Monday, January 31, 2011

good posture.. Key to Job Interview Success

http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/GE1101/S00052/good-posture-key-to-job-interview-success.htm

Good Posture Key to Job Interview Success

Thursday, 20 January 2011, 12:18 pm
Press Release: NZ Chiropractors Association

Good Posture Key to Job Interview Success According to New Zealand Chiropractors

According to the New Zealand Chiropractors’ Association, paying attention to posture could give job seekers the winning edge as they search for employment this year. New research has revealed that adopting a confident ‘expansive’ stance can have a deciding influence on whether or not an interviewee lands a coveted job role.

Three studies conducted by Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University found that posture matters more than hierarchical role and can make a person think and act in a more powerful way. They discovered that in an interview situation, an interviewee's posture not only conveys confidence and leadership but the person actually thinks and acts more powerfully.

‘It is believed that when a person carries themselves positively, opens up their body and takes up more space they feel more confident and powerful, regardless of their actual rank in an organization,’ explains Dr. Hayden Thomas, chiropractor and spokesman for the New Zealand Chiropractors’ Association.

‘Unfortunately, many people get into the habit of not holding themselves correctly and they slouch or roll their shoulders forward. This is a ‘constrictive’ or ‘closed’ posture and makes individuals look more submissive, less confident and not as capable of leadership.’

Thankfully, there are a number of actions that can be taken to make sure a person’s posture gives the right impression on interview day.

‘Targeted exercises are one of the best ways to correct bad posture,’ says Dr. Thomas. ‘It only takes around three minutes a day to help improve spinal health and posture, which isn’t a huge time commitment. The Straighten Up New Zealand campaign is especially effective with each exercise designed to help the participant develop strong postural muscles. Other causes of bad posture include the wrong height chair and desk at work, obesity and, for women, spending too much time in high heels. Remedying each of these will lead to improved spinal health, which will make maintaining good posture easier and more comfortable.’

‘When you are heading into the interview remind yourself to walk tall with your head up, chest raised and shoulders back,’ adds Dr. Thomas. ‘Once seated, keep your legs and arms uncrossed and sit up straight, with your back relaxed against the back of the chair. Along with making you feel less tense, this positive posture will give the interviewee exactly the right first impression as well.’

For further information on the New Zealand Chiropractors’ Association and how to maintain a healthy posture, visit www.chiropractic.org.nz. More details on the Straighten Up New Zealand campaign can be found at www.straightenup.org.nz.

ENDS

Advertisement: www.SpinalQ.com , Spinal Q, SpinalQ, Rehab Jacket, Rehabjacket.com , Q brace, Qbrace, Q Posture.

Tips to tackle back pain

http://www.bangkokpost.com/lifestyle/family/217813/tips-to-tackle-back-pain

Tips to tackle back pain

Published: 24/01/2011 at 12:00 AM
Newspaper section: Life

Back pain is a common problem in office workers who are bound to their seats. It is caused primarily by sitting for too long without changing position and also by an unhealthy sitting posture.

It is necessary to change your position from time to time to allow the body to rest.

Here are some easy exercises that can be done at your desk:

Stand still and firmly hold the back of the chair and stretch your leg straight to the back. Gradually return to the original position. Alternate with the other leg and do this at least five times.

Sit on the chair and bend down until your feel the pressure on your back. Stay in this position for 15-30 seconds before returning to the original position. Repeat three to five times.

Always sit in the right position straight back with your bottom and thighs on the seat. The seat must be at a height that allows your feet to stay on the floor.

Stand erect, with your entire weight on the soles of your feet. Hold your stomach in order that to keep the lower part of the back straight. If standing for a long period of time, shift body weight between legs.

