Warning: High-intensity training could hurt you if you’re not an athlete: University of British Columbia

 

Posted on March 23, 2016 by Stone Hearth News

 High-intensity ‘sprint training’ may be gaining popularity at gyms, but if you’re new to this form of exercise, the workout could do more harm than good.

A study by Canadian and European researchers found signs of stress in the muscle tissues of their non-athlete, untrained subjects after ultra-intense leg and arm cycling exercises. Perhaps more concerning, researchers reported the untrained subjects had a weakened ability to fight off free radicals, molecules that can alter DNA and harm healthy cells.

“Our study raises questions about what the right dose and intensity of exercise for the average person really is,” said Robert Boushel, the study’s senior author and director of the University of British Columbia’s School of Kinesiology. “We need to be cautious about supporting sprint training in the general population.”

The researchers analyzed tissue samples from their test subjects and found that their mitochondria, the powerhouse of cells, were only firing at half-power post-training, reducing their capacity to consume oxygen and their ability to fight off damage from free radicals. High levels of free radicals in the body have been linked to a number of medical conditions, including cancer, premature aging and organ damage.

The potential long-term adverse effects of high-intensity sprint training are unknown, but Boushel and other researchers are continuing to study different levels of exercise, measuring the dosing of training against different biomarkers for health.

“If you’re new to going to the gym, participating in high-intensity ‘sprint’ classes may increase your performance but might not be healthy for you,” said Boushel.
Seasoned athletes and those who are well trained have built up antioxidant enzymes in their bodies to protect against free radicals, said Boushel. He recommended beginners start slowly and gradually increase intensity over time, under the supervision of a trained professional or kinesiologist.

Background

The study was carried out in a dozen male volunteers in Sweden, all of whom were in good health but self-identified as untrained or only moderately active. The men participated in high-intensity training over the course of two weeks that involved repeated 30-second all-out sprints, followed by rest periods.

The study, High-intensity sprint training inhibits mitochondrial respiration through aconitase inactivation, is published in The Official Journal of the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology (FASEB) Journal.

Source

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UFC® Applauds Overwhelming, Bipartisan Support in NY State Assembly as Bill to Legalize and Regulate Professional MMA Passes 113-25

 

 

 

 

 

Lorenzo Fertitta Thanks Speaker Heastie, Majority Leader Morelle & All Sponsors and Supporters

 

Albany –UFC^® Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Lorenzo Fertitta applauded the overwhelming, bipartisan New York State Assembly passage of legislation to legalize and regulate professional mixed martial arts (MMA) in New York. The passage of A.2604-C, sponsored by Assembly Majority Leader Joseph Morelle and 72 other Assembly sponsors, means the bill has now passed both houses and will be sent to Governor Andrew Cuomo for his approval.

 

Fertitta stated: “This has been a long time coming and on behalf of our New York UFC athletes and fans, I want to offer heartfelt thanks to Speaker Heastie, Majority Leader Morelle and all the Members of the Assembly – Democrats and Republicans – who voted for this bill.

 

“Joe Morelle has worked tirelessly to educate his colleagues and build support for legalizing professional MMA and regulating both professional and amateur MMA.  He has worked closely with Senator Joe Griffo, who has shepherded this effort in the Senate, where the bill has passed with strong bipartisan support for the last seven years, and MMA fans owe both a huge debt of gratitude,” Fertitta said.

 

Fertitta noted all the support the bill has garnered over the last several years.

 

“New York’s amazing arenas – upstate and downstate – have worked with us to advocate passage of this bill.  So, too, have restaurants, hotels, businesses and others who recognize the economic value professional MMA can bring to New York,” Fertitta said. “Our athletes have been extraordinary.  More than 20 have been to Albany to help educate legislators about the fastest growing sport in the world.  And our fans have been phenomenal.  Through letters and phone calls, rallies and social media, New York’s MMA and UFC fans have lent their voices of support.  It took a while, but their voices have been heard.”

 

UFC has committed to holding at least four events per year in New York for the first three years after professional MMA is legalized and regulated in New York. Fertitta renewed that commitment.

 

“While there are still additional steps that have to occur before professional MMA becomes a reality in New York, I want to assure our fans that if Governor Cuomo signs the bill into law and the State Athletic Commission puts in place the appropriate regulations, we look forward to hosting our first New York event in the world’s most famous arena – Madison Square Garden, home to so many epic sporting events throughout the decades,” Fertitta said. “We also look forward to scheduling events in Buffalo, Rochester, Syracuse, Utica, Albany, and Brooklyn.  We are excited.”

