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Lead Stories: Saturday, September 6, 2008

Strong Legs For Strong Knees

Posted November 27th, 2007 at 8:30 AM by Hariz Siddiqui

Section: Health & Fitness, Injury & Rehab, Exercise

partial_knee_replacement Doctors have known for many years that having weak quad muscles (in the front of your upper legs) increases risk for damage to the cartilage in your knees. A study from Purdue University shows that strengthening these muscles slows down knee cartilage damage and may even improve knee function (Arthritis & Rheumatism, October 2006).

The researchers placed 221 adults in their sixties and seventies either on a program of strengthening their muscles in their upper legs or just moving their knees in a series of range-of- motion exercises. The subjects exercised three times per week (twice at a fitness facility and once at home) for 12 weeks. This program was followed by a transition to home-based exercise for 12 months. Older people weaken naturally with aging, but the range of motion exercisers lost more strength than those who exercised against progressive resistance. The strength training helped retain joint space, signifying that this group had less loss of cartilage.

Read the rest of this entry at our partner site: HerActiveLife.com

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The Law of Attrition in Masters Track

Posted October 20th, 2007 at 8:30 AM by Jimson Lee

Section: News & Results, SoundOFF, Columns, Masters

I recently competed at the 2007 World Masters Athletics championships in Riccione, Italy, Europe’s most popular beach resort just south of Rimini by the Adriatic Sea. Masters track is separated by gender and 5 year age groups, starting from 35-39 all the way up to 100-104 and even a 105+ category!

Someone once said that “masters track records look soft from a distance.” It would not be unusual to feel that the records in the age group just ahead of one’s own are within one’s grasp. When I was 35, I felt I was capable of breaking the M40 Canadian National record for 400 meters. A check of the facts would have told me otherwise.

Let’s look at some statistics to see why this is usually the case. I say usually because some rare elite athletes like 40-year-old Troy Douglas of the Netherlands and 47-year-old Merlene Ottey of Slovenia (formerly of Jamaica) still compete at the elite level. Ex-Olympian hurdler Willie Gault has made a comeback in masters track, setting a world record at age 46 last year with a time of 10.72 seconds for the M45 100m dash.
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ASK FLASH: Aging, flexibility, staying active & a Happy Sloth

Posted April 20th, 2007 at 6:57 PM by Joshua Flash Gordon

Section: Columns, Health & Fitness, Exercise, Ask Flash

Need advice? Injured? Confused? Overwhelmed? Bored? ASK FLASH!
ASK FLASH is a free advice column to help you with all of your running, fitness and nutrition inquiries. To ASK FLASH — simply fill out the form at the conclusion of the column.

Q. Are young children more flexible than adults because they are active? ~ Inflexible in Bend, Arkansas

kids running A. According to Mom’s Team, flexibility varies for children as part of development. There is a period of time where their bones grow faster than their muscles and they actually lose flexibility. So, there is likely more at play than mere activity levels when it comes to flexibility differences between children and adults. In addition, the word ‘active’ should probably be used loosely with kids today because when you think about the excessive TV and video game time that consumes many of their lives.
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Master athletes age better

Posted November 25th, 2006 at 12:00 PM by Martin Kennedy

Section: Health & Fitness, Exercise

Almost 50 percent of Americans die of heart attacks and strokes, diseases that are associated with a faulty diet and lack of exercise. Almost 80 percent are overweight or obese, which is also associated with lack of exercise. Yet only 13 percent of people over 65 engage in vigorous physical activity three or more days a week. Among those over 75, only six percent exercise regularly.

Master athletes are older men and women who compete in sports at a very high level, no matter how old they are. They are healthier than age-matched people in virtually every category that has been measured (Nutrition Today, Volume 40, 2006). Of course they are more fit, as measured by their maximal ability to take in and use oxygen. They have lower cholesterol’s, comparable to those of people in their twenties. They have lower glucose tolerance and HBA1C screening tests for diabetes. They have lower waist-to-hip ratios, decreasing their risk for metabolic syndrome and diabetes. They have far less body fat. Read the rest of this entry »

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Exercise Prolongs Life

Posted October 21st, 2006 at 11:30 AM by Jeanie Rebb

Section: Health & Fitness, Exercise

older exercise.jpg Dr. Todd Manini of the National Institute on Aging reports that:

“Higher levels of activity energy expenditure and physical activity were associated with a lower risk of death. ”

“Compared with the third of individuals with the lowest activity energy expenditure, those in the highest third had a 69 percent lower risk of death.” (JAMA, June 2006).

This study was far more dependable than previous studies because, instead of using a questionnaire, researchers measured how active a person was by measuring the metabolic end products of activity. They used a doubly-labeled water method that directly measures carbon dioxide production over an extended period, the most accurate estimate of energy expenditure.

If you are inactive, you should check with a cardiologist who will do a stress test. If you pass, you should start an exercise program. If you fail, you should work with your doctor to correct the problem and then start an exercise program. Read the rest of this entry »

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The Healthy Male Runner: A Guide to Male-Specific Supplements

Posted June 8th, 2006 at 11:39 AM by Adam Jacobs

Section: Nutrition, Healthy Eating, Supplements

Maintaining a healthy lifestyle and getting the nutrition your body needs is even more important for those men who pursue an active lifestyle. However, the plethora of supplements in the growing market of male health can easily confuse any normal athlete.

According to the Council for Responsible Nutrition the special needs of men in terms of supplements lie in the following seven categories: Cardiovascular support, weight management, prostate care, sexual health, healthy aging, hair nutrition and stress support.

To help clear up some of your confusion, below are brief descriptions from The Vitamin Shoppe of the most popular male-specific vitamins and herbs that reportedly address these needs.

Note: Please be advised that anyone looking to significantly alter their diet or begin taking supplements should first consult their physician.

Cardiovascular Support

L-Carnitine: An amino acid that aids the transport of fatty acids into cells so they can be metabolized for energy
Omega-3 Fish Oil: Promotes cardiovascular health (Try adding flax seed oil to your protein shake or replacing butter with Smart Balance®
CoQ-10: Promotes cardiovascular health. Supplementation with this compound may help prevent CoQ-10 depletion from statin medications.
Aged Garlic: Promotes cardiovascular health. (Why aged instead of regular garlic? Because it contains all the same benefits - without the odor and bad breathe).
Policosanol: Promotes healthy blood cholesterol levels already within the normal range.
Nattokinase: Helps maintain cardiovascular function and support a healthy circulatory system.
Homocysteine Blockers: Helps promote cardiovascular health
Phytosterols: Have been clinically proven to lower “bad” cholesterol (LDL) without affecting “good” cholesterol (HDL)

Read on for information about supplements that address weight management, prostate care, healthy aging, hair nutrition and stress support . . .

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