Saturday, January 29, 2011

looking at the Horizon Stabilizes Posture

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/214971.php

Looking At The Horizon Stabilizes Posture

Main Category: Psychology / Psychiatry
Also Included In: GastroIntestinal / Gastroenterology
Article Date: 28 Jan 2011 - 1:00 PST

Everybody who has been aboard a ship has heard the advice: if you feel unsteady, look at the horizon. For a study published in Psychological Science, a journal of the Association for Psychological Science, researchers measured how much people sway on land and at sea and found there's truth in that advice; people aboard a ship are steadier if they fix their eyes on the horizon.

Thomas A. Stoffregen of the University of Minnesota has been studying "body sway" for decades - how much people rock back and forth in different situations, and what this has to do with motion sickness. In just a normal situation, standing still, people move back and forth by about four centimeters every 12 to 15 seconds. Stoffregen and his coauthors, Anthony M. Mayo and Michael G. Wade, wanted to know how this changes when you're standing on a ship.

To study posture at sea, Stoffregen made contact with the U.S. consortium that runs scientific research ships. "I'm really an oddball for these folks, because they're studying oceanography, like hydrothermal vents. Here's this behavioral scientist, calling them up," he says. He boards a ship when it is travelling between different projects - for example, in this study, he rode on the research vessel Atlantis as it went between two points in the Gulf of California. "It had nothing to do with the fact that I like cruising near the tropics," he jokes. Since the ships are between scientific expeditions, he can sleep in one of the empty bunks normally reserved for ocean scientists, and crew members volunteer to take part in his study.

The study compared the same people standing on dry land - a dock in Guaymas, Mexico - and aboard the ship. In each experiment, the crew member stood comfortably on a force plate and focused on a target - either something about 16 inches in front of them, or a far-off point; a distant mountain when standing on land or the horizon when standing on the ship. On land, people were steadier when they looked at the close-up target and swayed more when they looked far away. On the ship, however, they were steadier when they looked at the horizon.

This is actually counterintuitive, Stoffregen says. When you're standing on a ship, you need to adjust to the ship's movement, or you'll fall over. So why would it help to look at the horizon and orient yourself to the Earth? He thinks it may help stabilize your body by helping you differentiate between sources of movement - the natural movement coming from your body and the movement caused by the ship.

Stoffregen thinks this motion of bodies may predict motion sickness. "It's the people who become wobbly who subsequently become motion sick," he says. He had originally hoped to study seasickness directly, but so far his subjects have all been seasoned crew members who are used to the ship's movement and don't get sick; his dream is to do his experiments aboard a ship full of undergraduate oceanography majors going to sea for the first time. "I'd give my right arm to get on one of those."

Source:
Keri Chiodo
Association for Psychological Science

Advertising: www.spinalq.com, spinal q, spinalq, rehab jacket, q brace, qbrace, Posture Brace.

Monday, January 17, 2011

Bikram Yoga - lots of Posturing

http://www.recordnet.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20110116/A_NEWS/101160322/-1/rss02

News

Bikram yoga — lots of posturing

Young and old train in triple-digit heat to increase flexibility for lengthy workouts

By Alex Breitler

January 16, 2011

Record Staff Writer

Practice 90 minutes, five days a week in a room heated to 105 degrees, and you might be able to imitate what Quinn Morrissey pulled off Saturday: a yoga posture called "The Scorpion."

On a carpeted stage with 300 people observing in silence, 13-year-old Morrissey kneeled with her face toward the ground and her palms flat. She then hoisted her legs up and over her body until her feet rested on the back of her own head.

In short, she was bent over like the stinger of a long-tailed African arthropod.

Quinn righted herself, clasped her hands, bowed, and the crowd applauded.

She was one of four Stockton girls - and dozens more men and women - to show off their Bikram yoga skills during a regional competition at University of the Pacific.

"We don't have as much focus as adults, but we're flexible," Quinn said backstage after sharing hugs with her competitors.

Bikram yoga is a variation of traditional yoga best known for intense heat. While the theater in which contestants performed Saturday was kept at room temperature, Bikram workouts are typically held in 105-degree heat to aid in flexibility and oxygen delivery to the body.