 

# # #

 

About UFC®
UFC^® is a premium global sports brand and the largest pay-per-view event provider in the world. Headquartered in Las Vegas with offices in London, Toronto, Sao Paulo and Singapore, UFC produces more than 40 live events annually that consistently sell out some of the most prestigious arenas around the globe. UFC programming is broadcast in over 150 countries and territories to more than one billion TV households worldwide in 21 different languages. UFC FIGHT PASS®, a digital subscription service, delivers exclusive live events, thousands of fights on-demand and original content to fans around the world. For more information, visit UFC.com and follow at Facebook.com/UFC, Twitter and Instagram: @UFC.

 

 

 

 

 

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Only 2.7% follow a healthy lifestyle: study in Mayo Clinic Proceedings

 

Posted on March 22, 2016 by Stone Hearth News

 

Mayo Clin Proc. 2016 Feb 20. pii: S0025-6196(16)00043-4. doi: 10.1016/j.mayocp.2016.01.009. [Epub ahead of print]

Healthy Lifestyle Characteristics and Their Joint Association With Cardiovascular Disease Biomarkers in US Adults.

Loprinzi PD1, Branscum A2, Hanks J3, Smit E4.

Author information

1Director of Research Engagement-Jackson Heart Study Vanguard Center of Oxford, Center for Health Behavior Research, Physical Activity Epidemiology Laboratory, Department of Health, Exercise Science, and Recreation Management, The University of Mississippi, University. Electronic address: pdloprin@olemiss.edu.

2Program in Biostatistics, School of Biological and Population Health Sciences, College of Public Health and Human Sciences, Oregon State University, Corvallis.

3Department of Physical Therapy, The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga, Chattanooga.
4Program in Epidemiology, School of Biological and Population Health Sciences, College of Public Health and Human Sciences, Oregon State University, Corvallis.

Abstract

OBJECTIVE:

To estimate the prevalence of healthy lifestyle characteristics and to examine the association between different combinations of healthy lifestyle characteristics and cardiovascular disease biomarkers.
PATIENTS AND METHODS:

The prevalence of healthy lifestyle characteristics was estimated for the US adult population (N=4745) using 2003-2006 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey data for the following parameters: being sufficiently active (accelerometer), eating a healthy diet (Healthy Eating Index based on 24-hour recalls), being a nonsmoker (serum cotinine level), and having a recommended body fat percentage (dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry). Cardiovascular biomarkers included mean arterial pressure, C-reactive protein, white blood cells (WBCs), total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), total cholesterol to HDL-C ratio, fasting low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, fasting triglycerides, fasting glucose, fasting insulin, insulin resistance, hemoglobin A1c, and homocysteine. The study was conducted from August 15, 2013, through January 5, 2016.

RESULTS:

Only 2.7% (95% CI, 1.9%-3.4%) of all adults had all 4 healthy lifes
tyle characteristics. Participants with 3 or 4 compared with 0 healthy lifestyle characteristics had more favorable biomarker levels except for mean arterial blood pressure, fasting glucose, and hemoglobin A1c. Having at least 1 or 2 compared with 0 healthy lifestyle characteristics was favorably associated with C-reactive protein, WBCs, HDL-C, total cholesterol, and homocysteine. For HDL-C and total cholesterol, the strongest correlate was body fat percentage. For homocysteine, a healthy diet and not smoking were strong correlates; for WBCs, diet was not a strong correlate.

CONCLUSION:

Although multiple healthy lifestyle characteristics are important, specific health characteristics may be more important for particular cardiovascular disease risk factors.
Source

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Mindfulness meditation offers relief for low-back pain: NIH

 

Posted on March 22, 2016 by Stone Hearth News

 

Mindfulness based stress reduction (MBSR) and cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) may prove more effective than usual treatment in alleviating chronic low-back pain, according to a new study funded by the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH), part of the National Institutes of Health.

