FAQ Category: General

Endurance training is physical training that requires prolonged effort. Unlike repeated sprinting, which eventually causes you to have to stop and catch your breath, endurance activities allow the body to keep enough oxygen going to the muscles so the activity can be done for long periods.

Endurance training conditions muscles to become better able to obtain the nutrients and oxygen they need from the blood. Athletes who use endurance training show an improved ability to get more blood to the working muscles with each heart beat. And the muscles are able to make better use of the oxygen in the blood. The end result is improved efficiency, leading to better performance. Examples of endurance sports include long-distance running, cycling, and swimming.

No. If done correctly, resistance training using weights can lower body fat while increasing muscle size, improving bone health, and raising the body’s overall ability to burn calories. If weight lifting is new for you, work with a competent trainer. If you eat sensibly, you’ll eventually get the results you’re looking for.

This is a much debated point. However, a recent study compared types of strength training aimed specifically at improving physical strength and on-the-job tasks. The results showed that the training group that lifted more explosively, using heavy loads and fewer reps, performed better than other groups. The most effective combination included endurance training (running, for example). Be aware, however, that this is an advanced form of strength training, requiring precise technique. If you intend to take part in this type of training, you should seek the supervision and instruction of a competent professional.

It’s natural for a person’s blood pressure to rise considerably during weight training. But research on this subject so far hasn’t shown that the elevated heart rate stays with a person in the hours after exercise.

In a recent study at the University of Maryland, researchers tested healthy young men and women with varying exercise habits. In the experiment, all the groups lifted weights on 12 different machines for 45 to 60 minutes. The participants’ heart rate and blood pressure were monitored throughout the rest of the day and that night.

The group that didn’t regularly exercise showed no more elevation in heart rate in the 24 hours after exercise than on a control, or normal, day. In addition, no significant difference overall was found between any of the groups. The researchers concluded that the rise in blood pressure during weight lifting doesn’t seem to last throughout the day, at least not in healthy young people.

The U.S. Army’s physical fitness testing involves push-ups, sit-ups, and a two-mile run. Resistance training (lifting weights) can improve your ability to do all of these things. To begin, you may want to get supervised assistance at a local gym. You’ll benefit by gradually incorporating push-ups and sit-ups into your routine. In addition to weight lifting, walk briskly every day, gradually increasing your walking speed. Then turn your  walk into a slow jog. Try to increase your pace and distance by small amounts each week. By being patient and consistent, you’ll improve your performance while reducing your risk of injury.

There’s general agreement that nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) can help ease pain and swelling caused by a muscle strain. However, some research studies have shown that using NSAIDs for a long time after a muscle strain gets in the way of healing. Since it’s been three months and you still have pain, talk with your doctor. You might need to see a physical therapist to regain muscle flexibility and strength and to learn other ways of dealing with your pain besides medication.

Doctors grade muscle strains on a scale of one to four. Using this scale, a “grade three” means you tore many muscle fibers, including some of the supportive tissue around the muscle. Grades one and two mean that a minor or moderate amount of muscle fibers were torn. A grade four tear is a complete rupture of the muscle.

Most muscle strains heal pretty well with rest, ice, and anti-inflammatory medication. You may wrap the sore muscle and elevate it, too. The problem with grade three tears is that they usually take longer to heal than grade one or two tears. Also, complications such as muscle scarring can limit movement and muscle performance. That’s why most experts suggest a physical therapy program to restore muscle flexibility and strength in patients with grade three muscle strains. You will also need to warm up well before playing sports. Be sure not to overdo it when you first go back to playing.

A recent study looked at one specific indicator of good heart health–heart rate variability (HRV). The greater the HRV, the better. The researchers did not find any major differences between the endurance-trained exercisers and those who exercised at a moderate level similar to yours. There was a definite difference between the men who were classified as sedentary when compared to these other two groups. The sedentary men had less heart rate variability and higher resting pulses.

She may be referring to the parasympathetic system, which controls many body functions, including the heart. Evidence suggests that a well “toned” parasympathetic system may prevent heart problems such as heart attacks, angina, congestive heart failure, and sudden cardiac death.

One study found that men who exercised aerobically expending less than 1,000 calories per week did not seem to have as good a variable heart rate. (This heart rate variability indicates good parasympathetic tone.) To meet that 1,000 calories, you would need to walk briskly 2.5 days per week. The hardest part is getting out there every day and doing it–the part you’re succeeding with. Now you just need to gradually increase your time and pace.