Bikram is also more structured than "regular" yoga, with 26 set postures to be performed during those workouts.

Helena Monica, 45, opened Stockton's first Bikram yoga studio on Pacific Avenue nearly three years ago.

She used to run six miles a day, until her knees were shot. She found yoga, and later learned about Bikram.

"I never left," she said.

Instructor Kaci Reed works with Morrissey and the other girls.

"They're very dedicated," she said. "We're asking a lot of these young girls."

Asking a lot, indeed. They've been molded into human rubber bands, practically able to kiss their own toes when they stretch. Stockton's Brooke Stevenson, 13, leaned the top half of her body backward to a 90 degree angle. Jade White, 13, sat down and maneuvered one leg up and over the back of her head.

"When I first came to the class I couldn't move 2 inches," she said later.

"I just stood there," added her friend, 12-year-old Atea Stefani of Petaluma.

Hannah White-Dobbs, 13, performed one posture that requires no description: the splits. She hopes other young people will be attracted to yoga, which supporters are lobbying for inclusion as an Olympic sport.

"I'm thinking about teaching yoga," White-Dobbs, who lives in Stockton, said. "There's no way to explain it. It's like a second family."

Contact reporter Alex Breitler at (209) 546-8295 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting (209) 546-8295 end_of_the_skype_highlighting or abreitler@recordnet.com. Visit his blog at recordnet.com/breitlerblog.

What is Bikram yoga?

• Variation of traditional yoga

• Series of 26 poses performed in a room heated to 105 degrees

• Heat allows for more flexibility

• Poses strengthen muscles and joints

• Stockton Bikram studio owner Helena Monica calls the 90-minute workouts an "internal cleansing" of the body.

To learn more, visit bikramyoga

stockton.com

advertisement: www.SpinalQ.com , SpinalQ, spine q, spinal q, q brace, QBrace, rehab jacket, for better Posture. Posture Solutions.

how can I improve my posture?

http://www.lifehacker.com.au/2011/01/how-can-i-improve-my-posture/

Dear Lifehacker,
I spend all day at my desk, and over time, I’ve noticed my posture has gotten worse and worse — and I’m even feeling some occasional back pain. How can I fix it? Signed,
Perpetually Bent

Dear P.B.,

We’re sorry to hear about the back pain! You’re right — a good posture can go a long way in avoiding chronic backache, headache, chest pain as well as shoulder muscle pain. This is especially true for computer users like most of us, who slouch in front of the computers for hours at end.

When we talk about posture, the general idea is that a person standing up straight has a good posture and one with slightly arched back has a poor one. But what people don’t realize is that your posture is not just limited to the way you stand.

Good posture involves training your body to stand, walk, sit and lie in positions where the least strain is placed on supporting muscles and ligaments during movement or weight-bearing activities.

The gradual deterioration of your posture

How your posture looks today is a result of years of activity. Over time, the stress of poor posture can change the anatomical characteristics of the spine, leading to the possibility of constricted blood vessels and nerves, as well as problems with muscles, discs and joints.

If you are a tall person, you might have slouched to avoid attention when in a group or while sitting in a class. In an exactly opposite situation a shorter person could have overstretched himself to look taller, resulting in a poor posture. And, of course, most of us spend hours every day sitting at a desk where it’s all too easy to let your posture slip. Over a period of time such habits have a long lasting impact upon how our posture shapes out. Inculcating the correct habits can go a long way in avoiding chronic pains associated with poor posture.

Understanding your posture

The very first step in improving your posture is getting to know what exactly you might be doing wrong while you stand, sit, or walk. The best approach towards understanding whether your posture is healthy is to observe yourself while you walk. Focus on the body movements from the head to toe.

