September 26, 2001[Volume 2, Issue 20]

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In this issue of To Your Health:

• A 40-Ouch Work Week
• Weightlifters at Risk for Collarbone Damage
• A Sound Body = A Healthy Mind
• You Don't Have Hypertension -- Or Do You?

Have you or a co-worker experienced low back pain on the job? The odds are overwhelming that the answer is yes. Low back pain is the biggest occupational health problem in the industrialized world - accounting for up to 30% of all worker compensation claims and up to half of all compensation costs. Not all cases are a result of improperly lifting heavy objects, though. So what else causes this problem?

A recent study in the American Journal of Public Health determined the causes of low back pain in a group of automobile factory employees. Researchers compared 137 low-back-pain sufferers to a group of nonsufferers with similar job descriptions. They collected information by interviewing the employees at home and by assessing the physical demands of each job.

The primary causes of low back pain were worker perceptions of a physically demanding job, a poor social environment at work, and a higher level of education than others in the same position. Workers who thought they experienced a high level of exertion on the job were three times more likely than normal to experience back pain. In other words, regardless of the work being done, people who perceived their jobs as difficult were much more likely to develop back pain.

What's the moral of the story? Preventing low back pain at work requires more than proper lifting techniques to be effective. Even if you don't routinely lift heavy objects at work, you are still at risk. Maintain a positive outlook on the work you're doing, and immediately report any workplace problems that you have - related to duties or anything causing stress - to your employer.

Reference: Kerr MS, Frank JW, Shannon HS, et al. Biomechanical and psychosocial risk factors for low back pain at work. American Journal of Public Health, July 2001:91(7), pp. 1069-1075.

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

Weighlifters at Risk for Collarbone Damage

Lifting weights is one of the best ways to stay in shape and feel good. However, because weightlifting can put tremendous strains on your body, injuries can be lurking right around the corner. One type of injury found in weightlifters is osteolysis of the distal clavicle (ODC), a condition in which the collarbone slowly breaks down and dissolves, causing pain, instability, and reduced mobility and strength. Previous research has shown that ODC occurs in over one-quarter of competitive weightlifters.

In a recent study in the Journal of Sports Chiropractic and Rehabilitation, researchers sought to determine the odds of recreational weightlifters developing ODC. Twenty-nine individuals who had lifted weights at least two-to-three times per week for over six months completed a questionnaire regarding shoulder pain and training/ health history. X-rays of both shoulders were obtained and evaluated for ODC in all subjects.

ODC was diagnosed in half of all shoulders - much greater than would be expected in nonlifters, and nearly double the prevalence found in competitive weightlifters. The ODC-afflicted shoulder joints also exhibited gradual widening and deformation.

The occurrence of this condition does not seem to be affected by how often or long a person has trained. If you lift weights, adopt a consistent, moderate regimen, and never lift more weight than you're capable of lifting safely. If you do take a period of time off, gradually work your way back into the sport so that your tissues have time to rebuild.

Reference: Brahee D, Osborne CA, Burke J, et al. The prevalence of osteolysis of the distal clavicle in recreational weight trainers. Journal of Sports Chiropractic and Rehabilitation 2001:15(2), pp. 71-79.

To obtain more information on sports and fitness, go to https://www.chiroweb.com/tyh/sports.html.

A Sound Body = A Healthy Mind

Mental illness occurs in more than 10% of people 65 and older, and in half of those older than 85. One reason for increased mental problems in the elderly may be a lack of exercise. A study published in the July 23rd Archives of Internal Medicine focused on this relationship between exercise and mental health.

The cognitive performance of nearly 6,000 women (65 years or older) was measured over eight years using a test that focused on concentration, language, and memory. Physical activity was also measured, in blocks walked and calories burned from activity per week. Calories burned were estimated using reports on the duration and intensity levels of physical activities reported by the women.

Women with greater baseline activity levels, in terms of blocks walked or calories burned, were less likely to experience cognitive decline. Here's a breakdown of the important numbers:

• Women who burned the most calories were less likely to experience cognitive decline than women who burned the fewest, while women who walked the most were less likely to experience decline than women who walked the least.
• In terms of either blocks walked or calories burned, 24% of least-active women experienced cognitive decline, compared with only 17% of most-active women.
• For every 10 blocks walked per day, women reduced their risk of cognitive decline by 13%.

Be sure to exercise several times every week, whether it is in the form of walking, playing sports, going to the gym, or any other activity that elevates your heart rate. You'll keep your body looking and feeling good, and you'll stay sharp and reduce your chances of mental illness. For more information on women's health issues, visit https://www.chiroweb.com/tyh/women.html.

Reference: Yaffe K, Barnes D, Nevitt M, et al. A prospective study of physical activity and cognitive decline in elderly women: Women who walk. Archives of Internal Medicine, July 23, 2001:161(14), pp. 1703-1708.

You Don't Have Hypertension — Or Do You?

More people visit physicians in the U.S. for hypertension, or high blood pressure, than any other health problem. Hypertension exists when the body's smaller blood vessels narrow, causing the blood to exert increased pressure against the vessel walls. The heart must then pump harder to maintain this higher pressure. Treating hypertension can greatly reduce cases of stroke and heart disease, yet the percentage of patients who control this condition has possibly decreased in the last decade.

The authors of a recent study in The New England Journal of Medicine analyzed data from the third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey to evaluate hypertension awareness. In the study, hypertension was defined as blood pressure exceeding 140/90, or the use of medication to control blood pressure. Over 16,000 adults were studied.

Thirty-one percent of hypertension sufferers were unaware of their condition, and only 17% of hypertension sufferers were receiving treatment for the condition. People who lacked hypertension awareness and did not attempt to control the condition were most often male, older than 65 years, and had not visited a physician in the previous year, despite the fact that the majority of subjects with untreated or uncontrolled hypertension had health insurance.

The best ways to avoid high blood pressure also are good ways to maintain overall health: maintain a healthy weight; stay physically active; eat low-sodium foods; and if you drink alcohol, do so in moderation.

Reference: Hyman DJ, Pavlik VN. Characteristics of patients with uncontrolled hypertension in the United States. The New England Journal of Medicine, August 16, 2001:345(7), pp. 479-486.

You can find more general health information at https://www.chiroweb.com/find/archives/general.

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