“It is vital that we identify effective non-pharmacological treatment options for 25 million people who suffer from daily pain in the United States”

—Josephine Briggs, M.D.,Director, NCCIH

Researchers from the Group Health Cooperative, Seattle, and the University of Washington, Seattle, conducted a study, published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, in which 342 participants aged 20 to 70 used one of the two mind and body approaches or sought usual care for one year. At 26 and 52 weeks, participants using MBSR and CBT had greater improvement in function and back pain compared to the group that remained in standard care. Though pain intensity and some mental health measures improved in both groups, those using CBT did not see improvement beyond 26 weeks. Those using MBSR, however, continued to see improvement at 52 weeks, leading researchers to conclude MBSR may be an effective treatment for chronic low-back pain.
MBSR brings together elements of mindfulness meditation and yoga, whereas CBT is a form of psychotherapy that trains individuals to modify specific thoughts and behaviors. For the study, participants in the group using MBSR and the group using CBT attended a two-hour group session on their respective approach per week for eight weeks and supplemented their treatment with workbooks and CDs for practice at home. The study was led by Daniel Cherkin, Ph.D., a senior scientific investigator at the Group Health Research Institute, Seattle.

“It is vital that we identify effective non-pharmacological treatment options for 25 million people who suffer from daily pain in the United States,” said Josephine Briggs, M.D., director of NCCIH. “The results from this research affirm that non-drug/non-opioid therapies, such as meditation, can help manage chronic low-back pain. Physicians and their patients can use this information to inform treatment decisions.”

The National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health’s mission is to define, through rigorous scientific investigation, the usefulness and safety of complementary and integrative health approaches and their roles in improving health and health care. For additional information, call NCCIH’s Clearinghouse toll free at 1-888-644-6226. Follow us on Twitter (link is

external), Facebook (link is external), Instagram (link is external), and YouTube.

About the National Institutes of Health (NIH): NIH, the nation’s medical research agency, includes 27 Institutes and Centers and is a component of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. NIH is the primary federal agency conducting and supporting basic, clinical, and translational medical research, and is investigating the causes, treatments, and cures for both common and rare diseases. For more information about NIH and its programs, visit www.nih.gov.

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Tai chi reduces fall risk in older adults: American Geriatrics Society

 

Posted on March 11, 2016 by Stone Hearth News

 Recently, researchers compared the effects of tai chi to leg strengthening exercises (a physical therapy called “lower extremity training,” or LET) in reducing falls. Falls are a leading cause of serious injuries in older adults and can lead to hospitalization, nursing home admission, and even death. Arthritis, heart disease, muscle weakness, vision and balance problems, dementia, and other age-related health problems can increase an older adult’s risk for experiencing a fall. The study is published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society.

In their study, researchers assigned 368 people 60-years-old and older who had received medical attention for a fall into one of two groups. The first group received hour-long individual tai chi classes conducted by tai chi instructors every week for 24 weeks. Tai chi is an exercise practice developed in China hundreds of years ago. It combines certain postures and gentle movements with mental focus, breathing, and relaxation. Tai chi can be practiced while you’re walking, standing, or even seated. Deep breathing, weight shifting, and leg stepping movements are part of the practice. The second group received individual, hour-long LET sessions for 24 weeks conducted by physical therapists. Sessions included stretching, muscle strengthening, and balance training.

The researchers asked participants in both groups to complete at least 80 percent of their sessions, and also to practice either tai chi or LET at home every day during the six- month program and the 12-month follow-up. During the course of the study, all participants kept diaries and recorded any falls they experienced, and they shared their diaries with researchers each month.

After six months of training, people in the tai chi group were significantly less likely to experience an injury-causing fall than were people in the LET group. Even a year after taking the training, people who took tai chi were about 50 percent less likely to experience an injury-causing fall compared to people in the LET group.

Though participants in the study took individualized tai chi classes at home, “I suggest that older adults learn tai chi exercises in a class, and practice at home at least once a day,” said Mau-Roung Lin, PhD, Professor and Director of the Institute of Injury Prevention and Control, Taipei Medical University in Taipei, Taiwan, a co-author of the study.

###

 

This summary is from “Effects of Home-Based Tai Chi, Lower Extremity Training, and Self-Practice on Falls and Functional Outcomes in Older Fallers from the Emergency Department–A Randomized Controlled Trial.” It appears online ahead of print in the March 2016 issue of the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society. The study authors are Hei-Fen Hwang, RN, MS; Sy-Jou Chen, MD; Jane Lee-Hsieh RN, MSN; Ding-Kuo Chien, MD; Chih-Yi Chen, MS; and Mau-Roung Lin, PhD.
About the Health in Aging Foundation

This research summary was developed as a public education tool by the Health in Aging Foundation. The Foundation is a national non-profit established in 1999 by the American Geriatrics Society to bring the knowledge and expertise of geriatrics healthcare professionals to the public. We are committed to ensuring that people are empowered to advocate for high-quality care by providing them with trustworthy information and reliable resources. Last year, we reached nearly 1 million people with our resources through HealthinAging.org. We also help nurture current and future geriatrics leaders by supporting opportunities to attend educational events and increase exposure to principles of excellence on caring for older adults. For more information or to support the Foundation’s work, visit http://www.HealthinAgingFoundation.org.

