October 10, 2001[Volume 2, Issue 21]

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In this issue of To Your Health:

• Taking Back Pain to School
• Anti-Inflammatory Arthritis Drugs: Bad for the Heart?
• Do Back Belts Really Work?
• Eliminating High Blood Pressure: Just Add Water

Taking Back Pain to School

Low back pain often begins in childhood — 10% of 9- to 10-year-olds suffer from it. One cause of childhood low back pain is poor posture. Although good posture can reduce the number of low back problems, the effectiveness of health education at improving posture in children has received little research attention.

A recent study in the journal Spine focused on the success of different education methods when teaching correct posture to schoolchildren. Over one hundred third-grade students in Spain were studied. Some attended sessions to learn and demonstrate correct postures while performing tasks, focusing on lifting and bending activities at the students’ homes, classrooms, and physical education classes. Other children did not receive specific posture classes, but did learn some basic health information. Written and demonstrated tests on correct posture were administered several times over one year. Four years later, cases of back pain or problems were recorded.

Children taught correct postures demonstrated significantly improved postures in all tests; the other children showed little improvement. In addition, four years later, the posture-class members were less likely to have developed back problems than other children.

If you have children, discuss posture education with your doctor of chiropractic. In addition, be on the lookout for other causes of childhood low back pain, including an excessively heavy backpack (packs should not weigh more than 15% of a child’s body weight) and poor flexibility in the legs, abdomen and back

Reference: Méndez FJ, Gómez-Conesa A. Postural hygiene program to prevent low back pain. Spine, June 1, 2001:26(11), pp. 1280-1286.

For additional pediatric health information, see https://www.chiroweb.com/find/archives/pediatrics/.

Anti-Inflammatory Arthritis Drugs: Bad for the Heart?

If you watch any television at all you’ve probably seen the commercials for Vioxx or Celebrex, two extremely popular arthritis drugs. Millions of Americans take these drugs to reduce arthritis and joint pain. These drugs, classified as cyclooxygenase 2 (COX-2) inhibitors, are a second generation of anti-inflammatory drugs that have gained popularity, in part because they do not cause digestive problems, unlike their predecessors. However, new research shows that COX-2 inhibitors may increase your risk of developing a cardiovascular disease.

The cardiovascular effects of COX-2 inhibitors were evaluated in a review of multiple studies published in the August 22 edition of the Journal of the American Medical Association. This review focused on two major studies in particular, each with over 8,000 participants: the Vioxx Gastrointestinal Outcomes Research Study (VIGOR) and the Celecoxib Long-term Arthritis Safety Study (CLASS).

VIGOR showed that Vioxx increased the risk of cardiovascular events, such as heart attack or stroke, almost two-and-a-half times. Two other smaller studies also suggested a relationship between Vioxx and these conditions. CLASS indicated an increased risk for cardiovascular events in COX-2 users, but was inconclusive because of minimal data.

If you currently use either of these drugs, it’s especially important to monitor potential adverse changes to your heart. If possible, find alternative ways to deal with arthritis pain. Finally, if you have not developed arthritis pain, do your best to avoid it by maintaining a balanced diet, taking vitamin supplements, and staying active. Talk to your doctor about the risks and benefits of any drug before you fill that prescription!

Reference: Mukherjee D, Nissen SE, Topol EJ. Risk of cardiovascular events associated with selective COX-2 inhibitors. Journal of the American Medical Association, August 22/29, 2001:286(8), pp. 954-959.

Do Back Belts Really Work?

Back belts have become a common sight - we see them every day on vending machine stockers, deliverymen, and anyone else who regularly lifts heavy objects. Back belts were originally touted as an effective means of preventing back problems, but since have been said to have no effect on proper lifting techniques, making it difficult to decide whether or not to use one. A recent study once again proves the usefulness of back belts, however.

The authors of the study evaluated the effects of an elastic back belt on spine motion when lifting large and small boxes of the same weight (about 20 lbs). Twenty-eight subjects with no prior low back pain and at least six months of manual-handling experience lifted small and large boxes with and without a back belt. The boxes were lifted from a position near the ground in front of the subjects to a position at table-height to the subject’s right side.

Back belt use significantly reduced twisting of the spine when lifting large boxes. Back belts also clearly decreased spinal bending and speed of lifting when lifting both large and small boxes. Properly lifting while wearing a belt did not lead to proper lifting techniques once the belt was removed, indicating the importance of continued use.

This study supports prior research emphasizing the value of wearing back belts for manual lifting tasks; belts appear to result in slower lifts, proper squat-lift technique, and reduced torso motions. Whether or not you use a belt, always follow proper lifting techniques: lift with your legs, not with your back. If you ever need to lift moderate-to-heavy objects at work or at home, be sure to wear a back belt. It’s a small price to pay, compared to costly and painful back injuries.

Reference: Giorcelli RJ, Hughes RE, Wassell JT, et al. The effect of wearing a back belt on spine kinematics during asymmetric lifting of large and small boxes. Spine, August 15, 2001:26(16), pp. 1794-1798.

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

Eliminating High Blood Pressure: Just Add Water

High blood pressure is the main cause of disease and death in industrialized societies. In the U.S. alone, nearly one million people die from stroke or heart failure annually, despite the fact that high blood pressure, or hypertension, is considered an easily controlled condition. Although prescription drugs have produced mixed results, good evidence suggests that lifestyle and diet alterations can effectively reduce hypertension.

The effectiveness of combating hypertension with a specialized diet was evaluated in a recent study in the Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics. Researchers wanted to investigate the effects of water-only fasting on blood pressure. After initially eating only fruits and vegetables for two-to-three days, 174 hypertension patients (with a minimum blood pressure of 140/90) consumed only distilled water for 10 days. Then, for approximately one week, subjects followed a vegetarian diet during a refeeding stage, to slowly re-accustom their bodies to food again.

Nearly 90% of patients reduced their blood pressure to less than 140/90 in the three-week period, regardless of how high their blood pressure had been. On average, BP reduction was 37/13, and was greatest in more severe cases. This is “substantially in excess” of the combined effects of a vegetarian diet, alcohol and sodium restriction, and exercise. All those who began the study on hypertension medication were able to discontinue use by the end of the study.

This study supports the theory that blood pressure can be dramatically reduced through simple, short-term diet modifications, without drug use. Talk to your doctor of chiropractic to get more information on preventing hypertension through a healthy diet and exercise, and visit https://www.chiroweb.com/tyh/nutrients.html for more information on proper nutrition.

Reference:Goldhamer A, Lisle D, Parpia B, et al. Medically supervised water-only fasting in the treatment of hypertension. Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics, June 2001:24(5), pp. 335-339.

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