May 10, 2000 [Volume 1, Issue 13]

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In this issue of To Your Health:

• Bed Rest Not Effective for Sciatica?
• More Evidence: Exercise Improves Bone Strength
• Fighting Prostate Cancer with Vitamins

Patients with sciatica (low back and hip pain, often radiating down the thigh and into the leg) usually get better over time. Bed rest has long been considered an effective treatment, but with little objective data to support this approach, there has been controversy over whether bed rest is the most appropriate treatment to recommend.

This study at Maastricht University Hospital in the Netherlands measured if two weeks of bed rest did more for patients than watchful waiting for the same period. A group of 92 patients stayed in bed for two weeks, but were allowed to get up to use the toilet and to bathe. The control group of 91 was instructed to be up and around whenever possible but to avoid straining the back or provoking pain. They were allowed to go to work, and bed rest was not entirely prohibited. All patients were allowed to take medication for pain and insomnia.

Investigators found no evidence that bed rest is an effective treatment for patients with sciatica or that bed rest is a more effective therapy than watchful waiting. If you're suffering from back pain, schedule a comprehensive assessment with your doctor of chiropractic.

For more information on back pain, go to https://www.chiroweb.com/tyh/backpain.html

Reference: Vroommen PCAJ, de Krom MCTFM, Wilmink JT, et al. Lack of effectiveness of bed rest for sciatica. The New England Journal of Medicine, Feb. 11, 1999; vol. 340, no. 6, pp418-23.

More Evidence: Exercise Improves Bone Strength

A recent study published in Sports Medicine advocated weightbearing exercise (walking, running, step aerobics, etc.) for bone strength. Now comes another study, this time from Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, that discusses the impact of resistance training on bone strength.

The authors in this study reviewed 10 years of literature on exercise and bone mineral density (BMD), paying particular attention to potential differences in type of exercise (weightbearing, aerobic, or resistance training) and BMD changes.

The research reviewed suggested that exercise positively affects BMD in young and older adults, with the effects being specific to the muscles worked and the bones to which they attach. The authors also noted that "although aerobic exercise and weightbearing physical activity are important... resistance training seems to have a more potent impact on bone density."

Resistance training is just about any exercise in which the muscles are forced to resist against an opposing force -- i.e., exercises involving free weights or weight machines, often with progression (increasing the resistance each set). Your chiropractor can tell you more about resistance training and outline an exercise routine appropriate to your needs.

For more information on sports and fitness, visit https://www.chiroweb.com/tyh/sports.html

Reference: Layne JE, Nelson ME. The effects of progressive resistance training on bone density: a review. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, 1999: Vol. 31, No. 1, pp25-30.

Fighting Prostate Cancer with VITAMINS

Prostate cancer strikes nearly a quarter of a million men each year, making it the most commonly diagnosed form of cancer. Evidence suggests that male hormones may contribute to the development of this disease as we age. Studies of dietary antioxidants have provided encouraging data on the prevention of prostate cancer, an observation supported by a study published by the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.

In the study, various antioxidants, were applied to cell cultures to evaluate their effect on cell growth and other characteristics. Vitamins C and E decreased cancerous activity on a cellular level, especially when high doses were administered; other antioxidants included in the study were not as effective in suppressing cancer growth.

These findings add to considerable evidence promoting antioxidants as cancer-fighting agents. Where can you find good sources of vitamin C and E? Look no further than the produce section of your local grocery store: fruits and leafy green vegetables contain significant amounts of these powerful antioxidants. Your chiropractor can tell you more about what foods to eat (and what foods to avoid) to ward off disease.

Additional information on the benefits of vitamins and minerals can be found at https://www.chiroweb.com/tyh/nutrients.html

Reference: Ripple MO, Henry WF, Schwarze SR, et al. Effect of antioxidants on androgen-induced AP-1 and NF-kB DNA-binding activity in prostate carcinoma cells. Journal of the National Cancer Institute, July 1999: Vol. 91, No. 14, pp1227-32.

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