Category: Medical World

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Physical Therapy Before an Injury…

Posted on by Lenny Variano

Working with a good physical therapist can be beneficial in avoiding months of inactivity or even in some cases surgery. Should you seek Physical Therapy before a serious injury occurs? These therapists are miracle workers after surgery or a serious sports injury, but they can also help with strengthening parts of the body that may become future injuries due to certain activities. Prehab (preventive physical therapy) is now recommended by many physicians who work especially with athletes. They can foresee a future injury and recommend PT as a part of their training routine to stay ahead of what may be a debilitating injury. An experienced physical therapist will be able to advise you on where a certain feeling of discomfort is originating. For example, knee pain may need to be treated by strength exercises relating from the ankle or hip. If you have a nagging injury such as chronic tendonitis it may be helpful to work with a physical therapist who can give you strength and mobility exercises. Prehab before surgery can also speed up the recovery process afterwards. Word of mouth from those involved in the same activities is one of the best ways to seek out a PT. Many are specialized and work with certain injuries. Come prepared for your first appointment with a list of specific ailments to give as clear a picture as possible. Be ready to do home exercises as part of a successful recovery.

https://www.hss.edu/article_what-is-prehab.asphttps://www.reloadpt.com/pain-management/how-prehab-physical-therapy-can-help-athletes-prevent-injuries-4

 

Is Broccoli Really All That Beneficial? …

Posted on by Lenny Variano

Of all the green vegetables, broccoli is the most recognizable by most people. In working with small children, I find that if they will eat a green vegetable, it is most likely broccoli. I don’t think it is the nutritional value but more of a question of it resembling a small tree or flower. Broccoli, brussels sprouts, cabbage, and cauliflower are all part of what is know as cruciferous vegetables. The strong sulfuric smell of broccoli is from a compound known as sulforaphane which scientists believe may not only be beneficial to heart and bone health but may play a part in cancer prevention. Research is showing that the strong mineral compounds in broccoli may fight the harmful effects of pollution and secondhand smoke. Studies are showing that people who eat broccoli once a week have lower risks of common cancers (lung, breast, colon). However, it may be that those who eat broccoli may also have a healthier lifestyle in general. The high level of Vitamin K in broccoli can improve circulation for heart health, the fiber content can fight colon cancer, the potassium level can help with blood pressure, and the level of vitamin C and calcium can help with bone mineralization. Choose steaming over boiling to prevent some of these benefits from being lost. Try sautéing garlic, red peppers, pignoli nuts, salt, pepper to taste and then adding them to the steamed broccoli.

 

https://www.uclahealth.org/news/article/broccoli-and-other-cruciferous-veggies-can-significantly-lower-cancer-risks

 

BRI as a replacement for BMI…

Posted on by Lenny Variano

BMI was first developed by a mathematician, Aldolphe Quetelet, in the 1830s as a way of defining the average man. Known then as the Quetelet Index, it wasn’t given the term Body Mass Index until 1972 and wasn’t adopted by the World Health Organization until 1997. BMI is the ratio of height to weight. Although it is used by the medical profession as a screening tool for disease, some practitioners feel it is inaccurate. It will label a person as overweight or obese without taking into consideration the amount of muscle as opposed to fat in a person’s body. Opposition also stems from the fact that it was developed 200 years ago and was based on data from mostly white men. BMI does not consider racial, ethnic, age, sex, and gender diversity. A new metric is now being considered and used by many in the medical profession. It is BRI (Body Roundness Index) it measures the relationship between height and roundness (waist measurement). It is a way of measuring central body fat which is more of a predictor of disease. The consensus is that BMI may be overestimating disease risk for muscular athletes and underestimating disease risk for older adults who have replaced muscle for fat. BRI is more concerned with abdominal fat which is more of an indicator of future illness as opposed to BMI which does not consider this to be a part of its calculations.  Looks like it is time to start a core exercise routine for the New Year.

https://www.healthline.com/health-news/is-the-body-roundness-index-the-new-bmi-what-it-says-about-your-health

Treating Severe Frostbite…

Posted on by Lenny Variano

In the past there was not much that could be done with frostbite. Warming the patient, aspirin and amputation were the only treatment options. The drug called iloprost has just been approved by the FDA for treatment of frostbite. It was developed in the 1980’s in Germany and was used mostly for peripheral arterial disease. The drug must be administered intravenously for several hours a day over a period of a little more than a week. Iloprost works by opening blood vessels and in turn preventing inflammation and clot formation which blocks the movement of blood to frozen parts of the body. Although cases of frostbite are rare in America, the drug can be a lifesaver for the homeless who spend hours outside and for those who may work in extremely cold climates especially indigenous people who have active lifestyles in polar regions. Beginning in 2004 the drug was used to treat of pulmonary hypertension. European physicians were the first to use it to treat frostbite. Tests performed with artic circle residents and Himalayan climbers proved it to be effective in preventing serious repercussions from frostbite. The drug does need to be administered within the first 48 to 72 hours to prevent cell destruction.

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10044161/https://www.fda.gov/news-events/press-announcements/fda-approves-first-medication-treat-severe-frostbite