As we age, we lose muscle mass through a condition called “sarcopenia,” which is the age-related loss of muscle fibers. Sarcopenia can lead to decreases in strength and function in older adults, which can increase the risk for disability and injury. Muscular power and reaction time are also important components of function and injury prevention [...]
August 10, 2010 – 6:04 am
Breast cancer survivors often experience weight gain after chemotherapy, particularly pre-menopausal women. This weight gain has been associated with an increased recurrence and death from breast cancer (Chlebowski et al. 2006). Researchers at the University of Washington and Oregon Health Sciences University suggested that exercise may be a low-cost, non-pharmacologic strategy to prevent or reverse [...]
Bleeding disorders such as hemophilia may cause bleeding in the joints, known as ‘hemarthrosis.’ This may lead to arthritis and subsequent joint replacement surgery. Exercise is an important component in managing hemarthrosis; however, many patients are hesitant to exercise for fear of injury and resulting bleeding. Few studies have examined the effectiveness of exercise in [...]
Elastic tubing has been proven as effective as free weights again; this time, in teenagers. Several studies have shown that Thera-Band® elastic resistance has similar effects on muscle activation and strength as isotonic resistance (Andersen et al. 2010; Colado & Triplett 2008). Current physical activity guidelines recommend resistance training to improve muscular fitness in youths. [...]
One of the most common clinical mistakes is to arbitrarily assign resistance training levels to older adults, often choosing very low intensities. These low loads are often insufficient to increase muscle strength. Drs. Dale Avers and Marybeth Brown of the American Physical Therapy Association’s Section on Geriatrics published a whitepaper in the Journal of Geriatric [...]
February 11, 2010 – 8:28 am
The kidneys serve an important function in filtering the blood. Patients with severe kidney disease or kidney failure don’t have the ability to clean their blood. This condition is known as end-stage renal disease (ESRD), and often requires hemodialysis that cleans the blood with a machine. In 2006, over 500,000 Americans had ESRD, with over [...]
February 8, 2010 – 3:57 pm
It has been well-established that resistance training improves muscular strength and physical capacity. Other health-related benefits include reduction of body fat and improvement in blood lipids. In addition to traditional isotonic resistance training (free weights, machines), elastic bands and aquatic resistance can be used for strengthening exercises. Research shows that elastic resistance produces the same [...]
December 11, 2009 – 8:12 am
Leukemia, cancer of the blood cells and bone marrow, accounts for 10% of new cancer cases in the US. Unfortunately, the chemotherapy treatment for leukemia is quite debilitating, causing fatigue, nausea, and loss of body mass. Exercise has been shown beneficial in several types of cancer, including breast, prostate, and colorectal cancer; however, few studies [...]