Make a mental note of posture and back support. This will help you identify the time and locations that tend to result in poor posture. A healthy posture is denoted by easy grace of walking while an unhealthy posture would look labored and disconnected. For some people, asking others to observe them while walking or sitting helps. Another way to check your posture is standing sideways in front of a mirror like you normally do can help reveal a lot about your posture.

The Dos and Don’ts for Maintaining a Good Posture

While Sitting – For people whose work involves sitting at a computer for several hours, it is imperative to cultivate healthy sitting habits. The spine is not designed to bear prolonged loads of weight in a static position, and this can cause future complications to the spinal column to develop.

When you sit on a chair, your lower back or the lumbar region of your spinal cord should get optimum support. This would help maintain a good posture and avoid lower back ache in the long run.

Photo by big g fish

Try to keep the top of the screen at an eye level, while making sure that both the arms and the wrists are properly supported by the chair and the table, while the head is resting back on the chair.

While Standing – A lot of people have the habit of keeping their hands in pocket while standing. Gradually this leads to slouching shoulders, since while standing the proper way to maintain a good posture is to keep the hands by the side of the body.

Keep some distance between your feet so that they align with your shoulder.

To get an idea about how you are doing, stand against a wall. For most people everything except the head would touch the wall. This means you have a scope of improvement there. Try and inculcate the habit of standing with your shoulders upright, which would help the head line up with the spinal cord.

While sleeping – Using a relatively firm mattress is a good idea, since it provides a better support to the body while sleeping.

Sleeping on the back, instead of side can help improve your posture, since while sleeping on your back, the spinal cord gets complete support from the bed and the shoulders line up perfectly with the body.

Which kind of pillow you use is an individual preference, but a flat pillow is better if you sleep on your back most of the time and the opposite is true if you sleep on the side.

You can also place one or more pillows below your knees when sleeping on the back to reduce strain on lower lumbar region.

Exercising – Getting up regularly from your chair or stretching in regular intervals can help relive the muscle fatigue. People who exercise regularly generally have a better posture than the ones who prefer sitting in one place for long period of time.

So try and include an exercise schedule of 15-30 minutes in your daily schedule. Exercising your back and abs will yield great results eventually.

Extreme Posture Makeover

So you are unhappy with your posture and want to try out something that gives faster results? Well there are a couple of things you can do.

1. You can use a duct tape or something similar and create a X mark on your back. Stand up straight with shoulders upright and ask someone to stick the tape from top of your right shoulder to the left hip, do the same from the right shoulder. This tape will remind you whenever you slouch and help you maintain a healthy posture. Not such a good ideas for guys with hairy backs, Ouch. You guys can try out this 2nd tip.

2. For people who are serious about getting their posture right, using Posture braces is a good idea. They are generally a “Firm” reminder that you are getting sloppy and you need to stand up or sit straight. It might be uncomfortable in the beginning, but it will help you in the long run.

As mentioned above, you can take any route for a better posture once you identify the flaws — if any — in your posture. Going slow and developing healthy habits is the right way to go, but if that doesn’t work out well you can always take the extreme route.

Hope that helps!

Cheers
Lifehacker

Top photo by dgilder

Advertisement: www.SpinalQ.com , spinal q, SpinalQ, q brace, QBrace, rehab jacket, for more information.

posture Perfect Fitness class

http://www.ocregister.com/news/capistrano-284036-juan-through.html

San Juan Capistrano has plenty of community classes ready to go that are designed to teach and entertain, and you can still sign up:

FOR ADULTS

Posture Perfect fitness class: 6 p.m. Thursdays, Jan. 13 through March 3, La Sala Auditorium behind San Juan Capistrano Regional Library, 31495 El Camino Real. $64.

FOR KIDS

T-ball: ages 3-5; 9 a.m. Saturdays, Jan. 15 through March 5, San Juan Capistrano Sports Park, 25925 Camino del Avion. $65.

Soccer: ages 3-5; 10:30 a.m. Saturdays, Jan. 15 through March 5, San Juan Capistrano Sports Park, 25925 Camino del Avion. $65, plus a $10 T-shirt fee payable at the first class.