This speeding up and slowing of the heart rate at rest is called heart rate variability. It is very normal. If you observe more closely, you will probably find that it is related to your breathing. As you inhale, your heart rate goes up; as you exhale, it goes down. It is pretty subtle, which is why many people don’t notice it.

You feel the burning sensation because capsaicin is made from hot chili peppers. The burning sensation is normal. You may also feel a pricking or itching sensation. Once you’ve used it several times, however, the burning should be followed by pain relief.

Capsaicin is an analgesic–a pain reliever–derived from hot chili peppers. It is commonly used to treat pain from osteoarthritis and neuralgia (severe nerve pain). Oddly, it is considered an irritant–it is what gives hot chili peppers their hotness. However, with repeated application it numbs the pain receptors in the area where it is applied.

Resistive (or resistance) exercise involves applying force to your muscles. It generally refers to weight lifting, but there are many ways to apply force to a muscle. These can include free weights, weighted pulleys, exercise bands and cords, and a variety of exercise machines. Resistance training can be used to improve sports performance, burn fat, and help people do their activities more easily.

Regular exercise is a good way to avoid frailty in old age. One recent study showed that elderly women who’d exercised regularly before age 40 had greater bone density and were less likely to fall than their peers.

Exercising helps build bone density and muscle strength. Some of these effects are known to last into old age, especially for women. In one recent study, elderly women who exercised at least once a week before age 40 had greater bone density and were less likely to fall down than their peers.

A success rate is the percentage of patients who do well after treatment. How do we know that patients are “doing well”? It depends on the treatment and the criteria doctors use to evaluate the results. If you have surgery on your Achilles tendon, for example, “success” could be defined as pain relief, ability to do daily activities, getting back to work or sports–or all of the above. It can also mean improvement in measures of muscle strength or joint movement.

Measures of success vary, even for the same kinds of treatment.  When you hear a success rate, it makes sense to ask what type of success is being measured. You may also want to know whether the success rate was for a particular group of people, such as older patients or patients with chronic pain. This will let you know whether the success rate can be applied to you.  

Scientific methods are the way researchers collect and look at information. Good methods keep true to the information. Unfortunately, other methods can be used to skew the information in an attempt to support the researcher’s own opinions. 

When researchers use good methods, their success rates are more reliable. If, on the other hand, they choose to only report on patients who do well after a procedure, their success rates probably won’t give you a very realistic picture. 

Your doctor can be a good resource to help you figure out which sources to trust.    

You’re right about smoking’s negative effects on bone fusion surgeries. Smokers generally don’t heal as fast or as well from surgeries to fuse parts of the spine, ankle, or wrist.

In order to grow together to form a solid mass, bones need a decent supply of blood. Blood brings bones the oxygen and nutrients they need, and it discourages the growth of bad cells. Nicotine is thought to get in the way of healing by closing down blood vessels and restricting blood supply, called vasoconstriction. Research has shown that, even in areas such as the wrist that have greater blood supply, smoking impairs bone healing.

It depends. When treating a sore area with a bag of ice, avoid placing the bag directly on the skin. Place a towel or piece of clothing on the skin first. This will keep the area from getting too cold.

Ice massage, another form of cold treatment, is done by actually rubbing ice directly on the skin. But in this case, a layer of water builds up between the ice and the skin, which keeps the ice from harming the body’s tissues. Ice massage is often used to treat small areas, such as smaller tendons, muscles, or joints. To give an ice massage, freeze water in a small paper cup. Then tear off the top inch of the cup, exposing the ice. Rub the ice over the sore area for three to five minutes, until it feels numb to the touch. When applying cold treatments, frequent inspection of the area is recommended. 

Complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) type I can be a frustrating condition. Doctors remain uncertain about the causes and best treatment for the problem. The treatments you describe are all commonly used.

One recent case study of a man injured in a fork-lift accident suggested that capsaicin may help. Capsaicin is derived from chili peppers and is a widely used analgesic. However, its use for treating CRPS I was new. The doctor reported that the patient improved under treatment twice per day at a .075 percent dosage. Although this was only a single case and use of capsaicin for treating CRPS I requires more study, you might want to talk with your doctor about trying it.