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Yoga improves quality of life in patients with atrial fibrillation

 

Posted on March 13, 2016 by Stone Hearth News

 

Sophia Antipolis – 14 March 2016: Yoga improves quality of life in patients with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation, according to research published today in the European Journal of Cardiovascular Nursing.1 Heart rate and blood pressure also decreased in patients who did yoga.

“Many patients with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (AF) can’t live their lives as they want to – they refuse dinners with friends, concerts, and travelling – because they are afraid of an AF episode occurring,” said Maria Wahlström, a nurse and PhD candidate at Sophiahemmet University and the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm, Sweden.

“AF episodes are accompanied by chest pain, dyspnoea and dizziness,” continued Ms Wahlström. “These symptoms are unpleasant and patients feel anxious, worried and stressed that an AF episode will occur. Most patients are still working and take sick leave to visit the hospital. Many patients with AF use complementary therapies so it is necessary to find out if they actually help.”

AF is the most common cardiac rhythm disorder, affecting 1.5-2% of the general population in the developed world.2 There is no cure for AF, and management focuses on relief of symptoms and the prevention of complications such as stroke using cardioversion, ablation and medication.3
Patients with paroxysmal AF experience episodes of AF that usually last less than 48 hours and stop by themselves, although in some patients they can last up to seven days.4 The current study included 80 patients with paroxysmal AF who were randomised to yoga or a control group that did not do yoga. Both groups received standard treatment with medication, cardioversion and catheter ablation as needed.

Yoga was performed for one hour, once a week, for 12 weeks in the hospital with an experienced instructor. The yoga programme included light movements, deep breathing, and meditation.
Quality of life, heart rate and blood pressure were measured in all patients at the start and end of the study. Quality of life (physical and mental health) was assessed using two validated questionnaires, the Short-Form Health Survey (SF-36) and the EuroQoL-5D (EQ-5D) Visual Analogue Scale (VAS).
After 12 weeks, the yoga group had higher SF-36 mental health scores, lower heart rate, and lower systolic and diastolic blood pressure than the control group.

Ms Wahlström said: “We found that patients who did yoga had a better quality of life, lower heart rate and lower blood pressure than patients who did not do yoga. If could be that the deep breathing balances the parasympathetic and sympathetic nervous system, leading to less variation in heart rate. The breathing and movement may have beneficial effects on blood pressure.”

Within the yoga group, both the EQ-5D VAS scores and SF-36 mental health scores improved during the study, while there was no change in the control group between the initial and final measurements.
“Yoga may improve quality of life in patients with paroxysmal AF because it gives them a method to gain some self control over their symptoms instead of feeling helpless,” said Ms Wahlström. “Patients in the yoga group said it felt good to let go of their thoughts and just be inside themselves for awhile.”

The researchers have started a larger study in 140 patients with symptomatic paroxysmal AF who will be randomised to yoga, music relaxation, or a control group. This will clarify whether the movement and deep breathing in yoga are beneficial or only the relaxation. It will also address the potential for group therapy itself to be beneficial, since patients may feel safe and secure when they meet others with the same illness.

Ms Wahlström concluded: “A lot of the patients I meet who have paroxysmal AF are very stressed. Yoga should be offered as a complementary therapy to help them relax. It may also reduce their visits to hospital by lowering their anxiety until an AF episode stops.”

###

 

SOURCES OF FUNDING: This work was supported by Fondmedel 176 KI, Stockholm, Sweden.
DISCLOSURES: None.

References

1Wahlström M, Rydell Karlsson M, Medin J, Frykman V. Effects of yoga in patients with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation – a randomized controlled study. European Journal of Cardiovascular Nursing. DOI: 10.1177/1474515116637734

2Camm AJ, Lip GYH, De Caterina R, et al. 2012 focused update of the ESC Guidelines for the management of atrial fibrillation. European Heart Journal. 2012;33:2719-2747.
3Camm AJ, Kirchhof P, Lip GYH, et al. Guidelines for the management of atrial fibrillation. European Heart Journal. 2010;31:2369-2429.