Tennis: 9 a.m. Saturdays for ages 4-6 and 11 a.m. Saturdays for ages 7-12, Jan. 15 through March 5, Camino Capistrano Tennis Courts. $95, plus a $10 T-shirt fee payable at the first class.

Music Together: ages up to 4; 9 a.m., 10 a.m. or 3 p.m. Tuesdays, Jan. 25 through March 15, San Juan Capistrano Community Center, 25925 Camino del Avion. $140 ($105 for any additional siblings), plus a $38 materials fee payable at the first class.

Ballet: ages 3-5; 10 a.m. Tuesdays through March 1, Nydegger Building, 31421 La Matanza St. $75.

For more information and to register, call the Community Services Department at 949-493-5911 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting 949-493-5911 end_of_the_skype_highlighting.

Advertisement: www.spinalq.com , spinal q, spinalq, q brace, qbrace, rehab jacket,

Wednesday, January 12, 2011

Cha Cha Challenge ... Tango can Help with Posture

Take a cha-cha challenge

Spins, turns, lifts, kicks and fast footwork of dancing can turn flabby into fit

Dancing Legs get most of the workout in dance classes, but the arms are engaged as well, toning muscles and raising heart rates.

McClatchy-Tribune Newspapers

Salsa and cha-cha build endurance, and the tango improves muscle control and posture.

Any doubts about the transformative abilities of ballroom dance should be quashed after watching one season of Dancing With the Stars and seeing celebrities going from flabby to fit in a matter of weeks.

Sure, they’re rehearsing five to six hours a day, week after week. But the spins, turns, lifts, kicks and fast footwork of the routines show the athleticism and technique that make up the waltz, tango, cha-cha and other dances.

“I think people are happy it’s a workout,” says Erin Stevens, president of the Pasadena Ballroom Dance Association.

“At the end of a class you feel like you’ve enriched your life in so many ways — you’ve burned calories and made friends and learned an art form.”

Workout intensity varies by dance, but all have something to offer.

“In the rumba, which is a sensual dance, you work your hips a lot,” says Perri Rogovin, owner of 3rd Street Dance in Los Angeles, where many DWTS contestants rehearse. “That’s good for the waistline and also for co-ordination.”

Legs get most of the workout in ballroom, but the arms are engaged as well, toning muscles and raising heart rates.

Diana Bolinger has been taking swing and other ballroom dance classes for a dozen years and credits it with regaining her fit self after having children.

“It’s mostly cardio, but you’re also strengthening your arms and legs. You can sometimes feel it the next day.” While she didn’t need to lose weight, she adds, “I felt like I was more fit and not as flabby.”

Most studios offering ballroom classes for pairs don’t require students to pony up a partner; dancers typically rotate partners anyway. But the ballroom craze has also spawned fitness-dance hybrid classes in which an instructor leads a roomful of people in easy choreographed steps.

Louis Van Amstel, a DWTS regular and champion competitive dancer, kicks off a class called Dance Blast at Crunch in L.A. later this month, teaching men and women such dances as the cha-cha, salsa and jive to an eclectic and high-energy mix of music.

“It works from a fitness point of view because a lot of people can do it,” Van Amstel says. “Everybody can learn how to dance.”

McClatchy-Tribune Newspapers

Advertisement: For a Posture Control Device, Please visit www.SpinalQ.com rehab Jacket, Spinal Q, SpinalQ, Qbrace, Q Brace, Shoulder rehab, Spine Rehab, Posture Rehab.

Cha Cha Challenge for better Posture and Control (or Salsa or Rumba)

Take on a cha-cha (or salsa or rumba) challenge

By By Jeannine Stein, Los Angeles Times

Tuesday, January 11, 2011 - 1:03am

Salsa and cha-cha build endurance, and the tango improves muscle control and posture.

