry/placebo_surgery_for_back_pain/ http://www.eastwestrehab.com/index.php/blog/entry/placebo_surgery_for_back_pain/#When:17:45:31Z The power of the mind to heal back pain has been highlighted by two studies that looked at the effectiveness of a procedure to treat verterbral fractures by injecting medical cement into the bone. These studies found that whether a given participant recieved the "real" surgery or a "sham" surgery , it was just as likely to be beneficial for pain Here is a link to an NPR story on these studies and implications: NPR Story 2009-08-06T17:45:31+00:00 http://www.eastwestrehab.com/index.php/blog/entry/guided_imagery_visualization_mental_practice_to_enhance_performance/ http://www.eastwestrehab.com/index.php/blog/entry/guided_imagery_visualization_mental_practice_to_enhance_performance/#When:22:12:43Z Whether you are an elite athlete or a person with disability, mental practice (aka guided imagery, visualization) can calm anxiety and enhance performance. Here is a link to an article in the New York Times about elite swimmers who use these techniques: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/26/sports/26swim.html?_r=1&sq=athletes%20anxiety&st=cse&scp=2&pagewanted=print 2009-07-30T22:12:43+00:00 http://www.eastwestrehab.com/index.php/blog/entry/labcoats_for_doctors_therapists/ http://www.eastwestrehab.com/index.php/blog/entry/labcoats_for_doctors_therapists/#When:00:56:57Z When I am working with people who have a compromised immune system or a potentially contagious bug (which essentially includes anyone), the last thing I want is a lab coat to carry bugs between patients. Here is a link to an article in the New York Times about a move afoot to "ban" lab coats for doctors. 2009-07-27T00:56:57+00:00 http://www.eastwestrehab.com/index.php/blog/entry/research_on_mental_imagery/ http://www.eastwestrehab.com/index.php/blog/entry/research_on_mental_imagery/#When:18:10:42Z Video on functional MRI and other research indicating that imagery/visualization/mental practice can be helpful for: * Healing * Habits/Addictions * Anxiety * Self-Image Click Here for Video 2009-07-23T18:10:42+00:00 http://www.eastwestrehab.com/index.php/blog/entry/mental_practice_video_for_athletes/ http://www.eastwestrehab.com/index.php/blog/entry/mental_practice_video_for_athletes/#When:17:57:56Z Here is a link to a video on using mental practice to improve basketball skill. These same ideas can be used to improve performance in any task that is physically, cognitively or emotionally challenging. Click here for Video 2009-07-23T17:57:56+00:00 http://www.eastwestrehab.com/index.php/blog/entry/home_safety_for_elders_and_people_with_disabilities/ http://www.eastwestrehab.com/index.php/blog/entry/home_safety_for_elders_and_people_with_disabilities/#When:19:11:32Z Article in New York Times about environmental modifications that can be recomended by a Physical Therapist or Occupational Therapist to allow people with disabilites to stay in their own homes safely. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/18/health/18patient.html?_r=1&scp=2&sq=home%20safety&st=cse 2009-07-21T19:11:32+00:00 http://www.eastwestrehab.com/index.php/blog/entry/meditators_brain_structure_change_to_facilitate_equanimity/ http://www.eastwestrehab.com/index.php/blog/entry/meditators_brain_structure_change_to_facilitate_equanimity/#When:02:45:32Z Below find the abstract of a study that supports the notion that brain structure changes with meditation practice: 1: Neuroimage. 2009 Apr 15;45(3):672-8.Links The underlying anatomical correlates of long-term meditation: larger hippocampal and frontal volumes of gray matter. Luders E, Toga AW, Lepore N, Gaser C. Laboratory of Neuro Imaging, Department of Neurology, UCLA School of Medicine, Los Angeles, CA 90095-7334, USA. Although the systematic study of meditation is still in its infancy, research has provided evidence for meditation-induced improvements in psychological and physiological well-being. Moreover, meditation practice has been shown not only to benefit higher-order cognitive functions but also to alter brain activity. Nevertheless, little is known about possible links to brain structure. Using high-resolution MRI data of 44 subjects, we set out to examine the underlying anatomical correlates of long-term meditation with different regional specificity (i.e., global, regional, and local). For this purpose, we applied voxel-based morphometry in association with a recently validated automated parcellation approach. We detected significantly larger gray matter volumes in meditators in the right orbito-frontal cortex (as well as in the right thalamus and left inferior temporal gyrus when co-varying for age and/or lowering applied statistical thresholds). In addition, meditators showed significantly larger volumes of the right hippocampus. Both orbito-frontal and hippocampal regions have been implicated in emotional regulation and response control. Thus, larger volumes in these regions might account for meditators' singular abilities and habits to cultivate positive emotions, retain emotional stability, and engage in mindful behavior. We further suggest that these regional alterations in brain structures constitute part of the underlying neurological correlate of long-term meditation independent of a specific style and practice. Future longitudinal analyses are necessary to establish the presence and direction of a causal link between meditation practice and brain anatomy. PMID: 19280691 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE] 2009-07-11T02:45:32+00:00 http://www.eastwestrehab.com/index.php/blog/entry/segment_on_mind-body_medicine/ http://www.eastwestrehab.com/index.php/blog/entry/segment_on_mind-body_medicine/#When:18:15:55Z Interview with Ann Harrington, author of The Cure Within: A History of Mind-Body Medicine http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=88188863 2009-07-02T18:15:55+00:00