4Patient information about atrial fibrillation is available here

About the European Journal of Cardiovascular Nursing
The European Journal of Cardiovascular Nursing is the international journal of the European Society of Cardiology dedicated to the advancement of knowledge in the field of cardiovascular nursing: promoting evidence based clinical practice.

About the European Society of Cardiology

The European Society of Cardiology (ESC) represents more than 95 000 cardiology professionals across Europe and the Mediterranean. Its mission is to reduce the burden of cardiovascular disease in Europe.

Source

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Warm Up to Cold Weather Exercise by Learning the Right Way to Workout in Winter: University Hospitals Case Medical Center

 

Posted on March 6, 2016 by Stone Hearth News

 

Newswise — CLEVELAND – Most of us shudder at the thought of being outside when the temperatures dip and cold weather sets in. That’s when we hibernate indoors, and for many of us, have decreased levels of physical activity. Adapting your workout to the outdoors during cold-weather months could prove beneficial to your overall physical and mental health. You may find yourself warming up to the idea of heading outside more frequently if you go about cold-weather exercise the right way.

“We don’t want the winter to be when people stop exercising,” says James Voos, MD, Division Chief of Sports Medicine at University Hospitals Case Medical Center and Head Team Physician of the Cleveland Browns. “The single act of getting out and getting your heart rate up is a benefit itself.”
Dr. Voos suggests:

1. Find a safe place to run. Cold weather can often bring icy sidewalks and narrow streets. If you’re running alongside snow drifts, and into the street, make sure drivers can see you.
2. Wear appropriate clothing that are brightly-colored and/or have reflectors on them.
3. Run in shoes that are water resistant and have deeper treads to help keep feet dryer longer and help with traction while running.
4. If you suffer from asthma make sure you know your limits. Exercising in colder, dryer, air can be a trigger for asthma attacks.
5. Hydrate. Make sure to drink plenty of water or electrolyte fluids.

Sound bites from James Voos, MD, Division Chief of Sports Medicine at University Hospitals Case Medical Center and related b-roll are available to download at the University Hospitals Case Medical
Center Newsroom at http://www.news.uhhospitals.org/

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New Procedure for Massive Rotator Cuff Tears Restores Stability Better, Say Researchers

 

Posted on March 6, 2016 by Stone Hearth News

 Newswise — Repairing massive rotator cuff tears is often a tricky proposition, especially for those who have failed prior surgery. Researchers presenting their work at the American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine’s (AOSSM) Specialty Day today, discussed how a new arthroscopic procedure to treat large rotator cuff tears may help patients return to sports and work quicker.

“Our work on utilizing an arthroscopic superior capsule reconstruction (ASCR) restored shoulder function at a greater rate than previous forms of treatment and helped return our patients to recreational sport and work faster,” said Teruhisa Mihata, MD, PhD from the Osaka Medical College
From 2007-2014, Mihata and his team followed and treated 100 ASCR patients with an average age of 66 years. All of the individuals had irreparable rotator cuff tears that had failed previous treatment. Physical exams, x-rays and MRI were performed prior to surgery and also again at three, six and 12 months following surgery and yearly thereafter. Return to sport and work rates were also analyzed in 34 patients who were employed and 26 patients who were recreational athletes prior to injury.
The average postoperative outcome scores for 92% of these individuals all improved their strength and shoulder function significantly. Thirty-two patients returned fully to their previous work and two patients returned with reduced hours and workloads. All 26 patients who played sports prior to injury returned fully to their activities.

“Our positive results suggest that this procedure is a viable option for irreparable, large rotator cuff tears. We hope to perform additional research to further solidfy our results,” said Mihata.
The American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine (AOSSM) is a world leader in sports medicine education, research, communication and fellowship, and includes national and international orthopaedic sports medicine leaders. The Society works closely with many other sports medicine specialists, including athletic trainers, physical therapists, family physicians, and others to improve the identification, prevention, treatment, and rehabilitation of sports injuries. AOSSM is also a founding partner of the STOP Sports Injuries campaign to prevent overuse and traumatic injuries in kids.