Any doubts about the transformative abilities of ballroom dance should be quashed after watching one season of "Dancing With the Stars" and seeing celebrities going from flabby to fit in a matter of weeks.

Sure, they're rehearsing five to six hours a day, week after week. But the spins, turns, lifts, kicks and fast footwork of the routines show the athleticism and technique that make up the waltz, tango, cha-cha and other dances.

"I think people are happy it's a workout," says Erin Stevens, president of the Pasadena Ballroom Dance Association. "At the end of a class, you feel like you've enriched your life in so many ways -- you've burned calories and made friends and learned an art form."

Workout intensity varies by dance, but all have something to offer. "In the rumba, which is a sensual dance, you work your hips a lot," says Peri Rogovin, owner of 3rd Street Dance in Los Angeles, where many "DWTS" contestants rehearse. "That's good for the waistline, and also for coordination."

Faster dances, such as the salsa and cha-cha, build endurance, while slower ones, like the Argentine tango, feature more muscle control via leg extensions and holds, torso rotations and maintaining posture. Legs get most of the workout in ballroom, but the arms are engaged as well, toning muscles and raising heart rates.

Diana Bolinger has been taking swing and other ballroom dance classes at PDBA for a dozen years and credits it with regaining her fit self after having children. "It's mostly cardio, but you're also strengthening your arms and legs. You can sometimes feel it the next day."

While she didn't need to lose weight, she adds, "I felt like I was more fit and not as flabby."

Most studios offering ballroom classes for pairs don't require students to pony up a partner; dancers typically rotate partners anyway. But the ballroom craze has also spawned fitness-dance hybrid classes in which an instructor leads a roomful of people in easy choreographed steps. Louis Van Amstel, a "DWTS" regular and champion competitive dancer, kicks off a class called Dance Blast at Crunch in L.A. this month, teaching men and women such dances as the cha-cha, salsa and jive to an eclectic and high-energy mix of music.

"It works from a fitness point of view because a lot of people can do it," Van Amstel says. "Everybody can learn how to dance."

Advertisement: For a Posture Control Device, Please visit www.SpinalQ.com rehab Jacket, Spinal Q, SpinalQ, Qbrace, Q Brace, Shoulder rehab, Spine Rehab, Posture Rehab.

Wednesday, January 5, 2011

Osteoporosis Facts

It's the price we pay for evolution: A lifetime of walking, standing, lifting, and twisting causes significant low back pain in 80% of all adults at some point in their lives. In fact, this pain sends more people to the doctor than any complaint except upper respiratory symptoms. Back pain is also an expensive problem, costing the United States about $100 billion each year; 20% of that is in direct costs and 80% is in lost productivity!

But back pain isn't inevitable-and when it does occur, it needn't be disabling..

Osteoporosis = a weakening of the bones. About 10 million Americans (8 million women and 2 million men) already have osteoporosis, and 34 million more are at increased risk because of low bone mass-a condition called osteopenia. The U.S. Surgeon General recently warned that by 2020, half of all Americans older than age 50 will be at risk for osteoporosis.

Like back pain, osteoporosis can be disabling. But unlike back pain, osteoporosis, which is caused by a reduction in bone mass, is "silent," with no symptoms until fractures occur. We review the causes and diagnostic techniques, the preventive steps that can spare you significant pain and disability, and the very latest treatment options.

www.spinalq.com, rehab jacket, spinal q, spinalq, q brace, qbrace

Osteopenia: treat or not Treat?

Back Pain Special Report

Osteopenia: To Treat or Not to Treat?

This Special Report is intended for readers interested in learning about the prevention, diagnosis, and management of osteoporosis.

Preosteoporosis, also known as osteopenia, refers to bones that are thinner than normal but aren't quite thin enough to be labeled osteoporosis. An estimated 10 million Americans have osteoporosis, but 34 million more -- 80% of them women -- may have osteopenia. The question for doctors: Should everyone with osteopenia be treated to ward off osteoporosis and fractures? If not, who really does need treatment and who can safely skip it?