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How Meditation Increases Happiness

 

Posted on March 7, 2016 by Stone Hearth News

 

 

Scientists used to believe that people had a set happiness index. Some people were born with a disposition towards happiness while others were more prone to embracing misery. Time‘s article reported that “neither very good events nor very bad events seem to change people’s happiness much in the long term.” Studies indicate that most people “revert back to some kind of baseline happiness level within a couple years of even the most devastating events, like the death of a spouse or loss of limbs.” However, recent studies show that with practice, people can elevate their baseline happiness level. We now know that the brain continues to develop and is capable of change—known as neuroplasticity.

The good news is that these practices which elevate the baseline of happiness can be done in just a few minutes per day and doesn’t cost a dime . All that is needed to gain the benefits of these practices are: (1) a commitment and (2) regularly doing the practice. Over the next few posts, I’ll share some scientifically proven ways to increase happiness and sense of well-being. We start with meditation.
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‘Tommy John’ Reconstructive Surgeries on the Rise Among Young Athletes

 

Posted on March 7, 2016 by Stone Hearth News

 

 

Newswise — NEW YORK, NY (March 7, 2016)—A new study found a dramatic increase in the number of adolescents undergoing “Tommy John” surgery to repair a pitching-related elbow injury in recent years, outstripping growth among major league pitchers.

The study, performed by researchers at Columbia University Medical Center (CUMC), was published in the January online issue of the American Journal of Sports Medicine.

“Everybody who follows baseball is worried about the rise in Tommy John procedures in the major leagues, and rightly so,” said study leader Christopher S. Ahmad, MD, professor of orthopedic surgery at CUMC, head team physician for the New York Yankees and chief of sports medicine at NewYork-Presbyterian/Columbia. “But we should also be worried about the 6 million children and young adults in the US who play this game and are at risk for significant pitching-related injuries. We need to determine why these injuries are so common and what can be done to prevent them.”

Tommy John surgery, named for the Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher who first had the procedure in 1974, involves replacing a torn or ruptured ligament in the elbow known as the ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) with a tendon from another part of the body.

Analyzing data from the New York Statewide Planning and Research Cooperative System, the researchers found that 444 patients underwent surgery to repair the UCL between 2002 and 2011. The median age of the patients, mostly male, was 21. During that period, the total volume of UCL surgeries increased nearly 200 percent, while the number of UCL reconstructions per 100,000 people tripled from 0.15 to 0.45. Almost all of the growth occurred in two age groups, 17- to 18-year-olds and 19- to 20-year-olds. Patients who had private insurance were 25 times more likely to undergo UCL construction than those with Medicaid.

Tommy John surgery has a high success rate, but full recovery can take a year or more. In many cases, UCL injuries can be treated effectively with rest, physical therapy, and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medications. While the increase in UCL reconstructions among professional athletes has been well documented, few studies have looked at the incidence among younger, non-professional athletes.

While the study did not address reasons for the increase in UCL reconstructive surgery, Dr. Ahmad suspects a major factor is the fiercely competitive culture of youth baseball, which encourages talented players to throw more frequently, with greater intensity, and at a younger age. “Whatever the cause, we now know for certain that more kids are getting injured,” he said. “We should be asking ourselves what we can do to prevent these injuries.”

According to Dr. Ahmad and other experts in the field, the solution may be to provide more education about the risks of overuse throwing injuries and the importance of adherence to preventive guidelines, such as pitch-count limits.

In a previous study, Dr. Ahmad found that three-quarters of young players reported having arm pain while throwing, and almost half of all players had been encouraged at least once to continue playing despite having arm pain. Signs of injury include fatigue, pain, taking medicine for pain, and icing excessively.

“If a young player is hurting, he or she should not keep playing or pitching,” said Dr. Ahmad. “Kids, of course, think they’re indestructible. Parents and coaches are in a position to tell athletes when it’s time to give the arm a rest, and if they need to take a temporary break from baseball.”
The study is titled, “Epidemiology of Medial Ulnar Collateral Ligament Reconstruction A 10-Year Study of New York State.” The other contributors are: Justin L. Hodgins and Raymond R. Arons (CUMC), and Mark Vitale (ONS Foundation for Clinical Research and Education, Greenwich Hospital, Yale–New Haven Health, Greenwich, CT).

The authors report no conflicts of interest.

Columbia University Medical Center provides international leadership in basic, preclinical, and clinical research; medical and health sciences education; and patient care. The medical center trains future leaders and includes the dedicated work of many physicians, scientists, public health professionals, dentists, and nurses at the College of Physicians and Surgeons, the Mailman School of Public Health, the College of Dental Medicine, the School of Nursing, the biomedical departments of the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, and allied research centers and institutions. Columbia University Medical Center is home to the largest medical research enterprise in New York City and State and one of the largest faculty medical practices in the Northeast. For more information, visit www.cumc.columbia.edu or www.columbiadoctors.org.

NewYork-Presbyterian

NewYork-Presbyterian is one of the nation’s most comprehensive healthcare delivery networks, focused on providing innovative and compassionate care to patients in the New York metropolitan area and throughout the globe. In collaboration with two renowned medical school partners, Weill Cornell Medicine and Columbia University College of Physicians & Surgeons, NewYork-Presbyterian is consistently recognized as a leader in medical education, groundbreaking research and clinical innovation.

NewYork-Presbyterian has four major divisions: NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital is ranked #1 in the New York metropolitan area by U.S. News and World Report and repeatedly named to the magazine’s Honor Roll of best hospitals in the nation; NewYork-Presbyterian Regional Hospital Network is comprised of leading hospitals in and around New York and delivers high-quality care to patients throughout the region; NewYork-Presbyterian Physician Services connects medical experts with patients in their communities; and NewYork-Presbyterian Community and Population Health features the hospital’s ambulatory care network sites and operations, community care initiatives and healthcare quality programs, including NewYork Quality Care, established by NewYork-Presbyterian, Weill Cornell and Columbia.

NewYork-Presbyterian is one of the largest healthcare providers in the U.S. Each year, nearly 29,000 NewYork-Presbyterian professionals deliver exceptional care to more than 2 million patients.

For more information, visit www.nyp.org and find us on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.

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Lack of Physical Fitness in Youth Associated With Threefold Risk of Developing Type 2 Diabetes in Adulthood

 

Posted on March 7, 2016 by Stone Hearth News

 Newswise — (NEW YORK – March 7, 2016) The combination of low aerobic capacity and low muscle strength at age 18 is associated with a three times greater risk of developing Type 2 Diabetes in adulthood, according to new research from the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai published online today in the journal Annals of Internal Medicine. The study also found that poor physical fitness was a long-term risk factor even among individuals with a normal Body Mass Index (BMI).

Researchers from Mount Sinai and Lund University in Sweden examined fitness and health records from more than 1.5 million male military conscripts in Sweden from 1969 to 1997. As a result of Sweden’s national healthcare system, researchers were able to track the cohort’s data over several decades (to a maximum age of 62 years) and obtain follow-up information to see if and when the conscripts were diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes. Most studies of physical fitness have examined aerobic but not muscular fitness, and have focused on adults but lacked data at younger ages with sufficient follow-up to examine the long-term risk of Type 2 Diabetes.

“This is the first study to examine early-life physical fitness in relation to the long-term risk for Type 2 Diabetes in adulthood, independent of BMI, family history or socioeconomic factors” said Casey Crump, MD, PhD, Vice Chair for Research, Department of Family Medicine and Community Health and Senior Faculty, Department of Population Health Science and Policy, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai and lead author of the study. “Our findings suggest that prevention should start early in life and should include both aerobic and muscular conditioning. We hope our research will help inform more effective lifestyle interventions among children and youth to promote better population health in the U.S. and other countries.”

Diabetes, the seventh leading cause of death in the United States, is a metabolic disease that results in high blood sugar levels because the body does not produce enough insulin for proper function. Type 2 Diabetes is the most common form of diabetes and affects more than 300 million people worldwide. It has more than doubled in prevalence over the past 30 years, along with increasing rates of obesity and sedentary lifestyle.

“This research has enormous implications for the work we have been doing in our department, promoting adequate physical education programs in schools and the need for safe play spaces for children and teens in our communities,” said Neil Calman, MD, Professor and Chair of Family Medicine and Community Health, Mount Sinai Health System. “Addressing these problems has now been proven to be of critical importance in preventing adult diabetes.”

“Our research group is also studying the effects of aerobic fitness, muscular strength and BMI on other health outcomes, including ischemic heart disease and cancer,” said Dr. Crump. “We need more longitudinal measurements of physical fitness over individuals’ life course to determine age windows of greatest susceptibility to its effects on Type 2 Diabetes.”

The study was supported by the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI), one of the 27 Institutes and Centers of the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

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