How Real Is Your Risk of Osteoporosis? Bone mineral density (BMD) measurements are given as a T score. In general, a T score of -1 or higher is normal and a T score of -2.5 or less means that you have osteoporosis. A score between -1 and -2.5 suggests that you have osteopenia. A score in this range means that you may eventually develop osteoporosis or be at risk for a fracture.

But because you have osteopenia doesn't mean that you will definitely develop osteoporosis and suffer a serious fracture. Thus, taking bisphosphonates or other bone-building medications for osteopenia means that some people will be treated for a condition they would never have developed.

Consequently, many experts argue that most people with osteopenia don't need treatment. In fact, they say, such a strategy makes no sense when drug costs and potential side effects are taken into account. Instead, the general consensus is for selective, targeted treatment in people with osteopenia who have additional risk factors for fracture.

Predicting Your Fracture Risk. Until now, doctors relied primarily on the results of your latest BMD test in conjunction with your age, fracture history, and family history to determine whether you might be at high risk for a fracture. Now a new web-based computer program called FRAX takes much of the guesswork out of the process.

FRAX, which stands for Fracture Risk Assessment tool, was developed by the World Health Organization to calculate the odds of a fracture in the hip, wrist, shoulder, or spine in the next 10 years for anyone age 40 or older based on certain personal characteristics.

To use the tool, your doctor plugs in your hip (femoral neck) BMD and answers questions about other risk factors, including your age, gender, weight, and height; whether you've had a previous fracture or a parent who broke a hip; whether you're currently a smoker, are a long-term user of steroid-containing medicines, such as prednisone, or drink more than three alcoholic drinks a day; and whether you have rheumatoid arthritis or any other medical conditions, such as premature menopause or type 1 diabetes, that can lead to osteoporosis. FRAX then calculates your risk of developing a fracture in the next 10 years.

So what do you do with this information? Knowing your fracture risk will help you and your doctor more accurately determine whether you need to start taking an osteoporosis drug or whether you can safely wait. This is important because osteoporosis medications are not without risk. Two of the most commonly used drugs, alendronate (Fosamax) and risedronate (Actonel), have well established side effects, including abdominal pain and flu-like symptoms. Another popular osteoporosis drug, raloxifene (Evista), commonly causes hot flashes and leg cramps and may, in rare cases, cause clots in the veins or lungs.

For some people the benefits of taking an osteoporosis drug appear to outweigh the risks. Currently, the National Osteoporosis Foundation (NOF) recommends drug treatment for osteopenia in postmenopausal women and men age 50 and older who have at least a 20% risk of any major fracture (spine, forearm, hip, or shoulder) in the next decade or at least a 3% risk of a hip fracture.

The Bottom Line: Regardless of your future fracture risk, if you have osteopenia, it's important to incorporate nonpharmacological strategies for maintaining bone density into your routine. That means building bone strength by getting enough calcium and vitamin D and exercising.

· Calcium and vitamin D. The NOF guidelines recommend that anyone over age 50 consume 1,200 mg a day of calcium and 800 to 1,000 IU a day of vitamin D. To get an adequate amount of calcium, choose plenty of dairy products such as low-fat milk, yogurt, and cheese. Nondairy sources include calcium-fortified orange juice and canned salmon with the bones. Calcium supplements are another option.

· Exercise. The NOF guidelines also recommend that you perform regular weight-bearing and muscle-strengthening exercise. Any activity that works against gravity, including walking, jogging, or climbing stairs, stimulates the growth of new bone tissue. Or get into a regular tennis game, take a ballroom dancing class, or do heavy gardening; these, too, can help you build bone.

Posted in Back Pain on November 13, 2009

(800) 829-0422 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting (800) 829-0422 end_of_the_skype_highlighting

Top of Form

Bottom of Form

Health Topic Pages

· Arthritis